[…] Nargis hits Burma2 hours ago Can you believe this? So sad!Digg / upcoming – http://digg.com/|||Burma cycloneIf any New Mandala readers have information on the cyclone in Burma, beyond what is in current media […]
[…] out power lines, state media said Sunday.AFP – Wire stories – http://www.afp.com/english/|||Burma cycloneIf any New Mandala readers have information on the cyclone in Burma, beyond what is in current media […]
The Cyclone Nargis also hit Insein Prison in Rangoon. On Saturday morning at around 8 am
local time, the roof of the Insein prison building was ripped off by the cyclone and a fire broke
out in Hall No 1. The prisoners inside the cells called for help for hours, but prison authorities
failed to show up. Finally some young jail service men opened the doors to the cells. As
prisoners ran around in the prison compound, army soldiers
fired at least 30 gun shots at them from the top of the roof. At least thirty-six
prisoners were killed by the shots and 70 more injured. No political prisoners are among the
dead. All prisoners are in great need of health assistance, blankets and drinking water, and
political prisoners have made demands for these needs but prison authorities denied their
demands as well as aid delivery from family members who went to the prison today.
It’s not too cynical, but there are widespread reports of enslaved labour being used in many of the fisheries industries in Thailand. So I don’t think this factory is an exception.
There’s no need to fear a potential postponement of the referendum. As the Irrawaddyreports, “Despite the havoc wreaked by tropical cyclone Nargis across wide swathes of the Southeast Asian country on Saturday, the government indicated that a referendum on the country’s draft constitution would proceed as planned on May 10.“
The usual way that such things are measured is with respect to how much money they generate and how much of that money gets to the end user. Is the foundation a sham? Is the water project real? For a one time food based event to generate $100,000 for its target charity is remarkable, as in good or successful.
Another metric might be whether and how much the hotel is profiting in addition to what it generates for the charity. If it’s just an expensive event, with the hotel contributing part of the cost of staging it, then they are well within what counts as charitable activity in many parts of the world. Even if they are making a profit, as credit card companies do on their alumni affinity cards and the like, they may still be fulfilling a reasonable charitable purpose. But then we would count their part in the event as a business rather a charitable undertaking.
In the US there are tax laws that prevent donors, the would be guests at this dinner, from disproportionately serving their own interests. They get to count only the portion of the fare that is in excess of the fair market value of the meal as a donation against their tax liabilities. So if it’s a $10,000 fare for a $3,000 dinner, all of the $3,000 counts as perfidious expense, none of it as donation. However, all of the $7,000 is a potential deduction, the tax code’s way of saying worthy.
My guess is that the villagers are not offended at the waste of wealth and will welcome a well executed water project, if such is the outcome. Whether the hotel deserves our respect for its business savvy or for its charitable heart or not at all remains to be clarified. The donors, prestige seeks louts that they may be, may well have done a good thing.
Dear Nicholas Farrell, I’m the editor of an Italian magazine published in English too as “Here-Notes from the Present” (www.quihere.eu). Next issue of it will be titled “Borders”, and I’d like to publish, as cover picture, the photo of the border Burma-China you published on March 13th, 2007 with the legend “This photo, snapped in a small border settlement in southwest Yunnan, shows just how easily some parts of this border can be negotiated. The official border point – staffed by soldiers and marked by bollards – is about 100 metres south of where this photo was taken. For context, I am standing in China, and the women in orange are crossing from Burma.” May I have your permission? Moreover, since our magazine comes out on paper, do you have it in a better definition? Thank you very much, and best regards
Massimo Parizzi [email protected]
No longer is the Manager an (admittedly) honourable anti-Thaksin force of three years ago. Instead we now have a crazy evil bunch of people keen to incite violence against their opponents just like what the BNP does in Britain. A lot of people have worked so hard to prevent this country from descending into bloodshed, but Sondhi and co seem to be having none of it.
[…] Originally Posted by English Noodles i got the following e-mail from a good friend who is city through and through, he lives in Thailand That exact same "e-mail" appeared on a guardian blog here and was reproduced Citeh Citeh on the Manchester City bid […]
Charles F. I agree with you. The various groups should unite against the SPDC. The SPDC has put a lot of time and effort into this B.S. story about the Col. and his brother breaking off into thier own little group. I was there when Bleming asked Ner Dah about this, Ner Dah’s brother was there as well, they said it is all smoke and mirrors meant to do exactly what it is doing….. causing some internal problems among the KNLA and the supporters. The colonel and his brother joked and laughed at being called general’s. They thought it was silly that anyone would think they would just promote themselves and run off to start thier own group.
I think if the KNLA would promote themselves as a counter drug and anti-human trafficking group as well as freedom fighters they would get more US support. The US has an interest in controlling the drugs coming out of the Shan state so they focus their attentions there. They are worried about the child soldiers being kiddnapped from that area as well as the selling of young girls into prostitution. I think if the KNLA proved to the US and Thai governements that it is actively seeking out the location of drug related crops and processing areas and providing good intel to these goverments they would give them a little more attention. Photos and video of these areas would be a good start. Sneek and peek. Start sending intel to the right people and you ouwld be amazed at how many ears perk up and pocket books open.
Think on that for a bit and dream of the possibilities. Good night to all, dream wonderful dreams…. even you,SPDC because you will not have many more.
Grasshopper: ‘you pretentious blabbermouth…’ No such term used. You must be confusing me with someone else. The responses to LKY appeared in Foreign Affairs: For this exchange, see Fareed Zakaria, “Culture is Destiny: A Conversation with Lee Kuan Yew,” Foreign Affairs 73 (March-April 1994): 109-29; Kim Dae Jung, “Is Culture Destiny? The Myth of Asia’s Anti-Democratic Values,” Foreign Affairs 73 (November-December, 1994): 189-94. Can’t find the ASSK reply at present.
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Burma cyclone
See Rule of Lords for some accounts of the cyclone that don’t appear in the mainstream media: http://ratchasima.net/
http://hi-thaksin.net/
“Thaksin’s ‘demand’ that the players ‘wai’ him before kick-off is being seen as a dictatorship streak ” :
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/06/headlines/headlines_30072334.php
(can this be true?)
Burma cyclone
[…] Nargis hits Burma2 hours ago Can you believe this? So sad!Digg / upcoming – http://digg.com/|||Burma cycloneIf any New Mandala readers have information on the cyclone in Burma, beyond what is in current media […]
Burma cyclone
[…] out power lines, state media said Sunday.AFP – Wire stories – http://www.afp.com/english/|||Burma cycloneIf any New Mandala readers have information on the cyclone in Burma, beyond what is in current media […]
Burma cyclone
The Cyclone Nargis also hit Insein Prison in Rangoon. On Saturday morning at around 8 am
local time, the roof of the Insein prison building was ripped off by the cyclone and a fire broke
out in Hall No 1. The prisoners inside the cells called for help for hours, but prison authorities
failed to show up. Finally some young jail service men opened the doors to the cells. As
prisoners ran around in the prison compound, army soldiers
fired at least 30 gun shots at them from the top of the roof. At least thirty-six
prisoners were killed by the shots and 70 more injured. No political prisoners are among the
dead. All prisoners are in great need of health assistance, blankets and drinking water, and
political prisoners have made demands for these needs but prison authorities denied their
demands as well as aid delivery from family members who went to the prison today.
Burma cyclone
[…] news when it comes available. Faster updates will likely emerge here, here, and here. Possibly related posts: (automatically […]
Shrimp slavery?
It’s not too cynical, but there are widespread reports of enslaved labour being used in many of the fisheries industries in Thailand. So I don’t think this factory is an exception.
Only one box?
There’s no need to fear a potential postponement of the referendum. As the Irrawaddy reports, “Despite the havoc wreaked by tropical cyclone Nargis across wide swathes of the Southeast Asian country on Saturday, the government indicated that a referendum on the country’s draft constitution would proceed as planned on May 10.“
Emotional tourism
The usual way that such things are measured is with respect to how much money they generate and how much of that money gets to the end user. Is the foundation a sham? Is the water project real? For a one time food based event to generate $100,000 for its target charity is remarkable, as in good or successful.
Another metric might be whether and how much the hotel is profiting in addition to what it generates for the charity. If it’s just an expensive event, with the hotel contributing part of the cost of staging it, then they are well within what counts as charitable activity in many parts of the world. Even if they are making a profit, as credit card companies do on their alumni affinity cards and the like, they may still be fulfilling a reasonable charitable purpose. But then we would count their part in the event as a business rather a charitable undertaking.
In the US there are tax laws that prevent donors, the would be guests at this dinner, from disproportionately serving their own interests. They get to count only the portion of the fare that is in excess of the fair market value of the meal as a donation against their tax liabilities. So if it’s a $10,000 fare for a $3,000 dinner, all of the $3,000 counts as perfidious expense, none of it as donation. However, all of the $7,000 is a potential deduction, the tax code’s way of saying worthy.
My guess is that the villagers are not offended at the waste of wealth and will welcome a well executed water project, if such is the outcome. Whether the hotel deserves our respect for its business savvy or for its charitable heart or not at all remains to be clarified. The donors, prestige seeks louts that they may be, may well have done a good thing.
Riding away from common sense in Bangkok
[…] Politicians – be seen to be green 4 05 2008 (From 2Bangkok and New Mandala.) […]
Ji Ungpakorn on the abolition of lèse majesté
Wow, all I can say after reading Achaan Ungpakorn’s essay is “Chaiyo”!
I also hope he is watching his back.
Burning misfortune
Dear Nicholas Farrell, I’m the editor of an Italian magazine published in English too as “Here-Notes from the Present” (www.quihere.eu). Next issue of it will be titled “Borders”, and I’d like to publish, as cover picture, the photo of the border Burma-China you published on March 13th, 2007 with the legend “This photo, snapped in a small border settlement in southwest Yunnan, shows just how easily some parts of this border can be negotiated. The official border point – staffed by soldiers and marked by bollards – is about 100 metres south of where this photo was taken. For context, I am standing in China, and the women in orange are crossing from Burma.” May I have your permission? Moreover, since our magazine comes out on paper, do you have it in a better definition? Thank you very much, and best regards
Massimo Parizzi [email protected]
Ji Ungpakorn on the abolition of lèse majesté
Is the NLM guilty of LM for publishing what the local rags probably wouldn’t touch with a bargepole? Rarely have I seen such a telling comment from a foreign newspaper. Mind you, we only have NLM and the Junta’s word for it:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=20914&postcount=207
Ji Ungpakorn on the abolition of lèse majesté
It is high time the LM law was abolished. Nepal is a superb example, isn’t it?
Ji Ungpakorn on the abolition of lèse majesté
No longer is the Manager an (admittedly) honourable anti-Thaksin force of three years ago. Instead we now have a crazy evil bunch of people keen to incite violence against their opponents just like what the BNP does in Britain. A lot of people have worked so hard to prevent this country from descending into bloodshed, but Sondhi and co seem to be having none of it.
Ji Ungpakorn on the abolition of lèse majesté
[…] Time to abolish the lèse majesté law in Thailand Giles Ji Ungpakorn, Chulalongkorn […]
Citeh Citeh on the Manchester City bid
[…] Originally Posted by English Noodles i got the following e-mail from a good friend who is city through and through, he lives in Thailand That exact same "e-mail" appeared on a guardian blog here and was reproduced Citeh Citeh on the Manchester City bid […]
Thomas Bleming in the news
Charles F. I agree with you. The various groups should unite against the SPDC. The SPDC has put a lot of time and effort into this B.S. story about the Col. and his brother breaking off into thier own little group. I was there when Bleming asked Ner Dah about this, Ner Dah’s brother was there as well, they said it is all smoke and mirrors meant to do exactly what it is doing….. causing some internal problems among the KNLA and the supporters. The colonel and his brother joked and laughed at being called general’s. They thought it was silly that anyone would think they would just promote themselves and run off to start thier own group.
I think if the KNLA would promote themselves as a counter drug and anti-human trafficking group as well as freedom fighters they would get more US support. The US has an interest in controlling the drugs coming out of the Shan state so they focus their attentions there. They are worried about the child soldiers being kiddnapped from that area as well as the selling of young girls into prostitution. I think if the KNLA proved to the US and Thai governements that it is actively seeking out the location of drug related crops and processing areas and providing good intel to these goverments they would give them a little more attention. Photos and video of these areas would be a good start. Sneek and peek. Start sending intel to the right people and you ouwld be amazed at how many ears perk up and pocket books open.
Think on that for a bit and dream of the possibilities. Good night to all, dream wonderful dreams…. even you,SPDC because you will not have many more.
Lèse majesté and the BBC
Grasshopper: ‘you pretentious blabbermouth…’ No such term used. You must be confusing me with someone else. The responses to LKY appeared in Foreign Affairs: For this exchange, see Fareed Zakaria, “Culture is Destiny: A Conversation with Lee Kuan Yew,” Foreign Affairs 73 (March-April 1994): 109-29; Kim Dae Jung, “Is Culture Destiny? The Myth of Asia’s Anti-Democratic Values,” Foreign Affairs 73 (November-December, 1994): 189-94. Can’t find the ASSK reply at present.
“Balkanization” and Burma’s tragedies
Monitoring human rights and pressing for changes is a valuable activity but it doesn’t put food on the table.
Arrogantly consigning whole countries and regions to a category of economic parasites, is clueless and racist.
The problem with many human rights advocates is that they think they are the only show in town.