Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 2 January 2006 :-

Thai AIDS death toll down sharply in 2005

The number of deaths from AIDS last year fell sharply because of much wider access to anti-retroviral drugs in Thailand, the public health ministry said Monday.

Some 1,478 people died from AIDS between January and November last year compared to 6,593 for the same period in 2004, the ministry said.

"The sharp drop is because of widespread access to anti-retroviral drugs which resulted in improvements to the lives of people living with AIDS and HIV," Thawat Suntrajarn, the Disease Control Department director said in a statement.

"The ministry has targetted a reduction in new AIDS/HIV cases to not more than16,000 in 2006," or a cut of about 10 percent, Thawat said.

There were an estimated 18,000 new AIDS/HIV cases reported in 2005, mostly among homosexuals and teenagers, he added.

Health authorities will increase their anti-AIDS campaigns for teenagers, particularly in tourist cities such as Pattaya and Phuket, stocking some 24 million condoms in 4,575 vending machines nationwide, Thawat said.

The ministry also aims to drastically reduce babies born HIV-positive. Last year, some 2,400 were born HIV-positive but this year the target is several hundred such infections.

Thailand made low-cost anti-retroviral drugs available on its national health scheme from October for the more than half a million people here living with HIV/AIDS.

The drugs, produced in Thailand, were available as part of a health scheme which allows the poor to receive hospital treatment for 30 baht (75 cents) per visit. /Agence France-Presse

[KatoeyLover69]

Chinese Have Slowly Become Assimilated into Thai Society

By Yong Tiam Kui
New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Sep, 21, 2003

THE Chinese and the Thai are none other than brothers - so goes a Thai cliché that illustrates the seamless integration of Thai Chinese in mainstream Thai society. Thai Chinese, who make up 10 per cent of Thailand's 62 million people, continue to observe a few Chinese customs and festivals but that's about it.

An anthropological survey of Bangkok's Chinese community found that only first-generation Chinese immigrants aged 60 and above use Chinese as their first language. Second-generation Bangkok Chinese speak Chinese with their
parents but switch to Thai when they are with their peers. Most of the third generation cannot speak or understand Chinese at all. They speak, think and dream in Thai.

They identify themselves proudly as Thai and are clearly accepted as such by the majority Thais.

After all, several Prime Ministers of Thailand have been of Chinese origin, including the current Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In fact, it is said that almost two-thirds of Thai MPs have some Chinese blood.

Many people attribute the rapid assimilation of the Chinese to Buddhism and shared cultural affinities. But, that is only part of the story.

For many decades, successive Thai Governments have pursued a vigorous policy of assimilation.

When Luang Phibunsongkhram became prime minister of Thailand in 1938, he introduced a series of anti-Chinese measures.

Certain occupations were closed to the Thai Chinese. An alien registration fee and taxes targeted at the Thai Chinese were also introduced.

Government corporations were formed to compete with Chinese businesses. Thai Chinese were encouraged to give up their Chinese names for Thai ones.

Chinese language schools were closed in the 1950s. Tight controls were imposed on Chinese language newspapers.

Intermarriages between the two communities which were already fairly common were encouraged all the more. There's been so much intermarriage between the Chinese and the Thais, it has now become difficult to differentiate between the two communities.

In Bangkok, for instance, it is claimed that more than 50 per cent of the residents have at least one Chinese grandparent.

But, there has been a resurgence of interest in the Chinese language and culture among Thai Chinese in recent years. This has been attributed to the rising economic value of the Chinese language and the excellent state of Sino-Thai relations.

The Thai Government lifted the ban on the Chinese language after much deliberation in 1992.

But Thaksin has had to request for help from the Chinese Government because Thailand is very short of qualified Chinese language teachers.

Chinese is now being taught in 120 Thai-Chinese-run primary and secondary schools.

Thai national schools and universities are also offering Chinese as a foreign language.

[KatoeyLover69]

Thai Chinese

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Thai Chinese is a group of overseas Chinese born in Thailand. They constitute about 14% of the population, although due to intermarriage there can be no definite figure.

The majority of the Thai Chinese traces their ancestry back to the Chaozhou prefecture in northern Guangdong, thus they speak the Minnan Chaozhou dialect. A minority traces their ancestry to Hakka and Hainanese immigrants. As of 1987, there are approximately six million Thais of Chinese descent.

Language
The Thai language has now largely supplanted Chinese, although Teochew is sometimes used as a commercial lingua franca among the Chinese in Thailand, principally in Bangkok. However, the wide usage and revival of Mandarin Chinese is gradually becoming the second language of the majority of the newer generation Thai-Chinese for business purposes.

Unlike Singapore, and to a lesser extent Malaysia, the Chinese have largely eschewed Christianity and the speaking of Mandarin as their first language. The majority of the Thai Chinese do not identify at all with being Chinese, as they have assimilated into mainstream Thai society.

Religion
Theravada Buddhism has overshadowed the traditional Mahayana Buddhist and Taoist beliefs of the Thai Chinese, although some of the less assimilated Chinese do retain some or most of their beliefs. For example, the Teochew and Hainanese bring ashes from incense burned at the shrines in their villages. The Hakka have religious images in their houses called Faa Jukong, representing a male deity with black skin and upward pointing hair.

History
The history of Chinese immigration to Thailand dates back several centuries. Chinese traders in Thailand date back at least to the thirteenth century with Ayutthaya. Most of Siam was under Burmese control since the sacking of Ayutthaya in the 16th century, and The Emperor of China Kao Tsung, was alarmed by Burmese military might. From 1766- 1769, the Emperor sent his armies four times to subdue the Burmese, but all four invasions failed, but diverting the attention of Burma's Siam army. Half Thai Chinese General Taksin, taking advantage of the situation, organized his force and revolted. It was said that Taksin actively encouraged their Chinese immigration and trade, principally from Chaozhou prefecture, came in large numbers. The Chinese population in Thailand thus jumped from 230,000 in 1825 to 792,000 by 1910. By 1932, approximately 12.2% of the population of Thailand was Chinese.

However, such early Chinese immigartion consisted almost universally of Chinese men who later settled down to marry Thai women. Children of such intermarriages were known as Luk-jin in Chinese. This tradition of Chinese-Thai intermarriage declined to a considerable extent when large numbers of Chinese women began to immigrate into Thailand from the early 20th century onwards.

The corruption of the Chinese Qing government and the massive increase of the population in China, along with high taxes, encouraged many Chinese men to leave China for Thailand in search for jobs, thereby support their families back in China. Many Chinese prospered under the tax farming system, whereby private individuals were sold the right to collect taxes at a price below the value of the tax revenues.

In the late 1800's, as Thailand was busy warding off attacks from French Indochina and British Malaya, Chinese from Yunnan Province began raids into Thailand. Thai nationalist attitudes at all levels of society were colored by anti-Chinese sentiment. For centuries members of the Chinese community had dominated domestic commerce and had been employed as agents for the royal trade monopoly. With the rise of European economic influence many Chinese entrepreneurs had shifted to opium traffic and tax collecting, both despised occupations. In addition, Chinese millers and middlemen in the rice trade were blamed for the economic recession that gripped Siam for nearly a decade after 1905. Accusations of bribery of high officials, wars between the Chinese secret societies, and use of oppressive practices to extract taxes also served to inflame Thai opinion against the Chinese community at a time when it was expanding rapidly as a result of increased immigration from China. By 1910 nearly 10 percent of Thailand's population was Chinese. Whereas earlier immigrants had intermarried with the Thai, the new arrivals frequently came with families and resisted assimilation into Thai society. Chinese nationalism, encouraged by Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the Chinese revolution, had also begun to develop, parallel with Thai nationalism. The Chinese community even supported a separate school system for its children. Legislation in 1909 by Rama V, King Chulalongkorn requiring adoption of Thai surnames was in large part directed at easing tensions with Chinese community by assimilation, whose members would be faced with the choice of forsaking their Chinese identity or accepting the status of foreigners. Many of them made the accommodation and opted to become Thai.

The Chinese in Thailand were also discriminated under the military dictatorship of Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram in the 1930s. State corporations took over commodities such as rice, tobacco and petroleum, and Chinese businesses found themselves subject to a range of new taxes and controls.

In spite of differences created by nationalism in Thailand and China likewise, the Chinese were still encouraged to become Thai citizens, and in 1970, it was estimated that more than 90 percent of the Chinese born in Thailand had done so. When diplomatic relations were established with China in the 1970s, resident Chinese not born in Thailand had the option of becoming Thai citizens; the remaining permanent resident Chinese alien population was estimated at fewer than 200,000.

Dialect Groups
The vast majorty of the Thai Chinese belong to various southern Chinese dialect groups. Of these, 56% are Teochew, 16% Hakka and 11% Hainanese. The Cantonese and Hokkien constitute 7% of the Chinese population each, and 3% belong to other Chinese dialect groups.

The Teochew Chinese, which constitute 56% of Thailand Chinese population, mainly settled in the region around Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Many of them worked in government sectors, while others are involved in trade. During the reign of King Taksin, many influential Teochew Chinese traders enjoyed certain privellages granted by the king. These Chinese were called "Royal Chinese" (Jin-luang in Thai).

The Hakka Chinese constitute approximately 16% of the Thai Chinese population. Many of them are found in Songkhla and Phuket. The Hakka owned many private banks in Thailand.

There are also many Thai Chinese that have been descended from intermarriages with Native Thais. These Thai Chinese are called Peranakan Thai Chinese, or Luk jin in Thai. Most of them can be found in the Southern and Central Thai provinces especially near the border with Malaysia. They share a common culture and identity with the Peranakan Chinese in neighbouring Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Notable Thai Chinese
* King Taksin, Chinese (Teochew)–Thai descent
* Chuan Leekpai, Prime Minister of Thailand (1992-1995, 1997-2001)
* Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand (2001-present), Chinese (Hakka)–Thai

[KatoeyLover69]

Plaek Pibulsonggram

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Field Marshal Pibulsonggram (July 14, 1897–June 11, 1964) (Thai พิบูลสงคราม, sometimes spelled Phibunsongkhram, Phibul Songkhram or Pibul Songgram) was Prime Minister and military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.

Born Plaek Khittasangkha on July 14, 1897, he entered the Artillery Corps in 1914 upon graduation from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. Following advanced studying in France, the honourary name of Luang Phibunsongkhram was bestowed upon him by King Prajadhipok in 1928 (he was later to take Phibunsongkhram as his surname).

One of the leaders of the military wing of the People's Party which overthrew the absolute monarchy in 1932, Lieutenant Colonel Phibun rose to prominence as a popular man-on-horseback when he successfully crushed the royalist revolt the following year.

In 1938 Phibun replaced Phraya Phahol as Prime Minister, and consolidated his position by removing all possible opposition---members of the royal family, elected members of the Assembly, bureaucrats, and army rivals were arrested and executed in what were to be the first political executions in Siam in over a century.

As Prime Minister, he began increasing the pace of modernisation in Thailand. By clever manipulation of the mass media, Phibun fashioned a semi-fascist regime with ultra-nationalism as its central theme. He and Luang Wichitwathakarn, the Minister of Propaganda, built up the cult of the leader throughout 1939 and thereafter. A photograph of Phibun was to be found everywhere (in turn, those of ex-King Prajadhipok disappeared), his slogans were plastered on newspapers and billboards and repeated over the radio.

"Aimed to uplifting the national spirit and moral code of the nation and instilling progressive tendencies and a newness into Thai life", a series of Cultural Mandates were issued by the government. These mandates required that all Thais were to salute the flag, know the national anthem, and use the national language, as opposed to local dialects. People were forbidden to go outdoors without wearing hats, while they were encouraged to dress along modern (western) fashions. In Phibun's views, all this was necessary for Thailand to become more modernised, in the interest of progress and civilisation.

In 1939, Phibun changed the country name from Siam to Thailand.

The regime also embarked upon a course of economic nationalism, in which the Thai people were to support only Thai products and therefore destroy the Chinese grip on the market. Anti-Chinese policies were also undertaken; indeed, in a speech in 1938 Luang Wichit compared the Chinese in Siam to the Jews in Germany.

While ardently pro-Japanese at the beginning, Phibun and his regime soon considerably but cordially distanced itself from Japan following the aftermath of the French-Thai War, where Japanese territorial ambitions were skilfully realised during the peace talks. With war looming in the air, Phibun quickly deduced that the Japanese would be the aggressors. However, the government realised, that Thailand would stand alone when the Japanese onslaught came, considering the deteriorating relationships with the major Western powers in the area.

When war came, a hesitant Phibun was forced to order a general ceasefire and to allow the Japanese armies to use the country as a forward springboard for the invasions of Burma and Malaya. However, hesitancy gave way to enthusiasm when the Japanese blitzkrieged their way through Malaya. On December 12, a military alliance with Japan was concluded. A month later, on January 25 1942, Thailand declared war on the United States and Great Britain. Those who opposed the decision was forced from government; Pridi was appointed regent for the absent King Ananda Mahidol, while Direk Chaiyanam, the prominent Foreign Minister who advocated resistance against the Japanese, ironically became ambassador to +++yo.

When the tide turned against Japan, Phibun was forced to resign by the pro-Seri Thai Assembly, thus ending his six-year period as military strongman. Phibun went to take residence at army headquarters in Lopburi, where he bided his time. In the meanwhile, Khuang Aphaiwong was made prime minister to continue relations with the Japanese while at the same time assist the Seri Thai.

At the end of the war, Phibun was put on trial by the Allies on charges of collaborating with the enemy. However, the charges were dropped and he got off due to intense public pressure (public opinion was favourable to Phibun; he was thought to have done the best to maintain Thai interests).

In November 1947 army units under the control of Phibun carried out a coup which forced the Thamrong government to step down. The hapless Khuang was installed as prime minister as the military coup risked international disapproval. On April 8 1948, the military forced Khuang out of office and Phibun assumed the Premiership once more.

Phibun once again started his term of office with maneuvres to consolidate power; civilian rivals and members of the opposition were arrested and executed. Among the victims of the death squads of the notorious Police General Phao Sriyanond was the civilian assemblyman and one-time Seri Thai member, Tiang Sirikhanth.

But instead of fascism, Phibun now built for his regime the facade of democracy. American aid was received in large quantities following Thailand's entry into the Korean War on the UN's side.

Phibun's anti-Chinese campaign was resumed, with the government halting Chinese immigration and undertaking various measures to restrict Chinese economic domination of the Thai market. Chinese schools and associations were once again closed down.

On June 29, 1951, Phibun was attending a ceremony aboard the USS Manhattan when he was taken hostage by a group of naval officers, who were quick to confine him on board the battleship Sri Ayutthaya. Negotiations between the government and the coup group swiftly broke down, leading to heavy street fighting in Bangkok between the navy and the army, which was supported by the airforce. Phibun was able to swim back ashore when the Sri Ayutthaya was bombed; their hostage gone, the sailors and marines were forced to lay down their arms.

At the end of his term suspicions of fraudulent practices during an election came up. The resulting unrest led to a coup by Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata in 1957, after which Phibun was forced into exile in Japan, where he died in 1964.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 3 January 2006 :-

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT / THE GOOD AND THE BAD : A year of controversy for Bangkok's newest pride

By Saritdet Marukatat

Good and bad news haunted Suvarnabhumi Airport throughout 2005, and it is still not clear when it will become operational. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had confidently declared the 155-billion-baht project would open to traffic on Sept 29, despite scepticism by people in the aviation business.

The Prime Minister at least partly fulfilled his promise, leading cabinet members and other dignitaries on two Thai Airways International flights which touched down at the airport, in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district, for landing and systems tests on Sept 29.

Still, the airport cannot function commercially until all the construction and testing is completed.

The government is now eyeing a June opening for the first commercial flights. But given what is really happening there on the ground, even officials in charge of the project believe that will not be possible.

While the Sept 29 landings gave Mr Thaksin some solace, the airport project also contributed to the plunging popularity of his government with the controversy surrounding the purchase of the 26 US-made CTX 9000 luggage bomb detection machines.

US investigators indicated irregularities in the purchase of the machines in Thailand, China and the Philippines, but the government strongly denied this.

However, the Prime Minister did move Suriya Jungrungreangkit from the post of Transport Minister to the post of Industry Minister to ease pressure on the government after Mr Suriya could not clearly explain in parliament, where he was grilled on June 27 by the opposition parties led by the Democrats, why the detectors were so expensive.

Pongsak Raktapongpaisal replaced him as Transport Minister.

The latest bad news was the decision on Dec 28 by the Prime Minister to put on hold the plan to expand the new airport to enable it to process 45 million passengers annually. It is now expected to reach its capacity in 2010.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 3 January 2006 :-

Operators stake claim to airport opportunities

By Sujintana Hemtasilpa

With the long-awaited Suvarnabhumi Airport scheduled to be operational in June, the area surrounding it as well as riverside locations in Samut Prakan province have been more attractive for hotel developers. Narong Suthipongpitarn, manager of the Thai Hotels Association, said the new airport certainly had brought about higher demand for accommodation in its vicinity.

The core demand will come from air crews and passengers who need accommodation, said Mr Narong.

However, hoteliers who want to develop new hotels in the areas will have to face higher land prices and construction cost.

Nevertheless, once Suvarnabhumi is operational, existing hotels in Bangkok's eastern suburbs and in Pattaya are the first to benefit from the influx of passengers through the new airport, said Mr Narong.

''The business at closer hotels such as the Novotel Bang Na and the Royal Princess on Srinakarin Road will certainly be brisk once the new airport is opened,'' he said.

The Royal Princess Srinakarin has spent 30 million baht renovating its property.

Several operators in Bangkok's eastern suburbs including Accor Asia Pacific, Central, Dusit and Sheraton are reportedly adding more rooms to existing properties.

At the same time, Central Hotels and Resorts plans to build another hotel next to its Central City Bang Na shopping centre on the Bang Na-Trat Road.

In Pattaya, which is only one hour away by car from the new airport, hotel operators are preparing their properties for more guests.

Many establishments have refurbished their properties while investors have begun developing more luxurious hotels in the resort city to welcome well-to-do tourists.

Next year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the number of international tourist arrivals is expected to reach 13.2 million.

According to the Thai Hotels Association, 30 more hotels are set to open in Bangkok in the next five years, increasing the number of rooms in the capital to about 100,000.

Mr Narong said the earlier prime locations for hotels in Bangkok were along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, in Bangkok's commercial districts such as Silom and Sathorn roads, and near Don Muang International Airport. Now, the vicinity of Suvarnabhumi Airport has emerged as another prime site.

He said there was still ample room for hotels to grow as the country had a variety of tourist destinations to offer.

In line with Mr Narong's anticipation, the TAT has projected with the availability of several new tourist attractions, international tourists are likely to extend their average length of stay in Thailand to 8.2 days this year from 8.1 days in 2005.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 3 January 2006 :-

IMMIGRANTS: Thousands given Thai nationality

Approval of 13,827 citizenship requests is biggest in Thai history, Kongsak says; Highlanders form the largest group. Almost 14,000 migrants and their children were granted Thai nationality yesterday, the biggest such approval in history, Interior Minister ACM Kongsak Wantana said.

Of the 13,827 approved, 4,272 were migrants to Thailand, while 9,555 were children who had been born here.

The total comprised 2,279 Vietnamese, 3,175 Burmese, 6,363 highlanders, 704 Nepalese, 28 Tai Lue, 287 tribal people, 978 Chinese (ex-military Chinese from Yunnan, also known as Jeen Hor), and 13 from ex-Communist Malaysia.

“This is the result of years of working. In some cases it took as long as three years to complete the inspection and confirmation process,” Kongsak said.

“It is my policy to grant nationality as quickly as possible, as I consider it has a huge impact on people’s lives. Many children and young people face difficulties in their studies and work without Thai nationality, even though they were born in Thai territory.”

Kongsak admitted that the approval process had in the past been very slow due to security issues, and previous ministers therefore being reluctant to issue approval.

The proposals were checked at district level first before passing to the provincial level for a second check and then on to the national level in Bangkok, he said.

“To qualify for citizenship, applicants have to show that they do not pose any risk to national security, could be of benefit to the Kingdom and paid taxes,” the interior minister said.

“This is the highest number of approvals of the past seven ministers, and has taken five months of work under my administration.

“I am pretty sure that all of them are qualified to be Thais. In the worst case, if a mistake has been made in the approval processes, we should be able to trace it.”

However, the minister did not reveal how many people who had submitted requests were still waiting for their green cards.

Wattana Khamchoo
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 3 January 2006 :-

Dusit Zoo to offer night tour later this month

The Dusit Zoo in Bangkok will offer night tours starting after Chinese New Year later this month, the zoo director said Tuesday.

Wisit Wichasilp, the director of the Dusit Zoo, said the zoo would extend its service time from 6 pm to 9 pm.

But those visiting the zoo after 6 pm could not wander around on their own. They would have to take a provided tram to observe nightlife of some chosen animals for the show. Each tram ride would take about 30 to 45 minutes, he said.

He said the zoo would improve certain facilities in preparation for the night tours, such as installing spotlights at enclosures for certain animals, such as dear, bears, lions and tigers.

He said the night tour service would be launched soon after the Chinese New Year on January 29.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 4 January 2006 :-

B700m elephant park for Doi-Pui, Chiangmai : New project in national park draws critics' fire

By Preeyanat Phanayanggoor

Chiang Mai : The profitability of the Night Safari is still in doubt without the wild animals from Kenya, but the government is already embarking on a 700-million-baht elephant park as the second stage of its multi-billion-baht Chiang Mai World megaproject. The park, tipped as the biggest of its kind with more than 200 elephants, will cover 6,000 rai of land in the Doi Suthep-Pui national park, which already houses the 1.2-billion-baht Night Safari park.

It is part of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's drive to turn Chiang Mai, his home province, into a world-class tourist attraction to compete with destinations like Disneyland in Hong Kong.Other developments planned for the megaproject, which will eventually absorb 23,000 rai of land in the national park, include a 500-million-baht Royal Flora Ratchaphruek exposition, a 15km cable car, an entertainment theme park, an aquarium, a spa complex and a monorail.

A 10-billion-baht total cost is estimated.

Plodprasop Suraswadi, the director of Night Safari who is also responsible for Chiang Mai World, said the elephant theme park would feature a jungle-like habitat.

The animals would live in natural conditions, roaming the forest for food.

An exhibition area would offer visitors comprehensive information about elephants - the designated symbol of the nation.

''The theme park will also reproduce some history relating to elephants in Thailand, including the traditional way of catching them in the jungle,'' he said.

The exact number of elephants which would roam the park is still to be settled, but there should be more than 200. They would include those now roaming city streets and so-called ''unemployed'' elephants.

Others would come from nearby elephant camps, including the popular Mae Sa camp in the Mae Rim area.

Mr Plodprasop said he would encourage owners of private elephant camps to co-invest in the park project. He placed particular interest on the Mae Sa elephant camp, which he claimed had caused environmental problems including pollution of the Mae Sa river.

However, the owner of the Mae Sa elephant camp said Mr Plodprasop was just being a bully.

Anchalee Kalmapijit said Mr Plodprasop has smeared her name with unfair accusations without solid evidence. Earlier, she said, forestry officials scoured her establishment, trying to find unregistered wild elephants.

''The government has never supported us. That's fine. But this time, they are starting to bully us. I'm not afraid of competition as long as it is fair,'' she said.

Northern conservationists said the government should review the whole Chiang Mai World project. It was much more of a problem, they said.

Chaiyaphan Prapasawat, of the Love Chiang Mai Network, said the elephant park, in particular, would lead to confrontation between local villagers and the animals over land, food and water.

''Ironically, while the government tries to exploit the national park for tourism-related activities, it has driven forest dwellers from their homes,'' he said.

Mr Chaiyaphan also worried about the environmental and social effects of the elephant park, which he said would also include several adventure activities for tourists including elevated animal observation platforms, bush lodges, a suspended canopy walk, a crocodile farm, a tiger zoo and a bird tunnel.

Leading academic Thanet Charoenmuang, of Chiang Mai University's social science faculty, said the Chiang Mai World project would completely change the image of the northern province, from a charming historical and cultural site with Lanna tradition to a modern tourist town.

''Chiang Mai would soon be big and ugly like Bangkok,'' he said.

''In the end, tourists would bypass Chiang Mai for other nearby provinces like Phrae, Nan and Lampang where beauty and nature are conserved.''

Mr Thanet said the government should shift huge projects away from Chiang Mai. Lampang, for instance, was an ideal location for huge projects because it was in the centre of the northern region. It was more appropriate to put the main development in Lampang and spread other projects over other northern provinces.

''The government should take a step back and draw up a proper development plan for Chiang Mai.

''I understand that Mr Thaksin has the good intention to modernise his hometown, the same way Banharn Silpa-archa did for the province of Suphan Buri,'' Mr Thanet said.

''But it needs a genuine understanding about the real value of Chiang Mai and what is best for the province. Not just throwing megaprojects at it.''

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Thursday 5 January 2006 :-

Malls use parking lots as shops

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has found that 39 out of 81 department stores it inspected have made improper use of their parking lots by developing them into commercial space. Some malls have even auctioned off public areas in their parking lots, including public footpaths, at hefty rates. As a result of the outlets being allowed to occupy the parking areas, pedestrians had been onto the roads, causing traffic snarl-ups.

Thirty-one malls have been notified of the breach of city ordnance regulations and have since vacated outlets from the lots. Seven malls which have yet to free up their parking spaces are Jusco Ratchadaphisek, Amarin Plaza, Central Rama II, Carrefour Suvinthawong, The Mall Bang Khae, Future Park Bang Khae and The Mall Ramkhamhaeng.

Offenders are liable to a maximum three-month jail term and/or a 60,000-baht fine, plus a daily penalty of up to 10,000 baht throughout the violation period.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Thursday 5 January 2006 :-

Thai goalkeeper to play in England

Sudbury Football Club are set to sign Thai international goalkeeper Jamie Waite early next week after Braintree ruled out a move which would have seen him debut at Mildenhall on Monday, the Suffolk (Enlgand) Free Press reported today.

Waite was signed from Cambridge United last week, but AFC could not register him as he had signed Ridgeons League forms with Braintree, who demanded seven days' notice of approach.

"He helped them out in a Trophy game," said manager Gary Harvey, "and was not aware he had signed Ridgeons forms. He believed he had signed a Rymans form."

Last August, Waite told the Cambridge Evening News he hoped to play in the Oly;mics for Thailand, and in the English Premier League. "I'm the only Thai player in England and there are only two others outside of Asia. I get sponsorship from the Thailand FA and it's an opportunity for myself," he said.

"They're hoping I can succeed in England because their dream is to have a Thai player in the Premiership. I'm a long way from that at the moment, but hopefully I can get there."

The 19-year-old Waite, born in Thailand to a Thai mother, is working to earn himself a place in the Thailand under-23 squad for the qualifiers for the Beijing Olympics.

The keeper has been in their international set-up since he was 15 and has been told he stands a good chance of gaining a place.

Waite played for Kettering and Barrow last season after being released by Rotherham. He was team captain when the Thai under-23 side played friendlies against a Manchester City XI and Macclesfield last August..

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 6 January 2006 :-

Price hikes rattle public : Egg, petrol, sugar prices hit people's wallets, as government launches cheap meal offer

By Bangkok Post Reporters

Consumer spending power looks to shrink this year with eggs, petrol and sugar, traditional key cost-of-living benchmarks, costing more while the government comes under fire for being superficial in its efforts to ease the strain. The government may mark the first week of the year with a rise in, or even a float of, the retail sugar price. Sugar cane planters have called on the government to float the price to reflect real production costs.

''We're examining the production cost of sugar and a conclusion must be reached in a few days,'' said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Price caps were limited to six provinces, allowing vendors elsewhere to raise the price at will.

The provinces are Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram.

Mr Thaksin said the retail price of sugar has been going up since December.

The price went up from 13-14.5 baht a kilogramme to 16 baht and in certain areas increased to 18-20 baht/kg.

The country faces a shortage of sugar believed to have been triggered by the rising price of sugar in the global market.

Mr Thaksin said the commodity is being smuggled out to neighbouring countries where it can be sold at higher prices. It is also being hoarded.

The supply of sugar cane for sugar production is also inadequate due to drought, and increases in sugar cane demand for bio-diesel production.

Shortages of sugar are reported in several provinces including Nakhon Ratchasima and Songkhla.

''The government should intervene now. Consumers are being treated unfairly because retailers can raise the price whenever they want. Sometimes they simply don't sell,'' said Thirawat Traichamratras, a sweet vendor in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district.

The retail price of eggs is also going up in some provinces.

Manote Chutaptim, chairman of Layer Chicken Cooperative in Chachoengsao, said the retail price of eggs of mixed sizes will go up to 1.7 baht apiece.

''Production costs are 1.9-2 baht apiece now. Even after the price is adjusted, small-scale farmers don't get anything.

''The middlemen sell the products at high prices, forcing people to buy eggs at inflated prices,'' he said.

A farm in Khon Kaen prices high-grade eggs at 2.5 baht apiece.

''Production costs are soaring. Consumers should sympathise with us. They can pay 12 baht for a soda or more for cigarettes or alcohol,'' said Benjaporn Sriviroj, owner of Sriviroj farm.

To help consumers cushion an impact of potentially high goods prices, the government yesterday launched a cheap food campaign _ Im Tua Fah Rakha Diew (fill yourself up with a one-price dish) _ in its trademark populist fashion.

Customers at around 1,000 thong fah (blue flag) food stalls _ all run by the Commerce Ministry _ can enjoy a hearty meal for 10 baht.

Kicking off the campaign at Government House, Mr Thaksin said it was part of an attempt to bring balance to society where there is a gap between the rich and the poor. It was not a permanent solution but the scheme would help office workers cut costs and farmers sell their products.

''It will help the poor live in dignity,'' he said.

The cheap food scheme would give poor people access to nutritious food and, at the same time, stabilise the price and avert inflation.

Food stalls were set up in the Government House compound for the launch.

''If you do good and there are no complaints, I may consider a bonus for you,'' Mr Thaksin told the vendors.

As he walked past one stall, he grabbed a foam box of khao krapao and started digging in. He moved to the next cart, taking khao khai palo and handing 1,000 baht to the vendor.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, also commerce minister, said the scheme would help poorer people, who were bearing the brunt of higher oil prices. The Commerce Ministry would keep a close watch on food prices which affect inflation rates.

About 1,000 foodstalls are taking part, scattered over 700 locations in Bangkok and other provinces, he said

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 6 January 2006 :-

White sugar supplies dry up amid price control talks

By Anchalee Kongrut

Consumers say white sugar has all but disappeared from the market amid attempts by the sugar industry to have state controls on its price removed. White sugar - a daily cooking staple - has been absent from the retail market for weeks, according to a Bangkok Post survey of fresh markets and hypermarkets in the Rama IV area.

This comes at a time when the sugar industry is negotiating with the government to allow the price of sugar to rise along with world market trends.

The world sugar price is around 17 baht a kilogramme, or four baht higher than that of the local produce.

At Tesco-Lotus supermarket on Rama IV road, consumers who wanted to buy white sugar were out of luck.

''This is the third week I have come here only to find that brown sugar is the only sugar available. I don't understand what has happened,'' said Boontham Navut, 72.

White sugar had also disappeared from shelves of hypermarkets such as Makro and Carrefour, and 7-Eleven minimarts.

''I believe retailers are now hoarding white sugar to resell it at higher prices.

''It is impossible that large and famous hypermarkets do not have white sugar in stock,'' said Vilawan Noicharoen, 32, an employee of a shipping company who shops at the Tesco-Lotus superstore on Rama IV road.

White sugar is available at major fresh markets such as Klong Toey but at a higher price - 18 baht a kilogramme against the government-controlled price of 14 baht a kilogramme.

Rhien Poomeiem, 64, a dessert vendor, has seen her income drop by half to 2,000 baht after white sugar began to disappear from the market in early December.

Her suppliers raised the price from 14 baht to 18 baht a kilogramme.

''Now, my coconut supplier plans to raise prices in line with that of sugar. But we cannot raise the prices of our desserts. If we do so, our customers will stop buying,'' said Mrs Rhien, who has sold Thai desserts for over a decade.

Sirichai Sasanapitakkul, or ''Hia Peng,'' 50, the owner of a major grocery selling sugar in Klong Toey, said the government needed to float sugar prices to encourage hoarders to free stocks. ''It must allow prices to increase and encourage farmers to grow more sugarcane to boost production for local consumption,'' he said.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 7 January 2006 :-

S'pore expert warns of terror in Bangkok : Says attack probable in city before end of year

Bangkok Post, Reuters - A Singapore-based security expert has warned that Bangkok could face a terrorist attack within a year as tension rises between Muslim and Buddhist communities in the South.

Rohan Gunaratna, a security analyst at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) in Singapore, also told a conference on Thursday that Iraq had become the new epicentre of jihad, or Islamic holy war, inspiring a new generation of terrorists around the world.

Asian leaders have put terrorism high on their list of security concerns following bomb attacks in Bali, Madrid and London, as well as outbreaks of violence in the south of Thailand where 80% of the population is Muslim.

''We believe that the threat of terrorism is growing at a very serious pace, and that it is just a question of time before they attack Bangkok,'' Mr Gunaratna, who heads a terrorism research unit at IDSS, told reporters on the conference's sidelines.

He said the Thai government needs to expand its intelligence network, engage Thailand's Muslim political leadership and work with neighbouring Malaysia to stop the spread of cross-border terrorism.

''If they don't do that, our assessment is that terrorists will attack Bangkok before the end of the year,'' he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Chidchai Wannasathit, who is responsible for day-to-day security in the South, said there was no intelligence report to confirm Mr Gunaratna's warning, which, he said, was simply precautionary.

He said this week that most of those responsible for the unrest had been captured and that the government had ''fixed 40% of the problem''.

Mr Gunaratna said that terrorist networks have expanded to 10 European countries, as well as the Middle East, and were inspiring cell networks across Southeast Asia. Indonesia's home-grown Jemaah Islamiah, the group seen as al- Qaeda's regional arm, has been blamed for the 2002 bombings in Bali.

Meanwhile, army chief Gen Sonthi Bunyaratglin has pointed out that Indonesian-trained southern militants called RKK were involved in the beheading of an army sergeant in Yala and a spate of ambushes in the far South, which were aimed at scaring local villagers.

Gen Sonthi, a former special warfare officer admitted that soldiers were at great risk of being ambushed.

He also admitted that the southern militants were trying to introduce Iraqi-style violence to three southern border provinces and the military must stop them.

Earlier, Gen Sonthi said about 300 RKK members had been stationed in many tambons of the deep South to incite chaos and some of them had been arrested for burning Wat Promprasit in Pattani's Panare district and killing and beheading a monk there in October.

In the meantime, Pol Maj-Gen Witthaya Kosiyasathit, commander of Metropolitan Police Bureau division 4, admitted some alliances of southern instigators were residing in dormitories in Ramkhamhaeng.

He said some instigators were studying at Ramkhamhaeng University, especially the Political Science Faculty, and frequently travelled between Bangkok and the South.

Pol Maj-Gen Witthaya said there should be no serious concern about the group, who are being watched closely by police, as these men were neither professional terrorists nor leaders, but were occasionally hired to incite chaos due to their wildness.

The commander denied news reports that Faisol Hayesama-ae, suspected of perpetrating several bomb attacks in the South, was hiding in the Ramkhamhaeng area, saying it would be easier for the man to have escaped to Malaysia.

Mr Faisol was implicated in the Hat Yai airport bombing which killed and wounded scores in April last year.

However, Pol Maj-Gen Witthaya ordered Hua Mak and Wang Thong Lang police to instruct dormitory operators to register and screen all tenants and alert police about any irregularities.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 7 January 2006 :-

Bangkok City to get 2,000 modern vehicles

The Transport Ministry plans to serve commuters in Greater Bangkok with 2,000 modern air-conditioned buses, equipped with a global positioning system and contactless transfer ticket readers, in nine months. Opas Phetmunee, acting director of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), said yesterday that the 2,000 new buses would be environmentally-friendly natural gas vehicles, and would collect a flat fare of only 10 baht that will allow passengers to change buses on newly designed web-like routes without being repeatedly charged.

He said the new buses will have wider doors and they will have sensors to prevent passengers from being squeezed.

A global positioning system will allow bus supervisors to check the frequencies of buses on individual routes and their speeds, particularly to discipline drivers.

The buses will have electronic signs to display bus route numbers and details. The signs will be useful when the BMTA needs some additional buses on particular routes because it will able to change route numbers and details on buses and move them to new routes that need more buses.

Along with the redesigned routes, the BMTA will renovate bus terminals where commuters can park their vehicles, eat, shop and get on buses.

A highlight of the new buses will be their electronic ticket card readers. Passengers will have ''radio frequency cards'' (RF cards) instead of conventional paper tickets.

The electronic ticket card system would allow the BMTA to reduce its staff, Mr Opas said.

Kamropluck Suraswadi, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, said the RF card system would be ready for use in eight months.

Transfer tickets will allow commuters to catch not only passenger buses but also trains and boats.

State-owned transport agencies will join the new ticket card system in the first place and the ministry will encourage private operators, especially those who run electric trains, to participate.

A private company will be invited to introduce the ticket system and earn 5-7% of fares in return.

Such RF cards cost 30 baht and a card reader 6,000-7,000 baht.The new ticket system would be worthwhile regarding the end of printed paper tickets, Mr Kamropluck said.