2BANGKOK.COM'S
NEWS AND VIEWS
SEPTEMBER 2004
IMPACT
Convention Center construction
- September
15, 2004
A massive new convention center
is being constructed at Muang
Thong Thani--incredibly in the
convention center parking lot.
The existing parking, always
chaotic, it now practical impossible
with cars parking in every available
space along the roads.
Wat Rajbopit
- September 15, 2004
Heinrich
Damm writes: On Wednesday,
September 8, 2004-on the 2Bangkok-website
you asked: "Where is this?"
It seems it shows Wat Rajbopit
as seen from Klong Lord at Atsadang
Road.
Please compare these two examples:
- a photo,
taken from the book "Siam"
by Karl Doering from the year
1923(?), I found it in an old
collection of postcards
- a photo
I took just last week from the
same spot
In the courtyard of Wat Rajbopit
are a couple of buildings (1,
2)
that seem to be kind of mausoleum,
that's what you see on your picture.
'20/20'
visits Thailand's 'long-necked'
women -
ABC News, September 3, 2004
Tradition of Neck Stretching
Is Centuries Old, But Is It a
Cruel Custom?... Far from the
glitz of Bangkok, in Thailand's
remote northeastern region, tourists
are lured by a spellbinding image--women
and girls who've undergone a bizarre
body enhancement...
On the Thai-language forums
- September 11, 2004
Wisarut reports: For the case
of the nationalization of Skytrain
and Subway, there are lots of public
debate
and distrust for the nationalization
scheme.
Stadiums in Thonburi
- translated and
summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from
Thairath, September 9, 2004
Premier Thaksin
is planning to construct the new stadium
on the Thonburi side of Bangkok while
turning the old Suphachalasai National
Stadium into a public park. The new
stadium in Thonburi must be at least
as big as Hua Mark Stadium and it
must be situated along the new proposed
Subway-Skytrain routes.
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
The
Royal Thai Survey Department
- September 11, 2004
The Royal Thai Survey Department
looks like it is ready for some
kind of restoration, but there is
no sign at the site and we have
not read anything about it.
Revised Hollywood Buddha poster
- September 11, 2004
The Hollywood
Buddha film, which created
controversy last week, will have
a new poster.
The short
statement from the filmmaker
is, in itself, somewhat humorous
and feckless. Philippe Calanad:
I have made a movie called "Hollywood
Buddha," that itself has
only respect and admiration for
the positive power and great significance
of the peaceful message of the
Buddha...
Further, I did not understand
the image was offensive, or I
never would have allowed its use
in any way...
The film never makes fun of Buddhism
or any religion, but instead shows
how frauds commercialize religion
for their own gain...
Some statements about the film
is Thai are here: Thai
Temple
Thai
government to ban culturally insensitive
foreigners: report - AFP,
September 12, 2004
The Thai government will ban
foreigners from the kingdom who
break serious cultural rules as
laid out in an official etiquette
book it plans to produce...
Earlier: Matichon: "Buddhism
Humiliated" - September
8, 2004
Front page photos of disrespectful
Buddhist imagery are a popular
staple of Thai newspapers. There
are typically two flaps a year
over something like this. Media
watchers will remember the Buddha
underwear and Buddha sandals from
earlier this year. The latest
instance is the poster for a Hollywood
film. The poster is here.
(from Buddhist
Thais Seethe at Hollywood Film
Poster - Reuters, September
7, 2004): ...The public outcry
was raised after the Thai-language
newspaper Matichon published the
poster on its front page on Tuesday
with the caption, "Buddhism
Humiliated."
The advertisement features Caland,
who also stars in the YBG Productions
film, sitting atop a Buddha statue
with his feet -- the least holy
part of the body to Thai Buddhists
and never pointed at anyone --
dangling by its eyes...
A
tale of two newspapers: AMLO
- September 13, 2004
The Post
explains the government viewpoint
on the AMLO probe while The
Nation dismisses it and adds
some rabblerousing quotes from
Ekkayuth.
Govt
denies Amlo probe prejudiced
- Securities watchdog calls
for share inquiry
- Bangkok Post, September
13, 2004
...Mr Pongthep said the
agency may launch inquiries
into other suspect pyramid-share
schemes that did not make
the news.
The course of justice was
free and fair and the government
did not meddle with the
process, he said.
Pol Maj-Gen Peeraphan was
appointed to Amlo well before
the government took office
and he is known for his
honesty...
Even the Constitutional
Court could not say for
certain how far back in
time the asset seizure inquiry
could go.
The opposition leader said
the Amlo law could only
be enforced against assets
generated from laundering,
not those made honestly
afterwards...
|
AMLO
PROBE: Ekkayuth safe, says
expert
- The Nation, September
13, 2004
...The legal expert said
yesterday that any attempt
by the AMLO to freeze Ekkayuth’s
assets by launching a fraud
case in relation to his
failed pyramid scheme in
1985 would have no legal
backing and, therefore,
be a wasted effort.
...The AMLO was mistaken
in claiming that the Constitutional
Court had made a ruling
that allowed it to pursue
suspects charged prior to
1999, he said, adding that
the court had not in fact
resolved the legal issue.
...Ekkayuth said he believed
he was being followed in
the wake of his revelation
against the government officials.
"I will fight this
all the way even though
my life is in danger,"
he said.
"I got threats to kill
me and my family but they
didn’t scare me. Thailand
is not democratic today.
People are threatened every
day, including my friends.”... |
The Post
and Nation also show their
stripes in editorials. The Post
challenges Ekkayuth to produce
some evidence while reassuring
readers none of this will impact
TRT's chances in the polls and
even expressing surprise at why
anyone would choose to target
the TRT party.
The Nation, while purporting
to be perplexed by Ekkayuth's
motives, takes the opportunity
to point out that all the powers
of the state have been turned
on a critic of the PM, hinting
that this means there may be truth
behind Ekkayuth's accusations.
Ekkayuth
could help his case with
some proof - Bangkok
Post, September 13,
2004
Why he chose to target
Thai Rak Thai is anybody's
guess. But it is assumed
his statement was in retaliation
to calls by members of the
party for an investigation
into the source of his political
donations...
To most political pundits,
Mr Ekkayuth would appear
to be embarking on an impossible
mission. Mr Thaksin will
surely be re-elected for
a second term in the next
general election in less
than six months' time, even
after his party's humiliating
defeat in the Bangkok governor
election in which it supported
Pavena Hongsakula. The ruling
party commands popular support
in rural areas through its
populist programmes and
political gimmicks, although
it may not be able to capture
the 400 seats it so desires
in the lower house...
To boost his questionable
credibility, Mr Ekkayuth
should stop playing games
of hide-and-seek and present
the Securities and Exchange
Commission with the evidence
he claims to possess of
stock manipulation. When
he does that then we can
be assured he is the real
deal.
|
OVERDRIVE:
Is Ekkayuth a tiger at large
or just crying wolf?
- The
Nation, September 10,
2003
...We don’t know
yet what Ekkayuth is really
up to or who is behind him.
We do know with certainty
that he has already become
an enemy of the state. All
state agencies have suspended
their normal business so
that they can focus on going
after Ekkayuth. He has been
cast as a dangerous fugitive
who could undermine the
security of the state.
Police officers at the Central
Investigation Bureau and
the Economic Crime Suppression
Unit are digging into Ekkayuth’s
past and seeking to learn
about his contacts. The
Anti-Money Laundering Office
is looking at the possibility
of confiscating his assets.
The Justice Ministry is
looking at the possibility
of re-opening the Charter
Investment “pyramid-sales”
case, in which Ekkayuth
was one of the prime suspects.
The Securities and Exchange
Commission is threatening
to put him in jail and fine
him if he fails to show
up on Monday to provide
more evidence for his claim
of price manipulation of
the bank warrant SCIB-C1.
The Revenue Department is
probing whether Ekkayuth
has properly paid his taxes.
Prosecutors are weighing
whether he could be brought
to court again... |
The
very bizarre case of Dr Thaksin
Shinawatra
- The Nation, September
11, 2004
Another tough editorial from The
Nation. This also touches
lightly on a subject we have pondered
here at 2Bangkok.com--could a
personality like Thaksin stage
some sort of action to gain unopposed
power or might others eventually
take action "for the good
of the country"?
...All national leaders have
dark areas. Those who suffer from
over-confidence, hubris and arrogance
of power tend to lose their sense
of reality. They fail to listen
to other people and see no signs
of disaster.
A national leader who feels genuine
compassion towards his fellow
citizens would never look down
upon the little people. After
all, he still needs their votes
– unless he grabs the power
to rule by force.
History shows that leaders with
these symptoms generally fail
to realise that their downfall
is just around the corner. We
have experienced the rise and
fall of tyrants, both civilian
and military, throughout our history,
but the Strange Case of Dr Thaksin
is something very peculiar.
Our political history will probably
embark on a new chapter very soon.
Morgue photos of
the murdered tourists -
September 10, 2004
ThaiRath, famous for its daily
sensational front-page photos, has
a real shocker today that has locals
huddled around newsstands: gruesome,
eyes-open morgue photos of the two
tourists gunned down in Kanchantaburi.
Thailand
in the news - Bad press
U.S. cracks down on maritime security
offenders
- Reuters, September 10, 2004
...It will also increase boardings
of ships bearing the flags of 13 other
countries -- including the world's
largest ship register Panama -- because
of two months of below average compliance
with new international security standards...
Apart from Panamanian-flagged ships,
the worst offenders include vessels
registered in Antigua and Barbuda,
Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands,
Cyprus, Honduras, Hong Kong, Malta,
the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore
and Thailand.
Dominican a perverts' paradise
- Canoe, September 10, 2004
It's being called Canada's Thailand.
A perverts' paradise where children
as young as 12 are being sold into
prostitution -- usually by a family
member looking to cash in on the pink-tanned
turistas and their appetite for sun,
sand and sex...
How British demand feeds slaughter
of rare species - The Guardian,
September 12, 2004
Today among the 10,000 stalls of Bangkok's
sprawling Chatuchak weekend market,
a major draw for British tourists,
The Observer was repeatedly told it
would be possible to order orang-utans,
snow leopards or rare birds by market
traders. Similarly sources told Monkey
World they could buy an orang-utan
for ?4,000 but that prices will fall
after the spotlight of Thailand's
international talks fades.
...Of equal concern are the findings
of an Observer investigation that
has unearthed a trial of corruption,
harassment and even death threats
as elements within Thailand resist
efforts to suppress the trade before
the gaze of the world's media arrives.
Even the Thai Prime Minister, it has
emerged, has come under fierce pressure
from the powerful interests that profiteer
from the covert smuggling of endangered
creatures.
...One prominent conservationist was
recently told by a Thai official that
he could not even attend Cites. Attempts
were even made to discredit Edwin
Wiek, who runs the acclaimed Wildlife
Rescue Centre in Petchaburi, north
of Bangkok. Despite nursing 115 previously
sickly and malnourished animals he
has been arrested and charged on grounds
that have left supporters baffled.
Other campaigners have fared far worse.
One was recently killed after trying
to protect a mangrove swamp from developers.
A forestry campaigner was shot dead
two weeks ago north of Bangkok. 'I
am on the list, by the time you found
out how high up you are it's too late',
one told The Observer last week in
the safety of a guarded hotel.
Steven Galster, director of Thailand's
WildAid, said: 'People get killed
around here for a lot less.'...
Tragic
toll of Thailand travellers
- Daily Record, September 9,
2004
Questions
over TV coverage
- The Nation, September 10,
2003
Despite having his name splashed
across front-page newspaper headlines
over the past few days, combatant
tycoon Ekkayuth Anchanbutr has been
virtually shut out from TV news amid
reports of government interference
in the broadcast media's coverage
of his anti-establishment allegations.
Some TV stations reported the news
by focusing on the government's reactions
and only displaying Ekkayuth's photograph.
Two presenters from the Nation Channel
were "told to leave" the
Army-run programme "Thuk Phid
Khid Eng" on Channel 5 after
a live interview on Monday with Ekkayuth,
in which he asserted that up to 30
politicians were involved in stock
manipulation. Host Teera Tanyapaibul
was conducting a phone interview with
Ekkayuth when a man claiming to represent
the show's owner, The Media, called
the Nation Channel's office to dismiss
Teera and co-host Kanok Ratwongsakul.
New presenters hosted Tuesday's show.
Review
of Bang Rajan -
New York Times, September 9,
2004
...The Burmese are thoroughly demonized
as bloodthirsty savages. "What
kind of man could do this?" one
character asks, surveying a scene
of hideous carnage. And the Burmese
are led by a tubby, decadent general
who seems to have stepped out of "Quo
Vadis." The Siamese men are lean,
mean fighting machines with the bodies
of Calvin Klein models. They, too,
enjoy hacking off arms and heads,
but only in the ennobling context
of battle.
...But there's something arrogantly
ethnocentric in the way American marketing
know-how has been used to transform
one country's nationalist epic into
another's splatter camp, complete
with amusingly inept subtitles. ("What's
the plan, Chan?" asks one soldier
of his commander.)
Authorities
plan to seize assets, property of
Ekkayuth - AP,
September 10, 2004, 7:34pm
This is a controversial move typically
made late on a Friday afternoon: Thai
authorities said Friday they plan
to seize all assets and property of
a London-based Thai businessman who
claims that top government figures
manipulated the stock market for personal
gains.
..."AMLO is acting under the
orders of a dictatorship. They are
welcome to check my assets and I am
ready to fight back," Ekkayuth
told The Associated Press in a telephone
interview.
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