Comments on: Yellow Fever

By: thailand folitics, food and fiction

thailand folitics, food and fiction — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:46:12 +0000

Yellow is Good, Pink is Benign but Red is usually DANGER.

By: New Mandala » National jaundice

New Mandala » National jaundice — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 06:28:36 +0000

[...] Mandala has taken a long-term interest in Thailand’s royalist yellow fever. In one of our earliest posts (from 20 June last year) Nich Farrelly highlighted the phenomenon and asked: I� do wonder what [...]

By: New Mandala » From the New Mandala archives

New Mandala » From the New Mandala archives — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:40:05 +0000

[...] Back in June – when� a coup� was� almost unthinkable and when the afterglow of the royal celebrations was still fresh -� I� wrote my very� first piece for New Mandala.� It was published on� 20 June 2006.� I was in Bangkok at the time. [...]

By: Isla Fisher

Isla Fisher — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 14:01:05 +0000

air nui…

Interesting post. I came across this blog by accident, but it was a good accident. I have now bookmarked your blog for future use. Best wishes. Isla Fisher….

By: New Mandala » The coup and self-sufficiency

New Mandala » The coup and self-sufficiency — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 23:06:54 +0000

[...] Specifying ministerial familiarity with the King’s ideas on economic development is a different matter altogether. To my eye, it is much more problematic. Here at New Mandala we have often written about “self-sufficiency”. In the context of Andrew’s earlier comments on future strategies for left(ish) activist-academics in the post-coup environment, Sophon’s proclamation (however fanciful it may actually be) is a sign that “self-sufficiency” could become a new battleground. [...]

By: New Mandala » 19/9, a Tuesday

New Mandala » 19/9, a Tuesday — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:04:24 +0000

[...] This coup could never have been called on a Monday. Monday is, as we have remarked many times on New Mandala, the King’s day. This year it has been marked as the day of yellow shirts and public ritual. [...]

By: New Mandala » A yellow revolution?

New Mandala » A yellow revolution? — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 10:29:06 +0000

[...] Todays Nation reports that an “academic coalition calls on Thaksin to quit.” These are clearly academics with their finger on the pulse of public opinion and fashion: Anti-Thaksin campaigner Sangsit Piriyarangsan urged government opponents around the country to put on yellow shirts on September 9 to coincide with an opposition rally in Bangkok. “Yellow is the colour of the anti-Thaksin campaign,” he said. [...]

By: Nicholas Farrelly

Nicholas Farrelly — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:45:39 +0000

Ahh, yes, Jakkrit, the Bhutanese prince does seem to have made quite an impact. He appears to be a crown prince with the charisma, and warmth, and the talents, to serve his people.

This story is one to watch, for many reasons. Thanks for bringing it to the blog.

By: Jakkrit

Jakkrit — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:19:43 +0000

Post-Yellow Fever!!

Now the color of yellow is fading a bit while letting the newly popular Prince from Bhutan to be another hit of fever after the King celebration in Thailand. Country’ most popular website Pantip.com showed the most searched word by the on-line surfers at the moment is ‘Bhutan’ This is one of the impact to the Thai right now reported in Bangkok Post today:

Bhutan crown prince tempts Thai visitors

SUJINTANA HEMTASILPA
Thai demand for tour packages to Bhutan has doubled over the past two weeks, thanks in part to the popularity of the country’s charismatic crown prince, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Visiting the Himalayan country is relatively difficult, due to complicated immigration procedures and high prices set by the Bhutanese government aimed at limiting the number of foreign tourists.

John Watson, the chief executive of Diethelm Travel Asia, one of the few travel agents offering tours to Bhutan, said interest had jumped sharply among Thais to visit Bhutan.

”Before the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne, no Thai had ever inquired for information about tour packages to Bhutan,” he said.

But the visit by the Crown Prince has attracted a huge following among Thai women, and has helped generate travellers’ interest in Bhutan.

”[The prince's] warm personality seems to have inspired many to head to Bhutan,” Mr Watson said.

”Inquiries about our Bhutan trips have doubled from about 75 a month earlier.”

Among all inquiries, half are from Thai customers, with the rest from international travellers, according to Mr Watson.

Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, agreed that Thais’ interest in travelling to Bhutan had increased over recent weeks.

But he noted that Bhutan limited the number of international tourists to 5,000 a year, making it difficult for many people to visit.

”Bhutan tourism may not benefit much from the prince’s popularity in Thailand,” Mr Anake said. ”The reality is that it is very expensive to visit Bhutan, and the high expenses may discourage many Thais from travelling there.”

Air tickets from Bangkok to Bhutan cost at least US$464. In Bhutan, an international visitor is required to pay US$200 a day as a visiting fee. It also takes several weeks to get permission to visit the country from the Bhutanese government.

With these complicated conditions, most Thai travel agents do not consider it economically worthwhile to offer tour packages to the Himalayan kingdom.