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Thai Politics

February is Spicy Month

by Admin February 10, 2010 Thai Politics
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So we bid farewell to the first month of 2010. Here in Thailand that means that the tourists numbers will begin to trickle off and the temperatures (and humidity) will begin rising daily over the next few months. But for those of us living here, we may not even need to wait until Songkran to [...]

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Thanksin Crosses the Point of No Return . . . . Again. Really This Time

by Admin April 21, 2009 Thai News Snippets

Every time the ante gets upped in this ongoing struggle between the reds and yellows someone inevitably says that Thaksin has crossed the point of no return.  But this is Thailand so just when you think you’ve seen it all, boom!, something even more surprising happens. Thanksin has been taking pot shots at the government, [...]

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Round Two: Everyone Loses By Tulsathit Taptim

by Admin April 11, 2009 Thai Politics

An interesting OpEd piece in The Nation from Tulsathit Taptim. Even though Thaksin Shinawatra may be laughing, there is no winner after the Pattaya infamy Pattaya will lose billions of baht. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has lost his face, and his job is under greater threat. To other Thais, Songkran has been pretty much spoiled. [...]

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Can Thailand Turn Lemons Into Lemonaide?

by Admin December 6, 2008 Thai Politics

I certainly don’t wish anyone hard times or any sort of financial despair but let’s face it, what I write isn’t really going to make a difference whether or not it actually happens.  All I can do is speculate on what happens if government predictions hold true and tourist numbers are cut in half in [...]

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Thailand’s Coming ‘Inflation Tsunami’ Threatens to Wash Away Decade of Growth

by The Ghost July 21, 2008 General

As much as I would love to focus on just the fun Pattaya has to offer, it’s getting pretty difficult to ignore what’s happening to this country. Thailand increasingly feels like it’s being ripped apart. Hundreds to thousands of people daily are protesting in Bangkok’s streets against the government and, now, the national police. Prime [...]

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Could This Be A Turning Point In Thailand’s Future?

by Billy Bangkok July 11, 2008 Thai Politics

Let me echo the words of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, “If you don’t help to make democracy move forward, it will be the country’s downfall.” These words first uttered in April of 2006 and repeated by the king several times since were aimed at the judiciary branch of the government.  King Bhumibol seems to be a [...]

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Overdevelopment Killed Pattaya, Phuket; Is Koh Chang Next?

by The Ghost July 8, 2008 Climate

On pretty much any morning in Jomtien Beach, you can take an early stroll on the beach and find it carpeted with garbage. On Pattaya Beach, schools of dead fish and jellyfish have been washing up on shore for the past several weeks. Even seas off of Pattaya’s Near Islands are lime green and frothing [...]

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High on Rice

by The Farang July 3, 2008 Thai Politics

I’m not sure if Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan has been mainlining rice extract but I have to ask after reading this: Mingkwan said the continuing trend would help turn Southeast Asia into a prosperous region, comparable even with the Middle East. First let’s overlook the fact that Mingkwan has not sung [...]

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‘To Return to a Democratic Thailand’

by Norrad September 22, 2007 Thai Politics

I recieved this email a few days ago and thought I would share it with all of you. I can’t guarantee it’s authenticity but it makes for an interesting read. ——————————– ‘To Return to a Democratic Thailand’ By: Thaksin Shinawatra One year ago today I was in New York , preparing to address the United [...]

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Home? Where Is That Exactly?

by Union Hill August 26, 2007 Thai Politics

Recent changes to the visa rules coupled with general political instability in Thailand have prompted many ex-pat residents to ask themselves if now is the time to go home or at least time to seek out a new home somewhere else. Somewhere where we might be better received buy our hosts. It has always been [...]

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