<p>Thailand&rsquo;s exotic nature goes well beyond its breath taking landscapes. It permeates deep within Thai society. Foreigners living here or passing through who are blocked by the language barrier glimpse only the tip of the iceberg of Thai society and its politics. The two main English language Thai newspapers fail to report the full story on many issues. Sometimes they don&rsquo;t bother to report at all. Personally, I am not part of any side of Thai politics.</p>

<p>I do not agree at all with the human rights organizations which have listed the 10 steps forward and 10 steps back for 2009 and have raised the case of the Supreme Administrative Court&rsquo;s temporary injunction against 65 projects at Map Ta Phut to first place in human rights progress.</p>

<p>20th Jan 2010 marks the renewal deadline for the first batch of 70, 000 Burmese, Cambodian and Laotian migrants working in Thailand whose work permits will expire on that day. The next date for the expiry of all the other work permits of migrants from Burma, Cambodia and Laos (approximately 930, 000 officially registered persons) is 28th Feb 2010.</p>

<p>A guidebook launched today gives tourists an alternative view of Shan State by providing a pictorial expos&eacute; of the deliberate neglect, destruction and reinvention of local cultural and historical sites.</p>

<p>This is a story about a recent incident of police violence in Thailand. For reasons that will become obvious, the persons and places involved cannot be identified.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The article was originally written under the request of Fah Diew Kan Magazine in which the Thai-translated version will appear on its latest edition. Pravit Rojanaphruk is currently a Katherine Fanning Fellow for Journalism and Democracy at Kettering Foundation in Dayton, Ohio.</p>

<p>Amidst the current political climate where the ideological dividing lines within political parties take form, there is an obvious phenomenon that is occurring. &nbsp;This comes in the form of politically motivated media organization. What has gone down over the past several years is quite interesting from the perspective of those who study how influential media outlets can become.</p>

<p>The translation of a Bloomberg news report was posted on the Prachatai webboard jus after 6 pm, after the Thai stock market had already slumped and closed on 14 Oct. &nbsp;The news report in question is Richard Frost&rsquo;s <em>Thai Stocks, Baht Slump on King&rsquo;s Health Speculation</em>, whose title indicates that the &lsquo;slump&rsquo; had already taken place.</p> <p>Theeranan Wiphuchanin, using the alias BBB, posted her translation at 18:09. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In response to long-standing land problems in the country, the government has just passed a resolution to allow communities to farm state land for a period of 30 years. &nbsp;A mechanism will be created to issue &lsquo;community title deeds&rsquo;, and oversee the practice of the farming communities. &nbsp;However, farmers who have long struggled over land rights issues are sceptical of this government measure, as opposed to their own version of community title deeds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Thai Government recently reiterated its policy to formalise the status of around 2 million migrants from Burma working here - <em>nationality verification (NV)</em>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the ground floor of the Ministry of Labour, amid campaign banners and luggage scattered around, groups of women are engaged in activities. When night falls, mosquito nets of various colours occupy the place. &nbsp;These are members of the Triumph Labour Union, which has been active since 1980, and is reputedly one of the most enduring.</p> <p></p>

<div> <div> <div>Bangkok Post reporter Achara Ashayagachat focuses on how Thailand has been playing a role in Asean in the past years, particularly during the 2008/9 chairmanship, and how it is perceived domestically, regionally and internationally. &nbsp;And she&nbsp;challenges the readiness of Asean to become a single Community.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> </div> </div>