Thailand Voice

Mundane History ( Jao Nok Krajok ) is playing at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and next heads to the Hong Kong fest , and Singapore fans get their chance to see it during the Singapore International Film Festival from April 15 to 24. Anocha… Read full story >>>

After the Bangkok Post had kindly called the protestors of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) “red rage” and “rural hordes,” I decided to pay a visit to the protest site on Monday, 15 March 2010. When I arrived at the UN building at around 16:30, a speaker announced that … Read full story >>>

The Sak Yant design Paed Dan or Eight Sided Yant is a sacred geometric design similar in meaning to the Paed Tidt Eight Direction Yant. The Paed Dan Yant gives protection to the bearer when traveling in every direction. Whereas the Paed Tidt Yant design contains eight … Read full story >>>

Sompien Eksomya (Thai: พ.ต.อ.สมเพียร เอกสมญา), superintendent of Yala’s Bannang Sata district police, and three subordinates were seriously wounded in a roadside bomb attack in the district yesterday. Sompien had recently asked the premier for a transfer to a safer area before his retirement next year. Pol… Read full story >>>

Wat Sanghathan Meditation Center, one of the popular Thailand Meditation Centers, is located in the Thailand Province of Nonthaburi, very close to Bangkok. Wat Sanghathan Meditation Center offers Meditation based on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Mindfulness on breathing and other methods as taught in the Tripitaka (Scriptures). Read full story >>>

You might not have believed it when you heard or read that Tears of the Black Tiger and Citizen Dog director Wisit Sasanatieng was collaborating with Iron Pussy performance artist Michael Shaowanasai on an Iron Pussy short in Busan . Well, here’s the proof. It’s real. And… Read full story >>>

In response to BP’s comments on whether Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva can wait it out, Federico Ferrara,* Assistant Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, passes on some comments as excerpted below: It strikes me that whether or not Abhisit can just “wait it out” … Read full story >>>

Little bits and pieces of Tony Jaa’s Ong-Bak 3 ( องค์บาก 3 ) continue to eke out here and there. Last month, there was the Ong-Bak 3 teaser released as an extra on the Ong-Bak 2 Blu-ray in the U.S. Now there’s a teaser poster, which Twitch has . Go on… Read full story >>>

2:25 p.m. Reuters on what the red shirt leaders predictions: The leaders of the “red shirts” say they will stay in Bangkok for at least seven days, aiming to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call an election that Thaksin’s allies would… Read full story >>>

With the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival going on, festival director Chi-hui Yang is interviewed by New America Media. They ask him: What’s next for Asian film? They also get his answer on what happened to Asian films at the Oscars , but more importantly, what’s he … Read full story >>>

After a visit to Baan Tong Luang, a Hill Tribe cultural preservation village near Chiang Mai, advertised as an Eco-Agriculture project, we had mixed feelings. Baan Tong Luang was opened in 2005 to “preserve the old traditional ways of Hill Tribe … Read full story >>>

The Sak Yant design ‘Paed Tidt’ or Eight Direction Yant is a sacred Geometric Yant containing eight Mantras written in 2 concentric circles in the centre of the design. The design of the Paed Tidt Yant also incorporates eight representations of the Buddha. Read full story >>>

Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s latest feature Unreal Forest will screen in Milan at the 20th African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival . Via production company Extra Virgin , there’s a trailer for Unreal Forest at YouTube and it’s embedded below. It’s part of the Forget … Read full story >>>

The Dhamma Kancana Vipassana Meditation Center is in the Thailand Province of Kanchanaburi. Dhamma Kancana offers bilingual courses in Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N.Goenka and the 10 day courses offered form an ideal introductory course to Vipassana Meditation and techniques Read full story >>>

On the major Buddhist Holidays, Thai Buddhists will gather in the evening at Temples all over Thailand to take part in a Buddhist Ceremony known as ‘Wian Tian”. Wian Tian is a candlelight procession where the people will walk three times around a Temple… Read full story >>>

The Northern Insight Meditation Center is located at Wat Rampoeng in Chiang Mai and welcomes all who are willing to learn Vipassana Meditation. Since its inception in 1975, The Northern Insight Meditation Center has become increasingly popular because of its secluded environment … Read full story >>>

Pomatocalpa spicata Breda is an epiphytic Thai Orchid known in Thailand as Chang Dam. Distribution of Pomatocalpa spicata Breda is from India to S.E.Asia and can be found in almost all the Thailand regions both in dry and moist evergreen … Read full story >>>

Thaksin, Thaksin, Thaksin… This was most probably the most boring week in Thailand news since the coup back in 2006. Everyone had Thaksin and the Supreme Courts verdict on their mind, and everyone wrote about it as well. As I suspected when I wrote last… Read full story >>>

The first GTH joint of 2010 is Baan Chan … Talok Wai Gon (Por Son Wai) ( บ้าน ฉัน ..ตลก ไว้ ก่อน ( พ่อ สอน ไว้ ) ), which has been given the international English title of The Little Comedian and a trailer to go with that, embedded below. Directed by Fan Chan alumnus Witthaya … Read full story >>>

Newley has a post with some photos he took from the Thaksin asset case at the Supreme Court yesterday. Note the female security officials which are being used to deal with female protesters – although you will see very few… Read full story >>>

The oddball Anglo-Thai film noir Soi Cowboy is coming out on DVD in the U.K. on March 31. Amazon.co.uk has it . Network Releasing is the distributor. Directed by Thomas Clay, it stars Nicolas Bro, a huge Dane who’s living in Bangkok with a tiny pregnant Thai woman… Read full story >>>

Ants bite and Thailand’s Red Weaver Ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) are no exception. These red weaver ants are territorial and aggressive. When the ants bite you will certainly know about it. Rarely will you escape with just one ant bite as their amazing communication system can quickly gather a whole army to deal… Read full story >>>

While the BBC already has video footage, as blogged about here, of an explosives expert in the UK taking apart one of the GT200 detection cards, we now have the same for Thailand. Yesterday, together with science professor Jessada, Gen. Pathompong of PAD stage fame* … Read full story >>>

Thaksin has put a summary of his defence in the asset seizure case on his website. Some key excerpts from the defence’s summary: 1. The alteration of concession fee to excise tax:The Excise Tax Amendment BE 2546 and the Cabinet resolution to deduct … Read full story >>>

In yesterdays blog I introduced you to Rob who was based here in Ubon more then 40 years ago. I have loved looking through the old photos on his and other sites from friends of his, especially the ones that show what the city of Ubon was … Read full story >>>

The portmanteau films Tai Hong ( Still , aka Die a Violent Death ) and My Valentine topped the Thai box office during their opening weeks of release. Box Office Mojo , back to updating its Thai charts after a long spell, had Phranakorn Film’s Tai Hong scaring up an impressive US$483,407 (about 16 million… Read full story >>>

In Thai culture, being solemn is a cause for concern. Hardly a week passes by without hearing the Thai phrase, “don’t be so serious”. In the taxi the other day, I wanted to express that same sentiment to my pensive-looking cabbie, but I changed my… Read full story >>>

Phranakorn Film has a new comedy opening this week, Kongphan Kruekkruen Tor Tahan Kuekkuk ( กองพันครึกครื้น ท.ทหารคึกคัก ), which comes at a time when the Thai military is already looking quite foolish for its reliance on a “bomb detector” that has been thoroughly debunked. Directed by … Read full story >>>

Back in my year in India when I was looking for enlightenment one of the toughest part was the goddamn meditation. To sit quiet for a few minutes that’s OK. But for hours! They are saints back there in India, and … Read full story >>>

The other week a few teachers and I attended a night at Sunee Hotel for our school. We had slipped out for a few beers and a chat away from the dancing. We had made our way to this place. It isn’t a disco but the tenpin bowling centre. One… Read full story >>>