from kgb to fsb
fascinating and somewhat disturbing Economist briefing on the long-term political power held by security forces in russia. Despite their loyalty to old Soviet roots, today’s security bosses differ from their predecessors. They do not want a return to communist ideology or an end to capitalism, whose fruits they enjoy. They have none of the asceticism of their forebears. Nor do … Read More
nakhon si thammarat
in contemplating where to go for an extra long weekend, I thought about chiang mai, khanchanaburi, sukhothai, etc., but then realized I really just wanted to get away from as many farang as possible. so a place I had actually heard about just wouldn’t cut it. so I settled upon nakhon si thammarat. I of course referred to my hated … Read More
river taxi
clip of the chao phraya river boat at dusk (off pier 13, phra athit):
bang lamphu canal
a noticeable tourism initiative found in bangkok are these brown panels on practically every block, informing you in a terse & disjointed manner (at least the english translations) the historical significance of whatever street corner you happen to be standing on. though as a friend pointed out, sometimes if you actually read the whole thing it can be quite entertaining. … Read More
human rights & football?
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Ousted Thai Prime Minister and new Manchester City proprietor Thaksin Shinawatra is unfit to own an English football club because of “serious human rights abuses” under his leadership, Human Rights Watch said. I’m kinda confused why HRW is doing this. I suppose it’s a way to capitalize on the publicity of a high-profile person, but it makes … Read More
sunday streets
monks, beggars, vendors, police, mothers, daughters, yellow shirts… all on my way to chinatown, on bus 53. [VIDEO]… Read More
outside the golden mount
A CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD on construction of the Golden Mount. In the Royal Chronicle of King Rama III, Chao Phraya Thiphakornwongse writes on record that a great Prang (Pagoda), 50 fathoms in dimension. Further, when the king went to offer Kathina Robes to the monks at this temple, he asked for donation of timber logs for laying down as its foundation … Read More
opening night at BKK film fest
…or is it BKK film fets? here’s the website, but the real lowdown is here (the hollywood reporter)–including coups, red-carpets and money troubles.
blues bar
it’s ridiculous how easy it is to find cute bars, cafes, and good music around bangkok. on samsen road five minutes from my place, there’s this tiny blues bar–small enough that it’s amazing the band can fit in there. the bar is usually packed (spilling out to the street), but I managed to take a pic on a fairly empty … Read More
buddha is always with us
…even in the back of a pickup truck.