A Thai Region Where Husbands Are Imported

A Thai Region Where Husbands Are Imported - NYTimes.com

Free donuts as Krispy Kreme opens in Bangkok

Above, shoppers line up at Siam Paragon yesterday as Krispy Kreme opened its first outlet in Thailand.

Free donuts as Krispy Kreme opens in Bangkok | CNNGo.com

Medical Tourism Recovering in Thailand

Medical Tourism Recovering in Thailand - CNBC.com

One-on-One With Thailand's PM

Thailand's economy is one of the best performing in Asia, as this video demonstrates.

One-on-One With Thailand's PM - CNBC.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Thai Property Fundamentals Very Sound

Thai Property Fundamentals Very Sound - CNBC.com

A Thai City of Sleaze Tries to Clean Up

For years, Pattaya has been known as a sleazy, drug-infested town rife with prostitution and organized crime.  Now, the beachside town, only a two hour drive from Bangkok, is re-inventing itself as a family-friendly resort with luxury hotels, shopping malls, fancy restaurants, and polo tournaments.

A Thai City of Sleaze Tries to Clean Up - NYTimes.com

Red Shirts Test Thai Limits

Months after a deadly government crackdown on Thai protesters, the "Red Shirts" are regrouping and re-organizing.  This weekend, they held a rally in Pattaya that drew 4000 people and featured a telephone call from their leader, ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.  Whether this means the Red Shirts will escalate their demands again or whether this is a limited display remains to be seen.  One thing's for sure -- efforts at healing and reconciliation in Thailand will remain slow and measured.

Red Shirts Test Thai Limits - WSJ.com

After Upheaval, Not All Is Well With Thai Youth

As Thailand struggles to rebuild its economy and society after the deadly anti-government protests earlier this year, a new threat is emerging -- bored, listless, drug-addicted youth. Thailand's schools, permissive social attitudes, general disrespect for rule of law, and widespread availability of addictive drugs are all to blame, as this report points out.


After Upheaval, Not All Is Well With Thai Youth - NYTimes.com

Thailand Targets Financial Backers of Red Shirt Demonstrations

In the wake of Red Shirt riots that tore Bangkok apart earlier this summer and led to multiple deaths, the Thai government has been cracking down on the funding sources for the red shirt protests, including many business owners tied to or sympathetic with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, seen as a key catalyst behind the protests.

Thailand Targets Financial Backers of Red Shirt Demonstrations - WSJ.com

Seh Daeng

Seh Daeng is a former Thai army general who now sympathizes with the Red Shirt protesters, making him a target of the military and government. This video profiles Seh Daeng and the role he is playing in the protests.

Protesters in Thailand Welcome Premier’s Offer

Peace seems to be in the air in Thailand, where the red shirt protesters are considering backing down after receiving a promise from the government to hold elections by November, cutting Prime Minister Abhisit's term short by more than a year. Click here for a great video on the differences between the reds, yellows, and pinks, and what it means for Thailand's future.

Protesters in Thailand Welcome Premier’s Offer - NYTimes.com

Anti-government clashes in Thailand bring stalemate to a city and nation

Street demonstrations continue in Bangkok, where anti-government protesters have shut down important parts of the city. The media has generally not done a great job covering this story, but this morning's WaPo has an excellent summary of what's going on here -- who the players are from the King to the Crown Prince to former PM Thaksin, to what the issues are. Highly recommended as a primer to what's going on in Thailand these days.

Anti-government clashes in Thailand bring stalemate to a city and nation

Protesters raise pressure in Bangkok

For the third day in a row, "red shirt" protesters in Bangkok have occupied the main shopping area in downtown Bangkok, forcing businesses and banks to close and further worrying analysts that Thailand's important tourism industry may soon suffer. A few years ago "yellow shirt" protesters shut down the main airport in their attempt to overthrow the government, and this time the red-shirts are hoping to orchestrate a similar overthrow of the government, which they claim is corrupt and not watching out for the interests of poor rural farmers. Next week is Songkran, or Thai New Year, and observers are waiting to see if the protesters will leave the city then.

Protesters raise pressure in Bangkok - The Boston Globe

Memo From Bangkok - Young Thai Protesters Shed Culture of Restraint

Thailand is one of the most inequitable countries in Asia. The gap between rich and poor is wider than it is in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, or Vietnam, according to a World Bank report. Put simply, the rich (concentrated in the capital city Bangkok) are really rich, and the poor (from rural areas) are really poor. For generations, this gap has gone unchallenged by most Thais, as Thai culture doesn't lend itself to rapid social change or confrontation. This has changed recently as political turmoil has exposed the rift between rich and poor in ways never seen before, and technology enables the poor to organize their masses. The result is a renewed willingness among poorer Thais to confront what they see as gross unfairness in the way wealth is distributed in Thailand.
Memo From Bangkok - Young Thai Protesters Shed Culture of Restraint - NYTimes.com

Thai Protesters Gear Up for Busy Weekend - WSJ.com

Fears of escalating violence in Bangkok have failed to materialize, as last weekend's protesters started to leave the city over the week. By mid-week, their numbers had decreased to about half what they were, and life in Thailand's capital city continues at a normal pace. The marchers are back this weekend, however, and are promising to continue with their blood campaign, using donated blood from supporters to splash on government buildings and to create works of art. Good time to invest in medical scrubs and gloves in Bangkok.

Thai Protesters Gear Up for Busy Weekend - WSJ.com

Protesters Pour Blood in Bangkok Rally - WSJ.com

That's not red paint being poured outside Bangkok's parliament -- it's human blood.

Protesters unhappy with the current Thai government have converged on the Thai capital to demand the dissolution of Parliament and hold new elections. Today those protests took a gruesome turn when volunteers each gave a small amount of blood, then pooled into gallon containers, to pour and smear over government buildings. This developing story is worth watching.

Protesters Pour Blood in Bangkok Rally - WSJ.com

Asian Economies Continue to Boom

Last week Singapore and Japan both reported stronger-than-expected economic growth, and this week Thailand and Taiwan followed the same trend. Thailand's GDP grew at the quickest pace in 10 years, expanding 3.6% in the fourth quarter. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, the Thai economy grew 15.3%.

The pace in Taiwan was even more startling. Fourth quarter growth was 9.22%, yielding an annual growth of 18%.

U.S. companies like Huntsman and Goodyear are seeing dramatic growth in multiple Asian countries, and much slower growth in Europe and the U.S. Expect the trend to continue, with more and more companies attracted to high growth markets in lieu of smaller and slower economies.




Thailand, Taiwan Post Strong GDP Growth - WSJ.com

The Real Thing

Intellectual property protection is a big concern in Asia, where cheap knockoffs and copies of just about everything abound. This anti-counterfeiting ad comes from Thailand, where certain "genetic enhancements" are also popular. The tagline is "Use the real thing." Hilarity ensues.