Good Morning Chiangmai News Magazine

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20/1 Ratchamanka Road
A.Muang Chiangmai 50200
Tel/Fax: (053) 278516
gmorning@loxinfo.co.th

BURMA BORDER BACK IN BUSINESS

Cross border trade worth up to 30 million baht per day at just one check point re-commenced after a break of 5 months on October 15th.

The closure of the border by Burma was in protest at Thailand's alleged support of border rebels resisting Rangoon. A Thai offensive against cross-border drug dealers, which was later stepped down, was also a factor.

Chiangrai Governor Tan Roongrit Makarapong led a group of Thai officials across the Mae Sai-Tachilek bridge to mark the low-key opening occasion, which is also a boon to long-stay tourists in the area seeking 30 day Thai visa extensions to re-enter the Kingdom. Less well-known, Mae Sot-Myawaddy is also useful in this way - and interesting in their own right. The fine for over-staying a Thai visa is 200b per day and strictly enforced.

Air Andaman

WE'RE CHECKING IN.....

.....and we're delighted to have been chosen to serve the passengers of Air Andaman on the whole of their comprehensive route network in Thailand. This quality accolade in our 6th year of publication truly takes us up, up and away. But we need YOUR help! Please give us feed back in Thai, English or Japanese. Tell us how we can serve you even better!

OUR FOCAL POINT GETS BIGGER

Chiangmai Lord Mayor Boonlert Buranupakorn called a press conference in the quadrangle of the Art and Culture Centre last month to announce that the nearby Women's Prison and Lawyers' Centre will soon be vacated and handed over to the city for use as museums and gardens.

The imaginative plan, which includes the Law Court building across the road from the Three Kings Monument will radically change and enhance Chiangmai's true city centre. Inmates of the prison, part of which is a former Royal palace, are to be moved to a new facility at Sanmahapon, Maetaeng.

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Superb restoration complete, the Art and Culture Centre features this stylish, hidden quadrangle, where almost 200 people can be entertained.

RAINTREE CHANGES

Raintree Family Resource Center at the east end of Nawarat Bridge is now open every weekday except Wednesdays from 10.00am to noon, same time Saturdays and Sundays 4.00pm-4.45pm. Lots of English-language family activities and a great free booklet 'Helpful Hints for Getting Settled in Chiangmai'.

ELEPHANT LAW AWAITED

Eighteen months after we reported the drafting of new laws to protect elephants, the beating of young animals with nail-studded sticks is still "common", said Lampang-based vet Preecha Phuangkham.

He was commenting on a video of "training methods" which the US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent to the Thai government and several overseas Thai embassies.

PETA said that 'Pajaan' beatings to break young elephants' bonds with their mothers killed about half the victims. "Elephants to be used for tourism purposes need to be disciplined" Preecha told the 'Bangkok Post' last month. "This is difficult in the beginning and the animals may need to be beaten."

An investigation has been launched into the video and government sources deny that Thai nationals were involved.

ELEFACTS4: PAJAAN is the Thai word meaning 'separation' . A sharman (priest) will perfrom this ritual to separate a calf from its working mother.

* The ritual takes about 7 days, depending on the strenght of will of the calf.

* During the 7 days the calf is 'broken in' until it is obedient to the will of the mahut (elephant handler).

* Once the calf has submitted it is released and will be trained to work.

* Calves undergo PAJAAN at the age of about 8 years.

More 'Elefacts'? See www.thaifocus.com/elephant

REMEMBERING A HERO

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The 24 year old Danish Captain who died repelling the Shan rebellion of 1902 was honoured on October 14th by regular Danish visitor Peter Jurgenson of the Scandinavian Society Siam. On the 100th anniversary of the death of Hans Markward Jensen, Mr Jurgenson laid a wreath on the grave at the Chiangmai Foreign Cemetery.

The day before he had attended a big civic ceremony at the Jensen memorial in Phayao where the officer was shot in pursuit of the rebels.

"Your October feature was correct" said Mr Jurgenson, after finding 'Good Morning Chiangmai News' at the Chiang Inn Hotel. "If Jensen had not led the Thais to victory, all of us here would be in Burma now."

SEEDS, PLEASE

A Lahu hilltribe village on the Chiangmai-Chiangrai border is appealing for seeds to re-start their farming after terraces of hill rice were swept away in the recent torrential rains. Only a 200 metre long red gash in the steep hillside of Hua Nam Rin is left where families expected a rice crop soon. Donations of any kind or quantity of seed are urgently required and can be left here at 'Good Morning Chiangmai News', 20/1 Rachamanka Road, near Thapae Gate.

OUR NEWEST OLD ATTRACTION

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Engineers at the Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 41 air museum put the finishing touches to 'Miss Siam', a 1928 Travelair biplane which takes off for China next month. Squadron Leader Virayuth Didyasarin will lead a team of pilots taking turns to fly the old American plane to Taiwan. They are re-creating a marathon journey undertaken by the plane's first Thai owner in 1932 and the adventure is set to attract world-wide attention of going to press there were still a few seats left on both journeys.

Reviews:
OUR OLDEST NEW ATTRACTION

Does Chiangmai have it's own Atlantis - right on it's southern doorstep? Local historian Garry Harbottle-Johnson thinks so, except that it's real name is Wieng Kum Kam, the city built by King Mengrai but occupied by him for only 5 years.

Located just off the Old Lamphun Road, the city which was flooded and virtually lost before Chiangmai was built is now the subject of enormous archaelogical interest and a visitor centre has been established.

Harbottle-Johnson's comprehensive, well illustrated book is both history and guide. Reading it in advance of a visit will ensure the visitor gets the most from the experience. Only 225b from 'Good Morning Chiangmai News' and major bookshops.

'Akha Voices'

Not the voices selling you silver handicrafts in the Night Bazaar, the 20b newsletter carrying this title is made of much sterner stuff. Produced by the Akha Heritage Foundation, it is a hard hitting assembly of the many problems facing Akhas in northern Thailand, especially the western Chiangrai-Burma border. Forced village re-locations and the alleged damage done to Akha culture by Christian missionaries are just two of the hot topics. Like it or not, it's 58 pages of comprehensive information on life well off the trekking trails.

MISSING PERSONS?

Anyone who can advise on the whereabouts of Khun Benjaporn Pana-Adisai (nick names 'Tip' and 'Amee'), last heard of working with a Chiangmai organisation named New Life, is asked to contact this magazine as a friend in Belgium is very worried about her health. A Mr. Stonehall from England, last heard of in the Chiangmai area, is asked to e-mail speffian@hotmail.com regarding his son Ashley.

THAI FINANCE FOR LAOS ROAD TO CHINA

Thailand has loaned 1.4 billion baht to Laos over 30 years to build 85 kms of road from the Thai border to Kunming in southern China.

It is estimated that the road, to be completed by 2007, will cut the cost of trade with China by 15.4%. It is part of the enormous Asian Highway scheme which will ultimately link Singapore with Kunming and Beijing.

Currently the Mekong River port of Chang Saen near Chiangrai handles 2.2 million baht's worth of Thai exports to China annually, imports totalling 600 million.

NEWS OF THE PAST

In November 1996, 'Good Morning Chiangmai News' reported:

· Hogs were headed here as a result of the government lifting a ban on totally assembled motorcycles. G-Force announced the importation of Harley-Davidson Softails to sell at 700 to 800,000 baht each.

· Bangkok's new airport at Nong Ngu Hao, 24 kms from Dong Muang was scheduled for completion in 2000.

· Chiangmai's 700th birthday party had "kind of fizzled out", we reported. The momentous year had been overshadowed by the Golden Jubilee celebrations for His Majesty the King - and it was felt that promotional efforts were exhausted after the huge success of the South East Asian Games here the previous year.

NEWS OF THE FUTURE

· Chiangmai's annual non-denominational Remembrance Day Service takes place from 10.45am on November 11th in the Foreign Cemetery. Prayers for peace and for those who gave their lives in the service of their countries in any conflict will be followed by a 2 minute silence. Refreshments at the nearby Chiengmai Gymkhana Club follow.

· The Informal Northern Thai Group have 2 talks this month. On the 12th, Paris-based anthropologist Dr.Yves Goudineau discusses the Kantu natives of Laos and Vietnam and on the 26th political historian Dr. Jacques Leider describes the Arakan province of Burma. Both events start at 7.30pm at the Alliance Francaise, Charoenprathet Road.

· Lamphun starts its Loi Kratong celebrations on November 18th, Chiangmai a day later. See page 38 for full timetables.

· The Chiang Mai Tourism Promotion Board have invited over 150 exhibitors to the Chiangmai & North Travel Show from November 29th to December 2nd. The first ever northern "road show" aims to attract travel industry professionals from all over the world, 250 sponsored by TAT.

· A huge Agricultural Fair is planned by Mae Jo University from January 23-26, 2003. Garden exhibitions, animal and vegetable contests, salad eating challenge, even a students' cowboy band are planned.

JUST LIKE THE REAL THING?

Almost! The Spitfire Mk V111 in RAAF livery (no red to avoid confusion with the enemy by ground gunners), arguably the best looking piston-engined plane ever! Framed in dark Thai timber, each piece is numbered and only 1000 pieces will ever be produced. Made by Thai craftsmen with care.

Measurement: 24 x 15 x 3.5 cm

email: gmorning@chiangmai-online.com

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