The clerk at Robinson asked, "are we allowed to sell this to a farang?"

Tomorrow: Photo collection of the bloody night of DAAD vs PAD - The bloody war of Thais

Front pages Komchadluek, September 5, 2008 Samak turns the game to avoid Army resistance - Seizing back power to prevent Anupong from staging Coup - Orders forces to suppress the people No resignation, No parliament dissolution - “Tej resignation is due to his wife” - Move on public referendum

Matichon, September 5, 2008

Samak call urgent Cabinet meeting, seizing power to order force movement on his own - with reference to 20 bills in his hand on hopes to balance Anupong’s power- 2 undergraduates shot injured on way to rally at PM residence

PAD's "final war" September 2 September 1 August 29-31 August 28 August 27 August 26

The mirror has 60 million faces - Bangkok Post, September 7, 2008
...We can say the election was bought, but which election wasn't? Buying an election is just a matter of supply and demand, it can't be bought if the people aren't willing to sell it. And the people is us, the Thai people. It is us who sell our freedom, our democracy.
If Samak resigns, there are thousands and thousands more Samaks ready to replace him. The idea and being of the likes of Thaksin or Samak is like the proverb ''fish in the water and the rice in the field''...

(Photo: Sardortu for 2Bangkok.com)

Pro-Thaksin signs in Chiang Mai - September 2, 2008

(Photo: Sardortu for 2Bangkok.com)

Baby elephants - September 2, 2008

Worse than a coup - The Economist, September 4, 2008
...The PAD’s leaders, however, are neither liberals nor democrats. A gruesome bunch of reactionary businessmen, generals and aristocrats, they demand not fresh elections, which they would lose, but “new politics”—in fact a return to old-fashioned authoritarian rule, with a mostly appointed parliament and powers for the army to step in when it chooses. They argue that the rural masses who favour Mr Thaksin and Mr Samak are too “ill-educated” to use their votes sensibly. This overlooks an inconvenient electoral truth: the two prime ministers had genuinely popular policies, such as cheap health care and credit...

Directionless Thailand falters on world stage - The Nation, September 4, 2008
It must be pretty awkward for Asean senior officials who have been meeting in Hua Hin over the past two days to work out plans for the upcoming Asean summit, which Thailand will host in mid-December - a little more than three months away...

Time to end culture of impunity around disappearances - The Nation, September 1, 2008

Actress Beart, director defend new tsunami film - Reuters, August, 2008
...Du Welz heard some people were "irritated" by the fact that "Vinyan" dealt with the tsunami. The Times newspaper this week quoted a couple who lost a daughter in the tidal wave as saying that to turn tragedy into entertainment so soon was "outrageous"...

More photos from Black May 1992 - buddhadada.com, September 2, 2008
Paul writes: I've been enjoying looking over your website. I hadn't stopped by for a few years. I too was present for some of the May 92 events and took several photos. At the time I was working as a copy editor at The Nation, but my presence down on Ratchadamnoern was not work related. I lived over there from 1985 through 1998. If you want to have look, I've just transferred some of my pictures from an old website to this new one, along with a brief running commentary.

Boeung Kak lawyer fails to file appeal due to court tax - Phnom Penh Post, September 4, 2008
The legal battle against lake developers is dashed by the court’s demanding $39.5 million in taxes to accept residents' complaints...

From earlier in the year: Cat lover? - Arun, Krungtepturakit, April 4, 2008
Loves the cat or does not want the cat to get the fish - The tag on the cage reads "Commander-in-Chief" meaning C-in-C Anupong.
[This cartoon points out the close relationship Samak is creating with the C-in-C--ostensibly to forestall a military coup. Samak, a well-known cat lover, keeps the C-in-C close to him either because he likes cat or he "does not want the cat to get the fish." This is an idiomatic expression that means "refuse to give away something that one does not have the right to have" perhaps meaning Samak does not deserve the premiereship as a proxy of Thaksin and he does not want to let this slip away to the cat through a coup.]

Step down, now! - Bangkok Post, September 4, 2008
...When reporters asked you about the dead man, you shot back belligerently: "Whose side was he on?"
Your eyes tell all. The heartlessness. The cruelty. When you started dividing even among the dead, we knew we could not let you carry on...

More Thai-language newspaper headlines and editorials

And from Phujatkhan, September 4, 2008 - PM Samak signing the Emergency Degree with the blood of the deceased protester.

Cambodia's population approaches 14 million - People's Daily, September 3, 2008
Cambodia's population is approaching 14 million people, more than half of whom are women, according to preliminary results from the first general census, local media reported Thursday. "According to the preliminary results, the population of Cambodia stood at 13,388,910 at midnight on March 3, 2008, consisting of 6,495,512 males and 6,893,398 females"...


Cambodia casino reaps 25 mn dollars profit - The Economic Times, September 3, 2008
Cambodia's burgeoning economy brought casino operator NagaCorp 25.5 million dollars in profit in the first half of the year, a company report obtained by media revealed Wednesday. The profit signalled a rise of 26.9 per cent on a year earlier...

(Photo: Richard Barrow)

Channel 3 TV show - September 4, 2008
Richard writes: The early morning breakfast show on Channel 3 called "rueang lao chao ni" had a live outside broadcast today at the city hall in Samut Prakan... More

FCCT Photo Contest 2008 - September, 2008
The FCCT is pleased to announce its Second Annual FCCT Photojournalism Awards, the premier photojournalism contest in Asia...

Taste and Curse - Phutjatkuan, September 1, 2008

New 600 km road to link four Cambodian provinces along Thai border - Xinhua, September 1, 2008
Cambodian military officials hoped a new road will bolster local populations and improve security in four provinces along the Cambodian-Thai border...

Sad stories from Cambodia - Sacramento Bee, September 2, 2008

CAMBODIA: Gambling fuels poverty - IRINnews, September 2, 2008

Emergency decree must be lifted from Bangkok and south alike - AHRC, September 2, 2008
The Asian Human Rights Commission has vehemently opposed and campaigned for the lifting of the emergency decree over the southernmost provinces of Thailand since it was introduced in mid-2005. Now in an alarming sign of the dramatically worsening conditions in that country, today the AHRC finds itself calling for the lifting of the decree from the streets of Bangkok...

The breaking-point has been reached! - translated and summarized from
Komchadluek; Column: Len Nork Sapa; Author: Sophon Ongkarn; August 26, 2008
[“Len Nork Sapa” could perhaps be translated as “Playing outside Parliament”. The idea seems to be that this government is so obstinate and contrary, that it is essential for outside forces to attempt to wrestle control of this country away from it.]
It is already 100 days since the current round of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrations first began, but this government has still not modified its behavior. The government has not shown any degree of penitence. It has also not shown any indication of having a conscience, or of possessing any morality. The time has, thus, undoubtedly come for a schism between the forces of goodness and badness.
Those who have been closely following this situation, would now like to know just how strongly the PAD’s ‘people power’ measures up against that of the government. At the same time, those who are still sitting on the fence are, perhaps, close to making up their minds over this issue.
Apart from the pressure now being mounted by participants of the PAD rallies, this government is now also coming under pressure from a group of ‘key’ PAD leaders. This group is saying that if this government continues to cling obstinately to power, that it will definitely not bode well for this country  - and that another coup may be necessary.
The traitors of this government are striving hard to use their majority vote in parliament to ‘fix’ the law, in order to help their ‘capitalist’ survive the karma that is now so hard on his heels. It would not be the first time, however, that he has avoided meeting his fate. His fate has, nevertheless, caused him to be a political refugee in UK. But, it will probably not be that easy for him to become a UK resident.  He started out his exile trying to portray himself as a penitent person, but the international press has begun to reveal him in his true colors. This is in spite of the fact that he has hired a public relations company to fool the ‘white man’ into believing that he is being persecuted.
‘Big Chief’ Samak Sundaravej is now moaning about the current investigations against him over numerous legal cases. If Samak would really like to know whether he has been working in a moral manner, he might perhaps like to ask members of his own family if they can give him a good answer. The answer would inevitably be ”No!”, if it were not for the fact that his family are probably also not capable of distinguishing good from bad. And they probably do not have the courage to tell him the truth, in any case.
Samak is still a nominee of the ‘refugee politician’. A ‘thief in a suit’ is still being allowed to carry on with his corrupt ways. That fact has begun to convince some people that if we let this government remain in power much longer, the country will definitely fall into a state of real disaster very soon. This is a possibility that HM the King has long predicted.

From Not the Nation: PAD Threatens to Flush One Million Toilets Simultaneously
Catastrophic drop in water pressure would destroy Thailand, leaders claim...

Inside the PAD camp - August 31, 2008
Thomas writes: I have been at the PAD camp at the governmental building yesterday. It indeed looks almost like a Hippy open air – with some very offensive odor. The pictures are here. But don’t forget to tell people not to go there, it might get dangerous as PPP set up some counter activities, yesterday I was save I was told. Things may loom up again … its not a tank photo shoot like in 2006.

Thai circus - Cartoon by Sacrava, August, 2008

Changes at the Bangkok Post: Note from the Editor - Bangkok Post, September 1, 2008
From today, the price of the Bangkok Post, Thailand's leading English-language newspaper, is 30 baht...

Enforced disappearances a blight on Thailand - The Nation, August 30, 2008
...The latest and most blatant case of an enforced disappearance in Thailand occurred in February of this year in Khon Kaen, the gateway to the Indochina region. Kamol Laosophaphant, a well-to-do family man, disappeared from a police station in Khon Kaen as a result of his strong campaign against corruption within his community. Kamol knew it was dangerous to challenge the authorities and the alleged corruption in the province. Before his disappearance, he made repeated calls from the police station to confirm his location. The line was cut while he was making his final call to his family. His family hasn't heard from him since. Kamol's wife is afraid to leave her home out of concern for her safety...

Procedure to build your own airstrip in Thailand - Thai Flying Club, August, 2008

London Olympic Stadium - Wikipedia, August, 2008
Nothing to do with Thailand, but interesting. Fascinating article on the London Olympic Stadium. It will be converted from an 80,000 person venue to a 25,000 person venue after the games.

The return of Pradarb and the donation request for the Prachathai website - translated and summarized from Phujatkan; Author: Panthep Puapongpan; August 20, 2008

Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces’ named Jakrapob, Daranee and Cheep - translated and summarized from Phujatkan; Author: Warith Limthongkul, August 21, 2008

Why does Samak keep his silence? - translated and summarized from Komchadluek; Column: Editorial; Author, August 19, 2008

Making its debut - translated and summarized from Matichon; Column: Pid Mai Mid, August 21, 2008

Anxious Governments React to Google Earth - Secrecy News, August, 2008

Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren't Allowed to See on Google Maps - IT Security, July 15, 2008

THAILAND: Jasmine submarine cable challenges CAT - AsiaMedia, August 26, 2008
JasTel Network's general manager says submarine cable will "result in cheaper Internet connection fees and drive the growth of data communication services"

Kalib’s "People’s War" - translated and summarized from Phujatkan; Author: Warit Limthongkul, August 14, 2008
A Lohk Wun Nee [World Today] newspaper columnist, with the pen name of Kalib, has recently attracted a great deal of interest through his apparent incitement of further national schism. Kalib expressed his opinions in 3 articles, entitled “Why come back?”, “Asylum” and “Poisonous blow”.  His first article advised deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to avoid the criminal cases laid against him by seeking political asylum in the UK - in accordance with Chinese strategies of waging war. In his second article, Kalib said that he would support any attempt by Thaksin to return to Thailand to recommence the political struggle. In his third article, Kalib criticized Thailand’s judicial system. Kalib appears to be espousing ideas that could easily provoke further political schism in this country. He, perhaps, has one eye open to the possibility of provoking a popular uprising (“People’s War”) to support the return of Thaksin to power.
I would say that such notions are unlikely to come to pass, since the only sure way to create such a popular uprising would be for a coup d’état to first take place. The current situation does not really appear ripe for such a coup, however - so there are unlikely to be sufficient incendiary events to generate the necessary blaze to get a popular uprising really started. 

The standpoint of the government - translated and summarized from Komchadluek; Column: Editorial, August 15, 2008
What is the current standpoint of the government over the issue of the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra? Can this government coexist with the judiciary and its judicial processes in their current form? These questions need clear answers, and the eventual answers could be a good indicator of whether the Samak government is running the country for one person’s benefit or for the happiness of the Thai people as a whole.
By allowing its Public Relations Department and its radio and television broadcasting channels to fall under the influence of Thaksin and his family network (one of whom has already been handed a jail sentence by a criminal court), this government has shown that it supports criminals - and does not support the punishment of Thaksin for his misdemeanors. This is especially true in the case of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, whose reactions indicate that he disagrees with the recent actions of the judiciary. His People Power Party (PPP) is now also working hard to get an amnesty for Thaksin, to avoid the former PM having to fully face up to the many things he did wrong during his tenure as PM.
Does this government really want Thai people to perceive that it is standing up for bad people? By using its own media outlets to commit calumny against the judiciary, is this government also sending a message that it both agrees with and supports corrupt people - and does not accept the current role of the judiciary?
The judiciary is currently the only institution that we can still trust, since the executive and legislative branches of government have already forged an alliance to protect their mutual interests - and are both now firmly working for the benefit of a certain politician and his ‘network’.
Will Thais let a government, that seemingly condones and supports criminality, remain in power?

A haunted wasteland in track of Myanmar storm - IHT, August 25, 2008
[Thanks to Danny for pointing this out.]
Nearly four months after the cyclone, the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar is a flat, dark expanse of ruin populated by dazed survivors, unburied bodies and visions of wandering, moaning ghosts...

No leads on Thailand disappearance - BBC News, August, 2008
...A roadie and former winner of TV quiz show The Weakest Link, Mr Hall had been on his third trip to Thailand when he was last seen after the island's world-famous Full Moon Party...

In pictures: Full Moon Party

(Photo: BBC/Getty Images)

Khieu Kanharith: “No Berlin-style wall between Cambodia and Thailand, just a ‘concrete wall’” - KI Media, August 26, 2008

Bangkok's road signs are misleading, to say the least - Bangkok Post, August 25, 2008

Keeping watch over the 'megafishes' - CNN, August, 2008
And the Megafishes Project Blog

Puea Thai party in talks on new home - Bangkok Post, August 23, 2008
...Sakda Khongphet, a PPP MP for Roi Et, said Puea Thai was ready to enter the political race as the Election Commission had already endorsed the party.
He said all factions of the PPP, including veteran politician Newin Chidchob's faction, would move to Puea Thai if the PPP was dissolved.
''Mr Thaksin earlier told me the PPP would not survive. However, we are not worried as some phuyai [senior figures] in our party have already prepared the Puea Thai as a new home.
''Those who see the abbreviations or the logo of the new party will understand that it is Mr Thaksin's party. Thor means Thaksin and Phor means Potjaman [Mr Thaksin's wife],'' said Mr Sakda...

Thai SCB bank in dilemma of Thaksin money release bid - Reuters, August 24, 2008
Thai Siam Commercial Bank said it would seek a board decision over a government request to release 12 billion baht ($353 million) from frozen accounts of the family of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra...

Earlier: The frozen accounts of the Shinawatras - August 15, 2008
The totals in the Shinawatra accounts left in Thailand have been spoken of often, but it is interesting to contemplate the mind-boggling amounts broken down by various banks.
The "major" accounts are
18,100,000,000 baht at Bangkok Bank
2,100,000,000 baht at the Bank of Ayudhya
39,600,000,000 baht at Siam Commercial Bank
1,400,000,000 baht at Thanachart Bank
500,000,000 baht at the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives
15,700,000,000 baht at the Government Savings Bank
10,000,000,000 baht at the Islamic Bank of Thailand
2,700,000,000 baht at the Securities and Land Depository Centre
(Source TNA/MCOT)

Cheep Chuchai seeks asylum? - translated and summarized from Krungthep Turakit; Column: Kae Roy Karn Muang; Author: Pracha Buranavithee, August 15, 2008

The World's Richest Royals - Forbes, August 20, 2008
...At the top of our list is Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose $35 billion estimated net worth is up sevenfold as a result of increased transparency of his Crown Property Holdings. He takes the top spot from the only other Asian monarch on the list, the Sultan of Brunei, worth $20 billion, one of only two rulers worth less than they were last year...

And the story from the print version of the magazine: The Top 15 Wealthiest Royals

Also from the print version: The Crowning Fortune
...Last year FORBES ASIA valued it at a conservative $5 billion. Other estimates have put it at $8 billion. But this year--using an exhaustive academic study of the monarchy's investment arm, the Crown Property Bureau--FORBES ASIA now values the fortune at $35 billion.
...But bureau adviser Aviruth says simply: "The utmost aim [of the bureau is] to uphold the royal prestige and kindness of the monarchy. We feel that … we should … disclose certain information for the benefit of the public."

Thailand rebuffs Forbes' claims about king's wealth - AFP, August 23, 2008
..."Forbes has included land and other assets belonging to the Crown Property Bureau, which is not in His Majesty's personal net worth," it said...

Must Believe - Thai Rath; cartoon by Chai Ratchawat, August, 2008

Please accept the truth that… - Matichon; Column: Kaolao Ruammit; Author: Tin, August, 2008

Medical tourism is great -- for those who can afford it - Alternet, August 21, 2008
...According to a recent Deloitte report, Thailand, the world's leading medical tourism hub, saw 1.2 million medical tourists from around the world in 2006. On average, medical procedures in Thailand cost a mere 30 percent of American prices. India, another destination that sees more than 400,000 medical tourists each year, charges just an average of just 20 percent as much as the U.S. Thousands of Americans also flock to Mexico and South America every year for cosmetic and dental surgery, where procedures cost anywhere from 75 to 50 percent less than they do in the U.S...

Medical emergency teams thwarted by dense Bangkok traffic - IRINnews, August 21, 2008
...Bangkok Province has the highest rate of accidents and the highest death toll - 46,647 accidents and 652 deaths in 2007 - of any province in the country...

Gary Glitter tricked onto flight back home - Times, August, 2008
[More than one reader pointed out that this article is the very definition of a face-saving story. When the real story is about how British and Thai authorities were embarrassed by the Gary Glitter situation, the solution is to release a timeline claiming it was all part of a plan and Glitter was the one who was tricked instead.]
...By 7pm Glitter was in seat 11B, a glass of champagne beside him and happily unaware that he had fallen into a trap. He planned to stay in a luxury hotel in Wanchai and used the phone on his arm rest to summon a friend to collect him at the airport.
But Thai Police informed Hong Kong Immigration that he was coming and they agreed on a plan. He was arrested on arrival.
By 1pm today Gary Glitter was back in Bangkok and, this time, Thai Airways brought the deportation papers they needed - issued by the Hong Kong police...

The Lost Girls - August, 2008
A reader points out: Hey, something new: About 2/3 down the page... Someone (3 American girls on a world tour, that is) actually praises Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok cabbies for a change (but thinks the Skytrain is a "monorail", Thai 7-Elevens don't have Slurpees and Big Gulps, and the waiing Ronald McDonald is "praying").  Referring to the king as a "royal highness" instead of His Majesty is a widespread error and may be forgiven (by me; not necessarily by the lese majeste law!) Also interesting the part about the Gem District (not scam)...

Arbuckle Brothers Coffee card, Number 91, 1889

Software anti-piracy hotline doubles reward - Call 02 7116193 to report pirated software using and get Bt500,000 - The Nation, August 21, 2008

Asylum tales

Killer Scot fled to Thailand to avoid trial for murdering partner - Press and Journal, August 20, 2008
...He is understood to be the first Scot to be extradited from Thailand...

Attorney-General says extradition from Cambodia, Britain possible - TNA, August 20, 2008
...the extradition treaty between Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia came into force on May 6, 1998 so it is possible to request Cambodia to send Mr. Vatana back to Thailand and serve his jail sentence...

Thaksin, wife apply for asylum - Former PM calls PPP factions, urges unity - Bangkok Post, August 21, 2008

City bus plan still getting flak - Bangkok Post, August 19, 2008
While the Transport Ministry remains upbeat about its plan to lease 6,000 new air-conditioned buses to improve the public bus service, critics are still unconvinced it is the right solution for the debt-ridden Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA)...

Samak vows to defend Thaksin - The Nation, August 19, 2008
[Notable for Wasit's humorous comment.]
...When Samak arrived, he complained about the heavy presence of reporters and cameramen. MP Wasit, who is close to Thaksin's politician sister Yaowapa Wongsawat, was heard saying: "They just want to photograph someone who rarely attends party meetings."...

Circa-1939 Pibul-era cartoon describing the new revenue system - August 9, 2008

Chuwit's dream - August 1, 2008

"Let's get spa" - July 31, 2008

Newspaper front pages after the attack on the PAD