Rally and Protests Harm Thailand Economy and Revenue Collection

Revenue collection in the fiscal 2009 is of concern although the revenue earned for this year exceeded a target, according to the Revenue Department.

Spokesman Sathit Rankasiri revealed the department managed to collect revenue for fiscal 2008 more than targeted by 50 billion baht, boosted by the increased collection from the tourism, export and banking sectors.

However, the revenue collection for the fiscal 2009, which would start in October, appeared worrying because the persistent rally by the People's Alliance for Democracy-led protesters and the State of Emergency declaration had frightened foreign tourists.

He said the hotel, tourism, transport and small- and medium-size businesses in provincial areas had been comprehensively affected by the ongoing political unrest.

So, it is believed the political turmoil would have a direct impact on the department's competence in its revenue collection for the fiscal 2009, he added. - Bangkok Post

Thai Stock Market Declines Due to Rally and Protest

The Thai stock market is likely to move in a narrow range on Monday due to political uncertainty, and the support and resistance values are expected to be 640 and 660 points respectively, according to Asia Plus Securities head researcher Therdsak Thaveeteeratham.

Mr Therdsak said the trade value should be low throughout the day because investors are concerned over the political deadlock, adding that the state of emergency is still being enforced in Bangkok. Investors slow down their investment as political demonstrations have yet to be dispersed while the conflict is prolonging and extending to larger areas.

However, foreign stock markets, especially Japan's Nikkei, surged 3.59 percent after the US government has taken control of mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This could help boost the Thai bourse, allowing the indices to rebound during the day, Mr Therdsak expected.

Prime Minister Guilty For Cooking On TV Shows

The atmosphere at Government House occupied by the supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) was suddenly animated after the Constitution Court ruled that Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej is guilty of violating the charter by hosting two cooking shows on commercial television.

The court hearing was broadcast at the anti-government stage. The demonstrators at the government compound cheered and clapped their hands following the court's verdict.

"If Samak is named prime minister, or if anyone else from the People Power party is named, we are going to stay here," said Somsak Kosaisuk, one of the leaders of the PAD, a loose alliance of mostly middle-class Bangkokians who opposed the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and see Samak and his party as proxies for Thaksin, who is now living in exile with his family. - Bangkok Post Newspaper

Donsol, Sorsogon Province

Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. Locally, known as butanding, whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May.

In this film, Donsol is a place of refuge for the butanding but also a holding pen for lost and lonely people who wish for things they are no longer likely to get. Daniel (Sid Lucero), a Butanding Interaction Officer who accompanies tourists on whale watching expeditions and assists them in interacting with the sharks, is a broken hearted man who meets an older woman, Teresa (Angel Aquino), a widow fighting breast cancer.

The two share their miseries and discover that they like being together. Will their newfound bond be strong or will it be blown along with the amihan wind which signals the end of the butanding migratory visit to the small town?

Thailand Fire Accident

A fire broke out at a warehouse in Chon Buri province.

More than 10 fire engines took about an hour to extinguish the flames at a warehouse of Fuji Trans (Thailand) Company Limited at a seaport in Chon Buri's Si Racha district. The ravaging fire caused the warehouse to collapse.

Many Mitsubishi's auto parts to be exported to foreign countries were destroyed from the fire. The estimated cost of damage is at least 100 million baht.  - Bangkok Post

What is the Economy of Thailand

Thailand's investment-oriented economy is among the most rapidly growing in Asia. Despite this success, economic development has been highly uneven, especially in agriculture.

Although much of Thailand's export revenues and a majority of the labour force depend on agriculture, its contributions to economic growth have declined consistently since 1950. Aiming at diversification, the government has encouraged investment in small industry.

To encourage exports, duties are low, except on rice, to which a premium is attached to prevent domestic shortages. Unions are prohibited and strikes not allowed unless management fails to agree with employees and government mediators.

What Is The Demographic Trend of Thailand

Thailand's population has increased rapidly in the 20th century, especially between 1950 and 1970, when the government supported such growth. Since then, official policies and private family-planning programs have slowed this growth dramatically, making the country a model for other nations seeking to reduce their high growth rates. The more youthful age profile of the population that resulted from the earlier growth, however, has begun to place increasing demands on the country's education, housing, health, and employment systems.

Internal migration in Thailand occurs primarily between rural areas and has had little effect on the regional distribution of population. Nonetheless, migration from the countryside has contributed significantly to the growth of Bangkok. Since 1960 Bangkok has received two-fifths of all interregional migrants in the country, many of whom have come from the central and northeast regions. As in most other areas of the world, these migrants are mainly young adults less than 30 years of age.

After 1975, Thailand also received large numbers of Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Hmong refugees who fled political conflicts in their own countries and settled in camps along the Thai border; most refugees, however, have been resettled in other countries or repatriated to their own countries.

Thailand Train Service Back to Operation

Six southern train servcies have resumed operation on Sunday, according to the southern railway centre.

They include trains no. 255 and 177 from Thon Buri to Lang Suan, trains no. 254 and 178 from Lang Suan to Thon Buri, train no. 490 from Surat Thani to Khirirat Nikhom and train no. 489 from Khirirat Nikhom to Surat Thani.

However, the terminal station of Thonburi to Lang Suan line will be Prachuap Khiri Khan station, not Lang Suan station in Chumphon province.

In the meantime, other southern rail lines such as Bangkok - Sungai Kolok, Hat Yai – Chumphon and Hat Yai - Sungai Kolok are still closed for 10 consecutive days. Only security personnel are present at many southern railway stations.

The chairman of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) labour union in Hat Yai, Supichet Suwannachatri, said his union would have to wait for the resolution from the SRT labour union before all the southern rail service can operate normally.

Many SRT workers have gone on strike to support anti-government protests led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week. - Bangkok Post

What is the Religion in Thailand?

Buddhism is professed by the vast majority of Thailand's population and is considered the national religion; most Thai Buddhists are of the Theravāda school. Muslims constitute a sizable minority and live mostly in the south. Most of the country's small Christian community lives in the central region. Hindus also are concentrated in the central region, chiefly around Bangkok. Although several of the hill tribes have converted to Buddhism or Christianity, most remain animists.

An unusual aspect of Thai religious life is the considerable influence of the Hindu Brahmans, even though they total only a few thousand families. Most royal and official ceremonies are almost always directed or performed by the Brahmans, whose rites are blended harmoniously with those of the Buddhists. Brahmans are renowned for their astrological expertise, assume responsibility for preparing the national calendar, and officiate at such state ceremonies as the annual plowing ceremony, which is believed to bring a good rice harvest. There are no important new religious movements in Thailand, but Buddhist monks have become more vocal in advocating environmental and social issues

Ethno Linguistic of Thailand

People speaking Tai languages constitute by far the dominant linguistic group in the country. The largest group of Tai speakers are the Thai, who constitute more than half the population. The Thai live in almost all areas of the country and speak related dialects that are differentiated by accents and a few words. The most common dialect is called standard Thai (Siamese), with the greatest concentration of speakers in the Chao Phraya delta. Since standard Thai is the national language, which is used in all schools and official publications and by the national press and broadcast media, most Tai speakers can communicate adequately among themselves.

Tai-speaking peoples are found not only in Thailand but also in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China. Little difference exists among the Tai speakers in Laos, Myanmar, China, and northern Thailand, but there is a noticeable difference between these peoples and the Thai living in the Central Plain and close to Cambodia. Speakers of Lao are the largest linguistic minority in Thailand; they live in the Khorat Plateau adjacent to Laos and constitute about one-fourth of Thailand's population.

Wars pitting Thailand against Myanmar and Cambodia in the past brought many refugees and prisoners of war into Thailand. The Mon, a people of Myanmar, settled in many parts of the north, centre, and west, although they are now concentrated in an area just west of Bangkok. The Khmer settled in the east along the Cambodian border. Both groups traditionally spoke languages of the Mon-Khmer group of the Austro-Asiatic family; most of these people, however, now use standard Thai, many speaking it as a first language.

Among speakers from the other two language families, Malays at the southern tip of peninsular Thailand are the most numerous. The Karen and other speakers of Sino-Tibetan languages sparsely inhabit the western and northern mountains. Except for the Karen, who mixed rather easily with the northern Thai, the hill tribes prefer to keep themselves isolated. They occasionally come down to the markets to trade with the lowlanders. Two small hill tribes, the Lawa (or Wa) and Semang, are of special interest. The Lawa, who speak a Mon-Khmer language, are believed by some historians to be the original dwellers of the delta plain, who subsequently were driven into the hills of the northwest by the Tai speakers who conquered the area. The Semang of the southern mountains speak a dialect of Malay and live by hunting with blowpipes and spears.

The Chinese constitute a significant minority in Thailand. In the commercial centres of Bangkok and other cities, people of Chinese descent operate both large and small commercial enterprises. The Chinese also make a living as middlemen and storekeepers. Most of them speak Chinese, although many also speak standard Thai.

English is also widely used in Thailand, especially in the urban centres. English is a required subject in secondary schools and the universities, and frequent contact with English-speaking foreigners also encourages the use of English. The prevalence of various South Asian dialects reflects the large number of Indian merchants and their descendants in the commercial centres.

Thailand State of Emergency

Chart Thai party leader and former prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa on Sunday said it is a good thing for Senate speaker Prasopsuk Boondej to become a mediator and help work out the political crisis, but he calls on all sides to reduce the conditions, so negotiations would commence.

The political situation at the moment is fragile, similar to the Black May incident of 1992 because both sides could not come into terms, Mr Banharn said.

However, he agreed with the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Anupong Paojinda, who is in charge of enforcing the emergency decree in Bangkok, that the media, particularly the newspaper headlines, is playing an important role in the present conflict.

The government would lift the state of emergency once the situation improves, Mr Banharn predicted, but the country would experience considerable damage, if the crisis prolongs.

He personally views that house dissolution would be the best solution because it would pave ways for the parliament. - Bangkok Post

Thai People

The diversity of ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups in Thailand is characteristic of most nations of Southeast Asia, where shifting political boundaries have done little to impede the centuries-long migrations of people. Thailand's central position on the mainland has made it a crossroads for these population movements. As a result, speakers of all four major language families are represented in the country.

What Is The Settlement Pattern in Thailand

Hill settlements depend much on shifting cultivation of upland crops. Such mountain peoples as the Karen, Hmong (Miao, or Meo), Yao, Lahu, Lisu, and the lowland Thai who have migrated to the uplands usually settle on the ridges and the slopes in groups ranging up to l00 or more houses, depending on the resources of the area. The Hmong are opium cultivators and prefer to live on high slopes where opium grows well in the cool climate. The Karen live along the stream valleys and grow rice on well-tended terraced fields. The lowland Thai who have migrated to these uplands earn a living from their tea and coffee plantations.

No true plains villages exist in Thailand. Villages in the northeast are scattered on the higher grounds above flood levels, while the lower grounds are used for rice farming. In the north, where the villages are found in the alluvial basins of major rivers, increased population and transportation have tended to disperse the villages away from the rivers and toward the main railroads and highways, reducing the amount of land available for growing rice.

The Chao Phraya delta is densely settled but only on the high ground that is free from flooding. A vast network of irrigation canals modifies the pattern of settlement. With increasing facility in transportation offered by small motorboats, the villages tend to become dispersed to the east and west away from the rivers. New highways also tend to modify settlement patterns, especially at their crossings of canals and rivers, where new towns grow up rapidly.

In the south and southeast, plantations, especially fruit and rubber plantations, are scattered along the fertile slopes, alternating with the low and narrow rice fields; the villages are therefore arranged accordingly. Most of them are joined by good roads and highways. Alluvial deposits containing tin, no matter how remote, are accessible by land and sea. Settlement is almost continuous along both sides of the peninsula. Most of the people live by fishing, except in areas where collecting bird's nests for cooking brings a good income. The coastal villages are connected by both land and sea.

Urban settlement in Thailand, as in many other developing countries, has grown dramatically since World War II, but that growth has been highly uneven. Bangkok remains the dominant and only major urban centre in the country, its population more than 20 times larger than that of Nonthaburi, the next largest city. The smaller urban centres typically are provincial capitals; among the oldest of these are Chiang Mai, Lampang, Phrae, and Nan in the north, which grew up along the major tributaries of the Chao Phraya River.

What Is The Climate of Thailand

The major influences on Thailand's climate are its location in the tropical monsoon zone of mainland Southeast Asia and certain topographic features that affect the distribution of precipitation. Beginning in May, the warm, humid air masses of the southwest monsoon flow northeastward over the region from the Indian Ocean, depositing great quantities of precipitation; rainfall reaches a maximum in September. The wind pattern is reversed between November and February, when the northeast monsoon brings cool, relatively dry air masses in a southwesterly flow to create a seasonably cooler climate for much of the country. Stagnant air in March and April is associated with a distinct hot and dry intermonsoonal period.

Local relief acts to modify these general weather patterns. Topographic effects are most noticeable on the peninsula, where Ranong on the west coast receives approximately 160 inches (4,000 millimetres) of precipitation annually, while Hua Hin on the east coast receives less than 40 inches. Similar but less pronounced rain-shadow effects occur along the western margins of the Central Plain and on the Khorat Plateau. Songkhla, at the southern end of peninsular Thailand, has its rainy season during the cool season, the result of moisture picked up by the northeast monsoon winds while passing over the Gulf of Thailand; in this area a true tropical rain-forest climate prevails.

Nationwide, temperatures are relatively steady throughout the year, averaging between 77° and 84° F (25° and 29° C). The greatest fluctuations are in the north, where frost may occur in December at higher elevations; conversely, maritime influences moderate the climate in the south. The cooler, drier air of the northeast monsoon produces frequent morning fogs that generally dissipate by midday in the north and northeast regions. - Britannica Encylopedia

Thailand Prime Minister Samak Speaks to the UN

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej spoke during his weekly talk show on the state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) channel on Sunday that he plans to explain Thailand's civil strife at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly session, which is scheduled to convene on September 23 in New York.

Mr Samak said he is not afraid that a coup will take place after his departure to the UN General Assembly, similar to the 2006 military coup that was staged while ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra attended the UN conference.

The prime minister said he will ask the Court of Appeals to postpone a ruling on a libel suit on September 25 because he will attend the UN General Assembly to clarify the country's situation to the international community.

Concerning the heavy rain and hail at Government House on Friday, Mr Samak said the Meteorological Department stated that the phenomenon was normal.

Thailand Topography and Geography

The northern mountains, the southeastern continuation of the uplift process that formed the Himalayas, extend southward along the Thai-Myanmar border and reach as far south as northern Malaysia. Long granitic ridges were formed when great masses of molten rock forced their way upward through the older sedimentary strata. Peaks average about 5,200 feet (l,585 metres) above sea level. Mount Inthanon, at 8,481 feet (2,585 metres) the highest in the country, is in northwestern Thailand, near the ancient city of Chiang Mai (Chiengmai); the city is overshadowed by Mount Suthep, a tourist attraction and site of the royal summer palace. Some of the rugged limestone hills contain caves from which remains of prehistoric humans have been excavated.

The Khorat Plateau is a vast tableland bounded by the Mekong River on the north and east. It was formed by uplifting along two perpendicularly arranged crustal faults—one trending north-south in the west and the other east-west in the south. As a result, the underlying sedimentary rocks were tilted rather than uniformly uplifted. This tilting created ranges of low hills and mountains along the western and southern edges of the plateau: the Phetchabun and Dangrek (Thai: Dong Rak) mountains, respectively. The escarpments of these uplands overlook the plain of the Chao Phraya basin to the west and the Cambodian plain to the south. Surface elevations on the Khorat Plateau range from about 650 feet in the northwest to about 300 feet in the southeast: the terrain is rolling, and the hilltops generally slope to the southeast in conformity with the tilt of the land.

Situated between the northern and western mountain ranges and the Khorat Plateau is the extensive Chao Phraya River basin, which is the cultural and economic heartland of Thailand. The region, sometimes called the Central Plain, consists of two portions: heavily dissected, rolling plains in the north and the flat, low-lying floodplain and delta of the Chao Phraya in the south. It was formed by the outwash of immense quantities of sediment brought down from the mountains by the Chao Phraya's tributaries, which produced vast fan-shaped alluvial deposits.

The generally rolling countryside of the southeast has high hills in the centre and along the eastern boundary with Cambodia. Notable peaks are Mount Khieo (2,614 feet), visible from the top of Mount Phu Thong (the Golden Mount) in Bangkok, and Mount Soi Dao, which attains a height of 5,471 feet. The hills, reaching nearly to the sea, create a markedly indented coastline fringed with many islands. With their long stretches of sandy beach, such coastal towns as Chon Buri and Rayong and some of the islands have become popular year-round tourist resorts.

The topography of the peninsula is rolling to mountainous, with little flat land. A gently sloping sandy coastline, including such resort communities as Hua Hin, borders the Gulf of Thailand on the east. Higher mountains reaching about 4,900 feet line the peninsula on the west and contain narrow passes linking Thailand and Myanmar. These ranges separate the Andaman and South China seas as the peninsula narrows near the Malaysian border. Off the rugged and much indented west coast lie numerous large islands, including tin-rich Phuket Island. - Britannica Encyclopedia

Land in Thailand

Thailand's landscapes vary from high mountains to fertile alluvial plains dotted with rice paddies to sandy beaches set amid the equatorial latitudes of the Asian monsoons. Three physiographic regions cover most of the country: the folded mountains in the north and west, the Khorat Plateau in the east, and the west-central Chao Phraya River basin. The maritime southeastern corner of the main portion and the long, slender peninsular portion in the southwest constitute separate physical regions. - Britannica Encyclopedia

Information About Thailand

Thailand- Officially  Kingdom of Thailand,  formerly (1856–1939)  Siam,  Thai  Prathet,  or  Prades, Thai ("Thailand"),  Rajanajak Thai ("Thai Kingdom"),  or  Sayam ("Siam"),  byname  Muang Thai ("Land of the Free"),  country located in the centre of mainland Southeast Asia.

Its area of 198,115 square miles (513,115 square kilometres) consists of two broad geographic areas: a larger section in the north and a smaller peninsular section in the south. The main body of the country is surrounded by Myanmar (Burma) to the west, Laos to the north and east, Cambodia to the southeast, and the Gulf of Thailand (Gulf of Siam) to the south.

Peninsular Thailand stretches southward from the southwestern corner down the Malay Peninsula; Myanmar extends along the western portion of the peninsula as far as the Isthmus of Kra, after which Thailand occupies the entire peninsula until reaching its southern border with Malaysia at roughly latitude 6° N. Bangkok, Thailand's capital and chief port, is in the main portion at the head of the Gulf of Thailand.

The country was officially called Siam until 1939 and again briefly in 1945–48. The several ethnic and religious groups represented among Thailand's people are characteristic of the cultural diversity that for centuries has spread southward from China and eastward from India. Indeed, the name "Thai" to describe the country's people came into use only in the 20th century. - Britannica Encyclopedia

Protest and Rally in Thailand Needs Mediator

Senate speaker Prasopsuk admitted that he is concerned over his role as a mediator between the government and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), in an attempt to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

After meeting with the national army chief and enforcer of the emergency decree in Bangkok, Gen Anupong Paochinda, on Saturday, the senate speaker said the army chief reiterated his stance that no force will be used and there will certainly be no coup.

Despite the PAD's comment that it would negotiate only if Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej resigns, Mr Prasopsuk said he still tries to contact the anti-government group and hopes the negotiation would be successful. However, a deadline has not been set because this issue would take some time, he said.- BangkokPost.net

Joe Cole Saves England

Two goals from substitute Joe Cole spared England's blushes as they overcame international minnows Andorra 2-0 in Barcelona on Saturday.

In manager Fabio Capello's first competitive match in charge, England got off to a winning start in their quest to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

England struggled to break down the stubborn Andorran defence in the first half, and just as last year, they were booed off by their supporters as they went into the break 0-0.

But Capello introduced match-winning hero Joe Cole and Emile Heskey at the beginning of the second half and the changes brought immediate rewards.

Cole poked in his first goal from close range just three minutes after the break after Joleon Lescott had guided Frank Lampard's free-kick across the face of goal.

And the Chelsea midfielder added a second only six minutes later with a cool finish after being played in by Wayne Rooney.

The Andorrans best hope always lay in not conceding a goal, and after England had struck so quickly in the second period, they never posed a serious threat.- DPA and Bangkok Post

Thailand's Samak on Special Meeting With Cabinet Members

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej called a special cabinet meeting at Supreme Command headquarters at 10.30am Thursday, deputy government spokesman Nattawut Saikua said.

Just a couple of hours earlier, Mr Samak spoke to the nation in live radio broadcast that he would not resign because the country needs a leader. He also said he would not dissolve the parliament.

Mr Samak was expected to discuss about political problems with his ministers.

He is scheduled to speak more to public about political turmoil on FM 96.5 in the afternoon.

Thailand Union Workers On Strike Against Samak

Widespread disruption of public services is expected today as state enterprise labour unions have confirmed they will down tools to press for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Most have promised strikes and the disruption power and water supplies to government offices, despite the declaration of a state of emergency. Sawit Kaewwan, secretary-general of the State Enterprise Labour Relations Confederation, said Monday's resolution will not be revoked.

He said more than 300 representatives of 43 state enterprise labour unions had joined the People's Alliance for Democracy's protest rally.

If the prime minister refuses to resign, the unions will bring operations to a complete halt.

Phien Yongnoo, president of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) labour union, sent a letter to army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda asking him to advise Mr Samak to resign and that the military take over control of the situation from the government.

MEA workers will cut off the power supply to the Defence Ministry if its demands are not met, Mr Phien said in the letter.

Somsak Manop, vice-president of the Thai Airways International labour union, said members will take retaliatory measures today in response to the government's use of force against the people. - Bangkok Post