Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) has joined forces with government and private sectors in ‘Bangkok Creative City’ seminar to brainstorm ideas that will turn Bangkok into one of the world’s leading creative city. The event highlights the launch of ‘Skills Mapping’ project to unveil six areas of Bangkok that are tipped as high-potential, money-spinning creative industry zones.
Mr. Apisit Laistrooglai, Managing Director of TCDC, provides background about the seminar: “The government has recently made creative economy concept a key policy under its administration to give Thailand a new economic catalyst and boost competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs within the framework of Creative Thailand strategy, with a goal to make Thailand the Creative Industry Hub of ASEAN. TCDC has therefore conceived an implementation plan that includes a range of activities and events in support of this government policy and is gearing up the process to build the body of knowledge in the area of creativity in order to promote creative industry development among all social sectors.”
“Over the past few years, he continues, “TCDC has played the key role in laying a strong foundation for creative economy in Thailand. Our ongoing operation plan under this mission will see us increase our pace in boosting awareness and understanding of all stakeholders about the importance of this economic concept through a variety of activities. As an indicator of achievement in creative economy development, establishment of a ‘creative city’ is taken into consideration. We have therefore teamed up with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to jointly host ‘Bangkok Creative City’ seminar as a major event to create awareness and attention of government agencies, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders on the relevance and direction Bangkok’s development into a creative city.”
‘Bangkok Creative City’ seminar brings together experts from public and private sectors to exchange their points of view and help broaden audience’s perspective of Bangkok in new dimension as a creative city. The seminar begins on Monday, November 30 with a panel discussion on ‘Bangkok’s Preparedness to Become Creative City’ by Mr. Somsak Chantawattana,
Director General of BMA’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Mr. Sorapong Paitoonphong, Head of Mass Transit System Development Group, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP); Mr. Adhiruth Thothaveesansuk, Managing Director of Convergence and Managing Director of Office/SME Solution & Wireless Access, True Corporation Plc; Ms. Karuna Dechatiwong Na Ayuttaya, Chief of International Events Section, Events Planning Division, Events Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand; and Mr. Kittiratana Pitipanich, Design Advisory Director of TCDC. The fist day of the seminar also highlights the launch of ‘Skills Mapping’ project through a presentation on ‘Bangkok Creative Spaces: Chatuchak, Thonglor, Siam Square, Town In Town, RCA, and Sukhumvit’ by Dr. Peeradorn Kaewlai and Ms. Supicha Silairat from Creative City Research Group, Urban Planning Unit, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University. The research-based presentation points out the potential of the six areas in terms of products and services available, influences of social context and culture on clustering of creative industry entrepreneurs, as well as problems and needs of the creative businesses. The day ends with a lecture on “Creative City Design – Innovation-inspiring Architecture and Planning” by Mr. Michael Freedman, an international expert in urban planning and design who was behind planning of Silicon Valley and is regarded as a guru in strategic integration to make cities pleasant and develop in sustainable way.
Tuesday, December 1, begins with a special lecture on ‘Innovative Approach to Strategic Urban Planning and Design for Creativity-inspiring World Metropolises’ by Mr. Freedman, followed by ‘Evolution of Bangkok Creative City’ symposium by Dr. Narongchai Akraseranee, Chairman of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), Mr. Apirak Kosayodhin, Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Ms. Supaluck Umpujh, Senior Vice President of The Emporium Shopping Complex Co., Ltd. and Executive Vice President of Siam Paragon Development Co., Ltd. The seminar will be wrapped up by a keynote speech on ‘Creative City Development as Catalyst of Thai Economy’ by Mr. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Sub-committee on Creative Economy Policy.
Mr. Apisit adds that the seminar is expected to inspire government and private organizations to play their part in creative city development as a solid foundation of the nation’s wealth and added economic value, as well as a cornerstone for development of Thailand’s creative economy.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
New book ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ first to present major events in Thailand since 1946 through headline news
“It’s the first book of its kind to present developments in Thailand in the format of a collation of news stories, which makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably” – Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam
Over 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories
Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing, today (9 November), announced the publication of a landmark book that presents major events in Thailand since 1946 as it was reported through headline news, and which will be in bookstores by 18th November 2009.
Called “Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946”, the publication presents dramatic happenings during the reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej through 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories in a handsome 444-page book.
“It’s the first of its kind and highly readable,” said Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book and former Deputy Prime Minister. “We wanted to help people get a quick feel for key developments in Thailand since 1946 in a way that remained factual and neutral. Presenting information in the format of a collation of news stories makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably, while still allowing them to interpret events for themselves,” he said.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
Noted historian Associate Professor Tongthong Chandransu, who is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book, said, “By presenting Thailand’s modern history through a collection of news stories that are organized by year, ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ puts key political developments into the context of other events happening at the time – whether it be social, or cultural or sporting. It helps one better understand the mood of the times, through words and pictures, and brings to life key developments in our country’s history in a way that is fun to read.”
“For example, as you flip through the years, you can quickly get a feel for the sweep of developments and see how similar incidents around key issues like communism, terrorism or coups lead to differing outcomes, reflecting the progress that our country is making. You can easily trace the roots of longstanding issues, as with, for example, Khao Phra Viharn,” he said.
“It’s also entertaining because we have included amusing tidbits that made the headlines, even though they may not have been of great historical significance,” said Assoc. Prof. Tongthong.
He said that, “The strong visual layout and dramatic photographs should help make ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ a useful companion for people from all walks of life, including those with a casual interest in Thailand, as well as academics, journalists, and students.”
Kingdom in 2007. Editions Didier Millet has also produced ‘Chronicle of Singapore’ and ‘Chronicle of Malaysia’.
“The book’s international distribution and availability on Amazon.com will help non-Thais understand Thailand better, too,” he said.
The co-publisher, Editions Didier Millet, has produced a string of successful books on Thailand, including ‘The King of Thailand in World Focus’, and ‘Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom’. The latter was produced on the occasion of the 80th birthday anniversary of HM the King, and gathered 55 world class photographers to record daily life in the ‘Chronicle of Thailand’’s Editorial Advisory Board also includes Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok Institute, and Mr. Vitthaya Vejjajiva, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gold Sponsors of the book are Bangkok Bank and Central Group of Companies. Other sponsors include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of the Crown Property, PTT plc, CH. Karnchang pcl, Bangkok Expressway pcl and Thai Tap Water Supply pcl, as well as Jim Thompson, James HW Thompson Foundation, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, and Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.
The official launch of the book is scheduled for 18th November 2009 and will be presided over by Mr. Anand Panyarachun at a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel.
‘Chronicle of Thailand’ is available from 18 November 2009 at leading bookstores in Thailand, priced at Bht 1,450.
It is co-published by Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing.
Over 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories
Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing, today (9 November), announced the publication of a landmark book that presents major events in Thailand since 1946 as it was reported through headline news, and which will be in bookstores by 18th November 2009.
Called “Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946”, the publication presents dramatic happenings during the reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej through 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories in a handsome 444-page book.
“It’s the first of its kind and highly readable,” said Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book and former Deputy Prime Minister. “We wanted to help people get a quick feel for key developments in Thailand since 1946 in a way that remained factual and neutral. Presenting information in the format of a collation of news stories makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably, while still allowing them to interpret events for themselves,” he said.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
Noted historian Associate Professor Tongthong Chandransu, who is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book, said, “By presenting Thailand’s modern history through a collection of news stories that are organized by year, ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ puts key political developments into the context of other events happening at the time – whether it be social, or cultural or sporting. It helps one better understand the mood of the times, through words and pictures, and brings to life key developments in our country’s history in a way that is fun to read.”
“For example, as you flip through the years, you can quickly get a feel for the sweep of developments and see how similar incidents around key issues like communism, terrorism or coups lead to differing outcomes, reflecting the progress that our country is making. You can easily trace the roots of longstanding issues, as with, for example, Khao Phra Viharn,” he said.
“It’s also entertaining because we have included amusing tidbits that made the headlines, even though they may not have been of great historical significance,” said Assoc. Prof. Tongthong.
He said that, “The strong visual layout and dramatic photographs should help make ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ a useful companion for people from all walks of life, including those with a casual interest in Thailand, as well as academics, journalists, and students.”
Kingdom in 2007. Editions Didier Millet has also produced ‘Chronicle of Singapore’ and ‘Chronicle of Malaysia’.
“The book’s international distribution and availability on Amazon.com will help non-Thais understand Thailand better, too,” he said.
The co-publisher, Editions Didier Millet, has produced a string of successful books on Thailand, including ‘The King of Thailand in World Focus’, and ‘Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom’. The latter was produced on the occasion of the 80th birthday anniversary of HM the King, and gathered 55 world class photographers to record daily life in the ‘Chronicle of Thailand’’s Editorial Advisory Board also includes Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok Institute, and Mr. Vitthaya Vejjajiva, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gold Sponsors of the book are Bangkok Bank and Central Group of Companies. Other sponsors include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of the Crown Property, PTT plc, CH. Karnchang pcl, Bangkok Expressway pcl and Thai Tap Water Supply pcl, as well as Jim Thompson, James HW Thompson Foundation, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, and Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.
The official launch of the book is scheduled for 18th November 2009 and will be presided over by Mr. Anand Panyarachun at a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel.
‘Chronicle of Thailand’ is available from 18 November 2009 at leading bookstores in Thailand, priced at Bht 1,450.
It is co-published by Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Hatoyama has political capital to spend-will he?
With Japan's public debt set to bulge to more than double its GDP this year, new Prime Minister Yuki Hatoyama has little to spend - except the political capital that is keeping his support rates above 60%.
Some pundits say that now is the time for Mr Hatoyama to make some tough decisions about delaying costly spending programmes - but with an-other election less than a year away and the economy at risk of slipping back into recession, many wonder if he will.
Support for Mr Hatoyama's cabinet slipped eight points to 63% in a Yomiuri newspaper poll published on Tuesday,while 85% of the 1,074 respondents said they'd rather see some campaign pledges broken than a rise in Japan's already huge debt."In terms of spending priorities, it might be possible to prepare public opinion for changes in details in the run-up to the upper house election,"said Sophia University's Koichi Nakano."But it would be risky.
"Even if the majority agree some policies are not needed and are worried about public finances more than mani-festo commitments, there is not necessarily agreement on what is not necessary."
Mr Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan swept to a huge election victory in August pledging to cut wasteful spending and put more cash in the hands of consumers and workers to stimulate growth at home. But falling tax revenues due to the fragile economy, and a public debt seen topping 200% of gross domestic product this year are making it hard to find funds.
Mr Hatoyama's high support could give him a window to put off keeping some expensive promises, such as an unpopular plan to make highways tollfree or ending a decades-old surcharge on gasoline that will cost the government 2.5 trillion yen ($27.81 billion) in lost tax revenues annually.
But analysts say taking voters at their word could backfire ahead of the election for parliament's upper house set for mid-2010."Whatever policy is targeted, someone will say 'That's not what I meant',"said Mr Nakano of Sophia University.
A poor showing in the upper house election could revive a parliamentary deadlock and stall policy implementation, and a failure by the Democrats to win an outright majority would leave them beholden to two small but vocal coalition partners.
Holding down spending could also risk sending the economy back into re-cession, given the fragility of its recovery from Japan's worst downturn."They can't address the state of finances at a time like this," Mr Nakano said. And focusing on the market-friendly reforms some economists say are needed could be a tough-sell given Mr Hatoyama's promises to voters to pursue a kinder,gentler capitalism.
Mr Hatoyama has also pledged not to raise Japan's 5% sales tax for the next five years, although most economists say a rise will be needed to cope with the increasing social security costs of the world's fastest-ageing population.
"There are no good choices here,"said Robert Feldman, chief economist at Morgan Stanley in Tokyo.
Some pundits say that now is the time for Mr Hatoyama to make some tough decisions about delaying costly spending programmes - but with an-other election less than a year away and the economy at risk of slipping back into recession, many wonder if he will.
Support for Mr Hatoyama's cabinet slipped eight points to 63% in a Yomiuri newspaper poll published on Tuesday,while 85% of the 1,074 respondents said they'd rather see some campaign pledges broken than a rise in Japan's already huge debt."In terms of spending priorities, it might be possible to prepare public opinion for changes in details in the run-up to the upper house election,"said Sophia University's Koichi Nakano."But it would be risky.
"Even if the majority agree some policies are not needed and are worried about public finances more than mani-festo commitments, there is not necessarily agreement on what is not necessary."
Mr Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan swept to a huge election victory in August pledging to cut wasteful spending and put more cash in the hands of consumers and workers to stimulate growth at home. But falling tax revenues due to the fragile economy, and a public debt seen topping 200% of gross domestic product this year are making it hard to find funds.
Mr Hatoyama's high support could give him a window to put off keeping some expensive promises, such as an unpopular plan to make highways tollfree or ending a decades-old surcharge on gasoline that will cost the government 2.5 trillion yen ($27.81 billion) in lost tax revenues annually.
But analysts say taking voters at their word could backfire ahead of the election for parliament's upper house set for mid-2010."Whatever policy is targeted, someone will say 'That's not what I meant',"said Mr Nakano of Sophia University.
A poor showing in the upper house election could revive a parliamentary deadlock and stall policy implementation, and a failure by the Democrats to win an outright majority would leave them beholden to two small but vocal coalition partners.
Holding down spending could also risk sending the economy back into re-cession, given the fragility of its recovery from Japan's worst downturn."They can't address the state of finances at a time like this," Mr Nakano said. And focusing on the market-friendly reforms some economists say are needed could be a tough-sell given Mr Hatoyama's promises to voters to pursue a kinder,gentler capitalism.
Mr Hatoyama has also pledged not to raise Japan's 5% sales tax for the next five years, although most economists say a rise will be needed to cope with the increasing social security costs of the world's fastest-ageing population.
"There are no good choices here,"said Robert Feldman, chief economist at Morgan Stanley in Tokyo.
EC SEEKS COURT RULING ON MANIT SHARE TRADING
The Election Commission will seek a Constitution Court ruling on whether to disqualify Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi from office for holding shares in companies related to the media or state concessions.
Election Commission secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaikarn said of 29 MPs the EC had referred for a Constitution Court ruling on whether to disqualify them for holding shares in prohibited businesses, four were ministers: Deputy Transport Minister Kuakul Danchaiwijit, Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat, Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart and Manit.
The EC panel found that of the four, only Manit held prohibited shares on the day he assumed his ministerial post on December 20 last year. The three others sold the shares before taking up their posts.
Manit held 500 shares in True Corp from December 24, 2002- October 7, 2009 and 4 million shares in TPI Polene from January 21, 2004. He traded some shares 17 times, the latest on December 23 last year.
Suthipol said the EC believed Manit had violated Articles 265 and 267, resulting in disqualification and removal from his ministerial post, in accordance with Article 182 (7).
He denied the EC intended to harass Manit but it needed to check on whether holding prohibited shares should result in him being disqualified as minister.
Manit said he respected the EC's decision but would not resign till the Constitution Court issued its ruling.
He admitted he held 500 True shares, however since there were only a few hundred he did not sell them before assuming the post.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said it would be too soon to decide whether to reshuffle the Cabinet following the EC decision. He said the government would rather wait till the Constitution Court announced its decision.
Election Commission secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaikarn said of 29 MPs the EC had referred for a Constitution Court ruling on whether to disqualify them for holding shares in prohibited businesses, four were ministers: Deputy Transport Minister Kuakul Danchaiwijit, Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat, Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart and Manit.
The EC panel found that of the four, only Manit held prohibited shares on the day he assumed his ministerial post on December 20 last year. The three others sold the shares before taking up their posts.
Manit held 500 shares in True Corp from December 24, 2002- October 7, 2009 and 4 million shares in TPI Polene from January 21, 2004. He traded some shares 17 times, the latest on December 23 last year.
Suthipol said the EC believed Manit had violated Articles 265 and 267, resulting in disqualification and removal from his ministerial post, in accordance with Article 182 (7).
He denied the EC intended to harass Manit but it needed to check on whether holding prohibited shares should result in him being disqualified as minister.
Manit said he respected the EC's decision but would not resign till the Constitution Court issued its ruling.
He admitted he held 500 True shares, however since there were only a few hundred he did not sell them before assuming the post.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said it would be too soon to decide whether to reshuffle the Cabinet following the EC decision. He said the government would rather wait till the Constitution Court announced its decision.
Making books affordable
The National Book Fair starting tomorrow flashed me back to several similar real-life dramas I saw at the last event earlier this year. A girl looked desperately at a colourful book while the mother rushed her to move on to other stalls as she could not afford the price. At another booth selling history magazines and pocketbooks, a boy arrived to show the seller all his money and asked how many books he could get from the amount. It's a pity for many children that they cannot read any book they want as their families cannot afford pricey children's books.
What I witnessed seems to contradict the government's publicity aimed at fostering youths' reading habits -with a vow that reading is the foundation of intellectual development. The cabinet in August adopted "reading" as the national agenda and 2009-2019 has been designated a "decade of reading". A committee promoting the reading chaired by the Education Ministry will drive the agenda to reality.
But how can poor children in the countryside have a chance to read good non-textbooks as many of them still don't have enough food to eat in a day? One easy answer is, going to a school or community library. But I am still sceptical about the titles available in those libraries,whether they are attractive enough to draw the interest of young children. Another issue is how many community libraries does Thailand have? Are they accessible to rural children?
The government is currently campaigning aggressively to establish a "creative economy" with a hefty budget of around 20 billion baht. Supporting the private sector to produce more affordable quality children's books should be put in this scheme as certainly books would better fit the criteria of a creative economy than fixing damaged fences at an ancient site. The government has for decades provided incentives to promote investment in several industries and services to drive the economy. Is it possible for publishers to be given some incentives to print quality reading materials so they can produce lower-priced books to serve the public? I believe Thai publishers have tried their best to publish good books but have not succeeded in knocking down the price to an affordable level for low and medium-income families.
The book distribution system is another worrying factor that can determine the survival of many publishing houses,especially small ones. Currently, most publishers pin their hopes on sales at the National Book Fair, organised twice a year in Bangkok, plus a few times on a smaller scale in the major provinces.
Several small publishers say over half of their annual sales are generated by the two fairs, forcing them to print out new titles at the fair to avoid missing the most important marketing opportunities.The process partly results in inferior quality of the books, proven by errors in the first edition or more updated information in later editions.
A study by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand shows that 13,348 titles were introduced to the market in 2008 or 36.57 new titles each day. Imagine how difficult it is for a publisher to roll out a best-selling book amidst all the new titles put on shelves each day.
Thailand had 512 publishers as of last year - around 83%were small publishers with less than 30 million baht in annual sales,7% were large publishers with over 100 million baht sales. The rest were medium-sized. However, the medium and large publishers controlled 86% of the 18.9-billion-baht sales in 2008.That sales structure will be similar to this year's projected figure of 19-19.2 billion baht. What will be different is the the diminishing share of small publishers who cannot withstand the economic struggle and are losing liquidity to continue their business.
With the fair's fixed schedule, book readers, especially in Bangkok, are waiting to shop for new books from the over-crowded events - estimated to attract 1.5 million fairgoers in each edition. They would cut their visits to local bookshops as publishers normally give discounts of 20-50% in exchange for getting cash and bypassing the distributing agents. This is one of the reasons why individually-owned bookshops are unlikely to survive in Thailand. Only chain-bookstores are flourishing. The association's statistics counted 2,995 active bookshops last year, a sharp rise from 1,913 in 2007 as the figure included small Book Smile corners at 7-Eleven convenience stores.
Thailand is still far from being a knowledge-based economy as average spending per year of the Thai people on books is only 300 baht. The government will need great concrete efforts to cultivate the reading habit, which will become true only when books are affordable and accessible to all who want to read them.
What I witnessed seems to contradict the government's publicity aimed at fostering youths' reading habits -with a vow that reading is the foundation of intellectual development. The cabinet in August adopted "reading" as the national agenda and 2009-2019 has been designated a "decade of reading". A committee promoting the reading chaired by the Education Ministry will drive the agenda to reality.
But how can poor children in the countryside have a chance to read good non-textbooks as many of them still don't have enough food to eat in a day? One easy answer is, going to a school or community library. But I am still sceptical about the titles available in those libraries,whether they are attractive enough to draw the interest of young children. Another issue is how many community libraries does Thailand have? Are they accessible to rural children?
The government is currently campaigning aggressively to establish a "creative economy" with a hefty budget of around 20 billion baht. Supporting the private sector to produce more affordable quality children's books should be put in this scheme as certainly books would better fit the criteria of a creative economy than fixing damaged fences at an ancient site. The government has for decades provided incentives to promote investment in several industries and services to drive the economy. Is it possible for publishers to be given some incentives to print quality reading materials so they can produce lower-priced books to serve the public? I believe Thai publishers have tried their best to publish good books but have not succeeded in knocking down the price to an affordable level for low and medium-income families.
The book distribution system is another worrying factor that can determine the survival of many publishing houses,especially small ones. Currently, most publishers pin their hopes on sales at the National Book Fair, organised twice a year in Bangkok, plus a few times on a smaller scale in the major provinces.
Several small publishers say over half of their annual sales are generated by the two fairs, forcing them to print out new titles at the fair to avoid missing the most important marketing opportunities.The process partly results in inferior quality of the books, proven by errors in the first edition or more updated information in later editions.
A study by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand shows that 13,348 titles were introduced to the market in 2008 or 36.57 new titles each day. Imagine how difficult it is for a publisher to roll out a best-selling book amidst all the new titles put on shelves each day.
Thailand had 512 publishers as of last year - around 83%were small publishers with less than 30 million baht in annual sales,7% were large publishers with over 100 million baht sales. The rest were medium-sized. However, the medium and large publishers controlled 86% of the 18.9-billion-baht sales in 2008.That sales structure will be similar to this year's projected figure of 19-19.2 billion baht. What will be different is the the diminishing share of small publishers who cannot withstand the economic struggle and are losing liquidity to continue their business.
With the fair's fixed schedule, book readers, especially in Bangkok, are waiting to shop for new books from the over-crowded events - estimated to attract 1.5 million fairgoers in each edition. They would cut their visits to local bookshops as publishers normally give discounts of 20-50% in exchange for getting cash and bypassing the distributing agents. This is one of the reasons why individually-owned bookshops are unlikely to survive in Thailand. Only chain-bookstores are flourishing. The association's statistics counted 2,995 active bookshops last year, a sharp rise from 1,913 in 2007 as the figure included small Book Smile corners at 7-Eleven convenience stores.
Thailand is still far from being a knowledge-based economy as average spending per year of the Thai people on books is only 300 baht. The government will need great concrete efforts to cultivate the reading habit, which will become true only when books are affordable and accessible to all who want to read them.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
From nurse's aide to king of Mountains of the Moon
For years, Charles Wesley Mumbere worked as a nurse's aide in the United States, caring for the elderly and sick. No one there suspected that he had inherited a royal title in his African homeland when he was just 13.
On Monday, after years of political upheaval and financial struggle, Mr Mumbere,56, was finally crowned king of his people to the sound of drumbeats and thousands of cheering supporters wearing cloth printed with his portrait.
At a public rally later in the day, Ugan-dan President Yoweri Museveni officially recognised the 300,000-strong Rwenzururu Kingdom. Mr Museveni restored the traditional kingdoms his predecessor banned in 1967, but has been adamant that kings restrict themselves to cultural duties and keep out of politics.
"It is a great moment to know that finally the central government has understood the demands of the Bakonzo people who have been seeking very hard for recognition of their identity," Mr Mumbere said, sitting in his office in in the whitewashed single-storey building that serves as a palace.
The Rwenzururu parliament sits nearby, in a much larger structure made of reeds. It was here that the traditional private rituals were held Sunday night and Monday morning to crown Mr Mumbere king. Thousands walked several miles to see Mr Mumbere, dressed in flowing green robes and a colourful hat, be officially recognised. Old men clutching canes shuffled up the hill beside women in colourful Ugandan dresses called "gomesi." Among them was Masereka Tadai,43, proudly overseeing practice for a march that retired scouts and girl guides would perform before the king.
"Everyone is very happy because the president has accepted to come here and officially recognise the Rwenzururu Kingdom," Ms Tadai said over a nearby drumbeat.
The new King of Uganda's Mountains of the Moon has undergone many transformations - from teenage leader of a rebel force to impoverished student to a nursing home assistant working two jobs in the US, where he lived for nearly 25 years.
Mr Mumbere's royal roots only became public in Pennsylvania this July,when he granted an interview to The Patriot-News of Harrisburg as he was preparing to return to Uganda.
He inherited the title when his father,Isaya Mukirania Kibanzanga, died while leading a secessionist group in the Rwenzori Mountains, otherwise known as the Mountains of the Moon. The rebels were protesting the oppression of their Bakonzo ethnic group by their thenrulers, the Toro Kingdom.
The Bakonzo demanded to be recognised as a separate entity and named Kibanzanga, a former primary school teacher, as their king in 1963.
"It was very difficult growing up in the bush," remembered Mr Mumbere,who was nine years old when his father took the family into the mountains. Although he received military training,Mr Mumbere did not fight.
"Our country has been independent [from the British] for 40-something years,but in Rwenzururu you may not find running water, there are no hospitals,"Mr Mumbere said.
Shortly after Kibanzanga died, his son led the fighters down from the mountains to hand in their weapons. Mr Mumbere went to the United States in 1984 on a Ugandan government scholarship,attending a business school until Uganda's leadership changed and the stipend was stopped. He gained political asylum in 1987, trained as a nurse's aide and took a job in a suburban Washington nursing home to pay his bills.
In 1999, he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, where he worked for at least two healthcare facilities.
He was "very loyal, a very hard worker,a very private person", said Johnna Marx,executive director of the Golden Living Centre-Blue Ridge Mountain on the outskirts of Harrisburg.
Mr Mumbere said he chose to train as a nurse's aide because the work,"was more reliable. Other jobs you can be laid off easily". Living in the US, however,was "a very difficult experience. Sometimes you have two jobs. You go to college in the morning, between 8am to 12pm.Then you go prepare to go to work at 3pm and then return at 11pm".
He is now a green card holder, and his son and daughter live in Harrisburg.But he never forgot the people he left behind. When the Ugandan government decided to reinstate the traditional kingdoms, Mr Mumbere lobbied for the Rwenzururu Kingdom to be among them.
After 10 years of negotiation, President Museveni announced in August that the government would recognise Rwenzururu as Uganda's seventh kingdom.Government recognition does not grant any executive power but allows the monarchs to determine cultural and social issues affecting their people.
On Monday, after years of political upheaval and financial struggle, Mr Mumbere,56, was finally crowned king of his people to the sound of drumbeats and thousands of cheering supporters wearing cloth printed with his portrait.
At a public rally later in the day, Ugan-dan President Yoweri Museveni officially recognised the 300,000-strong Rwenzururu Kingdom. Mr Museveni restored the traditional kingdoms his predecessor banned in 1967, but has been adamant that kings restrict themselves to cultural duties and keep out of politics.
"It is a great moment to know that finally the central government has understood the demands of the Bakonzo people who have been seeking very hard for recognition of their identity," Mr Mumbere said, sitting in his office in in the whitewashed single-storey building that serves as a palace.
The Rwenzururu parliament sits nearby, in a much larger structure made of reeds. It was here that the traditional private rituals were held Sunday night and Monday morning to crown Mr Mumbere king. Thousands walked several miles to see Mr Mumbere, dressed in flowing green robes and a colourful hat, be officially recognised. Old men clutching canes shuffled up the hill beside women in colourful Ugandan dresses called "gomesi." Among them was Masereka Tadai,43, proudly overseeing practice for a march that retired scouts and girl guides would perform before the king.
"Everyone is very happy because the president has accepted to come here and officially recognise the Rwenzururu Kingdom," Ms Tadai said over a nearby drumbeat.
The new King of Uganda's Mountains of the Moon has undergone many transformations - from teenage leader of a rebel force to impoverished student to a nursing home assistant working two jobs in the US, where he lived for nearly 25 years.
Mr Mumbere's royal roots only became public in Pennsylvania this July,when he granted an interview to The Patriot-News of Harrisburg as he was preparing to return to Uganda.
He inherited the title when his father,Isaya Mukirania Kibanzanga, died while leading a secessionist group in the Rwenzori Mountains, otherwise known as the Mountains of the Moon. The rebels were protesting the oppression of their Bakonzo ethnic group by their thenrulers, the Toro Kingdom.
The Bakonzo demanded to be recognised as a separate entity and named Kibanzanga, a former primary school teacher, as their king in 1963.
"It was very difficult growing up in the bush," remembered Mr Mumbere,who was nine years old when his father took the family into the mountains. Although he received military training,Mr Mumbere did not fight.
"Our country has been independent [from the British] for 40-something years,but in Rwenzururu you may not find running water, there are no hospitals,"Mr Mumbere said.
Shortly after Kibanzanga died, his son led the fighters down from the mountains to hand in their weapons. Mr Mumbere went to the United States in 1984 on a Ugandan government scholarship,attending a business school until Uganda's leadership changed and the stipend was stopped. He gained political asylum in 1987, trained as a nurse's aide and took a job in a suburban Washington nursing home to pay his bills.
In 1999, he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, where he worked for at least two healthcare facilities.
He was "very loyal, a very hard worker,a very private person", said Johnna Marx,executive director of the Golden Living Centre-Blue Ridge Mountain on the outskirts of Harrisburg.
Mr Mumbere said he chose to train as a nurse's aide because the work,"was more reliable. Other jobs you can be laid off easily". Living in the US, however,was "a very difficult experience. Sometimes you have two jobs. You go to college in the morning, between 8am to 12pm.Then you go prepare to go to work at 3pm and then return at 11pm".
He is now a green card holder, and his son and daughter live in Harrisburg.But he never forgot the people he left behind. When the Ugandan government decided to reinstate the traditional kingdoms, Mr Mumbere lobbied for the Rwenzururu Kingdom to be among them.
After 10 years of negotiation, President Museveni announced in August that the government would recognise Rwenzururu as Uganda's seventh kingdom.Government recognition does not grant any executive power but allows the monarchs to determine cultural and social issues affecting their people.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
UN establishing panel to probe Guinea killings
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is establishing an international commission to investigate the attack on unarmed protesters in Guinea last month that left dozens dead and many injured, the UN said.
A mission left on Friday to look into arrangements for setting up a commission to determine who was responsible,UN spokeswoman Michele Montas said.
"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned by the tense situation in Guinea following the violent crackdown,which he had strongly condemned, on unarmed civilians," she said.
A peaceful pro-democracy rally in the West African country on Sept 28 took a violent turn when presidential guard troops opened fire on tens of thousands of demonstrators. A Guinean human rights group says 157 people were killed.The government put the death toll at 57.
Ms Montas said the mission's leader,Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios will meet with Guinean authorities, regional organisations and others regarding the work of the commission.
The International Criminal Court announced on Thursday a preliminary investigation into last month's violence.The violence has drawn widespread condemnation, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling for military leader Captain Moussa "Dadis" Camara to apologise and step down. Capt Camara seized power hours after long-time dictator Lansana Conte died last December.
The UN investigation was announced on the same day that the resignations of two cabinet ministers in Guinea were announced and as France urged its citizens to leave as security deteriorated in the aftermath of the bloody rally.
Information Minister Justin Morel Jr and Labour Minister Alpha Diallo said they could not serve a government responsible for such violence.
Mr Morel resigned late on Thursday citing moral reasons and Mr Diallo on Wednesday, citing religious convictions.
The resignations follow that of Agriculture Minister Abdulrahmane Sano on Monday. Mr Sano cited the protest as the reason for his resignation.
A mission left on Friday to look into arrangements for setting up a commission to determine who was responsible,UN spokeswoman Michele Montas said.
"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned by the tense situation in Guinea following the violent crackdown,which he had strongly condemned, on unarmed civilians," she said.
A peaceful pro-democracy rally in the West African country on Sept 28 took a violent turn when presidential guard troops opened fire on tens of thousands of demonstrators. A Guinean human rights group says 157 people were killed.The government put the death toll at 57.
Ms Montas said the mission's leader,Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios will meet with Guinean authorities, regional organisations and others regarding the work of the commission.
The International Criminal Court announced on Thursday a preliminary investigation into last month's violence.The violence has drawn widespread condemnation, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling for military leader Captain Moussa "Dadis" Camara to apologise and step down. Capt Camara seized power hours after long-time dictator Lansana Conte died last December.
The UN investigation was announced on the same day that the resignations of two cabinet ministers in Guinea were announced and as France urged its citizens to leave as security deteriorated in the aftermath of the bloody rally.
Information Minister Justin Morel Jr and Labour Minister Alpha Diallo said they could not serve a government responsible for such violence.
Mr Morel resigned late on Thursday citing moral reasons and Mr Diallo on Wednesday, citing religious convictions.
The resignations follow that of Agriculture Minister Abdulrahmane Sano on Monday. Mr Sano cited the protest as the reason for his resignation.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
SO MANY QUESTIONS, TOO FEW TRUE ANSWERS
Opinion polls influence the public and politicians, but are they really accurate? With so many polls on politics and society being taken in Bangkok every week, it might be sensible to ask not just how reliable they are but also whether the public has become too reliant on them. These are pertinent questions in an age when the public, as well as politicians, have become increasingly influenced by the results of the latest surveys. Pollsters may try to assure you their work is accurate enough to be trusted, but even those in the industry are well aware of the many inherent problems.
In 1988, the American Association of Public Opinion Research heard its president, Eleanor Singer, warn against a list of caveats including: "the lack of truthful responses to questions; the failure to do justice to the richness of people's experience; the failure of people to understand certain types of questions that depend on memory or insight into their own feelings; the tendency of researchers to impose their own framework; the fact that certain words in questions mean different things to different people; the tendency of people to give an opinion even when they do not have a real point of view," and more.
Suffice to say, when faced with instant questions, people often respond in a knee-jerk fashion. Often left behind are careful weighing of the issue, the chance for the respondent to hear other voices before making his own judgement, the restrictive and top-down framing of the question, and the abandonment of a nuanced and qualitative approach supplanted by easy-to-digest quantitative data. All these constitute a cause for concern, especially when polls aren't just prone to being inaccurate, shallow and not truly reflecting people's thoughtful and deliberative views, but also tend to reinforce results in the direction the findings dictate.
Daniel Yankelovich, an American expert on public opinion and judgement noted in his 1991 book, "Coming to Public Judgement" that, "The 'quickie' opinion polls that make newspaper headlines … or 30-second sound-bites based on simplistic questions, are a menace that has grown all too familiar … Analysts found that by asking people a few simple additional questions on any issue, such as how personally involved they were with it, how much they might change their mind, one could determine which opinions were volatile and which were firm."
Yankelovich posited that the quality of public opinion should be measured by three criteria: Willingness to take responsibility for the consequences of one's views, firmness, and consistency. Or, to put it more simply: A stable, consistent and responsible view.
"The ability to resolve internal conflicts of values is the foundation of good-quality public opinion … Resolving conflicts of values takes times; it is painful work, and people avoid it as much and for as long as they can."
All these are elements are missing in a world of instant and incessant polling, so it's good to bear in mind what we may possibly be missing out.
In 1988, the American Association of Public Opinion Research heard its president, Eleanor Singer, warn against a list of caveats including: "the lack of truthful responses to questions; the failure to do justice to the richness of people's experience; the failure of people to understand certain types of questions that depend on memory or insight into their own feelings; the tendency of researchers to impose their own framework; the fact that certain words in questions mean different things to different people; the tendency of people to give an opinion even when they do not have a real point of view," and more.
Suffice to say, when faced with instant questions, people often respond in a knee-jerk fashion. Often left behind are careful weighing of the issue, the chance for the respondent to hear other voices before making his own judgement, the restrictive and top-down framing of the question, and the abandonment of a nuanced and qualitative approach supplanted by easy-to-digest quantitative data. All these constitute a cause for concern, especially when polls aren't just prone to being inaccurate, shallow and not truly reflecting people's thoughtful and deliberative views, but also tend to reinforce results in the direction the findings dictate.
Daniel Yankelovich, an American expert on public opinion and judgement noted in his 1991 book, "Coming to Public Judgement" that, "The 'quickie' opinion polls that make newspaper headlines … or 30-second sound-bites based on simplistic questions, are a menace that has grown all too familiar … Analysts found that by asking people a few simple additional questions on any issue, such as how personally involved they were with it, how much they might change their mind, one could determine which opinions were volatile and which were firm."
Yankelovich posited that the quality of public opinion should be measured by three criteria: Willingness to take responsibility for the consequences of one's views, firmness, and consistency. Or, to put it more simply: A stable, consistent and responsible view.
"The ability to resolve internal conflicts of values is the foundation of good-quality public opinion … Resolving conflicts of values takes times; it is painful work, and people avoid it as much and for as long as they can."
All these are elements are missing in a world of instant and incessant polling, so it's good to bear in mind what we may possibly be missing out.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Suu Kyi surprises by returning to the limelight
Although still under house arrest,Aung San Suu Kyi has returned to an active political role by initiating dialogue with both Burma's junta and Western nations, analysts say.In the space of seven days, after a Rangoon court rejected the pro-democracy leader's appeal against her recently extended house arrest, her status appeared to shift rapidly from political prisoner to potential key negotiator."She is politically active and significant. She still has a role in Burma," said Win Min, an activist and scholar who lives in Chiang Mai.
Events over the past week in the militaryruled nation have moved at a dizzying pace when compared with the stagnation of recent months.
Ms Suu Kyi, detained for around 14 of the past 20 years, had two meetings with Aung Kyi, the labour minister and official liaison between her and the junta, the first such talks since January 2008.
The frail 64-year-old was subsequently granted permission by the ruling generals to discuss Western sanctions imposed on Burma with top United States, British and Australian diplomats in Rangoon on Friday.
"She was very, very engaged in the subject,very interested in going into detail on what she wanted to talk about and she seemed as ever very eloquent," said British ambassador Andrew Heyn in an interview with the BBC.
Ms Suu Kyi wrote a letter to Snr Gen Than Shwe at the end of September offering her cooperation in getting Western sanctions lifted, after years of favouring harsh measures against the generals.
Contrary to expectations, the junta chief seems to have accepted her proposal - at least for the time being.
"She would like to see herself as a pivotal point in the relations between the junta and the US. They might be prepared to allow this to some extent," said former British ambassador Derek Tonkin.
The military regime has promised elections for 2010, the first in Burma since 1990, when Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide but was never allowed to take power.
With the opposition leader set to remain out of the way next year thanks to the recent 18-month extension to her house arrest,many observers believe the polls will be a sham that will only strengthen the junta's power.
The reclusive regime chief, according to some analysts, is likely to try to use his opponent - whom he loathes - to restore his image for the elections.
"Than Shwe is the only one who took all these decisions," said Mr Win Min, referring to the rejection of Ms Suu Kyi's appeal and her various subsequent meetings in recent days."He decided not to release her but to give her a little bit of freedom so that he could appear somehow as someone flexible,"he added.
But Ms Suu Kyi's lawyer Nyan Win was confident she could play an increasingly important part in developments over the coming months, especially following Washington's recent decision to re-engage the junta.
"We assume that her meeting with diplomats to lift sanctions is the start of her political role because sanctions themselves are a matter of politics," Mr Nyan Win said.
"Aung San Suu Kyi always has the right to participate in politics. It is not a concern whether or not she's under house arrest,"he added.
Yet scepticism remains that the iron-fisted regime could repeat past behaviour and offer goodwill gestures before violently closing all doors to dialogue again.
One fundamental sign of progress would be a meeting between Ms Suu Kyi and Gen Than Shwe himself, as the pair have not met for years. Mr Nyan Win raised the possibility of such talks on Friday.
But "The Lady", as she is widely known in Burma, would have to consult with other NLD members first and also see minister Aung Kyi again before a meeting with the junta leader would be possible, former ambassador Tonkin suggested.
He acknowledged however that the two sides were at least finally communicating."We don't know where this conversation is going to go. But it is taking place. It's the best game in town at the present time and we need to see where it goes," he said.
Events over the past week in the militaryruled nation have moved at a dizzying pace when compared with the stagnation of recent months.
Ms Suu Kyi, detained for around 14 of the past 20 years, had two meetings with Aung Kyi, the labour minister and official liaison between her and the junta, the first such talks since January 2008.
The frail 64-year-old was subsequently granted permission by the ruling generals to discuss Western sanctions imposed on Burma with top United States, British and Australian diplomats in Rangoon on Friday.
"She was very, very engaged in the subject,very interested in going into detail on what she wanted to talk about and she seemed as ever very eloquent," said British ambassador Andrew Heyn in an interview with the BBC.
Ms Suu Kyi wrote a letter to Snr Gen Than Shwe at the end of September offering her cooperation in getting Western sanctions lifted, after years of favouring harsh measures against the generals.
Contrary to expectations, the junta chief seems to have accepted her proposal - at least for the time being.
"She would like to see herself as a pivotal point in the relations between the junta and the US. They might be prepared to allow this to some extent," said former British ambassador Derek Tonkin.
The military regime has promised elections for 2010, the first in Burma since 1990, when Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide but was never allowed to take power.
With the opposition leader set to remain out of the way next year thanks to the recent 18-month extension to her house arrest,many observers believe the polls will be a sham that will only strengthen the junta's power.
The reclusive regime chief, according to some analysts, is likely to try to use his opponent - whom he loathes - to restore his image for the elections.
"Than Shwe is the only one who took all these decisions," said Mr Win Min, referring to the rejection of Ms Suu Kyi's appeal and her various subsequent meetings in recent days."He decided not to release her but to give her a little bit of freedom so that he could appear somehow as someone flexible,"he added.
But Ms Suu Kyi's lawyer Nyan Win was confident she could play an increasingly important part in developments over the coming months, especially following Washington's recent decision to re-engage the junta.
"We assume that her meeting with diplomats to lift sanctions is the start of her political role because sanctions themselves are a matter of politics," Mr Nyan Win said.
"Aung San Suu Kyi always has the right to participate in politics. It is not a concern whether or not she's under house arrest,"he added.
Yet scepticism remains that the iron-fisted regime could repeat past behaviour and offer goodwill gestures before violently closing all doors to dialogue again.
One fundamental sign of progress would be a meeting between Ms Suu Kyi and Gen Than Shwe himself, as the pair have not met for years. Mr Nyan Win raised the possibility of such talks on Friday.
But "The Lady", as she is widely known in Burma, would have to consult with other NLD members first and also see minister Aung Kyi again before a meeting with the junta leader would be possible, former ambassador Tonkin suggested.
He acknowledged however that the two sides were at least finally communicating."We don't know where this conversation is going to go. But it is taking place. It's the best game in town at the present time and we need to see where it goes," he said.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
HAVE "PUUYAI" FALLEN IN ESTEEM OF OUR YOUTH?
Is one of our most popular national values under threat? In a public sruvey, respondents displayed an obviously wavering faith in the old adage "Follow puuyai (senior persons) and dogs won't bite you". Today's young people, the pollsters say, seem to have more confidence in themselves as the "bdlief index" has dropped from 98.6 in the previous survey to 95 this time (100 points is considered historically normal level of belief).
The pollsters' interpretation of the results may be too kind to today's adults. Perhaps this issue of trust has as much to do with adult's trustworthiness as young people's growing self-reliance. Locally and internationaly, youngsters have been withnessing silly political conflicts, absurdd reasons for wars and a much-advocated economic system teetering on an abyss' edge, to name just a few.
They have learned how common it is for adults to be hypocrites, and such bad ones at that, And every day yields a new lesson on double standards, nepotism, prejudice and etc.
So, it's basically good news that young people are not trusting adults as much as before. And why should they? it is the childen now who are begging their puuyai to stop smoking. The anti-climate change campaign has been utilising the energy and sincerity of today's adolescents. Digital innovations have been dominated if not monopolised by young people.
They, of course, don't play politics, and it's no surprise politics is where the world's mess is concentrated, and where, no pun intended, everyone is acting like a child.
The pollsters' interpretation of the results may be too kind to today's adults. Perhaps this issue of trust has as much to do with adult's trustworthiness as young people's growing self-reliance. Locally and internationaly, youngsters have been withnessing silly political conflicts, absurdd reasons for wars and a much-advocated economic system teetering on an abyss' edge, to name just a few.
They have learned how common it is for adults to be hypocrites, and such bad ones at that, And every day yields a new lesson on double standards, nepotism, prejudice and etc.
So, it's basically good news that young people are not trusting adults as much as before. And why should they? it is the childen now who are begging their puuyai to stop smoking. The anti-climate change campaign has been utilising the energy and sincerity of today's adolescents. Digital innovations have been dominated if not monopolised by young people.
They, of course, don't play politics, and it's no surprise politics is where the world's mess is concentrated, and where, no pun intended, everyone is acting like a child.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thai brothel tale haunts minister
France's culture minister, already under fire for defending Roman Polanski who faces sex charges, has been attacked for his memoir which describes sex with Thai brothel "boys".
Frederic Mitterrand, the 62-year-old nephew of late president Francois Mitterrand,wrote a book described by its publisher as a "novel of autobiographical inspiration" in which the first-person narrator recounts sexual adventures with Thai boys.
"At a time Mitterrand:when France Memoir attacked is engaged with Thailand to fight against the curse of sex tourism, here we have a government minister who himself explains that he is a consumer," opposition Socialist Party spokesman Benoit Hamon said.
The far-right National Front Party called for Mr Mitterrand's resignation, saying his 2005 book La Mauvaise Vie The Bad Life )had left "an indelible stain on the government".
The passages in The Bad Life that have sparked controversy deal with the hero's visits to brothels and boy bars in Southeast Asia.
Frederic Mitterrand, the 62-year-old nephew of late president Francois Mitterrand,wrote a book described by its publisher as a "novel of autobiographical inspiration" in which the first-person narrator recounts sexual adventures with Thai boys.
"At a time Mitterrand:when France Memoir attacked is engaged with Thailand to fight against the curse of sex tourism, here we have a government minister who himself explains that he is a consumer," opposition Socialist Party spokesman Benoit Hamon said.
The far-right National Front Party called for Mr Mitterrand's resignation, saying his 2005 book La Mauvaise Vie The Bad Life )had left "an indelible stain on the government".
The passages in The Bad Life that have sparked controversy deal with the hero's visits to brothels and boy bars in Southeast Asia.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
But Deng is the leader to celebrate for a revolution
Thursday was the 60th anniversary of the day Mao Zedong stood on the platform at Tiananmen Square and announced the formation of the People's Republic of China. But the revolution that millions of Chinese are really celebrating began 30 years ago - under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping.
For the Chinese who had for years endured Japanese occupation, 1949 brought the promise of a new era. But a decade later, the puffed-up National Day celebrations could not mask the widespread starvation that resulted from Mao's commune system. Later, Mao's Red Guards terrorised the country, killing intellectuals and officials. The world shrank away. At a low point in the Cultural Revolution, China had only one ambassador abroad, in Cairo. In isolation, China fell far behind other East Asian countries.
Like Germans who asked why they followed the Nazis, thoughtful Chinese wonder why they continue to follow Mao even after disaster struck. Outsiders also ask why a people who rejected communist utopianism and class struggle celebrated the 60th anniversary under a large portrait of Mao in Tiananmen Square.
One reason is that after Mao's death,Chinese leaders considered how the entire Soviet leadership lost political authority after 1956, when Khrushchev thoroughly denounced Stalin. They thus decided to keep images of Mao even as they departed from his visions and ideol-ogy. Also, the Chinese understand that Mao's achievements of the first seven years of the revolution, especially in unifying the country and building local organisations, formed a base for what his successors accomplished. Still, most Chinese recognise that the true revolution belongs to Deng Xiaoping. No specific reforms were as important as his persistence in further opening China's doors and encouraging its people to scour the world for new ideas in science, technology and management.
One first step was to promote talent at home. Many universities had been closed during the Cultural Revolution,which ended with Mao's death in 1976.When he returned to power in 1977,Deng embarked on a colossal rush to hold national entrance examinations and reopen universities.
Deng also frequently invited ChineseAmerican scientists for talks. His key question was always: How can China catch up in science? In 1978, when Frank Press, President Jimmy Carter's science adviser, visited China, he was taken aback when Deng proposed sending far more students and faculty to the United States than Dr Press had the mandate to offer.Deng was so insistent on a quick answer that Dr Press called President Carter,waking him in the middle of the night.President Carter immediately accepted Deng's proposals.
In the 30 years since Deng started his revolution and further opened China's doors to foreign trade and investment,hundreds of millions have risen above the poverty level, China has become the workshop of the world, urban slums have been replaced by forests of modern high-rise buildings, superhighways have succeeded dirt roads and cars have displaced donkey carts.
To be sure, the last 30 years have had plenty of problems - corruption, crackdowns on dissidents, environmental degradation, unequal educational opportunities and a failing rural health system.Chinese leaders lacking confidence in their ability to maintain public order are not likely to listen to Western advice on how to handle human rights, minorities and dissidents.
China will move at its own pace, but Deng's revolution demonstrated that it is able to take positive lessons from the West. So on this 60th anniversary, we should join in the celebration of the Deng revolution and not be distracted by the portrait of Mao hanging in Tiananmen Square.NY TIMES
Ezra F Vogel, a professor emeritus at Harvard, is writing a book about Deng Xiaoping.
For the Chinese who had for years endured Japanese occupation, 1949 brought the promise of a new era. But a decade later, the puffed-up National Day celebrations could not mask the widespread starvation that resulted from Mao's commune system. Later, Mao's Red Guards terrorised the country, killing intellectuals and officials. The world shrank away. At a low point in the Cultural Revolution, China had only one ambassador abroad, in Cairo. In isolation, China fell far behind other East Asian countries.
Like Germans who asked why they followed the Nazis, thoughtful Chinese wonder why they continue to follow Mao even after disaster struck. Outsiders also ask why a people who rejected communist utopianism and class struggle celebrated the 60th anniversary under a large portrait of Mao in Tiananmen Square.
One reason is that after Mao's death,Chinese leaders considered how the entire Soviet leadership lost political authority after 1956, when Khrushchev thoroughly denounced Stalin. They thus decided to keep images of Mao even as they departed from his visions and ideol-ogy. Also, the Chinese understand that Mao's achievements of the first seven years of the revolution, especially in unifying the country and building local organisations, formed a base for what his successors accomplished. Still, most Chinese recognise that the true revolution belongs to Deng Xiaoping. No specific reforms were as important as his persistence in further opening China's doors and encouraging its people to scour the world for new ideas in science, technology and management.
One first step was to promote talent at home. Many universities had been closed during the Cultural Revolution,which ended with Mao's death in 1976.When he returned to power in 1977,Deng embarked on a colossal rush to hold national entrance examinations and reopen universities.
Deng also frequently invited ChineseAmerican scientists for talks. His key question was always: How can China catch up in science? In 1978, when Frank Press, President Jimmy Carter's science adviser, visited China, he was taken aback when Deng proposed sending far more students and faculty to the United States than Dr Press had the mandate to offer.Deng was so insistent on a quick answer that Dr Press called President Carter,waking him in the middle of the night.President Carter immediately accepted Deng's proposals.
In the 30 years since Deng started his revolution and further opened China's doors to foreign trade and investment,hundreds of millions have risen above the poverty level, China has become the workshop of the world, urban slums have been replaced by forests of modern high-rise buildings, superhighways have succeeded dirt roads and cars have displaced donkey carts.
To be sure, the last 30 years have had plenty of problems - corruption, crackdowns on dissidents, environmental degradation, unequal educational opportunities and a failing rural health system.Chinese leaders lacking confidence in their ability to maintain public order are not likely to listen to Western advice on how to handle human rights, minorities and dissidents.
China will move at its own pace, but Deng's revolution demonstrated that it is able to take positive lessons from the West. So on this 60th anniversary, we should join in the celebration of the Deng revolution and not be distracted by the portrait of Mao hanging in Tiananmen Square.NY TIMES
Ezra F Vogel, a professor emeritus at Harvard, is writing a book about Deng Xiaoping.
Red flags still fly for Mao Zedong
On Oct 1,1959, I took part in a parade for the 10th anniversary of the communist revolution that led to the founding of the People's Republic of China. I was a middle-school student in the central city of Xian, and my classmates and I gathered at school before dawn.We marched into the city's main square,where senior party leaders would review the parade.
As members of the Young Pioneers,acCommunist youth organisation, we were all in uniform- we boys in crisp white shirts tucked into navy slacks and the girls in white shirts and blue pleated skirts that swayed in the brisk morning breeze. Each of us had a red scarf neatly tied around the neck. We were like meticulously arranged flowers, waiting for inspection.
The senior party leaders showed up late, as usual. By the time they delivered their slogan-filled speeches and initiated the flag-raising ceremony, we had already been standing like statues for several hours, our feet planted to the ground.Nobody was allowed to make a noise or leave the group, even though I badly needed to answer the call of nature.Instead, I raised my arms repeatedly and joined the crowd in shouting:"Long live the Chinese Communist Party! Long live Chairman Mao!"
Standing next to me was a student who seemed to share my anxiety. She was pretty, with closely cropped hair.Her eyes darted around impatiently. We waved our arms, chanting slogans like everyone else.
Suddenly, I saw a trail of tears rolling down her cheeks. I first thought she had been caught up in the revolutionary euphoria, but then I noticed that she seemed to be embarrassed by something. She kept adjusting her skirt with her hands.I looked closer and saw that she had wet herself. I untied my red scarf and tucked it into her hands.
Our political instructor used to tell us that the red colour of our national flag symbolised the blood shed by communists who had sacrificed their lives for the country. We were told to treat our scarves like parts of the flag. So as I quietly tossed away my stained scarf at the end of the ceremony, a vague sense of fear flashed through my mind.
In 1963, I entered college. All freshmen had to undergo a month of intensive training to prepare for the anniversary parade. On the morning of Oct 1, we goose-stepped in unison, passing the podium and saluting the leaders. Once again,there were red flags everywhere. Colourful floats depicted another bumper harvest.People shouted slogans at the top of their lungs, touting the so-called accomplishments of the Great Leap Forward campaign. I later heard that more than 20 million Chinese had starved to death as a result of that disastrous programme.
It was on the eve of another National Day, in 1968, that the security police suddenly arrested me and put me in a detention centre without any explanation. During interrogation, I found out that my "crime" was related to a letter I had written a year before to the Moscow University Library, requesting a copy of "Dr Zhivago", which was banned in China as counter-revolutionary. The police had intercepted the letter and had been monitoring me for quite some time.
I was sentenced to three years of reeducation in a labour camp, where I spent two National Days behind bars.On those days, prisoners were granted a reprieve from working in the fields.National Day was a holiday for the guards,who simply locked us inside while they went home. We were able to enjoy a day without supervision. More important,every prisoner would get a few morsels of pork in his meal, which normally featured half-rotten vegetables, thin corn gruel and steamed corn buns.
So while the whole country was involved in the Oct 1 celebration, we huddled inside our cells, chatting and playing cards, a rare break from the daily grind of hard labour. The parade, the fireworks and the slogan shouting seemed as remote as a half-forgotten dream.
In September 1971, I was released from jail and arrived home a few days before National Day, which was unusually quiet. Later, through the rumour mill,people learned that the plane of Defence Minister Lin Biao had mysteriously crashed in Mongolia.(Lin, once seen as a possible successor to Mao, had fallen from favour.) The authorities scrambled for an appropriate public explanation.Lin's absence at major public events could certainly fuel speculation that could damage Mao's reputation. To buy time,the government cancelled the parades that were supposed to glorify the Great Leader and his successor.
Mao soon grew ill and was no longer in the mood to go to Tiananmen and wave to the adoring masses. Red October lost its lustre and we were finally free to celebrate National Day at home.
This Oct 1, the elaborate parades and tight control - returned. I watched from the United States as China's leadership orchestrated a huge celebration to showcase its wealth and military prowess - while the familiar red flags flew over the capital.
Tens of thousands of policemen and volunteers were sent in to maintain security. The party tried to control the weather and even regulate the movement of pigeons. Dissidents were under surveillance or in jail. I couldn't help but think that while China has made great material progress over the last 30 years,Mao is still clearly the patriarch of the Communist Party.
As members of the Young Pioneers,acCommunist youth organisation, we were all in uniform- we boys in crisp white shirts tucked into navy slacks and the girls in white shirts and blue pleated skirts that swayed in the brisk morning breeze. Each of us had a red scarf neatly tied around the neck. We were like meticulously arranged flowers, waiting for inspection.
The senior party leaders showed up late, as usual. By the time they delivered their slogan-filled speeches and initiated the flag-raising ceremony, we had already been standing like statues for several hours, our feet planted to the ground.Nobody was allowed to make a noise or leave the group, even though I badly needed to answer the call of nature.Instead, I raised my arms repeatedly and joined the crowd in shouting:"Long live the Chinese Communist Party! Long live Chairman Mao!"
Standing next to me was a student who seemed to share my anxiety. She was pretty, with closely cropped hair.Her eyes darted around impatiently. We waved our arms, chanting slogans like everyone else.
Suddenly, I saw a trail of tears rolling down her cheeks. I first thought she had been caught up in the revolutionary euphoria, but then I noticed that she seemed to be embarrassed by something. She kept adjusting her skirt with her hands.I looked closer and saw that she had wet herself. I untied my red scarf and tucked it into her hands.
Our political instructor used to tell us that the red colour of our national flag symbolised the blood shed by communists who had sacrificed their lives for the country. We were told to treat our scarves like parts of the flag. So as I quietly tossed away my stained scarf at the end of the ceremony, a vague sense of fear flashed through my mind.
In 1963, I entered college. All freshmen had to undergo a month of intensive training to prepare for the anniversary parade. On the morning of Oct 1, we goose-stepped in unison, passing the podium and saluting the leaders. Once again,there were red flags everywhere. Colourful floats depicted another bumper harvest.People shouted slogans at the top of their lungs, touting the so-called accomplishments of the Great Leap Forward campaign. I later heard that more than 20 million Chinese had starved to death as a result of that disastrous programme.
It was on the eve of another National Day, in 1968, that the security police suddenly arrested me and put me in a detention centre without any explanation. During interrogation, I found out that my "crime" was related to a letter I had written a year before to the Moscow University Library, requesting a copy of "Dr Zhivago", which was banned in China as counter-revolutionary. The police had intercepted the letter and had been monitoring me for quite some time.
I was sentenced to three years of reeducation in a labour camp, where I spent two National Days behind bars.On those days, prisoners were granted a reprieve from working in the fields.National Day was a holiday for the guards,who simply locked us inside while they went home. We were able to enjoy a day without supervision. More important,every prisoner would get a few morsels of pork in his meal, which normally featured half-rotten vegetables, thin corn gruel and steamed corn buns.
So while the whole country was involved in the Oct 1 celebration, we huddled inside our cells, chatting and playing cards, a rare break from the daily grind of hard labour. The parade, the fireworks and the slogan shouting seemed as remote as a half-forgotten dream.
In September 1971, I was released from jail and arrived home a few days before National Day, which was unusually quiet. Later, through the rumour mill,people learned that the plane of Defence Minister Lin Biao had mysteriously crashed in Mongolia.(Lin, once seen as a possible successor to Mao, had fallen from favour.) The authorities scrambled for an appropriate public explanation.Lin's absence at major public events could certainly fuel speculation that could damage Mao's reputation. To buy time,the government cancelled the parades that were supposed to glorify the Great Leader and his successor.
Mao soon grew ill and was no longer in the mood to go to Tiananmen and wave to the adoring masses. Red October lost its lustre and we were finally free to celebrate National Day at home.
This Oct 1, the elaborate parades and tight control - returned. I watched from the United States as China's leadership orchestrated a huge celebration to showcase its wealth and military prowess - while the familiar red flags flew over the capital.
Tens of thousands of policemen and volunteers were sent in to maintain security. The party tried to control the weather and even regulate the movement of pigeons. Dissidents were under surveillance or in jail. I couldn't help but think that while China has made great material progress over the last 30 years,Mao is still clearly the patriarch of the Communist Party.
Economy looms large over vote
Greeks voted in a snap election yesterday with the opposition socialists vowing to force Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis out of power and drag the economy away from recession.
Final opinion polls put George Papandreou's socialist Pasok party between five and seven percentage points ahead of the ruling New Democracy party going into the election.
"I am certain that together we will change Greece," Mr Papandreou said after casting his vote in Athens.
"We want to do it, we can do it, and we will achieve it," added the former foreign minister and son of late prime minister Andreas Papandreou.
Mr Karamanlis also said his party would win."I have complete confidence in citizens' maturity," Mr Karamanlis said after voting in his home city of Thessaloniki.
New Democracy, which called the election halfway through a four year term, has been stung by corruption scandals but the economy has taken centre stage in the election campaign.
Buoyed for years by annual growth of about four percent, partly attributed to European Union funds, Greece is now on the brink of recession with output growth near zero.
Greece's public debt, one of the highest in the eurozone, is set to exceed 100% of GDP this year, and the EU placed the country under supervision in April over its excessive budget deficit.
Mr Karamanlis has promised a twoyear austerity policy coupled with a crackdown on tax evasion.
Mr Papandreou proposes to invigorate the economy with salary and pension hikes above the rate of inflation in 2010.
He has announced a 100-day plan to boost the market, create jobs and clean up public finances.
"Massive sums are being lost [to corruption]," Mr Papandreou added.
Under the current electoral law the socialists will need to win between 40 and 42% of the vote for a workable majority in parliament.
Many analysts say Pasok is assured of victory. The Karamanlis government currently holds a narrow one-seat majority in parliament.
Interior Minister Spyros Flogaitis said only minor incidents had been reported in the election.
In one a vote supervisor in Evrytania,central Greece was delayed for three hours by a rockslide and a 47-year-old man in the same area was arrested after insisting to rescind his vote, state television reports said.
Pasok must keep its voters from flocking to the fledgling Green party, which gained support after fires killed 77 people in 2007 and scorched Athens' eastern flank this summer.
The level of support for the Greens,who need 3% of the vote to enter parliament, could doom Pasok's aim of forming a government on its own.
"The undecided vote is around 10-15%," noted Thomas Gerakis, head of Marc polling institute.
"These voters could well turn to the smaller parties if the perception is that Pasok is going to win an outright majority," Mr Gerakis added.
Final opinion polls put George Papandreou's socialist Pasok party between five and seven percentage points ahead of the ruling New Democracy party going into the election.
"I am certain that together we will change Greece," Mr Papandreou said after casting his vote in Athens.
"We want to do it, we can do it, and we will achieve it," added the former foreign minister and son of late prime minister Andreas Papandreou.
Mr Karamanlis also said his party would win."I have complete confidence in citizens' maturity," Mr Karamanlis said after voting in his home city of Thessaloniki.
New Democracy, which called the election halfway through a four year term, has been stung by corruption scandals but the economy has taken centre stage in the election campaign.
Buoyed for years by annual growth of about four percent, partly attributed to European Union funds, Greece is now on the brink of recession with output growth near zero.
Greece's public debt, one of the highest in the eurozone, is set to exceed 100% of GDP this year, and the EU placed the country under supervision in April over its excessive budget deficit.
Mr Karamanlis has promised a twoyear austerity policy coupled with a crackdown on tax evasion.
Mr Papandreou proposes to invigorate the economy with salary and pension hikes above the rate of inflation in 2010.
He has announced a 100-day plan to boost the market, create jobs and clean up public finances.
"Massive sums are being lost [to corruption]," Mr Papandreou added.
Under the current electoral law the socialists will need to win between 40 and 42% of the vote for a workable majority in parliament.
Many analysts say Pasok is assured of victory. The Karamanlis government currently holds a narrow one-seat majority in parliament.
Interior Minister Spyros Flogaitis said only minor incidents had been reported in the election.
In one a vote supervisor in Evrytania,central Greece was delayed for three hours by a rockslide and a 47-year-old man in the same area was arrested after insisting to rescind his vote, state television reports said.
Pasok must keep its voters from flocking to the fledgling Green party, which gained support after fires killed 77 people in 2007 and scorched Athens' eastern flank this summer.
The level of support for the Greens,who need 3% of the vote to enter parliament, could doom Pasok's aim of forming a government on its own.
"The undecided vote is around 10-15%," noted Thomas Gerakis, head of Marc polling institute.
"These voters could well turn to the smaller parties if the perception is that Pasok is going to win an outright majority," Mr Gerakis added.
High court to rule on terror cases
Hot-button issues including gun rights and counterterrorism will be on the docket when the US Supreme Court, including newest member Sonia Sotomayor, begins a new term today.
The nation's highest court, whose decisions deeply affect US policy, will also go to work amid growing speculation over the possible departure of a judge.
The nine justices have agreed to examine 55 cases this term. They will soon decide whether to add to that roster an appeal brought by Guantanamo Bay detainees who have been cleared for release and want to resettle in the US.
Another sensitive case likely to be taken up by the court is President Barack Obama's request to block the release of photos showing detainee abuse at the hands of US personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite a court order demanding the images be made public.
The justices have already agreed to take on a case that involves defining the parameters of the term "material support to terrorism", a charge that has been levelled in recent years in dozens of cases to obtain some 60 convictions. It has become an important tool for prosecutors because it is such a broad term.
But its use is being contested by a rights group on behalf of an organisation that has worked on closely with members of the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Tamil Tigers.
Whatever decision the court makes,it will affect dozens of detainees at Guantanamo who have had the charge levelled against them.
On gun rights, the court will hear a case asking it to specify whether its June 2008 ruling confirming Americans' rights to bear firearms, at home and for self defence, applies even where local and state governments ban weapons.
The justices will also decide whether minors can be sentenced to life in prison without parole for crimes other than murder. About 100 prisoners face this situation in the US.
The court also will be asked to decide whether the immunity of former Somali prime minister Mohammed Ali Samatar can be lifted to allow him to be pursued for alleged torture and murders committed in the 1980s.
The nation's highest court, whose decisions deeply affect US policy, will also go to work amid growing speculation over the possible departure of a judge.
The nine justices have agreed to examine 55 cases this term. They will soon decide whether to add to that roster an appeal brought by Guantanamo Bay detainees who have been cleared for release and want to resettle in the US.
Another sensitive case likely to be taken up by the court is President Barack Obama's request to block the release of photos showing detainee abuse at the hands of US personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite a court order demanding the images be made public.
The justices have already agreed to take on a case that involves defining the parameters of the term "material support to terrorism", a charge that has been levelled in recent years in dozens of cases to obtain some 60 convictions. It has become an important tool for prosecutors because it is such a broad term.
But its use is being contested by a rights group on behalf of an organisation that has worked on closely with members of the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Tamil Tigers.
Whatever decision the court makes,it will affect dozens of detainees at Guantanamo who have had the charge levelled against them.
On gun rights, the court will hear a case asking it to specify whether its June 2008 ruling confirming Americans' rights to bear firearms, at home and for self defence, applies even where local and state governments ban weapons.
The justices will also decide whether minors can be sentenced to life in prison without parole for crimes other than murder. About 100 prisoners face this situation in the US.
The court also will be asked to decide whether the immunity of former Somali prime minister Mohammed Ali Samatar can be lifted to allow him to be pursued for alleged torture and murders committed in the 1980s.
Month-long reunification celebrations start in Berlin
Gigantic puppets starred at celebrations marking the 19th anniversary of German unification in Berlin on Saturday as tens of thousands watched the mechanical marionettes on their walk through the city.
At the capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate, for 45 years the border between communist east and capitalist west, a 5m little girl giant from the east reunited with a 15m giant "relative" from the west as on-lookers cheered.
The two puppets, part of a show designed by artists and technicians of French troupe Royal de Luxe, hugged and kissed after a walkabout of several kilometres through the once divided city.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany's first head of government to grow up in East Germany, hailed East Germans'determination to bring down the communist regime 20 years ago which led to German unification a year later.
The 1.6-million (78.4 million baht)Royal de Luxe show is part of a host of celebrations in the runup to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov 9. They will peak with a party on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate on Nov 9 to which the last Soviet leader,Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as leaders from the 27-nation European Union and other countries have been invited.
Festivals, concerts and parades across the country marked the beginning of reunification celebrations on Saturday.
Germany was separated into Sovietaligned East Germany and Nato-allied West Germany for more than four decades until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and official reunification in 1990.
In a speech in the southwestern city of Saarbruecken, Chancellor Merkel told a crowd of about 1,000 that German unity had not just "fallen from the sky"but was the result of years of "courage and determination". She added Germans need to keep this in mind when faced with issues like the current economic crisis or other global problems:"Freedom and responsibility go together," she said.
Security was tight, following a series of threats by Islamic extremists that specifically mentioned Germany.
At the capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate, for 45 years the border between communist east and capitalist west, a 5m little girl giant from the east reunited with a 15m giant "relative" from the west as on-lookers cheered.
The two puppets, part of a show designed by artists and technicians of French troupe Royal de Luxe, hugged and kissed after a walkabout of several kilometres through the once divided city.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany's first head of government to grow up in East Germany, hailed East Germans'determination to bring down the communist regime 20 years ago which led to German unification a year later.
The 1.6-million (78.4 million baht)Royal de Luxe show is part of a host of celebrations in the runup to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov 9. They will peak with a party on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate on Nov 9 to which the last Soviet leader,Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as leaders from the 27-nation European Union and other countries have been invited.
Festivals, concerts and parades across the country marked the beginning of reunification celebrations on Saturday.
Germany was separated into Sovietaligned East Germany and Nato-allied West Germany for more than four decades until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and official reunification in 1990.
In a speech in the southwestern city of Saarbruecken, Chancellor Merkel told a crowd of about 1,000 that German unity had not just "fallen from the sky"but was the result of years of "courage and determination". She added Germans need to keep this in mind when faced with issues like the current economic crisis or other global problems:"Freedom and responsibility go together," she said.
Security was tight, following a series of threats by Islamic extremists that specifically mentioned Germany.
EU leaders take heart in Irish "yes" vote
Relieved EU leaders hailed Ireland's vote to accept a key reform treaty as attention turned yesterday to the last two nations holding up the moves to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc.
Irish voters backed the Lisbon Treaty by 67% to 33% in a referendum which overturned their rejection of the treaty last year.
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen called it "a good day for Ireland and ...a good day for Europe".
European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso called the vote a "sign of confidence".
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for new pressure on final holdouts Poland and Czech Republic to quickly ratify the treaty.
"France wants the states which have not yet done so, to finish the ratification procedure as quickly as possible so that the Lisbon Treaty can be implemented before the end of the year, as the 27 promised," Mr Sarkozy said.
The French leader called on Sweden,which currently holds the EU presidency,"to take all necessary initiatives so that the Lisbon Treaty quickly comes into force". Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said he had called a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer and Mr Barroso,"to decide the action to take to advance the situation".
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski has said he would sign the treaty if Ireland voted yes. A euro-sceptic, Mr Kaczynski had no immediate comment on the Ireland result. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for quick action.
"I hope that now President Kaczynski will sign the treaty very quickly as he promised," Mr Tusk said.
"Europe is waiting."Polish officials said the signature could come within days.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, another fierce opponent of the Lisbon Treaty,said ratification was "not on the cards"after the country's constitutional court ordered him not to sign the treaty.
The court is to rule on whether the treaty breaches the Czech constitution but the ruling could take several weeks.
Doubts also linger about Britain,where the opposition Conservatives have said that if they win a national election next year they will order a referendum if the treaty has not been approved by all 27 nations.
"I think people in this country will be frustrated and angry that Ireland has been able to vote twice on a treaty that changes the way we're governed and yet we haven't been able to vote once," said Conservative leader David Cameron. But British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the result cleared the way for the EU "to focus on the issues that matter most to Europeans:a sustained economic recovery, security,tackling global poverty, and action on climate change".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said she was "very happy" because Ireland's move was "an important step"towards implementing the treaty.
The treaty, which creates a full-time EU president and a foreign affairs supremo, must be ratified by all 27 EU members to come into effect.
Ireland's first rejection in 2008 almost derailed the reforms.
The new vote went ahead against a backdrop of severe economic recession which experts said pushed Irish people back into the European fold.
Dublin held another referendum after securing guarantees on key policy areas which it felt had led to last year's rejection, including military neutrality,abortion and tax laws.
The result was welcomed in the Balkans, where EU membership candidates, including Serbia, had feared a second Irish "no" vote would ruin their chances of joining the bloc.
The "yes" vote "has opened doors to Europe that will have space for all European nations, including those from the western Balkans", Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said.
Ireland's "yes" vote has also intensified the unofficial race for the EU's new top jobs. Top EU figures would like the posts to be assigned at the next EU summit this month, and lobbying is already underway.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair is the early favourite to become the first EU president, with support from London and Paris.
But Mr Blair still suffers from his close alliance with former US president George W. Bush, whom he helped to launch the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Irish voters backed the Lisbon Treaty by 67% to 33% in a referendum which overturned their rejection of the treaty last year.
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen called it "a good day for Ireland and ...a good day for Europe".
European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso called the vote a "sign of confidence".
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for new pressure on final holdouts Poland and Czech Republic to quickly ratify the treaty.
"France wants the states which have not yet done so, to finish the ratification procedure as quickly as possible so that the Lisbon Treaty can be implemented before the end of the year, as the 27 promised," Mr Sarkozy said.
The French leader called on Sweden,which currently holds the EU presidency,"to take all necessary initiatives so that the Lisbon Treaty quickly comes into force". Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said he had called a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer and Mr Barroso,"to decide the action to take to advance the situation".
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski has said he would sign the treaty if Ireland voted yes. A euro-sceptic, Mr Kaczynski had no immediate comment on the Ireland result. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for quick action.
"I hope that now President Kaczynski will sign the treaty very quickly as he promised," Mr Tusk said.
"Europe is waiting."Polish officials said the signature could come within days.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, another fierce opponent of the Lisbon Treaty,said ratification was "not on the cards"after the country's constitutional court ordered him not to sign the treaty.
The court is to rule on whether the treaty breaches the Czech constitution but the ruling could take several weeks.
Doubts also linger about Britain,where the opposition Conservatives have said that if they win a national election next year they will order a referendum if the treaty has not been approved by all 27 nations.
"I think people in this country will be frustrated and angry that Ireland has been able to vote twice on a treaty that changes the way we're governed and yet we haven't been able to vote once," said Conservative leader David Cameron. But British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the result cleared the way for the EU "to focus on the issues that matter most to Europeans:a sustained economic recovery, security,tackling global poverty, and action on climate change".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said she was "very happy" because Ireland's move was "an important step"towards implementing the treaty.
The treaty, which creates a full-time EU president and a foreign affairs supremo, must be ratified by all 27 EU members to come into effect.
Ireland's first rejection in 2008 almost derailed the reforms.
The new vote went ahead against a backdrop of severe economic recession which experts said pushed Irish people back into the European fold.
Dublin held another referendum after securing guarantees on key policy areas which it felt had led to last year's rejection, including military neutrality,abortion and tax laws.
The result was welcomed in the Balkans, where EU membership candidates, including Serbia, had feared a second Irish "no" vote would ruin their chances of joining the bloc.
The "yes" vote "has opened doors to Europe that will have space for all European nations, including those from the western Balkans", Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said.
Ireland's "yes" vote has also intensified the unofficial race for the EU's new top jobs. Top EU figures would like the posts to be assigned at the next EU summit this month, and lobbying is already underway.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair is the early favourite to become the first EU president, with support from London and Paris.
But Mr Blair still suffers from his close alliance with former US president George W. Bush, whom he helped to launch the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Philippine govt under fire over response
As entire suburbs of Manila remain under water and evacuees wait in vain for food a week after deadly floods, the Philippine government is drawing anger over not being prepared for the disaster.
Sanitation for about half a million people in temporary evacuation centres,remains dismal, increasing the risk of disease, while debris is still piled on the streets, clogging drains.
Even President Gloria Arroyo has flashed her irritation at the government's response since tropical storm Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in 40 years on the nation's capital on Sept 26.
"This is not good enough in a time of crisis," she admonished one official late last week during a nationally televised meeting of government administrators to discuss the relief efforts.
Critics say successive governments of the country of 92 million people have failed to adequately prepare for the earthquakes and typhoons that inevitably come its way given its location.
"In a land lashed by no less than 20 storms during the typhoon season, we have not built up a disaster relief mech-anism," political analyst Amando Doronilla wrote in the Philippine Daily Inquirer ."From the first hours of the flood, the government failed to exist. The army and police were caught off-guard. They ran out of inflated rubber boats to rescue people stranded in their homes or carried away by flood waters."
The official death toll from the floods in the Philippines stands at 293, although dozens more are missing.
More emergency aid reached southern Laos yesterday, officials said after Ketsana left at least 24 people dead there.
"They've already started going out and helping people, giving out water and food," said Sally Sakulku, of Britishbased Health Unlimited, referring to her staff in hardest-hit Attapeu province.
"It's accessible now."Flood waters left the rugged region reachable only by helicopter and boat until limited road access opened on Saturday. Ms Sakulku said her teams expected to reach about 1,000 families by nightfall last night in Attapeu, which borders Cambodia.
The death toll from Typhoon Ketsana in Vietnam jumped to 162 yesterday with hundreds more injured, an official said, adding urgency to a Red Cross appeal launched to help more than 200,000 storm victims.
Another 13 people remain missing and 616 are injured, said the official from the national flood and storm control committee in Hanoi.
Ketsana affected 14 provinces, according to officials, but about half the deaths happened in just two areas: the central fishing province of Quang Ngai and mountainous Kon Tum. There were 47 dead in Kon Tum and 33 in Quang Ngai, officials said yesterday.
The Red Cross said it needs help to provide rice, fresh water, and rebuild destroyed homes.
"We are very happy to receive any support, money or goods," Doan Van Thai, secretary-general of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, said on Saturday.
Meanwhile Taiwan yesterday said that Typhoon Parma may be approaching the island, but it was still 310km away.It is predicted to circle around the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan and the Philippines and then turn southwest,a weather bureau official said.
Sanitation for about half a million people in temporary evacuation centres,remains dismal, increasing the risk of disease, while debris is still piled on the streets, clogging drains.
Even President Gloria Arroyo has flashed her irritation at the government's response since tropical storm Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in 40 years on the nation's capital on Sept 26.
"This is not good enough in a time of crisis," she admonished one official late last week during a nationally televised meeting of government administrators to discuss the relief efforts.
Critics say successive governments of the country of 92 million people have failed to adequately prepare for the earthquakes and typhoons that inevitably come its way given its location.
"In a land lashed by no less than 20 storms during the typhoon season, we have not built up a disaster relief mech-anism," political analyst Amando Doronilla wrote in the Philippine Daily Inquirer ."From the first hours of the flood, the government failed to exist. The army and police were caught off-guard. They ran out of inflated rubber boats to rescue people stranded in their homes or carried away by flood waters."
The official death toll from the floods in the Philippines stands at 293, although dozens more are missing.
More emergency aid reached southern Laos yesterday, officials said after Ketsana left at least 24 people dead there.
"They've already started going out and helping people, giving out water and food," said Sally Sakulku, of Britishbased Health Unlimited, referring to her staff in hardest-hit Attapeu province.
"It's accessible now."Flood waters left the rugged region reachable only by helicopter and boat until limited road access opened on Saturday. Ms Sakulku said her teams expected to reach about 1,000 families by nightfall last night in Attapeu, which borders Cambodia.
The death toll from Typhoon Ketsana in Vietnam jumped to 162 yesterday with hundreds more injured, an official said, adding urgency to a Red Cross appeal launched to help more than 200,000 storm victims.
Another 13 people remain missing and 616 are injured, said the official from the national flood and storm control committee in Hanoi.
Ketsana affected 14 provinces, according to officials, but about half the deaths happened in just two areas: the central fishing province of Quang Ngai and mountainous Kon Tum. There were 47 dead in Kon Tum and 33 in Quang Ngai, officials said yesterday.
The Red Cross said it needs help to provide rice, fresh water, and rebuild destroyed homes.
"We are very happy to receive any support, money or goods," Doan Van Thai, secretary-general of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, said on Saturday.
Meanwhile Taiwan yesterday said that Typhoon Parma may be approaching the island, but it was still 310km away.It is predicted to circle around the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan and the Philippines and then turn southwest,a weather bureau official said.
LEE WANTS US ROLE IN REGION
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has signalled a regional groping proposed by Japan's new premier should involve the United States, news reports said yesterday.
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who took office last month, has outlined his long-term vision for a European Union-style economic and political alliance of Asian nations under a single regional currency.
Lee, who will begin his four-day visit to Japan today, told Japanese media in Singapore that the proposed regional community should not be a closed group.
"It is in Japan's and the region's interest to keep the regional architecture open and inclusive," Lee said in his written response to the media.
"We must also maintain the strong economic and security ties between Asia and the US across the Pacific," the Singapore premier said.
"[But as] there have so far been faw details about the East Asia Community proposal, I look forward to understanding better from Prime Minister Hatoyama what he has in mind," he added.
Hatoyama unveiled the proposal in an article ahead of his party's landslide win in the August 30 general elections tha ended more than half a century of almost unbroken conservative rule.
Lee, who will be the first head of government to visit Japan since hatoyama's inauguration on September 16, said he wants to maintain close ties with the Hatoyama administration.
"Japan is a very important regional and international player [and] much has changed since my last visit in March 2007," Lee said.
"I look forward to fruitful and substantive discussions with Prime Minister Hatoyama and his colleagues," he added.
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who took office last month, has outlined his long-term vision for a European Union-style economic and political alliance of Asian nations under a single regional currency.
Lee, who will begin his four-day visit to Japan today, told Japanese media in Singapore that the proposed regional community should not be a closed group.
"It is in Japan's and the region's interest to keep the regional architecture open and inclusive," Lee said in his written response to the media.
"We must also maintain the strong economic and security ties between Asia and the US across the Pacific," the Singapore premier said.
"[But as] there have so far been faw details about the East Asia Community proposal, I look forward to understanding better from Prime Minister Hatoyama what he has in mind," he added.
Hatoyama unveiled the proposal in an article ahead of his party's landslide win in the August 30 general elections tha ended more than half a century of almost unbroken conservative rule.
Lee, who will be the first head of government to visit Japan since hatoyama's inauguration on September 16, said he wants to maintain close ties with the Hatoyama administration.
"Japan is a very important regional and international player [and] much has changed since my last visit in March 2007," Lee said.
"I look forward to fruitful and substantive discussions with Prime Minister Hatoyama and his colleagues," he added.
Missing copter's wreckage finally found after 12 years
An army Hor Tor 206 helicopter which went missing 12 years ago has been found in jungle on the ThaiBurmese border in Umphang district.
The bodies of the pilot, Lt Adisak Pongpes, and three crew, Lt Charnvet Kiddee, SM 1 Anek Panchang and Sgt Jessada Thammasorn, have not been found.
A search team from the 4th Infantry Regiment in neighbouring Mae Sot district called an early halt to their recovery operation amid heavy rain after some team members developed a fever.
Phadung Yingphaiboon, commander of the regiment, said the team would go back when the weather improved.
The discovery has put to rest the long-held theory that the helicopter,flying on a patrol mission on Aug 28,1997, had been shot down by the Burmese military, Col Phadung said.Burma asked Thailand to mount the search, because it did not want the shadow of the old claims hanging over it.
Col Phadung said the search team found the helicopter had broken into two. The aircraft must have hit a large tree about 20 metres from where it was found, lost its balance, spun around,and then crashed into another large tree before falling to the ground, he said.
No burn marks were found on the wreckage, he said.
The bodies of the pilot, Lt Adisak Pongpes, and three crew, Lt Charnvet Kiddee, SM 1 Anek Panchang and Sgt Jessada Thammasorn, have not been found.
A search team from the 4th Infantry Regiment in neighbouring Mae Sot district called an early halt to their recovery operation amid heavy rain after some team members developed a fever.
Phadung Yingphaiboon, commander of the regiment, said the team would go back when the weather improved.
The discovery has put to rest the long-held theory that the helicopter,flying on a patrol mission on Aug 28,1997, had been shot down by the Burmese military, Col Phadung said.Burma asked Thailand to mount the search, because it did not want the shadow of the old claims hanging over it.
Col Phadung said the search team found the helicopter had broken into two. The aircraft must have hit a large tree about 20 metres from where it was found, lost its balance, spun around,and then crashed into another large tree before falling to the ground, he said.
No burn marks were found on the wreckage, he said.
Abhisit flags tourism as new hope
The government plans to overhaul the country's investment policy by replacing unwanted manufacturing projects with tourism developments, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.
The move follows the Central Administrative Court's order last Tuesday suspending the operating permits of 76 projects, many of them in the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and nearby areas in Rayong.
The government has appealed against the order to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Mr Abhisit said on his weekly TV and radio programme yesterday the government had assigned the National Economic and Social Development Board to study which industrial projects the country did not want and look into the possibility of whether tourism projects could replace them.
The impact of those scrapped projects on the economy and job creation would also be studied.
Mr Abhisit said the government was trying to balance the interests between industrial developers and local communities.
He said it was necessary for the government to appeal the court order regarding the industrial projects as it wanted to see what final guidelines the court would give for projects that have been granted government approval.
Meanwhile Suthi Atchasai, a leader of the People's Eastern Network, yesterday denounced the government's decision to appeal the court ruling,saying the appeal was not appropriate as Map Ta Phut residents would be badly affected if the projects went ahead.
Mr Suthi lashed out at the government for paying too much attention to the economy and industrial development and ignoring the plight of local residents living near the project sites.
He vowed to lead local residents to Bangkok on foot to protest against the government's decision.
He said unless the government changed its stand, his group would petition His Majesty against the government for failing to pay heed to the King's sufficiency economy concept.
The move follows the Central Administrative Court's order last Tuesday suspending the operating permits of 76 projects, many of them in the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and nearby areas in Rayong.
The government has appealed against the order to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Mr Abhisit said on his weekly TV and radio programme yesterday the government had assigned the National Economic and Social Development Board to study which industrial projects the country did not want and look into the possibility of whether tourism projects could replace them.
The impact of those scrapped projects on the economy and job creation would also be studied.
Mr Abhisit said the government was trying to balance the interests between industrial developers and local communities.
He said it was necessary for the government to appeal the court order regarding the industrial projects as it wanted to see what final guidelines the court would give for projects that have been granted government approval.
Meanwhile Suthi Atchasai, a leader of the People's Eastern Network, yesterday denounced the government's decision to appeal the court ruling,saying the appeal was not appropriate as Map Ta Phut residents would be badly affected if the projects went ahead.
Mr Suthi lashed out at the government for paying too much attention to the economy and industrial development and ignoring the plight of local residents living near the project sites.
He vowed to lead local residents to Bangkok on foot to protest against the government's decision.
He said unless the government changed its stand, his group would petition His Majesty against the government for failing to pay heed to the King's sufficiency economy concept.
CPD IS AGAINST CHARTER CHANGES
The Campaign for Popular Democracy has voiced opposition to the government's bid to amend the 2007 Constitution, saying that such a move would only benefit politicians.
Suriyan Thongnu-ied, acting secretary-general, said yesterday that the proposed changes are not an issue for the general public because the charter is sufficiently progressive, especially in protecting civil liberties and community rights.
He said all previous charter amendments have failed to reduce the number of corrupt politicians.
"When politicians and governments are corrupt, there are arguments for the military to stage coups and nullify the charter. New charters are then written and amended. It's a vicious circle."
"If the government insists on charter amendment, there should be a referendum asking voters which articles of the charter should be amended instead of amending the charter first and then asking the people to endorse such revisions," he said.
Seri Suwannapanont, former deputy head of the charter-drafting committee, said it's obvious that politicians would gain from the proposed charter amendments, especially the government and the ruling Democrat Party.
The coalition partners also hope to use the movement to push for other issues such as an amnesty for ex-politicians, he added.
Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of New Politics Party, said the charter amendment could lead to a wider political rift and waste public funds since it costs about Bt2 billion to organise a nationwide referendum.
The proposed referendum on charter amendments could also be turned into a referendum on the fate of this government, he said.
Instead, the government should hold public hearings on the charter amendments as a means to educate the general public, he said.
In his weekly address, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the charter amendments would proceed under two guiding principles - the rewriting must foster the reconciliation of politicians and the proposed amendments must be endorsed by the people via a referendum.
The whips from all parties had agreed to frame the charter rewrite on six issues and the government would ensure the people to have the final say in the matter by voting in the referendum, he said.
He promised each of the six amendments would be enacted only after passing the referendum.
In regard to the timing of the referendum, the parties were weighing three options - before the drafting of amendments, after the completion of the draft and following the parliamentary deliberation.
The proponents and opponents of the charter rewrite would be allocated sufficient time to air their views ahead of the referendum, he said.
The referendum should take about 90 days to complete, he said.
Suriyan Thongnu-ied, acting secretary-general, said yesterday that the proposed changes are not an issue for the general public because the charter is sufficiently progressive, especially in protecting civil liberties and community rights.
He said all previous charter amendments have failed to reduce the number of corrupt politicians.
"When politicians and governments are corrupt, there are arguments for the military to stage coups and nullify the charter. New charters are then written and amended. It's a vicious circle."
"If the government insists on charter amendment, there should be a referendum asking voters which articles of the charter should be amended instead of amending the charter first and then asking the people to endorse such revisions," he said.
Seri Suwannapanont, former deputy head of the charter-drafting committee, said it's obvious that politicians would gain from the proposed charter amendments, especially the government and the ruling Democrat Party.
The coalition partners also hope to use the movement to push for other issues such as an amnesty for ex-politicians, he added.
Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of New Politics Party, said the charter amendment could lead to a wider political rift and waste public funds since it costs about Bt2 billion to organise a nationwide referendum.
The proposed referendum on charter amendments could also be turned into a referendum on the fate of this government, he said.
Instead, the government should hold public hearings on the charter amendments as a means to educate the general public, he said.
In his weekly address, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the charter amendments would proceed under two guiding principles - the rewriting must foster the reconciliation of politicians and the proposed amendments must be endorsed by the people via a referendum.
The whips from all parties had agreed to frame the charter rewrite on six issues and the government would ensure the people to have the final say in the matter by voting in the referendum, he said.
He promised each of the six amendments would be enacted only after passing the referendum.
In regard to the timing of the referendum, the parties were weighing three options - before the drafting of amendments, after the completion of the draft and following the parliamentary deliberation.
The proponents and opponents of the charter rewrite would be allocated sufficient time to air their views ahead of the referendum, he said.
The referendum should take about 90 days to complete, he said.
COALITION AGREES TO AMEND SIX POINTS
The coalition partners of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government yesterday endorsed a bid to amend six key points of the 2007 Constitution.
Newin Chidchob, who attended a high-powered meeting with the premier at Baan Phitsanulok on behalf of the Bhum Jai Thai Party, said there would be a separate draft for each of the key points for consideration by Parliament.
Abhisit declined to talk to reporters after the evening meeting, but there was reportedly a deal with other coalition party leaders.
The Abhisit government comprises six parties - the premier's Democrat Party, Newin's Bhum Jai Thai Party, Banharn Silapa-archa's Chart Thai Pattana Party, Suwat Liptapanlop's Ruam Jai Thai Party, Pinij Jarusombat's Puea Pandin Party and Suwit Khunkitti's Social Action Party.
All these coalition leaders were present at yesterday's meeting, even though they have been banned from politics for a five-year period.
One of the six key issues is to amend Article 237, which prescribes punishment by party dissolution in case of election fraud.
Another key issue is to regroup constituencies for the so-called one-man, one-vote system.
Newin, who has been a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in the coalition, said the Abhisit government could last until next June if the charter amendment goes smoothly.
Abhisit said during his weekly address that a referendum would be conducted for the people to vote on each of the six issues slated for rewriting.
Parliament is going to take charge of the drafting of the six amendments while the government will assist in organising the referendum, he said.
Before the casting of the referendum votes, the whips are expected to launch an awareness campaign to clearly explain the pros and cons of each issue to voters, he said.
He reminded critics not to be overly concerned about partisan interests related to the charter amendments, saying voters would not approve any self-serving amendments.
The charter amendments, if passed by Parliament and approved in the referendum, will likely lessen the polarisation, he said, noting much of the existing animosity among politicians stemmed from differing views on charter provisions. The people will be the final judge to render the verdict on all or parts of the amendments, he said.
For example, the proposed amendment of Article 237 should be decided by a referendum and not by politicians, he said. All views on the provision will be aired and the government will respect the conclusion formed by the people, he said.
Even though in his personal opinion, he thinks the punishment for election fraud should be aimed at party executives and not the party, he would respect the referendum outcome.
He dismissed speculation about his coalition trying to cling to power by stretching the drafting and referendum proceedings.
The rough estimate of nine months to complete the charter amendment was based on prescribed steps under the law, he said.
Newin Chidchob, who attended a high-powered meeting with the premier at Baan Phitsanulok on behalf of the Bhum Jai Thai Party, said there would be a separate draft for each of the key points for consideration by Parliament.
Abhisit declined to talk to reporters after the evening meeting, but there was reportedly a deal with other coalition party leaders.
The Abhisit government comprises six parties - the premier's Democrat Party, Newin's Bhum Jai Thai Party, Banharn Silapa-archa's Chart Thai Pattana Party, Suwat Liptapanlop's Ruam Jai Thai Party, Pinij Jarusombat's Puea Pandin Party and Suwit Khunkitti's Social Action Party.
All these coalition leaders were present at yesterday's meeting, even though they have been banned from politics for a five-year period.
One of the six key issues is to amend Article 237, which prescribes punishment by party dissolution in case of election fraud.
Another key issue is to regroup constituencies for the so-called one-man, one-vote system.
Newin, who has been a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in the coalition, said the Abhisit government could last until next June if the charter amendment goes smoothly.
Abhisit said during his weekly address that a referendum would be conducted for the people to vote on each of the six issues slated for rewriting.
Parliament is going to take charge of the drafting of the six amendments while the government will assist in organising the referendum, he said.
Before the casting of the referendum votes, the whips are expected to launch an awareness campaign to clearly explain the pros and cons of each issue to voters, he said.
He reminded critics not to be overly concerned about partisan interests related to the charter amendments, saying voters would not approve any self-serving amendments.
The charter amendments, if passed by Parliament and approved in the referendum, will likely lessen the polarisation, he said, noting much of the existing animosity among politicians stemmed from differing views on charter provisions. The people will be the final judge to render the verdict on all or parts of the amendments, he said.
For example, the proposed amendment of Article 237 should be decided by a referendum and not by politicians, he said. All views on the provision will be aired and the government will respect the conclusion formed by the people, he said.
Even though in his personal opinion, he thinks the punishment for election fraud should be aimed at party executives and not the party, he would respect the referendum outcome.
He dismissed speculation about his coalition trying to cling to power by stretching the drafting and referendum proceedings.
The rough estimate of nine months to complete the charter amendment was based on prescribed steps under the law, he said.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Junta urged to halt targeting minorities
Burma dissident groups yesterday called on the ruling junta to stop using violence against ethnic minorities, warning that its current policy will lead to more human rights violations and refugees.
The regime recently stepped up its decades-long campaign against minority groups, with offensives against ethnic Chinese rebels in the northeast in August and Christian Karen insurgents near the Thai border in June.
Analysts say the junta wants to crush such groups before the 2010 elections.
"We oppose the military regime's use of violence against ethnic nationalities,"said a joint statement by the All Burma Monks' Alliance, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions and the 88 Generation Students.
The statement, released via the Washington-based US Campaign for Burma, also accused the regime of using the "showcase" elections to forcibly enact a controversial new constitution that was pushed through by a referendum in 2008. The statement said the constitution "fails to guarantee the fundamental rights of ethnic nationalities and equality among all".
Last month's fighting with the ethnic Chinese Kokang rebels showed the junta had "unilaterally abolished" its ceasefire agreement with ethnic groups, which had lasted more than 20 years, the statement said.
The regime recently stepped up its decades-long campaign against minority groups, with offensives against ethnic Chinese rebels in the northeast in August and Christian Karen insurgents near the Thai border in June.
Analysts say the junta wants to crush such groups before the 2010 elections.
"We oppose the military regime's use of violence against ethnic nationalities,"said a joint statement by the All Burma Monks' Alliance, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions and the 88 Generation Students.
The statement, released via the Washington-based US Campaign for Burma, also accused the regime of using the "showcase" elections to forcibly enact a controversial new constitution that was pushed through by a referendum in 2008. The statement said the constitution "fails to guarantee the fundamental rights of ethnic nationalities and equality among all".
Last month's fighting with the ethnic Chinese Kokang rebels showed the junta had "unilaterally abolished" its ceasefire agreement with ethnic groups, which had lasted more than 20 years, the statement said.
Tycoon Bakrie has plan for presidency
Indonesian tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, who wants to run for president in 2014, believes that better infrastructure is more likely to attract foreign investors to Southeast Asia's biggest economy than fighting corruption.
Mr Bakrie, who is chief social minister in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government, is a member of the Golkar Party, the political machine which dominated parliament for decades under former president Suharto but which has lost much of its support in Indonesia's post-Suharto democracy.
Mr Bakrie, whose family controls coalminer Bumi Resources, plantations,property, and telecoms firms, is regarded as a holdover from the Suharto era. He is an opponent of Sri Mulyani Indrawati,the finance minister, who has promoted reform and the fight against graft.
Mr Bakrie also owns infrastructure businesses such as toll roads.
"What they [investors] want is infrastructure," followed by less red tape and more transparency," he said.
"During the Suharto era, total investment per year was much more than now, and at that time the corruption was a lot compared to now, yet they [foreigners] invested."
Foreign investors often cite corruption,bureaucracy, an unpredictable legal system and poor infrastructure as deterrents to investment, and many have welcomed progress so far in tackling graft.
Mr Bakrie said he expects to win next month's contest for the leadership of Golkar, defeating rivals Surya Paloh, a media magnate from Aceh, and Tommy Suharto, ex-president Suharto's wealthy youngest son who spent time in prison for ordering the murder of a judge.
But he does not want to be in the next cabinet or join Mr Yudhoyono's coalition for the next five-year term.
Golkar, which typically won 70-80%of the votes during president Suharto's rule, only got about 14% in the parliamentary elections in April. Mr Yudhoyono's Democrat Party will form the new government next month.
Mr Bakrie, who is chief social minister in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government, is a member of the Golkar Party, the political machine which dominated parliament for decades under former president Suharto but which has lost much of its support in Indonesia's post-Suharto democracy.
Mr Bakrie, whose family controls coalminer Bumi Resources, plantations,property, and telecoms firms, is regarded as a holdover from the Suharto era. He is an opponent of Sri Mulyani Indrawati,the finance minister, who has promoted reform and the fight against graft.
Mr Bakrie also owns infrastructure businesses such as toll roads.
"What they [investors] want is infrastructure," followed by less red tape and more transparency," he said.
"During the Suharto era, total investment per year was much more than now, and at that time the corruption was a lot compared to now, yet they [foreigners] invested."
Foreign investors often cite corruption,bureaucracy, an unpredictable legal system and poor infrastructure as deterrents to investment, and many have welcomed progress so far in tackling graft.
Mr Bakrie said he expects to win next month's contest for the leadership of Golkar, defeating rivals Surya Paloh, a media magnate from Aceh, and Tommy Suharto, ex-president Suharto's wealthy youngest son who spent time in prison for ordering the murder of a judge.
But he does not want to be in the next cabinet or join Mr Yudhoyono's coalition for the next five-year term.
Golkar, which typically won 70-80%of the votes during president Suharto's rule, only got about 14% in the parliamentary elections in April. Mr Yudhoyono's Democrat Party will form the new government next month.
Roxas aligns himself behind Aquino's bid for president
A Philippine opposition senator formally agreed yesterday to be the running mate of the son of late leader Corazon Aquino in next year's presidential election.
Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III declared his candidacy two weeks ago, saying he will run for president to continue the legacy of his mother, a democracy icon for standing up to dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
At a gathering yesterday of Liberal Party members and allies, Mr Aquino thanked Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, the party president, for foregoing his own presidential bid to be his running mate.
Both men come from wealthy clans with a long history in Philippine politics.
Mr Roxas is a former trade secretary,a US-trained economist and grandson of late Philippines president Manuel Roxas.
"I wholeheartedly accept the responsibility of being Noynoy's partner in his fight for change," Mr Roxas told a cheering crowd."Thank you for the privilege of joining you and all our countrymen in the fight for decency and integrity in public service."
President Gloria Arroyo, who lost the support of the Aquinos and former cabinet officials like Mr Roxas over charges of corruption and election fraud, is scheduled to step down after serving more than nine years in June 2010. She is not allowed to run for re-election.
The massive outpouring of sympathy for Corazon Aquino after her death from colon cancer last month prompted supporters of her son to urge Noynoy to run for president in the May 2010 election.
Despite a patchy record during her six years in office, Corazon Aquino remains a well-loved figure and is credited with restoring democratic institutions after Marcos'20 years of dictatorship.She became a focal point for opposition to Marcos after her husband, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr, was assassinated after returning from exile in 1983.Military kills Abu Sayyaf rebels
The Philippine military killed up to 17 Islamist extremists as it over-ran one of their main strongholds in the south of the country, a general said yesterday.
Following ground and air assaults,the soldiers took control of the Abu Sayyaf group's biggest camp on the island of Jolo on Sunday, said Major General Benjamin Dolorfino, head of military forces in the south.
The military recovered the bodies of two Abu Sayyaf fighters, according to Gen Dolorfino. But intelligence reports suggest 17 rebel deaths, he added.
"This is very significant, because this is their main sanctuary. This is the main stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf [on Jolo],"Gen Dolorfino said."We will build a detachment there so that their world will get even smaller."
Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III declared his candidacy two weeks ago, saying he will run for president to continue the legacy of his mother, a democracy icon for standing up to dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
At a gathering yesterday of Liberal Party members and allies, Mr Aquino thanked Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, the party president, for foregoing his own presidential bid to be his running mate.
Both men come from wealthy clans with a long history in Philippine politics.
Mr Roxas is a former trade secretary,a US-trained economist and grandson of late Philippines president Manuel Roxas.
"I wholeheartedly accept the responsibility of being Noynoy's partner in his fight for change," Mr Roxas told a cheering crowd."Thank you for the privilege of joining you and all our countrymen in the fight for decency and integrity in public service."
President Gloria Arroyo, who lost the support of the Aquinos and former cabinet officials like Mr Roxas over charges of corruption and election fraud, is scheduled to step down after serving more than nine years in June 2010. She is not allowed to run for re-election.
The massive outpouring of sympathy for Corazon Aquino after her death from colon cancer last month prompted supporters of her son to urge Noynoy to run for president in the May 2010 election.
Despite a patchy record during her six years in office, Corazon Aquino remains a well-loved figure and is credited with restoring democratic institutions after Marcos'20 years of dictatorship.She became a focal point for opposition to Marcos after her husband, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr, was assassinated after returning from exile in 1983.Military kills Abu Sayyaf rebels
The Philippine military killed up to 17 Islamist extremists as it over-ran one of their main strongholds in the south of the country, a general said yesterday.
Following ground and air assaults,the soldiers took control of the Abu Sayyaf group's biggest camp on the island of Jolo on Sunday, said Major General Benjamin Dolorfino, head of military forces in the south.
The military recovered the bodies of two Abu Sayyaf fighters, according to Gen Dolorfino. But intelligence reports suggest 17 rebel deaths, he added.
"This is very significant, because this is their main sanctuary. This is the main stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf [on Jolo],"Gen Dolorfino said."We will build a detachment there so that their world will get even smaller."
Monks "still incur wrath of military"
Burma's Buddhist monks face continuing intimidation, repression and incur severe jail sentences two years after the junta's crackdown on antigovernment protests, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.
The group said about 240 monks were serving tough prison terms, while thousands have been disrobed or live under "constant surveillance" following their leading role in the 2007 demonstrations.
The protests began as small rallies against the rising cost of living but escalated into huge demonstrations led by crowds of monks that posed the biggest challenge to junta rule in nearly two decades. This new report said the potential for a repeat of the protests is "very real" if the international community does not put pressure on the regime to enact credible political reform ahead of elections planned for 2010.
It details the arrest, beating and detention of individual monks after the 2007 uprising, in which at least 31 people were killed as security forces cracked down on protesters.
The junta has since closed down health and social service programmes run by local monastic groups across the country and intensified surveillance of monasteries, according to the report.
It said many monks, who also face repression for their important social service role after the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, have left their monasteries and returned to their villages or sought refuge abroad.
"The stories told by monks are sad and disturbing, but they exemplify the behaviour of Burma's military government as it clings to power through violence, fear, and repression," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"The monks retain a great deal of moral authority, making principled stands by monks very dangerous for a government that doesn't."
Meanwhile the rights group accused the junta of using Buddhism as a tool to gain political legitimacy - for example by lavishing gifts on selected senior monks and monasteries.
"It would not be surprising to see monks on the streets again if social grievances are not addressed," Mr Adams added.
The group said about 240 monks were serving tough prison terms, while thousands have been disrobed or live under "constant surveillance" following their leading role in the 2007 demonstrations.
The protests began as small rallies against the rising cost of living but escalated into huge demonstrations led by crowds of monks that posed the biggest challenge to junta rule in nearly two decades. This new report said the potential for a repeat of the protests is "very real" if the international community does not put pressure on the regime to enact credible political reform ahead of elections planned for 2010.
It details the arrest, beating and detention of individual monks after the 2007 uprising, in which at least 31 people were killed as security forces cracked down on protesters.
The junta has since closed down health and social service programmes run by local monastic groups across the country and intensified surveillance of monasteries, according to the report.
It said many monks, who also face repression for their important social service role after the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, have left their monasteries and returned to their villages or sought refuge abroad.
"The stories told by monks are sad and disturbing, but they exemplify the behaviour of Burma's military government as it clings to power through violence, fear, and repression," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"The monks retain a great deal of moral authority, making principled stands by monks very dangerous for a government that doesn't."
Meanwhile the rights group accused the junta of using Buddhism as a tool to gain political legitimacy - for example by lavishing gifts on selected senior monks and monasteries.
"It would not be surprising to see monks on the streets again if social grievances are not addressed," Mr Adams added.
US fears "war will fail" in Afghanistan
The war against Afghanistan's Taliban is likely to fail without additional forces and a new strategy,the top US and Nato commander said as President Barack Obama faces resistance at home to sending more troops.
Army General Stanley McChrystal, in a confidential assessment, said failure to gain the initiative and reverse "insurgent momentum" in the near term risked an outcome where "defeating the insurgency is no longer possible".
A copy of his 66-page assessment was obtained by the Washington Post and published on its website with some parts removed at the request of the government for security reasons.
Gen McChrystal is expected to ask for a troop increase in the coming weeks to stem gains by a resurgent Taliban.
The assessment stresses the need to engage with the Afghan people using a "new strategy" that requires a "dramatically" different approach to the war.
"Inadequate resources will likely result in failure. However, without a new strategy, the mission should not be resourced," Gen McChrystal is quoted as saying in the report.
Gen McChrystal has already drawn up his request for more troops, which some officials expect will include roughly 30,000 new combat troops and trainers,but he has yet to submit it to Washington for consideration. The Pentagon says it is discussing how he will submit it.
A request for more troops faces resistance from the Democratic Party,which controls Congress, and opinion polls show Americans are turning against the nearly eight-year-old war.
Mr Obama has said that he wanted to wait to determine the proper strategy for US forces in Afghanistan before considering whether more troops should be sent there.
"I just want to make sure that everybody understands that you don't make decisions about resources before you have the strategy ready," he said.
In his assessment, Gen McChrystal painted a grim picture of the war, saying "the overall situation is deteriorating".
He called for a "revolutionary" shift in strategy which puts as much emphasis on gaining the support of Afghans as it does on killing insurgents.
"The objective is the will of the people,our conventional warfare culture is part of the problem, the Afghans must ultimately defeat the insurgency," he wrote.
The war in Afghanistan is now at its deadliest. Gen McChrystal's assessment said militants had control over entire sections of the country, although it was difficult to say how much because of the limited presence of Nato troops.
He also strongly criticised the Afghan government as having lost the faith of the country's people.
"The weakness of state institutions,malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and Isaf's own errors,have given Afghans little reason to support their government," Gen McChrystal said, referring to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Tadd Sholtis said that while the assessment made clear that Gen McChrystal does not believe he can defeat Afghanistan's insurgency without additional troops,he could carry out a mission with different goals if ordered to by Mr Obama.
"The assessment is based on his understanding of the mission ... If there's a change in strategy, then the resources piece changes."
The number of US troops in Afghanistan has almost doubled this year from 32,000 to 62,000 and is expected to grow by another 6,000 by the year's end. There are also 40,000 troops from other nations,mainly Nato allies.
Fifty-eight percent of Americans now oppose the Afghan war while 39% support it, according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll.
Mr Obama's critics in Congress,including his 2008 Republican presidential opponent Senator John McCain, have urged the administration to approve the deployment of more troops immediately,saying any delay puts the lives of troops already in Afghanistan at greater risk.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday his party would support a troop increase if needed,adding he was troubled by the delay in the decision-making.
"We think the time for decision is now," Mr McConnell said.
Army General Stanley McChrystal, in a confidential assessment, said failure to gain the initiative and reverse "insurgent momentum" in the near term risked an outcome where "defeating the insurgency is no longer possible".
A copy of his 66-page assessment was obtained by the Washington Post and published on its website with some parts removed at the request of the government for security reasons.
Gen McChrystal is expected to ask for a troop increase in the coming weeks to stem gains by a resurgent Taliban.
The assessment stresses the need to engage with the Afghan people using a "new strategy" that requires a "dramatically" different approach to the war.
"Inadequate resources will likely result in failure. However, without a new strategy, the mission should not be resourced," Gen McChrystal is quoted as saying in the report.
Gen McChrystal has already drawn up his request for more troops, which some officials expect will include roughly 30,000 new combat troops and trainers,but he has yet to submit it to Washington for consideration. The Pentagon says it is discussing how he will submit it.
A request for more troops faces resistance from the Democratic Party,which controls Congress, and opinion polls show Americans are turning against the nearly eight-year-old war.
Mr Obama has said that he wanted to wait to determine the proper strategy for US forces in Afghanistan before considering whether more troops should be sent there.
"I just want to make sure that everybody understands that you don't make decisions about resources before you have the strategy ready," he said.
In his assessment, Gen McChrystal painted a grim picture of the war, saying "the overall situation is deteriorating".
He called for a "revolutionary" shift in strategy which puts as much emphasis on gaining the support of Afghans as it does on killing insurgents.
"The objective is the will of the people,our conventional warfare culture is part of the problem, the Afghans must ultimately defeat the insurgency," he wrote.
The war in Afghanistan is now at its deadliest. Gen McChrystal's assessment said militants had control over entire sections of the country, although it was difficult to say how much because of the limited presence of Nato troops.
He also strongly criticised the Afghan government as having lost the faith of the country's people.
"The weakness of state institutions,malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and Isaf's own errors,have given Afghans little reason to support their government," Gen McChrystal said, referring to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Tadd Sholtis said that while the assessment made clear that Gen McChrystal does not believe he can defeat Afghanistan's insurgency without additional troops,he could carry out a mission with different goals if ordered to by Mr Obama.
"The assessment is based on his understanding of the mission ... If there's a change in strategy, then the resources piece changes."
The number of US troops in Afghanistan has almost doubled this year from 32,000 to 62,000 and is expected to grow by another 6,000 by the year's end. There are also 40,000 troops from other nations,mainly Nato allies.
Fifty-eight percent of Americans now oppose the Afghan war while 39% support it, according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll.
Mr Obama's critics in Congress,including his 2008 Republican presidential opponent Senator John McCain, have urged the administration to approve the deployment of more troops immediately,saying any delay puts the lives of troops already in Afghanistan at greater risk.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday his party would support a troop increase if needed,adding he was troubled by the delay in the decision-making.
"We think the time for decision is now," Mr McConnell said.
Unruffled Angela Merkel stays above election fray
Maybe this is why Chancellor Angela Merkel is so closed. In East Germany she learned for a long time never to show her own opinion.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel,of the Christian Democrats (CDU),at times seems impervious to the fact that an election campaign is going on around her.
Brushing aside criticism from political opponents and even demands within her own party to infuse energy into a lacklustre election campaign, Ms Merkel has retained her presidential calm at the helm of Europe's most populous country and largest economy.
"Volume and insulting other people should not be the measure by which the seriousness of the election campaign should be judged," Ms Merkel said, swatting away the criticisms.
The chancellor's popularity - which far outstrips that of her party - has remained undented by state elections this month in which the CDU suffered serious setbacks.
In a poll conducted by ARD television,57% said they would elect Ms Merkel directly if they could, while only 28%said they would pick SPD candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The CDU stands to gain 35-37% of the Sept 27 vote, compared to around 23% for the Social Democrats (SPD) according to recent polls.
Ms Merkel's CDU hopes the election will return a sufficient majority to ditch the so-called grand coalition with the SPD, in favour of a new pro-market partnership with the Free Democrats (FDP).
Unostentatious in her sensible trouser suits and no-nonsense fringe, the chancellor's popularity stems from her quiet determination to get on with the job.
"This humble appearance, and the fact that she doesn't stage things, that is her actual staging," said Gerd Langguth,a political scientist and biographer of Angela Merkel. At the same time, Mr Langguth says Ms Merkel's upbringing under a totalitarian East German regime may have taught her to mask her true thoughts."Maybe this is why Merkel is so closed," Mr Langguth said."In East Germany she learned for a long time never to show her own opinion."
Angela Merkel has tried to reveal her personal side, proclaiming a love of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, and telling a German women's magazine that she writes the shopping list for her mediashy husband, quantum chemist Joachim Sauer. The daughter of a protestant priest,Angela was born near Hamburg in 1954,and moved to East Germany with her family at a time when people were fleeing in the opposite direction.
A trained physicist, Ms Merkel did not enter politics until the age of 35,after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Within the CDU she quickly came to the attention of then-chancellor Helmut Kohl.
The remarried, childless protestant from former East Germany stood out in the CDU's conservative, Catholic image of a party dominated by men and firmly rooted in Germany's west.
Nevertheless,"Kohl's girl" first became minister for women and youth, then inherited the environment brief. In 2000 she was elected as the first female leader of the CDU. While Ms Merkel learned her political skills under Mr Kohl, she does not share his sense of historical imperative, Mr Langguth said.
"She is a non-ideological, pragmatic problem solver," Mr Langguth said, adding that pathos was not Ms Merkel's style.
What many see as Chancellor Merkel's pragmatism can also be considered opportunist. Voted in on a tax-cutting agen-da in 2005, Ms Merkel quickly adapted to the limitations of a grand coalition.Her ambitious health reform programme became a messy compromise. But the more concrete decisions of her government include a value-added tax increase,and raising the retirement age to 67.
Internationally, Ms Merkel has gained respect, first capitalising on the 2006 Football World Cup held in Germany,then showing leadership during the country's rotating presidency of the Group of Eight (G8).
More recently, the chancellor stood her ground during thefinancial crisis,rebuffing initial calls from the US and Japan for government bailouts to boost the German economy.
Now the apparent rescue of German carmaker Opel, and two successive quarters of economic growth, allow Ms Merkel to argue that her government has fended off the worst of the economic crisis.
The chancellor's demands for a tightening of international financial markets and her proposed "charter of sustainable growth" should further place her in a lead role at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, the United States, just days before the German election.
Indeed, the economy forms the lynchpin of Ms Merkel's election pledges,arguing that the need to encourage growth in the wake of the economic crisis aligns the CDU with the FDP's liberal agenda.
"We have the strength," proclaim the CDU's election posters, above a flattering picture of Ms Merkel with a maternal smile.
But while the CDU is relying on the popularity of its leader to bring in the vote, Ms Merkel is also likely to carry the can if her hands-off approach to the election campaign fails to pay off.
In 2005, against the more energetic campaigner Gerhard Schroeder, Ms Merkel allowed a healthy poll lead to slip to almost a dead heat in the final days of the campaign.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel,of the Christian Democrats (CDU),at times seems impervious to the fact that an election campaign is going on around her.
Brushing aside criticism from political opponents and even demands within her own party to infuse energy into a lacklustre election campaign, Ms Merkel has retained her presidential calm at the helm of Europe's most populous country and largest economy.
"Volume and insulting other people should not be the measure by which the seriousness of the election campaign should be judged," Ms Merkel said, swatting away the criticisms.
The chancellor's popularity - which far outstrips that of her party - has remained undented by state elections this month in which the CDU suffered serious setbacks.
In a poll conducted by ARD television,57% said they would elect Ms Merkel directly if they could, while only 28%said they would pick SPD candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The CDU stands to gain 35-37% of the Sept 27 vote, compared to around 23% for the Social Democrats (SPD) according to recent polls.
Ms Merkel's CDU hopes the election will return a sufficient majority to ditch the so-called grand coalition with the SPD, in favour of a new pro-market partnership with the Free Democrats (FDP).
Unostentatious in her sensible trouser suits and no-nonsense fringe, the chancellor's popularity stems from her quiet determination to get on with the job.
"This humble appearance, and the fact that she doesn't stage things, that is her actual staging," said Gerd Langguth,a political scientist and biographer of Angela Merkel. At the same time, Mr Langguth says Ms Merkel's upbringing under a totalitarian East German regime may have taught her to mask her true thoughts."Maybe this is why Merkel is so closed," Mr Langguth said."In East Germany she learned for a long time never to show her own opinion."
Angela Merkel has tried to reveal her personal side, proclaiming a love of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, and telling a German women's magazine that she writes the shopping list for her mediashy husband, quantum chemist Joachim Sauer. The daughter of a protestant priest,Angela was born near Hamburg in 1954,and moved to East Germany with her family at a time when people were fleeing in the opposite direction.
A trained physicist, Ms Merkel did not enter politics until the age of 35,after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Within the CDU she quickly came to the attention of then-chancellor Helmut Kohl.
The remarried, childless protestant from former East Germany stood out in the CDU's conservative, Catholic image of a party dominated by men and firmly rooted in Germany's west.
Nevertheless,"Kohl's girl" first became minister for women and youth, then inherited the environment brief. In 2000 she was elected as the first female leader of the CDU. While Ms Merkel learned her political skills under Mr Kohl, she does not share his sense of historical imperative, Mr Langguth said.
"She is a non-ideological, pragmatic problem solver," Mr Langguth said, adding that pathos was not Ms Merkel's style.
What many see as Chancellor Merkel's pragmatism can also be considered opportunist. Voted in on a tax-cutting agen-da in 2005, Ms Merkel quickly adapted to the limitations of a grand coalition.Her ambitious health reform programme became a messy compromise. But the more concrete decisions of her government include a value-added tax increase,and raising the retirement age to 67.
Internationally, Ms Merkel has gained respect, first capitalising on the 2006 Football World Cup held in Germany,then showing leadership during the country's rotating presidency of the Group of Eight (G8).
More recently, the chancellor stood her ground during thefinancial crisis,rebuffing initial calls from the US and Japan for government bailouts to boost the German economy.
Now the apparent rescue of German carmaker Opel, and two successive quarters of economic growth, allow Ms Merkel to argue that her government has fended off the worst of the economic crisis.
The chancellor's demands for a tightening of international financial markets and her proposed "charter of sustainable growth" should further place her in a lead role at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, the United States, just days before the German election.
Indeed, the economy forms the lynchpin of Ms Merkel's election pledges,arguing that the need to encourage growth in the wake of the economic crisis aligns the CDU with the FDP's liberal agenda.
"We have the strength," proclaim the CDU's election posters, above a flattering picture of Ms Merkel with a maternal smile.
But while the CDU is relying on the popularity of its leader to bring in the vote, Ms Merkel is also likely to carry the can if her hands-off approach to the election campaign fails to pay off.
In 2005, against the more energetic campaigner Gerhard Schroeder, Ms Merkel allowed a healthy poll lead to slip to almost a dead heat in the final days of the campaign.
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