Sepak takraw (or simply takraw in Thai), is a volleyball-like game played with the feet using a rattan ball. The sport is popular throughout Southeast Asia, but especially so here in Thailand.
The game doesn’t get much attention outside of Asia, so you can imagine my surprise when I came across this fake video report […]
When I heard that Sylvester Stallone’s new “Rambo” flick takes place right here in Thailand, I knew it’d be a must-see. I haven’t laid eyes on the film yet, I’m sad to say, but some early reviews have just rolled in:
Joel Stein, writing in Time, interviews Stallone and opens with this exceptional lede:
Sylvester Stallone […]
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The New York Times recently ran a travel story by Joshua Kurlantzick about Bangkok street food. Austin’s phenomenal blog Real Thai gets a deserved mention, and I’m not just saying that because he gave me shout-out today due to our mutual love of all things waffle-related (i.e. the infamous Thai waffle-coated hot dog that I […]
New York Times: “Former Premier’s Party Wins Thai Vote”
A party that backs former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a parliamentary election on Sunday, defeating a party backed by the generals who ousted him in a coup 15 months ago.
At a recent rally for the People Power Party, participants wore masks bearing the likeness of the […]
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Thai voters go to the polls on Sunday in what will be the first election since the military coup in September, 2006.
AFP: “Rallies to mark final phase of Thai election campaign”:
Thailand enters its final day of election campaigning Friday, with rallies planned in the capital as the kingdom gears up to vote in a new […]
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Many months ago, Newley.com reader Paul D., who lives in California, asked me for advice on learning Thai. While I’m not an expert and certainly not an advanced speaker, here’s a slightly expanded version of what I told him based on my experience as an enthusiastic — but far from talented — student. I invite […]
Remember the french fry-coated hot dog that I photographed in Seoul a while back? I mean, seriously, given the international acclaim that followed, how could you forget?
Well, in my ongoing quest to identify and consume hot dogs encrusted in all manner of incongruous snack foods, I bring you the waffle-coated hot dog.
In a feat […]
I recently purchased the excellent Nikon D40 camera. And a trip down to Koh Chang and Chanthaburi last week afforded me the perfect opportunity to put my new toy photojournalism tool through its paces.
You can see all 40 images in the set here.
Following are some of my favorite pics:
A ferry sets off for […]
In today’s Ask the Pilot, a Salon.com column, the author tackles “wind shear, aging planes and the safety of budget airlines.”
(Image via Airliners.net.)
Here’s more info on Sunday’s plane crash in Phuket. 89 of 130 people on board were killed, many of them foreign tourists.
AFP: “Thai crash officials probe system problem, foul weather”
AP: “Authorities struggle to identify more than 30 victims of the Thai plane crash”
And a Wikipedia page has been created; it contains the basic facts:
One-Two-GO Airlines […]
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NYT/AP:
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A passenger plane filled with foreign tourists crashed Sunday as it tried to land in heavy rain on the island of Phuket, splitting in two as it was engulfed in flames, officials said. At least 66 people were killed.
The budget One-To-Go Airlines was carrying 123 passengers and five crew members […]
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CNN.com:
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) — Less than a day after being rocked by a deadly earthquake, people on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were jolted again Thursday morning by a pair of powerful tremors that prompted the Indonesian government to issue additional tsunami warnings.
Residents in other Indian Ocean nations also were put on notice about […]
Jennifer Chen has an excellent story in the Wall Street Journal about Thailand’s Jatukam Ramathep amulets. Don’t miss it.
Not so long ago, Nakhon Si Thammarat was a sleepy town with no obvious tourist attractions — or tourists. Its economy revolved around shrimp farming and fishing.
Now this provincial capital in southern Thailand is crawling with […]
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CNN/Reuters:
Thailand’s voters have approved an army-drafted constitution, but a hefty “No” vote suggests December’s general election will be messy, with ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra still a potent political force.
With 98 percent of votes counted on Monday in Thailand’s first referendum, the Election Commission said about 57 percent of people had accepted the charter, […]
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I’ve got a travel story in today’s New York Times. It’s about how Bangkok’s legendary Khao San Road, long a meeting place for backpackers, now offers a variety of upscale amenities.