Thailand Voice

Thai police arrange seized ivory before a press conference in Bangkok at the National Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division of the police department on Wednesday Jan 20, 2010. Thai police said Wednesday that they have arrested two people accused of dealing in illegal African ivory, a day after an American and a Thai …

Thailand’s first population census was conducted in 1909 by the Ministry of Interior. Four subsequent censuses followed in 1919, 1929, 1937 and 1947. Since 1960, the National Statistical Office (NSO) has been responsible for undertaking population censuses every ten years under the 1952 Statistical Act (revised in 1965…

The fifth day of the seven dangerous New Year holidays saw 41 people killed and 460 others injured, bringing the cumulative casualty count for the long holiday to 279 and 3,185. Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior Ministry Wibul Sanguanpong told a press conference at the…

As we know by know the market went down by 2% yesterday and are also down today – was down 8% around lunchtime but now down only 5%. The Nation reports on what is driving the market: “There was a panic in early trading … Read full story >>>

Ross Dunkley, who has run papers in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Burma, states in today’s Bangkok Post : However, it’s not an achievement that’s likely to be repeated in Thailand. Dunkley scotched months of rumours that his Post Media Company was looking to buy this paper’s chief … Read full story >>>

Thailand celebrates Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday today with many activities to pay tribute to the “Mother of the Land.” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged the people to conduct good deeds in order to show gratitude to Her Majesty, who has contributed tremendously to …

UPDATE: Can’t believe that BP didn’t mention it. It was also Thaksin’s 60 th birthday and it completed his 5 th cycle in the Chinese. Thanks to Occasional for pointing out the ommission . Sopon in The Nation : PRIME Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had a … Read full story >>>

As regular readers will know that Thanong has been writing that the UK Government frozen US$4 billion Baht in Thaksin’s assets and that Thaksin was down to his last US$500 – see here and here – but in his op-ed today, Tulsie opinies : The… Read full story >>>

In Thailand, July 29th every year is celebrated as National Thai Language Day. However, a recent poll showed that 85.3 per cent of people surveyed in Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces were not aware of Thai language day. The survey also revealed some shocking results. According to the poll, 84.9 per cent of people …

Will try to be quick as still busy, but Thanong’s latest editorial * in The Nation : For Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the most crucial task lying ahead is how to deal with the case involving the assassination attempt on media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul. This is the source of … Read full story >>>

Topic Political stability and the path of reform in Thailand : With Who? An evening with Prof Dr Borwornsak Uwanno, Chaturon Chaisang and M.L. Nattakorn Devakula (more details on each below) Time and Date 8pm, Weds July 22, 2009 Introduction In its first seven months in power the Abhisit Vejjajiva Administration has had much … Read full story >>>

As we know The Nation, and Thanong in particular, have riled (see here and here for two examples) against the foreign media for their “distortions”. Thanong has speculated on the nature of the relationship between Thaksin and the foreign media and whether he is paying them, lobbying them… Read full story >>>

This stands out from newspaper reports of the Tak Bai decision acquitting the security officials as The Nation reports :* Officials were also cleared of any wrongdoing as they were acting under the Emergency Decree. The Section 17 of the decree stated officials couldn’t … Read full story >>>

Here  is a short piece I wrote following about the Thai government and the internet for Director Thailand . The magazine’s blog is a recommended daily read for anyone working, or interested, in the business world in Thailand. – - – Controlling The Internet Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositakul sparked controversy on Friday when she lamented the … Read full story >>>

Thai filmmaker Nonzee Nimibutr is part of the jury for the Asian New Talent Award at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival . The Asian New Talent panel will be headed by South Korean filmmaker Im Kwon-taek and also includes Chinese actress Yu Nan, Chinese director Zhu Wen and Singaporean director Royston Tan. … Read full story >>>

This was published today. We are glad they are still looking into it… http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phi-deaths-officers-check-guesthouse-11145/ Also we DID get the tissue samples this week and they are now in the proper hands. I won’t go into much detail as everything is still extremely … Read full story >>>

Atiya Achakulwisut is the editorial pages editor at the Bangkok Post . Usually, she is quite reasoned in her opinions, but her latest op-ed well is something truly to behold: I am also concerned about the usually vocal members of the foreign press corps. Has one standard dropped and another popped up … Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post : Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij is demanding the opposition take the rap for any adverse impacts on the country from the delay to the draft executive decree to seek 400 billion baht in loans. Parliament’s reading of the draft decree to allow the Finance Ministry… Read full story >>>

The Nation : Supinya said the media should truthfully report to the public without any filtration. However, this is a more sensitive issue because the allegation is not only an expression of one opinion, but there is a claim of “fact”. It is… Read full story >>>

Abhisit on CNN . NYT interview with Thaksin a few weeks ago – see Siam Report’s blog post here with commentary. Am still a little surprised on his explanation over the blue shirts: Well, there may be people in the armed forces or the police, but … Read full story >>>

Danny Unger has written a piece for Asia Times . He makes a number of interesting points, but wish to first focus on his comparison to Europe: Most of the gravest challenges Thailand faces over the coming decades are tied up with the gulf that … Read full story >>>

Bangkok Post interviewing Sathit back in April: Prime Minister’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey has been in charge of the state media for almost three months and as a relative newcomer been criticised for not using the state’s media instruments at his disposal to neutralise the offensive of the red-shirt… Read full story >>>

Here’s what I get when trying to access the National Statistical Office (http://web.nso.go.th/eng/):   access was forbidden ………..   Is it just me? Read full story >>>

Another posting based on information from the book Democracy, Development and Decentralization in Provincial Thailand by Daniel Arghiros, this time the many changes in the electoral policies with the constitution of 1997 . Some however have been changed again with the 2007 constitution . Though not all of these changes are directly covered by… Read full story >>>

With his latest acquisition of yet another, this time Montenegrin passport – these things don’t come for free – former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not only become a European citizen who could proudly say – based loosely on JFK’s famous speech – … Read full story >>>

Not The Nation : The Thai Foreign Ministry has announced that deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s legal name has been officially changed, to assist domestic and international press coverage in more correctly covering Thai politics. The new name, which translates loosely to … Read full story >>>

Office of the National Education Commission Education in Thailand , Bangkok : Amarin Printing and Publishing, Ministry of Education, National. 2004: ISBN 974-241-733-4, p: 20-34. 15. Education in Thailand . Past Development of Thai … Read full story >>>

Bangkok Apartment Rentals. The first thing you should know is that properties change hands fast in Bangkok . I believe the same applies for all major cities where there is a considerable expat population. Here’s an interesting thai news … Read full story >>>

The Nation : The Committee for Reconciliation and Political Reform has not accepted a proposal from Pracharaj Party leader Snoh Thienthong to replace the current Constitution with that of 1997 and to offer amnesty to banned politicians, a panel member said yesterday. — Meanwhile, Democrat Party … Read full story >>>

How many f-words did you use this week? For me this week has gone exceptionally awry. For example, when things did go right ( i.e. I was on time for a meeting ), it was only to find out later that things were not as they seemed ( i.e. the meeting… Read full story >>>