Thailand - Satellite television provider
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Target(s): journalist(s) , television station(s) Type(s) of violation(s): attacked , injured Urgency: Flash
Archive for November 28th, 2008
US calls for end of Thailand airport standoff
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Washington, Nov 29 (Xinhua) The US government Friday called for an end to the standoff at Thailand's airports in protest against the country's government.
Ritz-Carlton to launch new global brand in Thailand
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Ritz-Carlton is to launch an exclusive new brand extension, The Reserve, with the March debut of the Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, southern Thailand. Set on the shores of the Andaman S...
Thailand undecided on hosting 14th ASEAN summit, while protestors hold the country to ransom
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Bangkok, 29 November, (Asiantribune.com): While protesters from the anti-Government People’s Alliance for Democracy occupying Suvarnabhumi international airport and Don Mueng Domestic Airport for a ...
Is culture the culprit
Friday, November 28th, 2008
While Thailand spirals into further political crisis, this article examines the current situation from a cultural perspective, to reveal why Westerners might have difficulties understanding how recent...
All of Thailand loses
Friday, November 28th, 2008
One must accept the truth right now that the country is facing an economic tsunami from the US sub-prime problem that is causing global economic recession. What makes it worse is the internal conflict...
US urges an end to airport takeovers in Thailand
Friday, November 28th, 2008
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON -- The United States says it is "deeply concerned" about thousands of protesters who have occupied Thailand's airports in an anti-government campaign that marks the ...
Etihad plans special flights from Thailand
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Abu Dhabi: Hundreds of passengers stranded in Thailand will be flown to Abu Dhabi by special relief flights, the first of which will arrive early this morning, a senior Etihad Airways official told
Thai Turmoil Costing Cambodia Millions
Friday, November 28th, 2008
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 November 2008
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 November 2008
Thailand’s political crisis is costing Cambodia’s tourism sector $1 million a day in lost revenue, tourism officials say, while worries are growing about security for an upcoming Asean conference and the resolution of a monthslong border standoff.
Anti-government demonstrators have closed Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in their efforts to oust the prime minister. In Cambodia, 10 flights per day have been canceled between three airlines, and tourism officials say they are missing 2,000 tourists per day as a result.
Ho Vandy, president of the Cambodian Tourism Association, estimated that the average tourist will spend $500 on a four-day trip in Cambodia, amounting to a loss to Cambodia of around $1 million per day.
“The cancellation of international flights affects hotels, restaurants and the work of tour guides, guest houses, taxi drivers, tuk-tuks,” said Bath Sambo, president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Worker Federation. “We are very concerned about this.”
Officials also said Friday the instability could mean a cancellation of the Dec. 14 Asean meeting, which is to be held chaired by Thailand and held in Chiang Mai.
“In my opinion, the delay of the Asean summit is necessary because of the complicated situation in Thailand, where no one is responsible for the anarchy,” Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.
The “complicated situation” in Thailand will also adversely affect talks next month, where a joint border committee was expected to discuss demining and demarcation, Hor Namhong said.
Anti-government demonstrators have closed Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in their efforts to oust the prime minister. In Cambodia, 10 flights per day have been canceled between three airlines, and tourism officials say they are missing 2,000 tourists per day as a result.
Ho Vandy, president of the Cambodian Tourism Association, estimated that the average tourist will spend $500 on a four-day trip in Cambodia, amounting to a loss to Cambodia of around $1 million per day.
“The cancellation of international flights affects hotels, restaurants and the work of tour guides, guest houses, taxi drivers, tuk-tuks,” said Bath Sambo, president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Worker Federation. “We are very concerned about this.”
Officials also said Friday the instability could mean a cancellation of the Dec. 14 Asean meeting, which is to be held chaired by Thailand and held in Chiang Mai.
“In my opinion, the delay of the Asean summit is necessary because of the complicated situation in Thailand, where no one is responsible for the anarchy,” Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.
The “complicated situation” in Thailand will also adversely affect talks next month, where a joint border committee was expected to discuss demining and demarcation, Hor Namhong said.
Medical School Hopefuls Protest Failure
Friday, November 28th, 2008
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 November 2008
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 November 2008
Prospective students for Phnom Penh’s University of Medicine undertook a third day of demonstrations Friday, angered that a high number of them had failed and swearing to continue protests until they are admitted.
Around 400 would-be medical students have been protesting since Wednesday, with less than 400 out of 1,800 test-takers able to meet the 50 percent minimum score.
Health Minister Mam Bunheng said Friday Cambodia needs “qualified doctors and nurses” and the National Committee of Examinations had judged correctly in admitting only the 369 who passed their entrance exams.
“If you are not qualified enough as a medical student, you cannot be a physician,” he said at a press conference Friday. “For example, if you are operating on someone and cut the wrong artery, and you cut the artery that bleeds a lot, the patient will quickly die.”
Officials from the ministries of Health and Education, the National Committee of Examinations, and several cabinet ministers met with five student representatives and the Independent Teacher’s Association Thursday night to resolve the problem.
At that meeting, officials decided to reduce the entrance score from 50 percent to 25 percent, which would allow an additional 507 students to join the university, filling a total 876 slots.
Even with the entrance score lowered to 25 percent, some students remained dissatisfied.
Students said the university had earlier announced that 1,481 slots would be open and they would continue to demonstrate every day until that many slots were filled.
Of the 936 students who scored below 25 percent on their entrance exams, 605 more need to be admitted to satisfy the demonstrators.
Around 400 would-be medical students have been protesting since Wednesday, with less than 400 out of 1,800 test-takers able to meet the 50 percent minimum score.
Health Minister Mam Bunheng said Friday Cambodia needs “qualified doctors and nurses” and the National Committee of Examinations had judged correctly in admitting only the 369 who passed their entrance exams.
“If you are not qualified enough as a medical student, you cannot be a physician,” he said at a press conference Friday. “For example, if you are operating on someone and cut the wrong artery, and you cut the artery that bleeds a lot, the patient will quickly die.”
Officials from the ministries of Health and Education, the National Committee of Examinations, and several cabinet ministers met with five student representatives and the Independent Teacher’s Association Thursday night to resolve the problem.
At that meeting, officials decided to reduce the entrance score from 50 percent to 25 percent, which would allow an additional 507 students to join the university, filling a total 876 slots.
Even with the entrance score lowered to 25 percent, some students remained dissatisfied.
Students said the university had earlier announced that 1,481 slots would be open and they would continue to demonstrate every day until that many slots were filled.
Of the 936 students who scored below 25 percent on their entrance exams, 605 more need to be admitted to satisfy the demonstrators.