Year: 2011

Bangkok Post : “Snap election ‘just weeks away'”

Post author By Newley
Post date March 7, 2011
No Comments on Bangkok Post : “Snap election ‘just weeks away'”

Snap election ‘just weeks away’

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has indicated an early House dissolution is likely to be called later this month or early next month to clear the way for the general election, a highly-placed coalition source said.

The premier’s move came as pressure continued to mount against the government, particularly regarding the rising cost of living, falling rice prices and a hike in fuel prices.

A government source said Mr Abhisit had told key figures of the coalition parties that an early House dissolution will probably be called later this month or early next month.

(Emphasis mine.)

Tags Thai politics

Sports Thailand

Thailand soccer chief: Brazil coming to Thailand for Oct. 7 friendly

Post author By Newley
Post date March 5, 2011
No Comments on Thailand soccer chief: Brazil coming to Thailand for Oct. 7 friendly

According to a story in today’s Bangkok Post, Football Association of Thailand head Worawi Makudi says Brazil will travel here to play the Thai national team on Oct. 7:

Worawi Makudi, president of the Football Association of Thailand, said his Brazilian counterpart Ricardo Teixeira had promised to send the country’s top players to the Kingdom for the October 7 match.

Worawi, who is a Fifa executive member, discussed the matter with Teixeira in Zurich where they are attending Fifa’s annual meeting.

“Teixeira promised that he will send Brazil’s strongest team to Thailand for the friendly,” said Worawi.

“This is good news for Thai fans. It will also be a good opportunity for Thai players to play against world-class players.

Also, the Brazilian Football Confederation will send its national futsal (five-a-side) to compete in a special event in Thailand in June, Worawi said.

(Emphasis mine.)

You’ll recall that Thailand was due to host England in June. But that game is off. Backstory is here and here.

(Image: Bangkok Post.)

Tags Soccer

Thailand

Reuters on wages and inflation in Thailand

Post author By Newley
Post date March 3, 2011
No Comments on Reuters on wages and inflation in Thailand

A Reuters story from yesterday: Analysis: Thailand risks growing old before it gets rich:

Earning $6 a day from her food stall outside her home next to a railway track, Lumyai Rungruang is sceptical of news that Thailand’s wages are rising. The 54-year-old is too busy contending with spiralling inflation.

Coconut juice has doubled in price. Egg prices are up 50 percent at 90 baht ($2.95) a dozen. Doubtful her income can keep pace, she bristles when pressed about her future.

“I expect to work the rest of my life,” the mother of five said from her makeshift stall with its corrugated iron roof and bamboo stools, where she sells rice porridge and noodles.

For the past decade, Thailand’s minimum wage has trailed inflation, creating one of the widest gaps between rich and poor in Asia according to the World Bank, and fuelling working-class frustrations that erupted into violent street protests last year.

But Thai wages are creeping up, supported by an average 6.4 percent minimum-wage increase this year, rising agricultural prices that have helped farmers, a shortage of skilled workers and a planned increase in civil-servant salaries from April.

While higher incomes could boost Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s chances at polls this year and prod consumer spending, they raise questions over whether Thailand’s economy, Southeast Asia’s second biggest, can keep its cost advantage over Asian rivals — from China to Malaysia and India.

They also highlight another troubling question facing the Thai government and millions of workers like Lumyai: will Thailand grow old before it grows rich, as its population of 67 million people ages at one of the fastest rates in Asia?

(Emphasis mine.)

Tags economics

Journalism Thai politics Thailand

BBC: “New finding on cameraman’s death during Thai protests”

Post author By Newley
Post date February 28, 2011
No Comments on BBC: “New finding on cameraman’s death during Thai protests”

2011 02 28 hiro

The BBC has this story today:

New finding on cameraman’s death during Thai protests

Investigators in Thailand have reversed an earlier finding into the killing of a Reuters cameraman during red-shirt anti government protests last April.

Officials from the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) now say Hiro Muramoto was shot by an AK47, a gun not used by Thai soldiers.

An earlier leaked report blamed the military for shooting the cameraman.

Critics say the investigations into how 89 people died in last year’s protests have been hurt by interference.

Hiro Muramoto, a Japanese cameraman working for Reuters, was killed on 10 April last year.

Thai soldiers were trying to clear many thousands of anti-government protesters, known as red-shirts, from the streets of Bangkok.

They failed – five soldiers died in the attempt and 20 civilians.

Mr Muramoto died from a bullet through his chest.

An earlier finding by the DSI had concluded this was fired by an M16 from an army-held position that night. Witnesses from the scene agreed.

The military was unhappy with that finding and army sources have told reporters that a military officer was assigned to help the DSI’s investigation.

(Emphasis mine.)

Photo: Reuters via BBC.

Thai politics Thailand

Red shirts to hold anniversary rally on March 12

Post author By Newley
Post date February 27, 2011
No Comments on Red shirts to hold anniversary rally on March 12

AP has this story today:

Thailand’s ‘Red Shirts’ urge release of colleagues

Seven recently freed leaders of Thailand’s anti-government “Red Shirt” movement called Sunday for the release of more than 180 of their colleagues who remain jailed since a violent military crackdown last year.

The seven gathered for a ceremony at Bangkok’s Wat Pathuwanaram temple, where six people were fatally shot last year as the army swept demonstrators from the streets to end weeks of mass protests that shook the city and left nearly 90 people dead.

And:

The Red Shirts have nevertheless vowed to stage another large rally on March 12 – the anniversary of the start of last year’s mass protests, which shut down swathes of the city including major shopping malls and hotels, and ended with more around 1,400 people injured.

(Emphasis mine.)

Tags Red shirts

Thai politics Thailand

Reuters: “Thai PM says has the edge in close election”

Post author By Newley
Post date February 24, 2011
No Comments on Reuters: “Thai PM says has the edge in close election”

A Reuters story from yesterday: Exclusive: Thai PM says has the edge in close election:

Thailand’s prime minister said on Wednesday his Democrat Party would have the edge in a mid-year election but he would probably need to form a coalition to govern, signaling a close and potentially volatile poll.

In an interview with Reuters, 46-year-old, Oxford University-educated Abhisit Vejjajiva said he expected the election to bring stability to the troubled country, regardless of who wins, and an alliance with smaller parties would probably pave the way for him to form a government.

“We are looking at some time around the first half of this year,” Abhisit said of the election, his firmest indication yet of the timing for a poll. “It is a close election like last time, except that we are slightly ahead. The latest polls show we are ahead in all polls except the northeast.”

Tags abhisit

Thai politics Thailand

7 Red Shirt leaders out on bail

Post author By Newley
Post date February 22, 2011
No Comments on 7 Red Shirt leaders out on bail

2011 02 22 reds

AP:

Thailand Court Grants Bail for Red Shirt Leaders

A Thai court has granted bail for seven leaders of the antigovernment “Red Shirt” movement detained after mass protests and riots ended in May.

BBC:

Thailand’s red-shirt leaders freed on bail

Seven leaders of Thailand’s “red-shirt” protest movement have been freed on bail after nine months in jail on terrorism charges.

Separately another red-shirt, Surachai Damwattananusorn, has been arrested on charges of insulting the monarchy.

The government has meanwhile extended implementation of the Internal Security Act for another month.

It is trying to contain continuing protests by both the red-shirts and the nationalist “yellow-shirt” protesters.

The decision to release all seven red-shirt leaders and a protest guard was a surprise. At most, two leaders were expected to be freed.

There are also stories from Reuters and Bloomberg.

(Image: BBC.)

Tags Red shirts, Thai politics

Thai politics Thailand

Economist on Thai politics and motorcycle taxi drivers

Post author By Newley
Post date February 22, 2011
1 Comment on Economist on Thai politics and motorcycle taxi drivers

Economist:

Enter the orange shirts

In A city of clogged streets, motorbike taxis are the essential lubricant. They weave through rush-hour traffic, mount pavements and roar down the labyrinthine alleys known as soi. They lurk in gangs on street corners, waiting to carry people or goods, or run errands. Some 200,000 drivers sporting orange jackets are reckoned to ply their trade in Bangkok.

The motorbike drivers are mad about politics, which in Thailand is colour-coded. The drivers are overwhelmingly “red” and loyal to a former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Most hail from the pro-Thaksin north-east, and were in the thick of the action during last year’s rowdy red-shirt rallies. Motorbikes were the red-shirt cavalry, keeping tabs on the movements of state troops, who ended the protests with the loss of 91 lives.

This is an election year, and every vote counts. So the prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, no red shirt he, has singled out motorbike taxis for attention under a new, pro-poor programme called the People’s Agenda. Along with millions of other informal workers, motorbike drivers will be eligible for social security, loans from state banks and other benefits. To drive the point home, Mr Abhisit posed with an orange-clad motorbike driver at the launch of the programme, which he described as a “New Year’s gift” to Thai people.

Tags motorcycle_taxis

Bangkok Journalism

New WSJ story on Indian molecular gastronomy in Bangkok

Post author By Newley
Post date February 17, 2011
No Comments on New WSJ story on Indian molecular gastronomy in Bangkok

I have a story in today’s Wall Street Journal about Gaggan, a new Indian molecular gastronomy restaurant here in Bangkok. The piece is online and also appears in print in today’s Asia edition.