Batterway: มีนาคม 2010

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 25 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Khao Krajome: Ratchaburi's Magnificent Misty Mountain

UPDATE : 23 March 2010

Kinnareemas

Ratchaburi's Suan Phueng district has gained credence over recent years as an emerging tourist destination due to its rich supply of cultural attractions and natural resources.

Located just 160 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, the impressive locale offers plenty of entertainment options, along with several adventure-based opportunities.

Peak presence
Suan Phueng features lots of tourism-oriented attractions, including agricultural projects, restaurants (selling authentic local cuisine), as well as hot springs and waterfalls. The district also includes several theme-based resorts, trendy coffee outlets, along with eateries specializing in international cuisine.

One major attraction among adventurous types is the majestic peak of Khao Krajome ('Krajome Mountain'), which is located in Suan Phueng sub-district (of Suan Phueng district).

The mountain is part of the Tanoasri Mountain Range, which runs along Thailand's border with Myanmar. Reaching a height of 1,000 meters above sea level, Khao Krajome offers a wonderful spot to experience spectacular sunrises or sunsets, while, if you're lucky, it might even be blanketed in a sea of fog.

The only practical way to reach the summit is by using an off-road vehicle. The nine-kilometer trip, which takes you along a dirt road, takes at least 45 minutes to complete. You're sure to spot some impressive examples of wild flowers and plants alongside the way during this trip.

The great outdoors
Owners of off-road vehicles may wish to stay on the peak overnight. While there's a camp ground located there, it should be noted that there's no electricity supply, while water supplies are scant, so you'll need to account for this if planning to stop over.

There's also a base belonging to a unit of the Border Patrol Police close to the camp site. Officers from this force patrol the border year-round.

It's also possible to secure a lift up to the summit with members from the local Suan Pheung off-road vehicle club. Members usually charge a reasonable rate of between 1,400-1,800 baht (US$43-55), depending on the type of vehicle used, for this service, which includes a driver. Most reception desks at local resorts can put you in touch with members of the club.

Typically, these trips begin from your resort at about 5 am. While the temperature doesn't tend to be too harsh, it's still advisable to take along a windbreaker or thicker coat, as well as a pair of sneakers.

The peak season in terms of tourism on Khao Krajome takes place from November to late February as this is the coolest time of year and the period during which you are most likely to encounter fog. The mountain is more or less inaccessible by car during late June through September since that is when the rainy season falls.

For further information regarding travel to Khao Krajome, contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on Tel: 1672 (Thailand only), or the Suan Phueng Sub-District Administrative Organization on Tel: +66 (0)32 395 436.

Transport connections:
Car: From Bangkok, head west towards Ratchaburi on Highway 4 (Petchkasem Road). Next, take Route 3087, which links the districts of Suan Phueng and Chom Bueng. The entrance to Khao Krajome is located in Suan Phueng district's Suan Phueng sub district.

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport Named Among Top Ten

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport Named Among Top Ten
UPDATE : 26 March 2010
Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport has been ranked the 10th in the 2010 World Airport Awards. The Skytrax World Airport Awards were announced at the first live ceremony in Brussels, Belgium, as part of Passenger Terminal Expo. The top title as World's Best Airport went to Singapore's Changi Airport, named Airport of the Year 2010, Singapore's Changi Airport also took home awards for Best Airport Leisure Amenities and Best Airport Asia. Changi Airport reclaimed first place after being beaten by South Korea's Incheon International Airport last year. Suvarnabhumi International Airport entered the top ten for the first time ever, moving up from 16th position in 2009. Organizers of the survey say “change and improvement is clearly coming through at a faster pace in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.” Joining the ranks of the top ten are South Korea's Incheon International Airport, which came in second this year. It is followed by the Hong Kong International Airport, Munich, Kuala Lumpur, Zurich, Amsterdam, Beijing, and Auckland. Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport comes in this year at tenth place.

Si Prachan: Historic Market Offers Access to Venerable Abbot’s Former Home

UPDATE : 4 September 2009

Staff Writer

While the historic Samchuk and Kao Hong markets are well known for their ability to attract visitors to Suphan Buri province, there’s another distinct location close by that generates the same kind of lively spirit for shoppers.

Si Prachan is located about 20 kilometers from the center of town and plays host to a market that has been active now for 100 years. The community previously played host to a wholesale market alongside the Suphan Buri River. It should be noted that in other parts of the country, this river is better known as the Tha Cheen River.

Authentic charm
The community’s narrow streets play host to rows of wooden, two-story houses that form the center of the market. Vendors make use of these buildings by selling from the ground floor areas. Last year, the Tourism Council of Thailand formally recognized the market’s allure, granting it an award for Best Tourism Destination based on its authentic charm and other attributes.

While the market is not as well known as Samchuk, attracting fewer visitors, this is a key selling point since visitors well get a truer picture of life at an authentic Thai market due to its high level of local participation.

The best time to visit the market is on a weekend morning. A variety of traditional forms of Thai cuisine are available, including treats such as guoi jub num sai (flat noodle soup with crispy pork and egg), roasted duck noodles, and traditional Thai and Chinese desserts.

A man of peace
As the hometown of the venerable Phra Brahmagunabhorn (also known as P. A. Payutto and Prayudh Payutto), one of the country’s most honorable Buddhist monks, Si Prachan is proud of this fact and the market includes the house in which he was born and grew up.

Phra Brahmagunabhorn has been honored with several titles such as ‘Si Prachan’s most outstanding man’ and a ‘Buddhist intellectual’ after spreading his ideas and thoughts throughout the world through his involvement in discussions, through preaching and lectures, dhamma talks, and through publications that have reached a global audience.

The Venerable P. A. Payutto’s works received the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) prize for Peace Education in 1994.

Now 71-years-old, Phra Brahmagunabhorn is currently the abbot of a temple in Nakhon Pathom province. However, his former home, prior to becoming ordained as a samanera (novice) at the age of 13, remains a popular attraction at Si Prachan market.

The ground floor of the building, once the Bai Rattanakarn fabric store, has been maintained in its original form, featuring an original sewing machine and various other forms of antique equipment. Locals insist that this store gained its name among locals for producing the best examples of traditional Thai Fug Kae silk shirts and Chinese-style silk pants known as pung lin.

The shop house also provides a place where people can honor Phra Brahmagunabhorn’s birthplace. A small corner on the first floor displays various household items, while showing how people in the community lived their lives during previous times, as well as detailing aspects from the abbot’s childhood.

The second floor of the house includes a reproduction of a classroom at Bumrungwutthirat School, Si Prachan’s first high school, which the abbot’s father founded. It is even said that the venerable P. A. Payutto’s widely respected teaching talents were forged during the time he spent here teaching and tutoring young people in the school.

Phra Brahmagunabhorn’s birthplace is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am until 5 pm. – Translated and republished thanks to the kind permission of ASTV Manager.

Transport connections:
Car: From Bangkok, take Highway 340, which will take you close to Si Prachan district once you get close to central Suphan Buri.

Minivan (Rot-dtoo): Mini vans (Rot dtoo) to Si Prachan can be caught from Khok Wua intersection on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road. The fare is 100 baht (about US$3) each way.

Thailand's Industrial Sentiment Index Above 100 Mark for 5th Straight Month

Thailand's Industrial Sentiment Index Above 100 Mark for 5th Straight Month
UPDATE : 25 March 2010
The outlook is still bright for Thailand's economy, as the Thai Industries Sentiment Index has hovered over a 100 mark for the fifth month in a row since October. Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries or FTI, Santi Vilassakdanont, reported that the Thai Industries Sentiment Index has been over a 100 mark for five consecutive months, despite a slight decline in February as a result of the red-shirt protest and rising oil prices. The February index stood at 114.5, down from 115.4 in January. The February survey took 1,165 samples from 39 industries. Santi projected Thailand's exports to grow more than 14 percent, assuming the index stays above 100 in the second quarter of this year and that the red-shirt protests will not block airports, sea ports, or roads, which would impact logistics. He went on to say that political tensions and rising oil prices remain the two major factors for most investors, followed by changes in foreign currencies and global markets. The FTI chairman noted that the business sector wants the government to keep the situation under control, fearing that a violent protest would undermine both domestic and foreign trades, as well as the economy in general.

วันพุธที่ 24 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Top private school in poison soup mystery

By Manager Online

23 March 2010 17:28

This photo retrieved March 19, 2010 is from http://www.picturesofengland.com. No one has been harmed by the poisoned soup, and police are investigating the case.

March 23, 2010
LONDON (Reuters) - An investigation has begun at one of the country's most prestigious private schools after a member of staff was arrested on suspicion of trying to poison the pupils' soup, police said on Wednesday.

Detectives were called to Stowe School, whose former pupils include billionaire Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, after other members of staff raised the alarm about strange smells in the food last Friday.

"During routine checks, school staff became suspicious that foodstuffs had been tampered with and the police were alerted," said a spokesman for Stowe, set in 750 acres of impressive grounds near Buckingham.

"We continue to cooperate closely with the police in their investigation."

A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman said: "It was soup. It was being prepared for the pupils."

This photo retrieved March 19, 2010 is from http://michaelocc.com. The case is under investigation at Stowe School. A 58-year-old man had been arrested at his home on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life or inflict grievous bodily harm.

Detectives said a 58-year-old man had been arrested at his home on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life or inflict grievous bodily harm.

He has not yet been questioned because of ill health and has been bailed until March 29.

Media reports said the man was a kitchen porter and police confirmed he was a member of staff at the school, which has about 750 boys and girls, aged from 13 to 18, and where fees are more than 27,000 pounds a year for boarders.

"Nobody has been harmed, but these are serious accusations," said Detective Constable Vicky Ball. "Our investigation is still in its early stages and forensic work is continuing."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)

Croc attacks Australian girl, 5

By Manager Online

23 March 2010 12:57

File photo of a saltwater crocodile near Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. An Australian child was slashed in a near escape from a crocodile, police said Monday, as a hearing into a fatal attack on a schoolgirl last year reignited debate on managing the predators. (AFP/File/Greg Wood)

March 23, 2010
SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian child was slashed in a near escape from a crocodile, police said Monday, as a hearing into a fatal attack on a schoolgirl last year reignited debate on managing the predators.

The five-year-old girl was swimming off tropical northern Australia on Sunday when she encountered the saltwater reptile, police said.

"She received a laceration to her leg and quite deep," superintendent Mike Murphy told state radio.

"I believe it's from the rear foot of the crocodile. Obviously the claws have gouged her and basically slashed her leg open."

Rangers searched the area but were unable to find the crocodile, he added.

The attack came as Northern Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh opened an inquest into the death of 11-year-old Briony Goodsell, who was taken by a 3.5-metre (11.5-foot) croc in the Black Jungle Swamp near Darwin last March.

Crocodiles are officially protected in the Northern Territory and are estimated to number 80,000 as they thrive in the vast network of rivers and lakes criss-crossing the region.

An average of two people are killed each year in Australia by saltwater crocodiles, known locally as "salties", which can grow up to seven metres (23 feet) long and weigh more than a tonne.

Local authorities have pushed for limited trophy hunting of the creatures -- a proposal which was rejected in 2005, and again last year following Goodsell's death.

Darwin authorities captured almost 200 salties from waterways around the city last year for the protection of residents after heavy rainfall and flooding in the wet season allowed the animals to move more freely and inhabit areas they would otherwise avoid.

Airline crew face jail in Dubai over sexy texts

By Manager Online

22 March 2010 16:43

This photo retrieved March 19, 2010 is from http://www.smh.com.au. In a high-profile case in 2008, a British couple narrowly escaped jail after a court found them guilty of engaging in drunken sexual activity out of wedlock, and for doing so in public on a beach in the emirate.

March 22, 2010
DUBAI (Reuters) - Two Emirates airlines cabin crew have been ordered jailed for three months in Dubai over sexually explicit text messages, the latest in a string of indecency cases against foreigners, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

The pair, an Indian flight attendant and her cabin services supervisor, were convicted of "coercion to commit sin" over the messages and initially sentenced to six months in jail, The National newspaper said on its website, citing court documents.

The sentence was reduced on appeal last week to three months and deportation orders against the pair were lifted, it added. It did not reveal the content of the messages.

Dubai's foreign population has expanded rapidly in recent years as expatriates flocked to the Gulf Arab trade and tourism hub for its tax-free earnings and year-round sunshine.

The changes have challenged the Emirati population, which is now vastly outnumbered by foreigners, raising concern that their emirate's rapid pace of growth is a threat to their social and religious identity in what remains a deeply conservative region.

An Emirates spokeswoman declined to comment on the case as it was still ongoing.

The paper said the case emerged after the flight attendant's husband filed a lawsuit against his wife a year ago accusing her of being in an illicit relationship with her supervisor. It said the couple had been embroiled in a divorce battle since 2007.

This photo retrieved March 19, 2010 is from http://www.cabinmanagers.com. Dubai's foreign population has expanded rapidly in recent years as expatriates flocked to the Gulf Arab trade and tourism hub for its tax-free earnings and year-round sunshine.

The case is the latest decency case against foreigners accused of not respecting local mores.

In a separate case, a British pair caught kissing in public in Dubai is appealing a month-long jail sentence handed down after an Emirati mother complained her child had seen their indiscretion.

The pair, a British man living in Dubai and a female friend, were arrested in November on accusations of kissing and touching each other intimately in public and consuming alcohol, their lawyer said. They were ordered jailed for a month.

In a high-profile case in 2008, a British couple narrowly escaped jail after a court found them guilty of engaging in drunken sexual activity out of wedlock, and for doing so in public on a beach in the emirate.

They were sentenced to three months in prison followed by deportation, but had their jail terms overturned on appeal.

In a separate case this year, a British couple who shared a hotel room managed to escape trial in Dubai for having sex out of wedlock by producing a marriage certificate.

(Writing by Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)

Vatican must take abuse more seriously - Swiss abbot

By Manager Online

22 March 2010 14:42

Statues of cherubs are displayed at a souvenir shop in front of the main entrance to the church of the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

March 22, 2010
ZURICH (Reuters) - The Vatican has to take cases of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy more seriously, the abbot of a Swiss monastery at the centre of an abuse scandal told a Swiss Sunday paper.

"I'm afraid that the Church leadership in Rome is not taking the situation seriously enough," Martin Werlen said in an interview in SonntagsBlick. "Our credibility is at stake."

Werlen, Abbot of Einsiedeln Monastery, has said at least three of the monastery's 77 monks had committed acts of abuse since he took up office in December 2001, but no legal action had been taken in any of the cases at the express wish of the victims.

In a pastoral letter on Saturday, Pope Benedict apologised to victims of child sex abuse by clergy in Ireland and ordered an official inquiry there.

"The Church leadership has to learn to act more quickly in such situations," Werlen said. "A word from the pope should come when the situation arises, not two months later."

The Swiss Catholic Church has said it is investigating about 10 allegations of abuse by clergy, making Switzerland the latest country to be hit by scandal sweeping Europe.

Christoph Darbellay, leader of Switzerland's centrist Christian Democrats (CVP), called for priests found to have committed abuse to be blacklisted, Switzerland's Sonntag reported.

"Whoever abuses children should never work again with children," said Darbellay, whose comments were echoed by a prominent member of the Swiss clergy.

The Bishop of Basel's general representative, Roland-Bernhard Trauffer told Sonntag he would back a blacklist if it meant cases of sexual abuse could be avoided.

(Reporting by Jason Rhodes; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

วันจันทร์ที่ 22 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Water-Borne Plants Cleverly Converted Into Gorgeous Gifts

UPDATE : 19 March 2010

Kinnareemas
Using a crisscross pattern of strips of dried water hyacinth, 83-year-old Choon Cha-onchom has managed to create an attractive ladies' handbag in just a few hours.

“I've been crafting things from water hyacinth now for 24 years, so I can finish a bag like this in no time at all,” says Choon, who introduced the method to his neighbors then formed a weaving group in the Klong Nokkratoong ('Nokkratoong Canal') sub-district of Nakhon Pathom's Banglen district, 70 kilometers west of Bangkok.

An abundance of supplies
Located by the Tha Jeen River, the village's location means that Choon can tap into an abundant supply of the hardy plants. Choon says he has developed over 100 different kinds of weaving patterns since taking up the practice.

Choon was once a rice farmer, but he chose to pass his land on to his children in 1985 as he felt he could no longer carry out the hard, manual labor required in the fields. He began his life as a water hyacinth weaver by attending a two-week training program, which was provided by the Bangsai Arts and Crafts Center in Ayutthaya.

Choon's home quickly became a center for neighbors interested in picking up the necessary skills from him and today it's used as the offices of the Water Hyacinth Weaving Cooperative Group of Nokkratoong sub-district. Choon's daughter, 49-year-old Pensri, heads the group.

The group is made up of 30 men and women who work in the rice fields and vegetable plots during the day, while spending their free time at home creating products from water hyacinth.

Product diversification
The shelves of Pensri's home office are lined with handbags, baskets, vases, mats and hats made in various shapes and sizes. A nearby storeroom is filled with chairs, tables and sofa sets.

“The customers really appreciate our products,” says Pensri, who took over the role of group leader from her father in 2001. Pensri previously worked in the marketing department of a large hypermarket chain.

Pensri says that new patterns and designs are created every once in a while in order to liven things up and generate fresh interest among members of the public. Some of the designs are inspired by fashion shoots in magazines, while others are suggested by customers.

Many of the group's customers own furniture stalls or operate stalls selling decorative goods at Bangkok's Chatuchak Sunday Market.

Floral features
Over recent years, Pensri has even introduced chemical dyes into the production process in order to provide more colorful patterns.

“It needs new ideas, creativity and imagination to generate new designs so we can continue to attract and satisfy our customers' needs,” she says.

One of her most recent advances has been the use of individual flowers made from colored strips of water hyacinth, which are carefully cut and crafted into the right shape. These flowers are used to decorate handbags and baskets.

Pensri also produces baskets in various different shapes, including round and square ones, as well as hexagon- and octagon-shaped forms to provide customers with more choices when working out how to accommodate them within a particular space.

She says baskets are one of the most popular items produced by the group when it comes to interior decoration and multi-purpose usage.

Pensri says demand for the products would indicate that city folk long for a simpler way of life, close to nature.

“I believe hand-crafted products made of materials sourced locally will always be in demand as they can provide a charming feature with a natural touch within a modern living space,” she says, adding that she's proud of her products and happy to continue weaving since she thoroughly enj

Lotus Bud Producer's Splendid Service

UPDATE : 15 March 2010

Kinnareemas

“My heart is filled with joy in the knowledge that my lotus buds are being used by Buddhist followers to offer to monks and the Lord Buddha,” says U-sa Mamuangbon, a 46-year-old resident of Nakhon Pathom’s Buddhamonthon district, where she has been cultivating the distinctive plants on her 15-rai (2.4-hectare) pond for over 30 years.

Lotus flowers have been an important part of Thai life for centuries. As well as appearing as a religious symbol, the flowers also feature heavily in many other aspects of Thai culture.

In the Thai language, for example, bua (‘lotus’) is combined to create many other words, such as the dessert bua loy (flour balls in sweetened coconut milk). The word is also well known for its use as a (female) first name.

Investment in the cultivation of lotus flowers has become an important development, which can drive the local economy. In addition to Nakhon Pathom province, you can also see lots of lotus ponds in the provinces of Suphan Buri and Pathum Thani.

A family tradition
U-sa says she began to maintain the lotus pond in tandem with her younger sister after their father, who was responsible for converting the plot from a rice paddy, passed away a few years ago.

The idea for making the switch was that there is strong demand for lotus blossoms year-round, since they are used in popular forms of merit-making.

U-sa picks the buds three or four times a week for her regular customers, mainly flower vendors at temples and Pak Klong Talad (Bangkok’s principal flower market). She picks about 1,000-2,000 buds during each session, which she begins early in the morning and takes between two or three hours to complete.

The practical side involves being semi-submerged and walking in the mud, which allows U-sa to closely check on the condition of the blooms. Some may be ready for immediate use, while other may not be quite ready.

“Picking the flowers is laborious work,” she says, “but I’m happy to continue with it since I enjoy it.”

Agriculture-oriented attraction
Up until the late 1990s, there were up to nine lotus farms in the district, but as the buds became a less profitable source of income, many farmers switched to other crops. Nowadays, there are only two lotus producers left in Buddhamonthon district. Although the cost of living has risen sharply, the price of lotus buds has remained consistent and a farmer can currently only earn about one baht ($0.03) per bud.

Nevertheless, U-sa says she feel lucky to be the owner of the tranquil plot that hosts the beautiful pond and is keen for others to experience it first hand, too. U-sa’s farm is now a popular tourist destination in its own right as part of Buddhamonthon district’s agricultural tour program.

Those visiting the farm can relax in the shade provided by a large pavilion located at the center of the pond, feed the fish, or even row a boat out to pick some flowers if they wish.

Persons interested in participating in the tour can find out more by calling Buddhamonthon’s Agricultural Tour Service Center on Tel: +66 (0)34 297 152.