Thailand Voice

Red Eagle is really happening. The much-anticipated reboot of the Thai action-movie franchise by Tears of the Black Tiger director Wisit Sasanatieng has a Thai release date of October 7. Red Eagle ( Insee Dang , อินทรีเเดง ) stars Ananda Everingham as a masked vigilante crimefighter… Read full story >>>

artist : sai sai mao album : ahmadaya shan tei su mya, vol. 2 tracklist : 01. yuen mok ha pa pi le 02. pong nong mi kay 03. khaaw jaam khay han 04. te hak naang ko 05. mo hum 06. taang hak naue pan 07. pen loy waasanaa 08. hue kwaang lot meng pueng 09. unknown title 10. instrumental 11. nong… Read full story >>>

One of the more uncivilized and indeed rather primitive practices in public life in Thailand is the continued use of leg irons and chains to restrict not just prisoners but people accused of crimes who have not been convicted. The use of these chains sends the… Read full story >>>

Some Thailand-related, some not: Image credit: daniel n. reid Interview with Claudio Sopranzetti: The politics of motorcycle taxis — New Mandala Temple dispute surfaces again — Straits Times US slips, China glides in Thai crisis — Asia Times Online … Read full story >>>

David Smyth updates Teach Yourself Thai … Only a handful of Thai courses are highly thought of, and David Smyth’s Teach Yourself Thai is at the very top of that list. When I asked polyglot Stu Jay Raj which books he’d recommend to students of the Thai language, David’s… Read full story >>>

Peter Nitsch is an international award winning photographer and designer who has split his life between Munich, Germany and Thailand over the past decade. His latest exhibition is called Shophouses 4×8 m Bangkok, where he explores the relationship between business and home of Bangkok residents through photographs… Read full story >>>

US-based Thai academic Thongchai Winichakul gave a special lecture at Chiang Mai University’s faculty of humanities on Wednesday, during which he offered an insightful analysis of various issues surrounding the April-May red-shirt protest and the subsequent crackdown. An audio clip of the lecture (including the… Read full story >>>

After yesterdays blog about the continuing drought affecting Ubon Ratchathani I received an email from Bob with two photos showing a very dry time more then 40 years ago. Both these photos were taken in 1969. The first one shoes a dry Read full story >>>

Last Saturday (24th July) was the date for the 3rd annual Worldwide Photo Walk, an event which aims to get photographers out snapping pictures of their home towns, all on the same day. According to the website, this year there… Read full story >>>

Bank of Thailand Governor Tarisa Watanagase gestures during an interview with Reuters at the Bank of Thailand in Bangkok July 28, 2010. Thai interest rates are still low and a modest increase earlier this month is not impeding economic recovery, but it would be dangerous to keep rates low…

The other night I wandered down to N-Joy, a local expat bar here in Ubon Ratchathani. If you have never been there, but would like to drop in for a cold beer. Then you can click on this link for rough directions. … Read full story >>>

(Photo by Natthawat Wongrat ) (Photo by  Natthawat Wongrat ) (Photo by  Natthawat Wongrat ) (Photo by  Natthawat Wongrat ) I went to photograph two guys from US who came to Thailand to train Muay Thai (Boxing) at Sitsongpeenong Muaythai … Read full story >>>

It's “tsch” not “sch” you no good… This topic has caused many a debate in the world of Thai grammar and language. Like one of those all-too-common Asian government gang fights they pass off as legislation debates… Read full story >>>

Following the launch of CNN’s acclaimed app for the iPhone and iPod touch in the United States last year, CNN today announced the availability of the international version of the CNN App on the App Store. I was very pleased to read that CNN have just released an international… Read full story >>>

Some weeks ago Richard Barrow made an mobile blogging tour to some attractions in Chonburi province. Reporting live on Twitter on his trip, once he reached the Phra Phutthasihing Pavilion close to the government offices I wondered whether the city pillar shrine isn’t located close … Read full story >>>

This is the second post about my recent trip to Koh Si Chang; you can read the first part here. The Tuk-Tuk driver took us to his favourite restaurant; I hadn’t done my research so had nothing better to suggest. I felt a bit … Read full story >>>

Over the recent long holiday weekend in Thailand, we celebrated two important Buddhist holidays: Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa. The first takes place on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month. It commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon to his first five disciples. On this day …

Welcome to The Wednesday Photo – a new picture each week highlighting something of interest in Thailand. Click on the picture to see a larger version. Earth Mother Goddess, Doi Suthep You may recall the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess, Ubon Ratchathani from last December. One of my favorite temples in Thailand … Read full story >>>

I can remember myself complaining incessantly about my home country some years ago after having travelled around a small part of Southeast Asia. I became besotted with just about everything that is different from the home land. Call it a… Read full story >>>

The Pusan Film Festival’s Asian Cinema Fund has announced that two Thai projects are among the 27 feature films and documentaries it is supporting this year. The fund gives support in three categories: script development, post production and documentaries. Departure Day , a … Read full story >>>

By James Harriman,   Here are the concluding points on Thaksin from the last post:   —Thaksin is definitely aware of what’s happening within the party —Based on recent news, Thaksin is unlikely to change course on anything, especially with regards to party leadership —Thaksin is confident in his… Read full story >>>

by Prach Panchakunathorn   The PAD staged a protest outside UNESCO office in Bangkok today. The Nation and Matichon report that about 1,000 attended while the Bangkok Post says the number was in the hundreds. The PAD leaders present at the protest included Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Chaiwat Sinsuwongse, actor … Read full story >>>

Today, two major things happened in Bangkok. One was that Thailand’s prime minister Abhisit announced that the emergency decree is going to stay in place , because of the bombing on the weekend that killed one and injured ten. (According to a Suan Dusit poll, this decision is backed by large parts… Read full story >>>

On Coral Island's main beach the're various places which have seen their best days: An ex-restaurant-bar A small Bhuddist shrine out of use An ex-restaurant? Beach chairs left behind Read full story >>>

Four weeks ago I wrote about the drought that Thailand was experiencing. You can read it here. I do not know the current situation for the rest of Thailand but I am saddened to report that not much has changed here in Ubon Ratchathani. I Read full story >>>

A quick way to compare prices for flights inside Thailand using your iPhone. If you want to be able to quickly compare domestic flights in Thailand then the ThaiFlight app for the iPhone is probably a good choice for you. You could go to each of the websites of the… Read full story >>>

This video from last year by the Dutch Groenbrothers makes me laugh each time. The Sumsing Turbo 3000 Xi Multitask: Read full story >>>

Sunlight Tracker is a must have tool for any outdoor photographer interested in knowing the best times to shoot their subjects outdoors. This is a handy little app for your iPhone called Sunlight Tracker which is currently free in the iTunes store… Read full story >>>

Seen on Coral Island, Phuket. The tree came down or the sand came up? The latter is true. Read full story >>>

I just felt like doing a little Photoshopping. The warning text says something like; “Smoking gives you a very bad breath” and in fact the dead fish which washed ashore in front of the bungalow today did so too.. Read full story >>>

Meeting number 26 from June 9 2010 with one TAO upgraded to a subdistrict municipality. Du Tai, Mueang Nan district, Nan province upgraded to subdistrict municipality ( เทศบาลตำบลดู่ใต้ ). The TAO was created in 1996, covers 25 km², 15 villages and 8,214 citizen. Read full story >>>

Fans of the GTH studio’s cute romantic comedy-dramas will likely be in luck with last week’s Hong Kong release of Dear Galileo and this week’s Singapore opening of Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story . Both countries are more English-friendly than Thailand, and so the movies’ release there … Read full story >>>

This is what the house looked like when we bought it one year before we moved to Thailand Me acting like I am helping , when most of the time I was just in the way We are seeing some progress , we really did a lot The folks that did … Read full story >>>

Protesters wave Thai national flags during a demonstration outside the UNESCO office in Bangkok July 27, 2010. Hundreds of Thai nationalists led by a leader of the “yellow shirt” movement, Chamlong Srimuang, gathered outside UNESCO’s Bangkok office to voice opposition to Cambodia’s plan to administer Preah Vihear …

Lt Gen Thanongsak Apirakyothin, the Third Army Commander, was discussing the formation of the new 7th Infantry Division based in the North when he obviously let slip a very interesting “strategic plan.” Asked by a Matichon reporter whether the setting… Read full story >>>

Asia Sentinel published an article on internet censorship in Thailand a couple of days ago. It reveals that the current Thai government has blocked at least 113,000 websites , apparently because they are a threat to national security. The MICT (Ministry of Information and Communication Technology) and the CRES (Centre for… Read full story >>>

Film director’s Kevin Macdonald and Ridley Scott are teaming up with YouTube to produce a user generated feature film. On July 24, 2010 everyone with a camera was encouraged to record their day and upload it to YouTube. The best videos will be chosen and made into a feature film that will show at the Sundance… Read full story >>>

By James Harriman, Matichon Weekly’s latest edition (July 23-9) reports on “turmoil” within the Puea Thai party. According to the article, the party is beset by personal and factional conflicts over who should lead the party. Matichon also reports that… Read full story >>>

Local people from Samut Prakan take part in a boat procession at Ancient Siam to mark the start of Khao Phansa. Dancers in traditional Thai costume led the parade followed by people carrying large candles to be presented to monks for the three…

This evening I went to The Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan as they were advertising a “wien tien” candle procession around the giant three headed elephant. Unfortunately it started to rain heavily just before I arrived and went on for about an…