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14 Feb 2012 11:01

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World: Was Tuesday’s Bangkok explosion tied to Iran, too? Israel says yes.

  • monday Israel blames the bombings of their embassy vehicles, in both India (successful) and Georgia (foiled), on Iran. Despite this, Iran denied responsibility for the attacks.
  • tuesday In Bangkok, an Iranian man carrying grenades managed to blow his own legs off and wound four others. Israel also blamed this attack on Iran. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Oct 2011 08:04

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Biz, World: Thailand flooding has devastating effect on major industries

  • 4.1% the projected growth forecast in Thailand prior to the floods
  • 2.6% the projected growth forecast after the devastating floods source
  • » A harsh effect, a long reach: With the Thailand floods causing billions of dollars in damage and putting numerous people out of work, Among other industries, the auto industry and the computer industry could suffer significantly due to the Thai flooding. Hard drives could rise in price by up to 40 percent, and car manufacturing plants as far away as North America have had to shut down as a result of the floods — and it’s so bad, some companies are considering sending Thai workers to Japan to continue their work. Many expect the drop in Thailand’s growth forecast to be a sign that the country plans to enact measures to support the economy.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jul 2011 10:06

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World: Thailand elections: It took a year, but the Red Shirts finally won

  • last year Tensions flared so high in Thailand that the country’s Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva was hounded by thousands of mostly-rural opposition figures often referred to as “Red Shirts” — a conflict that, at times, got bloody — literally, they dumped vials of blood on the ground to prove their point.
  • this year A year after the conflict with the Red Shirts (which briefly shut down parts of Bangkok) took hold, Vejjajiva has been defeated in a reelection bid. Hopefully Yingluck Shinawatra (the sister of ousted, but still popular, PM Thaksin Shinawatra) has better luck keeping political dissenters happy. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Feb 2011 09:21

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Offbeat: Kissing Thai couples set record for kissing each other (kiss)

  • 33 straight hours swapping spit with each other (and counting) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2011 21:59

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World: Why were Thai and Cambodian armies fighting today?

  • It seems to have been a result of a misunderstanding. There is no point in fighting because it could escalate and damage relations… We don’t want that.
  • Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha • Attempting to explain why his country’s troops got into a conflict with Cambodia Friday – which killed two Cambodian soldiers and one Thai villager. The two countries fought in an area surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple that has been a source of much conflict in the past. The Cambodian government accuses the Thai army of targeting villagers after they entered Cambodia’s territory. “We said to them ‘don’t come in the area’ and they still came. We fired into the air and they began to shoot at us,” said spokesperson Khieu Kanharith. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Sep 2010 10:48

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World: In Thailand, the Red Shirts are back, albeit more peacefully

The protesters – at least 10,000 of them – were back to mark the anniversary of the bloodless coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 May 2010 09:52

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World: Thailand decides to treat old prime minister like terrorist

  • Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra reportedly funded the Red Shirt protests. And it wasn’t a modest amount, either – over ten weeks, Thaksin reportedly gave $1.5 million to the opposition efforts each day. So now he’s wanted on terrorism charges and could face the death penalty. He hasn’t had a super-charmed life of late – the government took $1.4 billion of his assets in February after an unfavorable high-court decision. The opposition isn’t backing down, either, as they attempted to impeach current PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. source
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23 May 2010 10:57

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World: Thailand’s lending a hand to help get Bangkok all cleaned up

With the worst of the Red Shirt conflict over, people are helping clean up Bangkok by the thousands. The country’s stock exchange will reopen Monday. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

21 May 2010 07:45

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World: Thailand’s crazy political situation will probably dent its tourism

  • 6% of the economy relies on tourists to visit the Asian country
  • 15% of the country’s workforce works in the tourism industry source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 May 2010 00:45

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Politics, World: Thailand’s use of military force may hurt long-term

  • Was the military force used against the Red Shirt protesters a good idea? At least one expert says no. “By opting for a military rather than a security solution, the government has lost the opportunity to craft a settlement for an orderly transition,” said University of Leeds professor of southeast Asian politics Duncan McCargo. McCargo notes that the Red Shirts had lost their leader and the country had the chance for diplomatic talks (including some mediated by the UN), but passed on them them. Now, the country has deep, violent conflicts instead of compromise. source
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