My Chiang Mai

The San Miguel Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes began yesterday at the Gymkhana Club with a day of entertaining action and big hitting.

The start to Round 1 was perhaps too early for Darjeeling from the UAE who, despite the first six of the tournament from Nick Harvey, succumbed to tight bowling and some good running in the final over from the Lanka Lions.

The Irish Pub from Chiang Mai provided a display of more fine bowling from Maki to overcome the Tokyo Dingbats.

The Gloucestershire Gipsies (2007 Cup Winners from England and clearly determined to lift it again) held the Zimbabwean Floggers & Robbers to 41 with some careful fielding and went to win without wicket loss, although the game saw the first retirement with 30 runs from Floggers’ Simon Grant.

A close finish saw the Shanghai Hot Dogs just beat the Yorkshire Puddings. The first game of the “Gentlemen’s” half of the tournament also saw the first ‘golden duck’ earned by Ray Matti of the Ios Malakas, who were unable to surpass the score set them by the Darwin Dilettantes.

The Lik Lik Wombats from Australia put up a strong challenge, but could not match the Surrey Vagrants (2008 Cup winners from England) whose fielding produced a good run out and two fine catches just inside the boundary. Ashwell Martlets from England just scraped past New Zealand’s Taranaki Taverners’ in a tense battle which was made much easier to win by a wide in the final over with a penalty of four runs.

The Australian Maythais, this year with the benefit of the legendary “TC”, Trevor Chapell, set a target that was too hard for the local team the Stuffed Beavers to reach.

The local young lads of the Thai Thevada team fielded most effectively and curtailed a battling Sa Pa from Vietnam, and followed to win the game with steady batting and lots of running. The Wombats from Oz (with almost single-handed outfielding from Dasher) just didn’t have enough spirit (or Irish Coffee) in them to beat the Gentlemen Englishmen of Blythswood.

In a thrilling last-ball cliffhanger finish the Gymkhana Cavaliers from Chiang Mai beat the Awali Taverners from Bahrain. Perhaps the best performance of the day was by the Drifters from England who, with great bowling, a rare (for them) catch and lightening fielding, followed by fine opening batting from Rob Hall and Lantra Fernando, defeated the South Africans of Almar by the beginning of the fourth over. The worry will now be that the Drifters may have difficulty arriving intact for their 8.45am start today.

An entertaining first day’s play was completed by Players’ section matches between teams who were making their second appearance of the day; the Gloucestershire Gipsies soundly beat the Shanghai Hot Dogs and Yorkshire Puddings battered the Floggers & Robbers.

All proceeds from the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes go towards promoting the game at the junior level in Thailand. The action continues daily this week from 9.00am until dusk with the finals on Saturday 3rd April.

Entry to the delightful 112-year-old Chiengmai Gymkhana Club in the northern capital is free and a large variety of excellent food and drinks are available.

If you cannot come then you can listen and watch online – for more information, check out http://www.chiangmaisixes.com

Copyright Acknowledged

THE $120-billion Asian liquidity booster known as the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI)has morphed into a multilateral agreement from the bilateral, and is now governed by a single pact instead of several.

In a joint statement, finance ministers and central-bank governors of the Associaiton of Southeast Asian Nations plus 3 (Asean+ 3) announced on Wednesday the mutation of the CMI’s multilateral nature takes effect that day.

In the event of a liquidity crunch, a country in the initiative can draw a percentage of its contribution. China and Hong Kong together, plus Korea and Japan, contributed a total $96 billion to the pool, while the 10 Asean members contributed an aggregate $24 billion.

This means any member with a need of foreign currency may tap from the communal pool for balance-of-payments support as and when necessary. The resource was planned after the region plunged into the 1997 financial crisis, but the first steps were done bilaterally.

A press statement of the CMI participants said, “Each participant is entitled, in accordance with the procedures and conditions set out in the agreement, to swap its local currency with US dollars for an amount up to its contribution multiplied by its purchasing multiplier.”

Almost 100 monks, from Wat Umong in Muang district in Chiang Mai, the home province of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have joined the red shirt rally violating a Buddhist regulation that bars them from taking part in political activities.

The monks are defiant, even to the point of saying “so, defrock us then!”, they are determined to remain at the rally and to serve as what they call a ”human shield”  between the protesters and the police.

In a recent letter to the Office of National Buddhism (ONB), the pro-red shirt monks attempted to justify their participation in the rally by saying their presence would serve as a warning to the government not to use force against the demonstrators.

But the monks are treading a fine line when they speak on stage at the UDD’s rallying point at the Phan Fa Bridge. Some were also seen riding pillion on red shirt motorcycles during the movement’s mass mobile rally through Bangkok last Saturday.

Around 50 Chiang Mai based classic cars – including the whole Antique Cars Museum collection – have been sold to the enormous Jesada Technik Museum at Nakon Pathom, west of Bangkok.

The tiny green mystery car from the 1940’s, though to be based on a British Austin design, was a popular exhibit in the north’s only old car museum, owned by Khun Kietisak Singkra. But it was included in a the sale of some 45 cars, now among the 700-plus vehicles at Jesada on a 10 rai site with investment of some 500 million baht.

The Chiang Mai collection, sold for an undisclosed sum thought to be around 10 million baht, included a rare pre-war diesel saloon – a Hanomag from Germany – and a smart, original Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire from 1950’s England.

Visitors to the privately owned Jesada, open 7 days a week and with no admission fee, can also see a rare Tatraplan rear-engined limousine from Czechoslovakia (seen here alongside one of countless Mercedes) bought some years ago from Khun Kietisak and recently restored.

Unrestored is a former member of Chiang Mai Fire Brigade, a 4-door Magirus Deutz fire tender which has been sadly neglected since disappearing from Chiang Mai some 10 years ago. It was specially equipped for moving cars away from burning buildings. It now awaits tender loving care in a field full of fire engines and army trucks in the same condition, or worse.

Jesada was started 6 years ago on a beautiful stretch of the Vakon Chaisi River near the world famous Rose Garden tourist centre. Owner Khun Jesada Dejsakulrit exports fire engines to France and Germany and began importing cars from those countries. As a formally established museum, no excessive import duties are paid.

See www.jesadatechnikmuseum.com

Local enthusiasts need not be disappointed for long. An expat enthusiast is moving to Chiang Mai from the south in 2 months time and bringing 32 immaculate classics, a collection which it is hoped will be open to the public for a few days per year.

Article contributed by David Hardcastle, Copyright David Hardcastle 2010

Tens of thousands of supporters of deposed Thai premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, are gathering in Bangkok ahead of a mass demonstration this weekend aimed at bringing down the government.

Some 6,500 protestors, in trademark red shirts, staged early demonstrations in the capital on Friday, while thousands more are gathered in the rural north before starting the journey to Bangkok on Sunday.

Police says 14,000 protestors had left Thaksin’s home city of Chiang Mai for Bangkok although his supporters put the figure higher at 20,000.

A 50,000 strong security force will be deployed in the capital despite assurances from the protest organisers that the rally will be non-violent. The government has also enacted a tough security law that allows authorities to impose curfews and limit movements.

Rumours are circulating that the military may take advantage of possible chaos surrounding the rally to stage a military coup, says.Chiramuch Premchaiporn, editor of the website, Prachatai.com.

This weekend’s protest come two weeks after Thailand’s top court confiscated 1.4 billion dollars of Thaksin’s assets. They are the latest in a series of demonstrations that have taken place in Thailand since the Thaksin was toppled in a 2006 coup.

Construction could begin next year on Thailand’s first high-speed train network, says Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwannakhiri.

The first route planned in the 800- billion-baht programme would be a Bangkok-Rayong line, he said at an investment conference yesterday.

“I expect the [Abhisit Vejjajiva] government to stand until next year, when we will begin work on this project. It will be a programme that will serve the public for the next three or four decades,” Dr Trairong said.

The government envisions investing up to 800 billion baht from 2011 to 2032 in four high-speed routes linking each region with Bangkok, covering 2,000 kilometres of new track. Once the lines are complete, access to all corners of the country would be possible from the capital in less than five hours.

The Transport Ministry is to propose details of the investment plan to the cabinet within 60 days. Investment will be managed through public-private partnerships (PPP).

Tentative plans have allocated 56 billion baht for the Bangkok-Rayong route, 247 billion for a route from Bangkok to Padang Besar on the Thai-Malaysian border, 180 billion for a Bangkok-Nong Khai route in the Northeast and 210 billion for a Bangkok-Chiang Mai route.

Dr Trairong, who chairs a PPP committee for the Thai Khem Khaeng megaproject programme, said Rayong was picked as the priority as it was the least expensive and shortest of the four.

The Rayong route would also help support tourism and industry along the Eastern Seaboard.

“Another factor is that for the past 30 to 40 years, Rayong residents have had to bear the burden of industrial development in the region. We should now give something back to the community,” he said, adding that the high-speed train will cut travel time to Bangkok to less than one hour compared with more than three hours now by car.

He said top suppliers from Germany, France, China and Japan would be invited to bid for contracts.

Fare rates meanwhile would depend upon negotiations with private operators, although officials expect fares to the Malaysian border or to Chiang Mai to be set at around 1,000 baht per passenger with the Bangkok-Rayong route priced at around 300 baht.

Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand is moving forward with its own plans to improve existing rail track and crossings, procure new engines and carriages and lay another 764 km of double-gauge track by 2014. Out of the total of 170 billion baht budgeted for the programme, 4.6 billion in new investment will come this year.

Railway improvements are considered critical to help reduce logistics costs and lift the country’s overall competitiveness. By 2024, the SRT hopes to lay another 3,039 km of track to complement nearly 4,000 km now, with the country’s logistics expenses targeted to fall to 13% of GDP from 19% now.

Copyright Acknowleged

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to return, smiling, to Bangkok this September, despite the 2 year jail sentence hanging over his head.

But he won’t be jailed, or even questioned, because the Thaksin you are likely to see at the Siam Discovery complex will be a waxwork effigy of the man in the world’s 10th Madame Tussaud’s exhibition of famous figures.

Siam Discovery, with other investors, is spending US$15 million on Thailand’s first professional exhibition of waxwork images according to issue 2121 of ‘Travel Daily News’. A spokeswoman said that 8,000 visitors per day were confidently expected through the doors.

Madame Tussaud opened her first permanent exhibition of lifelike famous figures in London in the late 1800’s. Centrally located in the British capital, it has for decades been consistently one of the top tourist attractions of the whole nation.

Article contributed by David Hardcastle, Copyright David Hardcastle 2010

Low cost carrier, AirAsia, is now offering a self check-in service at several airports, including Chiang Mai.

For added comfort and convenience, customers can also utilise its web-based check-in service, the carrier said in a statement.

AirAsia said the initiative was part of its on-going mission of using the information, communication and technology (ICT) forefront to exploit technology and practice cost efficiency.

By adopting a cost effective service and liberating the traveling experience for customers, the innovative service will also avoid airport congestion, long queues and reduce waiting time at no extra cost, it said.

Dato’ Sri Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia Berhad said “We have invested quite a significant amount to develop our ICT facilities in order to keep-up with global standards. Now, we have equipped ourselves to fully exploit the benefits of it and achieve a competitive excellence in the market. What could be simpler than going on-line and checking-in at the tip of your fingers be it via mobile or at home? This new service is relatively easy to deploy, saves cost and benefit both – guests and AirAsia. As Asia’s biggest low cost carrier with a strong domestic and extensive network within the Asean region, we believe our amazing low fares and innovative services have an edge over the masses and empower more travelers to fly with us.”

Quick and easy self check-in methods :

1) Web Check-In

All you’ll need is a connection to the internet, a printer and your travel itinerary and you’ll be able to check-in 48 hours prior and up to 4 hours before the scheduled departure time using Web Check-In. With your Boarding Pass, you can proceed straight to the Document Check Counter to stamp your boarding pass and then on to the Boarding Gate. If you have baggage to check-in, drop your baggage at the Self Check-In Counter at least 60 minutes prior to the boarding time.

2) Self Check-In Kiosks at the airport

Beat the crowd, check-in from our kiosks at the available locations below 6 hours prior and 1 hour before the scheduled departure time. You’ll need the details of your travel itinerary to check-in. With your Boarding Pass, you can proceed straight to the Document Check Counter to stamp your boarding pass and then on to the Boarding Gate. If you have baggage to check-in, drop your baggage at the Self Check-In Counter at least 60 minutes prior to the boarding time.

About 20 red-shirts led by Weng Tochirakarn gathered in front of the Royal Thai Police head office on Tuesday demanding a progress report on the prosecution of the People’s Alliance for Democracy for its takeover of Don Meaung and Suvarnabhumi airports from Nov 26 to Dec 2, 2008.

About 50 police from Division 6 of the metropolitan police were deployed to control the situation.

In Samut Prakarn, about 50 members of the red-shirt people group led by Chanu Chaiya went to the provincial offices and submitted a letter to the governor, Surachai Khan-arsa, asking for a similar progress report. Suvarnabhumi is in Samut Prakarn province.

The red-shirts say it is now more than a year since the incident but there has been no  legal action taken against PAD leaders who led their supporters to occupy the capital’s two international airports.

It was reported that Petcharawat Wattanapongsirikul, a core leader of the red-shirted Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, had gone to a meeting with core leaders of the anti-government United People for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in Bangkok to discuss rally plans in Chiang Mai.

According to an informed source, the red-shirt people group is planning a three-day rally in the northern tourist destination, beginning tomorrow.

They will rally on Wednesday and Thursday to demand the resignation of Pol Lt-Gen Somkid Boonthanom, commander of Provincial Province Police Region 5 and a defendant in the murder of a Saudi businessman who disappeared in 1990.

On Jan 29, the UDD plans a mass demonstration against the government and the president of the Privy Council Prem Tinsulanonda at Chiang Mai Royal Golf Course in Chiang Mai’s San Sai district.

The UDD has accused Varin Pulsiriwong, the owner of the golf course and of Naew Na newspaper and a close associate of Gen Prem, of illegally obtaining ownership of the land.

MAE HONG SON : The provincial Chamber of Commerce is to seek help from the Administrative Court to thwart a Thai Airways International plan to stop operating flights between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai from March.

The chamber was left with no choice as the board of THAI stood by its decision to end the service, said president Supot Klinpraneet. The chamber is to file a complaint with the court seeking an injunction against THAI’s plan.

That was despite THAI’s assurance that its sister low-cost airline, Nok Air, will take over the route.

However, the Chamber of Commerce did not feel confident that Nok Air would manage the service well and stand by any future directives from THAI, according to Mr Supot.

The revelation of THAI’s proposal has resulted in a large number of cancellations by tour guide agencies, said Mr Supot, adding that Mae Hong Son’s tourism industry generates at least 2 billion baht per year. The provincial health office also said that without a plane service on the route, the transport of blood supplies to certain hospitals in the province would be affected.