Thailand Voice

The powerful do not give up their power easily – not without a fight certainly. That has been the guiding principle of the Thai elites who have held on to direct control over the three southern border provinces and have refused even to permit public discussion of any … Read full story >>>

Apologies in advance fellow bloggers. If I am registered as following your blog via Google Friend Connect I will now be unsubscribing. This is not reflect on you, well most of you, but GFC has run its course with me. I subscribe to most blogs in an … Read full story >>>

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/telecom/29341/bts-dear-oil-driving-traffic This article in the Bangkok Post (Thailand’s major English-language newspaper) has two interesting snippets of information: 1. “BTS has ordered 48 new Chinese-made trains worth US$70 million. The new carriages will enter… Read full story >>>

Recently, blogged on this excerpt from a Wassana Nanuam story in the Bangkok Pos… Read full story >>>

Yesterday I discovered the website deepsouthwatch featuring independent news on the three southernmost Muslim provinces troubled by the insurgency since 2004. Most welcome is of course the English section of the site. I only checked the captions yesterday however, so it was via … Read full story >>>

Dear, dear Thai rooster, where did you go wrong? We had such high hopes and expectations for you growing up. Didn’t your parents tell you to stay in school and complete your education? Everyone knows the value of finishing what you start. Well… 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 >>>

When I wrote about the administrative history of Pattani I already mentioned shortly that till 1932 the deep south had an additional province named Saiburi (สายบุรี). In the article Tradition and cultural background of the Patani region by Worawit Baru (วรวิทย์ บารู) alias Ahmad Idris (in: Regions and National Integration … Read full story >>>

A couple of weeks ago, I got word of an event from Thailand’s UDD political party, referred to as the Red Shirts, that was taking place in Saraburi that Friday evening. My keen interest in Thailand politics, coupled with the mother-in-law’s passion for the Red cause, … Read full story >>>

The 2009 Bangkok International Film Festival (incorporating the Bangkok International Animation Festival 2009 ) ends today, after six days of screenings at Paragon Cineplex and SF CentralWorld. Today’s (unfortunately invitation-only) closing film is Sawasdee Bangkok, a collection of nine short films … Read full story >>>

The “4000 leased buses” plan… You remember ? It was in the medias before the summer… A weird scheme (scam ?) to lease 4000 NGV buses… pushed like crazy by Newin’s friends, for several months. Obviously. And this fact is already a smoking gun. Why they were so insistent ? We … Read full story >>>

Last week the special administrative zone for the troubled southern Muslim provinces made another resurfacing. The last time it was suggested in beginning of 2008 it was quickly shelved again since it was only the interior minister thinking aloud without clearing with prime minister… Read full story >>>

The Election Commission will this week examine the shareholdings of 89 MPs in companies believed to have monopolistic-like concessions from the state or to be doing business with the state, to see if they are in breach Article 265 of the constitution. Election commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham said on … Read full story >>>

Carving Fruit is a traditional art and Watermelon carving is a particularly popular choice. Today we are going to see some watermelon carving. Carving fruit in Thailand has developed over hundreds of years and dates back to the days of the Read full story >>>

Pridiyathorn in his op-ed today: DURING THE PAST WEEK, the Minister of Finance announced the investment package of Bt1.43 trillion, called the Strengthening Thailand budget. The proposed construction of dust-free roads over a total distance of over 7,200 kilometres would generate … Read full story >>>

The sensational victory in the Sakon Nakhon by-election by Puea Thai is, of course, being presented by the media as the result of a clash of personalities – voters preferred to favour former PM Thaksin over the turncoat Newin Chidchob, whose Bhunjaithai Party has made various promises for building sports grounds… Read full story >>>

Nirmal in the Straits Times (article available from here ): The death toll from the insurgency since January 2004 is believed to have surpassed 3,500. Police and analysts say up to half those deaths are the result of personal feuds and criminality . … Read full story >>>