News leaked today indicates the Royal Thai Immigration Police are to usher in a new era of punishment for visitors who overstay their visa or other travel document permitting them to enter the kingdom. There has long been a standing fine for staying beyond the expiry date of the permission-to-enter stamp in one’s passport – [...]
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.
I Remember it Well ….
The Strengths of the Animals
It’s strange the conversations that one gets into when sitting in an expatriate watering hole.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 7 May 2002 – Not so long ago a bunch of us were sitting around glugging our favourite nectars (Diet Coke with lots of ice for the teetotal in 2002 me), when the subject turned to the comments that tourists make when visiting our adopted home city.
Lots of anecdotes came forward, many unprintable here, but also some wisdoms of the aged, imparted with the best of intentions, and which remain salutary lessons to us all. Here is one of my favourites….
A long, long time ago, in a restaurant not far, far away (apologies to Star Wars) a small group of British backpackers were in conversation with the owner of the hostelry. This was just before the (first) end of the last Millennium and a new beer had arrived on the market.
