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Chiang Mai Deputy Governor promoted to Governor of Mae Hong Son
New Mae
Hong Son Governor Naruemol Plawat spoke to the gathered officials at the
Thank You party held at City Hall on Wednesday, December 28, 2011,
expressing her gratitude for all their support.
Chiang Mai Mail online reporters
Governor of Chiang Mai ML Panadda
Diskul bid a grateful farewell to his former Deputy Governor Naruemol Plawat
at a Thank You Staff party held at the City Hall on Wednesday, December 28,
2011. Ms. Naruemol has been promoted to Governor of Mae Hong Son province
making her just one of two female Governors in Thailand’s 76 provinces
currently. She expressed her gratitude to the people of Chiang Mai for
offering such a beautiful and welcoming home to her over the past years and
added that she is looking forward to remaining in the North with her new
position in Mae Hong Son. Governor Naruemol has been very active in Chiang
Mai, taking part in many events and activities ranging from the Peace Walk,
the Chiang Mai Fest, the ASEAN University Games and many more.
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New park offers residents a healthy place to exercise
The new
Health Park opened by Chiang Mai Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn on December 28,
2011 is the newest effort by the Municipality in bringing green spaces back
to Chiang Mai. The park is located on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road near the
Electric Office and the Foreign Cemetery. The new Health Park is set up for
local residents to enjoy the outdoors and to exercise in a clean, safe
place. The Municipality has requested no dogs allowed to keep the park
clean. The park will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Countdown to New Year
The Chiang
Mai Municipality announced the countdown to New Year 2012, the Chiang Mai
Happy Festival will be held December 30 and 31 at Tha Pae Gate featuring
concerts from popular Thai singers and performers will be on stage. A
fireworks display will go off at midnight in the alcohol free zone in a
municipality bid to reduce drunk driving accidents over the New Year.
President of the Provincial Administration Organization Boonlert
Buranupakorn is joined by head of the TAT Chalermsak Suranant (far right)
and Chiang Mai Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn (2nd right) in announcing the New
Year festivities.
Free train rides for the New Year
Chiang Mai Mail online reporters
The State Railway of Thailand will be
offering 26 free trains over the New Year holiday to make it easier for
people to return home for the New Year. 20 of the trains will be
non-air-conditioned while 6 of the trains will have airconditioning. In
addition to free trains between Chiang Mai and Bangkok from December 30 to
January 3, other destinations offering the free service include Surat Thani
in the South and Ubon Ratchathani in the North East. The SRT Governor,
Yutthana Thapcharoen, added that the SRT will increase security during the
holiday period.
Prime Minister’s mobile cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai next month
President
of the Provincial Administration Organization Boonlert Buranupakorn seen
here in a recent photo.
Chiang Mai Mail online reporters
The President of the Provincial
Administration Organization, Boonlert Buranupakorn plans to present traffic
alleviation plans to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the mobile
Cabinet meeting scheduled for Chiang Mai in January.
Projects to be proposed include plans
to link the 3 ring roads more comprehensively to increase traffic flow,
introducing a mass transit system in the city in addition to flood
alleviation projects. President Boonlert added that the growing outer
communities in Chiang Mai have contributed to the traffic jams seen inside
the city and he hopes that projects can be approved that will reduce the
congestion.
Police warn about pickpockets over the New Year
Police have received reports from
people who have had their bags cut open and valuables stolen recently, with
reports coming from several areas around the city. Muang Chiang Mai police
station chief Pol Col Phitsanu Oonhaseri asked visitors to beware their
valuables as the victims had not even noticed the bags being cut open. He
added that extremely crowded venues, such as the Walking Street Market,
would attract thieves. Police recently arrested a Hong Kong nativefound with
3,600 Baht in cash, mobile phones and belongings reported as missing.
A Pakistani man and woman were arrested
on charges of theft after they entered a currency exchange shop and
proceeded to defraud the owners of cash with bait and switch techniques.
Police were able to track their rental car from CCTV footage from the store.
76,000 Baht in cash was found in the rental car.
QUIRKY PICS
A t-shirt
seen in a Pai boutique
Life in Chiang Mai and Thailand is often peppered with
amusing signs written in funny “Engrish”. Most enjoy seeing signs and trying
to figure out what was meant, and it is always taken with good humor by both
the reader and the writer. If you find yourself out and about and see one of
these signs, feel free to send it in, even a camera phone snap will work,
editor@chiangmai-mail.com
Ron sends
this one from near Wat Lok Malee, best to keep it in the family!
Flu vaccines around the city
As part of
a community outreach program the Chiang Mai Municipality has been providing
influenza vaccinations to at risk people in low income neighborhoods this
week. Deputy Mayor Soonthorn Yamsiri receives a flu vaccination at one of
the centers. Influenza is particularly risky for the very young, the elderly
and those with breathing conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Vaccines for type B and A (H3N2), or Swine Flu, were
given at community centers.
School bus overturns in fog related accident
A school bus carrying students
overturned in an accident that injured 11 students, some with serious
injuries. Poor visibility due to the heavy fog was the cause of the accident
that happened in Fang District on Thursday, December 22 at 7:30 a.m. as the
shuttle was taking students to school on the winding roads.
Cool temperatures continue across the
North and are forecast to stay low until after the New Year. 17 Northern,
Northeastern and Central provinces have been declared cold spell disaster
zones by the government. Northern provinces include Chiang Mai, Mae Hong
Son, Phrae, Nan, Phayao and Lampang.
Municipality surveys community needs
As an
ongoing effort to meet with members of local communities around the city,
Municipal officials, including Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn, met with local
residents of Dowadung and Ban Pa Phrao Nok during the week. The Municipality
is surveying local residents for comments and suggestions for improvement.
Here the Mayor meets with elderly residents and families to find out what
services they need.
Frost on Doi Inthanon
Mountaintop temperatures have dropped
below freezing, with Doi Inthanon seeing 3 straight days of temperatures
below zero. Frost has appeared on the plants and grass with heavy fog early
in the morning.
2 more districts in Chiang Mai have
been declared disaster zones, Doi Tao and Mae Chaem, by Governor ML Panadda
Diskul. More than 400,000 people are affected by the cold weather in Chiang
Mai province.
18 Districts in Chiang Rai have been
declared disaster areas due to the cold temperatures that have reached lows
of 1 degree in places. By declaring the districts disaster areas, the
government can apply for 50 million Baht in government aid to purchase
blankets and warm clothing for affected villagers.
Cold weather has been forecast by the
Thai Meteorological Department through Christmas with frost expected at
least until December 26, 2011.
Ministry of Science announces successful development of first dengue vaccine
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is
the primary mosquito that is responsible for the transmission of dengue
fever. (Photo courtesy of Muhammad Mahdi Karim)
Biotech NSTDA, Chiang Mai University
and Mahidol University together announced the successful development of a
dengue vaccine, the first of this kind in the world. Following the
achievement, they signed an authorization for Bionedd-Asia to develop a
dengue vaccine in the near future.
On February 21st 2011, Dr. Weerachai
Weerametheekul, the minister of Science and Technology, with Dr. Thaweesak
Koanathakul, of the National Science and Technology Development Agency
(NSTDA), the presidents of Chiang Mai and Mahidol universities, announced
publicly this important breakthrough and the agreement to develop and
produce a dengue vaccine to protect the people of the world.
The project to develop a dengue vaccine
was initiated in 2000 by Assoc. Professor Dr. Nopporn Sitthisombat, and Dr.
Poonsuk Keelapang of Chiang Mai University and the Network Technology of
Biomedical Sciences Research Unit, Department of Genetic Engineering and
Technology, and research teams of Mahidol University led by Assoc. Professor
Dr. Suthee Yoksan . Together, they have successfully created and tested four
serotypes of the dengue vaccine Chemeric Live - attenceated.
Dengue has been a major killer, and
after more than 30 years of rigorous development of a dengue vaccine to
combat the four strains to prevent being subjected to recurring infections
Thus, this new vaccine will be an important medication to prevent epidemics
from occurring. (TAT)
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QUIRKY PICS
Martin saw this unique sign
in Mae Salong, Chinese style dry-cleaning perhaps?
Life in Chiang Mai and Thailand is
often peppered with amusing signs written in funny “Engrish”. Most enjoy
seeing signs and trying to figure out what was meant, and it is always taken
with good humor by both the reader and the writer. If you find yourself out
and about and see one of these signs, feel free to send it in, even a camera
phone snap will work,
editor@chiangmai-mail.com
Ron sent
this in, saying he would like to launch a lunch set too!
Prime Minister airs weekly TV show from Chiang Mai
Prime Minister Yingluck pays
a visit to her hometown, Chiang Mai, where she visited local sites including
the Chiang Mai Night Safari, here, and aired her weekly TV show from Warorot
Market (Photo courtesy of Chiang Mai Night Safari)
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on
Saturday said she believed that foreign investors still have confidence in
Thailand's economy and that many companies would not move their production
bases out of Thailand.
In her weekly programme, "Yingluck
Government meets the People," broadcast live on television for the first
time this week from Waroros Market in Chiang Mai, the premier appeared live
on air on the programme in which Mr Suranand Vejjajiva, a former minister to
the prime minister's office, served as the moderator.
Ms Yingluck, in her first visit to her
home town in Chiang Mai since taking office in August, said that foreign
investors still have confidence in maintaining their plants in Thailand and
have studied measures for a long-term flood prevention plan.
She said that in January, the Strategic
Committee for Water Resources Management would come up with plans to assure
and build confidence among foreign businessmen about flood prevention
measures.
She said the overall flood situation
was gradually improving but some areas were still under standing water
including in Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom provinces.
Provincial governors were instructed to
rush pumping of water to dry the areas as soon as possible as a New Year
gift for flood victims, she said.
The premier said she wanted to see
December as a month for rehabilitation, particularly to tackle the garbage
problem, so that people could return to their normal lives in January.
Deputy Prime Minister/Interior Minister
Yongyuth Wichaidit was assigned to look after the short and long term
rehabilitation planning.
Ms Yingluck admitted that during recent
months, the government could not achieve promised goals as planned because
of the flood crisis, and only some projects had been successfully initiated,
such as rice mortgage scheme, tax cut for first-home buyers, and tax cut for
first-car buyers.
However, she said the government is
still determined to further carry out the policies that were announced
during the election campaign.
The premier said the government would
continue promoting the tourism industry and invited the public to visit the
International Horticultural Exposition Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2011 in
Chiang Mai. (MCOT online news)
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Community survey
Chiang Mai’s Member of
Parliament Tussanee Buranupakorn and Chiang Mai Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn
met with members of the community on December 16, 2011, including community
leaders, officials and locals to survey their concerns, issues and needs for
the coming year.
Santa’s sleigh arrives in town
Delighted children attending
the festive Christmas brunch at the Chiengmai Gymkhana Club ran along
Santa’s sleigh on Sunday, December 11, 2011. The annual Christmas brunch
also saw a magician perform, carols, and games as well as the much awaited
arrival of Santa Claus handing out presents to the children.
Cold snap around the North
The recent cold temperatures have hit
Lampang which just declared 13 districts disaster zones due to a sudden cold
snap that saw temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, five Chiang Mai Districts
were declared disaster zones due to the cold; Omkoi, Samoeng, Chom Thong,
Fang, Kalayaniwattana and Mae Ai districts. One district in Mae Hong Son,
Pang Ma Pha, has also been declared a disaster area. The designation allows
for the government to issue funds for the provinces to cope with the weather
by purchasing blankets and warm clothes for affected people. Several
organizations around Chiang Mai have been working to gather clothing and
blankets for people in the mountains.
The Thai Meteorological Department has
forecast cold temperatures over the weekend with fog and frost on the
mountainous areas, minimum temperatures could sink to 5 degrees Celsius for
the mountainous regions in the coming week.
Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2011 opens today
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
covers 80 hectares and features gardens from 30 nations.
Held to celebrate three auspicious
events this year, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday in 2011, Queen
Sirikit’s 80th birthday and Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 60 birthday
in 2012, the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek opened on Wednesday, December 14 after
delays due to the flooding Central Thailand and Bangkok that organizers felt
would cause difficulties for those wishing to visit Chiang Mai. The site
itself was untouched by any flooding and is a gorgeous park filled with
international exhibits from around the world. Deputy Over 30 countries are
participating in the exhibition, each displaying gardens and plants unique
to their countries.
There is a giant 40m high Flora Wheel
where visitors can see a panoramic view of the 80 hectare park. The
Imagination Light Garden decorated with millions of lights and luminous
butterflies dancing around to the accompaniment of music and a Kids Eco Park
featuring activities and information to help children be more eco friendly.
Horticultural symposiums will be held and plant contests featuring the best
of orchids, cacti, bonsai and more.
A map of the
park, showing the various gardens and activities.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Tourism and Sports Chumpol Silapa-archa presided over the unofficial opening
ceremony that was held at 8:30 a.m. on December 14, 2011. The grand opening
will be held on January 15 when HRH Princess Sirindhorn is scheduled to
attend.
Tickets are 200 baht a day and children
under 100cm and senior citizens can get in for free. There is parking
available at the site but busy weekends can see it quite crowded. There will
be shuttle services available from the city from 17 locations including the
700 Year Stadium, Tesco Lotus Kamtieng, Makro, Big C, Kad Suan Kaew, Central
Airport Plaza, Chiang Mai University, North Chiang Mai University, Global
House, JJ Market, Kad Farang and Kad Cherng Doi on Canal Road. The Park will
be open daily until March 14, 2012.
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Lunar eclipse over Chiang Mai enthralls residents
The total lunar eclipse left
the shadow of the moon red from the sun’s reflected light. (Photo courtesy
of James Rebstock)
The lunar eclipse that took place on
December 10, 2011 saw residents all over Chiang Mai out in the streets and
up in the hills to watch the last eclipse of the year take place. NARIT, the
National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, set up observation
points at the Royal Ratchaphruek Park for the event, where many children and
adults attended the lectures on the eclipse, observed it through telescopes.
The total eclipse began at 9:06 p.m. and lasted until 9:57 p.m.
A total lunar eclipse won’t be seen in
Asia until October 8, 2014. A partial lunar eclipse will be seen in Asia in
June of 2012.
People
lined up to view the eclipse through telescopes set up by NARIT at the Royal
Ratchaphruek Park. (Photo courtesy of NARIT).
Municipality taking flood aid applications
Victims of the flooding that
hit Chiang Mai in September, 2011 line up at the Municipal offices to apply
for flood aid on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. Here, Chiang Mai Mayor Tussanai
Buranupakorn explains to people about requirements to apply for flood aid.
QUIRKY PICS
Ron saw this menu near the
Tribal Museum and noted that yellow liver is really quite appropriate
actually!
Life in Chiang Mai and Thailand is
often peppered with amusing signs written in funny “Engrish”. Most enjoy
seeing signs and trying to figure out what was meant, and it is always taken
with good humor by both the reader and the writer. If you find yourself out
and about and see one of these signs, feel free to send it in, even a camera
phone snap will work,
editor@chiangmai-mail.com
Massage in
Phuket airport is close enough!
Flood assistance from city
The Chiang Mai Municipality
donated 5,000 Baht to each affected household from the flooding that hit
Chiang Mai for two days at the end of September, earlier this year. Mayor
Tussanai Buranupakorn was on hand to deliver the cash to the families at a
ceremony held at the Train Park near the train station on Friday, December
9, 2011. Chiang Mai saw several neighborhoods inundated in the flooding that
hit the city on September 28, 2011 as the banks of the Ping River
overflowed. Clean up followed rapidly and the city quickly returned to
normal.
Japanese government helps build dorms in Sop Moei
Japanese Consul General Kazuo
Shibata Mr. Thuanthong Srisawatdi, Deputy Director of Mae Hong Son Education
Service Area Office 2 and Mr. Bamrungsak Burasit, Director of Ban Lekho
School at the opening ceremony for the new dormitories.
The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for
Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), has provided funds
amounting to 3,602,000 baht for a project entitled “Construction of
Dormitories for Students at Ban Lekho School in Sop Moei District, Mae Hong
Son Province”. On December 7, 2011, Mr. Kazuo Shibata, Consul-General of
Japan in Chiang Mai, Mr. Thuanthong Srisawatdi, Deputy Director of Mae Hong
Son Education Service Area Office 2 and Mr. Bamrungsak Burasit, Director of
Ban Lekho School, were present at the opening ceremony at Ban Lekho School.
Ban Lekho School, which caters to 164
Pwo Karen students from preschool to lower secondary level, is located near
the border with Myanmar. The students’ homes are located in mountainous
areas, 5-23km away from the school, with bad roads making it difficult to
attend as day students. Consequently, 75 out of 98 lower secondary students
live in an existing dormitory and some temporary lodgings in the school.
However, the dormitory and temporary
lodgings are already overcrowded, and students are obliged to sleep on the
floor without enough bedclothes. Students often catch dengue fever and
malaria, because of decrepit and insanitary bathrooms. Economic reasons and
transport difficulties force some students to give up their studies every
year. Therefore, in order to provide more educational opportunities to the
children in this area, it is an urgent issue that the school should provide
a healthy living and educational environment through new dormitories.
In response to a request from Ban Lekho
School, the Government of Japan has borne the construction cost of two
dormitories, one for boys and the other for girls, as well as providing
related equipment. It is expected that the construction of the new
dormitories will enable more minority children in the border area to obtain
a basic education, and will help to promote development in this community.
For more information, please contact
Mr. Sato, Consul, Ms. Sensui or Ms.Moriyama, Coordinators for GGP.
Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai. 053-203-367.
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Constitution day marked by total lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse will
take place on Saturday, December 10, 2011at 9:31 p.m. (Photo courtesy of
NARIT)
A partial lunar eclipse will begin at 7:45 p.m. when the
Moon reaches the Earth’s inner dark shadow. Totality is at 9:06 p.m. as the
entire Moon is covered by the Earth’s shadow.
The eclipse will reach its zenith at
9:31 p.m. and the Moon will move out of the shadow of the Earth at 9:57 p.m.
The eclipse will last a total of 51 minutes and will be visible in Asia and
Australia. The entire process, from start to finish, including all phases of
the eclipse will last 3 hours and 32 minutes.
Constitution Day
Saturday, December 10 marks Constitution Day in Thailand.
The holiday is celebrated annually to commemorate the advent of the
Constitutional Monarchy in Thailand in 1932.
Constitution Day is a public holiday and as such, all government offices,
banks and many businesses close. Shopping centers and bank currency exchange
booths, however, are open. Places of entertainment are usually open without
restriction.
Bus crashes in Lampang; killing 8
Chiang Mai Mail online reporters
Police believe that the driver, killed
in the accident, fell asleep at the wheel as the bus veered off the highway,
overturning and then slammed into an LPG gas station. 8 people were killed
and 50 injured. The police said it was fortunate the bus did not hit the
tanks which could have exploded.
The blue and white New Viriya Tour bus
veered off the highway around midnight on December 7, before sliding into
the fence and then the LPG Gas Station at Ban Tha Pha in Lampang’s Tern
District.
Rescue officials had to cut passengers
out of the bus and survivors were transported to the hospital for treatment.
Two Nepali men arrested with 2 kilos of ya “ice”
Chiang Mai Mail online reporters
Mae Sai police in Chiang Rai Province
arrested two Nepali men on suspicion of drug trafficking after a tip off led
the police to their hotel room in Chiang Rai where the 2 kilograms of Ya Ice
or crystal methamphetamine was found allegedly hidden in their luggage. Two
Nepali women were also being held by the police.
Mr. Hem Bahaur Thiag, age 24 and
Mr.Gurung Bijay, age 24, told police that they had come to Thailand looking
for work as they had relatives in Bangkok. However they were unable to find
work and had been hired to travel to the border to transport the drugs.
Police report that drug traffickers
often target people from poorer nations who are out of work in Bangkok to
transport heroin, Yabaa or methamphetamine, and Ya Ice or crystal
methamphetamine.
Quirky pics!
We all love deciphering
quirky menu items, a reader sent this in from a local restaurant noting that
despite spelling issues, their food is excellent.
Life in Chiang Mai and Thailand is often peppered with
amusing signs written in funny “Engrish”. Most enjoy seeing signs and trying
to figure out what was meant, and it is always taken with good humor by both
the reader and the writer. If you find yourself out and about and see one of
these signs, feel free to send it in, even a camera phone snap will work,
editor@chiangmai-mail.com
Reader Ron found this a bit
quirky at a visit to a temple in Phayao.
Mae Hong Son students receive dorms from the Japanese government
The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for
Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), has provided funds
amounting to 3,602,000 baht for a project entitled “Construction of
Dormitories for Students at Ban Lekho School in Sop Moei District, Mae Hong
Son Province”. On December 7, 2011, Mr. Kazuo Shibata, Consul-General of
Japan in Chiang Mai, and Mｒ. Bamrungsak Burasit, Director of Ban Lekho
School, were present at the opening ceremony at Ban Lekho School.
Ban Lekho School, which caters to 164 Pwo Karen students from preschool to
lower secondary level, is located near the border with Myanmar. The
students’ homes are located in mountainous areas, 5-23km away from the
school, with bad roads making it difficult to attend as day students.
Consequently, 75 out of 98 lower secondary students live in an existing
dormitory and some temporary lodgings in the school.
However, the dormitory and temporary lodgings are already overcrowded, and
students are obliged to sleep on the floor without enough bedclothes.
Students often catch dengue fever and malaria, because of decrepit and
insanitary bathrooms. Economic reasons and transport difficulties force some
students to give up their studies every year. Therefore, in order to provide
more educational opportunities to the children in this area, it is an urgent
issue that the school should provide a healthy living and educational
environment through new dormitories.
In response to a request from Ban Lekho School, the Government of Japan has
borne the construction cost of two dormitories, one for boys and the other
for girls, as well as providing related equipment. It is expected that the
construction of the new dormitories will enable more minority children in
the border area to obtain a basic education, and will help to promote
development in this community. For more information, please contact Mr.
Sato, Consul, Ms. Sensui or Ms.Moriyama, Coordinators for GGP.
Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai 053-203-367.
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New observatory for Doi Inthanon
NARIT ‘s new observatory on
Doi Inthanon is nearly complete.
NARIT, the National Astronomical Research Institute is
building a new observatory tower and installing a new telescope on their Doi
Inthanon observatory site due to be completed in 2012. Construction started
last month on the new building, graciously approved by HM the King.
The new building will house a repeater station that will be at the 44km
mark, the new building is already nearing completion with installation of
electrics and the main telescope still to be finished. The new telescope is
being shipped from the United States and is due this month. The telescope
will have a 2.4 m diameter and engineers from Australian Capital Marine
Glass are helping with the observatory. The new telescope will help NARIT
increase its astronomical research and push Thailand to the forefront in
Southeast Asia.
12,600 monks collect donations for flood victims
The long procession of monks
and Buddhist faithful offering alms to make merit takes place in Chiang Mai
annually but this year members of the public were encouraged to donate items
for flood victims to the 12, 600 monks who processed along Chang Klan Road.
The early morning alms giving saw thousands of people line the streets to
offer donations of food, water, and goods to the monks who then turned the
proceeds over to be sorted, loaded into a truck and delivered to people
suffering from the flooding in Central Thailand and Bangkok. Government
officials, businesspeople and local residents were all on hand in the early
morning of Sunday, November 27, 2011 to make merit by donating to the monks.
(Photos by Amanda Mustard)
Chang Klan road was filled in
the early morning as Chiang Mai people gathered to offer alms to 12,600
monks.
The alms giving ceremony
collected bags of food and items to be sent to flood victims.
Students and Army helped to
organize the event, collecting the donated items and preparing them for the
trip as well.
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Expats to join in celebrations celebrating HM the King’s birthday
The announcement of the
schedule and details of the upcoming International We Love the King Day on
December 3, were announced at JJ Market,
Shana Kongmun
Organized by the Assembly of People of All Nations Who
Love the King in Chiang Mai together with the Assembly of People of All
Nations Who Love the King in Thailand, Chiang Mai Province and 117
organizations, the last details of the huge parade to be held to honor HM
the King on Saturday, December 3, 2011 were presented at JJ Market by
organizer Ruchuchai Potha, Labor Technical Officer, Department of Employment
for Chiang Mai.
Parade participants can park at JJ market and take
buses provided by the Army to Tha Pae Gate for the parade, or meet at Tha
Pae Gate by 3 p.m. Participants are requested to wear either a national
costume or to wear pink to honor HM the King for his 84th
birthday. There will be three groups, one representing Thai people, with
many students from schools and universities around Chiang Mai participating,
one representing ethnic minorities in Chiang Mai where the members of the
Lisu, Muser, Akha, Hmong, Shan, Tai Yai and Paueng hilltribes will parade
wearing traditional clothing. Then expatriate groups including Chinese
students, members of the Japanese community, Chiang Mai Friends, Germans and
many others will join, with many wearing traditional clothing of their home
countries. Montfort College Band and Prince Royals College Band will lead
the groups. Pilot Ed Loigorri will pilot a small plane over the parade and a
paraglider will also follow the route. All nationalities are invited to
participate in the event.
Registration for the parade begins at Tha Pae Gate at 3
p.m. and the parade will leave from Tha Pae at 4:09 p.m. On arrival at the
grounds just before JJ Market, participants are invited to sign a gift book
for HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej and join in offering ceremonial objects to
his portrait. Air Chief Marshal Kamthon Sindhvananda and Thanphuying
Phungchai Sindhvanan will chair the candle lighting ceremonies and will lead
participants in singing songs in praise of HM the King. The ceremony will
end with a display of fireworks and floating lanterns.
The rest of the evening will see performances by local
bands and singers, both Thai and foreign, as everyone joins in to honor His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on his 84th birthday.
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Drunk driving awareness campaign launched
The Chiang Mai Municipality
is joining forces with the Chiang Mai Police, the Provincial Administration
Organization and the Provincial Courts in launching an anti-drunk driving
awareness campaign leading up to the New Year. The opening ceremony for the
campaign was held at 3 Kings Monument on Sunday, November 27 in a bid to
further education and increase awareness of the damage caused by drunk
driving. (Photo courtesy of Chiang Mai Municipality)
QUIRKY PICS
Fred enjoyed this sign at Tha
Pae Gate over Loy Krathong but would have preferred they be fined!
Life in Chiang Mai and Thailand is often peppered with
amusing signs written in funny “Engrish”. Most enjoy seeing signs and trying
to figure out what was meant, and it is always taken with good humor by both
the reader and the writer. If you find yourself out and about and see one of
these signs, feel free to send it in, even a camera phone snap will work,
editor@chiangmai-mail.com
Another Loy Krathong sign
that Ron sent in sees the TAT offer up a fantastic photo with an interesting
caption.
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