|
ROYALTY
RETURNS TO WIENG KUM KAM
Star performers recreated
history in a beautiful production amidst the ruins of Wieng Kum Kam.
Almost 700 hundred years after King Mengrai moved from the Royal city
he built before Chiangmai, Royalty returned amid celebrations and festivities.
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and her son Crown Prince Wajiralongkorn were
joined by Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra at the closing night of "Enchanted
Wieng Kum Kam". The sound and light show formed the start of a major
promotion to bring the recovered archaeological park into mainstream tourism.
On each of 3 nights, over 1,500 people attended the open air theatre,
built on a site of mixed orchard and woodland demolished for the occasion.Outside
the temporary amphitheatre, a traditional market was held, which will be
repeated each Sunday until February 6th.
The market has been specially created in a small wooded arena to promote
local handicrafts. Elephant rides are also available at 300b per hour along
the peaceful lanes of this ancient city's ruins.
The Wieng Kum Kam Visitor's Centre & Museum was opened by Her Majesty.
Situated at the southern limit of the area, next to the new outer ring
road, this beautifully designed complex is currently free to enter like
the ruins themselves.
While in Chiangmai Her Majesty also visited the newly opened Art &
Culture Centre at Three Kings Monument and the temples of Chiang Man, Chedi
Luang, Phrasingh, Suan Dok, Jedyot and Buppararn.
 Garry
Harbottle-Johnson
"WHAT
WE WANT IS 169!"
Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation, backed by the
United Nations and the World Health Organisation spells out the rights
of tribal peoples and, if adopted by Thailand, would end the multiple hardships
of the hilltribes, described in our January issue. That's the shared view
of all our correspondents, following last month's front cover feature,
detailing their difficulties in agriculture, education and many other vital
areas of life.
"The document is so comprehensive, clear, well written and caring
it actually had me emotionally moved" wrote one European who now lives
in a Lahu village north of Chiangmai. "Everyone who truly cares, all
the relevant NGO's, should stop coming up with different, confusing, ideas
and send one clear message to the Thai government: what we want is 169.
It's as simple as that."
Ratified in Geneva as long ago as 1989, the Convention commits signatory
nations to allowing tribal people to: control their own institutions, ways
of life, language and religions within the framework of the states in which
they live; be consulted over legal and administrative measures which may
affect them; take part in decision making; have access to adequate community-based
health services; have the right to decide their own development priorities
affecting the lands they occupy or use and have the rights of ownership
and possession over the lands which they traditionally occupy.
Governments signing the Convention agree to co-operate with the tribal
people to protect and preserve the environment of the territories they
inhabit, with particular attention paid to nomadic peoples and shifting
cultivators. Their rights to natural resources must be specifically safeguarded
and relocation would take place only with their free, informed consent
The full text can be found at www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C169
See also Your
Letters.
|
Obituary:
Dr. Leo Alting von Geusau
One of the best known figures involved with hilltribe welfare
passed away in Chiangmai on Christmas Day aged 77.
"Doctor Leo", as he was universally known, came to
the east as a Christian priest from an aristocratic family in Holland.
He dedicated the rest of his life to the Akha, one of the most important
of the hilltribes of northern Thailand.
Having married an Akha woman from Chiangrai Province, he recorded
and studied Akhazang, a moral code of the Akha way of life. At the height
of his career, he attended the Hani-Akha Conference in Yunnan, China, only
weeks before his death.
The funeral ceremony was led by Buddhist monks, who were also
present when Akha men lowered the coffin into the grave at the Chiangmai
Foreign Cemetery on December 31st. Following traditional Akha custom, the
widow was not present at the cemetery.
The Akha and many expatriates in Thailand will miss "Doctor
Leo", who amassed a unique and valuable library of publications on
many hilltribes in many languages.
Reinhard
Hohler |
HOSPITALS
DROP 30 BAHT TREATMENTS
Two specialist local hospitals and Rajavej private hospital warn they
will drop out of the national 30b-per-treatment scheme.
The Mother & Child and Neurological Hospitals agreed with Rajavej
that expenses far outweighed the income - and low income Thais with the
30b cards would be transferred to Central Memorial and Ruam Pat Hospitals.
Strongly criticised since it was introduced by the current government,
the scheme's financial hazards were highlighted soon after it was introduced
when a man received a triple by-pass operation for 30 baht. Users have
criticised the scheme, especially hilltribe people north of Chiangmai with
Thai cards, who claim that they are actually forced to pay much more.
He got the point
Zamboanga Hospital, 530 miles from Manila, could not save the life of
a cock-fighting entrant attacked by his own bird! The man released his
bird into a fight and it suddenly turned on him, stabbing him in the groin
with the razor-sharp steel spikes strapped to its legs. The man bled to
death.
Cock-fighting with no spikes is still a popular sport in Thailand but
the Sunday Chiangmai matches have moved from their old site on the river
at the east end of Nawarat Bridge. Gambling on fights here is illegal but
the fights themselves are not.
|
TRANSLATION:
THAI-ENGLISH / ENGLISH-THAI
|
|
Top value service from the English
proofreaders of the Provincial Hall's website!
"Good Morning Chiangmai News"
Just e-mail us at gmorning@loxinfo.co.th
with your requirements. Legal & business contracts; reports; personal
communications - all handled accurately in strictest confidence.
|
|
|
KIDS
AT RISK - 3,000 DIE!
Drowning is the greatest cause of child deaths here in the north, mainly
because swimming is not taught in government schools. But now the school's
own playgrounds are under the safety spotlight after accident figures showed
that the average Thai child is 43 times more likely to be killed or injured
at play than, for instance, in Sweden.
Figures showed that no fewer than 3,000 children aged under 14 died
and 150,000 were injured from all accidental causes in 2002 and 17.8% occurred
in schools.
Ramathibodi Hospital research centre added that almost all primary school
playgrounds were dangerous, with concrete surfaces and sub-standard equipment.
Rubber and sand surfaces must be used, they added. The Education Ministry
is to encourage safety campaigns in schools and survey playgrounds. Only
5 schools nationwide had joined last year's safety promotion, they added.
Girl assaulted
A 6 year old Thai girl bled after being indecently assaulted in the
toilets of a Night Bazaar restaurant one lunch time last month. After running
to her parents on the outside terrace, the young Swede alleged to be the
assailant resumed his place at an inside table and waved at her through
the windows. On hearing what had happened an English tourist hit him in
the face and restaurant staff had to surround the man for his own safety
until police arrived.
The first incident of it's kind in Chiangmai in living memory, say most
residents, resulted in the man being arrested. He had not appeared in court
at time of going to press.
 |
ELEFACTS6: The endangered Asian elephant - some numbers: |
* Asia is home to no more than 45,000 elephants compared with
over 600,000 in Africa.
* Over half this total is to be found in India.
* In Thailand 1,300 to 2,000 elephants are estimated to live
in the wild, mainly here in the north.
* At the beginning of the century there were around 100,000
in Thailand.
* Around 16,000 elephants are estimated to be in captivity throughout
S.E. Asia. Source: World Wildlife Fund.
More 'Elefacts'? See www.thaifocus.com/elephant
MILKING
THE MEDIA
A group of over 500 protesting dairy farmers knew how to attract the
TV cameras when they poured milk over each other and threw buckets of it
at the doors of the Provincial Hall last month.
Claiming that only 80 of the 101 tons they produce each day could be
sold in Chiangmai, the farmers demanded price guarantees. Governor Pisit
Ketphasook met the farmers and received protest letters addressed to the
Prime Minister.
HELLO
BP, BYE-BYE FELIX
The Felix City Inn on Rachamanka Road has become the BP
Chiangmai City Hotel, joining a group with a beach resort in Songkhla
and 2 hotels in Hadyai.
A Sinhga beer terrace near the entrance with large pitchers at 99b each
was one of the first innovations. With 134 rooms, 5 conference suites,
swimming pool, internet service and long stay incentives, director Khun
Walaipun Puengpipattrakul is a Busy Person.
RISE
IN HOLIDAY ROAD TOLL
The higher number of deaths and injuries on the roads of Thailand over
the Christmas/New Year holiday period - 562 killed and 32,451 injured -
were put down to the improved economy and the longer holiday.
Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng said that more new cars on
the roads and poor driving were to blame. He also criticised discrepancies
in the figures issued by different agencies. Estimates of the number of
injured people with high blood alcohol levels ranged from 45 to 65%. The
government had hoped for a 20% reduction in casualties.
'Good Morning Chiangmai News' understands that the figures do not include
casualties taken to private hospitals or deaths which occur in hospital
soon after accidents. The Deputy Transport Minister said that it is essential
to start teaching road safety in schools and colleges.
Drop in journalists' death toll
Nineteen journalists were killed because of their work in 2002 compared
with 37 the previous year, says the New York based Committee to Protect
Journalists.
The lowest total since CPT began keeping records in 1985 was due to
a drop in world conflicts, plus extra security after the kidnapping and
killing of American reporter Daniel Pearl.
Many media organisations are now sending journalists on hostile environment
training and ordering that flak and bullet proof jackets must be worn in
certain circumstances.
"NEW"
BORDER PASS
Ban Huay Phueng, north of Mae Hong Son city, was re-opened as a pass
into Burma's Shan state last month in a ceremony chaired by Deputy PM Gen.
Chawalit Yongchaiyudh. Drug trafficking was no longer rife in that area,
said the Governor of Mae Hong Son, the local economy needed the boost of
legal trade and he expressed hope that the village would soon become a
permanent border checkpoint. Property values in the area had risen steeply
in anticipation of the opening.
DRY
BONES, DRY HUMOUR!
Reporting that dinosaur bones found in Phayao could be more than 130
million years old, the 'Chiangmai Mail' last month added: "So far,
the dinosaur has shown no indication that it might turn dangerous."
Claimed to be the oldest dinosaur ever found, the Sauropod is the first
dinosaur discovery in northern Thailand and directions to the site (in
Thai) come from the Phayao Public Relations Office on 0-5448-1204.
Who insured the cash?
A spokesman for Siam Commercial Bank, commenting on the theft of 11.5m
baht by a security van driver, said that the bank would claim compensation
from Theves Insurance Company.
TIPPER
TRUCKS
Since road works began on the Kang Klong (Irrigation Canal) road, residents
and commuters had expected accidents thanks to the heavily loaded, high
speed trucks. Last month it happened and the drivers of 2 were fortunate
that neither had to swim for it.
Opposite the petrol station at Mae Hia only the reinforcing mesh, in
place ready for concrete to be poured, prevented the trucks falling into
the canal.
A new road is being built on the west side of the canal and widening
of the existing road along the east side is taking place at the same time.
The two roads will form a dual carriageway with the canal in the middle
matching the road that runs from the top of Suthep Road to the 700 Year
Sports Stadium
The logical plan would have been to build the new road on the west side
first, then divert the traffic to that side while the eastern side was
improved. Such logic escaped the "planners" and the result is
maximum disruption and danger. The road works are unlit and the 'waterside'
is marked out with a few sticks, some string and little red and white flags.
A pot-holed road which was a nightmare for motorcyclists has now been extended
to affect all.
TV
ON/OFF SWITCH
Shortage of cash and a need to improve programmes were the reasons given
for Chiangrai's new community TV project being shut down only 4 months
after opening. Half of Bannok TV's staff were young Akha people and the
content included news, chat shows, children's entertainment, health advice,
music and farming news. The station went on the air for only 30 minutes
every evening but drew much praise from viewers. It's founder hoped to
re-open in 3 months time.
IT'S
A STRAY DOG'S LIFE….
….in the modern Thai police! Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces have
been allocated 6 each of the 1 to 2 year old dogs, trained in sniffing
out drugs after being rounded up on the streets of Bangkok.
His Majesty the King was the first to suggest training strays instead
of using expensive imported pedigree breeds and tens of thousands of baht
is being saved by the new programme.
NEWS
OF THE FUTURE
·Chiangmai's 27th annual Flower Festival blossoms and
flourishes for the long weekend from February 7th. Expect growers' competitions,
beauty contests, parades and exhibitions at Thapae Gate and Buak Hard Park.
·Many romantic opportunities are available on Valentine's
Day, February 14th, and La Gritta restaurant at the Amari Rincome Hotel
offers an 800b per person night which includes welcome cocktails, soft
music, a European dinner - and the chance of winning it all for free!!
Best to reserve on 0-5322- 1044.
·One of the most important days in the Buddhist calendar, Maha
Bucha Day, is February 16th. It is a national holiday which this year
falls on a Sunday, so Monday the 17th will be a holiday in lieu with banks,
public buildings and schools all closed.
·Leaders of 21 APEC nations assemble in Chiangrai for
their big conference on February 12-21 and many local attractions were
being 'improved', reported the Governor, Tan Narin Panichkit.
NEWS
OF THE PAST
In February, 1997, 'Good Morning Chiangmai News' reported:
·Over 100 local employers had been arrested in 1996 for
making women and children work overtime without paying them a fair salary.
The Labour Office launched a new programme to provide training and prevent
exploitation.
·Three pupils from Hor Phra School beat 63 other Thai schools
to win air tickets to Singapore and 70,000b in the 'Think Earth'
national environment competition. Their project? Removing the odours of
garbage bins!
·In our small ads, a fully equipped German restaurant
in the Night Bazaar with living quarters above was for sale at 650,000b
and a 3 bedroom detached, air-con home near Hang Dong Road was available
for 1.5 million baht. Not much inflation around here!
·No-one knew the crash was coming! Chiangmai was planning a
huge International Motor Show at the 700 Year Stadium.
|
![[ Yahoo! News Search ]](http://us.yimg.com/i/yahootogo/ytg_news.gif){kind=small}
![[ Yahoo! Weather ]](http://us.yimg.com/i/yahootogo/ytg_weather.gif){kind=small}