Corruption in Thailand? Mai pen rai!
In a recent posting it was already mentioned that corruption is more or less accepted in Thailand. This emerged from a survey, which did state that corruption is acceptable if it also benefits people as a country or individual citizen. If you are as far as I am, you may well question such a mentality. It is therefore interesting what the Thais themselves think of it. Below the …
Another conflict with Germany; now about Thaksin
Relations with Germany have come under pressure again now that the German Foreign Minister has decided to grant former Prime Minister Thaksin, whose visa had been revoked, a visa again. Minister Kasit Piromya (Foreign Affairs) accuses Germany of applying double standards. The German government last week called on Thailand to comply with the law and the German construction company Walter Bau AG to pay damages of 36 million euros awarded by an arbitration board…
Parliament is in the starting blocks
The new parliament meets for the first time on Monday. The opening ceremony will be attended by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and presided over by former Chamber Speaker Chai Chidchob. That will also be the last time, because a day later parliament will elect a new President of the House. The election requires royal approval, which could take a week. The House then meets in a separate session to elect the new Prime Minister. Prime Minister Abhisit previously said to expect until August 10…
Abhisit: Germany, don't interfere
The German government has no right to pressure Thailand to pay the German construction company Walter Bau AG the compensation of 36 million euros determined by an arbitration committee, says caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit. That demand, published on Friday on the website of the German embassy, thwarts the legal process. Abhisit said Thailand will assume its responsibility once the court has made a final decision. He refers to the court case in New York, in which Thailand is engaged …
In 2015: by high-speed train to Pattaya
In previous posts about trains, ideas for a high-speed train in Thailand have already been mentioned. First a connection from Bangkok to Nong Khai was mentioned and a while later the first HSL train from Bangkok to Hat Yai would run. Personally, I thought it wiser to first think about the line from Bangkok to Pattaya and see what happens. In a private business meeting with Pattaya's deputy mayor, Ronnakit…
Thai ID card
I was recently allowed to apply for a new ID card in the Netherlands. We all know the procedure. Take passport photos, go to the municipality, give your fingerprints, pay 40 euros and come back a week later to collect the ID card. So back into town and pay parking fees and spend time on a mandatory document. On holiday in Thailand, I went to the church with my brother-in-law. He had lost his ID card and needed a…
Southern Provinces of Thailand: Violence and Bombings
Train traffic was disrupted in Narathiwat province today after two bombs destroyed the tracks. There were no injuries. It is not yet known who planted the bombs, but it is believed to be Islamic insurgents. The three southernmost provinces of Thailand are experiencing a lot of violence. It was also announced on Wednesday that two police officers were killed by Muslim extremists in the southern province of Pattani. Insurgents in Thailand rarely release statements, but are believed to be battling…
Tourists in Thailand: beware of bad souvenirs
At the beginning of this month, the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) launched a major summer campaign at Schiphol Airport against bad souvenirs. This is to stop the trade in souvenirs made from endangered wild animals. Thirty IFAW employees will be educating thousands of tourists throughout the summer through a purpose-built interactive booth. It also shows erroneous souvenirs that were confiscated at Schiphol. Trade in Ivory Trade in souvenirs made from …
Discover Thailand (video)
Thailand. This name is synonymous with delicious food, a tropical climate, fascinating culture and beautiful beaches. A holiday in Thailand is popular with travelers all over the world. And that is not for nothing. Thailand is versatile and varied.
Thai students in the Netherlands
In recent posts on this blog, attention was paid to education in Thailand, which – in the opinion of many – leaves much to be desired. Education in Thailand is outdated with poor teaching methods, low level of teaching staff, etc. If Thailand wants to keep up with the pace of Asian peoples, education will have to improve drastically. Like other Dutch people who live in Thailand, this problem also concerns me. Our son of now 11 …
Elephant facts
At the turn of the century 1900 there were still about 300.000 elephants in Thailand, about one third of them tame and two thirds living in the wild. By 1960, this number had fallen alarmingly to only forty thousand, of which about eleven thousand were tame specimens. A drastic decline that would take on even more serious forms. At present, the wild animal population is only about two thousand and the number of domesticated or exploited elephants has fallen to…
Poverty in Thailand has been discussed many times on this blog. There were also readers who claimed that it was not too bad. This conclusion was drawn based on the number of new pick-ups seen driving around Isaan. An 'eye-opener' on this subject is a small article in the Economist. A graph from the World Bank provides insight into the countries with the largest income differences. It shows that Thailand together with…
Last week there was a lot of Thailand promotion on Dutch television. The Dutch ladies who want to be voted the most beautiful in the country, had a (sponsored) trip to Thailand on the program. Although I don't watch much TV, the program once again caught my eye: 'Hello Goodbye'. A successful series of the NCRV, which has been shown for a number of years. Joris Linssen addresses people at Schiphol, who are …
Holland House Information Center in Ayutthaya
The Netherlands and Thailand have maintained friendly relations for more than 400 years. This historical bond originated in the time of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Joseph Jongen recently wrote an interesting article about this. What many may not know is that during her state visit to Thailand in 2004, our Queen donated money for the construction of an information center about the activities of the VOC in Siam. The information center annex museum will be…
Good news for tour operators specialized in Thailand. When choosing a travel organization, consumers are mainly guided by their brand experience. There is also a preference for specialized tour operators. This has emerged from internal research by Zoover into the clicking behavior of consumers on the holiday review site. Tour operators have work to do, they must ensure that consumers understand their brand for a specific destination. Consumers pay attention…
The German court cannot be fooled
The German court has demanded a bank guarantee of 20 million euros if it wants to lift the seizure of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn's Boeing 737-400. The documents submitted by Thailand to show that the aircraft was a gift from the Thai Air Force to the prince in 2007 and is not owned by the Thai government failed to convince the vice president of the court in Landshut. 'These documents provide only a presumption of …
Moken are sea gypsies who live in Thailand. The Moken children have the extraordinary ability to override the automatic reflex of the eye underwater. This also allows them to see clearly underwater.