Archive for September, 2007
Thou Shalt Lie
We who knew all along that the prime minister and Thailand’s military leadership were boldly lying, we note with certain satisfaction that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva finally gave in and basically confessed, yes, we were not really telling the truth. The CNN interview is here. Rohingya boat people were towed out to the sea, set
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Potemkin Unthaidiness
Forgive my rant. I may have a bad mood, call me arrogant, but these double standards and the hokeyness around here, sometimes I’ve really had it. Most of us live in privileged islands. Once you leave them you enter a dump. The other day I took a walk near Hua Hin towards the surrounding hills.
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Siam’s Exiles
As with any nation and society facing struggles and changes, Thailand produces exiles. The currently most prominent ones are former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and redder-than-red Giles Ji Ungpakorn, both of whom don’t look like returning to their homeland any time soon, while their ferocious voices may tame down. How history will judge them we’ll
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The Other Klong Tour
Yes yes, seen that, done that. A Bangkok klong tour departing from Central Pier, also called Sathorn Pier at Saphan Taksin, bringing you to Thonburi. The boatsmen are mostly unfriendliness in persona and for the prices they charge you could nearly buy a boat. This is the farang land we all try to avoid. Klongs
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Google Translate Does Thai
There’s an end to your blindness in the Land of the Free. Without much fanfare, Google Translate quietly rolled out translation to/from Thai and six other languages. That’s right, you’re now able to read Thai. Well, basic Thai. Gave it a quick try. You won’t win a Pulitzer Prize with Google Translate. But you’re able
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The Vongthip Letter Feb 09
Mission possible! Contrary to early cynical expectations of many, PM Abhisit has proved to be not only a very knowledgeable and hard working PM but also an effective team-leader with clear mission, goals, priorities and work plans. Against so much political odds and economic obstacles, the young PM has somehow managed to move the country
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Black Lies
They’re all lying. The Indian navy is lying, the Indonesian navy is lying. Aid workers are lying and the victims themselves are lying. And nobody in Thailand really complains. Right, I’m talking about our dear foreign minister. Well, actually he accuses none of them directly. But foreigners in general. “Don’t believe what the world says
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The Democrats, Foreign Money & Populist Socialism
Yes, you can compare apples and oranges. Back then after the financial crisis of 1997, when the Thailand under the Democrat Party received the $17.2 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund, the IMF widely dictated Thailand’s financial policy. Thailand had to obey the IMF’s strict regime. Now, again under the Democrats’ leadership, Thailand
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Tidbits: Size Matters, Most Expensive Prawn, The Banyan Tree
Size matters? Think again. Big is beautiful? To cut a long story short: Until very recently I was the proud owner of a top-notch Olympus DSLR e-system with the best glass money can buy and an accumulated weight of 5.5 kilograms. Not that handy if you love Bangkok street photography and snaps. Well, it’s all
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