Good morning,

It is still not clear what role EU observers will have in the December 23^rd general elections, if they are held. The Election Commission (EC) is apparently accepting a small number of observers if no formal memorandum is required (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121419). On the other hand, the EU representative has noted that the observers will not cause any difference in the relationship between Europe and Thailand (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31486), while the Nation is reporting that the same EU representative is insisting that a memo be signed (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/07/headlines/headlines_30048088.php). Every national vote in Thai history has had claims of intimidation and vote-buying attached to it and this may be why officials are nervous about what might be turned up.

A rubber plantation owner and a police officer have been killed by bomb blasts in the south and two other people injured (http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121417).

When I first came to Thailand a few years ago, frozen food was not easy to find and when it was found it was as a speciality overseas food. However, with the increased number of supermarkets, more and more frozen food is available, both as ready meals and in specific products (easy to cook chicken pieces, frozen vegetables etc). There is an interesting article in the Bangkok Post today about this (http://www.bangkokpost.com/Realtime/07Sep2007_real21.php).

I published this article on the first Tang Emperor Gaozu at Suite 101 (http://chinese-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/gaozu). I will try to put up some more today if I have time – within 11 cents of actually getting paid for it now.

Back on Monday.