Thailand Voice

Way back just before Christmas, my school had a fun day for the kids that involved different things throughout the day. The first post I did was about the game we organised for the kids. Post number two had a few pictures of outfits kids had worn; … Read full story >>>

Way back on the 24th of December, we had a Christmas day celebration. I have already written two parts to the day. You can read part 1 here or part 2 here . This is a student I used to teach, she is now in secondary 4 or year 10. If you look at the largest picture, you will see … Read full story >>>

He’s the “most Thai foreigner” I know. After years of work in the twilight of Bangkokian nights and his recent front line coverage of Thailand’s political conflict he has become something of a celebrity around here. Thai Politicians of all sides and… Read full story >>>

I have written about Mother’s Day, and the ceremonies that go with here in Thailand in three previous posts, Happy Birthday to HM the Queen , Buddhist Ceremony , and then the school ceremony . Well this is part 4 and is about the grace and beauty of Thai dancers. The girls wear the most stunning and… Read full story >>>

Capital punishment has resumed in Thailand after a 6 year absence, Two drug traffickers were arrested on March 29, 2001 for possessing 114,219 methamphetamine pills. They were given death terms after being convicted of drug trafficking. They were put to death on Monday. They are only the second set of convicts… Read full story >>>

It is Mooncake season – the time of the year (Autumn, around about the time of the ninth lunar month) when people of Chinese origin remember their ancestors and everyone has a chance to eat the cakes. Here’s a recipe for making them I worked… Read full story >>>

When I wrote on the abolishing of the TAO in 1972, I said that I did not succeed to match all the entities to their modern-day equivalent. But now I worked through the list again, and it turns out there were only three which … Read full story >>>

Way back on the 11th of August we celebrated Mother’s Day at our school one day earlier than the real day as it is a holiday on the 12th. I posted two other articles on the lead up to the ceremony here or the Buddhist merit making in … Read full story >>>

When BP saw the headline (“Thai economy expands 2.3% in Q2, out of recession”) and started reading the article, it took a few seconds to realize that the lede had been buried. Reuters:Thailand’s economy emerged from its worst recession in 11 years in… Read full story >>>

I recently blogged about the volunteers who have come to Phana from Project Trust in the last five years. The fifth pair have just left and we are awaiting the next couple. So it seemed a good time to invite former volunteers to describe how Phana seems to them as they… Read full story >>>

On Tuesday last week we had a ceremony early in the morning for Mother’s Day here in Thailand. Each year is the same; some monks arrive and are seated in front of the gathering masses. The abbot or most senior monk should always sit on… Read full story >>>

On Mother’s Day on Tuesday I noticed a lot of secondary students in the afternoon streaming past our office door. Some where dressed in interesting outfits so I had to investigate what was going on. On our oval a crowd had gathered and also some judges… Read full story >>>

Anand Panyarachun, a former prime minister, has told another ex-premier, Thaksin Shinawatr, to come home and fight his case through the judicial system “the same way that I did when I was accused of being a communist.” Anand gave… Read full story >>>

The other week we had another ceremony at our school. The flag raisers were on standby and ready to go when the Thai National Anthem started to play. The students had gathered at the front of the school, and students had lined the balconies on our… Read full story >>>

On Monday we had some of our kindergarten students at our morning assembly. This can only mean one thing, and that is a ceremony of some sorts. The little students were having fun being at the grown ups assembly. Our two… Read full story >>>

I introduced the first Project Trust volunteers to Phana five years ago and currently the 5th pair of volunteers have about 7 weeks longer before they return to their homes in Scotland. My son-in-law had been a PT volunteer in Chiengmai and I had done some… Read full story >>>

On Friday we had a ceremony in the morning to celebrate Sunthorn Phu Day. Sunthorn Phu is considered one of Thailand’s greatest poets. I wrote a more in depth post on this day and about this man in a blog 2 years … Read full story >>>

Last week I wrote about our school having its Wai Khru Day or when students pay their respects to teachers across Thailand. We had gone to the Sunee Grand Hotel to the conference centre to hold this ceremony and after students had been through an hours practice I had made … Read full story >>>

In 2002, director Sukij Narin followed up his controversially awful sex comedy Sin Sisters (ผู้หญิง 5 บาป, Phu Ying Ha Bap) — considered a cult classic in some quarters — with a sports comedy called Phee Katoey, about a dead football goalkeeper who has his body inhabited by the spirit of a gay transvestite man.Phee Katoey was never … Read full story >>>

The students had arrived at The Sunee Grand Hotel Conference Room after our short walk from the school. They were all seated and well behaved waiting for all the ceremonies to begin. Some teachers were keen to have their picture taken together wearing our lovely… Read full story >>>