Good afternoon,

Some 400 million baht is to be set aside for rebuilding Thailand’s image in the eyes of the world. Apparently: “The panel should work to promote the country's image through such global channels as CNN and CNBC. Activities should include a regional economic meeting and a forum of senior executives of the world's leading companies.” It has become customary for the media to characterise any negative story in the international media (e.g. abuse of the Rohingyas) as being the result of journalists having been paid by Khun Thaksin or other ‘ill-intentioned’ people. However, one might have hoped the government had more sense than to believe that is how news is made. The way to restore Thailand’s image is immediately to prosecute those people who have committed crimes such as seizing the international airports, murder, kidnapping, staging a military coup and so forth.*

Did you know: the orang-utan is seven times stronger than a human? Well, quite. Anyway, scientists are seeking to analyse the DNA of 11 orang-utans smuggled into Thailand to try to determine their real home and then return them, presumably.

Chonburi FC, the ‘Sharks’ apparently, beat Hong Kong’s Eastern Athletic 4-1 in the first round of games in Group C of the AFC (the Asian equivalent of the Champions’ League, aka Big Cup). Chonburi now go to Malaysia to play Lovecraftian Far Kedah in the next round of matches: Kedah lost 3-1 to Hanoi ACB in their/its opening match.

It has been a while but it is now available:

Walsh, John and Nittana Southiseng, “Vientiane – A Failure to Exert Power?” City: Analysis of Urban Trends, Culture, Theory, Policy, Action, Vol.13, No.1 (March, 2009), pp.95-102.

Back tomorrow, possibly. I’m off to Singo so may not have time. We will see.

Either three points on Saturday or I’m off to support the Tobacco Monopoly.

* Alas, these same people are now controlling the government. So, it will be, as usual, a question of style rather than substance.