HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: fstawit@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Tawit Chitsomboon)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Re: Suchinda New Prime Minister
Date: 9 Apr 92 03:03:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: eagle.1992Apr9.030341.8303
Organization: Institute for Computational Mechanics in Propulsion

In article <1992Apr8.143805.20832@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> 
fstawit@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Tawit Chitsomboon) writes:

>>   Suchinda first studied medicine at Chulalongkorn University before
>>switching to the military academy where he was considered one of the
>>brightest in his class.
>
>Woh! He's that smart. Mix that with his ruthlessness, and we Thai
>will have no chance to free themselves for a long long time to come.
>
Is that so? Don't count our shrewd, rich guys out yet.

I don't believe that those guys are stupid; their wealth are
the best testimomy to their shrewdness. When TaNarong was
unworthy of the PMship, it seems to me that TaSomboon (himself
a General), the Chief of ChartThai Party, should be the next
nominee. He must be a very smart guy; otherwise the ranking
officials of CTP, which are smart and experienced, would not
ask him to be their chief. But, lo and behold, TaSomboon cannot
get them free of the 'unusually-rich' charge. That's  why TaSu
was invited in to devour this rotten political fish.

To the unusualy rich guys, TaSu is the most
effective guy to get them off the hook. Once off the hook,
they might try to get rid of him by a no-confidence vote
(which should be coordinated under the table with the
opposition parties of course).

Now TaSu is deservedly paid retribution for his bad karma.
He will have no party to join. No Army to command. No female
singer's thighs to laid his hand on.

Either that or I'm stupid to think that those guys are smart.
(a short period of) Time will tell.

By the way, I was not so irritated when the US Embassy issue
the statement about denying a Visa to TaNarong. But I'm
pissed off with its second statement about never been
denying a Visa to TaBugSu. We should revenge this senseless
act of the US Gov by inviting President Bush to Thailand
and serve him with fermented fish (Plara) so that he will
throw up in front of the world's media. Next deny him an exit Visa
on the ground of nonesense trafficking.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Re: Wan Sunegan!!!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 00:13:01 GMT

broderic@feserve.cc.purdue.edu (scott [RSN-XPRT]) writes:


>    Just curious,  anybody know what Wan Sunegan is like in Thailand?  
>Not too many people celebrate it (or even know about it) here.  What
>kind of festivities go on?  
>    Thanx in advance!  

>phop khan mai, 
>              Scott.  

Kun Scott krub,
	If you meant "Wan Songkran", it is the day that we believe marks
the shift of the sun from one "rasi" to another. Rasi is certain timing
where the sun, the earth, the moon, and other planet relate to one another
forming a unique cosmological space and time. Hence it is used as indicator
for a new year. 
	Normally, we celebrate the Songkran period (April 13-15) with 
water. Young people go from house to house with bowl of (purified) water
in their hands to ask the elderly to forgive bad deed they have done to
them and bless them good fortune. 
	After that some go the the nearby wat to make merit. The most common
one is to carry sand to the wat's ground. After that it is time of joy.
Boys and girls throw water to one another. 
	In some communities, there is parade which is decorated by cars
carrying flowers and legendary beings. We have Songkran goddess who will
sit on a particular animal marking the year, e.g. year of monkey. The goddess
is surrounded by seven less goddess one of which carries the head of a
four-headed god who is the father of these seven goddesses. According to 
a fairy tale, the god, Khabillaprom, who somehow lost bit to a lesser god.
Because of such loss, he had to sacrifice his head. But before he died, he
call a meeting of all of his seven daughters to take care of his head which
if left on the earth would result in great fire, if left in the air, the 
drought will occur, and if left in the water, the dry will follow.
	Each of the daughter goddesses will take turn carrying their father's
head around the PraSuMeru for 60 minutes.
	WHo is going to take turn depends on what day the Songkran day falls
at (April 13). If it is Sunday, the daughter whose name is TungSa will be
responsible. Each daughter has her own costume (particular flower, particular
gems), food (e.g. milk and butter), weapons (for each hand, e.g needle and
cane), and beast of burden (e.g. donkey).
	Whatever the Songkran goddess carries, eats, sits on, dresses, and
so on will be used as cues to forcast what the weather or agricultural 
production will be like in the year to come. 
	In principle, Songkran festival does not have anything to do with
Buddhism. It is derived from Braminism.
	


	
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Re: Happy Thai New Year
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 06:06:36 GMT


After I posted a response to the greeting originally posted by V.R.Kumar,
I have got a message asking me as follows:


|>Could you please tell me the significance of the water festival?  Where
|>does it come from and what does it mean to water someone?  Does it have
|>anything to do with rebirth?

As usual, let me make it clear that I am no expert about this particular
festival. As a Thai, however, I would rather want to try to answer such
question and hope that other friends in the s.c.t who know better could
help revise what I am about to say.

First of all, I would employ the notion believed among anthropologists that 
water is usually used in ritual as a purifying measure. In the case of
Songkran, as I posted in a separate article below, there is a practice what
is known by northern Thai as "RodNamDamHua". In this occasion, younger
people would fix a bowl of water with some herbs which add nice smell to
the water. The youngs then present the water to their elderly who would
put one of their hands in the water and then rub part of their hair before
wishing good things to happen to their younger counterparts. Some interprete
the offer of water by the younger people as a way to ask for forgiving from
the old ones in case they (the young) have offended them. The old ones then
combine their forgiving with blessing. 

The water festival is more of a street event. It involves younger people 
who would carry a bowl, bucket, or even plastic bag full of water and throw
it to anyone they feel like to do so. This may evolve from the RodNamDamHua
ceremony. Considering the fact that the period of April 13-15 is probably
the hottest time of the year, playing with water in such maner is a legiti-
mate action, IMO. 

To water someone, in a way, is like to greet him/her with refreshing stuffs.
This could also be conceived as a way to purify the person. Since Songkran
is the cerebration of new year (rasi), to help someone start it with cleaned
and purified body and mind. The polluted things left over from the year
before are washed away with the water. Not only people that are purified
by water, the Buddha images are also washed in this occasion along with
the house. It is like a kitchen which is thoroughly washed when the day is
done to be ready for the next day's operation in case of a resturant.

I don't think the water festival has anything to do with the notion of
rebirth.
From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Re: Happy Thai New Year
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 08:49:55 GMT

kumar@ditsydh.syd.dit.CSIRO.AU (V.R.Kumar) writes:


>To all Thai friends,


>Happy New Year

>Sawasdee Pee Mai Kraap


Yes, you are right and also thanks for the greeting. For those who may
have doubt what Songkran Day is all about, it is the day the sun has 
shifted to the new "Rasi" and is believed by some Asian peoples including
Thais as the starting day of a new year. In Thailand and other neigboring
countries (e.g. Burma, Laos, or Khmer), the day is celebrated by water
festival. They clean the house, make merit, and "RodNamDamHua" the 
elderly. The festival covers the period of April 13-15. I wish I were in
Thailand at this very moment. I miss all the joys and feeling we get 
from involving with all kinds of activities created for the days. In
Illinois where I live, the weather is still too cool to play with water. 
In Thailand, it is almost the hottest day of the year. Playing with
water in such climate would help cool down most people. Accidentally,
the political temperature is also high. I am not sure water can help
in such case. It is unfortunate to begin our new year with such bad
politics. I just hope that the merit made by the good-minded people
could lead the country to a real democracy!
From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Re: Suchinda nominated as new PM
Date: 6 Apr 92 06:49:26 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

psuttiyo@metz.une.oz.au (Peerasak Suttiyotin) writes:

>>..........................................

>It makes me think of a tale "TA IN GA TA NAA".
>Hello TA YOU.  Who is having the fish??

If this analogy applies to the current episode of Thai politics, one must try
to match the characters. How about this?

	Ta-In  = the opposition party's choice for the PM
	Ta-Na  = sounds like Ta Na(rong), isn't it?
	Ta-Yoo = Big Su?

I am a bit reluctant to buy this analogy since the three characters in the
original story cited by Khun Peerasak are INDEPENDENT from one another.
In our case, TaN(rong) has apparently been chosen by TaYoo to come out
to check the "tide."  There was no really fighting between TaIn and TaNa(rong)
in the first place. It is obvious that TaYoo would like to get the whole
fish, not just the body, but head and tail as well.

IMO, the story about the wolf and the lamb is more applicable here!!!
The story about the mother crab and baby crabs is also relevant, don't you
think? 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
From: itthi@surv_sun.sli.unimelb.edu.au (Itthi Trisirisatayawong)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Soc.culture.thai FAQs?
Date: 6 Apr 92 08:29:13 GMT
Organization: University of Melbourne, Australia
Originator: itthi@sunburn.sli.unimelb.edu.au

Wouldn't it be nice for our newsgroup to have some kind of FAQs? There are 
many useful things that we can put in it like where to find CU writer,
how to get netter name list,... including basic fact of our country. 

Itthi
From: tun@PHY.UCSF.EDU
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: repatriating Rohingyas
Date: 15 Apr 92 00:02:55 GMT


  >Date:         Sun, 12 Apr 1992 11:49:35 PDT
  >From: "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar%IGC.ORG@UCSFVM.UCSF.EDU>
  >Subject:      Rohingyas Stranded?
  >X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu
  >To: Multiple recipients of list SEASIA-L <SEASIA-L@MSU.ucsf.EDU>

  >    Reuter, Dhaka, April 11 - Thousands of Burmese Moslem refugees who
  >have lost their papers may remain stranded in Bangladeshi camps, despite
  >Burma's decision to take back its nationals, a Bangladesh official said
  >on Saturday.
  >    "They have lost all their documents to prove that they are Burmese
  >nationals. If Rangoon doesn't take them at their face value, they are
  >going to stay in the refugee camps for a long time," the official told
  >Reuters.
             [...] 
  >    Earlier this month it told U.N. Under Secretary General Jan Eliasson
  >it would take back all its nationals and those who had permits for
  >permanent residence in Arakan.
  >    Formal talks on repatriation of Rohingyas will start when Burmese
  >Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw pays a six-day visit to Dhaka from April 23 at
  >the head of a 14-man team, the official said.

I hope this talk won't result in "force" repatriation without some sort
of third-party monitoring agency because when Thai military return burmese
dissident students from Bangkok to Rangoon government at Ranong last april
(at southern Thailand) they were given directly back into the hand of the 
Burmese military stationed in Burmese side of the border and plight of 
those students who were return were never to be heard again!!!

Afterall - If Burmese Junta don't give a hoot to the world presssure on 
releasing Aung San Suu Kyi, I surely don't think they honour whatever deal
they made with the B'desh government. They even ignored the electon result
to which they lost by a landslide.

I think letter expressing our concern to B'desh Embassy is needed.

Coban Tun
Organization: Doctoral student, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 13:36:55 -0400 
From: Schitt Laowattana <sl2k+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: S&T opportunity in Thailand

   I would like to respone one of e-mails sent to me related to my
previous post on MoSTE student as follows:
>Absolutely.  Please post what you have. I have been here for ten years and
>will go home in next few months. It may help me where to look for a job.
>Since I don't belong to the government and my degree is a PhD in Physics,
>I am very discouraged. Does Thailand need a Physicist ?
    
    (1). In the last (sixth) plan on economic and social development:
               We required # scientists      3,000 persons per year
               We actually produced          2,000 persons per year
    (2). In the seventh plan, the ministry of university affairs wants
to increase scientists to cope with rapid expansion of local industries:
               Bachelor degree       12%   per year
               Master and Ph.D.       8%   per year
    (3). Currently, opportunity of working as a scientists in private
sectors is limited since most of existing companies are not interested
in R&D.  The establishments of three national centers namely center of
metal and material,center of electronics and computer, center of genetic
engineering help stimulating new entrepreneur developments which will
heavily involve and interchange R&D activities with governmental
sectors.  New business relating advance technologies will be introduced.
 Although I could not tell you specifically about current physicist's
opportunity, I believe that you will find ways to work as a physicist in
Thailand in a very near future.
    (4). The three national center, right now, are making plans for S&TD
and allocating funds to universities and private industries to do R&D. 
Later on, they will do R&D by themselves as our technical manpower
coming back from aboard.   We hope that students in two scholarship
programs:
            Ministry of university affairs    450 persons(2533-2537)
            Ministry of science, technology and energy 789 persons
            (2533-2536)
will contribute to the success of S&TD in Thailand.  In addition, we are
planning on the Reverse Brain Drain program.  All possible incentives
are being considered as to offer Thai professionals abroad to go back to
work in Thailand.(temporarily or permanently)
    (5). Under financial supports from three national centers, new
reserch centers in the area of robotics and automation, laser
technology, magnetic tehnology, advance material, pollution control
systems and etc. are being formed.  I am responsible for the new
robotics center so called center of operation for field robotics
development(FIBO).  If anyone is interested in knowing more about this
center, please e-mail me.
    (6). New proposal on salary for S&T university instructors:
Level 4    New graduate       current salaer 5,300 B/mo.--->15,000 B/mo.
           (Master degree)       
Level 6    Assistant prof.    7,780 B/mo.-------->23,540 B/mo.
Level 7    Assoc.prof.       10,150 B/mo.-------->33,170 B/mo.
Level 9    Prof.             13,970 B/mo.-------->46,545 B/mo.

Regards, Schitt  Laowattana
From: 9202033j@lux.latrobe.edu.au (Chiu-wen Tseng )
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Find Old friends!!
Date: 15 Apr 92 12:24:46 GMT
Organization: La Trobe University


Sawasdee Krub Took Took Tan

I post this news in order to ask everybody who participates using this
newsgroup whether or not we can use this newsgroup to find our old
friends who
       - went to oversea to study
       - came from the same high-school, same year, and (will be the
         best) same class-room
       - or came from the same local area
       - want to recall the happy, sad, joke events occuring in the past
         by using the e-mail.

Any ideas are very welcome.

From 

Chua-Nid-Nirun.
Organization: Doctoral student, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 16:27:06 -0400 
From: Lertsak Lekawat <ll28+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Test

Test


Terh at CMU
From: psuttiyo@metz.une.oz.au (Peerasak Suttiyotin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Re: US 'Backs' Suchinda and Tear from a Crocodile
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:55:56 GMT
Organization: University of New England, Armidale, Australia
Originator: psuttiyo@metz.une.oz.au

In article <1992Apr8.210246.1775@memstvx1.memst.edu> 
charoe@issm1.memst.edu (Charlie Charoenwong) writes:

>Repost from SEASIA
>
>..............................................

>    Reuter, Washington, April 8 - The United States on Wednesday said it
>accepted as constitutional the selection of the general who led last
>year's coup as Thailand's next prime minister.
>    While acknowledging General Suchinda Kraprayoon's appointment was
>just short of official, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Margaret
>Tutwiler said:
>    "We look forward to working productively with the new government.
>The choice of prime minister is up to the Thai people and we respect
>that process. It is my understanding that he was selected in accordance
>with the Thai constitution."
>    Asked if the United States was troubled that the general, who
>overthrew a democratically elected government, would now lead that
>government, Tutwiler said:
>    "We welcome the return to constitutional processes and the formation
>of a new government, and...we are respecting the Thai people. This is
>their process, this is their choice."

Thank you very very much for listening our voices.
But why TaNarong was about to get the fish, the 'drug issue' suddenly
came out.  It was just at the right place at the right time.
Listen again.  When TaSuchinda was about to get the same fish,
the 'green light' was on.  And you said 'you are respecting the Thai
people. This is our (Thai) process, this is our (Thai) choice'.

Listen.  This sounds like a BullShit to me :(

(Sorry if this 'BullShit' offend anybody.  I haven't used it for
such a long time and this time, just cannot resist).

Peerasak
psuttiyo@metz.une.oz.au
From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Suchinda appointed the 19th Thai PM
Keywords: Thai
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 23:45:43 GMT

As expected, General Suchinda Kraprayoon was appointed by the King to be 
the 19th prime minister of Thailand with the recommendation of General 
Sunthorn Kongsompong, the Chairman of the NPKC. 

For more detail read:

Paul Wedel, "Coup leader named prime minister in Thailand," in clari.news.
gov.international or clari.news.top.world. 

For more detail about Suchinda himself, read:

U.International, "Thailand's prime minister" (personal spotlight), in
the clari.news.gov.international.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( 
Organization: Doctoral student, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Date: Wed,  8 Apr 1992 13:23:23 -0400 
From: Schitt Laowattana <sl2k+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Schedule-Thai Professionals Conference[was Attention:MoSTE students]

 
                        Schedule(Tentative)
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
Friday June 26, 1992 
    
    - Participants arrive
    - Registration/dinner
 
Saturday June 27, 1992  
 
8:30-9:30      - Opening ceremony:S&T Policy by MoSTE Executives
9:30-10:15     - The Royal S&T Act 1992 by MoSTE speakers
10:15-11:00    - S&T situation and Appropriate Technology for Thailand
                 by MoSTE speakers
11:00-11:15    - Coffee Break
11:15-12:00    - S&T education in Thailand by MoSTE speakers
12:00-13:30    - Luncheon wt. Keynote Speaker by IBM representatives
                 Title: "IBM Technology in 2000"
13:30-15:30    - Case study: Sucessful S&T strategies of US-Canadian-Japanese
                 firms by Thai professionals in US, Canada and Japan
15:30-15:45    - Coffee Break
15:45-16:30    - R&D profession in USA and opportunities in Thailand by
                 Thai Professionals in USA and MoSTE speakers
16:30-18:30    - Break, Two group discussions
                    (1) Estalishment of academic working group among Thai
                        professionals in USA, CANADA, JAPAN and Thailand
                    (2) National goals on S&TD 
19:00-21:00    - Dinner
21:00-23:00    - Continue discussions
 
Suday June 28, 1992
 
9:00-10:00     - S&T Education in USA by Thai professionals in USA
10:00-12:00    - Forcasting the technologies (Changes and Development)
                    - Electronics & Computer
                    - Biotechnology
                    - Advanced Materials
                 by Thai professionals in USA, Canada and Japan
12:00-13:30    - Lucheon wt. Keynote Speaker:Enviromental Technologies
                 (Recycling)- Waste Management, INC
13:30-15:00    - Continue discussion
15:00-15:15    - Coffee Break
15:15-16:00    - Current situation of environment and natural resources in
                 Thailand by MoSTE speakers
16:00-17:00    - Conclusion 
               - Closing ceremony
17:00-18:00    - Special meeting: Election of the President, Thai 
                 Thai professionals in North America association.
 
 
Monday June 29, 1992

    Two site vistits
        (1) Electronics & Computer, Biotech in the Silicon Valley
        (2) Development of industrial areas along the US-Mexican border



    
Schitt Laowattana