Thailand English Language Newspapers .. 23 News Sources from Thailand w/ Thai Classified

Thailand The Land of Smiles.  General Information about Thailand. Thailand History.  6000 years from the world's 1st bronze age culture to 21st century economic status and political enviroment. Thailand Medical Tourism:  Globalization that benefits the individual not the globalized corporation Bangkok Thailand where the Ancient Far East has melded with the 21st century West. Issan The archaeology & culturally rich Easter Region of Thailand Chiang Mai and The Golden Triangle Region of Northern Thailand Thailand Islands & Beaches are recognized to be some of the most beautiful on the Planet Thailand is a shoppers paradise.  From custom silk clothing, to electronics, to Asian antiques .. it's all in Thaialnd Thailand Gyms.  Your best Thai souvenir could by your professionally designed exercise program. The right Thailand Tour Guide will make your vacation the most memorable of your life Thailand offers quality hotels from unbelievely inexpensive to 6 star opulence. Thailand English Language Newspapers by region Bangkok offers world class entertianment venues .. from down home music venues to world class resturants. Elephants are the national symbol of Thailand.  The Thai people love Chang Thai massage is theraputic & quite wonderful .. be sure to experience Thai massage.

 

The Thai political fiasco in a few words: 

  1. The Red Shirts are mostly rural Thai that support exiled PM Thaksin
    1. The vote buying allegations, that resulted in the Thai Rak Thai party being ruled corrupt by a Thai court, occurred mostly in rural areas.
    2. Reports of Thaksin's PPP offering Viagra for votes!   "stand up for PPP"
    3. Another  criminal warrant has been issued for former PM Thaksin for encouraging violence.
    4. Reports of exiled former PM Thaksin paying the rural Red Shirts up to 1000Thb per day for demonstrating.
  2. The Yellow Shirts are mostly the educated middle class in Bangkok.

April 15, 2009:  Thaksin's passport voided.

 

Yellow Shirt Leader Shot by heavily armed assassins.  Over 100 rounds fired.  Sondhi in stable condition.

April 23: Ammunition linked to the Thai Army (M-16 issued to 9th Infantry) used in the Sondhi assassination attempt!

 

In Thailand Anarchy, Chaos, Fiasco & Democracy same same.

Rip Grasshopper Actor David Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel under unusual circumstances.

  • David Carradine was in Bangkok to star in a new movie. He had been in Bangkok 2 days & was reported to be in excellent spirits

  • A huge % (near 100%!) of foreigner / tourist violent deaths in Thailand are ruled suicide by Thai authorities.  The initial reports of suicide are consistent with the way Thai authorities frequently deal with tourist death.

July 11:  The reported facts are gaining consistency.

Consensus is an accidental death associated with erotic play.

  • June 17, 2009: New evidence suggests Thai lady boy involvement .. lady boys frequent the 5 star Nai Lert Hotel bar.  

  • Lady boys / transsexuals are well know for drugging / violent attacks / robberies on unsuspecting tourists.

The photos published in a Thai newspaper, Thai Rath, show a body with arms tied over his head.

  1. Mr. Carradine's unclothed / partially clothed body was found in the wardrobe of his 5 star hotel by a chambermaid, Nai Lert Hotel.

  2. Mr. Carradine's hands were tied & apparently they were tied over his head to a clothes rod.  Hands tied over his head to a cloths rod is consistent with initial reports that he was found hanging.

  3. Mr. Carradine's penis was tied with a rope that was also 'fastened' around his neck.

  4. The questioned surveillance video shows no entry to his room after his entry.  The hotel is also reporting that the room's 'computer key card locking system' shows no entry / exit from the room after Mr. Carradine went in & that the door was locked from the inside.

   

April 13:  The BBC is reporting that Coup ousted PM Thaksin (AKA Toxin) is directing the dissidence from exile.

Asean Summit canceled due to lawlessness in Pattaya, Thailand.

Saturday April 11: The 4 Pattaya English language newspapers linked to above all have front page stories with pictures.

The site of the conference The Royal Cliff Resort is located at the end of Pra Tamnuk (Hill) Road ..

  • 2 roads provide all access to the 6 star resort .. should have been easy to secure.  Inexcusable incompetence.

 

  • The protestors are the "red shirts" that support ousted former Thai PM Thaksin as opposed to the "yellow shirt" haters of Thaksin that took over the Bangkok airport in late 2008.

  • Pattaya is a dirty crime infested beach town.  Known for prostitution and tourist robberies.

  • Pattaya beach is the only beach that has water so dirty I would not get in!

  • We have recommended for 5 years that Pattaya be avoided.  The summit planners should have read our Thai beach resorts page.

  • Protesting has become a cottage industry.  Reports of both Red & Yellows being paid 1000Thb per day.

  • The Thai government endangering the lives of ASEAN leaders is inexcusable.  All summit dignitaries have been safely helicoptered out.

Saturday AM we tried to drive to Pattaya to see first hand .. check points in both directions, almost no traffic southbound / Pattaya bound, mass exodus north bound / fleeing Pattaya & several taxis full of red shirts to the side surrounded by the boys in brown (police).  We tried some back roads but they were check point blocked also.  We ended up in Bang San north of Pattaya & enjoyed a nice prawn lunch.

Sunday April 12:  The Red Shirt / Thaksin demonstrations have expanded to Bangkok & Chiang Mai

  • Red Shirts have blockaded streets near Victory Monument causing huge traffic congestion.  There are several hospitals in this area & TV is reporting nurses & doctors & critical medical supplies unable to get through the blockades.

  • TV also reports the Red Shirts are blocking the Tae Pae Gate in Chiang Mai..

  • This is Songkran Weekend & there are some upset Thai.  More worried about the traditional festivities than the closing of the airport by the Yellow shirts or disrupting the ASEAN Summit by the Reds.

  • A new group the Blue Shirts (REALLY) are protesting the Red & Yellow protests .. in some cases  the Blues are violently protesting the Reds.

  • The Plaid Shirts are neutral! (not really .. but I will be searching my storage room for old & faded Madras shirts)
  • The gogo girls must be apolitical .. the no shirts. 
  • & white shirts = students
  • Coup ousted PM Thaksin is urging his sponsored Red Shirts to continue with civil disobedience.

  • Thaksin has over 2,000,000,000,000. Thb frozen in Thailand. 

  • Both Thaksin & his wife are fugitives from the Thai court system.

  • Thaksin's extended family is reported to be in a secure Singapore location. (Lotsa Thai are real POed about the mess Thaksin has instigated & financed.)

PM Abhisit's driver after the PM's car was attacked

The Thai Army has mobilized .. & I'm thinkin' tanks against taxi cabs, tanks gotta win ,, nooo, TIT, the protestors have now seized a tank & an armored troop carrier!

  • The PM's car was attacked .. TV video shows the police standing near by ..that's right, standing near by.

  • TV is also reporting the reds seizing buses & using them to block critical intersections..  How long before the airport is targeted.

   

2009: The (reputed) Thai CIA Torture Compound ( Black Ops Site) is back in the news

Thai / CIA Torture cartoons from 2003 (From Thai English Language newspapers)

  • 3 hours of Thai TV Soap Operas is definitely torture under Geneva. ...

  • Issan BBQ beetle delicacies, highly unusual & the chili dipping sauce is cruel ..

  • Thai Moon Shine Whiskey 20 Thb for a recycled water bottle of moon shine .. some of it is pretty smooth.

  • March 4, 2009: Thai Army commander, Gen Anupong Paochinda, has responded by stating that there are (currently, 2009)  no secret interrogation centers at the Udon Thani Air Base.  Earlier reports had the 'advanced interrogation site to be at Bang Dung not the Udon Thani Air Base!    DOH!

  • Udon Thani Air Base comprises .001% of Thailand.  The General made no mention of US torture chambers in the other 99.999% of Thailand.

The US rewarded Thailand / Thaksin

  •  .. "torture for freedom" cooperation placed the Thai-US free trade agreement ahead of other (more moral) trading partners ..

  • the US rewarded "torture for freedom" with with favored trading partner  status.

  • It can be argued that Thailand's loyalty & cooperation with the US was a major component in Thailand's prosperity during the past 5 years.

PAD Wins!    Thaksin's PPP declared Illegal by Thai Court

December 15, 2008: Democrat Abhisit Vejjajiva Elected PM

235 - 198 for a solid Democrat majority coalition ..

Thaksin / TRK / PPP / Pheua Thai / corruption voted Out ... Thank You, PAD!

December 22:  The new cabinet has been installed & it includes Pornthiwa Nakasai, coalition partner Phum Jai Party, whose resume includes being Mamasan of the upscale "fishbowl soapy massage parlor" Poseidon & Ranongrak Suwanchawee whose resume includes being a Registered Nurse.

  • PPP's PM Somchai is Thaksin's brother-in-law.

  • 1st Thaksin's TRK party was ruled illegal, TRK reformed as the PPP, then PPP was declared illegal & reformed as Pheua Thai ..

  • December 11, 2008: Thaksin's Pheua Thai is offering 55,000,000 Thb ($1,570,000 or EU 1,170,000) to each defector from PPP to join the Pheua Thai coalition.

    • Thb 5m to change party, Thb 25m when their change is approved & a final Thb 25m when they vote for the Pheua Thai PM candidate.

    • The election for the new PM is tentatively scheduled for Monday Dec. 15.  The caretaker PM, Chaovarat Chanweerakul, has threatened to dissolve the House of Parliament which the new (2008) constitution apparently allows him to do.

  • December 12: King Rama IX has issued a Royal Decree calling for an extraordinary session of Parliament to choose a new PM.  Rama IX based his decision on the facts that the PM has been vacated by Judicial order & 1/3 of the members of Parliament signed a petition requesting his Royal Decree.

The Best Square Head Ever!

Where is the 100s of 1,000,000 Thb coming from?

Thaksin is one of the richest men on the planet.  Thaksin is fighting asset seizure involving Thb 76,000,000,000. (billion) .. ($2.2B  .. EU1.6B .. 8.4B Shekels .. 60B Rubles ..196B Yen ..  no matter the currency Thaksin stands to lose a lot.)

  • "Do you know how many countries there are in the world? There are 197. And only 17 have an extradition treaty with Thailand," Thaksin smirks "Better still, only 10 of those treaties are active. So, don't you worry about me, I still have many places to stay..."

November 12, 2008:  Thaksin divorces Poki-mom, his wife of 32 years .. no immediate reaction from Thaksin's Mai Noi Ka Lydia.

Ousted & exiled PM Thaksin, aka square head, is a funny guy. Thaksin owns the Manchester City Professional Football Team (England & not Man United) . Thaksin is trying to make British professional football players bow to him .. bow Thai style!

Thaksin has been in exiled since the September 19, 2006.  Military Coup D' Etat  & has convicted in absentia of multiple criminal offenses in 2008.

In Thailand it is very important to respect the customs, wishes and traditions of the Thai people.

  • Harry Nicolaides is an Australian author of a book VERISIMILITUDE ~excerpts~  (50 copies were printed and seven sold) has been jailed for 5 months for lèse-majesté. ..  "my cell is 12 meters long and just over four meters wide, holding 50 or 60 prisoners"

    • The book contains 103 words that references rumors about the “romantic entanglements and intrigues” of the family of the Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and particularly his son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn

    • Feb.21, 2009:  Mr. Nicolaides was granted a pardon by King Rama IX & has returned to Australia.

  • Lèse-majesté charges against a BBC reporter who stated at a conference on the 2006 coup,   "The King is 79 years old and in uncertain health. His son, the Crown Prince, does not enjoy the same affection that his father does, and many Thais feel he cannot fill his father's shoes. These concerns are well-known in Bangkok; less so in the countryside" ... this statement was translated to the Crown Prince does not have the same happiness and affection as His Majesty the King does' & the phrase ‘he cannot fill his father's shoes' was interpreted in his Thai translation as meaning ‘he cannot succeed to [his father's] throne'.

    • Charges were filed on April 8 against Jonathan Head and committee members of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT), alleging that they had committed the offence at a seminar entitled ‘Coup, Capital and Crown' on December 13, 2007.

  • 2009: There are currently 32 new cases of Lèse-majesté under investigation.  The penalty is 15 years.

Bottom Line:  Be very careful & 100% respectful in any statement made regarding the Thai Royal Family .. out of context, poor translation & / or misinterpretation can result in horrendous consequences!

 Yellow Shirts worn by PAD protesters represent loyalty to King Rama IX

  • Twice courts have declared partys associated with Thaksin to be illegal & twice now they have simply renamed them selves.

  • The Democrat Party supported by PAD contends that it has garnered a majority coalition.

  • If the Democrats lose the PM election in Parliament expect PAD to again protest.

Venus, Jupiter & the moon align over Bangkok

December 2. 350,000 tourists stranded

 

Reports of Thaksin's PPP offering Viagra for votes!   "stand up for PPP"

 

Thailand Hotels .. beach huts from 200Thb .. island villas 50,000Thb .. 60 Hotels with free WiFi

The Thai political situation boiled down to as few words as possible ..

  • Thailand is a parliamentary democratic system + is a constitutional monarchy.  Voters cast their ballot for a party not a PM.  In parliamentary democracy parties build coalitions to select the PM.

    • The above simplified synopsis of parliamentary democracy is covered by text books in the library.

  • The current PM represents the PPP a replacement for the outlawed Thai Rak Thai party of ousted PM Thaksin.

  • In my apartment building (& at work) most of us, expats & white collar Thai, support PAD .. ??

Note: DemoCrazy  on Sign .. Phonetic or Freudian?

International news stories seem to be written by reporters who do not even know the yellow shirts represent loyalty to  King Rama IX.  Many reports seem to be written out of country by reporters who know nothing of Thailand.

  • PPP is the favored party in rural poverty stricken  areas & is the renamed Thai Rak Thai of Thaksin

  • PAD contends that rural favor is garnered by PPP with payoffs ranging from a few 100s Thb to politicians offering Viagra for votes"stand up for PPP?"

  • Thaksin promised each rural village 25,000 Thb for support.

PAD demonstration PA system.

 

Sept. 3, 2008 13 minute Video on the current Thai political unrest. (requires Flash)

 

Oct 5,  '08 Demonstrations over former PM in exile Thaksin's brother-in -law, Somchi, being appointed PM by Samuk & the PPP controlled Parliament.

Nov. 08:  2 Pad demonstrators killed & 400 hospitalized at demonstration.

Sept. 2008.  Massive demonstration by PAD resulted in a declaration of emergency by the elected PPP's PM Samuk.

PAD, PAD = People's Alliance for Democracy, is comprised of the middle class & the college educated .. mostly in Bangkok.  The rural areas are strong for Samuk's, Somchi's & Thaksin's PPP.

  • Samuk resigned & ousted by coup PM Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchi was appointed PM

    • Thaksin's wife has already been convicted of tax evasion & fraud.

  • October, 2008: PAD demonstrations continue & violence escalates.

  • October 5,  '08 Demonstrations over former PM in exile Thaksin's brother-in -law being appointed PM.

  • PAD called for PM Samuk to resign.

  • Phuket & Hat Yai airports were closed by demonstrators leaving over 20,000 tourists stranded.

  • Sept. 17, 2008:  A new PM, Somchi who is ousted PM Thaksin's brother-in-law, was appointed by the PPP controlled parliament.  A token opposition candidate acceptable to PAD was nominated.

  • PAD immediately issued a statement calling Somchi an unacceptable  puppet of Thaksin

  • Sept 17, 2008.  2 new arrest warrants have been issued for Thaksin.  The number of Thaksin warrants for fraud are increasing daily

  • Oct 4, '08: Thaksin has applied for asylum in the UK.  Brit tourist are reported to being held responsible.

  • Nov 20, '08:  The UK revoked Thaksin's Visa!

 

2008: & now .. Major changes to Thai Visa Permits / Entry Permits.  For a 30 day stay in Thailand no visa is required .. these rule changes only effect long term Thailand residents.  Does not effect legitimate tourists.

Thaksin convicted in absentia sentenced to 2 years in prison! .. the guy is one of the richest men in the world .. literally a billionaire .. and has a sociopath compulsion to illegally obtain more wealth .. obviously the "criminally insane" defense was applicable.

  • Ousted PM Thaksin, aka square head, is a funny guy. Thaksin owns the Manchester City Professional Football Team (England & not Man United) . Thaksin is trying to make British professional football players bow to him .. bow Thai style!

September 19, 2006.  Thailand Military Coup D' Etat .. The Army was actually greeted with flowers!    :-)

King Rama IX is the most powerful man in Thailand.

  • King Rama IX is held to the esteem of a deity & is truly loved by the Thai people.

  • Yellow ribbons on the Coup D'Etat's tanks signify loyalty to the king.

  • King Bhumibol, aka Rama IX,  is the richest monarch on the planet with assets totaling over us$35 billion .. King Rama IX is richer than the Royal families of the Persian Gulf yet lives a relatively modest lifestyle.
Thailand The Land of Smiles.  General Information about Thailand. Thailand History.  6000 years from the world's 1st bronze age culture to 21st century economic status and political enviroment. Thailand Medical Tourism:  Globalization that benefits the individual not the globalized corporation Bangkok Thailand where the Ancient Far East has melded with the 21st century West. Issan The archaeology & culturally rich Easter Region of Thailand Chiang Mai and The Golden Triangle Region of Northern Thailand Thailand Islands & Beaches are recognized to be some of the most beautiful on the Planet Thailand is a shoppers paradise.  From custom silk clothing, to electronics, to Asian antiques .. it's all in Thaialnd Thailand Gyms.  Your best Thai souvenir could by your professionally designed exercise program. The right Thailand Tour Guide will make your vacation the most memorable of your life Thailand offers quality hotels from unbelievely inexpensive to 6 star opulence. Thailand English Language Newspapers by region Bangkok offers world class entertianment venues .. from down home music venues to world class resturants. Elephants are the national symbol of Thailand.  The Thai people love Chang Thai massage is theraputic & quite wonderful .. be sure to experience Thai massage.

The Preah Vihear Temple sits atop a cliff at the natural geographic border between Thailand & Cambodia. Preah Vihear sits on the edge of Chuor Phnum Dângrêk, the sandstone escarpment at the southern edge of Thailand's Korat Plateau.

Access from Cambodia straight up cliff, no roads!

The Preah Vihear Temple built in 1053 has become front page news in 2008.

The border dispute is rooted in French Indochina Colonial territorial expansion into sovereign Siam in 1887.  French & British maps of 1880s show both Preah Vihear & Angkor Wat to be in Siam.

 

 

  • Thaksin's Mai Noi (literally minor wife) Lydia is a Thai pop singer.
  • Thaksin's wife, Pojamarn Shinawatra, has been convicted of tax evasion & fraud, 546 million baht (US$16.4 million).  She got 3 years but fled Thailand while on bail.
  • Sept.'08 More warrants have now been issued for the Thaksins related to separate fraudulent transactions.
  • November 12, 2008:  Thaksin divorces his wife of 32 years .. no immediate reaction from Thaksin's Mai Noi Ka Lydia.
  • Lydia's video right.
 

Lydia's music video is best viewed with the sound off!

Medical Tourism Book Store

Thai Beach Maps

Golden Triangle Maps

Bangkok region maps

Streaming Phuket TV . Phuket Gazette.com

4 months after opening Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport is suffering from cracked runways

January, 2007.  Foundation problems are now being noted in the terminal & all is  attributed to corruption in former PM Thaksin's ousted government ..

More than 100,000 sq meters (1,000,000 sq feet) of runway are affected. The the construction was bonded by Diphaya Insurance.
Repair costs are expected to be more than Bt1 billion,

The airport is built on a drained swamp .. Cobra Swamp .. & thus Suvarnabhumi is known by locals affectionately  as Cobra Swamp Field..

Both domestic & international flights in January 2007 are being delayed dues to runway safety.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport runway cracks were reported in the Bangkok Post 2 years prior to the airport opening.  

A lawsuit was threatened by the PM Thaksin's cronies /  contractors.  The Bangkok Post published a retraction & the editor who uncovered the faulty construction was fired!

24 August 2005, "Bangkok Post" news editor Chadin Thepaval was forced to resign by ousted PM Thaksin because of his correct report about cracks in the runway of Suvarnabhumi airport.

Thailand Maps   Thai Visas

Direct links to over 200 Thai hotels & apartments 45 w/ free wifi .. $10 Beach huts to $500. spas.

Thai Language Newspaper Front Pages Sept 20, 2006 Thailand Military Coup d'état

Thailand Resources

Historic value of the Thai Baht since 1990:   $:Thb  &   EUR:Thb

  1990

1995

1997

1998

2001

2005

2007

2008

Jan. 1

Feb 1

Mar 1

April 1

April 10

April 14

April 15

$:Thb

1:25.7 1:25.1 1:25.6 1:48.3 1:43.2 1:39.1 1:36.1 1:29.5 1:34.8 1:34.9 1:36.1 1:35.5

1:35.4

1:35.7 1:35.6
EUR:Thb 1:30.6 1:30.7 1:32.1 1:52.8 1:41.4 1:52.4 1:47.6 1:43.0 1:48.2 1:44.6 1:45.6 1:47.0

1:47.0

1:47.6

1:47.4
  Nice Houses on Phuket from 10,000 Tbt per month

Thailand Resources

       

A former Peace Corp volunteer's photo journal of an incredible adventure, a bus trip across Europe & Asia in the '70s .. quite an adventure

definitely worth a look!

Mike retired as manager with Social Security Administration .. . & now lives in remote Thailand ..

Mike is a most interesting dude . that did it his way!