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THE
FIRST NORTHERN PREMIER
One of the first
westerners to congratulate Dr. Thaksin (right) was councillor Alastair
Connon of Kettering, England.
Billionaire telecoms tycoon Dr Thaksin Shinawatra from Sankampaeng dons
the mantle of Prime Minister following the decisive election victory of
his Thai Rak Thai ("Thai Loves Thai") party. He becomes Thailand's
first ever northern PM.
Less than 3 years old and never having contested an election before,
the well-funded party dealt a stinging blow to Khun Chuan Leekpai's Democrats,
portrayed by the media as weak managers of the nation since the 1997 economic
slump. Other losers included many older politicians generally perceived
to favour their own interests ahead of those of the nation.
Foreigners meeting Dr Thaksin socially find him charming, soft spoken
and keenly interested in the Kingdom's international relations. Khun Chuan
will be long remembered for criticising "excessive" English language
on signs at Bangkok Airport.
Observers openly worry about the challenges which lay ahead of the new
government, economic and social. Dr Thaksin himself also faces possible
sanctions having been found to have hidden assets prior to his campaign.
At time of going to press it was felt that his strong popular mandate would
protect him from any dismissal attempts. Experienced former minister and
adventure novelist Tan Pongpon Adireksarn, a frequent Chiangmai visitor,
is likely to be given the agriculture ministry.
HILLTRIBE
HAND-OVER
It was all smiles in Ban Huay Tard, a Lahu village in Mae Taeng area
on January 21st when over 1,000 items of clothing donated by readers of
'Good Morning Chiangmai News' were distributed.
This high altitude village goes through real extremes of daytime heat
and night time cold at this time of year - and childrens' clothes and blankets
for old folk were favourites among the 100-plus families. Magazine staff
added kids' colouring books and pens to the late New Year gifts. Ban Huay
Tard depends mainly on tea cultivation and have just won a regional contest
with their produce.
Clothing donors during 2000 ranged from tourists leaving a few warm
items they suddenly didn't need - to a family in Wales spending over 12,000B
on postage for 5 large parcels. Sincere thanks from the Lahus and ourselves
- the 2001 appeal is now open!
NO
GOVERNMENT JEWELRY SHOPS!
The Thai government is not, and never has been, in the jewelry business.
There are no such things as shops for 'foreigners only', or 'special days'
on which big discounts are offered.
Last month the Thai press reported that this sort of scam, commonplace
in Bangkok, had spread to Chiangmai where the Tourist Police are keeping
at least one recently opened shop under observation.
A senior government official from Europe recently spent 1.3 million
baht on a ring, then left it with the shop which promised to send it to
him by Air Mail. Realising soon after what a vulnerable position he was
in, he contacted the Tourist Police and Tourist Association who helped
him achieve a total refund.
No
free money!
Two foreign confidence tricksters have been arrested in Chiangmai for
selling a chemical which, they claimed, turned blank paper into 500 baht
notes. The pair, from Cameroon, based themselves in a local guest house
and showed their victims how to pass pieces of plain paper through a tray
of chemical which magically transformed them into 500 baht notes.
Unbelievably, people have been duped in this way for a long time and
police tracked the men down from their profitable start point in Bangkok.
MAMMOTHS
NOT FOUND IN CHIANGMAI!
But that's not official! No-one can state categorically that NO long
haired, long-tusked forerunners of the elephant live in Chiangmai province.
For several weeks the local Thai language press has had an on-going
debate on the reported presence of a whole herd of mammoths in south western
Chiangmai province, near Umkoi to be precise. Sadly that is the only precise
'fact' we've found so far. The other 'maybe-facts' are that a very senior
Thai person in a helicopter was flying over a herd of wild elephants in
that area and noticed that they all had long hair around their necks, not
unlike the manes of male lions. Video tape was taken as proof, we're told,
but haven't yet found anyone who has seen it.
The so-far-non-story is complicated by the fact that little is known
of 'real' mammoths in this part of the world. Not surprising: they are
thought to have evolved 4 million years ago in Africa and died out around
4,000 years ago.
Part of the current excitement may be due to last year's 'big find'
of a mammoth, (complete less the head, taken by ivory collectors) embedded
in frozen mud and ice in Siberia. The body was cut from the ground, together
with other preserved plant and insect remains, and flown by giant Russian
helicopter to a cave some 300 kms away for gentle thawing out with hair
dryers. Really!
As if helicopters (two so far) weren't enough modern technology to excite
this rumour, let us round it off for now with the latest development on
Siberia's big beast. Despite the fact that this example is thought to be
23,000 years old, optimistic boffins plan to extract DNA from the carcass,
implant it into the egg of an Asian elephant previously stripped of it's
elephant genes, impregnate a female and come up with a live baby, 99.5%
pure mammoth! It may all be just another shaggy elephant story of course,
but we won't forget to make a few trunk calls and trumpet the good news
if it happens to be true.....
THE
ALTERNATIVE PRESIDENT OF THE USA
On January 20th George W. Bush was made president of the USA in Washington,
and at the same time 'Ponderosa Pine' installed himself as president of
the American government "in exile" here in Chiangmai.
Keith Lamphy, 69, who prefers to be known by the name of the tree most
affected by air pollution, said his investiture mirrored the skepticism
in the world over current developments in the USA.
"We are going to pay a hell of a price for the election of George
W.Bush" he warned his audience at a meeting on the roof of a Chiangmai
hotel. Claiming that presidential rival Al Gore should have won Florida
- and thus the election - with a decisive 23,000 votes, Ponderosa said
that Bush could not be considered an elected president and that the traditional
song of praise should be changed to "Hail to the thief!"
A former army officer who volunteered for service in Korea in 1953,
Ponderosa was later a journalist based in Paris and has lectured at universities
and colleges in 4 countries.
Amongst his concerns, Ponderosa listed "record numbers' of people
turned away from polling booths, violence against prisoners, injustice
at every level and the "destruction" of outdoor agriculture by
commercial interests poised to profit from indoor agriculture.
A regular holiday visitor to Chiangmai who is deeply concerned about
climatic change, Ponderosa said he would hand over the presidency to "a
younger, fitter man" at a meeting in a few months time in British
Columbia. Meanwhile his first act was to write to the United Nations demanding
sanctions against the USA until it released "political prisoners".
MARATHON
MAN PRAISES THAILAND
The latest marathon man to pass through Chiangmai, 65 year old Englishman
Bob "The Bike" Winstanley, thinks that Thai roads are some of
the best in the world and Thai police the most friendly.
"I've done 28,000 miles in 28 countries and Thailand is one of
the very best" enthused the super-fit man from Birmingham who started
his marathon after his wife died. "I had my first bike stolen in Peru,
been knocked off by girls on a motorcycle in Indonesia, robbed of cash
in Vietnam and threatened in Mexico. On the other hand I've been a guest
of the Bolivian Navy, a top Malaysian politician, a Brazilian athlete and
a district president in India." Bob's only negative experience in
Thailand was having his shoes stolen while he slept in a temple in Uttaradit.
But the monks immediately found him a pair which were even better!
After heading back to the UK via Burma and India to see his grandchildren,
Bob may return to Chiangmai to retire here. Provided he can bike it of
course.
ROUND
AND ABOUT
* Chiangmai residents from any of the Scandinavian countries are invited
to join the new Siam Scandinavian Society. Just fax to Michael Jacobsen
on 243796 or e-mail <mcj@loxinfo.co.th>.
* Sunday cricket at Thailand's oldest club, Chiengmai Gymkhana
near Gavila Barracks, takes place from 10.00am on February and March 11th.
This is an excellent chance to limber up for the annual International Sixes
tournament, planned as usual for early April.
* February 8th is one of Thailand's many public holidays. The
banks will be closed, as will all post offices except that in the end of
the airport building.
* Authors, published or not, are invited to form an English language
writers' group to meet informally once a week at Dtoy's Coffee and
Collection, Kochasarn Road. More information from Dtoy or Phil on 207054
or David Hardy at this magazine.
* The full contact details for recently appointed honorary German
consul Hagen Dirksen are 199/163 Moo3, Baan Nai Fun 2, Kan Klong Chonpratan
Road, T.Mae Hia, Chiangmai 50100, tel & fax 838735, e-mail: dekonsul@loxinfo.co.th.
The office is open 9.00am to 11.30am, Monday to Friday. 
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