By Mutita Chuachang, Orapin Yingyongpathana |
<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. These are members of the Triumph Labour Union, which has been active since 1980, and is reputedly one of the most enduring.</p>
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By Achara Ashayagachat |
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<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. And she challenges the readiness of Asean to become a single Community.</div>
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By Harrison George |
<p>[Press Announcement by Harrison George on Being Awarded Numerous Prizes] In response to the signal honour of being awarded the Wurlitzer Prize for Promising Journalism (Retirement Age Category), I wish to express my humble and sincere thanks to the selection committee. </p>
<p>The elections for Tambon (Subdistrict) Administrative Organizations (TAOs) across the country have just passed without much press coverage. Achara Rakyutitham writes about how people in a village up on a hill in the North see and deal with local politics.</p>
By Harrison George |
<p> <i>[The scene: The gate of the Embassy of Nicaragua in a quiet soi in a leafy suburb of Bangkok. It is 2 am.]</i> Who eez there?</p>
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By Harrison George |
<p>Thank you, thank you please, if I can just call to order this joint meeting of the Committee to Promote the Confidence and Image of Thailand, the Steering Committee of Volunteers to Protect Justice, the Protect the Institution – Calm-Peace-Solidarity Campaign Committee, the Management Committee of the <a href="http://www.ilovethailand.org/">www.ilovethailand.org</a> website, and the Moderation Society High Command.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, Dayton, Ohio |
<p>It’s 19 September, 2009. Three years after the coup - how time flies. Might some want to revel in nostalgic idealization of the past, of the complimentary-flower coup d’etat which ousted Thaksin Shinawatra? Some may at least want to look at things on a bright side and at least thank these generals for their invaluable service to ‘Thai democracy’.</p>
By Harrison George |
<p>It has been a difficult couple of weeks for the national security watchdogs in the Ministry of Interior. First they attempted to stop a stateless 12-year-old paper folder from attending a paper plane competition in Japan. </p>
By Harrison George |
<p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">A funny thing was said when the BBC reported the verdict in the trial of the ‘plane bombers’ at Woolwich Crown Court.</div>
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<p>Prachatai has made several visits to Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul during her detention in the prison. Here is her life in the lockup, assembled from her own accounts.</p>
By Harrison George |
<p>The UN, bless ’em, has come to the conclusion that drafting international human rights agreements for countries to sign is all well and good. But the countries most likely to sign are the ones whose citizens are least likely to need their protection.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk |
<p>There she was, in a tiny undated black and white photo, slightly over an inch in height and less than an inch in width, still smiling. Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul, aka Da Torpedo, a former journalist and a supporter of ousted and convicted former premier Thaksin Shinwatra. Daranee’s posture is slightly Mona Lisa-like – which is rather bizarre, given the kind of news she found herself in.</p>