bangkok-ok!

Hot Discussion: TDCD's Role in Thai Society

On Tuesday- March 20th, there was a discussion on the role of TCDC (Thailand Creative & Design Center Project) at TCDC's auditorium. It gathered a wide range of people, from architects, designers, academics, cultural workers, social workers, government officials, business owners, marketing gurus to students.

The issues raised were regarding 1) the role 2) the service 3) activities. There were suggestions, applauses, critical comments, questions and emotional expressions.

It is hoped that this kind of forum which opens the aspect of participation in an institution like TCDC will take place more often in the future. Many points in the discussion are certainly constructive and useful for the management to make the best out of TCDC.

News coverage in Prachathai (Independent/On-line News Agency)
การเมืองย้อนกลับใน TCDC
http://www.prachatai.com/05web/th/home/page2.php?mod=mod_ptcms&ContentID=7460&SystemModuleKey=HilightNews&System_Session_Language=Thai

TCDC จะตายได้อย่างไร http://www.prachatai.com/05web/th/home/page2.php?mod=mod_ptcms&ContentID=7456&SystemModuleKey=HilightNews&System_Session_Language=Thai

blogs:
- Look back and forward TCDC
http://bact.blogspot.com/
- เปลือย TCDC
http://iteau.wordpress.com/tag/tcdc/
- business connection by Thunyawat
http://www.oknation.net/blog/thaicoon/2007/03/14/entry-1.
- จันทร์เสี้ยวบางนรา
http://www.oknation.net/blog/kt/2007/02/01/entry-1

on-line forum
TCDC จะปิดแล้วครับ
http://www.pantip.com/cafe/library/topic/K5167432/K5167432.html

iTV case: Statement by Campaign Popular Media Reform

The Statement by Campaign Popular Media Reform (CPMR)
iTV’s future must be free TV,
not the media under the government control


According to the news, the PM's Office Minister Khunying Dhipava-dee Meksawan said after the cabinet conference involving the consideration to have the concession revocation from iTV company (public) limited and approve the state to administrate iTV station. The Cabinet considered the dispute following the contract of iTV station operation between the Office of Prime Minister (OPM) and iTV company (public) limited. The resolution is that if its license is revoked as a result of it being unable to pay fines and fees of Bt102.21 billion by the March 6 deadline. Also, the government will take back the air wave to be the state property immediately. Meanwhile, the license revocation will take effect immediately on March 7 and the committee will be in place to ensure a smooth transition and take care of technical, legal, financial and human resource aspects.

Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) is afraid that this condition will lead to transform iTV station which is now the private media to be state media which is politically dependent. Besides, the state media will allow the private sector to operate the business based on discrimination, without the regulation of free and fair competition like other television media of the state in the present.

iTV station is founded in accordance with the May 1992 (2535 BE) incident. The concept is to form the private television station with independent from the state power. However, in the past six years the former intention of iTV has absolutely changed. Then, the resolution of iTV is supposed to be reformed to be the free television channel that composed of truly independent structure from the state power, not turning to be the media under state authority again.

CPMR disagrees that the government will take the possession of iTV and allow the PM’s office to manage. Consequently, it will result in the control of editorial and iTV direction. On the other words, that is precisely the media intervention. Moreover, the government did not declare the social contract to the society obviously in order to retrieve iTV to be free TV.

CPMR, therefore, sees that the resolution of the Council of Ministers contains hidden agendas and reflects that the government does not have a strong determination to have media reform. It is only the means to use the opportunity and political power due to the control and administration of iTV by changing the new executive structure from private company to state office which is PM’s Office. That will bring about the confusion and the overlapping the media regulations in Thai society tremendously.

In this respect, the government which is the institute to be responsible for the media, or the regulator, will step up to be the private media executives, or the operator. That will conflict the academic principle, the media reform intention, and affect the people rights and freedom.

In the period of iTV transference, the government needs to give the social contract to reform iTV in the following methods:
1) To insist iTV to be the private media on the basis of competition rule with freedom and fairness to allocate a new concession, or 2) to reform iTV in the structure of public media with independent form state power and managed by civil society section or public sector directly.

The proposals for the urgent situation of CPMR are:
1. The government must take time for the iTV transference about 4-6 months while permission the airing in the same structure without state interference in the editorial.
2. The government must open the forum for every part to propose the solution for iTV and open the space in the government media for people to have the referendum regarding the iTV future during the next 4-6 months.
3. The government needs to gather the proposals and suggestion of iTV reform in order to push to be a political party’s policy. Then, the elected government can carry on the format of iTV reform to be free TV when supported by the media business sector and the people.

Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR)
February 27, 2007

Roads to democracy – Is there a golden path?

March 7th, 2007 at Saranithet Conference Room, 2nd Floor of Main Auditorium, Chulalongkorn University.

A panel discussion on "Roads to democracy – Is there a golden path? The Thai transition from comparative perspectives" - to analyze the current Thai political situation and discuss experiences of transitions from military to democracy from other countries.

Program
09.30 Registration and Coffee

10.00 Welcome and Opening by Dr. Sunait Chutintaranond, Director, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University Ms. Vesna Rodic, Resident Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

10.20 Panel 1 : "Is Thailand heading towards a better and sustainable democracy?"
- H.E. Surapong Jayanam, Former Ambassador to Germany, Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister
- Dr. Suthachai Yimprasert, Department of History, Chulalongkorn University

Chair: Dr. Chaiyand Chaiyaporn, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
A debate on positive and negative indicators in the current political context, followed by plenary discussion

12.00 Lunch

13.00 Panel 2 : "Pathways from Military Rule: A Comparative Perspective"
Presentation by Prof. Dr. Aurel Croissant, Institute of Political Science, University of Heidelberg, Germany

13.40 Comments by
- Dr. Withaya Sucharithanarugse, Expert on Indonesian Politics, Senior Advisor, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University
- Ms. Pornpimol Trichote, Senior Researcher Expert on Myanmar, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University

followed by plenary discussion

Chairs: Mr. Ukrist Pathamanand, Associate Director, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University and Ms. Vesna Rodic, Resident Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

15.30 Concluding remarks by

Dr. Sunait Chutintaranond, Director, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Thailand and Institute Of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University. Contact Khun Charunee Lucktong, tel. (02) 218-7463-4, or e-mail [email protected].

Emmie Case study,VICTIM OF BEAUTY

Gender Equality seminar on Freedom & Human rights : Emmie Case study,VICTIM OF BEAUTY
Tuesday 20 Februaty 04.00 pm-08.00 pm at Facculty of Liberal Arts,Thammasat Thaprachan, 2nd floor.contact Aj.Malee 0867731266

http://www.oknation.net/blog/womenfreedom/2007/02/15/entry-1

Talk: Public Space and Youth Culture

Talk on Public Space and Youth Culture "พื้นที่สาธารณะ : วัฒนธรรมวัยรุ่น"
15 Feb, 16.30 - 18.30 pm at the Center of Academic Resources (Central Library) .
3 floor / Meeting Room 7 /

Dr. Apiradee Kasemsuk (ดร. อภิรดี เกษมสุข), Viriya Sawangchot (วิริยะ สว่างโชติ), and Wit Pimkanchanapong (วิชญ์ พิมพ์กาญจนพงศ์) will talk and discuss about artists' works in relation to the issues of subcultures (ex. Hip Hop, Break-Dancing, Skateboard, and Graffiti) and the relationship between art and architecture.

Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation

Call for proposals for 2007 “Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.”
The Fund is aimed at preserving cultural sites or objects that have an historical or cultural significance to the cultural heritage of Thailand. Only legally registered Thai organizations or institutions are eligible to apply for this Fund. The deadline for submitting a proposal is February 28, 2007. ________________________________________

Contact:
Kanchalee 'Kelly' Jitjang
Cultural Affairs Specialist (Thematic)
Public Affairs Section, American Embassy
95 Wireless Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel. 0-2205-4597, fax: 0-2650-8924
E-mail: [email protected]
website: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/

Open Letter to the Prime Minister by Somtow Sucharitkul on the Role of Ministry of Culture (Thailand)

Open Letter to the Prime Minister by Somtow Sucharitkul on the role of Ministry of Culture (Thailand)
http://web.mac.com/somtow/iWeb/Somtow/Writings/049444E1-5E8A-4523-8201-C5E64B36CAF8.html

Thai translation by by Thaithow Sucharitkul
http://web.mac.com/somtow/iWeb/Somtow/Writings/98A619B4-3801-4AA6-B219-B5ABE8E67ADF.html

Tell Starbucks to Give Ethiopian Farmers Their Fair Share

Do you see that Starbucks branches in Thailand are poping up like mushrooms? They are making so much money, without giving a fair share to the farmers in coffee-growing countries.

According to Oxfam, for every cup of coffee sold by coffee chain stores, poor farmers in coffee-growing countries like Ethiopia only earn about 3 cents...Starbucks alone has already made more than $5.8 billion in net revenue this year.

To give its 15 million farmers a better cut of the profit, the Ethiopian government has asked Starbucks to sign an agreement that recognises Ethiopia's legal ownership of the names of its coffees. Despite its much-publicised commitments to farming communities, Starbucks has not taken the Ethiopian request seriously.

Let's take action by signing a petition...
Tell Starbucks to give Ethiopia control over its coffee names

Nintendo's net profit soars 48.4%

Nintendo's net profit soars 48.4% on portable video gadget sales+
Source - Kyodo News (Eng) Thursday, October 26, 2006 15:15

Nintendo Co. said Thursday its group net profit in the April-September period shot up 48.4 percent to 54.35 billion yen on strong sales of Nintendo DS portable video game handsets, as well as of a range of software for use in the handsets.

In a consolidated earnings report for the first six months of fiscal 2006, Nintendo said its pretax profit also leaped 66.6 percent to 94.68 billion yen on a 69.4 percent jump in sales to 298.82 billion yen.

The firm attributed the sharp sales and profit increases mainly to the good sales of its DS portable video game handsets, particularly those of the even more compact ''DS Lite'' handsets, as well as the good sales of the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' software.

It also cited brisk worldwide sales of the ''brain-training video games for adults'' software series, which enticed adults into the fold of Nintendo DS game buffs, as a key reason behind the sales rises. DS is short for double screens.

Particularly, the firm called attention to worldwide sales of more than 10 million units of the Nintendo DS portable video handsets, including the DS Lite version, during the six-month period.

For the full year to March 31, 2007, the company forecast its group net and pretax profits will respectively amount to 100 billion yen and 170 billion yen on projected sales of 740 billion yen.

The firm said it is planning to pay a full-year dividend of 400 yen per share, up from the previous year's 390 yen. The envisioned full-year dividend sum includes a midterm dividend of 70 yen per share.

"Paris Syndrome" !?!

Just to kick off some discussions here..

Twodays ago, I just heard that there was this so-called "Paris Syndrome". It has been found in a number of tourists, especially Japanese, who find the reality of Paris (locals, environment, services) , the opposite of the "Paris" in their dream.

"Paris Syndrome" leaves Japanese tourists in shock.

"Paris Syndrome", was first detailed in the psychiatric journal Nervure in 2004.

The news reported "around a dozen Japanese tourists a year need psychological treatment after visiting Paris as the reality of unfriendly locals and scruffy streets clashes with their expectations, a newspaper reported on Sunday."

Here are some more reasons...
"In Japanese shops, the customer is king, whereas here assistants hardly look at them ... People using public transport all look stern, and handbag snatchers increase the ill feeling."

Well, I think it's the clashes of different cultural mindsets, values, and personal expectations.
Is it another type of stereotyping?

Wonder what would the Parisians say I'm sure this news has sparked a wide-range discussions.
But, too bad, I can't read French.