News and Views - January 2007 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Children's Day with the military at Royal Plaza - January 13, 2007 This Children's Day the military brought back tanks, along with humvees and helicopters, to Royal Plaza for photo-taking opportunities with children. (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) "Beware!! Mr. Square Face will come back" - January 17, 2007 The sign reads: "Beware!! Mr. Square Face will come back" [It is actually square-faced Esarn comedian Mom Jok-Mok returning. This is an advertisement for the sequel to the highly popular Thai comedy The Bodyguard. The movie stars Mom Jok-Mok. He has a square face like Thaksin. The photo of the comedian's face is in the style of a famous spoof photo of Thaksin that showed him wearing Matrix-style sunglasses.] Thailand exudes confidence - TravelVideo.tv, January 10, 2007 Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Dr. Suwit Yodmanee has confirmed the government’s national targets for 2007 of 14.8 million foreign tourists and 82... "Ultraman take a picture" - January 31, 2007 A a regular 2Bangkok reader and BKK resident writes: I thought you might like to see the coup-themed Baby Ultraman children's T-shirt I picked up at a neighborhood market this weekend.  The back says "ULTRAMAN ARMY".  I hope it amuses you as it has amused me... I suppose I can afford to be amused by such things, as I have no say in whoever is running the show in this country anyway.  S'pore sex industry film focuses on pleasure - Reuters, January 29, 2007 Ekachai Uekrongtham loves a sordid story and the award-winning Thai director wants prudish Singapore to hear this one. This week, Uekrongtham finished shooting "Pleasure Factory," a film about Geylang, the city-state's red light district, which he wants to release in the second half of the year... Outcry prompts spa to tear down phallic fence - Reuters, January 29, 2007 A Thai spa has agreed to re-model its penis-shaped fence into lotus flowers after it offended neighbours, a government official said on Monday... For investors in Thailand, it’s clearly unclear - Reuters, January 28, 2007 ...But Krikkrai only managed to sow more confusion, flying in the face of his boss and revealing the government would continue to allow informal ways to skirt laws that bar non-Thais from owning more than 49 percent of companies in protected sectors. ‘If you would like to hold more than 49.99, you still can do,’ he said. ‘The provision of the law says the Minister of Commerce, with the permission of the cabinet, can allow even up to 70 percent of foreign equity participation.’ Quite what he was talking about, nobody knew. ‘It was a good opportunity to clarify the government’s position but everybody left the room just as confused,’ said one Western diplomat... Thailand has lower minimum pay: bizman - Sun Star, January 29, 2007 ...Chamber vice president Vicente Lao said the implementation of the minimum wage in Thailand becomes "irrelevant" because workers are paid "very well" based on their productivity. "Businesses are coming up in Thailand and nobody is following the implemented minimum wage, everybody is paying higher than that," Lao said... From 1932: New Asia dictates the future of the world - University of Iowa Libraries, January 29, 2007 Debate in India: Is rule on yoga constitutional? - IHT, January 26, 2007 The question of whether public school students should be required to take up the sun salutation has revealed lingering questions about how secularism is practiced and challenged in Indian politics... [Thanks to Danny for pointing this out.] "The ones in Thailand do not have four breasts" - Sabah, January, 2007 Strange translations from the Turkish press: The chairman of the board of auditors of İzmir Chamber of Commerce Geza Dologh defended the visit to Thailand which received criticisms at the press... Advertisements we have received IS THE BOOM OVER?, PATTAYA REAL ESTATE - February 9, 2007  13:00-17:00  Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel By Agency for Real Estate Affairs + Quality FM 106.6 Foreign land occupation, Demand and supply briefing, Market competition and assessment Report on 2007 Bangkok Housing Market Outlook Malaysia - truly Asia or truly bizarre? - The Age, January 25, 2007 ...Recent visitors to the Southeast Asian nation have read serious newspaper articles about miracle healers and a mysterious giant ape in the country's southern jungles. Now, there is a woman who apparently secretes gem-stones out of her big toes... [Thanks to Danny for pointing this out.] James Love: Racist and Ignorant Reactions on Thailand Compulsory License - HuffingtonPost, January 25, 2007 ...The reaction in some quarters is that compulsory licenses for patents on AIDS drugs are one thing, but Thailand should not touch patents on treatments for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or other common diseases. Implicit in this argument is the view that people who live in developing countries somehow don't need treatments for the same diseases that "we" do, or that global trade rules only permit issuing compulsory licenses for patents on AIDS treatments. It should be obvious this is wrong on both counts... New Straits Times sues bloggers - South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007 The pro-government New Straits Times filed defamation suits against "Screenshots" blogger Jeff Ooi and "Rocky's Bru" blogger Ahiruddin Attan for undisclosed comments about the English-language newspaper. The Southeast Asia Press Alliance, Reporters Without Borders and bloggers have shown support for Ooi and Ahirudin and urged the newspaper to drop its suits. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, however, that bloggers cannot dodge the law. The cases filed against Ooi and Ahirudin mark the first time bloggers have been taken to court for comments on the Internet in the country... Thailand builds reputation as international wine producer - AFP, January 24, 2007 In Thailand's Chao Phraya river basin, workers in boats traverse small canals among lines of vines, tending to Malaga blanc and Pokdum grapes in the world's only floating vineyard... Two polls Poll: Thai youth disgracing nation - Bangkok Recorder, January 23, 2007 Thai people in Bangkok think that today's youth are disgracing their country with their dress code, low morals and lack of respect, according to a new poll... Bangkok youths quite happy with lives: Poll - The Nation, January 24, 2007 A new study seeking to measure the Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH) of Bangkok and its vicinity, youths aged between 12 and 24, found they were quite happy with their lives and that materialism was a major factor of happiness... Teflon Thailand proves resilient despite crises - International Herald Tribune, January 23, 2007 In what has become a metaphor for its economy overall, the tourists and their money keep coming to Thailand... Interim government needs some crowd support - The Nation, January 24, 2007 ...Before the coup, the core issue was about the runaway power of a popular government that manipulated the system to serve and enrich vested interests. ...After the Thaksin regime became history, the core issue has turned to the uprooting of its tentacles of power. For the restoration of democratic rule, it is imperative to get rid of flaws that led to the collapse of the system of checks and balances. When he was in power, Thaksin was seen as a menace to popular democracy. After he was toppled, his legacy has continued to haunt the nation like a ghost trying to hold on to the land of the living... Important message to our beloved "posters" - The Nation, January 24, 2007 ...As you will see, from our internal data base, 10 comments attacking writer Sopon Onkgara came surprisingly from one computer in China and eight from Hong Kong at the time of the investigation... Thailand risks losing property buyers to neighbours - The Edge Daily, January 23, 2007 Thailand risks losing some of its resort home market to Southeast Asian rivals Malaysia and the Philippines if it goes ahead with plans to close a loophole that lets foreigners own freehold property... Burma’s Fallen Star: Tin Moe (1933-2007) - The Irrawaddy, January 23, 2007 Domestic calls within Thailand not routed through Singapore: MFA - Channel NewsAsia, January 22, 2007 ...General Sonthi had told fellow members of his junta not to talk on mobile phones because the lines were rerouted to Singapore and that confidential information might be leaked. But MFA said it does not make business or technical sense to route domestic calls in Thailand via Singapore... Paranoid Thai junta to dump cellphones for walkie-talkies - AsiaMedia, January 22, 2007 Court rejects 'The Beach' order - The Nation, January 18, 2007 Thailand's 1st judicially approved wiretap helps bust drug ... - IHT, January 19, 2007 An international heroin trafficking organization that processed drugs from Pakistan and Afghanistan through a storefront in Thailand has been... Gay Canadian tries to force Thai guy to have unsafe sex - Pattaya Daily News, January 31, 2007 An EU-like pact for Asean: A distant dream? - IHT, January 28, 2007 You're only hurting yourself, Thailand - The Motley Fool, January 31, 2007 When I was in grad school, we were repeatedly bombarded with examples of governments making idiotic, short-sighted moves that hampered the long-term health of their economies and citizens. And now it appears that Thailand has made just such a gaffe. On Monday, Thailand's government announced that it was going to allow either the manufacture or importation of generic versions of Abbott's (NYSE: ABT) HIV treatment Kaletra and Sanofi-Aventis' (NYSE: SNY) blood clot drug Plavix, even though the drugs are still under patent protection and producing generic versions of them would be illegal in many countries... Pete Doherty Snapped Taking Drugs In Thailand - Star Pulse, January 31, 2007 ...Jess Lea claims she and a friend recognised the singer and invited him back to their room after spotting him buying needles from a drug store in the Thai resort of Phuket. Lea claims Doherty sneaked off from Moss to buy drugs just days after the pair's romantic ceremony - but the rocker was bombarded by phone-calls from the supermodel... Thai's shameful walk-off sullies ASEAN final - Guardian Unlimited, January 31, 2007 ... Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic was left mystified by the unfolding drama. "I don't understand what the Thai coach was doing, or what point he was trying to make," he said. "I don't think that's right. This is sport; it should be played like sport... Bad press for Siemens trains - Further brake failures sideline a third of new trains - The Age, January 16, 2007 [Thanks to Danny for pointing this out.] Quake predictors or just quacks? - Bangkok Post, January 2007 ..."After that quake, I realised that whenever I heard muffled sounds, an earthquake would occur in the next few days, so I began to e-mail my predictions to the Seismological Observation Centre [SOC]," Lee told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. After several correct predictions, Lee became a national celebrity with reporters following him every day, asking him if he had heard strange sounds and when a big quake might hit. Three dozen other earthquake predictors soon emerged, claiming they could predict earthquakes because they, too, could hear strange sounds or picked up other signs. The SOC, fed up with their predictions, banned unofficial earthquake prediction in 2005. Violators of the ban face a 1-million-Taiwan-dollar ($30,000, or just under 1.1 million baht) fine... (Photo: GWR) Democrat poster in Hat Yai - January 16, 2007 GWR reports: Here is a Democrat Party poster that is now placed in many locations around Hat Yai. It reads: Chuan Leekphai [Leading party light and ex-PM(x2)], Pongsak Jirophat [Local politician and businessman, and also Khun Chuan's 'Southern' Secretary] and Abhishit Vejajiva [Party Leader] Wishing you Happy New Year and every success for 2550 to the people of Hat Yai [2007]. US-Thai military exercise 'will be double standard' - The Nation, January 15, 2007 The public should keep an eye on whether the United States adopts a double standard in dealing with the Thai military junta vis-เ-vis the Burmese junta, said political scientist Surachat Bamrungsuk of Chulalongkorn University. If the US decides to go ahead with the Cobra Gold joint military exercise with Thailand, it would be tantamount to being lenient towards the junta, said Surachat, an expert on the Thai military... Pornphimon Trichoke, a Chulalongkorn University re-searcher and an expert on Burma, said there was no hope of seeing civilian rule there in the next 20 years, until its huge natural gas reserves run out. "It's far-fetched and I don't think I will see it during my lifetime," he said. (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) "All About PORK" - January 18, 2007 Several shopping malls around town have sales or promotions based on the "Year of the Pig." Silom Complex expresses this in English with the delightful "All About PORK." (Photo: Dick van der Spek) Thai trains 1973-1974 - January 24, 2007 Dick van der Spek writes: From November 1973 until end of January 1974 I stayed with two colleagues from the Dutch Ordnance Survey in Thailand. During this time I took, without preconceived plan, photos here and there. In the first week of December 1973 I caught the train nearby between Lum Sum and Wan Po on the way to Nam Tok. (Photo: Dick van der Spek) Thai trains 1973 - January 30, 2007 Dick van der Spek writes: A steamloc still life is at Nam Tok (Tarsau), in December 1973. (Photo: Dick van der Spek) Thai trains 1979 - January 31, 2007 Dick van der Spek writes: This diesel train is at the station at Nam Tok in the time that steamloc exploitation was out of sight. Photo 17 july 1979. (Photo: Dick van der Spek) Thai trains 1973-1974 - January 27, 2007 December 1973 in Chiang Mai (Photo: Dick van der Spek) Thai trains 1988 - January 29, 2007 Dick van der Spek writes: On 5 April 1988 we see some loc's at Makassan depot. Online book: The Fascination of Siam, 1920 - January 23, 2007 Thanks to Anthony for finding this... Transparent garbage bins for Bangkok's public parks - TNA, January 14, 2007 Transparent garbage bins are now being installed at all public parks here, as one of the stepped up security measures following the deadly bomb attacks in the Thai capital on New Year's Eve, Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin said Sunday... Also, in order to boost security, BMA workers will collect garbage discarded by households more often and there will be no large-sized garbage bins on footpaths of main roads, he said. Garbage bins at bus stops here will also be re-designed and, of course, and be replaced with transparent ones in the near future... (Photo: Asiper) Communist tunnels in Songkhla - January 16, 2007 An earlier thread on the forum about the tunnels. (Photo: Asiper) Defiant Humor: The Best of Harn Lay’s Political Cartoons - The Irrawaddy, January 9, 2007 Defiant Humor: The Best of Harn Lay’s Political Cartoons from The Irrawaddy is now available from the Irrawaddy Publishing Group. Dangerous business in Vietnam - The Age, January 10, 2007 ...Having a more generous cleavage or a slimmer nose is the new dream for many up-and-coming Vietnamese women, but demand has far exceeded supply, leaving women in the hands of unqualified surgeons often working in unsafe conditions... Thanks to Danny for pointing this out... Global Markets Face 'Severe Correction,' Faber Says - Bloomberg, January 8, 2007 ...Faber also advises investors stay away from shares in Thailand, where he and his family are based. The nation's SET Index has been the world's worst-performing benchmark in the past month, sliding 15 percent as currency controls introduced by the central bank and bombs in Bangkok spooked investors. "Valuations in Thailand are very inexpensive but I wouldn't buy tomorrow," said Faber. "We have some political problems in Thailand right now. I'd wait for a couple of months." The SET is valued at 10 times estimated earnings, the lowest among 14 Asia-Pacific markets tracked by Bloomberg. MSCI's regional index is valued at 18 times... Thai fisherman stumble upon rare giant terrapin -  AFP, January 10, 2007 ...The mangrove terrapin, known scientifically as Batagur Baska, has not been observed in the wild in Thailand for over 20 years, WWF Greater Mekong said in a statement on Wednesday. But a 50-centimetre (20-inch) female was discovered January 3 entangled in a fishing net in the southern Phang Nga province... The Thai western that time almost forgot - The New York Sun, January 11, 2007 ...Pushing kitsch to the level of transcendence, "Tears" is the kind of bloody, color-coordinated nightmare that a Thai hairdresser would have after sitting through a spaghetti Western marathon. With digitally pushed colors searing your eyeballs and costumes as carefully appointed as a drag queen's coronation gown, it's supposedly a throwback to Thailand's cowboy movies of the 1950s, but we have to take first-time director Wisit Sasanatieng's intentions on faith, since that's a genre whose prints are now almost entirely lost to age and jungle rot... Thai gang may have hit Malaysia army post - paper - AlertNet, January 11, 2007 Thai criminals may have been behind a mysterious grenade attack on a Malaysian border post this week that wounded four soldiers, a Malaysian newspaper said on Friday... World’s largest tiger reserve threatened by gold mining - The Irrawaddy, January 9, 2007 Thread on this article on the forum The world’s largest tiger reserve—the Hugawng Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in far northwest Burma—is threatened by extensive gold mining operations that not only devastate the environment but lead to human right violations and social problems in isolated communities, according to the Kachin Development Networking Group... Taxpayer foots £250,000 bill to bury rotting vegetables in Thailand - Daily Telegraph, January 13,2007 ...It hopes that projects in countries such as Thailand and China will help to "offset the carbon footprint" caused by British ministers and officials who take to the skies. The news has been welcomed by workers at Siam Products, a huge processing factory in Kalasin, north-east Thailand. For years, they have tolerated the stench of waste water filled with rotting vegetables going straight into ponds as part of a process that turns cassava into starch for food and pharmaceuticals. Under the EEA scheme, the waste water and vegetables will be put into large holes from which the foul-smelling methane should be siphoned off and converted into electricity used in the factory... Shellfish workers lobby Parliament over Thailand move - Fish Update, January 11, 2007 Fish processing workers, affected by seafood giant Young’s threat to move shellfish operations to Thailand, today lobbied the Scottish Parliament in a bid... EP Zoo tigers part of threatened species - El Paso Times, January 6, 2007 The Malayan tiger is also known as the Indo-Chinese tiger. Wild tigers can be found in Asia, across countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Russia... "Tragedy in Thailand manipulated for low-blow return" - Spong, January 5, 2007 The mainstream press in the UK has wasted no time in linking the death of a holidaying seven-year old English boy to his use of videogames, with misleading headlines cropping up following a tragic electrocution in Thailand... The most endangered animals in world - China Economic Net, January 2, 2007 Many animals are being endangered or at the edge of disappearing. The following four species are the most endangered animals in the world. Today white elephants are very rare. The white elephant is a native of Southeast Asia -- Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand... Virgin, EasyJet, AirAsia forging long-haul alliance - The Age, January 1, 2007 Thanks to Danny for pointing this out... Bright green light across sky surprises many in Singapore - Channel Asia News, January 7, 2007 Vietnam prepares for boom times - BBC, January 6, 2007 ...Vietnam now attracts more overseas investment than India does; it is second only to China in the Asian economic growth league... Bold moves proposed to prevent ASEAN from atrophy - IANS, January 5, 2007 A high-level group has proposed bold moves to turn the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into a more disciplined regional grouping or risk fading 'into the sunset,' the group's report said Saturday... Asian leaders talk security under threat of bombs - Reuters, January 6, 2007 ...Post-coup bombings in Thailand, frequent talk of unrest in the Philippines and Myanmar’s continuing refusal to heed calls for democracy underline the region’s instability and jar with the summit’s theme of “One Caring and Sharing Community”... Bangkok bombs not scaring tourists away - Reuters, January 17, 2007 Thailand expects to draw nearly 15 million foreign tourists this year, up 8 per cent from last year, despite New Year's Eve bombs that cast a shadow over the lucrative industry, a senior tourism official said this week. The bombs, which killed 3 people and wounded 38 in Bangkok, triggered fewer booking cancellations in the first week of January than feared, Tourism Authority of Thailand Deputy Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said. "The cancellation rate is considered small, less than five per cent on average," Suraphon told Reuters in an interview... 54 US soldiers still missing in Cambodia: Official - People's Daily Online, January 17, 2007 Charles A. Ray, former US ambassador to Cambodia, said on Tuesday that there are 54 US soldiers still missing in action (MIAs) in Cambodia... Arrest of foreign teachers: Two held with fake qualifications - Bangkok Post, January 17, 2007 Thailand joins Congo as "not-free" countries - The Nation, January 17, 2007 Another major setback for Thailand's international standing and reputation as it joined Congo as the newly "not-free" countries this year in a major survey of global freedom released Wednesday... Labor poster - January 15, 2007 Right: Child labor is banned in places like this [The graphics show a bar, a butcher shop, a place where cards are played, a go-go bar, and painting/construction work] Interestingly, this poster is at Fortune Town which specializes in the sale of pirated software, movies and music. (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Foreigners rip new rules on ownership - Bangkok Post, January 10, 2007 ...But the moves are seen as a step backward at a time when competition is intense for foreign direct investment. Thailand, which is already facing a protracted political crisis, saw investment applications in the first nine months of 2006 halved to $5.4 billion from the same period in 2005. ''What is Thailand doing? Countries like Vietnam are looking to relax foreign limits, and we are looking to tighten them?'' Mr Depew asked... ''The main problem with this army-sponsored government represented largely by retired army generals is lack of experience in politics. ... Ministers are using a 'learn on the job' method. The result is simple _ confusing policies exposing their inexperience and hurting foreign investment, investor confidence, domestic consumption and the country's image [further],'' Vikas Kawatra, head of institutional sales at Kim Eng Securities, said in a note to clients. ''Imposing restrictions on FDI is simply wrong _ even though the intention behind the move is to punish the deposed PM Thaksin Shinawatra. I think these two steps aren't the last silly moves expected from this government.'' Citicorp Securities said hopes of a possible compromise were shattered, and called the moves the ''worst-case scenario''. It recommended its clients remain underweight in the Thai equity market... Driverless Thai Cars - ASM, January, 2007 [Thanks to Nils for pointing this out.] The first entrant in the Thailand Intelligent Vehicle Challenge has completed a test run on the campus at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. The challenge has been jointly organised by AIT, the Thai Robotics Society, and Seagate Technology (Thailand) Ltd... Man arrested, fined for distributing map of "Bangkok dangerous spots" - The Nation, January 18, 2007 ...Police said Chanantaporn forwarded emails, which was attached with map highlighting 32 areas of possible bomb targets to several persons. The 32 spots are located in Bangkok's Pathumvan district. He also printed out the map and handed out copies to friends and relatives and gave a copy to a public relations officer at the Sinthorn Building on Friday. The PR official became panic and faxed the map to many recipients. Police said Chanantaporn also handed out copies of the map to taxi motorcyclists, who became frightened and alerted the Lumpini police. Police charged him with creating disturbance and frightening the public and fined him Bt1,000. He has been released after the fine. Foreign pilots on domestic routes opposed - Bangkok Post, January 20, 2007 ...The association disagreed with the proposal because it would allow foreigners to gain knowledge about strategic locations in Thailand, said Mr Permsak... Bangkok bombings the work of JI - The Australian, January 20, 2007 Thai intelligence agencies say operatives of the regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah were directly involved in the New Year's Eve bombings in the Thai capital that left three dead and 40 wounded. In reports seen by The Weekend Australian, the agencies say a key JI leader in Thailand's southern Narathiwat province was directly involved in the planning of the operation. The link contradicts earlier comments by military-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont who said the bombings appeared to be unrelated to the violence in the south, which has claimed more than 1800 lives since early 2004... Some 15 military officers, civilians arrested - January 20, 2006 About 100 commando police raided 18 areas in Bangkok and other central provinces Saturday morning and detained some 15 military officers and civilians for questioning regarding the Bangkok bomb attacks on New Year's Eve... (Photo: Russell) "Get out" protesters - January 20, 2006 Russell reports that there was a small "mob" on Silom on Friday. He writes: About 20 people wearing "GET OUT" shirts and jackets were handing out flyers in front of CP tower at lunch yesterday. At least as many photojournalists there as well. At one point there were up to 3 policemen there, apparently just seeing what was going on and phoning in their observations, before leaving. Right: The flyer they were handing out. The flyer references two websites: www.anticoup-network.org and www.nocoup.org (which seems to be the alternate address for the often blocked www.sep19.org) Earlier: No Friday night "mob" - January 19, 2006 During this time of political tension, Fridays have become a time for rumors. Several readers reported rumors circulating that a protest group (or "mob" as Thais call it) had occupied Silom Road on Friday night, closing the road to traffic. Below is Silom Road at about 19:00--no "mob." (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Number of Norwegians Dying in Thailand Doubled - ScandAsia.com, January 18, 2007 From 2005 to 2006 the number of Norwegians dying in Thailand almost doubled. Sex and alcohol are to blame... Singapore slaps on Thailand's face: FM - The Nation, January 19, 2007 [Delightful headline...] Thailand GDP = the U.S. state of Arizona? - January 18, 2007 Not sure if this is accurate, but this an interesting blog post with each U.S. state named for a country that has a similar-sized Gross Domestic Product. "Edge of existence" - January 18, 2007 Initiative focusing on saving peculiar species... The top 100 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) mammals... including Thailand's Bumblebee bat: The world's smallest mammal, the bumblebee bat is endangered in Thailand where it is known from a single national park. Since it was first described in 1974 this tiny mammal has been disturbed by collectors and tourists wanting to see the world's smallest mammal. Today the main threats are from burning of the forest areas near the limestone caves in which it lives. ZSL aims to support an urgently needed ecological study on this poorly known species in Thailand. Questions such as what is the optimum roosting habitat, whether there are any undiscovered populations in between the known Thai and Myanmar populations, what are the main threats facing the bats need to be answered in order for an appropriate conservation strategy to be implemented. No longer as smooth as silk - The Irrawaddy, January 17, 2007 ...The irony is that if the Thai drama were to take place in Burma the likely scenario would be like this: Thaksin would be arrested, charged and barred from leaving the country;  like Burma’s ousted Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt, who is now under house arrest after receiving a suspended sentence of 44 years imprisonment, Thaksin would quickly find himself before a kangaroo court; the generals would make sure he served a lifelong prison sentence; his assets would be seized and members of his family would join him in jail or be confined to house arrest. Would he get a chance to speak to CNN? The generals would undoubtedly say “Go to hell.” Tsunami two-year progress report: Thailand - ReliefWeb, January 8, 2007 In Thailand, the tsunami killed 5395 people and injured 8547 (with some 2932 still unaccounted for). The six provinces affected were Krabi, Phangnga... Lucky number license plates for sale - January 20, 2006 License plates with "significant" numbers are very valuable in Thailand. Above is an ad in a car magazine for a company that sells such plates. The first section is for single numbers or multiple lucky numbers, then sequential numbers, varied repeats, thousands, two pairs, one pair, etc. The company website is ttnumber.com.