Chiangrai In The Newspapers

[thomas3940]

With the help of American mistakes in the region, China has severely cut into the US monopoly on soft power in Southeast Asia, writes JOSHUA KURLANTZICK, in Chiang Rai

Despite its location along northern trade routes, Chiang Rai has until recently remained only a relatively small town, with a few shopping districts and night markets selling brightly patterned textiles, fiery pork curries, and other local specialties. But over the past five years, Chiang Rai, and other towns across northern Thailand, have changed dramatically. In Chiang Rai's modest hotels, Chinese and Thai businessmen furiously negotiate deals for joint ventures over banquets at glam Chinese restaurants, and local travel agents lead large groups of Chinese tourists around town.

Outside the city, Chinese construction companies work through the night building a maze of roads that will link Thailand to the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan. These companies employ thousands of Chinese workers, who often stay in Thailand illegally after finishing their work. And at Mae Faluang University, a gleaming new Chinese cultural center funded by Beijing now attracts hundreds of Thai students, while other popular new university exchange programmes in the city bring batches of Chinese students to Thailand.

Northern Thailand is not unique in Southeast Asia. In Bangkok last year, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that China should now become the most important country for Thailand's diplomacy.

Recent Chinese immigrants now dominate business in northern Laos, the Laos government is trying to lure large Chinese tour groups, and Chinese-language schools and cultural events are growing in popularity. In Cambodia, Chinese-language schools and television programs also have become among the most popular in the nation, Chinese tourism is skyrocketing, and Chinese investment is funding the country's largest building, which will tower over the capital's modest skyline of Khmer temples

http://archives.mybangkokpost.com/bkkarchi...rom=text_search

[Limbo]

A South Korean was arrested yesterday in Chiang Rai for being a broker facilitating the illegal entry of North Korean immigrants.

The man was arrested during a raid on ''Korea House'', the Korean restaurant opposite Wat Yedyod after a tip-off that the place doubled as a lodging for North Korean defectors.

Police also charged him, as he had no passport, with illegal entry.

The restaurant owner faces a charge of providing shelter to illegal immigrants.

I remember that I once entered this restaurant and asked for the menu.

The lady looked as if I had made her an indecent proposal.

Now I understand why.

Limbo

[svenivan]

A South Korean was arrested yesterday in Chiang Rai for being a broker facilitating the illegal entry of North Korean immigrants.

The man was arrested during a raid on ''Korea House'', the Korean restaurant opposite Wat Yedyod after a tip-off that the place doubled as a lodging for North Korean defectors.

Police also charged him, as he had no passport, with illegal entry.

The restaurant owner faces a charge of providing shelter to illegal immigrants.

I remember that I once entered this restaurant and asked for the menu.

The lady looked as if I had made her an indecent proposal.

Now I understand why.

Limbo

If there is a country that needs a coup, it is North Korea. That idiot that hve been running down that country for long time needs to be kicked out.

Mabe to an exile together with Thaksin!

All people that can get out of this country should get all help. Remember when people was fleeing out of East-Germany during the sixties, on the other side of the border people was welcoming them with open arms.

But they were not Koreans!

But

[chownah]

Are "fiery pork curries" a local specialty?

Are there "glam Chinese restaurants" in Chiangrai?

Where is this "maze of roads" that are being built by thousands of Chinese workers?

I've definitely got to get out of my village more often.

Chownah

[Limbo]

Are "fiery pork curries" a local specialty?

Are there "glam Chinese restaurants" in Chiangrai?

Where is this "maze of roads" that are being built by thousands of Chinese workers?

Chownah

"Outside the city, Chinese construction companies work through the night building a maze of roads that will link Thailand to the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan. These companies employ thousands of Chinese workers...."

I actually have never seen one of them and, yes, I have been outside the city during nighttime.

A "maze of roads" ?

"And at Mae Faluang University, a gleaming new Chinese cultural center funded by Beijing now attracts hundreds of Thai students...."

Also that is new to me.

You really start wondering if the author of this article ever has been to Chiang Rai.

"large groups of Chinese, led around town by local travel agents"?

Where is Mr. JOSHUA KURLANTZICK talking about?

It seems to be a story written with a certain purpose and this purpose was clearly not to give real information about Chiang Rai.

The Korea House was open as usual today, which makes me doubt about the Nation article as well.

Limbo

[svenivan]

"And at Mae Faluang University, a gleaming new Chinese cultural center funded by Beijing now attracts hundreds of Thai students...."

Also that is new to me.

There is a Chinese culture center and what I have heard from people that have been there, there is also a very beautiful Chinese garden there.

They say it is "just to the left" when you come up to the university.

Maybe Unknown_user can give us some info about this!

[goski]

Yes there is a chinese cultural center which is very nice. Yes, there are alot of chinese tourists going around Chiang Rai, usually in buses but with a guide nevertheless. If they are local guides or not I don't know, who cares.

But, the maze of roads is still a mystery. But then again, they're doing some repairs after Rajabhat I've seen.............

[Limbo]

In today's Bangkok Post:

Chiang Rai - China plans to make the Mekong river deep enough to accommodate large cargo vessels by first blasting rocks in stretches of the river near the Golden Triangle and then dredging a channel. The plan was unveiled during a recent meeting here between a Chinese delegation and Thai representatives in Chiang Saen district.

.... During the meeting, the Chinese officials said several islets in the Mekong in the upper north of the Golden Triangle, along the Burmese-Lao border, would be blasted. Dredging would then begin which would eventually allow bigger vessels, including 200-ton cargo ships, to navigate the river linking China and Thailand. About 330km of the river would need deepening to allow for the larger ships to pass back and forth between China and Thailand.

.... The controversial plan to dredge the Mekong has long been opposed by conservationists who say the action would damage fish habitats and destroy the river's fragile ecosystem.

.... The main imported items were whisky, cattle, garlic, women's clothes, oranges and used machines. The majority of goods exported to China were fuel, tyres, medicines, cement and cooking gas.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories.php?id=115311

Modern facilities like cheap Laotian labour make the Chiang Saen port attractive for shipping companies

[thomas3940]

---- Bangkok Post article removed ----

Concerning the Bangkok Post article by Teerawat Khamthita and Somsak Suksai, that you posted.

The Bangkok Post allows only parts out of their articles to be reproduced and this under the condition that the source is mentioned or a link is given to that specific article as a whole.

As I did yesterday in the posting above, which concerns exactly the same article.

Thanks anyhow,

Limbo

[Joel Barlow]

To decorate our pad we soil our nest

(for 'wealth' from trade, our survival becomes imperilled)

[svenivan]

To decorate our pad we soil our nest

(for 'wealth' from trade, our survival becomes imperilled)

Joel, where do you get all this from?

Time for a Nobel Prize soon?

:D

[thomas3940]

Bangkok Post December 19:

Chiang Rai declared a disaster area

Plunging temperatures have prompted local authorities in Chiang Rai to declare the province a disaster area. They also appealed for relief aid from relevant agencies and the public.

Kittirat Sornsue, chief of the Chiang Rai provincial office of disaster prevention and mitigation, said hundreds of thousands of Chiang Rai residents are in need of blankets and warm clothes.

Up to 150,000 blankets and 800,000 items of warm clothing are needed.

Link: http://www.bangkokpost.com/191206_News/19Dec2006_news21.php

Parts of the same article you also find in posting nr. 7 in this topic:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=0#entry1041572

Link to original article added

Limbo

[svenivan]

Kittirat Sornsue, chief of the Chiang Rai provincial office of disaster prevention and mitigation, said hundreds of thousands of Chiang Rai residents are in need of blankets and warm clothes.

Up to 150,000 blankets and 800,000 items of warm clothing are needed.

Sounds like someone needs contribution for a good New Years party!

:D

[Limbo]

In The Nation today:

.... Are you thinking of spending the New Year's holidays and celebrating the countdown in the cold climate of the North? Better plan well in advance, as you will be joined by millions more visitors than in previous years.

.... Over-crowded conditions are expected in the most popular destinations, especially the highland attractions of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. Tourism officials of the three provinces confirmed that tourist figures would be much higher this year.

.... In Chiang Rai, the figure is estimated at 1.3 million, around 10 per cent up from last year, TAT official Tanyapa Nikrothanont said.

.... Tanyapa said problems should not arise in Chiang Rai as tourists generally fanned out over various destinations in the northernmost province.

.... "We have also convinced tourists to not flock to particular sites at the same time by promoting different routes like the three mountain trails and the tulip road to Doi Pha Moen in Thoeng district," she said. The mountain trails go to Cheefah, Kha and Langka in Chiang Rai, Nan and Phayao.

.... According to the Thai Hotel Association, only 11 of 36 major hotels in Chiang Mai still had vacancies yesterday while in Chiang Rai only one out of nine hotels was still taking bookings.

.... For the countdown, most northern provinces have prepared special events at popular locations. Chiang Rai's countdown is at the Thai-Burmese border in Mae Sai.

.... The cold snap in the North which started this week will last until the middle of February, the Meteorological Department said.

Link to the article:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/12/24...es_30022376.php

[Upcountry]

If there is a country that needs a coup, it is North Korea. That idiot that hve been running down that country for long time needs to be kicked out.

Sadly, neither China nor South Korea want to see the current government melt down. They prefer as much stability as possible. They fear a rush of desperate refugies, among other things.

[Limbo]

A 45 year old Norwegian was killed in a motorcycle accident in our town.

According to Bergens Tidende he lost control over his motorcycle in a soft corner.

It is for the time being unknown when the body will be returned to Norway.

Original news source : http://www.bt.no/utenriks/article326956.ece

May he rest in peace. My condolences to his family and all who loved him.

Limbo.

[Limbo]

Great news!

"Tuenjai Deetes said students in Chiang Rai have been chosen for a pilot project aimed at granting 13-digit ID cards to about 33,000 stateless students across the country as a gift on the occasion of Children's Day."

"According to Ms Tuenjai, students with the temporary ID cards will be entitled to education in Thailand and will be given permission to travel to study at education outlets in other provinces for up to six years."

"This is not a leeway to give Thai nationality to any stateless person. But it is a way to give basic welfare to children of ethnic groups - those who were born here but were not registered on the ministry's civil database," she said."

Limbo

PS: Khun Tuenjai Deetes is the lady, who left Bangkok more than thirty years ago for the mountains of Chiang Rai to work as a voluntary teacher for hill-tribe children. Later she set up a network of Khru Doi (teacher mountain). She is the leading person behind HDAF, an NGO that strives for the emancipation of the ethnic minorities.

The people of Chiang Rai elected her, as an independent candidate, in 1999 as a member of the Senate.

She did not participate for Chiang Rai during the last Senate elections. This time Dr. Ploum of the Overbrook Hospital was the independent candidate in our province. He was elected senator and as such he lasted for about five months (pre-coup).

See today's Bangkok Post for more details: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories.php?id=116013

For more details about Khun Tuenjai Deetes, at present member of the NLA, see: http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/96