Media Mangle

[GWR]

Pol Maj Gen Yongyuth Charoenwanit, commander of Narathiwat Provincial Police Division, said he had ordered his sub-ordinates to heighten vigilante, especially in the so-called red-zone areas in the province.

What is this? A new project to tackle the arrested development of the south?

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30007967

[GWR]

The full tragedy is here:-

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006...s_30008830.php

I was a bit bamboozled by this snippet of the report:-

Monks pray as elephant is consigned to his grave

A male wild elephant rescued on Friday from a mud hole in Chanthaburi's Kaeng Hang Maew district died of his injuries at about 4am yesterday, despite rescue efforts by scores of volunteers.

District chief Wiwat Chantananurak, forestry officials and military scouts organised a burial ceremony for 60-year-old Plai Khun Song - also known as Plai Nga Diew ("One-trunk").

'Nga' actually means 'tusk'.

[GWR]

Police seek public health for identifying 16 persons suspected of contempt of court

Police Saturday urged members of the public to provide tips on identification of 16 persons seen on TVs of making comments deemed contempt of court.

Pol Lt Col Surajit Plianprasert of Phahol Yothin police station, admitted that police so far did not know the identity of the 16 persons.

"So, we would like to call on those who know these people are to inform us or inform the Office of the Secretary of the Criminal Court," Surajit said.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30009897

[forumadmin]

Yes, there is definitely something strange going on at The Nation.

Notice the series of press releases about property development they are running as if they are news pieces with news-type headlines.

And even the finance section is creeping more and more to free advertising. For instance: "Broad range of choices from 2007" with the subheading "Kasikorn Asset's new products to include an international option" (http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/12/..._30021689.php).

[Scuba22]

Is this new? The business sections of both the Nation and the Post seem to me to be a combination of corporate press releases and articles by various sundry consultants (including myself!) about how smart they are.

Is there ever any negative critique about anything? Independent minded journalists have told me that they were threatened with losing their jobs after turning in less than stellar reviews of restaurants and such.

Given the reporting I've seen of items I've had first-hand knowledge of, I've taken to reading the papers to get an indication of what others are seeing, not to actually get informed.

Scuba22

[Wisarut]

Both Bangkok Post and The Nation don't want to lose Advertising Money -> So, No Negative Corporate Nerws ALLOWED -> Clear and Simple

[GWR]

From the business section of The Nation.

• Am I missing something here?
• Is it an allegory?
• Is it a wind up?
• Was it written by a green-fingered reporter?
• Am I alone in finding this newspaper increasingly eccentric?

Humble fern can transform garden

How to maintain a garden and keep it tidy by yourself is a question often asked by home-owners when their gardens start to look unruly.

Today, DIY will suggest how to make your garden look tidy but full of life.

For a small garden at home, if you have a main tree that is the biggest one in your garden, you have to cut some of the boughs and trim the foliage every two weeks. That will help your big tree to look its best and not untidy for visitors.

Meanwhile, under the big tree, you will have some space providing a nice, shady area. You can make the most of this feature by using the fern plant. Ferns have a distinctive leaf texture and come in a variety of colours, such as bright green, dark green and yellow.

Ferns are easy to take care of if you grow them in earthen flowerpots, which also makes it easy to move them when you want to change your garden to have a different feel.

To design an interesting concept for your garden, think about using clay dolls. The fern plants and clay dolls together will create a feel-good factor when you look at your garden.

Another benefit is that they are inexpensive and need little or no maintenance.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006...s_30022803.php

• The garden is Thailand.
• An unmentionable person is the big tree.
• PM Surayud is represented by the ferns.
• The clay dolls are his aged cabinet.
• I don't understand this article, which probably indicates that I'm either one of life's complete innocents or just not the World's greatest abstract thinker.

Would anyone care to risk any other interpretation?

[jpatokal]

From the business section of The Nation.

• Am I missing something here?
• Is it an allegory?
• Is it a wind up?
• Was it written by a green-fingered reporter?
• Am I alone in finding this newspaper increasingly eccentric?

I'd be tempted to go for option F, "genuine mistake" (as in, they accidentally stuck the wrong article into the business section). Still means the editor was sleeping on the job though... or maybe I just haven't been in Thailand long enough.

[GWR]

NLA accepts daft laws to reduce domestic violence

Kanchana Silapa-Archa has always had her male chauvinist detractors, but this looks decidedly un-PC for The Nation.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30028247

[GWR]

I think I can provide some insight into this wierd report. The victims here are not so much 'City Police' as Municipal Enforcement Officers. We have them in this city too. It's their job to go round stopping things that don't have municipal permission. And it is a fact that many people refer to them as the 'Police'. Sometimes they carry side-arms.

Bangkok city police crash with PPTV supporters

City police crashed with supporters of PPTV supporters on Friday as the city police tried to dismantle a stage erected at Sanam Luang.

However there was no injuries as the city police retreated and filed a complaint with police.

Ruengsak Horarueng, director of Phra Nakhorn said that he assigned about 80 city police to Sanam Luang to dismantle stage of PPTV supporters because they were not allowed to use Sanam Luang for their protest scheduled to start at about 4:30 pm Friday.

The protesters started constructing the stage at about 3am and finished at about 5am although they were informed in advance that they could not use the venue.

When the city police started demolish the stage, the supporters intervened, resulting in crash. However the city police retreated out of fear that the situation will escalate.

They instead filed complaint with police.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...s_30030063.php

[GWR]

What are they? The Brits, the Huns, the Frogs and the Yanks? Not sure if the reporter is himself/herself confused, tongue firmly in cheek or a bit of both:

26 March 2007
2007 White Cheesewood Festival
Si Sa Ket province hosted the 2007 White Cheesecake Festival to help preserve the traditional practices of four Thai tribes

Si Sa Ket Governor Santhad Jatuchai presided over the opening of this annual festival. At the event, many traditional and entertaining activities were organized such as the swine-catching game, the ancient ploughing demonstration by using buffaloes, eel-catching contest, and serving pancakes while being blindfolded. Moreover, 49 couples involving foreign grooms and Si Sa Ket brides joined the wedding ceremony at the festival. The event was held to promote tourism and strengthen family and international relations. The northeastern rice welcoming ceremony was also performed for the foreign grooms.

In the evening, a theatrical performance about the history of Si Sa Ket was being shown together with the showcase of the arts of four Thai tribes as well as the 2007 Jet Ski Championship.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis..._headline=2007

[GWR]

[Photo: http://toptropicals.com]

The symbol flower and tree of the province is the White Cheesewood (Melodorum fruticosum). The six leaves of the flower refer to the six original districts of the province - Khukan, Kantharalak, Uthumphon Phisai, Kanthararom, Rasi Salai and Khun Han.

http://www.siamese-style.com/SiSaket.html

Si Phao Thai Si Sa Ket Festival

This festival is held every March 15-17 at Somdet Phra Si Nakharin Park when the Lamduan flowers in the park are in full bloom. Shows include cultural performances by 4 tribes, which are Khmer, Suai, Lao, and Yo. There are shops selling handicrafts and a light-and-sound show about the city's construction.

http://www.tourismthailand.org/desti...id=22&typeid=4

Melodorum fruticosum
Family: Annonaceae
White Cheesewood
Origin: South-East Asia
small tree, 10-20 ft, full sun, regular water, yellow/orange flowers, fragrant, ethnomedical ultra-tropical, min. temp. 55 F
White Cheesewood (Melodorum fruticosum) is the symbol flower and tree of Sisaket province (Thailand). Dried flower: tonic, mild cardiac stimulant, hematinic.

http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/gard...rum_fruticosum

[GWR]

The Public Relations Dept. constantly issue Dengue warnings. Pity they got the wrong province by 450 kms and an entire Gulf. The mentioned districts are all in RAYONG Province. [A local tongue-twister is "Ranong, Rayong, Yala".]:

17 May 2007
People in Ranong are warned of DHF
The Public Health Office of Ranong has warned people in the province of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).

Since the beginning of 2007 to May 4th, Ranong had encountered 69 patients with this disease. 37 of them were from Muang district, while the remaining patients were from nearby districts, such as Ban Kai, Pluak Daeng, Klaeng, and Wang Chan. The Public Health Office of Ranong is concerned for the people in Pluak Daeng district because the population there is crowded, allowing the disease to spread more easily.

People with fever or high temperature are advised to meet the doctors soon.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis...d=255005170013

[GWR]

The premier and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry Kosit Pampiemras (โฆสิต ปั้นเปี่ยมรัษฎ์) are scheduled to travel to Rayong to discuss the pollution problem of the Mab Ta Phut Industry Estate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Industrial Estate of Thailand, the Department of Industrial Woks, PTT Plc. and Siam Cement group.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis...d=255005230014

[GWR]

Pearls for swine
Hi-tech pig farmer Somchai Nitikan-chana uses engineering background to ensure Ratchaburi business - and his porkers - stay ahead of the game


Pongpen Sutharoj
The Nation

Sufficiency Economy adherents may also find the rest of the article quite interesting:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...s_30035470.php