Archive for the 'The Vongthip Letters' Category
The Vongthip Letter Mar ’10
Beyond reasonable doubts: Thaksin’s “Judgment Day” has become another unforgettable event in the Thai political history. After weeks of being second guessed by academics and political pundits, nine judges of the Supreme Court spent almost eight hours reading their historical verdict which was broadcasted nationwide. Thaksin was found guilty on all five cases for hiding
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The Vongthip Letter Feb ’10
Holding on: Following the burst of corruption scandals and in anticipation of the impending no-confidence debate, PM Abhisit had to replace/reshuffle five cabinet members in 1/10. Since the new year, PM Abhisit seemed to have become remarkably bolder in his move against corruption and arm-twisting demands from his coalition partners. He has also become more
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The Vongthip Letter Jan ’10
Tiger, tiger, burning bright! The Year of the Fiery Tiger has arrived and promised to be no less ferocious than the Year of the Mad Bull that has just left! Those who did not believe in astrology, seemed to be hoping and praying that 2010 would be the beginning of a better decade than the
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Elite Goes Anti-Democrat
Here’s an interesting open letter to the governor of Bangkok, “Building Nightmare on Sukhumvit,” written by our regular contributor Vongthip Chumpani, an ardent supporter of the new order. The letter was recently published in The Nation’s Letter to the Editors section, raising the issue of the Sukhumvit area’s over-building and over-crowding. Khun Vongthip sure has
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The Vongthip Letter Dec 09
A Royal Happy Birthday: HM the King’s 82nd birthday on 5/12/09 would be the best ever celebration organized by the Thai government for the country’s most beloved king. The nine days “birthday party” would be indeed a warmly welcomed respite from the “political madness” that the people of Thailand have been subjected to in the
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The Vongthip Letter Nov 09
Long live our king! Since HM the king has checked into the hospital some six weeks ago, his loyal have been worried sick about the state of his health until they saw him healthy and smiling again as he made two impromptu tours of the hospital on his wheelchair on 23/10/09 and again on 2/11/09.
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The Vongthip Letter Oct 09
For love of the King: On 20/9/09, the Thai society was shaken once again when our beloved king was hospitalized for lung infection. In two weeks, over 350,000 people visited the hospital to sign the get-well books. Millions all over the country, alone or in groups, have been offering their special prayers for his speedy
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The Vongthip Letter Sep 09
As long as it takes: August was a hot, humid and stormy month in Bangkok. Residents were feeling less miserable because of the heavy rain and traffic jams than the on-going political pantomimes, staged in and outside the parliament by the red shirts and the opposition. With so many permanent secretaries and key ministerial officials
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The Vongthip Letter Aug 09
Keep on going: In 7/09, PM Abhisit continued to work hard and to reach out to as many people as possible at seminar events and ground visits (Buriram and Songkla). He needed to communicate and explain his government policies, solicit cooperation for their successful implementation as well as to listen to the people’s wish lists.
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The Vongthip Letter Jul 09
Another hectic month: Throughout 6/09, PM Abhisit was here, there and everywhere, trying to get his government’s policies accepted by the elites and implemented quickly by the bureaucrats. He had to work extra hard to get the SP2 and 2010 budgets through parliament in between official visits to Korea, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, China and Vietnam.
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