26 Pattaya Today PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 4/26
Government Faces Criticism Over Its Handling Of Swine Flu Apart from trying to minimise the impact of the Swine flu epidemic, currently sweeping Thailand, with 100 new cases daily, the Government is coming in for fierce criticism over its general handling of the medical crisis. Research from Mexico has contradicted the contention that already chronically ill people are most at risk, saying perfectly healthy individuals have succumbed. It now appears the young are most at risk, followed by the elderly and pregnant women. Thais Really Taken By New Panda Cub. The six-week-old, female panda cub is drawing huge numbers of eager, curious visitors to its newly announced public debut. Keepers at Chiang Mai Zoo were taken by surprise by its actually being born, after they had almost given up hope, despite desperate efforts, including showing its parents a panda sex video. Thais are fascinated by the cub, so much so that half a million entered the competition to name it. Street Elephants to Be Returned To Jungle Street elephants, exploited by their often criminal owners who use them for begging, are to be given a new lease of life by being returned to the wild, instead of risking life and limb in Bangkok’s manic traffic. A foundation, with royal links, is prepared to pay Bt68,000, each, to return them to their native jungle habitats and maverick owners will face fines of Bt35,000 if they attempt to bring elephants into the capital. Adopt a Jumbo In a similar jumbo tale, it seems, private foundations aren’t the only ones who want to relocate elephants, this time to reserves in the countryside. Under an innovative scheme, backed by Bangkok Governor, Sukhumphan Boriphat, you can now adopt an elephant for a mere Bt500,000 and have it shipped off to the forest. Half of Bangkok’s elephant population of 200, have already been relocated. Once in their new homes, the elephants can be trained to search the forest for food. Karen Refugees Find Cold Comfort Across Border Desperate ethnic Karen refugees are streaming across the border at Mae Sot, over 4,000 in the last month, fleeing the intensifying conflict between Karen National Union fighters and the Burmese Army, as well as landmines a nd atrocities, to further burden the Thai authorities with the headache of accommodating them. Places are unavailable in Thai camps, however, and malaria-prone shanty-villages are springing up along the border, where refuge can’t be sought in temples or schools. Abhisit’s Ring Of Steel Abhisit is determined not to allow a repetition of the Pattaya fiasco and will decisively nip any potential protests in the bud at the forthcoming ASEAN triple in Phuket (the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) and the 16th ASEAN Regional Forum), by establishing a five-kilometre wide cordon sanitaire around the island from July 10-24. The stringent security will be enforced under the Internal Security Act if the cabinet approves it.
Vol. 8 No. 21 16 - 31 July 2009
Thailand To Get 1st VIP Airport Terminal Airports of Thailand, overlords of Thailand’s 6 international airports, will allow the ASA Group to establish Thailand’s first world-class fixed base operation (FBO) at Phuket International Airport, providing much needed VIP facilities, including a business centre, tailored solutions for high-end, diplomatic and large aircraft operations, security, aircraft charter, concierge services, over-flight and landing clearances, customs and immigration and limousine transfers and hotel accommodation. The FBO aims to be operational by the end of the summer. Southern Insurgency’s Legacy of Sorrow The five-year Muslim insurgency in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwas, and parts of Songkla Province, especially since the escalation in violence in the area in the last 30 months, has created a bitter harvest, a deep and lasting legacy of heartbreak and despondency, in the form of nearly 3,000 orphans and numerous widows. Pattani has 542 widows, Yala 502, Narathiwat 439 and Songkhla 69. Thailand And Cambodia Up The Ante Over Wat Preah Vihear While Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is keen to play down any talk of war over the build up of Thai trops near the disputed temple of Preah Vihear, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong is adopting a tough stance, maintaining Cambodian troops are ready to cope with any belligerent situation. Both countries have recently increased their troop numbers in the area, with Thailand’s Second Army Area commander having rotated his troops in readiness for any contingency. Security Forces In South Wounded By Roadside Bomb An eleven-strong foot patrol of soldiers and government-trained defence volunteers patrolling near railway lines in Narathiwat Province were taken by surprise by an insurgents’ booby trap, recently, in the form of small homemade bomb. The bomb exploded at the roadside, blowing the left leg off one of the volunteers and wounding several others. In June, 36 people were killed, including 10 at a Narathiwat mosque, and over 100 injured in other incidents. Joint Venture To Mine Manganese Though relatively rich in natural resources, Thailand sometimes lacks the know-how or capital to fully exploit what it possesses and welcomes the input of foreigners. A case in point is manganese, a recent announcement proclaimed the setting up of a joint venture company, to be called IMC Thailand Manganese Co., by the Indochina Mining Corporation (IMC), and a Thai company, Enter Blessing Co. Ltd., to exploit the manganese deposits in Thailand. US Schools Superintendent Organised Sex Tours In Thailand And Mexico An American suspected paedophile, Albert Rogers, an ex-schools superintendent arrested for organising child sex tours to Mexico, confessed that he was involved in similar antics in Thailand. He purported to be a bona fide travel agent arranging legal adult night tours, visiting cabarets, etc., but was in fact organizing tours that procured children for sex with adults. 200 child-pornography videos were found on his home computer and sexual paraphernalia in his house. GM SE Asia - All Right Jack Although General Motors back home are in dire straits, General Motors’ SE Asia will apparently benefit from the new GM company, largely owned by the U.S. government, and possessing all the former GM’s good assets. GM Rayong, last year produced 104,461 vehicles, though falling demand mean this year only 45, 000
will be produced. It intends investing Bt15 billion in a diesel-engine and one-ton pickup project, producing 100,000 units annually. Nok Fever ‘Infects’ Thailand Everyone it seems is eager to leap on the ‘Nok’ (bird), Noppawan Lertcheewakarn bandwagon. World number one junior tennis ace, Nok, 17, from Chiang Mai, recently won the girls’ singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon and now the Tourism and Sports Ministry is likely to give her a diplomatic passport, as ‘Thai ambassador’ to sports, and government financial support. TV programmes are also clamouring to have her on in their shows. Red Shirts Want A Royal Pardon For Thaksin The Red Shirts would like to collect one million signatures within a month on a petition to His Majesty the King in a bid to gain a pardon for their idol, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. However, one of the red-shirt leaders, Veera Musigapong, said they’d likely drop the plan if it didn’t reach its target. The man himself, meanwhile, escaped arrest in Kuala Lumpur, by the skin of his teeth, recently; escaping to Fiji. David Carradine Most Likely Asphyxiated Famed Kung Fu movie star David Carradine, who was found dead in his Bangkok hotel closet under mysterious circumstances on June 4, almost certainly died from asphyxiation the latest findings of Thai authorities aver; a verdict that was backed by pathologist, Dr. Michael Baden, though said he cannot yet determine whether Carradine’s death was accidental or a homicide. Baden said autoerotic asphyxiation remains a possible cause of death, though he reserves final judgement till all the facts are in. Asia Rather Than Africa The Birthplace Of Primates In a conference in Bangkok, Chris Beard, a paleontologist at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh and a member of the team that found the 38 millionyear-old fossilized primate-like jawbones and teeth in Myanmar said it was likely a common ancestor of humans, monkeys and apes, which had evolved in Asia, rather than Africa. A contention that is likely to upset conventional opinion about evolution (but at the end of the day, that’s all it is, an ‘opinion’). Tourism Down 14.7% On Last Year Tourism figures for the first 4 months of 2009, were down 14.7% on those from the same period last year. This was attributed to political instability and street demos, as well as the global economic downturn, as consumers became more circumspect about spending on leisure and business travel. No mention was made of the Red Shirt riots or the airport closures, however, which obviously had an adverse effect. From an earlier over-optimistic target for 2009, tourist expectations have now been revised to 13.3 million and 14 million for 2010. Thai-Vietnamese Ties Remain Strong Good news for Sattahip Naval Base, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged Thailand to bolster military co-operation for the mutual benefit of both countries. PM Nguyen endorsed continuing joint sea patrols, information exchanges, officer training and co-operation in crime prevention and control. He was also encouraged by the two countries’ inter-cooperation in the economic sphere, trade, investment, culture, education and training and security. He also looks forward to welcoming PM Abhisit to Vietnam, soon. Allegedly The Best Attraction In Thailand Fancy spending a day soaring through the rainforest canopy, leaping Tarzan-like from platforms to treehouses to sky bridges, sliding down zip-lines and cables? Apparently, this was the prerogative of scientists, before, but now anyone can try it. When you’ve finished the acrobatics, you can eat lunch and then go on a 1-hour river or waterfall trek. This eco-friendly pastime is available in Chiang Mai, Samui and soon apparently near here!