InBangkok.org

The Guardian columnist Ben Goldacre devoted his most recent column to the ADE651 bomb detecting device which is much in use in Iraq – even though scientific analysis suggests it produces no better than chance (i.e.
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Things you would hesitate before making up for fear of being accused of gross exaggeration: Today, Thailand’s reputation (genuine reputation, that is) slid again as it was announced as having declined to 84 th in the league tables of corrupt nations – it has been sliding since the disastrous 2006 military coup. Also...
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There are estimated to be some seven million Thai people who are shut out from the existing credit and banking schemes – the ability to borrow money when required can mean the difference between survival and disaster at the family level in the event of illness. It is of course also essential for...
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Congratulations to Bryan “Robbo” Robson for winning his first competitive match – 3-1 away in Singapore , which is a good result. The Thais played the red-shirted Lions off the park for most of the game and went into a 3-0 lead. However, a lack of concentration in the final minutes of the...
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It has been Remembrance Day this week, which on 11th November at 11 a.m. includes the time set aside for remembering those who died in the First World War and, indeed, all the many other wars in which lives have been lost.
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It’s the big match on Saturday evening – Singapore v Thailand in the first of two games as part of the qualifying group for the forthcoming Asian Championship (speaking of which, congratulations to the Pohang Steelers as club champions of Asia – do remind me to tell you my amusing Pohang Steel story...
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Well, I have not been silenced by the Secret Hand nor fallen in front of a barely-moving but still potentially unsafe train.
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There seems to be something fishy about reports that the government’s support has suddenly tripled in a new poll released by ABAC.* In the Nation’s report, the dates of polling were not even mentioned, suggesting that this is some kind of spontaneous outpouring of support for the government in standing up to the...
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Oh dear, oh dear: just when it looked like Thai football was moving forwards into an era of respectability, it is plunged into disrepute once more.
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He has not been seen since 1990 but he is not missing* Mr Mohammad Al-Ruwaili was last seen in 1990, having come to Thailand in 1985 to run a business.
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The Cabinet has approved a new plan to shore up rice prices : there are three elements, loans will go to buy rice directly from farmers, loans will provide liquidity to rice millers who buy rice from the farmers and there will be a scheme for farmers who do not want to sell...
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The sky is going to rain with stars , apparently, when the Leonid meteor shower passes this way on the night of Novembner 17 th /18 th , at least according to the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, which is in no way offering a hostage to fortune. As long as there...
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The SET Index fell by more than 1% again today but apparently that is all right – there are no malevolent (probably foreign) secret agents spreading rumours about Thailand today. However, the faithful boys in brown are about to arrest more people who certainly did spread rumours (well, according to these people anyway)....
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Apparently, we have entered winter – at least according to the people on the radio this morning, who announced that there is ‘no chance’ of rain this weekend and a maximum temperature today of no more than a bone withering 33 degrees. It is also possible that the temperatures on the mountain tops...
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Khun Rakesh Saxena is on his way back to Thailand, some 13 years after having fled to Canada in the wake of accusations of embezzlement and corruption connected to the Bangkok Bank of Commerce. According to which report one reads, he has either been refused further appeals by the Canadian courts or has...
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There has been yet another outbreak of foreigner jumping to his death from a Pattaya hotel disease . This time, according to police reports, members of the hotel security team spent ten minutes trying to talk 68-year old Jurgen Rudihans from the balcony but he was adamant, citing the leg amputation he was...
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You honestly could not make it up. Here is Democrat (surprise surprise) MP Prasert ‘Einstein’ Ponsuwannasiri : “Democrat MP for Yala Prasert Pongsuwannasiri said the workers’ claim that service had been suspended for security reasons was not justifiable, as most of the trains had managed to survive insurgent attacks and even the killings...
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The ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin and Cha Am is over and the usual thrills and spills have entertained people watching: despite the restrictions aimed at preventing ordinary citizens going about their lawful business (must not let the big people suffer a traffic jam, what would they think?), the first accident apparently involved...
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Well, the road to hell is paved, as I think is well-documented by now, with good intentions and my plan to keep up to date with the Thai Premier League will condemn me to an eternity of endless and increasingly intensifying torment.
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Well, this is a new low: our mind like a steel trap PM Abhisit is encouraging people to inform on each other – ostensibly to catch those supposed ill-intentioned people who were spreading rumours about HM the King’s health so as to damage the economy/image of the country etc (the SET Index dipped...
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The annual vegetarian festival has started once more – supermarkets, restaurants and department stores are full of special stalls with the little yellow pennants that designate all kinds of vegetarian goodness. Some of these are rice/noodles with various stir fried vegetables, curries and all the usual kinds of Thai food.
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