Daily Archives: July 30, 2010

This Week in Thailand: 23-29 July 2010

Posted on July 30, 2010 by | 3 comments

This is a review of what happened in Thailand during the last week based on topics that I tweeted. You can follow me live for latest news about Thailand @RichardBarrow. I have also started a new version of my Bangkok Dangerous Map as there have been more bombs and demonstrations in Bangkok recently. Hopefully I won’t need to update it as much as my old map, which had 2.7 million views.

Weekend 23rd-25th July 2010

  • RT @suthichai China executes 13 Thai women for smuggling illegal drugs…Thai Rath headline this morning #
  • Charice has arrived in Thailand & will be singing at Siam Discovery tonight. Expect some crowds. http://bit.ly/9tsC2w #
  • 25 Chinese-made tanks, that the Thai army cannot afford to maintain any more, will be used as artificial reefs /BkkPost #
  • High HIV incidence for Thai men who have sex with men; many acquiring HIV in their early twenties http://bit.ly/aYLtFr #
  • Japan seeks detail on death of cameraman in Thai protests http://bit.ly/agCwxL #
  • Thailand’s Massive Internet Censorship (Asia Sentinel) http://bit.ly/94so2g #
  • Tales from the kitchen of Thailand’s most gruesome baker (@CNNgo) http://bit.ly/bU4GPf #
  • Facebook & Twitter are being blamed by Thai Culture Ministry for poor language skills of students http://bit.ly/abNOs2 #
  • Record rainfall in July for Bangkok. 405.5mm so far this month compared to the average of 160mm /BkkPost #
  • I’m in Bang Phli for their first Candle Parade along Samrong Canal. http://yfrog.com/mcinnyj http://yfrog.com/mar35j #
  • Video clip of Candle Boat Parade now taking place in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan. http://yfrog.us/jpepdz #
  • Video clip at Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang of Wien Tien with the large candle. http://yfrog.us/1nil5z #
  • Picture of the 1 million Baht toilets at Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Samut Prakan. http://yfrog.com/mzjatj #
  • 16 year old Thai student arrested for holding banner “I saw dead people at Ratchaprasong” http://bit.ly/9yiaqK #
  • Photo Album for the Candle Boat Parade this morning in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan http://bit.ly/buh3xm #
  • UK tourist paraded by cops alongside prostitutes in Thailand http://bit.ly/a53Mmh #
  • Former tennis star Paradorn to begin new career in motorcycle racing http://bit.ly/9co07V #
  • Domestic violence is rising in Thailand (Bangkok Post) http://bit.ly/b5eCLZ #
  • New book “Franco-Siamese Crisis 1893” launched at Phra Chulachomklao Fort, (Nation) http://bit.ly/a7FITP /via @MaewNam #
  • Miss Thailand World 2010 contestants grace Phuket (Phuket Gazette) http://bit.ly/94pL0D #
  • Lucky Escape as Lift Plunges 10 Floors at the Welcome Jomtien Hotel in Pattaya http://bit.ly/aqt3DM #
  • Phuket Airport Luggage Theft: French tourist in prison http://bit.ly/aXShcR #
  • A bomb has exploded at a bus stop near Ratchaprasong in Bangkok. At least 8 people have been injured, 2 critical. #
  • The bomb near Ratchaprasong, Bangkok exploded at 5:51 p.m. Minutes later news & pictures were spreading across Twitter. #
  • 200 red shirts rallied at Lumphini Park to show their unity & to defy the Thailand’s security act http://bit.ly/dvOw8i #
  • “Bomb wounds 9 in Bangkok on day of by-election” by @babyfishie (Washington Post) http://bit.ly/9P7Kkw #
  • EC’s unofficial result: Dem’s Panich wins by-election with 96,480 votes, while Korkaew had 81,776 votes /BkkPost #
  • Breaking News: Bomb explosion at Big C Ratchadamri has claimed the life of Mr Thawatchai, aged 51 /via @js100radio #

Buddhist Holiday for Start of Khao Phansa: 26th-27th July 2010

  • 26th July: Today is the birthday of Thaksin Shinawatra. He was born in Chiang Mai Province in 1949. #
  • Today is Asalaha Bucha Day & I will be taking pictures of activities at Ancient Siam & The Erawan Museum http://www.Paknam.com #
  • The beautiful Tak Bat Dok Mai Festival in Saraburi is today & tomorrow. Two rounds: 10am & 2pm http://bit.ly/cOHDvZ #
  • Although Monday & Tuesday are public holidays, all shopping malls in Bangkok & provinces are open as normal. #
  • Police don’t know who planted bomb as most CCTV cameras at Ratchaprasong are inoperative due to red-shirt rally /BkkPost #
  • A call for how travel warnings are established as they are often “devastating and unnecessary” http://bit.ly/aKGWaO #
  • Short video clip of Thai dancing at Ancient Siam this afternoon. http://yfrog.us/5cpdsz #
  • Divisive ex-Thai leader marks birthday on Twitter (Washington Post) http://bit.ly/asnxgw #
  • Family Mart & 7-Eleven won’t sell me beer tonight because of 2 day Buddhist holiday. But the mom & pop store will! #
  • In Pakistan, non-Muslims & tourists can get a permit to allow them to buy beer. Maybe they should do that in Thailand! #
  • Photo album & video from the Khao Phansa activities this afternoon at Ancient Siam in Samut Prakan http://bit.ly/aN4ycV #
  • RT @qandrew: On religious days in Thailand, licensed bars, clubs, restaurants & tax-paying shops don’t sell alcohol. Rest do. #
  • Protest march to UNESCO HQ 10am in opposition to Preah Vihear Temple registration as World Heritage by Cambodia /TANN #
  • More than 5 protesters at UNESCO. Will the police arrest the yellow shirts or will we see double standards again? #
  • Chamlong led activists to hand petition to UNESCO, opposing listing of Preah Vihear as World Heritage site /BkkPost #
  • PM met with PAD leader Panthep at Pitsanulok House 2 discuss Preah Vihear dispute. Kasit also joined. /via @Juarawee #
  • DSI will seek indictment of 26 red shirt terrorist suspects including Veera, Jatuporn & Weng /BkkPost #
  • Kids’ crash helmets selling like hot cakes in Phuket http://bit.ly/9bGQlE #
  • Chamlong demands gov’t push Cambodian forces, people from disputed area; will protest gov’t if it takes no action /TANN #
  • [iPhone Blog] Thai Flight Search Engine: A quick way to compare prices for flights inside Thailand using your iPho… http://bit.ly/dcNLbE #
  • Win a Thai Flight Search engine for the iPhone by posting a comment on my iPhone blog: http://bit.ly/c72fNh #

Wedneday 28th July 2010:

  • PM Abhisit Vejjajiva vows to protect Thailand’s rights and interests for Preah Vihear (The Nation) http://j.mp/cenhzd #
  • The next long holiday weekend in Thailand is for the Queen’s Birthday 12th-15th August 2010. Book your travel plans now! #
  • 8 of the Top 15 websites in Thailand are social media and social networking sites /via @lekasina #
  • In Thailand there are 17.5 million Internet users which represents 26% of the population /via @lekasina #
  • 12 million mobile Internet users in Thailand. Facebook & Hi5 are in Top 5 websites accessed on a mobile /via @lekasina #
  • High-speed rail link considered for Bangkok to Rayong (1 hour) & later Chiang Mai (3 hours) /BkkPost #
  • 12,000 people signed up for TrueVision’s HDTV channels during the recent World Cup /BkkPost #
  • TrueVisions plans to remove more unpopular channels this year as new HDTV channels will need the space /BkkPost #
  • 1 new HDTV channel on TrueVisions uses resources of 3 regular channels. Translation = We want to charge more for less #
  • Constitution Court will begin to examine dissolution case of Democrat Party on 9 August /BkkPost #
  • The Case of the Disappearing Diamond Jewelery has been solved. Apparently the shop owner “miscounted”. #
  • 79 PAD leaders & supporters expected to report to police on Aug 29 over blockade of two airports in late 2008 /BkkPost #
  • Upload pictures and video from your iPhone straight to CNN iReport in this new app – http://bit.ly/alZEbk #
  • Bangkok Governor says he’s humbled & inspired after receiving “Top City” award, despite recent riots http://j.mp/96h9Qs #
  • Dengue has reached a five-year high in Thailand, with 41,136 cases & 38 deaths to 20 July http://bit.ly/9IEUPJ #
  • Thai army to reinforce Cambodian border if needed (AP) http://goo.gl/pzyN #

Thursday 29th July 2010:

  • 29th July: Today is National Thai Language Day in Thailand http://j.mp/d82ydp #
  • Thailand’s largest canned fish producer has agreed a deal making it world’s largest seafood group http://bit.ly/bfpaWp #
  • Thai probe of foreign journalist deaths in Thailand called inadequate http://bit.ly/cKwzRH #
  • DSI has forwarded a case seeking indictment of 25, including Thaksin, on terrorism charges to the prosecutors /BkkPost #
  • Of the 22,004 websites on CAT, Google found 2,150 Thai sites containing malware http://bit.ly/bC1NgP /via @DavidQuine #
  • In Thailand unrest, journalists under fire (Committee to Protect Journalists) http://bit.ly/cmRo45 #
  • Indonesia overtakes Thailand in car sales (AP) http://bit.ly/cD78OP #
  • PM cancels SOE in 6 out of 16 provinces: Ayutthaya, Nong Bua Lamphu, Chaiyaphum, Chon Buri, Mukdahan & Maha Sarakham /BkkPost #
  • I’m at a dinner party for members of the Samut Prakan Press Association. Quite a large crowd. Good food. Bad karaoke! #
  • In Samut Prakan we have 6 monthly newspapers and 3 cable TV stations. Others here are stringers for national TV & newspapers. #
  • Thai Protest at UNESCO in Bangkok is now occupying one lane of Sukhumwit Road /via @netphoto #
  • Protesters outside UNESCO are waiting World Heritage meeting result on Preah Vihear management plan expected tonight. #
  • Manager of 7-Eleven crashes her car into her own shop when she mistakes accelerator pedal for break http://bit.ly/8ZyGq8 #

You can follow me on Twitter @RichardBarrow for all the latest news about Thailand. I post about Thailand travel, food, festivals, major events and of course breaking news. Visit my Twitter Archives for everything that I have posted on Twitter over the past five months.

(Pictures by Getty Images and Richard Barrow)

3 Comments

Posted in A Life Upcountry