Following the assault upon, and cancellation of, the “ASEAN plus dialogue partners” meeting of Heads of State in Pattaya, Thailand last week by the red-shirted followers of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai government announced, late on Thursday 9th April, that there would be a closure of all government offices on Friday 10th.

This unscheduled holiday preceded and joined with the scheduled Thai traditional New Year (Songkran) holiday occurring from Saturday 11th April to Wednesday 15th April. These dates included closure of all Government and Post Offices within Thailand.

Following the violence and civil unrest that broke out in Bangkok over the Songkran / Easter weekend, instigated by the same red-shirted factions, current Democrat Party Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva instructed, on Tuesday 14 April, that Thursday and Friday 16-17 April would be an extension to the national holiday, in order to give the government time to make central Bangkok safe for people to return to their workplaces.

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.

Internet and phone communications between Europe, the Middle East and Asia were severely disrupted on Friday (19th Dec 2008) after three undersea cables were damaged in the Mediterranean, France Telecom said. “The causes of the cut, which is located in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia, on sections linking Sicily to Egypt, remain unclear,” a statement said, while a spokesman said it was unlikely to have been an attack.

The company said it was sending a ship to fix the lines but that it would not arrive until Monday and that it could take until December 31 until normal service was restored.

Chiang Mai, THAILAND, 1 December 2008 – Several countries are making efforts to evacuate their nationals stranded in Thailand after anti-government protesters closed down the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports in Bangkok.

Reports from various sources state that all trains south to Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur International aviation hub, are fully booked through to 8th December. Alternatives such as the Laos capital, Vientiane, are an arduous journey from Bangkok with no guarantee of flights available from the far smaller airport there. Flights from the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai to Singapore (another regional aviation hub) are also reported as fully booked through to the 8th December.

Up to Sunday, there were some 100,000 Thai and foreign passengers stranded in Thailand, and abroad, due to the closure of the two main airports, Suvarnabhumi last Tuesday and Don Mueang airport last Wednesday. One report has claimed Suvarnabhumi will reopen tonight at 6pm, but that is seen as impossible by most observers.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, 27 November 2008 – Tensions escalated this afternoon and evening throughout Thailand as the country fears the civil disorder and protests against the current government may turn into a military coup or open fighting.

The pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) will call its red-clad supporters to disperse the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators at Suvarnabhumi airport, if the government does not take direct action against them, UDD leader and political talk show host Veera Musikhapong said on Thursday.

Suriyasai Katasila, a leading member of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, announced Thursday evening that the PAD-led protesters would fight off police if they are deployed to crack down on the protesters at the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, 27 November 2008 – Yesterday, the Thai Army Commander-in-Chief called on incumbent Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections, in a move aimed at dissolving the current civil unrest.

This morning, a former chief advisor of the Thai Supreme Command, General Pathompong Kesornsuk, urged the current Army Commander-in-Chief, General Anupong Paochinda to stage a coup to prevent himself from being sacked by the government.

Late today, the government called a State of Emergency for the zones of all international airports throughout the kingdom. Such a move is the opening gambit for sending in police or military to clear the protestors.