News reached me over the weekend (24th/25th January) of a British expatriate found murdered in his home in a gated community (with 24 hour security) late last week.

Unfortunately, the news arrived whilst we were in the midst of the heavy end of relocating the business and household and I’ve not been able to prepare a full story yet. I hope to do so during this week.

I have been reminded that it is four years to the day since the Indian Ocean tsunami event.
I have also been pointed at the following Amateur video of the tsunami hitting Phuket in Thailand
The video is over 7 minutes long and is a compilation of footage from several people.
I lost friends to the tsunami, and [...]

CHIANG MAI, 13 Nov 2008 – Tourists visiting Thailand should not be put off by news of the latest bombing in the capital, Bangkok.

This latest incident appears to be the result of a commercial dispute regarding new landlords of the capital’s largest market venue, and predictions of increased stall rents that have caused many of the traders to mount a public protest. As such it would seem to be an action between two vested interests with no intent to escalate it to the wider public and visitors.

The explosion occurred at Ratchadamri Road – Rama IV Road Intersection intersection, where vendors of the Klong Toey Market were rallying in protest against new landlords, injuring fifteen of them, two severely, at about 1:00 am Thursday 13th November. The injured were rushed to the Kluay Nam Thai and Chulalongkorn hospitals. The severely injured are Yakob Lohmoh, 51, and Penthiwawan Kaewsuk, 37.

Police quoted a witness as saying a bag was dropped from the flyover over the Ratchadamri-Rama IV Intersection, causing the explosion.

CHIANG MAI, 8 Nov 2008 – News reached me this morning that ousted Thai Premiere Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Potjaman have had their UK visas revoked by the British Border Security authorities.
The news had originally been communicated to airlines advising them not to allow the couple onto flights bound for the UK, and it [...]

Over 110,000 people affected.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 16 August 2005 – Torrential rains lashed the mountainous centre of South East Asia on Saturday and led to flash floods in Northern Thailand’s popular tourist destinations.

Casualty estimates vary between 5 and 13 dead, with 11 to 20 reported missing, and around forty injured including two foreign visitors.

Eighteen roads, 44 bridges and around 6,500 hectares of agricultural crops have been severely affected in rural areas.

Current estimates are that floods have directly affected almost 111,000 people over an area the size of Wales, according to officials.

Thailand’s Authorities threaten tsunami aid workers with 3 years jail.
Foreigners told to get work permits or face prison.
By Garry Harbottle-Johnson

THAILAND: 8 Feb 2005 – Just two days after Thai Rak Thai was returned to power in the general election, Sayan Chuaiyjan, Head of Phuket Provincial Employment Service has announced that foreign tsunami-aid workers must obtain Thai Work Permits, or face a maximum penalty of three years in jail, a 30,000 Baht fine, or both.

Enforcement will begin in March with no exceptions.

Admitting authorities didn’t enforce the law rigidly immediately after the tsunami, “because everyone wanted to help”, he added, “But now that the situation is returning to normal, we will have to start taking it more seriously.”

This announcement, coming immediately after the general election, has been criticised as timed to avoid losing votes for Thai Rak Thai in the tsunami affected southern provinces.