Thailand Voice

Burma watchers should be urged to study the election laws exceedingly carefully rather than automatically reacting with condemnation. The popular media have already asserted that the law is a “ mockery of democracy ”, however, only portions of the law have been released, and it is expected that Naypyidaw will continue to… Read full story >>>

This is a six part New Mandala series.  Readers are warned that some of the content in this series is graphic and there is occasional coarse language.  Part 1 and Part 2 were published in recent weeks. December 1989 and it was the last Saturday before Christmas when … Read full story >>>

…and my mind took me to 1981, when I first visited this country of Siam. Back then, I was honored to meet the very young Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. He was only 29. [30 years later] There I was, watching the strict seriousness in … Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post: The government is investigating whether the theft of war weapons and ammunition from an arms depot in the South is politically motivated amid reports the weapons are already on their way to Bangkok.Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd yesterday confirmed the Read full story >>>

At four and a half, Maung Htun Kyaing (pictured above) could recite Pali verse flawlessly, correct errors in written scripture and preach on the Abhidhamma. Ko Pan Shwe was forced by insurgents to eat two plates of pounded chilli and he survived. … Read full story >>>

The Nation with the headline “Shopping malls beef up security in face of red menace”. Last time, there was a red menace or red scare was as Wikipedia reports: The Second Red Scare occurred after World War II (1939–45)… Read full story >>>

Readers who follows international debates about Burma policy will be interested in a recent letter to the editor of The International Herald Tribune by Brad Adams , from Human Rights Watch.  He takes aim at an article by Stanley Weiss that was extracted here on New… Read full story >>>

The Three Pagoda Pass in the north of Kanchanaburi Province is historically important for several reasons. It was this route that Buddhism is believed to have taken when it first came to Thailand. The pass was also used by the Burmese when they …

There will be “elections” in Burma this year. But we should not be fooled into believing they will be free or fair. They will be a sham and will further entrench the military at the heart of power. The new constitution is harsh and one of the most unfair anywhere… Read full story >>>

Maj Gen Kattiya Swasdiporn — better known as Seh Daeng — says he has proposed to Thaksin Shinawatra a “3-Day Make-or-Break Plan” that will bring him back as prime minister during his latest trip to Dubai last week. Thaksin apparently … Read full story >>>

After checking the website everyday for the updates on them I’m glad to have found this after two long tiring days in Chanthaburi. The photos of the babies as well as the mother are up on the SCAD website The mother has been named Chaiya (we kept calling… Read full story >>>

Dear Internet, Believe it or not, I am still alive. Apologies for not keeping you updated lately. There isn’t really much interesting news to share these days. Just a lot of long hours in the office in front of the computer… Read full story >>>

LG recent launched its GD510 Pop handset into the Thai market. Aimed at the youth generation, LG has the Samsung Candy ( blogged here ), a device I rate as perhaps the best example of a youth-marketed mobile phone in Thailand, firmly in its sights. Details of the Pop below… Read full story >>>

Never mind, we didn’t win the football, but my wife was employee of the month. Well done Su. At least someone did something good today. Read full story >>>

It’s been a while since Women Learning Thai finished re-serializing my Thai 101 Learner’s Series , which first ran as a biweekly column in the Phuket Gazette during 2008. The ever-patient Catherine of WLT managed to coax another installment from me, which went live last week. Have… Read full story >>>

The red shirts held a press conference yesterday afternoon at the FCCT regarding their March 10-14 protests in Bangkok. New blogger Todd with some quotes from the press conference: March 14 objective and strategy: “We need the biggest demonstration to achieve a small aim – to dissolve the Read full story >>>

Be not afraid of going slowly. Only be afraid of standing still . – Chinese Proverb Read full story >>>

Doomsday is the word of the day again with the reds’ million-man march in Bangkok approaching on March 14th. Well, they’re lucky if they get a 100,000 people, a seasoned observer told aB.come after the FCCT’s recent press conference of the red shirts’… Read full story >>>

Those New Mandala readers who follow Burmese military matters, and, in particular, allegations of procurement links between North Korea and Burma, will want to read this article from the Washington Post .  It provides a useful synthesis of the existing commentary and analysis alongside some new comments from US government sources. Read full story >>>

Sopon in The Nation: On the video link, he ranted with unfocused, beady eyes. A broken man, he still intends to drag the country down with him, spewing forth the same message we have heard over and over. Let nobody be happy as long as he suffers from the wheel of justice as a result … Read full story >>>

Greg Lowe has come comments by Chula professor Thitinan, AKA the quotemeister. Key excerpt: “In the 60s and 70s military dictators had some assets taken away but that was for corruption and graft, basically [in retribution] for their taking state property and state money. In 1991, … Read full story >>>

This is a five part New Mandala series.  Readers are warned that some of the content in this series is graphic. April 1972 and it was the last Sunday before the Thin-Gyan water festivals when I found the dead boy. He was slumping lifeless in… Read full story >>>

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports have asked the government to extend the tourism stimulus measures for another year and yesterday deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannika confirmed that the the measures will be extended from April 1, 2010 and go through to March 31, 2011. The free tourist visa measure was set to expire on March 5, 2010 and it … Read full story >>>

Simon Montlake in CSM has got some more comments from the UK manufactuer of the GT200 device. Key excerpts: Global Technical, the UK manufacturer, says it exports it to more than 30 countries and denies any problems have risen from its use. A company spokesperson, Heidi Mallace, said that the… Read full story >>>

Tomorrow, 2 March 2010, the Nobel Women’s Initiative is holding an International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma.  According to their website: The Nobel Women’s Initiative and the Women’s League of Burma are jointly convening this important event in New York City. Participants, and those watching the webcast, will hear the compelling testimony–for the first… Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post has an article with the headline “Thaksin looking to World Court”: In a post on his Twitter page on Monday morning, the fugitive former prime minister said:  “I insist I am not in the wrong. If the Thai… Read full story >>>

For some time now, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the last remaining “ceasefire” army in the Kachin State, has been preparing for potential hostilities with the Burmese government. The immediate trigger for KIA preparations is the Burmese government’s effort to force their transformation into a Border Guard Force. Of course,  there … Read full story >>>

Absolutely Bangkok , a website that I would hardly associate with subversive content, was recently blocked by LoxInfo.  There is a fascinating account of the episode available here .  With the current appetite in Thailand for “crackdowns” of various sorts, this is unlikely to be the last time that … Read full story >>>

Thankfully, it is has unblocked it now, but it does show you the perils of these filters. Absolutely Bangkok which was blocked (and is now unblocked) by one Thai ISP has the story. BP: Thai Hotline, the particular organization that was Read full story >>>

Uruphong Raksasad’s Agrarian Utopia ( Sawan Baan Na ) has won another award! At the !f istanbul International Film Festival , which wrapped up on Sunday, it shared the prize with Gigante , by Uruguay’s Adrian Biniez. The two directors split the purse of $15,000. The jury, comprised of Icelandic filmmaker Dagur Kari, Sundance … Read full story >>>