Category: Misc.

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Misc.

(New) anti-government protests in Bangkok

Here are some recent stories about the newest wave of anti-government protests ((The term “anti-government,” of course, doesn’t mean what it did a few months ago. Before PM Abhisit assumed office, that phrase was applied to the PAD protesters. Now it’s used to describe the so called “red shirts” — the UDD and other Thaksin supporters.)) here in Bangkok (the most recent is the first story):

AFP: “Thai protesters march on foreign ministry”

Red-clad protesters marched on Thailand’s foreign ministry Wednesday, hours after the prime minister evaded demonstrators besieging his offices for a second day in their bid to unseat the government.

Up to 10,000 supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra dressed in their trademark crimson shirts surrounded Bangkok’s Government House compound Tuesday demanding fresh elections, with many camping outside overnight.

AP: “Thousands demand dissolution of Thai parliament”

Thousands of protesters surrounded the prime minister’s office Tuesday demanding Thailand’s parliament be dissolved and new elections held, the latest challenge to the two-month old coalition government.

The rally by demonstrators allied with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came three days before Thailand is to host the annual summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The crowd swelled to about 20,000 people as dusk approached, police said.

VOA: “Former Thai PM Supporters Hold Rally in Bangkok”

Government opponents and supporters of Thailand’s former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, launched a rally by blockading the government’s main administrative building and calling for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign. The rallies appear to be part of a new strategy by Thaksin supporters to weaken the Abhisit government that came to power in December.

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Rohingya on CNN’s “World’s Untold Stories”

CNN will air an episode beginning tonight (Tues., Feb. 24) of “World’s Untold Stories” dedicated to the Rohingya abuse issue. From CNN.com:

Myanmar’s Rohingya Minority

They are an impoverished and persecuted minority living in a remote part of one of the world’s most repressive nations. And they are risking their lives to leave.

Next week’s ‘WORLD’S UNTOLD STORIES’ tracks the journey of Rohingya refugees, fleeing western Myanmar where they are denied citizenship, freedom of movement, property rights, are harassed and forced into labor.

But while members of this Muslim minority are choosing to escape by sea, they are just as unwelcome in the places they wash up; Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Check out the CNN link above for more info on the episode.

Hong Kong air times are as follows (subtract an hour for Bangkok time):

February 24th at 2130
February 25th at 0230
February 28th at 2130
March 1st at 0130/ 1130/ 1430
March 2nd at 0730

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Misc.

Thai economy slips

BBC: “Sharp decline in Thailand economy”

Thailand’s economy shrank at a record pace in the last three months of 2008 amid plummeting exports and tourism.

The economy shrank 6.1% in the October to December period from the previous quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said.

This was the largest contraction since records began in 1993. The NESDB said the economy might contract 1% in 2009.

The export-oriented Asian economy has been hit by the global downturn and political unrest at the end of 2008.

Anti-government protesters shut down Bangkok’s airports, hitting tourism, one of the key sectors of the economy.

WSJ: “Thai Economy Shrinks More Than Expected”

Thailand’s economy shrank more than expected in the fourth quarter of last year — its first contraction in nearly a decade — as the global slowdown shriveled demand for its key exports and domestic political unrest spooked its tourism sector.

The economy will likely continue to shrink in the first three quarters of this year, a government think tank said, with a reversal likely to kick in only in the last three months of the year.

Gross domestic product contracted 4.3% from a year earlier, resulting in full year GDP growth of 2.6%, the National Economic & Social Development Board said Monday. Seasonally adjusted GDP shrank 6.1% from the previous quarter.

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Siam Sunray: Thailand’s new “national cocktail”

Guardian: “Thailand launches national cocktail to lure tourists”

When tourism has taken a self-inflicted battering, the temptation might be to have a drink to drown your sorrows.

Thailand is going a step further: it has invented a new national cocktail, which it hopes will help visitors forget the hangover from the disastrous airport shutdowns late last year.

Intended as an answer to Singapore’s slings, Cuba’s mojitos and the many manhattans downed in New York, the Siam sunray is intended to give tourists an instant taste of Thailand’s charms.

At the very least the drink’s ingredients are far from bland: a shot of vodka, coconut liqueur, a dash of chilli pepper and sugar, lime juice, a few slivers of lemongrass and ginger, with the whole mixture shaken then strained into a glass with ice and soda water.

Thailand’s tourism authority formally rolled out the drink yesterday, grandly styling the concoction “Thailand in a glass: the new punch in Thai tourism.”

And here’s the official release from the Tourism Authority of Thailand: “SIAM SUNRAYS – THAILAND IN A GLASS“:

Siam Sunrays — Thailand’s new signature drink, is based on the very Thai ingredients that have made Tom Yam soup world renowned: freshly-picked lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, Thai lime and Thai bird chilli (phrik kee nuu). All these play a key part in the unique culinary experience Thailand has to offer, and leave the first-time visitor with a very distinct and long-lasting impression.

(I guess Siam Sunrays beat the “coup cocktails” served during the fall of 2006.)

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Misc.

Australian author who insulted Thai royal family pardoned

CNN: “Author jailed for insulting Thai king freed”

An Australian author imprisoned last month for insulting the king and crown prince of Thailand was on his way home Saturday after receiving a pardon from the king.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August over his 2005 book titled “Verisimilitude.”

The book includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that authorities deemed a violation of a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown. CNN has chosen not to repeat the language because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand.

Mark Dean, a lawyer for Nicolaides, said he was released Friday and taken to the Australian embassy in Bangkok, where he stayed until leaving for Australia at about midnight.

“He is obviously very relieved and grateful that the pardon was granted,” Dean said.

Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty last month. He faced a term of up to six years before the plea. Video Watch shackled Nicolaides at court »

His lawyers then requested the pardon. King Bhumibol Adulydej had pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past.

BBC: (with video) “Thailand frees Australian writer”

Harry Nicolaides, an Australian writer jailed in Thailand for defaming its monarch, has returned home after being pardoned by the king and set free.

Mr Nicolaides, 41, had been sentenced to three years imprisonment in January.

The charges arose from a passage in a largely unknown novel he wrote in 2005, of which only seven of 50 copies printed were ever sold.

Mr Nicolaides was met by his family in Melbourne. He would next see his mother in hospital, his father told reporters.

Speaking at the airport in Melbourne, Mr Nicolaides thanked the Australian people for their support, the Associated Press news agency reports.

He told reporters he had been crying for eight hours, having only learnt moments before his flight that his mother had suffered a stroke while he was imprisoned.

“A few hours before that I was informed I had a royal pardon… A few hours before that I was climbing out of a sewerage tank that I fell into in the prison,” AP quotes him as saying.

ABC (with a video on the right side of the page): “Tearful reunion as Nicolaides returns to Melbourne”

An Australian author who has spent more than five months in a Thai jail has made an emotional return to Melbourne.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August and was sentenced to three years’ jail last month for insulting the Thai monarchy in his 2005 book, Verisimilitude.

Mr Nicolaides was deported from Thailand at midnight and arrived in Melbourne this afternoon.

He says he is in shock.

“[I am] bewildered and dazed, nauseous,” he said.

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Misc.

Audio Slide Show: Kolkata (Calcutta), India

A and I are back in Bangkok now after four exceptional days in Kolkata (Calcutta) India.

Here’s a 2 minute, 20 second audio slide show I’ve put together with some images and sounds I captured in the city. ((My previous audio slide shows about anti-government protests here in Bangkok can be found here and here.))

For more images, you can find 35 photos from our trip in this Flickr set.

(Note: Those of you reading this via my rss feed will need to click through to view the audio slide slow on my site.)

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Newley.com: Gone Fishin’

Newley.com: gone fishin'

I won’t be posting anything here until the middle of next week.

See you then.

(Image via.)

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Misc.

1980s Thai pop music on Youtube

Via the blog Thai 101 comes a couple of great Thai pop music videos from the 1980’s.

First is this video (embedded below), “Door of the Heart,” a 1982 tune by a band called Sao Sao Sao. (Warning: official page contains auto-loading midi music.). ((For some reason, this song reminds me of the all-female Japanese punk rock band Shonen Knife‘s tune called “Banana Chips“. Except, well, “Door of the Heart” is much softer, slower…and in Thai.))

And then there’s this video (embedded below), for the well-known Thai band Carabao‘s 1984 song “Made in Thailand“:

If you spend a few weeks — or even a few days — in Thailand, you’re likely to hear this song on the radio or performed live. ((You can find the lyrics here; the words contain an interesting take on international trade policy.))

Visit the link to Thai 101 above to find more Thai music videos from the 1980s.

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Misc.

Bangkok Bugle: Thailand media blog

The Bangkok Bugle is a (relatively) new-to-me blog that’s worth checking out. Tag line: “news, views, and opinions from Thailand’s media industry.”

I especially enjoyed this recent post about how subscriber-addressed magazines — such as a recent New Yorker with the label from a US subscriber still affixed — end up for sale in Bangkok’s Chatuchack market. Check out the post for the answer.

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Misc.

Google translate: now in Thai

Thanks to the eagle-eyed B for pointing out that Google Translate is now available in Thai. More info on Google Translate is here.