New Mandala

Over the past couple of years New Mandala has been proud to feature regular photo-essays by Bangkok-based journalist Nick Nostitz.  Nick’s exposure of the street-level dynamics of Thai protests — Red, Yellow and Blue — has won him well-deserved acclaim.  His unique reports remain among our most popular content.  They have been read by tens [...]

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I arrived at 9 am, 30 000 to 40 000 Red Shirts have already gathered at Sanam Luang and surroundings.

The festivities began with a Brahman ceremony.

Songs were sung on the stage; Red Shirt leaders danced and sang along.  On Sanam Luang a large rectangle was fenced off for the procession.

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Some New Mandala readers may have missed the analysis of post-petition scenarios for Thailand by Reuters correspondent Martin Petty.  It is well worth a look.  Later today we will be posting an illustrated report on the Thaksin Shinawatra clemency petition by Bangkok-based photo-journalist Nick Nostitz.  It will also be worth digesting.

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The National libray of Australia recently received the first issue of Voice of Taksin (เสียงทักษิณ ). The magazine has 70 pages with some colour  pictures. Published fortnightly, it is sold for 40 baht. Voice of Taksin features opinion pieces that reflect the political position of Thaksin’s followers.
[This post is provided by the National Library of Australia as part of [...]

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“Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra will award 6,000 scholarships in Thailand to celebrate his 60th birthday in what is seen as a direct challenge to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s popularity…”
- Extracted from “Thaksin marks birthday with scholarships”, The Nation, 22 July 2009.
“His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is granting 152 scholarships to secondary students from needy [...]

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July 26th was Thaksin’s big birthday party, celebrated all over Thailand. Here in Bangkok three main venues of the festivities were chosen – Wat Kaeow Fa, Wat Uthaitharam, and the big Chinese table dinner at Mangkorn Luang Restaurant.
I went at 9 am to Wat Kaeow Fa first. Thousands of Thaksin’s supporters gathered there. The event [...]

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The former chairperson of the Constitution Court, Prasert Nasakul, has died of heart disease, aged 78 (Bangkok Post, July 11). He belonged to the minority judges who found then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of asset concealment. Since the verdict was 8:7 in his favor, Thaksin was allowed to stay on in office (probably correctly, from a legal [...]

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[This is the text of the talk given by Nick Nostitz last night at the launch of Red vs. Yellow held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.]
Making a book is the most exciting and at the same time terrifying experience – you live for your subject matter for a very long time, and it [...]

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A stunning first-hand account from the streets of Bangkok. Incredible photos that shock, move, entertain and inform.  A superb contribution to the documentation and analysis of Thailand’s recent political history. And this is just the first volume!
Published by White Lotus Press
UPDATE: Book launch details are here.

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A New Mandala reader has urged us to feature this letter from the Bangkok Post.
Letter writer Mr Warner (”Isan and self-reliance”, Postbag, July 5), who has resided in a small northeast village for five months, cites health care as an enduring gift from Thaksin Shinawatra.  Forty years ago, when I first came to Thailand, one [...]

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