thegreglowe.com

by Greg Lowe
BANGKOK — Red Shirt anti-government protesters have conditionally accepted Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s roadmap for national reconciliation in a move that is expected to end the rallies that have paralyzed parts of the capital for months.
Opinions are mixed over whether the plan can bring lasting peace to a country whose unity has become [...]

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Last night the atmosphere on Silom Road was a far cry from the clashes between security forces and red shirt supporters on Viphawadi-Rangsit Road earlier that afternoon, which left one soldier dead and 18 people injured.
There were a few lines of police and soldiers dressed in riot gear, standing next to razor-wire cordons and guarding [...]

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The state of emergency declared in Bangkok late on Wednesday night has done little if anything to calm Thailand’s escalating political tensions.
The Emergency Decree issued by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva gives security forces extended powers to clear thousands of anti-government demonstrators from the heart of Bangkok’s luxury retail district. The protesters had been camped out [...]

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By GREG LOWE
IN BANGKOK
THE Thai government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces will not significantly affect investor confidence in the country, says Thailand Trade Representative president Kiat Sittheeamorn.
The business community supports the government’s efforts to clear so-called Red-Shirt anti- government protesters from their rally point at Ratchaprasong intersection in the [...]

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Low interest rates and excess liquidity in Western economies could result in Asia’s markets falling prey to asset bubbles and speculation throughout the coming year, leading international and regional financial experts say.
Relatively high interest rates and plentiful opportunities will increasingly spur western investors to look to Asia. The International Monetary Fund forecast the region will [...]

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While Phuket and Pattaya´s property markets have boomed over the past few years, with high-rise condominiums and luxury villas projects dotting the respective landscapes, something more moderate has been taking place along the Gulf of Thailand´s western coast.
Hua Hin, which was established as the country´s first beach resort by King Rama VII in the 1920s, [...]

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Professor Pakdee Pothisiri has his work cut out.
As one of Thailand’s nine anti-corruption commissioners he is in the front line of the battle against graft in the country’s political and public sectors. But he remains upbeat in the face of the Herculean task that lies in front of him and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC): [...]

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Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard (ESB) zone’s fundamentals are strong enough to weather the global recession and to maintain its position as a regional hub for manufacturing, petrochemical and export-based industries, according to industry experts.
They say its solid infrastructure, logistical facilities and utilities, underpinned by highly competitive Board of Investment (BOI) privileges and a relatively cheap, [...]

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Street-side is where it’s at for lovers of authentic Thai dishes, but eating like a local calls for knowledge only a Bangkok insider can supply. GREG LOWE serves up a street food primer
Along with smiles, temples and beaches, Thailand’s food has to be considered a marquee attraction. And while this ?ery form of culinary expression [...]

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The extent of the damage to Thailand’s economy is just starting to come clear in the wake of the chaos wrought by anti-government protestors who drove away risk-averse investors and wrecked the tourism industry with the closure of Bangkok’s international airports.
With the Democrat Party’s leader Abhisit Vejjajiva installed Monday as the new Thai prime minister, [...]

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