Thailand Voice

Meeting number 6 from February 4 2010 with five name changes of municipalities and TAO. Pho Nang Dam subdistrict municipality ( เทศบาลตำบลโพนางดำ ), Sapphaya district, Chainat province, to be renamed to Thep Phithak (เทศบาลตำบลเทพพิทักษ์) in order to avoid confusion with the two adjoining municipalities Pho Nang Dam Tok and … Read full story >>>

Yesterday the first transcript of a 2010 meeting of the board to consider draft laws (คณะกรรมการพิจารณาร่างกฎหมาย) was uploaded, directly with an important municipal change. Already effective January 28, the town Mae Sot ( เทศบาลเมืองแม่สอด ) at the border to Myanmar has been upgraded to a city municipality (thesaban nakhon, เทศบาลนครแม่สอด). The … Read full story >>>

Sorry to interupt my series on our holiday to laos but there is a lot of talk around Ubon at the moment regarding the fate of Thai airways service to and from Bangkok. It has reached the highest levels of government over the last few weeks. For a bit of a… Read full story >>>

The Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom will be hosting the annual Thailand International Jazz Conference from the 29th-31st of January. Some of the worlds most renowned jazz musicians will be in attendance at the 3 day event held at Mahidol … Read full story >>>

Meeting number 62 from December 2 2009 with one subdistrict municipality upgraded to a town. Chanthanimit ( เทศบาลเมืองจันทนิมิต ), Mueang Chanthaburi district, Chanthaburi province, effective December 30 2009. Read full story >>>

“Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.” -Paul Hawken Contemplating what’s been accomplished is difficult to do without being honest about what’s still to … Read full story >>>

Japan has been the largest investor in Thailand for many years – cheap labour costs (suppressed by state-mandated violence and assassination in the past, obviously it could not possibly happen today) and a culture of deference in combination with the food and the climate have combined to attract Japanese… Read full story >>>

… the Bangkok Post reports: He [Korbsak Sabhavasu] would replace Niphon Phromphan who resigned from the position in early October last year for reasons that remain unclear. BP: Is the reason he resigned really that unclear? If you are uncertain, see these posts … Read full story >>>

Meeting number 54 from October 29 2009 with one TAO and one municipality adjusting their boundaries. TAO Bang Phasi (องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลบางภาษี), Bang Len district, Nakhon Pathom province, splitting off some area and adding it to Rang Kra Tum subdistrict municipality ( เทศบาลตำบลรางกระทุ่ม ) Read full story >>>

A quick note to let you know that I won’t be posting anything here until next week. Happy holidays, everyone. I’ll see you in 2010. (Image of snow-covered tuk tuks from BangkokSnowRemoval.com , via CNNGo .) Read full story >>>

A bold interview published by Times , with a very bold title (but I think misleading in a way) : Ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra calls for ‘shining’ new age after King’s death Tomorrow [tuesday] he is due to arrive in Cambodia on a visit that has … Read full story >>>

Meeting number 40 of board 1 from August 26 2009 with one TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Phaisan ( เทศบาลตำบลไพศาล ), Thawat Buri district, Roi Et province, effective July 30 2009. The TAO was created in 1997, covers 3.79 km², 9 villages and 3,963 citizen. Read full story >>>

Meeting number 36 from August 13 2009 with one TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Saphan Hin ( เทศบาลตำบลสะพานหิน ), Nong Mamong district, Chainat province, effective July 30 2009. The TAO was created in 1995, covers 86.92 km², 10 villages and 5,168 citizen. Read full story >>>

PETA Saving Seals in Bangkok Photo Courtesy Reuters Obviously no one told PETA that the seal trade in Thailand is nill. Canadians on the other hand are not and this week PETA decided to protest the Canadian slaughter of seals not in Canada, which would have been the… Read full story >>>

Wisit Sasanatieng will join South Korean director Jang Joon-hwan ( Save the Green Planet ) and Japan’s Isao Yukisada ( Crying Out Love in the Center of the World ) in the Busan Project short-film omnibus. Each of the… Read full story >>>

Meeting number 29 from July 21 2009 with one TAO and municipality changing their area. TAO Bueng Khong Long ( องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลบึงโขงหลง ), Bueng Khong Long district, Nong Khai province, transferring four administrative villages to the subdistrict municipality Bueng Khong Long ( เทศบาลตำบลบึงโขงหลง ). The villages are Village 9 – Ban… Read full story >>>

The other day I ventured out to see a very special man I have seen once before. He is simply known as ‘Ajarn’ to me or teacher and this is his house. It is about 30klms away from the front door of my place, on the way to a place called Amnatcharoen (hwy 212). I… Read full story >>>

It would actually be useful if we could collect a lift of monikers/code words in the Thai press. These monikers/code words differ from papers and the moniker used for a certain person changes over time. So will add to this list over time and will eventually include a link to … Read full story >>>

Most wouldn’t think of Bangkok as a green city, but this time of year during the rainy season, Thailand really does turn a lush green in many places. The photo is on top of a high road running through Bang Bua Read full story >>>

This picture was taken by someone seated next to PM Abhisit Vejjajiva — his PM Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoei — on a helicopter ride from one stop in Ubon to Yasothorn on Saturday. The caption that accompanied this picture, posted by Sathit on his Twitter, says: “PM in a relaxing mood.”… Read full story >>>

Loud music is a staple of life in Phana. In the still, traffic-free evenings, nights and even early mornings, sound travels across the open rice-fields unobstructed. Someone, somewhere is having a party of some sort most weekends. That is Fridays and Saturdays and… Read full story >>>

My last trip to Thailand found me splitting time between Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom and while I enjoy both provinces, the latter of the two is my hands down favorite. Nakhon Phanom is a good sized city, the 14th largest in Thailand, but it still has a nice home town feel to it. And if… Read full story >>>

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been hospitalised with fever and fatigue, according to the first statement issued by the Royal Household Bureau on Sunday evening. The King is experiencing fever and fatigue and has lost appetite, the statement said. His … Read full story >>>

Meeting number 27 from July 16 2009 with 15 TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Pa Miang ( เทศบาลตำบลป่าเมี่ยง ), Doi Saket district, Chiang Mai province, effective July 31 2009. The TAO was created in 1996, covers 189.26 km², 6 villages and 3,539 citizen. On Tai ( เทศบาลตำบลออนใต้ ), San Kamphaeng district, Chiang Mai province, effective August 1 2009. The … Read full story >>>

Mong Thongdee, a twelve-year-old stateless who was born in Thailand to Myanmar migrants, has won 3rd place in the individual event (paper dart contest) at the All-Japan Origami Airplane Contest in Japan on Sunday. He and his team won the first place in the team event … Read full story >>>

On July 15 again two board meetings with 24 TAO upgraded to municipalities, 12 by board one in morning, and another 12 by board two in the afternoon. Meeting number 26 of board 1 from July 15 2009 with 12 TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Lao Yai ( เทศบาลตำบลเหล่าใหญ่ ), Kunchinarai district, Kalasin province, effective August 1 2009. The TAO was… Read full story >>>

A total of 33 TAO were upgraded in the two board meetings which took place on July 14 2009 – 21 by board 1 which convened in morning and another 12 by board 2 in afternoon. Meeting number 25 of board 1 from July 14 2009 with 21 TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Ban Dung ( เทศบาลตำบลบ้านดุง ), Ban Dung district, Udon Thani province, effective July… Read full story >>>

Bangkok Post Story regarding foreign investment in the regional media : However, it’s not an achievement that’s likely to be repeated in Thailand. Dunkley scotched months of rumours that his Post Media Company was looking to buy this paper’s chief competitor, The Nation . “Of course, blind Freddy will… Read full story >>>

I have, in the past, made some disparaging comments about Thai football and Thai footballers on this blog. It is, therefore, my duty to set the record straight. Whenever I’ve been asked about Thai football, I have told friends that it is Sunday … Read full story >>>

He is definitely his brother’s keeper although Defence Minister Gen Pravit Wongsuwan says Police Chief Gen Patcharawat’s resignation won’t affect his own relations with PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. Pravit denied today that he was quitting his defence portfolio despite rumours to … Read full story >>>