The event, which will take place at a popular Burmese restaurant in Chiang Mai, is part of an eight-month campaign by Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) and the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) to highlight the plight of Burmese reporters behind bars.

Ngwe Soe Lin is one of 17 jailed DVB video journalists, or VJs, serving sentences in Burma’s notorious prisons. He is currently serving a 13-year sentence for filming the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma in May 2008, leaving 140,000 people dead and countless children orphaned.

His video records were turned into a documentary by Britain’s Channel 4, and in 2009 he received the prestigious Rory Peck Award, which honors cameramen working in dangerous environments. In June 2010, he also received the one World Media Award in London.

Geraldine May, the campaign coordinator for DVB, said the aim of today’s event and the campaign launched at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand in Bangkok on May 3, is to raise awareness of the lack of press freedom in Burma.

“Ngwe Soe Lin’s detention symbolizes the Burmese government’s persecution of independent journalists. We also want to express our support for him and tell him that we haven’t forgotten him and that we’re fighting for his release,” said May.

According to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), there are  26 media workers in Burma’s prisons, which the groups says hold a total of 2,061 political prisoners.

“Z,” a colleague of Ngwe Soe Lwin who is still working as a VJ inside Burma, said that he welcomed the campaign and wished he could attend the gathering in Chiang Mai.

“We are not terrorists or politicians, we are journalists just doing our job of informing the public of what is happening in society,” said Z. “And yet, many of our colleagues are serving long sentences in prison. We need to safeguard journalists, both outside and inside prison.”

Since the September 2007 Saffron Revolution, the Burmese authorities have cracked down on anyone who sends photos or videos exposing government abuses to exiled news media or opposition groups. Many ordinary citizens have also been imprisoned for their role in disseminating images that reveal brutality on the part of the Burmese authorities.

Of the 17 DVB reporters in detention, only five have been identified as belonging to the Norway-based exiled media group: 21- year-old Sithu Zeya, who is serving an eight-year sentence in Rangoon’s Insein Prison; Maung Maung Zeya, who is serving a 13-year sentence in Hsipaw Prison in northern Shan State; Hla Hla Win, who is serving a 27-year sentence in Katha Prison in Sagaing Division; and Win Maw, who is serving a 17-year sentence in Kyaukphyu  Prison in Arakan State.

“For security reasons, we decided to name only five of our VJs,” said May. “We kept the identity of the other 12 secret. We’re not putting the five named VJs in danger, as the Burmese authorities already know about their links to DVB.”

May said that the five named VJs have been tortured to make them reveal their connections, but “We deeply believe that the more people know about them and their condition, the more difficult it will be for the authorities to make them disappear.”

Toe Zaw Latt, DVB’s Thailand bureau chief, said that they were honoring Ngwe Soe Linn on his birthday because the detained VJ wouldn’t be able to celebrate behind bars.

According to May, the campaign that started on May 3 will include one big event per month for the next eight months.

“Burma VJ,” a documentary by Danish director Anders Østergaard, highlighted the role of DVB‘s video journalists during the Buddhist monk-led Saffron Revolution. The film provided graphic evidence of the brutality used to suppress the peaceful demonstrations, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010

Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, a Chiang Rai native who graduated from Chiang Mai University’s Fine Arts Faculty, runs a noodle shop that doubles as an art gallery in his hometown. A guest curator for “Chiang Mai Now!”, he aims to present the picture of Chiang Mai through the people who are working to define and improve a city that’s both a living space and a tourist destination – a fantasy place as well as a real one.

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Twenty-four hours later, only 2 elephants were still being paraded around tourist areas, mahouts begging for money to feed them. (Some mahouts have been ‘earning’ up to 8,000b per night and using mobile phones between them to avoid police). Khun ‘Sarm’ said that after a police ‘reminder’, the last 2 also left hastily for Surin, where they claim the Governor’s grant is not enough for them and their animals to live on.

Chiang Mai’s clean up comes some months after a similar, successful operation in Bangkok, and when MyChiangMai questioned business operators in the Night Bazaar and Thapae Gate areas, all agreed that no elephant begging teams had been since since New Year’s Eve.

Editor’s Note: The clean-up comes only weeks after a mahout appeared in court accused of attacking a young Australian couple with his metal hook after they complained of his treatment of an elephant. On the same day, Save Elephant Foundation director Sangduen ‘Lek’ Chailert and supporters presented a petition of over 100,000 signatures to the provincial Governor, protesting elephant begging.

Photo by Jerry Nelson, See  asianelephantstories

SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, David M. Engel, will be honored January 24, 2011, at the commencement ceremonies of Chiang Mai University, located in Chiang Mai—the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. The degree will be conferred by Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, daughter of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It was announced by Dr. Pongsak Angkasith, president of Chiang Mai University.

Engel, who served in the Peace Corps in Thailand where he met his wife, Jaruwan S. Engel, has for many years taken UB law students to Chiang Mai during the January “bridge term,” in a course called The Legal Culture of Thailand. Engel works closely with Chiang Mai University and its law school to ensure a rich cross-cultural experience for the UB Law students. Students study the interaction of law and culture, explore a national legal system based on civil law rather than common law, and learn about the changing nature of Thai culture, which is being deeply influenced by globalization

Prasertsak Buntrakulpuntawi, head of Chiang Mai Zoo’s panda research project, said the contract for sending back Lin Ping to China was going to expire in another six months and senior Chinese wildlife conservation officials are to visit Thailand and discuss the issue with Thai officials on Dec 20.

Mr Prasertsak said Thailand had received much praise regarding Lin Bing’s care as well as for that of her parents, now also staying at the same zoo, as well as for research on pandas, and he is full of hope that Chinese officials would allow her to continue staying in this country for an additional two years.

Officials of both countries are also expected to confer on a possibility of setting up a panda research centre in Thailand at a cost of Bt28.5 million which would be requested from the government from its budget expenditure for the 2012 fiscal year which starts October 1, 2011, he said.

Lin Ping was born to Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang on May 27, 2009 at Chiang Mai Zoo through Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT). Her name which means ‘Forest of Ice’ in Chinese was chosen after a nationwide name selection contest that attracted about 22 million votes. “Ping” also sounds similar to the Thai pronounciation of Ping River which flows through northern Thailand near where the zoo is located.

Her birth and subsequent publicity have attracted many tourists to the zoo. As a result, Thai officials commissioned a Bt60 million domed habitation for the cub.

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Original Story Here

This year’s assembly was led by Jim Welch, chaplain of the Chiang Mai Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, after all present had purchased poppies from the organising Royal British Legion sub-branch.

Prayers for all who have been lost in all wars at any time in history were followed by ‘The Last Post’, sounded by the official bugler of Gawila Barracks, Royal Thai Army. He played ‘Reveille’ after the traditional 11.00am silence, and wreaths were laid by US Consul General Susan Stevenson and Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy, Daniel Pruce.

Among many to lay poppies on the memorial plaque was a French veteran of WW2 who was twice parachuted into occupied France by Americans to work with the Resistance.

Editor’s Note: This event marks the date and time of the signing of the Armistice, which ended the hostilities of WW1. It is known in the USA as Veterans’ Day. The Royal British Legion’s Chiang Mai base is The Olde Bell, Loi Kroh Road, where membership is open to all nationalities, whether they have served in the forces or not.

Article contributed by David Hardcastle, Copyright David Hardcastle 2010

Some demonstrators drove for 10 hours from Bangkok in a 50 car convoy, and brought banners to mark the 90 deaths and 2,000 injuries which took place in confrontations with the Army and police in the capital earlier this year.

The crowds gathered at the central Three Kings Monument but did not visit the busy Sunday Walking Street nearby, which was packed with tourists. Five companies of riot police were on watch and the crowds moved steadily to a sports stadium on the other side of the River Ping.

Editor’s Note: The 2006 coup installed the current government of British-educated Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajiva after former premier Taksin Shinawat fled the country to avoid a 2 year jail sentence for corruption. Many Red Shirt protesters claim Taksin as their leader, but he declined to give a speech to the gathering from his unknown refuge.

Competitors Auchan were the first big western retailers to open in Chiang Mai, bringing a wide range of European “comfort foods” to northern Thailand. Although popular, their performance failed to reach internal targets and they sold the premises on Superhighway to the Thai-Belgian Big C group.

Other French retailers have recently moved out of Japan and Korea, some seeking a more profitable future in India. Several Thai and international groups are reported to be showing interest in our local Carrefour.

It all happens at the 700 Year Sports Stadium over Saturday and Sunday, July 10-11, and the only sad faces belong to Drag Racing enthusiasts, whose monthly meeting has had to be postponed at short notice. Car and motorcycle drags (straight line racing against the clock) will instead take place on Sunday July 18th.

As well as top Thai racers dashing round the short circuit, a tour of the stadium’s car parks, there will be a safe driving exhibition, celebrity appearances, family fun activities and a live rock concert on Saturday evening.

The BOI offer tax breaks and other incentives to certain types of business at the start-up stage. Bangkok-based Director Khun Gorbsiree Iemsuree, speaker at a recent Chiang Mai conference on the rights of foreigners here, invites business-seekers to a morning packed with information at the Shangri-La Hotel, starting at 9.00am.

Potential investors can discover more by calling 053 203397-400 (exts 102 or 107) and should register by July 9th.