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Latest Headlines

• Doi Sutep’s vital restoration in jeopardy

  After tests showed that Chiang Mai’s famous mountainside temple, Doi Sutep, was at risk of sliding off the side of the mountain, the government approved funding to restore the foundations of the main stupa. Although work has been underway for several months, recent reports state that the restoration project’s funds have dried up.

  This is Doi Sutep’s first major restoration in more than 600 years. Its iconic gold-coloured stupa, which can be seen from Chiang Mai, is in danger of collapsing due to the accumulation of moisture in the ancient brickwork that supports the structure. The government only granted 7 million baht of the 150 million baht requested to complete the restoration, and these meager funds have already been used, leaving the project in a state of limbo.

  Doi Sutep’s main stupa is said to contain some of the Buddha’s relics, and is Chiang Mai’s most visited temple. Highly-skilled Salah Lanna craftsmen, dressed in traditional white attire to show respect, are working on the foundations in three stages. New water drainage channels are being placed under the stupa’s base, and the top portion where the relics are housed is also being restored.

  Although the temple grounds look sturdy, its foundations are actually built on soft earth rather than stone. Researchers concluded that a single major disaster like an earthquake or flash flood could wash the stupa down the side of the mountain. Without more funding, however, the project may never be properly completed.

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• Bangkok under state of emergency

  On Tuesday morning at 07:00, current Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency, effectively putting the capital Bangkok under the full control of the army. Following increasingly violent clashes between PAD anti-government protestors, pro-government protestors, and police, Samak enacted his authority to declare the crisis official.

  The prime minister’s declaration was prompted by overnight fighting between anti-government and pro-government protestors in the streets of Bangkok. One man was killed and dozens of protestors injured during the running street fights. General Anupong Paojinda, the commander of the Thai army, has been put in control of the crisis, and now has absolute power to deal with the political unrest in Bangkok.

  The state of emergency effectively means that any protest gathering of five or more people is prohibited. The police and military can use whatever force they deem necessary to disperse the illegal gatherings. Media that encourages public protesting can also be censored or shut down.

  United front of Democracy against Dictatorship leaders stated immediately that they would “obey the law and go home,” thus ending their rally at Sanam Luang. The People’s Alliance for Democracy’s (PAD) Suriyasai Katasila, stated that his group would now meet to discuss their next move. This new Emergency Law has never been officially used in Thailand, and takes the stand-off to a new unpredictable level. Samak is nominal head of Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), so the army and police are effectively under his command.

  All travellers heading to Bangkok should be aware that there will likely be delays in all areas of infrastructure and transport, as well as the rising potential for street clashes.

  Check the latest news at The Bangkok Post

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• Thai man gets life for murdering tourist

  The trial of a Thai man charged with murdering a Swedish tourist in Phuket ended with a verdict of guilty and a sentence of life in prison. The crime occurred in March on a remote beach on the island of Phuket, but the suspect eventually surrendered to police after initially fleeing the country.

  Akaradet Tankay, the killer of 27 year-old Hannah Charlotte Bankluns, was convicted by the Phuket provincial court for murdering the Swedish woman on Mai Khao beach, a remote spot on the northern coast of Phuket. After taking a swim in the sea on March 15, Bankluns emerged from the water and was approached from behind by Akaradet, who attempted to rape her.

  Akaradet used a knife to threaten the Swedish woman, who resisted. The 31 year-old Thai man then stabbed her more than 20 times before leaving her to die on the beach. Akaradet then immediately fled to Burma. After being persuaded by his parents to return to Thailand and face the charges, Akaradet surrendered to the Rayong police on March 19. Although he initially admitted to the murder, he later retracted his confession. Based on the evidence, however, the court still found him guilty.

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• Preah Vihear temple talks on hold

  Due to the escalation in tensions between PAD protestors and the Thai government, the next round of formal talks over the disputed Preah Vihear temple along the border of Cambodia and Thailand have been postponed indefinitely. The Thai delegation arrived in Siem Reap this week and were chatting agreeably with their Cambodian counterparts prior to the official meetings scheduled for Friday August 29th when the planned talks were abruptly cancelled.

  Cambodia’s Defense Ministry Secretary of State, Neang Phat, said “we had prepared all the documents [when] a call came and they asked for the meeting to be delayed. [The Thais] didn’t say why but we can assume. This is Thailand’s business, not ours.” According to Phat, the Thai government has not set a new date for resuming the joint discussions over the disputed border area around the Preah Vihear temple site and the Ta Moan temple site, 150kms to the west.

  Several rounds of talks between the two nations have so far failed to reach any kind of compromise. Both nations still lay claim to the territory around the 11th-century Khmer temple, which UNESCO granted to Cambodia on July 7. Cambodia closed the border with Thailand in June fearing violence between locals on both sides.

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• Thai national parks to add concessions

  In an intriguing move by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the government is considering a proposal to grant 30-year concessions to privately-owned companies, allowing them to operate businesses within its national parks. The ministry named 10 of the country’s most popular national parks to be the first to get the concessions.

  According to Vichit Pattanakosai, deputy chief of the National Park, Plant and Wildlife Conservation Department, this pilot project is aimed at improving facilities and service within the nation’s national parks. Concessions will allow private restaurants, lodging, and shops to exist within the boundaries of the parks. Vichit said that the concessions will attempt to create sustainable tourism and a reliable source of income for local residents. Vichit is also the chairman of a government panel working on investment and tourism in Thailand’s national parks.

  The first 10 parks slated for an onslaught of business are Khao Yai, Erawan, Kaeng Krachan, Phu Kradung, Mo Ko Similan Marine Park, Mo Ko Surin Marine Park, as well as four national parks around Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon, Doi Suthep-Pui, Huai Nam Dang, and Pha Hom Pok. Although the concession plan is still under proposal, the ministry has announced the creation of 17 new national parks, bringing the nationwide total to 148.

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