The fucking phone lines are down. I can’t call Nam. ………. UPDATE: I got through. Everything is cool but nobody knows what the hell is going on. Nam and her family are watching Fox and CNN because the local channels have all been taken over by the military and are airing looped messages calling for civil stability and respect for the king. In other news, I feel slightly stupid for having bought my ticket to Bangkok less than four hours ago. ……….. Thaksin Overthrown In Army Coup, Thai Constitution is revoked by military As of this morning, Nam is saying that nobody has any idea what’s going on. Satellite TV…

Over at the Beeb website: Bangkok’s airport faces nervous start I, for one, will miss the old airport because I don’t fancy the clusterfuck that seems to be taking shape regarding transportation from the new airport. Apparently, the regular taxi terminals are 3 kilometers from the arrival gate! I hope that gets worked out sometime soon. Since I am leaving on October 20, I will probably be flying into Suvarnabhumi (airport code NBK has been assigned until until all international flights are transferred from Don Muang, the old airport, after which it will assume the code everyone is used to, BKK). The funny thing is, I really can’t remember a…

I never would have guessed there are so many foreigners running farming operations in Thailand: Farming in Thailand Forum The above sentence is worded awkwardly because it’s apparently illegal for foreigners to do actual work on farms! Actually, that makes a hell of a lot of sense visa-wise because it theoretically deprives a Thai national from performing the same work – it’s just that I never thought there were that many foreigners interested in agricultural there.

In a bid to crack down on illegal workers, Thailand is limiting the number of consecutive “on-arrival” visas as of October 1, 2006. Details here and here. This makes sense. I realize that a lot of people depended on these visas for work, but that’s kind of the point – Thailand wants them to work legally and pay taxes, or get out, and I can’t really fault this line of thinking. I also realize there are people who will suffer who were not working illegally and just don’t qualify for any alternative visas, and I feel for them. Overall, though, it only makes sense that the “on-arrival” visa loophole would…

The radical Islamicist problem in southern Thailand is so bad that the authorities are continuing to arm and train school teachers. “More than 1,700 people have been killed across Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat — the only Muslim-majority provinces in this otherwise peaceful, tourist-friendly Buddhist country. Among them was a teacher gunned down at his blackboard in July as his 4th graders watched in shock, and a Buddhist art teacher clubbed by a village mob in May until her skull shattered. Teachers may be targets, officials say, because they are symbols of the central government’s authority, or be taken hostage to be traded for captured insurgents, or because the militants want…

For citizens of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Palestinian State, Nigeria, Afghanistan, China, and North Korea, the Thai visa applicant must first be granted status of residence in Japan. I wonder if this only applies to people applying to the Royal Thai Consulate in Osaka.

Check out this photo gallery of posters in a public restroom in Thailand: LINK I’m really curious as to where this is located. Are these Cialis ads, or what?

Thai fishermen have declared they will no longer intentionally catch the Mekong Giant Catfish, in honor of their king: LINK Granted, this only covers part of the problem as the river runs through/is boundary to multiple countries. Plus, I can just imagine the rush of people cutting up nets to collect on multiple $500 payoffs. But still… It speaks a lot for having a monarchy that is respected and revered. (via Magnoy)

Dave just sent in this article regarding the King of Thailand’s love of jazz. (I hereby refuse to use CNN’s pathetically retarded titles as links anymore.) No denying the king seems really cool, but it must be pretty damn hard for him to get an honest opinion of his music. Nam was in Bangkok this weekend and she said there were more yellow shirts than Ojibagaeri (it’s a Tenrikyo thing, baby) in August.