Land of Smiles: News from John Walsh in Bangkok

News and commentary from Thailand and Southeast Asia. Bird flu, violence in Southern Thailand and continued corruption are current themes in this part of the world. You can also find out about my latest research and publications. Welcome to the Land of Smiles.

Great Sites

Links

Friends

Bravenet

Tag Board

Krishna: Hi, Blog hoping! Have a very nice day!

Bravenet Community Blog: Wednesday, July 16/08, 12:07AM: Hi John.

I was just blog-surfing and thought I'd see what your journal is about. You have great content, and I like your layout. Your text is a bit small, but otherwise, your blog looks great.

I've added you to my blog list for the next update.

Marites: bloghopping here:) have a good day.

Hazel: Thank you for delivering this info to us in such a clear way. Hope u get lots of readers

massacres guerrero brilla 2008: http://www.pepsico.bumeran.com.mx/aplicantes/a_datospersonales.ngmf http://www.pepsico.bumeran.com.mx/aplicantes/home.ngmf

Cool Dude: wow dude cool site

GK: hello...care to exchange link?if so let me know so I can add your link to my blog..

电话录音卡: なんとしてでも、地球を死の惑星にはしたくない。未来に向かって、地球上のすべての生物との共存をめざし、むしろこれからが、人類のほんとうの“あけぼの”なのかもしれないとも思うのです

antai:

antai: 超薄灯箱餐饮软件无线点菜连锁餐饮管理软件Medical suppliesCpap

电话录音卡: In the hours of distress and miser,the eyes of every mortal man turn to friendship;in the hour of gladness and conviviality ,what is our want?It is friendship.When the heart overflows with gratitude,or with any other sweet and sarced sentiment,what is the world to which it would give utterance?a friend.

打号机: In the hours of distress and miser,the eyes of every mortal man turn to friendship;in the hour of gladness and conviviality ,what is our want?It is friendship.When the heart overflows with gratitude,or with any other sweet and sarced sentiment,what is the world to which it would give utterance?a friend.北京搬家公司上海搬家公司成都搬家公司

nn: 企业电子商务金信输送设备输送机工业流水线自动化流水线电动车流水线金信输送线输送流水线拓野流水线流水线行业网拓野生产线金信装配线装配流水线金信生产线生产流水线雅龙流水线雅龙生产线金信流水线装配线输送线流水线生产线增盛流水线电动门道闸岗亭台州水泵装配线装配流水线流水线配件板链线流水线设备皮带流水线输送线输送流水线皮带输送线板链线流水

medicine: good article!

JUNE: Hello, i just started my blog and I am having a look around. your place is excellentHugs June x

anon: Haha...of course, without Thaksin, you cannot stay. Now, you are start doubting about whether you will receive your wages at all. It's your own mistake to support that dictator. No one can help you.

Wednesday, July 18th 2007

2:20 PM

Baht Troubles; Repression Intensifies

Good afternoon,

The ‘government’ has now decided to take all sorts of actions to take care of the high rate of the baht (http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/18Jul2007_biz35.php) as experts point out the damage it is doing to their livelihoods (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Jul2007_news01.php). A new foreign debt ceiling is possible (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30564), as is scrapping the reserve rule (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30565), cutting the repo rate (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30557) and industrial structure reform (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30560).

Huge new powers for the junta come into force today as a massive system of CCTVs is to be opened across Bangkok (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=120259), even more intensive censorship of internet use is ensured (http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=120281) and the ISOC powers will enable the military to do just about anything they want without any restraint (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/18/politics/politics_30041273.php). There are some protests but few as movement across the country is being suppressed. A protest against the Interior Ministry was held this morning for this reason (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30041342).

The Democrat Governor of Bangkok Apirak Kosalyodhin, meanwhile, is trying to suppress information about his alleged corruption in the Steyr Co Fire Truck affair (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Jul2007_news06.php).

I have published several new reviews and articles. At Suite 101, I have published “Shang: The First Dynasty of China” (http://chinese-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/shang), “Labour Migration” (http://sasianchineseaffairs.suite101.com/article.cfm/labour_migration), “The Precarious Baht” (http://thailand.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_precarious_baht) and “Australia Storms Back” (http://asian-football.suite101.com/article.cfm/australia_storms_back). New reviews published at Bokideas, meanwhile, are McCarthy, Cormac, No Country for Old Men (http://www.bookideas.com/reviews/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayReview&id=3844), Taylor, G.P., Wormwood (http://www.bookideas.com/reviews/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayReview&id=3845) and Hal Duncan’s Ink: The Book of All Hours 2 (http://www.bookideas.com/reviews/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayReview&id=3846).