News and Views - September 2007 "Steam trains in Thailand 1973-1975" - September 29, 2007 The last train to Haadyai - The Songkhla Bullet - The Smugglers' Express International Working Steam Locomotives 2007 - September 28, 2007 Disgraced Scientist Moves Research Base - AP, September 19, 2007 Disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk has relocated his research base to Thailand to avoid the ethical disputes his work would cause in South Korea, a scientist close to Hwang said Wednesday. Hwang and some 10 associates have been working at a national university laboratory in the southeast Asian country since June, said Park Se-pill, a Cheju National University professor and well-known stem cell scientist. Park declined to further identify the university, but added that the school is providing active support for Hwang... The World's Richest Royals - Forbes, August 30, 2007 Customs Department crushed Bt40 million Ferrari - The Nation, September 25, 2007 Exorcising Bangkok's skyline - Asia Property Report, September, 2007 ...This led to an ugly chain of events. Because many of the original lenders had shut their doors, the enforcement process of the loans, in terms of the clearance process, took a long time, making it very difficult for the bank to repossess collateral. “So for a number of years, through to about 2003, the Bangkok skyline was dotted with partially complete buildings, anywhere from just the piling being completed up to the developments that were 90% complete but just had no money left to finish them off,” said Pitchon... Sex change funding undermines no gays claim - Guardian, September, 2007 Iran carries out more gender change operations than any country in the world besides Thailand. Sex changes have been legal since the late Ayatollah Ruhollah... On the forums: "The Inlusionist" - September 27, 2007 30,000 people walk out on Samak speech - Bangkok Post, September 26, 2007 "Like to carry the torch?" - September 26, 2007 The Lenovo Group and The Nation are jointly hosting a contest for two Thais to take part in the chain of torchbearers for the Beijing Olympics when the torch reaches Bangkok next April... Sea cave trip reveals Thailand's lost worlds - Stuff.co.nz, September 24, 2007 My Thai colonic irrigation - Times Online, September 22, 2007 ... We can, however, swallow 35 bentonite clay drinks and 105 herbal laxatives to help the cleanse, along with 105 vitamin and mineral supplements. We’ll also consume 560 pints (318 litres) of coffee, squirted up our behinds to flush out toxins... Iranians and Israelis did not cooperate after crash - The Nation, September 23, 2007 The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to inform readers of this newspaper about the most recent developments and viewpoints and policies of the Iranian government and accordingly the embassy itself... Iran's Ambassador to Thailand, Pak Aeen, has denied the allegations that Iranian and Israeli teams had cooperated to identify the Thai plane crash's victims... Associated Press news agency claimed on Tuesday that Iranian and Israeli officials "put aside political animosity" to work together in southern Thailand and the Israeli forensic team was helping Iranians identify the victims of the crash. Please be informed accordingly. Burning down Myanmar's Internet firewall - Asia Times Online, September 21, 2007 Myanmar maintains some of the world's most restrictive Internet controls, including government-administered blocks on foreign... K-girls to be sidelined - The Nation, September 17, 2007 ...Ladda said she sympathised with women working in the nightlife industry but added that revealing dresses should not be worn and openly seen in the streets, even though such venues operated late at night... Ikea delays Thai plans as government moves to tighten foreign ownership laws - Telegraph, September 23, 2007 ...The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the lingering after-effects of last year's military coup and a series of tougher laws on foreign ownership have prompted Ikea to postpone a move into one of south-east Asia's most important economies. The delay reflects growing nervousness among overseas investors following Draconian revisions to Thailand's Foreign Business Act and the publication of draft legislation covering the retail sector which may have a serious impact on Tesco and Carrefour, the French supermarkets group. Since the ousting of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister and current owner of Manchester City Football Club, a year ago this week, the Thai government has proposed changes to the definition of a "foreign" company to mean one which is not controlled or majority-owned by Thais. It has also vowed to stamp out the use of nominee shareholders for the subsidiaries of multinationals operating there, alarming the many overseas firms which have largely relied on the use of such structures... Plans to form Transsexual Association of Pattaya discussed at City Hall Meeting - Pattaya City News, September 21, 2007 Fisticuffs over anthem - The Nation, September 22, 2007 Anti-coup activist Chotisak Onsueng and a female companion were attacked and verbally abused after they refused to stand up for the Royal anthem at a Bangkok cinema on Thursday night. Chotisak, a coordinator of the September 19 Network Against the Coup, told The Nation yesterday that he and his companion had had to call the police in order to end the feud after someone in the audience shouted at them and a slight physical skirmish took place... No sign of stem-cell scientist - The Nation, September 20, 2007 Thai stem-cell experts were unaware of South Korean cloning scientist Hwang Woo-Suk's very existence, much less his plans to do research here. Looking into records for the past three months, the Immigration Bureau said nobody by that name had entered the Kingdom... Earlier: Disgraced cloning scientist flees to Thailand - Khaleej Times, September 17, 2007 [Anyone know where they might be doing this research?] ...Hwang and some 10 other researchers have been in Thailand for two months, focusing on research into the cloning of pet animals and the production of stemcells that could be used for cell treatment, they said... Car-free day - September 22, 2007 Right: Sign at the Sala Daeng Skytrain Station The official website Walking street electric, TV and telephone cabling complaints - Pattaya City News, September 22, 2007 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) (Source: Unknown) Thai email forwards: "Mr. Thaksin Life in London" - September 22, 2007 More photos here, here, here, here, and here. More: Thai email forwards Thaksin says he'll return home but not soon - The Irrawaddy, September 20, 2007 ..."I love my people, I love my family. I will definitely go back to Thailand, and I will find the right timing," Thaksin told British Broadcasting Corp radio... Pirates in Southeast Asia’s Strait of Malacca - NatGeo, October, 2007 Self-righteous rantings - The Nation, September 9, 2007 ... I never said Thailand was perfect. I said I like it. It's the best place I have ever seen for freedom, a sense of values, great weather and the general attitude of the people, not to mention the cost of living. But, most importantly, it is an everyday pleasure watching people treat each other in a civil manner. That alone is reason to defect." He likes the care Thai people expend on children, the respect for their elders, the Buddhist ethos, the sense of fun and the close social relations in his village. And you can smoke in the bars... (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Where is the windmill? - September 22, 2007 Above is a view from Two Pacific Place on Sukhumvit Road. It appears there is a building bordering Lumpini Park that has a windmill... (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Police at Jatujak Park - September 22, 2007 Police on Segway Scooters at Jakujak Park... Plan for sea canal puts Hindu belief in sharp relief - Washington Post, September 18, 2007 ...The Indian government began dredging the shallow ocean bed two years ago and is now poised to break apart Adam's Bridge, whose demolition is necessary to allow ships to traverse a direct route between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. But the project has become entangled in a complex web of resistance from environmentalists, fishermen, political parties and Hindu activists... Commentary: 'To Return to a Democratic Thailand' - By Thaksin Shinawatra - WSJ, September 19, 2007 ...One year before, I had been overwhelmingly re-elected as prime minister of Thailand. Thanks to the people of my nation, I was the first leader in the near 100-year history of Thailand to be not just democratically elected, but democratically re-elected. Under my administration, we had cut poverty almost in half, provided universal access to affordable health care for the first time, balanced the budget and paid off our debts to the International Monetary Fund. In addressing the United Nations, I intended to emphasize to the world the success and maturity of our democracy. I was never able to deliver my remarks, however, because I awoke on the morning of Sept. 19 to the news that my government -- and Thailand's democratic constitution -- had been overthrown in a military coup. The coup came as a shock to me and to most Thais. Democracy appeared to have become well entrenched in Thailand following adoption of the Constitution of 1997. Also known as the "People's Constitution," this charter was universally acclaimed as the most democratic constitution in the history of Thailand... Year on, Thailand's "good coup" gets failing grade - Reuters, September 19 2007 Thailand accused of deliberate abuse of N. Koreans - Reuters, September 18, 2007 ...North Koreans being held in Bangkok launched a hunger strike in April over conditions at the detention centre. More than 300 women, including babies, children and the sick and elderly, were crammed into cells sufficient only for 50-100 people and with only four toilets between them, Kim said. The treatment reflected an apparent policy decision by Thailand's military-appointed government to try to stem the flow of refugees entering the country, he said... Red Lotus: A Lao movie - The Nation blog, September 14, 2007 ...An 80 minute movie was produced more than 30 years ago when the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party newly took the power. It is the first movie making in Laos during the new regime... The fate of tragic Aaron was set after he shunned Bangkok - Irish Independent, September 17, 2007 The Irish university graduate who died in the Thai air crash had only boarded the ill-fated flight because he did not like staying in Bangkok... Something about China Airlines Flight 611 in 2002 - September 18, 2007 Martin writes: I am a regular reader of 2Bangkok and just wanted to point out, that I remember a fatal accident of a 747 of China Airlines in 2002  in the Straits of Taiwan and know that Orient Thai Airways was named in the news of being somehow involved. After some research I found the following article at Wikipedia. Orient Thai Airlines had a purchase contract of an old 747 Boeing Jet from China Airlines subject to fly for them from June 2002. The jet was built in 1979 and used by China Airlines. During the last flight of this plane for Chinese Airlines on 25th May 2002,  the plane broke apart due to metal fatigue just after taking off in Hong Kong. The purchase contract with Orient Thai Airlines was canceled after that, which was supposed to pay 1.4 Mln US$ for the plane. I always remembers this accident, when visiting the Donmuang Airport, after seeing Oriental Thai Airlines and One-Two Go. One year after coup, Thai economy mired in uncertainty - AFP, September 17, 2007 One year after Thailand's coup, the kingdom's economic growth ranks among the lowest in Southeast Asia as domestic demand and investment have slumped due to political uncertainty, analysts said.... First Thai anime cafe may be last - Bangkok Post, September 16, 2007 ...The cafe opened in April 2006 and was staffed primarily by female students from nearby Chulalongkorn University. Police investigated the shop in July after complaints that minors were frequenting the cafe and viewing manga with adult content. As a result, two managers of the cafe were arrested on charges of exposing minors to obscene manga... On-Two-Go statement - September 18, 2007 Ton notes: I'm sure you're getting emails galore about the plane crash down in Phuket, but I just wanted to point something out from the One-Two-Go website. I had expected an apology statement, and below is how it has been translated in English. Not sure who issued this statement -- is it me, or is "corpse transportation" a rather inappropriate direct translation from a cultural perspective? From the site: ...For any inquiries such as names of passengers on board, how to pick up passenger’s relatives to the point of accident including responsibility of corpse transportation, please directly contact the following One-Two-GO hotline numbers. 'Padmanathan not detained in Thailand' - The Times of India, September 13, 2007 LTTE leader K Padmanathan, an accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has not been detained in Thailand, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Bankok on Friday... Arakanese Monks Arrested for Demonstration in Bangkok - Narinjara News, September 14, 2007 ... A monk who is a close associate of the two reported that they were arrested by Thai police 15 minutes after they staged the demonstration by holding posters in front of Burma's embassy in Bangkok. Thai police first attempted to block them from staging the protest, but the monks persisted in their efforts. Shortly after, the Thai police rounded them up and took them to an unknown location, a witness said. Thai police attempted to disrobe the monks to remove their respected status, but were advised by Thai monks to follow Buddhist religious principals. The two monks were sent to Bangkok's central jail for illegal foreigners... Ultralitigation! Thai businessman wins right to exploit old series - The Daily Yomiuri, September 14, 2007 ...The Tsuburaya side claimed the document had been forged, but Sompote claimed it was authentic. Sompote insisted that Noboru had offered the contract after he sold the 1973 and 1974 movies they coproduced to companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan without discussing the matter with Sompote. Noboru offered the contract as a way of making up for the profits he didn't pay to Sompote... Harris Black Watch - September 15, 2007 Website about sometime Thailand-resident... Italian Bangkok blog with interesting photos - September 15, 2007 'Good' Thai girls enter the boxing ring - IHT, September 13, 2007 ...Until recently, it was considered very bad luck for a girl or a woman to enter the boxing ring. Muay Thai is a sport steeped in superstition, where gold and silver talismans, blessed by Buddhist monks and engraved with words and symbols, are sometimes imbedded under the fighter's skin. The presence of a woman, especially if she was  menstruating, was thought to cancel the invulnerability conferred by these and other charms and blessings. "Each boxer has magic words to protect himself," said Amnart Saichalard, a former fighter who now teaches muay Thai at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He has gold talismans buried under his skin near his Adam's apple and in his biceps. "The belief was that if a woman came too close to the charm you would bleed more during a match," Amnart said. As a concession to tradition, girls these days enter the ring by crawling under the bottom of four ropes. Boys can climb through the ropes any way they want... Thai police deny Tamil Tiger leader held in Bangkok - Reuters, September 12, 2007 Thai police said on Wednesday there was no truth to reports triggered by an allegation on a Sri Lankan government Web site that a top Tamil Tiger leader had been arrested in Bangkok... Drug runner a dead man laughing - The Australian, September 8, 2007 ...McMillan cheated death through a miraculous escape from the infamous Thai jail known as the Bangkok Hilton. He rehearsed for the breakout from Klong Prem prison in 1996 by years earlier plotting to escape from Pentridge Prison's DDivision in a helicopter... Press release of Dr. Thaksin and Khun Ying Pojamarn Shinawatra dated September 11, 2007 - TrueThaksin, September 13, 2007 In regards to the press release of the AEC issued on September 10, 2007, accusing Dr. Thaksin and Khun Ying Pojamarn of concealing assets, the AEC also accused Dr. Thaksin of being the true owner of Ample Rich and Win Mark, citing ‘credible' evidence... Old Phuket - The Tin Legacy - TAT, September, 2007 Reports on domestic violence cases will be banned - The Nation, September 13, 2007 Something's fishy about that Thai bikini - The Star Online, September 13, 2007 Thai entrepreneurs have developed a way of processing skins of the tropical tilapia fish to make durable leather... 7 deadly sins package - September 14, 2007 Another classic Novotel ad campaign... At left is the "Sloth" package... Earlier: "Asian Confusion" Earlier: "She knows how to please you..." (Source: Novotel) (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Proud of Sutthisarn: "Sutthisarn Classic" - September 14, 2007 We like this... Thailand to change name back to Siam? - Travel Industry News, September 12, 2007 You can sign the petition here. Editorial: Yasothon incident an utter disgrace - The Nation, September 9, 2007 ...It would have been beyond belief in many countries, but what happened at a Yasothon a police station a few days ago represents so much that is true about Thailand's law-enforcers and "dark influences". According to news reports, a local godfather and his men stormed into the station after his son had allegedly been assaulted by one of the officers. That officer reportedly was made to prostrate himself before the man but was still beaten unconscious by the gang while two of his supervisors looked on. After an uproar in the media, four senior police officers in the northeastern province, including the provincial chief, were transferred to inactive posts... Thai army finds opium fields ready to harvest in North Thailand - The Irrawaddy, September 10, 2007 ...The Thai army has found 50 opium fields, some ready for harvest, in secluded valleys between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces, according to a regimental commander... Thais can be proud of their democracy - Bangkok Post, September 10, 2007 Former leader and adviser to the oldest political party in Thailand Chuan Leekpai lays out how to make the Sept 19 coup the last one. ...There was a coup and the reason for it at the time was annoyance caused by that situation (Mr Chuan laughs). I tell this story to demonstrate that you cannot stage a coup just because you are annoyed. This kind of behaviour is an obstacle to democracy... Piranha or Thai Chanda? - The Daily Star, September 10, 2007 Fish farmers and hatchery owners in Mymensingh have claimed that fishery authorities have 'branded' their Thai Chanda as Piranha and asked them to destroy those... (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Murals on public housing by the expressway - September 18, 2007 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) No Blowing Smoke: Poppies Fade in Southeast Asia - New York Times, September 16, 2007 ...Three decades ago, the northernmost reaches of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar produced more than 70 percent of all the opium sold worldwide, most of which was refined into heroin. Today the area produces about 5 percent of the world total, says Mr. Costa’s agency. What happened? Economic pressure from China, crackdowns on opium farmers , and a switch by criminal syndicates to methamphetamine production, appear to have had the biggest impact. At the same time, some insurgent groups that once were financed with drug money now say they are urging farmers to eradicate their poppy fields... OCM to Thailand: Don't act like a novice host - Malaysia Star, September 15, 2007 The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have taken SEA Games hosts Thailand to task, saying they should not act like a “novice host”.  OCM honorary-secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said yesterday that Thailand, the hosts of five previous SEA Games and four editions of the Asian Games, should be more professional and not act like novices...  Coming soon: $10 million for a flat in Bangkok? - FinanceAsia, September 14, 2007 ...The rumour mill in Bangkok is in full swing. Benjaporn Chatkaew, director of sales and marketing at rival high-rise Le Raffine, says, “I understand prices start at Bt200,000 there, but go up as high as Bt400,000 ($12,000)". Le Raffine is a recently completed development into which Hong Kong’s hedgies are known to have bought million dollar palatial duplexes. Prices in top condo developments in Bangkok cap out at about Bt150,000 per square metre at present, so the Sukhothai will set a new upper benchmark. “$12,000 per square metre is outrageous, this is what you get in a very well located district in Paris, and even in the Champs Elysees,” says Parisian Richard Bigg of Star Research in Bangkok. “Which one would you chose if you had the money? Residing in Paris or in noisy Bangkok near the dump?”... Fire at the Mandarin Bangkok hotel where fire injured 16 guests had no water sprinkler system - AP, September 5, 2007 Fire at Mandarin Hotel under control - The Nation, September 5, 2007 [Thanks to the dozen or so readers who pointed out this story with delightfully mangled English.] Fire that broke out at the Mandarin Hotel on Rama IV Road early Tuesday morning [it was actually Wednesday morning] has been put under control at about 8pm. ...Helicopters that rushed to the hotel helplessly flied over the hotel... ...Many tourists said that the hotel's water sprinkles did not work when the fire broke out.was not equipped with water sprinkles to distinguish the blaze. Snake in hospital gurney kills Thai man - AP, September 7, 2007 [Thanks to Dan for pointing this out.] The ultimate Bangkok cityscape! - thailandbilder.se, September 7, 2007 Don't miss this (5.73MB)... Drug situation 'as severe as six years ago' - Speeds pills flooding in from northern border - Bangkok Post, September 10, 2007 Thaksin denies story, has no Swiss accounts - Bangkok Post, September 7, 2007 Spokesmen for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday denied he had concealed money in Swiss banks, saying he was misquoted by a Swiss newspaper. They said Mr Thaksin did not threaten to sue Swiss banks for freezing his accounts in Switzerland as reported by Mittelland Zeitung because he did not have any money deposited in the country... Foreign media watch Thailand's politics - translated and summarized from Phujatkarn, Chaisiri Samutwanich, August 29, 2007 The author points out the foreign media's analysis of Thailand's politics published in a column by journalist Seth Mydans in the Herald Tribune. Mydans comments that Thailand's 2007 constitution will weaken democracy as it is a military-backed constitution, aiming to eradicate the old power group of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, adding the constitution will slow down the democratic progress. More about Manit Sriwanichpoom - Asia Photography Blog, September 8, 2007 Also a link to his website... If there is anything more furiously astonishing than these photos, we don't know what it is... ...How shocking when, last year, more than a million voters elected Samak Sundaravej their new governor of Bangkok. I was flabbergasted. Was not this the same Samak who back in October 1976 went on radio to urge that brute force be used against pro-democracy protesters, in the events that culminated in the most horrifying massacre in Bangkok history?... Fes Cannady's photos from 1966-67 in Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base - September 8, 2007 Culture Minister to promote Thainess as suggested by His Majesty - translated and summarized from Phujatkan, August 30, 2007 Culture Minister Khunying Khaisri Sriaroon said the ministry would carry out His Majesty the King's suggestion to promote better usage of the Thai language. The ministry will collaborate with other ministries, including the Education and Foreign Affairs ministries, in a campaign to promote the Thai language, clothing and lifestyle among both Thai people inside and outside the country. The minister admitted the campaign might be difficult as Thailand is an open country. Khunying Khaisri said the ministry will also encourage Thais, including those in the three southernmost provinces, to go to religious places to uplift their souls. Thaksin's war on drugs kin still wait for justice - Mass killing of tribesmen remains unsolved - Bangkok Post, September 6, 2007 Among 2,500 victims from the first three months of the Thaksin Shinawatra government's war on drugs, the mass killing of six Mien hilltribesmen at Ban Pha Lung, once known as a heroin production base, in Chiang Rai's Muang district appeared to be the country's biggest case. The six Mien (or Yao) tribesmen, including village chief Kiattisak Saksrichompoo, were shot and killed by gunmen while on their way home from a meeting at the office of the tambon Huay Chompoo administration organisation on Feb 27, 2003. Two days before the shooting, Kiattisak had led the men who were drug addicts and small-time drug dealers to surrender to authorities in Muang district... A doubt on democracy - translated and summarized from an editorial in Matichon, August 30, 2007 The author states that there are now many political conflicts between the old power group's People Power's Party led by Samak Sundaravej and the election commission. This is leading to a doubt about the progress of democracy of the nation. The author is concerned over the role of the election committee, specifically formed to support democracy, but that it now lacks clarity about its activities and standpoint. He points out that the current conflicts between each power group will lead to more vote-buying activities in the upcoming general election, eliminating the democracy for the people. Thai temple makes lucky charms of infants' ashes - Reuters, September 4, 2007 ...The idea of mixing the human ashes into the "Multiple Rich" amulets came after neighbours told the abbot they saw spirits of dead infants buried in the temple graveyard in their dreams asking to be freed, monk Lertsak Thitayano told Reuters. "The abbot wanted to set them free so he decided to cremate them and make merit for them by mixing their ashes into the amulets to empower them in helping the people," he said. To gain maximum "power", the Jatukam Ramathep amulets, named after two Hindu gods, have to be prayed over by monks for days... Bangkok: City of Cleanliness & Greenery - September 5, 2007 [New Bangkok city website from typical designers who think every website is made better by starting with a gigantic flash movie with audio. Bangkok is also the "City of Sufficiency Economy."] Bangkok 'City Hall' launches website to the world - TNA, September 4, 2007 Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said that the new international website www.bangkok.go.th would replace the previous version www.bma.go.th this Sunday. As Bangkok has been ranked the top Asian and world tourism destination, visitors can browse the website in many languages, including English, French, Japanese and Chinese. Web users can view a Bangkok map and updated information of accommodations, tourist attractions, restaurants and events... The Democrat Party and the Democratic Party - September 1, 2007 This Thai blog is be a fan of Obama, Hillary and Abhisit. "Tiger Temple Negative Report" - Friskodude, September 5, 2007 I just received a message from someone who recently volunteered at the Tiger Temple near Kanchanaburi, and she requested that I publicize the deplorable treatment of the animals. She's also not so wild about the way the monks are running the place... Fitch warns Thailand of economic volatility - Bangkok Post, September 4, 2007 [This also takes on greater significance coming into the traditional volatility months of September and October--and after the mortgage crisis of the preceding months.] ...Fitch has placed Thailand's sovereign rating at BBB+, lower than those of Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Malaysia, but higher than those of India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia... "Lady boy" war erupts in Thailand - two arrested - PinkNews, September 2, 2007 Scores of teenage "lady boys"and male prostitutes have been involved in a three day "gay war" on the Thailand resort of Pattaya. The resort is popular with ... Thaksin at Manchester City - September 1, 2007 Photos from Thaksin's website...