Thailand Voice

Wonderful Wi’s mama has a strange habit when it comes to the kitchen fridge and an even stranger one when bathroom time comes around. The photo on the right looks innocuous enough, bottled water and Cadbury’s chocolate, but the poor clarity of the photo doesn’t reveal the contents of the glass bowl. Charcoal … Read full story >>>

When I noticed the Excel sheets with the names of the administrative villages (Muban), I wrote that those are apparently compiled by DOPA to be checked with the local entities. I am right now slowly working through the TAO to add the URL of their website to my… Read full story >>>

Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made, edited by Alison Castle, is a collection of ten volumes (Reference, Script, Production, Notes, Correspondence, Chronology, Text, Costumes, Location Scouting, and Picture File) packaged inside a large, hollow book. It’s outrageously expensive and extremely heavy (10kg), and is limited to 1,000 numbered… Read full story >>>

Before I say anything, please watch the following video:   If you don’t have even the smallest lump in your throat right now, there is something seriously wrong with you. This video is actually a commercial for a Thai insurance company. Regardless of what you think about the motivations… Read full story >>>

Although the Asia-Pacific region has only 16% of the world’s traffic (road vehicles), it provides 60% of the number of global road deaths. Since the fleets of road vehicles are likely to double in the next few years (especially if the low-cost Tata car concept spreads widely, … Read full story >>>

UPDATE: Anasuya of Channel News Asia also has a report on the bunkers. Have already blogged on the Justice Minister’s trip to Sisaket with the foreign media, but the Straits Times also reported (subscription only): The Thai authorities have built 340 bunkers in two schools … Read full story >>>

Ty writes in a comment and reminds BP of 1976: In 1976, before the October 6 massacre, the rumor went around that Vietnamese sappers had infiltrated Thammasat students. On October 6, the story was that the students who were killed were Vietnamese who couldn’t speak Thai, the unspoken message being that therefore it was all right … Read full story >>>

Matichon has an article quoting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s personal spokesman, Thepthai, which BP has summarized below: Thepthai displayed a CD with the song, “traitors” and stated that some singer(s) had sung it. He said the song didn’t refer to any particular person, but it was a warning to all Thais. He is arranging for… Read full story >>>

The problem is that engagement with Burma has been tried many times before, and always without success. Nor is it the first time the regime has promised to free Suu Kyi, or that Suu Kyi has expressed her willingness to meet the generals. The patterns are all too familiar… Read full story >>>

Kong Rithdee in the Bangkok Post on the anti-Thaksin PAD statement in a rally eight days ago which begin with: “We are the people of the Kingdom of Thailand and are citizens who are loyal to our nation, our religion and our monarchy…[list of statements and demands]…Our presence represents Thai citizens … Read full story >>>

The Chronicle of Thailand is a new book edited by Nicholas Grossman and was released last week. The Bangkok Post, which was a partner, has the blurb: Although the most populated and happening place in Thailand, Bangkok is just one … Read full story >>>

With the rain finally beginning to relent, a bright blue sky and a regular cool breeze, Thailand has finally begun to cool. The rain puddles have dried, and left everything in full bloom. October, November and December are surely the most comfortable months for non-natives of Thailand. (Pinky and Secret, who kindly … Read full story >>>