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Untidy Thailand

19 Apr 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The risen Lord greeted his fearful disciples with the comforting words "peace be with you." Residents of Bangkok, Thailand had little of either peace or comfort this week as political unrest rocked the city. Fatalities were reported Monday in what the government described as an evening gun battle between protesters and city residents enraged at the chaos and violence that has plagued the city for a week. Protesters want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign. On Wednesday Thailand's government announced it had revoked the passport of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who's accused of helping stoke anti-government hostility. The state-run Thai News Agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying the former prime minister's passport was annulled as of April 12, when his supporters stormed a meeting hall and forced the cancellation of a summit of Asian leaders. The protesters stopped their demonstrations Tuesday after it had become clear they were surrounded and outgunned by the Thai army--which had already shown its willingness to open fire. In an open letter to supporters Tuesday, Thaksin, who has lived abroad since being deposed in 2006, called on Thai demonstrators to stand down Tuesday to avoid a bloodbath. Source: An article by Dan Rivers for CNN

bangkok thailand abhisit vejjajiva thaksin shinawatra
Thai political protest comes to violent end

23 May 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"Peace be with you," Jesus says to his disciples in this Sunday's gospel option from John 20. Hopes were dashed Wednesday for a peaceful end to Thailand's two-month old political standoff between government forces and "Red Shirt" protesters. Violence spread through the Thai capital of Bangkok in the wake of a deadly crackdown by security forces to end the occupation by anti-government demonstrators of the city's upscale commercial district. At least 40 have died in the conflict, including bystanders and several journalists. As they retreated from government forces, some protesters set fire to the country's stock exchange and a number of other buildings including a major shopping mall, two banks, a movie theater, and a television station. The government ordered a curfew Wednesday night, the subway system remained shut, and embassies told their citizens living across the sprawling metropolis of about 15 million people to stay indoors. Leaders of the protest movement who had entered Bangkok on March 12 demanding fresh elections and calling for "true democracy" for the country surrendered to the police on Wednesday afternoon to spare further bloodshed, they said. "We cannot resist against these savages anymore," Jatuporn Prompan, one of the leaders, said on a stage inside the protest zone before turning himself in. He was booed by protesters who wanted to defiantly carry on. "Please listen to me!" he pleaded to the crowd. "Brothers and sisters, I will use the word 'beg.' I beg you. We have to end this for now." One protester who fled said she felt let down by the leaders of the movement. "Everyone feels that our leaders betrayed us," said Wanpamas Boonpun, 39, a restaurant owner. "We want democracy. True democracy, free democracy. Why is it so hard, why?" Source: Articles by Chris Hogg for BBC, Thomas Fuller, Seth Mydans, and Kirk Semple for the New York Times, and VOA News

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Women tourists feeling threatened

07 Apr 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Do not be afraid” is the message that “one like a son of man” delivers to the narrator of the Sunday reading from the Book of Revelation. Female tourists worldwide, who have been frightened by a recent series of high-profile assaults on women travelers, increasingly are canceling vacations to India and other nations with perceived security issues.In December the deadly gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi triggered an outpouring of protest in India and around the world. Since then more attacks have garnered attention in the global media, shedding new light on a sadly common and routinely unreported crime. The most recent victims included a Swiss woman assaulted last month in Madhya Pradesh and a British woman who said she leaped from her Agra hotel window to avoid the unwanted advances of the hotel manager.As a result the flow of female travelers to India has plunged 35 percent since December. Businesses catering to tourists are suffering. Local merchants say India is being unfairly singled out, but in the tourism business perception is everything.In Thailand new safety measures have been introduced at the popular tourist destination of Phuket following the stabbing murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith last year. Tourists will be placed within new "safety zones" as part of a police plan to reassure foreigners of their safety.Halfway around the world a foreign man and woman studying Portuguese in Brazil were held for hours while the woman was sexually assaulted aboard a public transport van they boarded in Rio de Janeiro's showcase Copacabana beach neighborhood, police said in a statement.Homily hint: World Youth Day 2013 will be held in Rio de Janeiro in July. While safety is a top priority for organizers and security is sure to be high and there is no need to encourage unwarranted fear, it is good to remind young people in your community who may be heading to Rio to take common-sense precautions while traveling there or anywhere. Sources: Emily Alpert for the Los Angeles Times, Jenny Barchfield andKay Johnson for the Associated Press, and Zoe Daniel for ABC News

thailand india rio de janeiro women tourists phuket