Good morning,

It was another night of murder and mayhem in Thailand yesterday, as ten soldiers were killed in a bomb blast (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/01/headlines/headlines_30035737.php) and five civilians were murdered by gunmen at a market. Five young men were also shot dead inside a mosque in what is being described as a ‘tit-for-tat’ killing (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=119138). Other murders have taken place over the last few days. Six teenagers have been arrested for allegedly being involved in bombing attacks (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=119137). One thousand Muslim villagers demonstrated and called for the ending of the emergency order affecting them (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30035681).

Scholars have confirmed what was obvious about the Constitutional Court’s extraordinary decision on Wednesday evening (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/01/politics/politics_30035734.php). It remains to be seen whether politicians can rally and draw together the broad-based coalition of interests that allowed Thai Rak Thai to obtain such overwhelming electoral success.

The Labour Ministry is placing a ban on Thai workers trying to sneak into Iraq, because of the danger to them (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/01Jun2007_news15.php). The workers are attracted to the country because of the high salaries believed to be available and discount the dangers their presence there causes so many people.

My review of Axel Aylwen’s The Falcon’s Last Flight has been published at Bookideas (http://www.bookideas.com/reviews/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayReview&id=3786). Visit ASEAN Affairs (www.aseanaffairs.com) for ASEAN related stories updated daily.

Back on Monday.