Many Burma Railway forced laborers never received benefits
I have known two people who worked as forced laborers on the Burma Railway. One was a good friend of my in-laws and the other the father of a good friend.
Radio amateurs in Thailand
In his early years Gringo was employed by the Royal Navy as a radio operator and still has a great interest in radio amateurs. He wonders whether Dutch and/or Belgian radio amateurs live in Thailand. And vice versa: are there people in the Netherlands and Belgium who have contact with radio amateurs in Thailand?
Commemoration Tsunami December 26, 2004
Today it is exactly 10 years ago that the world was hit by the largest natural disaster in history.
Souls of Bangkok: The homeless tuk tuk toy maker (video)
During this Christmas Day it is good to also think about people who have it much worse than we do and do not sit down at a spacious table with food and drink today.
Conversation with HE Marc Michielsen, Belgian ambassador
Located on the 16th floor of Sathorn City Tower, the Belgian Embassy with a beautiful view over Bangkok offers a great environment for a lively conversation with His Excellency Marc Michielsen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium.
Thai households are at risk of going bankrupt
The rising debt of Thai households is a headache for the Central Bank of Thailand. Many Thais are tempted by low interest rates to take out loans and this mountain of debt threatens to get out of hand.
Paul did a little research especially for the readers of Thailandblog and gives us an insight into the rates charged by the various banks.
Sex and Violence in Thailand's Deep South: 'Red Light Jihad' (Video)
'Red Light Jihad' is a special documentary about prostitution and violence in the deep south of Thailand.
Miller Parinya: Ozone can save rotting rice
Government stocks of rice that have been rotting since 2011 can be saved from further decay by blasting ozone gas through them, says the owner of a Pichit husking mill. But two scientists have serious doubts about that.
Xayaburi dam is killing the Mekong
The construction of the Xayaburi dam in Laos poses an immediate threat to the livelihoods of 20 million Thais and 40 million Cambodians, Laotians and Vietnamese. The dam is also an ecological disaster in the long run. Plain language from former Senator Kraisak Choonhavan.
Getting sick while traveling and ending up with a doctor who speaks bad English or being admitted to a local hospital is the biggest setback on a holiday.
Rice Mortgage System: Yingluck's Precious Legacy
The rice mortgage system was "horribly wrong" from the start, writes Bangkok Post. Read the shortest post about Yingluck's legacy: 160 words.
The introduction of the new exam on 1 November is progressing dramatically. Until further notice, the exam cannot be taken properly at the Dutch embassies.
How do we get the faltering tourism to Thailand back on track? This question was the focus of a discussion afternoon at the Dutch embassy in Bangkok.
Water management plans are stagnating, but now a drought threatens
Three years after the major floods of 2011, very little progress has been made in the field of water management. But flooding is not the biggest risk this year: that is the imminent drought due to the extremely low water level in the large reservoirs.
Will Thailand become a “fat country”?
Thailand is one of the top five countries in the Asia region with the highest number of obese citizens, the total number is estimated at 20 million Thais. According to one study, the prevalence of obesity among children ages 5 to 12 increased from 12,2 percent to 16 percent within two years.
Kathoeys and Toms feel like members of the opposite sex
Paul Bremer's interview with Louis Gooren about kathoeys, lady-boys and Toms (October 15) unleashed a vigorous debate. Blogger Hans Geleijnse wrote: 'As a layman, I tend to think: let nature take its course and people limit themselves to accepting that we are not all equal, but we are equal.' Louis Gooren responds.