Good morning,

The murder of a western tourist is often the thing to bring Thailand to the world’s attention and another unfortunate high-profile case has been in the news: a man was apparently murdered in front of his wife (who had been tied up) and his body thrown overboard during a lengthy ordeal. Police have arrested three Burmese men, who were working on a nearby fishing boat. The Sun has a lengthy story with all kinds of distressing details provided by the woman concerned – she apparently recognised the suspects immediately. They are likely, therefore, to be executed. There are also comments on the Pirates of Tarutao legends.  

In no way is handing out 2,000 baht cheques to grateful recipients either vote-buying or populist in any sense. Especially not when it takes place under the full glare of television lights. High-minded and certainly not integrity-challenged PM Abhisit Vejjajiva would never stoop to that kind of obvious chicanery. Eh? Oh. However, some thing amusing has come of it.

Featherweight boxer Fahsai Sakkreerin’s career appears to be over after he was discovered to be suffering from Hepatitis B: the boxer initially refused to give blood (he was in South Africa preparing for a fight) because he said he was scared of needles, then said giving blood would weaken him, then sent his trainer to take the blod test in his place. South African officials had him thrown out of his five-star accommodation and boxer and trainer were forced to take refuge in the Thai Embassy before returning home. It is said he thought that South Africa would be lax in enforcing regulations. He was wrong.

Two more of my reviews have been published at Bookideas. There is one of Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist and Call for the Dead by John Le Carre.

Back tomorrow.