Thailand Voice

Blog Only I WUZ ROBBED! Just in case you missed it, 38-yr-old Anthony Taylor apparently took to going on armed robberies (well actually I think it was just a toy gun he used) of computer games shops in the U.K. to fund a forthcoming trip to Thailand. Taylor … Read full story >>>

As the Mekong runs to its lowest level in three decades , boat traffic has had to be suspended and, in common with other waterways in the region, people wonder how they are going to survive. There will be the economic cost of reduced trade (there is an estimate of 100 million baht so… Read full story >>>

A last-minute goal by Javad Nekounam allowed Iran to put the Thai team out of its misery last night as the Land of Smilers went down 1-0. That will be the end of the Asian Cup campaign for another cycle and probably marks the beginning of the end … Read full story >>>

The radio news hour from MCOT, which is aired daily from 7-8 a.m., generally closes with some kind of thought for the day (although these are often recycled regularly if considered to be particularly useful or if whoever gets to choose them… Read full story >>>

Thailand Sites I Like… is a post from: ThaiPulse.com/blog/ , a Thailand focused website. ©2009-2010 ThaiPulse I don’t read much about Thailand – but I wish I did. What I mean is, I wish there was more to read. … Read full story >>>

From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok, Monday February 15 2010   The British Foreign Office has issued a diplomatic note to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs covering a letter expressing fears that an attempt made be made to abduct an 11-yr-old pupil at an international school in Bangkok.   The move followed a complaint by John … Read full story >>>

THOUSANDS OF IDIOTS DETECTED Blog only Knock! Knock!  Anybody there?  They don’t get it do they. The total combined intellect of the Bangkok Post has not yet cottoned on to the fact that the GT-200 is a total hoax, as are the Sniffex, ADE651, and … Read full story >>>

Blog Only Pattaya Daily News publishes link to ‘criminal record’ of Pattaya People boss Is the first salvo going to be fired in a real Pattaya newspaper war?  Or will the city’s English language newspaper editors have a pow-wow. It seems the story of  the death of Martin Frutin , 69,  in the Pattaya Daily News  –  may have set… Read full story >>>

  ‘These British machines are falsely finding explosives in coconut trees. But people die when they give false negative reports ’. From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok, Monday January 4th 2010 Pictures: Andrew Chant/WGPP The Prime Minister of Thailand will this week be asked to order the remove  British  explosives detection equipment known as ‘magic … Read full story >>>

Have already blogged about press freedom in Thailand compared with Cambodia (see here and here). Fellow blogger Tharum Bun has a post… Read full story >>>

The first by-election of Newin vs Thaksin II has taken place in Maha Sarakham. Puea Thai has won a narrow victory, or at least is leading then, as The Nation … Read full story >>>

BKK News Feed for Week 01 in 2010, January 01st – 10th: ! BANGKOK POST – Soap Operas Encourage the Worst of Social Norms ! THE NATION – The Coming Decade: Thailand’s Ten Greatest Fears CNNGO – Khao Khluk Kapi: The Best Thai Dish You’ve Never Heard of TAN… Read full story >>>

Brits in ‘Clockwork Orange’ Thai hoiday island  ’rape’ pin their hopes on Scotland Yard From Andrew Drummond, Koh Chang, Thailand Link Evening Standard   The SUN White Sands Beach, Koh Chang Scotland Yard confirmed today that they have conducted tests on a British couple who say they were subjected to a horrifying gang rape in… Read full story >>>

Here are a few non-Thailand related links that I wanted to pass along, just quickly, before the week comes to a close: “ How Google Can Help Newspapers ,” by Google CEO Eric Schmidt. And some commentary from Snarkmarket. “ Shades of Meaning ,” an NYT review of Asterios Polyp, a graphic novel… Read full story >>>

The origins of place names sometimes quite interesting. I have stumbled upon the one for the district Hot in Chiang Mai reading a book I did not expect to find anything on the administrative entities – Sacred Mountains Of Northern Thailand And Their Legends by Donald… Read full story >>>

It costs around 30,000 pounds (or 1.5 million baht) per year in school fees at Eton, apparently – so what does a parent get for that money (assuming that parent is a part of a sufficiently privileged elite as to be able to get the son on the waiting list at all)? Writing in… Read full story >>>

Tomorrow is the 82nd birthday of His Holiness Bhumibol Adulyadej, the king of Thailand. Adored by the nation, virtually every office building and business in Thailand has a picture of the king or his wife, Queen Sikrit, hanging prominently for all to … Read full story >>>

This is a blog only In the ‘Brits subjected to  ’Clockwork Orange’ attack story once again I am the bearer of bad tidings about violent crime in Thailand but in this case it is foreigners doing unspeakable things to foreigners. This is not an attack on Thailand, although once again, I believe this demonstrates that , … Read full story >>>

Link to DailyMail By Andrew Drummond Last updated at 12:38 AM on 28th November 2009 A British couple have become victims of a horrendous Clockwork Orange-style sex attack ordeal while on holiday in Thailand. The professional couple had chosen the Thai holiday … Read full story >>>

The Nation recently had an article with concerns being expressed over relations: “Despite reports of no effects now, the situation could degenerate quickly. Aside from supportive measures, the government should try to end this conflict quickly through diplomatic means,” Federation of Thai Industries official Thaworn Techakraisri said yesterday. Matichon … Read full story >>>

    On Thursday night, I went to meet a friend at Suan Lum Night Bazaar for dinner. He's a tour guide in Bangkok so we took his American tour group with us to drop them off at the bazaar. They had also decided they wanted to try the 'Fish Pedicure' that'… Read full story >>>

This is a blog only Following a report here (written from Thai copy sent by our reporter in Pattaya) also sent to the British newspapers, some people down in Pattaya seem surprised that this event was not reported in the … Read full story >>>

Prachatai has translated a number of statements made at the anti-Thaksin PAD rally on Sunday. These are statements from the stage – usually accompanied by jeers. One really doesn't know which excerpts to exclude as there are so many. You have talk… Read full story >>>

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Is Thailand Safe for the 2009-2010 Season? Tourist season is in full swing – and it’s not that swinging yet. I wonder what the outside interpretation of Thailand as a safe place to visit in 2009-2010 is… From inside the country – it’s business … Read full story >>>

The idea of solving the problem with the insurgency in three southern-most Muslim-dominated provinces by giving the area some kind of autonomy has made it into the main news again this week, after opposition leader Chavalit Yongchaiyudh publicly proposed this approach. … Read full story >>>

This is a blog only As if Phuket is not getting enough bad PR at the moment, the Phuket Gazette is reporting a punch up between a Middle Eastern tourist and three ‘Iguana handlers’ after the tourist apparently declined to be photographed being pictured with one of these … Read full story >>>

From Andrew Drummond, Hua Hin Monday October 5th 2009 Link to Daily Telegraph Link to Daily Mail   Pictures: Andrew Chant A British honeymoon couple today spoke of their miraculous escape from death when a train on the Orient Express line in Thailand crashed killing ten people… Read full story >>>

(More rushes from ‘Big Trouble in Thailand) “Thailand is awesome. The people are good and sound. Today was a bit different” – Marine Jack Tebbott Link: JJ: My uncle is big Captain in police station From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok, September 13 Royal Marines who claim they were swindled and held at… Read full story >>>

(Source Bank Of Thailand, table FI_CB_015_S3 ). “ After the Green Shoots, the credit crunch ? “, I asked in august , regarding the figures for credit (from commercial banks in Thailand). Rethorical question… The trend is getting worse. The total outstanding credit for businesses recorded a drop … Read full story >>>