This Week in Thailand: 23-29 July 2010
By Richard Barrow
Friday 30th July, 2010 | 1512 words | Category: General | 3 feedbacks »

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)
Do you have any questions about Thailand? Maybe you are planning a holiday or just want to learn more about Thai culture. Have all of your questions answered for free at ThailandQA.com. These forums are part of the family friendly Paknam Web Network.
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