RINGO38

i would like to warn all tourists about leaving your motorbike parked in view tallay I had my yamaha mio stolen from the parking area in view tallay 2a on saturday 21.10.2006.i thought that it was safe with the security we have there.Im fairly sure that the security officers were involved in the theft.when i confronted the security boss about the theft all they would offer me was 5000 baht compensation and that i would only receive this amount after a period of 3 months.

Crackdown on 'Coyote Girls'

Thai Coyote dancers

BANGKOK: -- In apparent response to Her Majesty the Queen's concern over a popular racy dance craze by "Coyote Girls", Thailand's Ministry of Culture is issuing a regulation prohibiting female students aged under 20 to become "Coyote Girls" and "Pretty Girls", young women usually featured in provocative clothing hired by merchants to promote their products.

Seeing TV footage of flirtatious dancing during a broadcast from the recent Rocket Festival in the northeastern province of Nong Khai, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit expressed concern through her secretary that "coyote dancing" seemed inappropriate at such an event and would tarnish the image of Thailand as a centre of Buddhism.

The ministry plans both short-term and long-term measures to deal with the matter. Immediately the ministry ordered heads of provincial cultural offices to coordinate local administration and police to strictly monitor and for inappropriate shows not to be allowed in public places, according to Ladda Tangsupachai, director of the ministry's cultural watchdog centre.

Some businesses had hired the young women to dress and dance provocatively at temple entrances and other places during busy festivals, it was explained. an activity and location which the Queen found inappropriate.

Ms. Ladda said that heads of provincial cultural offices must report to the ministry monthly and the ministry will report progress of its implementation to Her Majesty the Queen's secretary.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ladda said, the Ministry of Culture and the Education Ministry will enact a ministerial regulation banning students aged below 20 to work as Coyote Girls or Pretty Girls. The regulation will be effective immediately upon being issued.

As for the long-term solution, the director said, the ministry will hold a national workshop deliberating establishment of a National Cultural Fund to preserve and protect the Thai culture as well as to solve cultural problems in sustainable manner. The scheme will be put on the national agenda, she said.

-- TNA 2006-10-30