friere: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Video game teaches Cambodian children to avoid land mines

Chhoun Mina, 15, left, Chob Sopheak, 14, and Chamroeun Chanpisey, 11, test a new video game being unveiled in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, called Undercover UXO, designed to teach youths about the dangers of land mines. (Brendan Brady, For The Times / May 1, 2011)

Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, uses an engaging platform to educate youths about what to avoid in a nation where decades of fighting left the land filled with hidden explosives.

May 1, 2011

By Brendan Brady, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Phnom Penh, Cambodia—

"Turn left, turn right, go back!" her friends urge as she leads her avatar, a pet dog, into a lethal trap and the sound of an explosion rings out from the computer.

In the virtual game world, players can always hit restart, but 11-year-old Chamroeun Chanpisey gets the point. "The game is different from real life," she said. "People have only one life."

The video game, called Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, is a new tool aimed at educating young Cambodians about the dangers of land mines and other explosives across the war-pocked Southeast Asian country.

Cambodian New Year celebration enjoys some sun [in West Seattle]

Merchants offered a variety of clothing and other items at the Cambodian New Year Festival in White Center April 30. (Kimberly Robinson)

By Patrick Robinson
2011-04-30
West Seattle Herald (Washington, USA)

The Cambodian New Year Festival came back to White Center on April 30 taking place on the block between 15th and 16th s.w. on 98th Street s.w.

Sopha Dahn with the White Center Community Development Association in charge of the event spoke and served as the host for the event. 22 booths offering food, information and neighborhood interaction and goods for sale plus cultural dances, music, poetry and performances and demonstrations rounded out the event.

Included in the program were traditional dances, a banana eating contest, and a kickboxing demonstration.

Thailand, Cambodia break truce - media

REUTERS/ Stringer

MOSCOW, April 30
RIA Novosti (Russia)

Thai and Cambodian have exchanged gunfire near a disputed temple despite a cease-fire agreement between them, local media reported on Saturday.

A century-old conflict between the two states over the ownership of several 11th century temples was reignited last year and boiled over on Friday.

"The fighting started again this morning at around 4:00 a.m. [on Saturday] at Ta Krabei temple, Thai soldiers launched the attack first," Cambodian Colonel Suos Sothea told Xinhua news agency from battle field.

Click to Read More ...

Thailand, Cambodia break truce - media

REUTERS/ Stringer

MOSCOW, April 30
RIA Novosti (Russia)

Thai and Cambodian have exchanged gunfire near a disputed temple despite a cease-fire agreement between them, local media reported on Saturday.

A century-old conflict between the two states over the ownership of several 11th century temples was reignited last year and boiled over on Friday.

"The fighting started again this morning at around 4:00 a.m. [on Saturday] at Ta Krabei temple, Thai soldiers launched the attack first," Cambodian Colonel Suos Sothea told Xinhua news agency from battle field.

Click to Read More ...

Video game teaches Cambodian children to avoid land mines

Chhoun Mina, 15, left, Chob Sopheak, 14, and Chamroeun Chanpisey, 11, test a new video game being unveiled in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, called Undercover UXO, designed to teach youths about the dangers of land mines. (Brendan Brady, For The Times / May 1, 2011)

Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, uses an engaging platform to educate youths about what to avoid in a nation where decades of fighting left the land filled with hidden explosives.

May 1, 2011

By Brendan Brady, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Phnom Penh, Cambodia—

"Turn left, turn right, go back!" her friends urge as she leads her avatar, a pet dog, into a lethal trap and the sound of an explosion rings out from the computer.

In the virtual game world, players can always hit restart, but 11-year-old Chamroeun Chanpisey gets the point. "The game is different from real life," she said. "People have only one life."

The video game, called Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, is a new tool aimed at educating young Cambodians about the dangers of land mines and other explosives across the war-pocked Southeast Asian country.

Video game teaches Cambodian children to avoid land mines

Chhoun Mina, 15, left, Chob Sopheak, 14, and Chamroeun Chanpisey, 11, test a new video game being unveiled in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, called Undercover UXO, designed to teach youths about the dangers of land mines. (Brendan Brady, For The Times / May 1, 2011)

Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, uses an engaging platform to educate youths about what to avoid in a nation where decades of fighting left the land filled with hidden explosives.

May 1, 2011

By Brendan Brady, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Phnom Penh, Cambodia—

"Turn left, turn right, go back!" her friends urge as she leads her avatar, a pet dog, into a lethal trap and the sound of an explosion rings out from the computer.

In the virtual game world, players can always hit restart, but 11-year-old Chamroeun Chanpisey gets the point. "The game is different from real life," she said. "People have only one life."

The video game, called Undercover UXO, shorthand for unexploded ordnance, is a new tool aimed at educating young Cambodians about the dangers of land mines and other explosives across the war-pocked Southeast Asian country.

Sporadic clashes still continue between Cambodian, Thai troops

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Sunday that Thai troops still continue launching mortar shells into Cambodian territory at the 13th century Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province throughout Saturday night until Sunday morning.

"Every night, Thai troops open fire at our troops at Ta Krabei temple," Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone from the battle fields.

"On Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. (local time), they had used weapon M97 to shell at the temple," he said. "Then, occasionally, they continued to fire mortar shells at us at 2:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. this Sunday."

"Cambodian troops had fired back in early Sunday morning in order to defend our territory from the invasion," he said. " However, we had just used small guns to retaliate."

Sporadic clashes still continue between Cambodian, Thai troops

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Sunday that Thai troops still continue launching mortar shells into Cambodian territory at the 13th century Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province throughout Saturday night until Sunday morning.

"Every night, Thai troops open fire at our troops at Ta Krabei temple," Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone from the battle fields.

"On Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. (local time), they had used weapon M97 to shell at the temple," he said. "Then, occasionally, they continued to fire mortar shells at us at 2:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. this Sunday."

"Cambodian troops had fired back in early Sunday morning in order to defend our territory from the invasion," he said. " However, we had just used small guns to retaliate."

Thai business people in Cambodia not affected by border clashes: minister

May 01, 2011
Xinhua

The majority of Thai business people in Cambodia have not been affected by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes, according to the Thai Minister of Commerce, Thai National News Bureau report on Saturday.

Thai Minister of Commerce Pornthiva Nakasai said she had checked with the Thai commercial counselor of the Thai embassy in Cambodia and found that Thai business activities were carrying on normally despite a series of artillery exchanges at the Thai- Cambodian border.

According to the minister, most of the Thai businesses in Cambodia are located opposite the northeastern Thai provinces of Sa Kaeo and Trat while the clashes usually take place in Surin and Buri Ram provinces.

Nevertheless, Pornthiva said she has assigned the commercial counselor to monitor the situation very closely in order to make ready assistance for the private sector if it is requested.

Click to Read More ...

Sporadic clashes still continue between Cambodian, Thai troops

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Sunday that Thai troops still continue launching mortar shells into Cambodian territory at the 13th century Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province throughout Saturday night until Sunday morning.

"Every night, Thai troops open fire at our troops at Ta Krabei temple," Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone from the battle fields.

"On Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. (local time), they had used weapon M97 to shell at the temple," he said. "Then, occasionally, they continued to fire mortar shells at us at 2:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. this Sunday."

"Cambodian troops had fired back in early Sunday morning in order to defend our territory from the invasion," he said. " However, we had just used small guns to retaliate."

Thai business people in Cambodia not affected by border clashes: minister

May 01, 2011
Xinhua

The majority of Thai business people in Cambodia have not been affected by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes, according to the Thai Minister of Commerce, Thai National News Bureau report on Saturday.

Thai Minister of Commerce Pornthiva Nakasai said she had checked with the Thai commercial counselor of the Thai embassy in Cambodia and found that Thai business activities were carrying on normally despite a series of artillery exchanges at the Thai- Cambodian border.

According to the minister, most of the Thai businesses in Cambodia are located opposite the northeastern Thai provinces of Sa Kaeo and Trat while the clashes usually take place in Surin and Buri Ram provinces.

Nevertheless, Pornthiva said she has assigned the commercial counselor to monitor the situation very closely in order to make ready assistance for the private sector if it is requested.

Click to Read More ...

Sporadic clashes still continue between Cambodian, Thai troops

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Sunday that Thai troops still continue launching mortar shells into Cambodian territory at the 13th century Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province throughout Saturday night until Sunday morning.

"Every night, Thai troops open fire at our troops at Ta Krabei temple," Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone from the battle fields.

"On Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. (local time), they had used weapon M97 to shell at the temple," he said. "Then, occasionally, they continued to fire mortar shells at us at 2:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. this Sunday."

"Cambodian troops had fired back in early Sunday morning in order to defend our territory from the invasion," he said. " However, we had just used small guns to retaliate."

Thai business people in Cambodia not affected by border clashes: minister

May 01, 2011
Xinhua

The majority of Thai business people in Cambodia have not been affected by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes, according to the Thai Minister of Commerce, Thai National News Bureau report on Saturday.

Thai Minister of Commerce Pornthiva Nakasai said she had checked with the Thai commercial counselor of the Thai embassy in Cambodia and found that Thai business activities were carrying on normally despite a series of artillery exchanges at the Thai- Cambodian border.

According to the minister, most of the Thai businesses in Cambodia are located opposite the northeastern Thai provinces of Sa Kaeo and Trat while the clashes usually take place in Surin and Buri Ram provinces.

Nevertheless, Pornthiva said she has assigned the commercial counselor to monitor the situation very closely in order to make ready assistance for the private sector if it is requested.

Thai business people in Cambodia not affected by border clashes: minister

May 01, 2011
Xinhua

The majority of Thai business people in Cambodia have not been affected by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes, according to the Thai Minister of Commerce, Thai National News Bureau report on Saturday.

Thai Minister of Commerce Pornthiva Nakasai said she had checked with the Thai commercial counselor of the Thai embassy in Cambodia and found that Thai business activities were carrying on normally despite a series of artillery exchanges at the Thai- Cambodian border.

According to the minister, most of the Thai businesses in Cambodia are located opposite the northeastern Thai provinces of Sa Kaeo and Trat while the clashes usually take place in Surin and Buri Ram provinces.

Nevertheless, Pornthiva said she has assigned the commercial counselor to monitor the situation very closely in order to make ready assistance for the private sector if it is requested.

Long Beach residents' recollections of Cambodian horror will be heard

Statements will form part of evidence against Khmer Rouge leaders.

04/30/2011
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

LONG BEACH — A year-and-a-half ago when refugee survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime gathered in Long Beach to fill out forms about atrocities they witnessed in the mid-'70 s in Cambodia, they had no idea whether it would make a difference.

On Saturday, many of them got their answer. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at Cal State Long Beach told a gathering that their statements would be part of an upcoming trial against four former leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

"We wanted to make sure your voices are heard thousands of miles away," Nou told the elderly crowd that assembled at the Mark Twain Branch Library.

"Your applications have been heard and have been accepted by the court," Nou said. "You are heroes."

Long Beach residents' recollections of Cambodian horror will be heard

Statements will form part of evidence against Khmer Rouge leaders.

04/30/2011
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

LONG BEACH — A year-and-a-half ago when refugee survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime gathered in Long Beach to fill out forms about atrocities they witnessed in the mid-'70 s in Cambodia, they had no idea whether it would make a difference.

On Saturday, many of them got their answer. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at Cal State Long Beach told a gathering that their statements would be part of an upcoming trial against four former leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

"We wanted to make sure your voices are heard thousands of miles away," Nou told the elderly crowd that assembled at the Mark Twain Branch Library.

"Your applications have been heard and have been accepted by the court," Nou said. "You are heroes."

Battle of the Towel :: Who wears it best?

Just Because...

Underwear Model Justin Gaston To Play Levi Johnston In “Game Change”

“Game Change“, an upcoming HBO movie based on the book about the 2008 presidential election is currently being cast, with some familiar faces. Julianne Moore (not Tina Fey) will be playing the infamous Sarah Palin, and it’s now just been revealed that 22 year old underwear model Justin Gaston will be playing Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin’s ex. Full story here!

[Thai] 'Red Power' editor Somyos arrested [-Why would he raise funds in Cambodia?]

May 1, 2011
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation on Sunday

Red Power magazine editor Somyos Prueksakasemsuk was arrested yesterday afternoon for alleged lese majeste, after trying to leave the Kingdom on a fund-raising tour to Cambodia.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested Somyos after being notified by border officers at Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaew province that Somyos was leading some 30 or so red shirts on a fund-raising tour for the magazine to Angkor Wat.

Somyos was charged last week with alleged lese majeste over an article in the February and March issue of the now-banned Voice of Thaksin magazine, which he published in February. He denied the charge and insisted yesterday that he was innocent.

10 Thai troops injured in Surin after 'light weapons' clashes on border

May 1, 2011
The Nation on Sunday
Surin

Flare-up triggered by delay in informing units of ceasefire

Ten more Thai soldiers were injured in the Thai-Cambodian border clashes in Surin's Phanom Dongrak district on Friday night until yesterday morning, bringing the cumulative Thai casualties to seven deaths and 95 injuries in the nine days of clashes.

Among the four injured soldiers from Friday night's clash, First-Lieutenant Kosit Songsaengkajorn suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his neck and back and was transferred to Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok, while others were airlifted to the Surin Centre Hospital and Weerawat Yothin Army Camp Hospital the same night. Six other soldiers were injured on Saturday morning.

The border clash reoccurred despite the fact that a ceasefire was agreed by Thai and Cambodian field commanders.

Second Army spokesman Prawit Hookaew said that the Cambodian side explained that it was because "some units weren't yet informed [of the ceasefire]" and "there were some rogue soldiers".

WHO Shoots First?

By Pang Sokheoun
29-04-2011

We have heard the endless accusation game of the two countries about who shoots first in the Thai-Cambodian conflicts. Now I may analyze this as a tip.

IT IS THAILAND

Extremist group pressure: The extremist group in Thailand may pressure Abhisit and Thai military to attack Cambodia in order to revenge Cambodia for jailing heir friends and to takeover those Khmer Prasat by forces.
Leadership conflict: Thai army and Abhisit are not getting along. They have internal conflict over how to resolve the conflicts with Cambodia. Abhsit may want to have talk but not the army.
Power status-quo: Thai army has been viewed as the champion of coup de´ta in the world. It is the elite in the army that control Thailand. These people want to sustain their power sources by waging war against Cambodia and testing their military might.
Nationalism: The dispute is seen as a way to rally nationalist sentiment and also, most importantly, to entrench the armed forces at the center of national security and political life. In the run-up to what is expected to be a hotly contested national election, keeping in the center of politics will be crucial for the military, and so they are unlikely to abandon the dispute.
Military pressure for bilateral talk: It is the only option that Thailand can do now in order to pressure Cambodia back to bilateral talk. Thailand never wants third party to get involved or it will lose again. Thailand dares to choose this option because it clearly understands the the weakness of ASEAN, Cambodian leaders and Cambodian military logistic. It seems to prove right that Hun Xen a few days ago gave a blink that he opted to accept bilateral talk for the two temples- Prasat Ta Mean Thom and Prasat Ta Korbey, but Thailand needs all negotiations in bilateral principle with Cambodia, included Prasat Preah Vihear. So it must continue the the attack.
Diplomatic and political justification: To tell the World Heritage Committee (WHC) that the conflicts don´t occur only at Preah Vihear temple. They happen anywhere because the two countries haven´t completed the border survey and demarcation yet. So, the conflicts around Preah Vihear temple is not the only case and WHC should reconsider about Thailand´s request to withdraw the Preah Vihear Listing and the management plan areas around it.
Abhsit´s government´s status-quo: Abhsit and military may want these conflicts to be more escalated in order to remain in power without election.
Internal issues distraction: Abhishit and the army may want to distract Thai people from condemning their incompetent leadership in dealing with the internal conflicts, southern violence, and social and economic injustice in the country.
Offensive diplomacy against Cambodia: It is also a way to save its face in the international arena by trying to demoralizing Cambodia through its two strategical faces: diplomatically initiate peaceful negotiation in the front and strategically plan the attack at the back. And then fuel offensive propaganda that Thailand is acting in self-defense and proportion.

IT IS CAMBODIA

World attention: To get the attention of the third party, ASEAN, UNSC and others.
Internal distraction: Hoon Xen may use this a pretext to distract Cambodian people to from his violent rule in the country, like land eviction and economic hardship.
Distraction from Eastern invasion: It is also a means to distract Cambodians from Viet invasion at the east.
Family political dynasty: It is the only chance for his son to build up his merits for future´ political career, to replace him(?).
Nationalism and power: To gain more supports from the people so that he can cling on longer to power.

NOTE: To the observers, it is believed that Thailand is being viewed as the provoker because it has refused to accept the multiparty talk and sign the Term of Reference to allow the international observers to monitor the border conflict areas in order to maintain peace. Whereas Cambodia has repeatedly demanded it and more importantly Cambodia is weaker than Thailand, so there is no reason that Cambodia provokes war against its more powerful neighbor. Most importantly, those Prasats geographically and legally belong to Cambodia so there is no reason that Cambodia invades Thailand.

MOU 2000-The Root Cause of Thai-Cambodian Conflicts

By Pang Sokheoun
27-04-2011

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed in 2000 under the Democrat-led government of Chuan Leekpai and the dictatorship-led government of Hun Sen, is a legal instrument meant to set up a joint boundary committee, to help survey and demarcate the border of the two countries Thailand and Cambodia initiated by Thailand.

Many of Cambodians are made to believe that this MOU 2000 is the main legal instrument, giving Cambodia the upper hand, to bring peace, to negotiate the border conflicts, to protect Cambodian territory and on how to demarcate the border lines. But to me I see it as disadvantage and a root cause of all the problems.

I don´t want to explore other root causes of the conflicts but just MOU 2000 to why it has become the effective instrument to create the border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia until today.

The positive point of the MOU 2000 for Cambodia is that the border´s resolution between the two countries will be negotiated and demarcated basing on its Article 1 (c), which says:"Maps which are the result of demarcation works of the Commission of Delimitation of the Boundary between Indochina and Siam set up under the Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907 between France and Siam, and other documents relating to the application of the Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907 between France and Siam."

With this, it is sure that the “maps” mentioned in this Article is the 1:200,000 scale one, which is part of a series of maps made by France that show the Preah Vihear Temple and its adjacent area being in Cambodia.

However, we should recognize that this MOU 2000 also gives Thailand the bid in blocking border negotiation and demarcationwhich thought to be critical to its national pride. More, it plays as the key alibi for Thailand to lay claim for any land areas along the borders for its political and national interests as it has happened so far, for instances, the case of Prasat Preah Vihear , Prasat Ta Mean Thom, and Prasat Ta Krobei.

If we remember before the clashes happened at Prasat Preah Vihear, Thailand often raised four reasons to argue such as: (1) the easy gateway to reach the temple is from the Thai side, (2) the borderline doesn´t follow the watershed principle, (3) the border line demarcation is not yet complete, and (4) it needs co-management plan of Prasat Preah Vihear. But from 2009 Abhsit has turned these arguments to be only one practical point – the “disputed zone” or “white zone”, which he based his claim on the spirit of MOU 2000 in particular Article 5 which stated that:

“To facilitate the effective survey along the entire stretch of common land boundary, authorities of either Government and agents shall not carry any work resulting in changes of environment of the frontier zone, except that which is carried out by the Joint Technical Sub-Commission in the interest of the survey and demarcation.”

With this, he repeatedly defends Thailand´s position at the international arena that Thailand is not invading Cambodia but it acts in self-defense and protect Thailand´s territory which Cambodia is occupying.

He also interprets that the MOU 2000 prioritize the bilateral talk under framework of the General Border Committee and the Regional Border Committee. This is the main reason that Thailand keeps insisting the bilateral talk with Cambodia even though it clearly knows that the talk has not worked for years.

The benefits of the MOU 2000 raised by Abhsit are clearly told in some of his speeches published in the followings:

Speaking during his weekly TV and radio address, Sunday, 8 August 2010 Abhisit emphasized the Thai government understanding of the apparent impasse while the commission acknowledges that Cambodia is still unable to submit its map. He said that the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) contains benefits to Thailand as it prevents the Cambodian government from submitting its map to the UNESCO World Heritage Commission (WHC) because the border demarcation is not yet completed.
During the TV night broadcast on 23 January 2011, Abhisit said that the memorandum was a tool for keeping either country from asserting unilaterally its territorial claim over disputed border areas. The memo required the two countries to determine together what aspects of the dispute could be settled and what remained contentious.
And most importantly, Abhisit said in his letter to UN to counter Hun Sen´s letter to UN dated 10 August 2010 that the current problems with Cambodia stemmed from Cambodia’s encroachments of Thai territory. “The current problems arise from Cambodia’s encroachment of Thailand’s territory in violation of international law, and in particular Article 5 of MOU”, said the letter.

So, we do wonder why Cambodian leader signed this MOU if we have already had the internationally recognized treaties, maps, and verdict to demarcate the border lines of the countries. Didn´t Cambodian government have any legal team work, international law experts, political analysts to analyze the vision and the affect of this MOU before it was signed?

Now, we need this MOU revoked because it benefits nothing to Cambodia but giving Thailand the reasons to invade us, losing more territorial integrity, and suffering our people.

Thailand, Cambodia Spat Gets Ugly

April 30, 2011
By William Lloyd-George
The Diplomat

According to Michael Montesano of the Institute of Southeast Asia Studies in Singapore, the temple dispute all came about as a result of ‘cheap politics’ by the People’s Alliance for Democracy – otherwise known as the Yellow Shirts – in 2008 to reduce support for then Prime Minister Shinawatra Thaksin.

Domestic politics could be pushing leaders of the two countries to more intense conflict as thousands flee border fighting.

PRASAT, THAILAND – It was a typical night for Wanchai Jongkot and his family. After working all day in the paddy fields, he sat down with his wife and two daughters to eat dinner – the main meal in his household. Before he could take his first bite, flashes illuminated the night sky, followed by deafening explosions.

‘We had no idea what was going on, we just ran to take cover,’ says Jongkot, a wiry man in his late 50s. ‘We were so shocked we almost fainted.’

In the midst of the bombardment the eldest daughter saw her sister rolling in agony and yelled out that she had been hit. When the fighting had subsided, they took the injured daughter to the local hospital where they discovered she had a broken arm and hip.

Jongkot and his family are some of around 80,000 civilians who have been affected on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border by recent clashes between the two nations.

The latest conflict is the most serious fighting in decades and stems from a demarcation carried out in the 1950s by an international court, which awarded Cambodia the land. Thailand continues to disputes this ruling.

Domestic issues fuel Thai-Cambodian spats

Papa Xen's future dick-tator Hun Manet

Apr 30, 2011
By Nelson Rand
Asia Times Online

NONG KUN NA and BANGKOK - Fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops along their disputed border continued on Friday for an eighth consecutive day despite reports the day before that a temporary ceasefire had been reached.

Since armed hostilities resumed on April 22, at least 16 people have been killed, over 50 injured and at least 50,000 displaced on both sides of the border. Strategic and political analysts foresee sustained sporadic fighting, though the chances of the clashes escalating into full-scale war still seem slim.

"Thailand's and Cambodia's relationship is fragile and fighting will likely erupt again," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai political scientist at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. "The dispute has been too politicized that it will take a long time before ties will be healed," he added.

"I doubt that a ceasefire will hold because the border tensions are now being driven by their own dynamic," said Marc Askew, a senior fellow at the University of Melbourne who specializes in Thai politics and security issues and who is editor of the recently published book Legitimacy Crisis in Thailand.

The latest bout of fighting is centered around a disputed hill near the ancient temples of Ta Krabey and Ta Moan, representing an expansion of previous hostilities that centered on the contested Preah Vihear temple. Although both countries have long laid claim to these ancient ruins and border territories, most analysts believe the conflict is being driven more by domestic politics in both countries.

"[The border conflict] is a function of the two states' domestic politics, and especially Thailand's civil and military relations in the midst of a major political transition," wrote Stratfor, a United States-based private intelligence firm, in a recent analysis of the conflict.

"On the Cambodian side, nationalism is always a way to boost Prime Minister Hun Sen's leadership, and Cambodia is no doubt willing and ready to exploit a neighbor consumed by intense factional politics," Stratfor wrote in a separate analysis.

Spike in searches causes Google to suggest “James Middleton Gay”

The search engine Google has begun to auto-suggest “James Middleton gay” following a surge in searches on the younger brother of Catherine ‘Kate’, Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Middleton, who is a cake designer, gave a reading earlier today at the marriage of his sister to Prince William. As soon as he began to speak, hundreds of people asked on Twitter and other social media networks if he is gay. There is no evidence to suggest that he is.

An increase in searches on Google for the term “James Middleton gay” has led to the search engine auto-suggesting the term “James Middleton gay” when a user begins to type his name.

Google’s suggested terms are driven by the volume of people querying a particular term as opposed to an algorithm or editorial involvement by the company. In 2006, the search engine auto-suggested “Ashley Cole gay” when users searched for his name. The spike in traffic relating to Cole coincided with his legal battle with the News of the World that wrongly implied that he was involved in a gay sex incident with a well known DJ.

The social media traffic relating to Mr Middleton today has included users sharing photographs of him partying in one of his sister’s dresses and another dressed as a French maid. A third photograph shows him naked aside from a strategically placed bottle of beer.

The Daily Telegraph reports that last month Mr Middleton posted a photograph on his Facebook page showing “four men, backs to camera, with their trousers around their ankles and bottoms on show standing on a country road called Back Lane.”

Friday, April 29, 2011

Iyo Hanaki gymnastic class

Playful girl Iyo Hanaki in her gymnastic class at school.I see her warm up and just think she is just kidding and want to make fun but Oh! look at her 180 degree leg she has gymnastic talent and incredibly flexible body.
Love Iyo Hanaki for now ;)

Something for the Weekend Sir?

Hey welcome to our blog, great to have you check in. A warm welcome to new followers and first time visitors, we hope that you will enjoy our ramblings across Asia.

IF YOU OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO ANY OF THE IMAGES POSTED ON OUR BLOG AND WOULD LIKE THEM CREDITED OR REMOVED PLEASE IDENTIFY THEM AND EMAIL US. Thank you Paul.

We are a bit short in text today, we got watching THE Royal wedding so things got pushed to one side!!

Coming up the Weekly Supplement, for now enjoy and have a great weekend.
Cheers Paul.

Ito Misaki

Name : Ito Misaki
Real name: Anzai Tomoko (安斉智子)
Profession: Actress and model
Born: 1977-May-26 in Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan
Height: 171cm
Star sign: Gemini
Blood type: AB
Talent agency: Ken-on

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)