Egypt’s Morsi decorates generals he dismissed

Egypt’s Morsi decorates generals he dismissed:
CAIRO — Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi awarded medals Tuesday to two recently dismissed military chiefs at the presidential palace during a ceremony that left little doubt the generals are stepping aside without protest.
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Bombings in southern and northern Afghanistan kill at least 40 civilians

Bombings in southern and northern Afghanistan kill at least 40 civilians:
KABUL — Three suicide bombers killed at least 30 civilians in a coordinated attack Tuesday in a city in southwestern Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials. Later in the day, at least 10 civilians were killed in a bombing in a bazaar in the north.
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Euro Zone Economy Shrinks, Darkening Outlook

Euro Zone Economy Shrinks, Darkening Outlook: The euro zone's $13 trillion economy is shrinking, data published Tuesday indicated, a development that threatens to worsen a global slowdown and intensify the debate about Europe's attempts to restore confidence in the currency union.

Nationalist Groups in Japan Gain Clout

Nationalist Groups in Japan Gain Clout: Nationalist politicians and activists are wielding new clout in Japan, straining the country's ties with China and South Korea, and creating headaches for policy makers in Tokyo.

Destination: Pai, Thailand

Destination: Pai, Thailand:
NESTLED in the mountains north-west of Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second largest city, lies the small town of Pai, known commonly to travelers as a kind of hippie mecca. Sleepy Pai sits in a valley in Mae Hong Son Province, and the main town is comprised of a few blocks dotted with restaurants, shops and galleries.

The natural beauty of Pai

By day, Pai is a quiet, friendly place and by night…well, it’s not all that different. There are a number of places to grab a drink and mix with locals, fellow travelers and expats who have made their home in Pai, but rarely do they get crowded and most close at midnight.
Prices for food and accommodations in Pai are cheaper than Chiang Mai, though there is an abundance of quality eats for such a small town. The low-key atmosphere at all establishments contributes to Pai’s charm, which is mostly that it’s a place to do very little while pausing to really enjoy yourself while on vacation.
While the town’s reputation as a hippie enclave is well-deserved, thanks to the rastafarians and dreadlocked denizens who dwell here, there are also a number of families and retirees flocking to Pai to see what all the fuss is about. It is also becoming a popular getaway spot among Thais.

Sightseeing

Pai is an idyllic place to rest and rejuvenate, and isn’t exactly a place one goes to do much sight-seeing. However, renting a motorbike and riding around outside the town affords visitors breathtaking views of the region’s natural beauty. There are also a number of waterfalls and hot springs on the outksirts of town, as well as the natural wonder of Pai Canyon. Whitewater rafting, tubing down the Pai River and jungle trekking can also easily be added to the agenda.
Pai is best enjoyed by taking leisurely strolls through the small town, indulging in the tasty local and foreign foods, and reading a good book while swinging in a bungalow hammock.
Yoga studios such as Xhale Yoga offer retreat packages that will appeal to those looking to stay fit and get in touch with their inner selves while in town. Vistors can also take a course in Thai cooking from a number of different vendors throughout Pai.

Accommodations

For a town of about 3,000 people, there are a great number of guest houses and acommodation options in Pai. Budget travelers might be interested in places such as Pai Loess Resort or Giant Guesthouse. Pai Loess rents riverside bungalows that include a semi-enclosed bathroom and WiFi for 100 baht a night ($3.18USD). Giant Guesthouse also rents budget bungalows along the river for as low as 150 baht a night ($4.77USD) that also include wifi and easy access to the uber-relaxed outdoor bar.

Bungalows at the Pai Loess

For those who lack a tolerance for mosquitoes and the sound of animals moving outside their doors in the night, there are a number of moderately priced guest houses, including TTK Guesthouse, which offers large rooms for 250 baht a night ($7.95USD). These come equipped with a fan, private bathroom with hot water and two bedrooms.
At the other end of the spectrum are a number of lovely resorts situated on the outskirts of town, such as the beautiful Oia Pai Resort & Spa.

Dining

Pai offers a plethora of dining options – a surprising amount, in fact, considering its size. Of course there are standard Thai food eateries, the best of which is the Curry Shack. Chef Lee cooks a perfectly satisfying dish every time (this author ate there three times in five days) and provides courteous service as well. In addition to the entrees, there are also fresh, tasty fruit shakes and smoothies on the menu, as well as refreshing Thai teas and coffees.

Fresh ingredients for a street car dish

For a whimsical dining experience, the charming Witching Well is a must try. The menu is extensive, including crepes, pastas, salads and a range of other dishes, and the food is fresh and well-prepared. Desserts are homemade on the premises and are truly delightful, particularly the blueberry cheesecake.
There are also plenty of street vendors selling an array of savory and sweet goodies at night along the walking street. Baked potatoes, corn, sushi, noodles cooked-to-order and deep-friend bananas are but a few of the choice dishes to nibble while perusing tables of handmade jewelery, shoes, clothes and other goods.

Nightlife

The nightlight scene in Pai is hardly a rollicking one, though there are a number of bars at which visitors can imbibe. Yellow Sun benefits from an exceptionally friendly staff who wave visitors in and invite them to sit down and have a drink. There are pool tables and deals on drink buckets for the crowd here, which mostly consists of young travelers and backpackers.
Almost Famous is a small venue a few doors down from Yellow Sun, and has a more mellow atmosphere. Cocktails here are as cheap as 50 baht (less than $1.60USD) and the service is friendly.
For those unwilling to turn in at midnight, venues such as Don’t Cry and Bamboo stay open later. All are within walking distance of one another, so revelers can stumble through the town to imbibe.

Shopping

Pai is a fantastic spot for those who like to shop for souvenirs. There are a number of boutiques that sell jewelry and art here, and there are plenty of clothing shops as well. In addition to the standard flowing pants and tank tops, specialty shops, such as the local cobbler, sell hand-worked accessories and leather goods. It’s also easy to find natural beauty products, toiletries and massage oils for a good price.

Getting there

There are a number of ways to get to Pai, depending on your travel style. Mini buses run hourly from Chiang Mai and cost between 150–180baht each way. The trip takes around three and a half hours, including stopping at a rest area, and are a convenient way of making the trip.

A sleepy street in Pai

Those who wish to go it alone can rent a motorbike and tackle the steep curves on the road to Pai themselves. This is a great way of taking in the Pai scenery, but those who opt to go the motorbike route should make sure they rent a vehicle suitable for the mountains, not a city bike.
There is an airport in Pai so it’s also possible to take a domestic flight. Call or visit Kan Airlines at (+66) 02–551–6111 / 053–283–311 for prices and reservations.

Papua New Guinean food security wilts

Papua New Guinean food security wilts: Market sellers in Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, see almost half of their fresh produce rot each day due to a lack of refrigeration and storage facilities, while poor infrastructure is preventing improvements to food security and local incomes that are needed to boost the island nation's development status. (Aug 14, '12)

Finding hope in the Swat Valley

Finding hope in the Swat Valley: The Swat Valley in Pakistan is now synonymous with the massive military operation to root out Taliban insurgents and devastating floods in 2010 that together forced an estimated 2 million people to flee. Its reputation as a center of culture was wiped out in the process, and many devotees are working hard to restore that - even from afar. - Farkhanda Wazir (Aug 14, '12)

A Brotherhood coup in Egypt

A Brotherhood coup in Egypt: The purge of Egypt's top brass by President Mohammed Morsi deftly exploited army weaknesses made glaring by recent militant activity in the Sinai peninsula, and he was likely helped by young officers angry at a sharp generational divide in the military's higher echelons. As daily riots over shortages take hold, powerful forces are happy to hand Morsi this victory - simply because it positions the Muslim Brotherhood as a scapegoat for trouble to come. - Victor Kotsev (Aug 14, '12)

Defected Syria PM says regime near collapse

Defected Syria PM says regime near collapse: In first public remarks, Riad Hijab says he was "powerless" to stop violence and urges leaders to join the opposition.

Deadly attack on Yemen's defence ministry

Deadly attack on Yemen's defence ministry: At least five people dead as troops led by son of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh attack offices with machine guns.

Abducted Kurdish MP freed by PKK in Turkey

Abducted Kurdish MP freed by PKK in Turkey: Opposition member Huseyin Aygun freed by fighters outside a town in Tunceli province after being kidnapped on Sunday.

Hamas and the Arab Uprisings

Hamas and the Arab Uprisings: New dynamics in the Arab world present opportunities for Hamas and the West to redefine their relationship, but it will take a far greater display of pragmatism and realism than either has exhibited.

BURKINA FASO: Food for refugees will run out in September

BURKINA FASO: Food for refugees will run out in September:

OUAGADOUGOU, 14 August 2012 (IRIN) - Agencies cannot cope with the scale of refugee needs in camps across Mali, as their funding shortfalls are too great: 36 percent at the World Food Programme (WFP) 66 percent in UN refugee agency (UNHCR), and 58 percent for the overall response. If additional funding does not come soon, food will run out in September.

ETHIOPIA: Surge of doctors to strengthen health system

ETHIOPIA: Surge of doctors to strengthen health system:

ADDIS ABABA, 14 August 2012 (IRIN) - Ethiopia is preparing for a flood of medical doctors within "three to four years", an influx meant to save a public health system that has been losing doctors and specialists to internal and external migration.

CAMBODIA: Water management goes solar

CAMBODIA: Water management goes solar:

KRATIE, 14 August 2012 (IRIN) - Floods and droughts are two leading causes of agricultural losses in Cambodia, where farmers have begun using solar power to manage their water supply and counter the impact of increasingly erratic weather patterns.

SYRIA: Palestinians being drawn into the fight

SYRIA: Palestinians being drawn into the fight:

BERLIN, 14 August 2012 (IRIN) - When mortar shells slammed into Yarmouk, Syria's largest Palestinian camp, in early August, many of Syria's half a million Palestinian refugees saw it as a wake-up call. As the Syrian conflict intensifies, so do divisions among Palestinians, who say they may no longer be able to keep their camps from getting engulfed in the violence.

MIGRATION: Reaction to Australian policy reforms

MIGRATION: Reaction to Australian policy reforms:

BANGKOK, 14 August 2012 (IRIN) - The Australian government's recent decision to transfer asylum seekers to Pacific islands to process their applications will undermine efforts to find a solution to the region's asylum seekers and refugees, human right groups and activists warn.

Protest Against Police Brutality

Protest Against Police Brutality:
Nearly 500 Tibetans in China’s Qinghai province took to the streets Tuesday to protest what they called police brutality at the same time as tensions gripped neighboring Sichuan province, where one of two Tibetans who self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule a day earlier died, sources said.

Residents of Rebgong (Tongren, in Chinese) county in Qinghai province’s Malho prefecture marched on the local Public Security Bureau office to highlight an attack by police on Monday night on a group of Tibetans traveling by car.

Witnesses to the Monday assault described the Chinese police who attacked the Tibetans as “drunk,” local sources told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“On Aug. 13, local police, who appeared to be drunk, stopped four Tibetans traveling in their vehicle and harshly questioned them,” sources said.

“The harassment reached a point where the police and the Tibetans clashed, and the Tibetans were severely beaten.”

The Tibetans injured in the beating were identified as Kelsang, Konchog Nyima, Shawo Tsering, and Konchog Norbu, with Shawo Tsering described as the most badly hurt in the group.

It is not known if the men were also detained.

Early on Tuesday, area residents gathered in a village called Senge Shong to protest the beating, sources said.

The crowd then marched to Rebgong town with some carrying banners reading “The government police beat people” written in both Tibetan and Chinese.

“The police have secured themselves inside their building and don’t dare come out,” one source said.

Monk dies of burns

The protests came a day after two Tibetans set themselves on fire Monday in protest against Chinese rule in Ngaba county in Sichuan, triggering clashes between local Tibetans and police that resulted in a Tibetan being beaten to death, sources said.

One of them, a Tibetan monk identified as Lungtok, 20, has died, exile sources said.

Lungtok, a monk from the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba, and Tashi, 21, an ex-monk from the same monastery, set themselves ablaze on Aug. 13 at about 6:50 p.m. local time to highlight their opposition to Beijing’s rule, sources said.

“On Aug. 14, it was learned that Lungtok died in Barkham [county] hospital,” said India-based Tibetan monks Lobsang Yeshi and Kanyag Tsering, citing sources in the region.

“It is not known whether his remains were handed over to family members,” they added.

It was also unclear whether Lungtok had died on Tuesday or the day before.

In their Monday protest, both men set themselves alight and walked, burning and shouting slogans, along the main street of Ngaba town before being overwhelmed and taken away by Chinese police, Yeshi and Tsering said.

Witnesses said there was little hope for their survival because of their severe burns, Yeshi and Tsering said.

Tashi, who taken with Lungtok to the Ngaba county hospital before both were moved to Barkham, was beaten as he burned, witnesses said.

There is no word yet on his condition.

Forty-nine Tibetans in total have self-immolated since the current wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with nearly all of the protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China.

Most of them protested against Chinese rule and called for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader who is living in exile in Dharamsala.

Last week, three Tibetans died in self-immolation protests — two in Ngaba and one in the southern part of Kanlho (Gannan, in Chinese) prefecture in Gansu province.

Tibetan groups say the wave of self-immolation protests will continue until the underlying human rights and other problems in the Tibetan-populated areas are addressed by the Chinese authorities.

Chinese authorities however have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people and have blamed the Dalai Lama for encouraging the burnings.

Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.

A Deaf and Dumb War, But Not Blind

A Deaf and Dumb War, But Not Blind:

“The government has not disarmed the underworld because if they did they would be disarming their repressive branch.”

Students gather in Venezuela and raise their hands for peace. Photo: ervega. Creative Commons Licensed

People often ask themselves why the Venezuelan government has been unable to disarm the individuals who have been causing deaths on a daily basis–deaths without political mourners: Berta’s grandson, Pedro’s niece, Julia’s son. And the death toll keeps going up, week after week. It has already become a figure similar to that of a country at war. Where do these Venezuelans who kill other Venezuelans get their weapons?

1. 
2. From his lonely watch post Albert Camus asked who among us has not experienced exile yet still managed to preserve a spark of fire in their soul. “We’re all alone,” Natalia Sedova cried in exile on hearing of her husband Leon Trotsky’s affair with Frida Kahlo. In his novel Night Watch, Stephen Koch follows the incestuous love affair of David and Harriet, wealthy siblings watching the world from their solitary exile. Koch’s writing, Camus’s theories, and Trotsky’s affair all come back to exile and lead me to reflect on the human condition. From my own vantage point, my Night Watch, I will reflect on my questions of exile, writing, and the human condition.
3. 
4. Israel Centeno was born in 1958 in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently lives in Pittsburgh as a Writer-in-Residence with City of Asylum/Pittsburgh. He writes both novels and short stories, and also works as an editor and professor of literature. He has published nine books in Venezuela and three in Spain.

When photos of hooded youths bearing assault rifles in the universities are released—or for example, when “civilians” on motorbikes open fire on one of the faculty members of the Central University—the images appear alongside quotes from the Minister of Security. The quotes are always the same: Distorted, cynical, laying the blame on “the empire,” denying the obvious: “It didn’t happen like that.” According to the government, the dead and the injured are destabilizing forces whose aim is to set fire to the country and stage a coup d’état. According to the government, violence is a media sensation: Never before has there been more freedom, nor as many happy faces in this country.
New anti-coup-d’état groups, active and mobilized groups, “cities in arms,” and groups defending the revolution constantly spring up by “popular initiative.” With constitutional status these militias embody the new geometry of power and recall the “Fascio di combattimento” and the lumpen nature of those who shaped Benito Mussolini’s shock troops. This power structure instigates violence in the neighborhoods and housing developments, results in contract killings and the disappearance of trade unionists and produces a summary form of justice that is meted out by the revolutionary groups.
“At least our young people wear hoods,” shouts the president-commander via one of his radio stations or television channels, in reference to an opposing student protest. “Our young people had the decency to cover their faces, but these daddy’s boys,” he adds, referring to those who demonstrated against him, “these little rich kids come with their bourgeois haughtiness to challenge us with their noses in the air.” He insists on the legitimacy of the once-revolutionary violence, asking his Minister of Security, “You wore hoods in the fight against the empire and the bourgeois, right?”
But many people have come to the same conclusion: The government has not disarmed the underworld because if they did they would be disarming their repressive branch. The Bolivarian revolution will not miss any opportunity to show off its weaponry. Following this, we start to understand the contract killers’ impunity, the general criminal aggression, and the intimidation and paralysis that surrounds and imprisons the general population, leading to ghettos and wire fences of terror within the city.
Venezuelans have become accustomed to the weekly death tolls. The hooded youths and the impunity levels, defended by the heights of power, represent the repressive muscle of present day Venezuela. Yet, there are still those who declare that, in Venezuela, there are conflicts fought between the right and the left, between the empire and the free nations, between the market and collectivism. In reality, it’s a deaf, practically dumb fight between fascism and the rest of society.
Translation: Kelly V. Harrison

East Timor Members of Parliament Remuneration Table | East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin

East Timor Members of Parliament Remuneration Table | East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin

Reaction to Ryan as VP Pick Among Least Positive Historically

Reaction to Ryan as VP Pick Among Least Positive Historically

Internet Blackout Day on 14 August gaining momentum

Internet Blackout Day on 14 August gaining momentum: CIJ Release 13 August 2012 Kuala Lumpur — Malaysian civil society’s latest effort in campaigning against the newly introduced Section 114A to the Evidence Act 1950 — Internet Blackout Day – is gaining momentum and has received more endorsements from prominent websites, Netizens and politicians. Bar Council has confirmed taking down their website (http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/) to [...]

Can only the rich be exemplary Buddhists?

Can only the rich be exemplary Buddhists?:
With the queen still sick from what seems to have been a stroke, the efforts to celebrate her 80th birthday have continued. PPT has commented on some of this (here, here and here) while ignoring much of the nonsensical and fantastical hagiography. However, a story at The Nation did catch our attention.
Of course, the Buddhist hierarchy must play a significant role in promoting the monarchy. There are long links between the monarchy and important temples, while back in the early 1960s, the military dictator Sarit Thanarat, as well as promoting the monarchy, established a more centralized and politically-controlled sangha.
What caught our eye was this statement by “Somdej Phra Maha Ratchamangkalajarn said yesterday in his capacity as member of the Supreme Sangha Council.” The story adds that he is also the abbot of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen. In the presence of “[s]everal senior monks, including the abbot of Wat Saket,” he said of the queen: “She is an exemplary Buddhist…”.
We don’t know if the senior monk was quoted in full, but this is how he described the “exemplary Buddhist”: “though Her Majesty was considered the mother of the nation and had the highest status among women, she was very humble.” As well as being the top woman in the country, “[s]he has made huge contributions to Buddhism.” Those contributions are said to be setting up “a fund to help ailing monks at Siriraj Hospital and also makes monthly donations to the Monk’s Hospital…”. Finally he added that she “gave alms every Monday and Friday at the Dusit Palace.”
Our question is this: is this senior monk telling us that only the rich and highest status people can be exemplary Buddhists? It seems so. If you have lots of money and give it to things that support the sangha, one gets to be an exemplary Buddhist.
We know plenty of “lower status” women and men who wait for monks each and every morning to provide them with food and to speak with the monks. Many of these people, from poor families, can’t ever provide regular monetary donations and funds to “Buddhism.” We tend to think of these people as making merit. When they do collect money, it is often a collective effort in the local community, and in the form of a pha-pa.We’d have thought that these people, making real sacrifices, are the exemplary ones.

Threatening a journalist = big deal; Threatening an academic = not a big deal?

Threatening a journalist = big deal; Threatening an academic = not a big deal?:
Last year, a red shirt supporter threatened a journalist as blogged at the time:

Then thongk on August 22 at the pro-red Internet Freedom posted (website banned in Thailand, but you can see the initial post here) stating the person who asked Yingluck the question was a Ch 7 reporter and then gives her name and claims she is in the Nation Group and hosts a radio program with the former editor of Naew Na. Then posts the same picture from the Seri Thai post of the reporter. The poster states “remember her face, if you see her then attack/get her”  จำหน้าหล่อนไว้นาคับ เห็นที่ไหนก็จัดให้หน่อยก็แล้วกันครับ),
Other posters pile in basically copying and pasting some of the content from the Seri Thai Forum noting the books she had written etc,  making snide comments about her appearance, and her previous work.
BP: Thongk purports to be a man and from what BP understands that Pornthip Paksanont, a female red shirt leader in Phetchaburi, then copied and pasted the contents of the post by thongk into an e-mail and forwarded it on as all references in the press to the threat is the one made by thongk – see Post Today report.

Elizabeth Fitzgerald at New Mandala has translated the threat made last week by multi-colored shirt leader Dr. Tul towards Professor Somsak Jeamteerasakul:

…Dr. Tul’s precise words were  “Somsak Jeamteerasakul, 112 can be abolished. Then you and your kind can meet with a .358, as you wish. I don’t want to hear any explanations from you anymore” [“สมศักดิ์ เจียมธีรสกุล เลิก 112 ให้ก็ได้ แล้วมึงกับพวกเอา .358 ไปก็แล้วกัน กูไม่อยากฟังคำอธิบายใดๆจากมึงอีกแล้ว”]. What one immediately notices is that Dr. Tul is specific in his threat. He does not simply suggest that Professor Somsak be shot, he also names the precise kind of gun, a .358, which is a high-caliber rifle designed to inflict mortal wounds…..

BP: As Elizabeth notes, Dr. Tul later wrote that he doesn’t have a .358 so Somsak doesn’t have to worry about being shot, but still the initial statement by Dr. Tul was a clear threat.  Whether it meets the legal standard of a threat is unclear as he doesn’t say “I will…”, but compared to the threat made by the red shirt last year, this one is more specific and given the nature of the weapon, well deadly…..
There were dozens of stories and editorials about the threat by the red shirt. However, for Dr. Tul’s threat, the only news stories have been limited to Matichon group of papers -  Matichon and Khao Sod. Why?

Why do Thais read so few books each year?

Why do Thais read so few books each year?:
Just after Bangkok has been declared ”World Book Capital 2013″ by UNESCO, education expert Peter J. Foley wrote in August 2011

Many educators feel the general education level of the average Thai is even more dire than statistics like these and recent dismal test scores for school age children indicate. Abundant, anecdotal evidence suggests that in the rural areas the rate of reading is less than a book a year for most Thais. There is no doubt that Thailand will lose its economic footing unless the poor state of public education is turned around in order to create a highly educated work force. The master key to such a turn- around is to create Thailand as a nation of readers, critical readers, who are life- long learners.
There are many Thais and farangs who throw up their hands and say it is an impossible task to get Thais to be a nation of readers since it is not in the Thai tradition. This is balderdash. As the eminent historian David K. Wyatt points out, Thailand has a rich bibliophilic tradition. Wyatt relates that in some parts of Thailand in the 1890’s the male literacy rates were “considerably in excess of the literacy rates in Europe or America at the time.” In Thailand’s history there were huge numbers of Buddhist temples that included library buildings. These buildings housed Buddhist religious books, or in the case before printing, texts incised into palm leaves. Males were taught to read and write in monasteries.
The point here is that Thailand enjoyed a rich intellectual tradition. This tradition included a ready access to libraries by the male population.

Onsiri Pravattiyagul in an op-ed in the Bangkok Post last month:

If the world doesn’t end in 2012, it will probably end next year when Bangkok becomes “Book Capital of the World”.
While it is not exactly another one of our beloved state initiatives _ Unesco bequeathed the title to the city after Thailand applied _ the authorities are keen to jump on the bandwagon and make the most of it. I am not quite sure what the campaign entails, and honestly speaking, I don’t want to know. It doesn’t say whether reading will be encouraged, never mind how it will do so, or whether books will be on sale throughout the year. Maybe, the authorities might use books to build makeshift dams instead of sandbags when the Great Flood returns.
Let me remind you of one thing before I go on. This is Thailand, where, a few years ago, research showed that Thais read an average of seven lines annually, and now we’re the world’s book capital?

BP: Yes, it is true Thailand is the World Book Capital, but to be honest who even knows of this title? And who knows of previous holders? It is not like World Heritage site status…..
On the topic of Thais not reading and the declaration of Bangkok as the World’s book capital, well-known commentator Nidhi Eoseewong in his column for Matichon Weekly wrote about this a few weeks back. His column was entitled นครหลวงของหนังสือ  [Capital of Books], July 20-26, page 30. BP has summarized his column below:

UNESCO has declared that Bangkok the capital of books. Dont laugh. There is something related that I have been itching to say.
Researchers not that many years stated that Thais, on average, read 7 lines a year. I am not sure if these numbers are still valid today because I have seen many people read many things from their phones and devices to make the average higher than this.
Those 7 lines a year is not that different from Europe in the Middle Ages, but in subsequent centuries Europeans read more. The common explanation was development of education that meant greater literacy, relationship with law and need to use written documents etc…
These things have all happened in developing countries, but they have not increased their level of reading as fast as Europe except countries that have a culture of letters, like Vietnam, South Korea, China etc.
I think that an important factor in reading in Europe at that time was the changes in thinking. You had societal and religous upheavels so Europeans  realized there was not just one truth. Important information for you life can be found from other places than religous leaders and masters/feudal bosses.
After the control over knowledge that religious leaders and masters/feudal bosses had collapsed and people became liberated they began to search for new sources of information. Books were able to be sold. There were costs, but people saw value in the books.
The thing that has not happened in many developing countries including Thailand is there has not been a successful change in culture. The state and religious authorities have been succesful in making many people believe that there is only one truth. Their success in controlling through schools, TV and other media. The knowledge you have is sufficient and there is no need to advance it.In that type of situation, what is the point of reading? There are soap operas, discussions with friends, and radio programs which give you knowledge.
All these programs to promote reading, don’t hope that they will work.
I want to make an observation, and that is as mentioned above, is that Thais are reading more on electronic devices which have started to spread.
The things that Thais read online, I don’t count as reading books. They may read new information, but it things their friends have sent them on Facebook, places to eat. Information is in the same form as before. It is not different from watching Sorayuth S on TV. You get new information. It is fun, but it is new knowledge that will free your mind or information that you will regret not hearing.
Reading books is different from finding new information. I am not so referring to academic books. I mean books that make you different from those that have read them. Whether people change their views after reading is up to the reader.
So what the BMA should do is to change what happens in its own schools. They shouldn’t just get kids to engage in rote memorization. They should discuss in class what ws said by the author and why and what did it mean without focusing on right or wrong answers.

BP: Nidhi doesn’t say so directly, but censoring print is much easier than censoring other forms of communication so traditionally people were left to rely on gossip and verbal communication – which is difficult to verify and check. This is still the case today to some extent. Why read books when you don’t get much value from them and when they just regurgitate what you get on TV? Watching TV is much easier and cheaper too.
Where BP disagrees with Nidhi is his focus on “books”. BP sees more value in Facebook posts by some political commentators than your average romance novel.Censoring online is much more difficult compared with books. Online, people are able to read things they can’t read in written form.* There are also much lower costs to publishing material online.  BP would argue that unless severe restrictions on free speech, through the various ways that speech is criminalized in Thailand, are lifted and the entire education is completely changed, you are not likely to see many more books read. Nevertheless, pandora’s box has been opened by the Internet and well Thais are reading more although they are not necessarily reading more books.
*Slightly changed this sentence after posting.

Poll: Economic problems first

Poll: Economic problems first: Economic problems are first on the list of issues which people think should be raised in the forthcoming censure debate against the government, Abac Poll revealed on Sunday.

Ranong provincial administration steps up border security to prevent smuggling of foreign labourers

Ranong provincial administration steps up border security to prevent smuggling of foreign labourers: The Ranong provincial administration has joined forces with six other agencies to strengthen the guarding of the province's border in an attempt to prevent the smuggling of foreign workers and Rohingyas into the kingdom, the governor said Monday.

WikiLeaks: Our Site’s Been Hit by Weeklong Attack

WikiLeaks: Our Site’s Been Hit by Weeklong Attack: The secret-busting organization WikiLeaks says it's been the victim of a sustained denial-of-service attack which has left its website sluggish or inaccessible for more than a week.

One Reason Why You'll Want to Get a Job in East Timor

One Reason Why You'll Want to Get a Job in East Timor :

Are you currently tossing up whether to apply for a job in East Timor? Well, look no further; I’ve got some golden information guaranteed to turn your uncertainty into a one way plane ticket to one of the most beautiful tropical islands on this earth. It all whittles down to these simple four words:

“TWO HOUR LUNCH BREAKS”

From 12pm to 2pm in Timor, work places grind to a halt as staff members go to ‘lunch’. Your old lunch, of grabbing a sandwich and devouring it over your keyboard while checking emails, is set to become:

• A long drawn out lunch with friends at your favourite restaurant in Dili
• Zzzzz time- the perfect moment to catch up on some much needed sleep (this is when living close to your work place has its benefits)
• Email time- use the internet (if you've got the patience) to respond to all the emails from your friends and family
• Literary hour- coffee, cake and a book
• Study time- an opportunity to practice the local language, Tetum

It’s basically a time where you can do anything you want to do.  It’s amazing how refreshed you can feel when you just get a bit of “me” time. It makes you question why we live the way we do at home, surely every place in the world should embrace two hour lunch breaks!

Why 2 hours for lunch?

When I asked my workmates why we had such long lunches I got a few different replies, some proved to be wrong:

1.  People need to go home and have lunch with their family.
We’ve already covered the importance of rice for East Timorese, but a whole two hours to eat a plate of rice and vegetables,    come-on? My workmate could pick his wife up from work, eat his rice, take his wife back to work and get back to our office    in forty minutes flat. The rest of the staff stayed at work gossiping and eating rice they cooked there in the kitchen.

2.  It’s the hottest part of the day, no one should work during these hours
Absolutely. As one of the whitest women in the world, I can sympathise, no one should be anywhere near the suns rays at   midday. But with most offices being indoors and air conditioned, surely the heat isn’t an issue. 

3.  As above, it’s hot and we need a siesta
Yep, the heat has a way to lull you into a state of slumber in Timor. I caught this great moment just after lunch at work on camera:

The above points make me sounds like I’m complaining about the long lunches. Let me be perfectly clear, I’m not. I think they are wonderful and should never change.

A friend gave me some great advice before I moved to East Timor. He explained to me, that if I wanted to be respected and fit in with my workmates, I needed to take the two hour lunch break. “No one is going to think you are hardworking if you stay in the office working over lunch” he said. “It’s not the culture. Enjoy your lunches, it’s probably the only time in your life you’ll be able to have such long lunches”. And so I did, I took long lunches and felt absolutely no guilt. I hope you get the chance to do the same too.

And just quickie for all the upper echelons in Timor Leste who work with the government, UN etc… I'm sorry your lunches only last for one hour, but really, someone has got to run this country. And you could always go and get a job with a local NGO (Non Government Organisation)...

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We hope this post helps you to understand a little bit more about what it's like living and working in East Timor. If you are planning a big move to Timor, let us know if you need any help. Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Just go!

Top plate image is from: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Timor-Leste Will Soon Lose An Important Capability with Departure of

Timor-Leste Will Soon Lose An Important Capability with Departure of: East Timor Legal News Source: Fundasaun Mahein 09 August 2012 - Timorese generally feel a sense of pride when contemplating the departure of UNMIT and ISF from Timor-Leste at the end of the year. It is a sign that not ...

Gusmao sworn in as East Timor Prime Minister | euronews, world ...

Gusmao sworn in as East Timor Prime Minister | euronews, world ...: world news - Xanana Gusmao has been sworn in as East Timor's new prime minister of a coalition government after July's election. In total 16 ministers were announced by the president, three…

New Parliament to prioritise three laws

New Parliament to prioritise three laws:
The Veteran’s Law, the Land Law and the Anti-Corruption Act, will be at the top of priorities for the new National Parliament. 
“Other bills inherited from the previous legislature will be tabled in Parliament and their order in terms of priority will be discussed, said Congresu Nasional  Rekonstrusaun de Timor (CNRT) Member of Parliament (MP), Pedro da Costa Martires, (30/07), in Parliament.

Manuel Tilman, former MP from Klibur Oan Timor Asuwa’in (KOTA), urged the new members to analyse in depth the National Strategic Development Plan (PEDN) before its ruling on its implementation.

List of the Fifth Constitutional Goverment Members

List of the Fifth Constitutional Goverment Members:
The President of the Republic, H.E. Taur Matan Ruak, inaugurated the Swearing In Ceremony of the Fifth Constitutional Government of the Republic of Timor-Leste on August 8, 2012 at Palacio Nobre in Lahane, Dili.

The new cabinet members of the Fifth Constitutional Government of RDTL are:

Prime Minister	Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Minister of State	Hermenegildo Pereira
Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers	Avelino M. Coelho da Silva
Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs	Maria Terezinha S. Viegas
Secretary of State for Media	Nélio Isaac Sarmento
Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening	Francisco da Costa Soares
Secretary of Statefor Support and Promotion of the Private Sector	Veneranda M. Lemos Martins
Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinator of Social Affairs	Fernando La Sama de Araújo
Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality	Idelta Maria Rodrigues
Secretary of State for Youth and Sport	Miguel Marques G. Manetelu
Secretary of Statefor Vocational Training Policy and Employment	Ilídio Ximenes da Costa
Minister of Defense and Security	Cirilo José Cristovão
Secretary of State for Defense	Julio Tomas Pinto
Secretary of State for Security	Francisco da Costa Guterres
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation	José Luis Guterres
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation	Constâncio da Conceição Pinto
Secretary of State for ASEAN Affairs	Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares
Minister of Finance	Emília M. V. Pires
Deputy Minister of Finance	Santina J. F. V. Cardoso
Minister of Justice	Dionisio C. Babo Soares
Deputy Minister of Justice	Ivo Jorge Valente
Secretary of State for Lands and Properties	Jaime Xavier Lopes
Minister of Health	Sergio Gama da C. Lobo
Deputy Minister of Health for Ethics and Services	Natália de Araújo
Deputy Minister of Healthfor Management, Support and Resources	Maria do Céu Sarmento Pina da Costa
Minister of Education	Bendito dos Santos Freitas
Deputy Minister of Education	Dulce de Jesus Soares
Deputy Minister of Education for Secondary Education	Virgílio Simith
Deputy Minister of Education for Higher Education	Marçal Avelino Ximenes
Minister of State Administration	Jorge da Conceição Teme
Secretary of State for Administrative Decentralization	Tomás do Rosário Cabral
Secretary of State for Local Development	Samuel Mendonça
Minister for Commerce, Industry and Environment	António da Conceição
Deputy Minister for Commerce, Industry and Environment	Abel da Costa Freitas Ximenes
Secretary of State for Commerce	Ricardo Cardoso Nheu
Secretary of State for Industry and Cooperatives	Filipus “Nino” Pereira
Secretary of State for the Environment	Nominando Soares Martins ‘Buras’
Minister of Social Solidarity	Isabel Amaral Guterres
Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity	Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus
Secretary of State for Social Security	Vítor da Costa
Secretary of State for the Veteran Affairs	Júlio Sarmento da Costa
Minister of Public Works	Gastão Francisco de Sousa
Secretary of State for Public Works	Luís Vaz Rodrigues
Secretary of State for Electricity	Januário da Costa Pereira
Secretary of State for Water, Sanitation and Urban Development	Elias Pereira Moniz
Minister of Transport and Communications	Pedro da Silva Lay
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications	Flávio Cardoso Neves
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries	Mariano Assanami Sabino
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries	Marcos da Cruz
Secretary of State for Forestry and Nature Conservation	João Cardoso Fernandes
Secretary of State for Fisheries	Rafael Pereira Gonçalves
Secretary of State for Livestock	Valentino Varela
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources	Alfredo Pires
Minister of Tourism	Francisco Kalbuadi Lay
Secretary of State for Art and Culture	Maria Isabel J. Ximenes

PNTL LOSES WEAPONS AND BUYS FAULTY ONES

PNTL LOSES WEAPONS AND BUYS FAULTY ONES: PNTL buys PINDAD weapons and PNTL Intelligence Commander loses his semiautomatic assault rifle.

Gun Procurement/Importation

PM2v1 Submachine gun PT PINDAD

In a startling development almost entirely unknown to the public Tempo Semanal can report that PNTL have procured a number of high powered PM2 submachine guns from PT PINDAD Indonesia. 

A senior PNTL officer informed Tempo Semanal that the PM2 submachine guns purchased from PT PINDAD were found to be faulty during a training session last  Saturday. In the mean time Secretary of State Francisco Guterres said he has requested the presence of the relevant company responsible for the procurement of the weapons to answer for the poor quality of the quality of the PT PINDAD products.  Guterres confessed he does not know which company was responsible for the importation of weapons for PNTL into Timor-Leste.  He stated that Commander Longuinos Monteiro was responsible for this matter.

“I did approve some amount of money to buy 75 PM2 weapons. I entrusted to the PNTL commander who has knowledge in this regard. But there was some questions regarding the quality and sutibaility of these weapons. So we just brought in five unit for testing and these weapons appear of poor quality,” said Francisco Guterres, Secretary of State for Security.

According to the packing list number 16/PL/DS/BD/VII/2012, dated July 24th 2012 PT.PINDAD (PERSERO) sent five units of sub machine gun cal. 9mm PM2-V1 to the PNTL (East Timor National Police). The Deputy Director of PT PINDAD signed the letter. Based on the reference order number 12000513 dated February 21th 2012.

On the same day the Directorate Weapon’s System signed of a packing list no. 15/PL/DS/P/BD/VII/2012 for 30 anti riot gun SAR-2.

In a request letter to head of East Timor Custom on 30/07/2012 PNTL General Commander Longuinhos Monteiro demanded that the weapons be handed over to PNTL.

There were four boxes arrived in Dili, Airport by Merparti Aero plane (MZ 8480) and is confirmed with manisfest which signed by Mr. Basilio de Araujo from PNTL and Mr. Aurelio A. Tilman from DAU on 31/07/2012.

Speaking anonymously a senior customs officer told Tempo Semanal, “the items was not allowed to be check by the Customs Authorities and was released immediately so we do not know how many weapons were in fact imported into the country.”

The customs officer further told Tempo Semanal, “the total numbers of weapons appear to be same as those declared on the paper but this PNTL officer act very suspiciously.”

When asked by Tempo Semanal a number of civil society actors seeking anonymity questioned why the PNTL needs such high powered weapons, in a country when the most common threats to public safety are domestic violence, occasional martial arts clashes involving sharp weapons such as machete. Certainly far below the needs for submachine guns.

This is hardly the community policing style that certain members of the Government have been calling for for some years.

Missing Gun

In the mean time Timorese in Dili are preoccupied with the PNTL mismanagement of their weapons which causes some to be lost, stolen or even perhaps sold. Last night PNTL conducted road blocks and stop and search process in the heart Dili searching for a missing FNC semiautomatic assault rifles along with 60 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition.  As reported yesterday, this weapon was lost or otherwise misplaced while in the possession of the Commander of PNTL (East Timor National Police) Intelligence Unit. 

PNTL General Commander Longuinos Monteiro

However, in answer to probing questions from the public Longuinos Monteiro PNTL commander has dismissed the case as not being a serious matter. However, Deputy Prime Minister Fernando Lasama has stated it is a most serious matter and demanded that the weapon be recovered immediately.

"I don't think it will give any negative impact to the state with one missing weapon," said Mr. Longuinhos after the meeting with President today.

Yesterday the Secretary of State for Security urged that the case be investigated and that the PNTL Intelligence Commander be suspended. However at the time of writing the officer remains at work in his office at PNTL HQ in central Dili, despite COmmander Longuinos assuring media and public inquiries with statements that the officer has been suspended.

In pictures: The monkeys and ruins of Lopburi

In pictures: The monkeys and ruins of Lopburi:
SLEEPY Lopburi, Thailand, is one of the oldest cities in the country. Ruins from wats, or temples, more than a thousand years old stand proudly in the small city, a testament to the Lopburi of long ago. These days, however, the primary reason to visit Lopburi is to observe the packs of long-tailed macaques that roam the streets freely and pick the pockets of unsuspecting tourists.
While wandering the town, small monkeys will jump on your back, yank at your clothes, and open your bag to see if you have any food they might nab. Stand outside a convenience store, one of their favorite haunts, and watch them steal into the shop while the owner isn’t looking and emerge with a packet of food that they carry off to eat in an alley. Droves of the macaques will run out into the street, seemingly heedless of traffic, while onlookers smile in amusement or tsk in annoyance at the primates’ audacity.
Seeing their brazen behavior and the ways they interact with one another – at turns fighting, feeding or fornicating – is reason enough to spend an afternoon in Lopburi. But the beautiful ruins are also something to behold. While not as impressive as those in Ayutthaya or Sukhothai, the grounds of the ancient structures here are haunting, nonetheless, and elegant despite all their years of standing against the elements.

A small family of macaques pauses in front of Prang Sam Yot, the Monkey Temple.

A trio of monkeys at home on the streets of Lopburi.

Ruins of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat

Broken statue at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat.

The monkeys in Lopburi freely take food and goods from convenience stores and tourists who fail to keep their bags closed.

These women sit outside the Monkey Temple and sell tourists bags of food to entice the monkeys, and also swat them away when they get too close to the goods.

Three monkeys hanging out at the Monkey Temple

Monkeys like this little one are adorable but aggressive and quick to jump on visitors.

Casey Hynes is a writer, editor and photographer living in Beijing, China. A 2008 graduate of Columbia Journalism School in New York City, she has been published in Roll Call, The Wall Street Journal and numerous publications in China. You can see samples of her work and photography at caseyhynes.com. 

Siam Society online

Siam Society online:

From the Bangkok Post:

The Journal Of The Siam Society, the oldest and most prestigious academic publication in Southeast Asia, has taken a major step by making all of its contents available online.
A total of 99 volumes with more than 2,000 articles running to over 30,000 pages of scholarship can now be perused, free of charge, by ordinary members of the public.
JSS, as it is often known, first appeared in 1904 and is still going strong. The current issue and all back issues, published over a period of 108 years, can now be accessed [here].

PHILIPPINES: A long week in the Philippine floods

PHILIPPINES: A long week in the Philippine floods:

MANILA, 11 August 2012 (IRIN) - Years of haphazard urban planning, combined with worsening weather events, are bringing death and destruction to the Philippines more often. The country of 100 million people has seen huge slum areas multiply, while riverside communities and upscale city developments have grown across an archipelago battered by about 20 storms annually, some of them deadly.

LAOS: Diversifying crops to cope with climate change

LAOS: Diversifying crops to cope with climate change:

LUANG PRABANG, 13 August 2012 (IRIN) - Lemons and sweet bamboo may not be associated with frontline efforts to adapt to climate change in most parts of the world, but in Kioutaloun village in northern Laos, rice farmers hit by landslides, land erosion and severe flooding are looking to different crops.