Good morning,

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn opened parliament yesterday – a real, democratically-elected party and not the group of disreputable junta cronies who have disfigured the reputation of the country for the last year (http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=2404). The junta-crony government has been a total disaster. Even junta-appointed ‘prime minister’ General Surayud Chulanont, who can now go back to counting his land, accepted that efforts in the South to quell the insurgency have been a waste of time (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=125324). Even with a year of governmental resources aimed at finding some evidence to support the spurious claim that the coup was brought about to end corruption, no evidence and no meaningful cases have been brought forward. Yet the leader of the coup, General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, is still threatening violence and a further coup (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=125335). Someone is paying the general to go on an extended jaunt around the Arab world. Perhaps he might consider staying there.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand fell 13 points yesterday, in common with most other Asian exchanges which fell around 3% because of disappointment in President Bush’s fairly useless plan to keep America out of recession (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=125328). The SET has opened another 14 points down this morning. Business is calling for an experienced team to lead the Finance Ministry (http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/22Jan2008_biz32.php). I would expect the motley crew put in power by the junta to be clearing their desks out as soon as possible. Secretary-general of the People’s Power Party Surapong Suebwonglee is the current favourite to be given the leading post (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/22/headlines/headlines_30062999.php).

Air hostesses (and perhaps hosts too) are up in arms about the new Channel 5 soap opera Battle of the Angels (Songkram Nangfah) which apparently portrays them in an unflattering light (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/22/headlines/headlines_30063001.php). I have not seen the program but it seems that one scene shows two hostesses fighting in front of passengers over a male pilot and that uniforms are a little too revealing, among other outrages. Becoming a stewardess is considered a very high status job here and many girls are desperate to reach the minimum height level (everyone knows what it is) to get the comparatively high-salary job.

I published an article via Triond about Chinese Business in Southeast Asia at Bizcovering (http://www.bizcovering.com/International-Business-and-Trade/Chinese-Business-in-Southeast-Asia.76087) and my review of ‘Don’t Never Shoot Short’ has been published at Bookpleasures (http://www.bookpleasures.com/Lore2/idx/0/3275/article/Dont_Never_Shoot_Short.html). A few other things have popped up as well, which I will mention in the next couple of days.

Back tomorrow.

Happy First Anniversary, Mrs W. The year starts today.