30 | December | 2009

It is that time of year again when we do a quick review of the past year. Today I am going to look back at some of the more popular news photos from Thailand on our sister blog www.thaiphotoblogs.com. One of the most popular pictures of the year is this ladyboy who won the title Miss Tiffany 2009.

January: The year started off on the wrong foot with the tragic night club fire in Bangkok that killed so many people. A year has passed and no-one has been brought to justice. Australian Harry Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in prison for insulting the monarchy in a little read book. He was later pardoned. Thailand is accused of leaving boat people to die in the Similan Islands.

February: The Americans take part in army exercises in Thailand called Cobra Gold. The Red shirts rally again in Bangkok.

March: Miss Chutima Durongdej was crowned Miss Thailand Universe. Abhisit goes to Britain and meets Gordon Brown. Rod Stewart puts on a concert in Bangkok. Two British tourists are attacked by “pirates” and one is brutally murdered. Red Shirts camp out at Government House.

April: Red Shirts force the premature closure of the ASEAN summit in Pattaya. Thai soldiers and red shirts clash in Bangkok making it a Bloody Songkran. Abhisit’s car is attacked by protesters. An attempt on the life of Sondhi Limthongkul is made and he ends up in hospital. Tension on the Thai-Cambodian border builds up. Thailand starts preparing for Swine Flu.

Deadly Club Fire in Bangkok

May: Sorawee Nattee wins Miss Tiffany 2009 contest. The panda in Chiang Mai Zoo gives birth after watching panda porn to get her in the mood. Little Keigo is put in the public eye with his search for his long lost Japanese father. An Australian woman almost causes a diplomatic incident when she steals a bar mat. Governor of Phuket personally apologizes to her and even pays her court fines. The Sky Train extension to Wong Wian Yai is finally opened after years of delay. Two tourists mysteriously die on Phi Phi island. Cause of death is still not known.

June: David Carradine died in his hotel room in Bangkok. Police photos of the crime scene are leaked to the Thai Rath newspaper and the whole world use google to try and see them. American actress Brittany Daniel gets a tattoo by famous Thai tattoo artist Ajarn Nu in Pathum. Gunmen kill 11 people at a mosque in Southern Thailand. Thais are told to wear masks. Train workers go on strike. The yellow shirts form their own party. The panda is now one month old and Thai people go panda crazy. Thai elephants feel left out and decide to dress up as pandas.

July: The red shirts return to Bangkok for more protests. A Thai elephant is born in Australia. Liverpool football club comes to Thailand followed the next day by Hillary Clinton. Bangkok schools close after flu outbreak. Noppawan wins at Wimbledon.

August: A plane crashes on Sumi killing the pilot. Miss Thailand Wins Miss Photogenic at the Miss Universe 2009 competition. Thaksin continues his tour of the world in order to gain publicity. This month he meets the King of Swaziland. Thailand refuses to extradite Viktor Bout to America but they haven’t yet released him. The panda is given a name of Lin Ping after a national competition.

Deadly Clashes in Bangkok during Songkran

September: H.M. The King is admitted to Siriraj Hospital. JJ the jet ski scammer is arrested after he was seen on British television extorting money from a tourist. It was later found out that the programme was edited in such a way to make him look bad. The film-makers fled Thailand. A 74 years old man in Sisaket Province was found to be living in a hole for the past 30 years. A Thai-Burmese boy catches the public attention in his plight to get a passport to take part in a paper plane competition in Japan. Foreigners are caught robbing a gold shop in Bangkok. Bryan Robson comes to Thailand for talks to be the next coach of the Thai football team.

October: Rakesh Rakesh returns to Thailand after the Supreme Court of Canada rejected his latest appeal against extradition. The winner of Miss Thailand 2009 was Miss Ornvipa Kanoknateesawad. A passenger is killed in a train crash. Miss Poland comes to Thailand. A billboard in Pattaya proclaims Hitler is not dead. Keigo finally meets his Japanese father. Red shirts continue their protests in Bangkok. Prince Andrew comes to Thailand.

November: Provinces around Thailand each take turns to sing the national anthem live on national television. H.M. the King celebrates Loy Kathong at the hospital. Jimmy Carter comes to Thailand to build houses. Thaksin goes to Cambodia and causes a diplomatic spat. Ex-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej dies of cancer. Thais are arrested for translating and re-posting foreign news reports about the King’s health.

December: Some activities for H.M. The King’s birthday are cancelled but he makes a brief birthday speech. Thailand marks five years since the Tsunami. A speedboat in Pattaya kills two tourists. Thai spy in Cambodia is sentenced to 7 years but is later pardoned by the king. An arms cargo plane is detained in Bangkok carrying tons of war weaponry. Thai army forcibly deport 4,000 Hmong back to Lao.