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Thailand’s government will submit a petition to King Bhumibol Adulyadej asking him to grant a royal pardon to exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, risking renewed conflict a month after his sister became prime minister. The government will revive a 2009 petition from Thaksin’s supporters as part of efforts to bring him back into the country, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said today in Bangkok. Thaksin, ousted in a coup five years ago, has lived overseas since fleeing a 2008 jail sentence for abuse of power. “Without Thaksin, we wouldn’t win a landslide in the election,” Chalerm said in comments broadcast on TNN cable television network. “If we have an opportunity, we will try everything to return fairness to Mr. Thaksin and bring him back home.” The petition could trigger protests, which erupted in 2008 when Thaksin’s opponents seized airports and government buildings to help oust his allies the last time they held power. The military cited a threat to the monarchy when toppling Thaksin in 2006. “A strategy that involves a petition to the king is inevitably very provocative,” Michael Montesano, a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, said by phone. “This will certainly enrage the enemies of the government.” Thailand’s benchmark SET Index has gained 2.4 percent since Yingluck Shinawatra led her party to victory on July 3, the third-best performer in Asia after Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The baht has gained 2.4 percent against the dollar in that time, the best among Asia’s 10 most-traded currencies excluding the Japanese yen. ‘Normal Process’ Thaksin backers submitted a petition in August 2009 seeking a pardon from the king for the fugitive billionaire. Chalerm said former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva blocked the initiative. The request “was shelved by the previous government,” Chalerm said. “What this government will do is just bring this petition back to the normal process.” for the entire article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-08/thai-government-backs-royal-pardon-to-get-thaksin-home-correct-.html

The Rehabilitation site and Center for Conservation Education and Fund-Raising are both located in Khao Pra Theaw Non-Hunting Area at the Bang Pae Waterfall, Phuket, Thailand. It is about 9 km. east from the Heroines Monument. You can visit our center and see some of the gibbons from the veiwing platform. The Center open daily 9am to 4.30pm. We do not charge an entrance fee. We are around 20 km away from Phuket International Airport, from here you should follow the sign to the Heroines monument and turn left onto road 4027. Follow the road until you see the sign for Bang Pae Waterfall, where you turn left and drive for 1 km to the entrance of the park. You will have to pay an entrance fee to the National Park Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. Once inside the park a car park is provided and you can walk from here to our center. http://www.gibbonproject.org/

Pattaya information and Pattaya tips. Holiday tips and holiday information Pattaya, Thailand. Welcome to the holiday in Pattaya, Thailand page. An useful Pattaya holiday and Pattaya vacation guide with tips and information for your Pattaya vacation. Find the best way for your holiday in Pattaya, Thailand. We help you for find the best places this amazing city on the east coast from Thailand have. In the 25 years we be in Pattaya, we know exactly the good places to be and what the bad one are. We have the best tips for you to enjoy your Pattaya vacation. Websites from hotels, guest houses, apartments and other places to stay. Trips and excursions in and around Pattaya, from dinning to sport events. Information about Pattaya, beaches, shopping centers, renting cars or motorbikes and much more. Sites from Bars, Business properties and Real Estates. Everything what you looking for you can find it here. One of the most famous night life's you find it in Pattaya. Pattaya city, the place who never sleeps in Thailand. http://www.holiday-pattaya.com/

Most people who frequent Thai restaurants, whether in Bangkok or elsewhere in the world, feel that the words “royal Thai cuisine” convey some mystical feeling of Thai food being cooked differently. And that’s exactly how the restaurants want you to feel. But in reality, royal Thai cuisine -- as it is advertised to unsuspecting Thais and foreigners alike -- is just a marketing tool that allows them to charge more. By saying they're cooking dishes that were once only served to royalty, they are attempting to set themselves apart from the thousands of street stalls that serve regular but often just as delicious Thai cuisine. I can say with a fair bit of certainty that I know what “royal” Thai cuisine is, having been brought up eating it while growing up in the palace with my great aunt Queen Rambhi Barni. Firstly, the dishes are no different from those that most Thais eat in their homes. Royal cuisine includes soups like tom yum goong, curries like green chicken and everything else that your average Thai Joe would eat. That said, there are some differences –- few of which are on offer at restaurants purporting to sell royal Thai cuisine -- but they all relate to the way that the food is prepared and served. Aesthetics and extremes Only the best and freshest ingredients are used in making royal Thai food. Furthermore, there are no extremes in flavors which means not too hot, not too salty, not too sour and not too spicy. Everything is balanced. Read more: Chef McDang: The myth of 'royal' Thai cuisine | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/eat/chef-mcdang-myth-royal-thai-cuisine-655324#ixzz1XWs0Z1kz

he surprise runaway winner of Thailand's election, the Pheu Thai party, says it has agreed to form a coalition with four smaller parties. The party - led by by Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra - won a clear majority with an estimated 265 seats. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has announced his resignation as leader of the Democrats, which won 160 seats. The outgoing defence minister said the powerful army would accept the result. Final results from Sunday's poll are due on Tuesday. Ms Yingluck, who has no previous political experience, said Pheu Thai and four other parties had "agreed to work together to run the country and solve people's problems". "The first urgent issue is how to achieve reconciliation," she said. Thailand has been plagued by internal division since Mr Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in 2006. This election comes a year after protests against the current government left more than 90 people dead. Many of the demonstrators were supporters of Mr Thaksin. 'In good hands' Critics of Ms Yingluck say she is too inexperienced and is simply a proxy for her brother. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14010235

BANGKOK, July 3, 2011 (AFP) - Opposition allies of Thai fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra scored a landslide election win, exit polls showed Sunday, marking a stunning comeback after years of turmoil sparked by a military coup. The poll was the first major electoral test for the elite-backed government since mass protests by Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters last year paralysed Bangkok and unleashed the worst political violence in decades. Thaksin's Puea Thai Party is set to win 313 seats out of 500, against 152 for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrats, according to a projection by Suan Dusit University. Other exit polls painted a similar picture. Opposition supporters erupted into cheers at their party's headquarters in Bangkok as television stations announced the news. Toppled by the military in 2006 and now living in self-imposed exile in Dubai to avoid a jail term for corruption, Thaksin nevertheless dominated the election, after tapping his youngest sister to run in his place. Yingluck Shinawatra, a telegenic businesswoman who is now set to become Thailand's first ever female prime minister, is a 44-year-old political novice described by Thaksin as his "clone". The former billionaire telecoms tycoon remains a hugely divisive figure. He is adored by rural voters for his populist policies while in power such as cheap healthcare and microcredit schemes, but hated by the ruling elite who see him as corrupt, authoritarian and a threat to the revered monarchy. More than 170,000 police were deployed to secure the vote, but it appeared to proceed peacefully. Long queues were seen at polling stations in what was one of the country's most hotly contested election in decades. There had been fears that a close result could trigger a fresh round of street protests and possibly another coup, but a clear win by the opposition would make it harder for the generals to justify seizing power. The Puea Thai party has proposed an amnesty for convicted politicians -- a move apparently aimed at bringing Thaksin home, where he faces terrorism charges in connection with the April-May 2010 protests. For the full story: http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/taglibrary/thematic/actuality

Nineteen 19 Thai farm workers who were victims of human trafficking are being allowed to stay in Canada another two years so they'll have time to apply for permanent residency. In what could be a precedent-setting case, the workers no longer face being sent to jail or deported. The workers paid recruiters in Thailand up to $10,000 each to bring them to Canada to work for employers who in some cases were abusive. "[The ruling] is empowering for workers," said Cathy Kolar, an immigration specialist who represented the workers at a hearing of the Canadian Immigration Board, which decided in their favour. "It's empowering for future victims, because this sets a precedent [that] Canada is not going to dispose of you." For full article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2011/06/21/wdr-thai-human-trafficking.html

The economic resilience that saw companies from Ford Motor Co. (F) to Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) invest in Thailand even amid its worst political violence in two decades may be tested next month as polls indicate a win for the party removed from power twice in the past five years. Pheu Thai, backed by exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, led the ruling Democrats by 13 percentage points in a poll released June 18 by the National Institute of Development and Administration. The army, which deposed Thaksin in 2006, has warned voters to avoid picking the “same thing” as previous times; disputes over the last election led to airport seizures, arson attacks and protests that killed more than 100 people. Clashes between rural and urban voters in the country of 67 million people didn’t stop successive governments embracing trade and foreign investment or deter tourist arrivals, which jumped to a record in 2010. The economy last year grew the fastest since at least 1995, and Thai stocks were among the world’s 10 best performers. “Our companies have endured coups over the last few decades and survived,” Hugh Young, who helps manage $70 billion in Asian equities at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Ltd., said by e-mail. “We’re just watching and hoping for the best” from the July 3 vote, he said. The ability of the world’s top exporter of rice and rubber to also attract manufacturers that account for 40 percent of gross domestic product makes the economy more vulnerable to global setbacks than domestic troubles. Thai GDP fell 2.3 percent in 2009 amid a global recession, then jumped 7.8 percent last year. The government’s planning agency sees growth between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent this year as global demand slows. For full article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-21/thai-election-may-test-economic-resilience-that-lured-dow-ford.html

Thailand officially submitted last week the candidacy of Ayutthaya city to host the World Expo 2020. Thailand has been thrilled by the enormous success of Shanghai World Expo 2010, which attracted 70 million visitors, a world record in the history of such an event. Thailand announced last year its bid to host the event and short-listed rapidly three locations: Chiang Mai, Chonburi, and Ayutthaya. Although Chonburi - with the infamous city of Pattaya - is easy to reach from Bangkok and from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the province image could have turned into a source of problems. Visitors to the World Expo could effectively be exposed to what is probably the largest concentration of prostitutes in the world. Chiang Mai also represented an attractive alternative. However, tourism remains very shaky in Thailand’s northern capital. Despite its attractions, Chiang Mai hotels suffer from oversupply with occupancy of around 40% last year. Building mega-infrastructures in Chiang Mai would have then cost a lot of money, with weak perspectives to balance the investment post-Expo. Chiang Mai was due to expand its airport to accommodate 12 million passengers – compared to 3.5 million passengers last year - while a high-speed train would have linked the city to Bangkok. Selecting Ayutthaya was then the most logical development. The city is only 70 km away north of Bangkok and is already easy to reach by a good highway system from the capital. In 2010, commercial accommodation in Ayutthaya registered 340,000 travelers, including 143,000 foreign visitors. But according to the management of Ayutthaya Historical Park, about 4 million people come every year to visit the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site. However, the city has been threatened to be removed from the UNESCO list, as development is uncontrolled and law enforcement is poor with respect to the urban planning of the old city. In the last two decades, high-rise buildings or enlarged roads have encroached into historical areas, destroying the old charm of the city. For full article: http://www.eturbonews.com/23553/thailand-pushes-ayutthaya-world-expo-arena

Thailand's "yellow shirts" protest movement targeted the political opposition on Tuesday over its links to ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, urging the nation's election watchdog to disband the party as it races ahead in opinion polls. It was unclear whether the Election Commission (EC) would take any action following the complaint by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which held mass protests in 2006 and 2008 that undermined two governments led or backed by Thaksin, who is banned from politics and lives in exile to evade a two-year prison sentence for corruption. The complaint comes as the Puea Thai Party led by Thaksin's charismatic 44-year-old sister Yingluck Shinawatra gathers momentum ahead of the July 3 election, garnering support with promises of a revival of her brother's populist policies. PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan said Puea Thai should be dissolved for breaching rules that prohibit convicted or disqualified politicians from participating in politics. The move adds to uncertainty in a country caught up in a five-year spiral of political conflict pitting Thaksin's mostly rural and urban working class supporters against generals, royalists and conservative elites deeply opposed to him. Most independent analysts expect complications in the formation of the next government and say street protests or legal action could be launched by either side to contest the outcome of the election. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a political analyst at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies suggested the PAD's complaint was part of a broader strategy by Thaksin's powerful opponents to stifle Puea Thai and avert the tycoon's planned return from exile without serving jail time. For full article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/21/us-thailand-election-yellowshirts-idUSTRE75K38I20110621

Bangkok Royal Orchid Paradise Date: In June, 2011 Venue: Siam Paragon Shopping Mall, Bangkok Activities: Be excited by more than 80shades of orchid and the creative decorated from florist ambitious that can make you fatuous. See the beauty of pleasing of Thai and International orchid. For more information Siam Paragon Retail Co Ltd., Tel. +66 2690 1000 TAT Call Center 1672

A festival presenting opera, music, ballet and dance from countries all around the world. http://www.bangkokfestivals.com/Programme/2010/

Chiangrai city municipal arrange the large candle parade of the 2011 year in purpose of good local cultural and traditional conservation. The event is on July 16,2011 at Tung park and Koam Chiangrai and Wat Phra Sing. And, they also invite commumities to attend in large candle parade for competition. The parade will be on July 16, 2011 at Tung park and Koam Chiangrai and Wat Phra Sing. Activities - The large candle contest 1.The large candle contest in beautiful category and the thougt of faithing group together with temples in Chiangrai city municipal area to decorate on the pick-up 2.The large candle contest in beautiful category and side things that is menial things with parades (carving on the vehicles) - The large candle parades - Lanna Music performances Wat Phra Sing is the third ranked royal temple, common type. It's located on Sing Klai road, Wiang tumbon, Muang district, Chiangrai province. It is assumed that the temple might have built in 1928 B.E. in Phra Chao Maha Prom, the younger brother of Phra Chao Guerna (Chiangmai ruler) period who rule Chiangrai city between 1888 – 1943 B.E. The cause of the “Wat Phra Sing” name might be that once the temple is used to be placed the invaluable Buddhist image of Thailand. It is Phra Buddha Si Hing or known in commomly as “Phra Sing”. At the present, Wat Phra Sing is the placed that placing Phra Buddha Si Hing (Phra Sing), the immitating Buddhist image from Chiangsan arts. It is Marn Wi Chai posture in bronze and gild type. It is national buddhist image of thailand for a long time. It was build in around 700 B.E. in Lanka. It is placed in Lanka for 1,150 years and then it was respectfully engaged to place in Thailand. For more information: Chiangrai city municipal office Tel. +66 5371 1333 ext. 304 - 5, 307 Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chiangrai office Tel. +66 5371 7433, +66 5374 4674-5

Racing competitions, including wheelchairs, quarter-marathon, half-marathon, and marathon. Both Thai and international persons are allowed to participate. For more information: Pattaya Metropolitan Administration Tel. +66 3825 3127 - 9, Call Center 1337 http://www.pattaya-marathon.com Tourism Authority of Thailand, Pattaya office Tel. +66 3842 7667, +66 3842 8750

Deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the de-facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party, yesterday promised the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce that if the party is elected and forms the new government, he will support the development of business owners and boost the purchasing power of workers. Thaksin spent hours listening and talking to the chamber members through an Internet video link at a Bangkok hotel. He said measures such as a low-tax regime, sovereign wealth fund, easier visa requirements for tourists and a hike in the minimum wage to Bt300 a day will be a boon to the economy and society. He vowed to make Thailand a trade and travel hub of the region, not unlike Dubai in the Middle East. He would gradually lower the income tax over two years from 30 per cent to 20 per cent, arguing that this, along with the higher minimum wage, would lead to stronger domestic purchasing power and higher value-added tax receipts through larger and larger cycles of consumption. "Today, countries with problems are those with high taxes," said Thaksin, who resides in Dubai after being convicted in Thailand. While trying to promise whatever business leaders from the chambers asked for, Thaksin mentioned his pet project - developing a city on reclaimed land somewhere on the Gulf of Thailand that would be about half the size of Phuket or 200,000 rai. For the entire story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/05/05/national/Thaksin-campaigns-for-Pheu-Thai-Party-30154613.html

Central banks in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand are believed to have intervened in foreign-exchange markets Thursday as Asian currencies surged against the dollar on optimism about the region's economic outlook, underscored by strong economic data from China and signals that the yuan will continue to strengthen. Taiwan, meanwhile, unveiled measures to buttress its banking system against rapid movements in foreign capital, the latest Asian economy to introduce stricter regulations to control the risks posed by such capital flows. The currency moves were exaggerated by thin trading conditions, with many investors away for year-end holidays. But traders said an upward trend for most Asian currencies appears set to continue, with China's decision to guide the yuan to a modern record against the dollar cementing the bullish sentiment. "People are making a bet that growth in emerging markets will still be on an uptrend and that currencies will continue with their appreciation," said Lum Choong Kuan, head of fixed-income research at CIMB Group in Kuala Lumpur. "With the debt crisis in Europe and with the U.S. still showing protracted slow growth, investors will have no other place to put their money but here." For the full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204304204576051300700098200.html

SA KAEO, Dec 31 -- Thailand's First Army Area Commander Lt-Gen Udomdej Setaboot today led top Thai military brass and civil officials to visit the scene where seven Thais were taken into custody by Cambodian troops earlier this week. The Thai team today held talks with Cambodian Region 5 Army commander Lt-Gen Boon Seng to avoid misunderstanding between the countries. Gen Udomdej, accompanied by Sa Kaeo governor Sanit Naksooksri, Burapha Task Force commander Maj-Gen Walit Rojanapakdi and Sa Kaeo province's Khok Sung district chief Yuthana Nujchanart inspected the area and met in closed door talks with Gen Boon Seng. After the talks neither Gen Udomdej nor Gen Boon Seng spoke to reporters about the meeting. However, Mr Sanit said that Gen Boon Seng came to the Thai military base in Sa Kaeo discuss with Gen Udomdej as Cambodian authorities are concerned that the arrest of the seven Thais may be blown out of proportion so he wanted to avoid misunderstanding and did not want the local residents of both countries along the border to be affected by the incident. Gen Boon Seng said the Thai trespass case was now in court procedures with which the Cambodian government could not interfere. The seven detained Thais, including Democrat Party member of parliament Panich Vikitsreth and members of the so-called 'Yellow Shirt' People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest movement, were apprehended by Cambodian troops on Wednesday while they inspected the border areas near Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, which borders Thailand. Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya on Thursday went to Phnom Penh in an attempt to secure their freedom, but he failed accomplish that. The seven were charged by the Phnom Penn Municipal Court with illegal entry and illegally entering a military base along the border, crimes carrying penalties of up to six months and one year, respectively. Gen Udomdej said earlier that the situation at the border in Sa Kaeo remained normal and that there was no reinforcement of troops by either Thailand or Cambodia. (MCOT online news) http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/150114.html

Telecom conglomerate True Corp on Wednesday announced the purchase of Hutchison Wireless MultiMedia Holdings in a transaction valued at 4.35 billion baht. True, in a statement to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, said subsidiary Real Move would purchase a 92.5 per cent stake in Hutchison Wireless Multimedia for 4.35 billion baht. Real Move will also acquire holding company BKFT (Thailand), giving True control of three other firms - Hutchison Multimedia Services (Thailand), Hutchison Telecommunications (Thailand) and Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia. Real Move will extend loans of up to 6.3 billion baht to BFKT to help the company clear its outstanding debt. Hutchison CAT Wireless, a joint venture with CAT Telecom, provides mobile phone services to some 600,000 subscribers in 25 provinces using CDMA technology. True said in its SET statement that BFKT would continue to provide telecom services to CAT, particularly in the rental of third-generation HSPA (high speed packet access) services. "Real Move would be a reseller of service and capacity of the mobile phone network that Real Move would purchase from CAT for providing mobile phone business,'' True said, adding that Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia would continue to market to CAT CDMA customers but would focus on migrating existing subscribers to 3G services within two years. The deal will potentially give True, the country's third-largest mobile phone provider, a key advantage in the race to rollout 3G services over its larger competitors, Advanced Info Service and Dtac. Demand to upgrade high-speed networks has jumped sharply as increased consumer demand for mobile data and multimedia services has skyrocketed in recent years, putting a strain on existing network infrastructure. A planned auction of 3G licences by the National Telecommunications Commission earlier this year was scrapped following a legal challenge on the authority of the national regulator to award the licences. Shares of True were trading down 1.39 per cent to 7.1 baht just before noon, compared with a 0.11 per cent decline in the main SET index on the last trading day of the year. http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/telecom/213784/true-hutch-deal-finalised

A Cambodian court has charged seven Thai nationalists, including a ruling party lawmaker, with illegally entering Cambodia while they inspected a disputed border area. Cambodian authorities detained the group Wednesday on the border of northwestern Cambodia and southeastern Thailand and brought them to Phnom Penh. A court in the capital, Phnom Penh, charged them Thursday with illegal entry and encroaching on a Cambodian military zone. If convicted on both counts, they face up to 18 months in prison. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called for the immediate release of the seven Thais, who include a lawmaker of his Democrat Party, Panich Vikitsreth. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya traveled to Phnom Penh Thursday and met with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong to try to secure their freedom. But Hor Namhong later said the Thai nationalists will remain in custody until Cambodia's legal procedures run their course. Mr. Abhisit said Thursday that if Cambodia wants friendly relations with Thailand, it must resolve bilateral disputes through negotiations. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that he does not expect the arrests to affect that relationship. Panich traveled to the border region with six members of the pro-military and pro-monarchy Yellow Shirt movement, saying they were investigating complaints from Thai farmers about intrusions by Cambodian soldiers. He insisted that he and his companions were on Thai territory when they were detained. But Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Thursday it appears the group had gone just inside Cambodian territory. Much of the Thai-Cambodian border is poorly defined, in part, because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Thai-Minister-Seeks-Release-of-Detainees-in-Cambodia-112658639.html

National reconciliation. Do we need it? Should we want it? Will it be better for Thailand? In my humble opinion, the answers are no, no and no. And when I preface a sentence with ''in my humble opinion'', rest assured that there's nothing humble about it. Why reconcile? Conflict is a natural condition of any developed democracy. A society that thinks the same and acts the same is one that is conducive to authoritarianism. Dissension, ladies and gentlemen, is the hallmark of democracy. In the United States, the Democrats have the Republicans. In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party has the Tories. They don't reconcile. They shouldn't reconcile. Reconciling wouldn't do their democracies any good. Since its beginning, the Thai political landscape has been characterised not by political parties with differing brands of vision and contrasting sets of ideology. Instead, we have been plagued by a political factionalism in which one faction differs from another only in that one may be a little less corrupt. That's no way for a democracy to develop. That's no choice for the people. But today, we see dissension. We see different visions of Thailand. We, the people, have choices. Hang with the Democrats and we have the status quo, with its traditional feudalistic characters intact. The military and old aristocracy at the top of the heap, with society's elites and provincial barons managing the day-to-day functions, the slowly growing middle class alert economically, but not politically, while the mass of peasants and working class people toil the fields and factories. Progress is slow, but steady. Go with the red shirts and Puea Thai Party, and we have the return of Thaksin Shinawatra, with a capitalist feudalism in place. Money politics topping the chart, the military kept well fed and content (presuming ''someone'' would have learned from past mistakes), day-to-day functions carried out by merchants (the new elites), the slowly growing middle class alert economically, but not politically, while the mass of peasants and working class people toil the fields and factories. Progress should be slow, but steady. Choose the yellow shirts and New Politics party and we have limited democracy, or elitist democracy, or basically an ultra-nationalistic oligarchy. We have not yet seen them running the country, so there's not much to say here. However, I will always caution: Keep your eye on Abhisit, beware of Thaksin, but fear Sondhi. Of course, these aren't wonderful choices, and the distinctions may not be as clearly defined as they should be, but they are choices nonetheless. More importantly, it's a step forward for democracy. If your mother is yellow, your father is red, while you are a fan of PM Abhisit, and the family argues at the dinner table _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw food at each other. If parliament is debating a bill, and the yellow march to say ''yay'' to the bill, while the red protest to say ''nay'' to the bill _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw rocks at each other. If friends debate over whisky and coke at the pub while the coyote dancers take their break, and the only topic more testosterone-charged than girls and football is politics _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw whisky and coke at each other. If colleagues at work exchange differing political thoughts during their three-hour lunch break, while the expat boss scratches his head wondering where everyone is and why so little work gets done, then out of frustration posts angst-ridden messages about those [expletive] Thais on an internet forum before knocking off early to make happy hour at Soi Cowboy _ take that as a good thing. Just don't take your investment elsewhere. One vision, one ideology is extreme. Different sets of visions, contrasting platforms of ideology all wooing for the consideration and affection of 67.7 million Thais will create checks and balances. In the long run, it will create stability. Democracy. Kiss her. Embrace her. Make gentle, yet passionate love to her. Serve her breakfast in bed in the morning. Hide the engagement ring between the egg and the sausage. Don't be fooled with all the talk about national reconciliation. Ask the question, who are the ones who are supposed to be reconciling? The average Korat or Chiang Mai red shirt doesn't have any issues with the average Bangkokian. Furthermore, when was the last time the average red shirt clashed with the average yellow shirt? The two colours get along better than rival vocational school students. The puppet masters are the antagonists in this tragic comedy. They only use the term ''national reconciliation'' to misdirect. Thaksin talks peace and unity, but continues to agitate, manipulate and instigate conflicts. Newin Chidchob champions reconciliation and amnesty, for the purpose of stealing non-hardcore red votes in Isan for the Bhumjaithai Party. Prime Minister Abhisit talks of national reconciliation, but wouldn't step foot upcountry. However, such talk looks good to the international community, gives middle-class Bangkokians warm and fuzzy feelings and serves as a marketing tool for the entertainment industry to use in campaigns and music videos intended to make the public realise the industry doesn't just make society shallow and materialistic, but actually cares. It seems that perhaps Sondhi Limthongkul and Chamlong Srimuang are the only two straight-forward puppet masters, consistent in their demands for complete obliteration of their enemies. Meanwhile, all sides call names, throw insults and work to undermine the others. But all that is OK, I say. We just need to turn the table on them, I say. Instead of letting them pull the strings, the 67.7 million Thais can grab the strings and tie a noose, I say. Then dangle the noose in front of the puppet masters, what do you say? We can do this if we educate one another to the fact that we have choices. We have the power. We have the votes. We may be red. We may be yellow. We may be blue. But let us not be puppets. The only unity that we need is to unite against the powers-that-be. Not because we hate them. Not because they are the enemy. It is because we have to check them in order to keep society balanced. We don't need national reconciliation. We shouldn't want national reconciliation. National reconciliation won't be better for Thailand. Conflicts. Dissensions. Debates. Arguments. These are what we need. And by the Lord Buddha, we need to march and protest. Street democracy is democracy in its truest form. It's a channel that allows the people to exercise power and demand changes, a direct link between the people and political power, without having to navigate through the maze of deceit and treachery weaved by politicians. A society that marches is a society that cares. A society that sits on its behind has nothing to show for it but cellulite and stretch marks. We need to understand our role in a democracy in order to develop our democracy. We need to do all of this without violence, without breaking the law. This is democracy. Kiss her. Embrace her. Make gentle, yet passionate love to her. Serve her breakfast in bed in the morning. Hide the engagement ring between the egg and the sausage. http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/213121/make-love-not-reconciliation

Thailand's government agreed on Tuesday to lift a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, effective Wednesday. "The cabinet decided to lift the decree because the opposition movement has become more peaceful," Supachai Jaisamut, a government spokesman, told reporters. The state of emergency was declared on April 7 to handle "red shirt" anti-government demonstrations in Bangkok. It was imposed across more than a quarter of the country in May, when a crackdown to disperse protesters led to the worst political violence in Thailand's modern history. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTST00018720101221

Thailand's Criminal Court Friday issued arrest warrants requested by the Department of Special Investigation for Red Shirt dissident leaders, authorities said. The court issued five of 11 warrants requested by the investigation bureau for the suspects -- members of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship -- the Bangkok Post reported. Terrorism charges are being considered for the other six alleged Red Shirt leaders. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva met with United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship chairwoman Thida Thavornseth Thursday, precipitating a visit to Klong Prem Prison by Thailand's Justice Ministry's Rights and Liberties Protection Department, the Post said. The ministry's team met with Red Shirts and others to help them with bail if they wanted it, the director general said. Of the detainees, 151 said they wanted help with bail documents but 29 turned down the offer. Click here for full article: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2010/12/17/Thailand-issues-warrants-for-Red-Shirts/UPI-14991292631817/

BANGKOK — The new head of Thailand's "Red Shirts" said Wednesday the anti-government movement would step up its campaign to secure the release of its leaders with gatherings twice a month in Bangkok. "From now on Red Shirt people will rally on the 10th and 19th of every month to intensify our fight in terms of number of protesters and activities," Thida Thavornseth, acting chairwoman of the movement, said at a news conference. A two-month rally by the Reds from mid-March of this year attracted 100,000 people at its peak demanding immediate elections. More than 90 people were killed in violence sparked by the protests, which saw a series of street battles between demonstrators and armed soldiers in the heart of the capital. The rally came to a bloody end on May 19 with a deadly army assault on the Red Shirts' base, after which a small band of militant protesters set dozens of buildings ablaze across Bangkok, including a glitzy shopping mall. Senior figures in the movement, including Thida's husband Weng Tojirakarn, have been detained on terrorism charges since the end of the demonstration, awaiting possible trial. The mainly poor and working class Reds have staged a series of rallies in Bangkok in recent months, despite a state of emergency which bans gatherings of more than five people. Thousands took to the streets of the capital on December 10, eight months after deadly clashes in the city's historic district. The rally "was just the beginning", Thida said. The retired microbiology lecturer and mother told AFP in a recent interview she wanted the democracy movement to be peaceful and "use brains". For full article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hptEGI4Hfq2QWaMUQweND5cHw1Xg?docId=CNG.f5101c535ed3b394f79d8c72e83edaba.201

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's government officials and lawmakers will receive pay raises of up to 15 percent next year that opponents said Wednesday were too high and undeserved. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will make 125,600 baht ($4,200) a month starting in April, a 5 percent increase. Raises of up to 15 percent for lawmakers take effect after a general election that is due in 2011. The Cabinet's approval of the increases Tuesday shined a light on the wages of high-ranking officials, which are not common knowledge in Thailand, where minimum wage averages 180 baht ($6) a day. The government defends the raises as the first for lawmakers since 2005 and necessary to attract competent people into public service from higher paying private sector jobs. A group of 40 senators that led opposition to the raises, however, says they are too high and the 13 billion baht ($433 million) package comes at the wrong time amid economic troubles and political divisions in Thailand. "Private companies base salary increases on performance. Lawmakers and senators do not deserve to be rewarded based on their performance," said Rosana Tositrakul, a senator who opposes the raises. She noted that many lawmakers don't show up at parliament, and sessions regularly collapse due to lack of quorum. She also blamed the political elite for doing little to solve the violent political chaos that wracked Thailand earlier this year. Anti-government protests that were put down by the military claimed more than 90 lives and arson attacks on shopping malls and other buildings caused millions of dollars in damage. Lawmakers' raises of up to 15 percent will give the house speaker a salary equivalent to the prime minister's and the average parliamentarian a monthly wage of 114,000 baht ($3,790) a month. Public officials also get numerous built-in bonuses that often exceed salaries. For full article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15/thai-leaders-increase-their-pay-get-public-outcry.html

Upon learning that the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe _ a United States government agency consisting of nine members from the US Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the departments of State, Defence and Commerce _ had extended an invitation to Thaksin Shinawatra to testify at a briefing titled ''Thailand: Democracy, Governance and Human Rights'' in Washington on Dec 16, many people in Thailand were perplexed. This is not only because Thailand might reasonably hope that the US would respect the fact that Thaksin is a fugitive from the Thai justice system, but also because it is assumed that the commission's main agenda concerns the demonstrations that resulted in more than 90 deaths in April and May this year, long after Thaksin had left the country. It is also curious that a US agency comprising mostly representatives of Congress is looking into internal political struggles in Thailand when there are home-grown issues relating to the war on terror that are not being investigated by Congress. These points notwithstanding, the US committee's invitation to Thaksin does raise another question well worth asking: What is the appropriate forum to address human rights issues if they are not addressed in the country of origin? There are several logical answers, but none are quite satisfying, because the truth is that not a single human rights commission in the world has real ''teeth'', and they are all manipulated by political considerations to varying extents. The United Nations Human Rights Council, created by the UN General Assembly in March 2006 to replace the Commission on Human Rights, has the mandate to look into allegations of human rights violations around the globe and make recommendations on them. The new council has made some admirable efforts, but it is constrained by its diversity as its membership consists of representatives from 47 countries, some of them with dismal records on human rights. The formation of the International Criminal Court on July 1, 2002, has been called the most significant reform of international law since 1945. It is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have filed a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva for crimes against humanity committed in the crackdown on red shirt protesters. It is highly unlikely that the ICC would ever take up this case, for several reasons. In the first place, as tragic as the violence on the streets of Bangkok was, especially for loved ones of the victims, it pales in comparison to a great number of other international incidents which the court has yet to take up. But aside from this, it isn't likely the ICC would take the case because of Thailand's relatively good standing in the world community. For the entire editorial: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/210888/human-rights-have-a-long-way-to-go