Thaigranbo today: AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE & RED CROSS FAIR 2010

Thaigranbo today: AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE & RED CROSS FAIR 2010: "AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE & RED CROSS FAIR 2010 During December, Ayutthaya celebrates the splendour and glory of it's past with disp..."

AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE & RED CROSS FAIR 2010

AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE & RED CROSS FAIR 2010

During December, Ayutthaya celebrates the splendour and glory of it's past with displays of traditional culture and lifestyles, various entertainments and a memorable light and sound show -all with the fitting backdrop of Ayutthaya's ancient ruins and templesThe Ayutthaya Historical Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the 13 th. of December 1991. The Park covers much of the old town of present-day Ayutthaya and includes most of the important temple and palace ruins from the Ayutthaya Era (1350 to 1767)

The LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW at Wat Mahatat will depict the history of the Ayutthaya Kingdom period of 417 years. This year, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University will be responsible for the performence's production, which will deploy at least 350 - 400 performers. The audience will be able to admire the talent of elephants in the different scenes. Each round of the show has a capasity of 2.500 seats.

At Wat Langka Khao the reproduced atmosphere of the Ayutthaya Kingdom period (San Sin Thin Moradok Lok) will be provided for people to enjoy before seing the LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW at Wat Mahatat.

The reproduced atmosphere of a retro market that will showcase a market with vendors wearing the old Ayutthaya style clothing and the use of ancient coins (Phot Duang) in exchange for Thai food and desserts.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVAeD705cew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi2niQIR7oY

www.elephantstay.com

NEWS FROM ELEPHANTSTAY

LAITHONGRIEN MEEPAN (PI OM) RECEIVED THE "TAN KHUN PAN DIN" AWARD.

Tan-Khun-Pan-Din Project has been held continually for four years.

The project selects candidates from various career fields whos creative works and profile are inspirational, benificial to -and recognized by the public in the long run according to the Ministry of Culture, Thailand web-site.

Underneath Laithongrien Meepan (back row, 5 th. from left)and 75 fellow social contributors are posing for photos during the Tan Khun Pan Din ( Outstanding Social Contribution Award) presentation at the Centara Grand Hotel. In collaboration with various organisations, Nation Multimedia Group Plc. organised this project.

MR. LAITHONGRIEN MEEPAN

was born in 1958. A qualified zoologist and with a Masters Degree in Community Development, he is the Founder and Director of the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Elephant Kraal Village and the "Phra Kochabaan Foundation". He has lived on site in the village with the elephants, overseeing and directing everything since it's inseption. He is one of the world's foremost experts on Thai elephant history and culture.

Meepan is the largest private elephant owner in the world, with over 150 elephants. He is the foremost world expert on captive elephant bticereeding, having personally bred more than 40 calves succrsessfully in only 10 years through exper natural breeding. His ex expertise extends to training, unique nutrition development and meeting the special needs of elephants of all ages, character and temperaments, including retraing of elephants that have killed people, to live in free contact with humans.

Meepan personally researched and started a farm to grow special food for elephants. He specialises in training elephants for films, including work with Jackie Chan and Oliver Stone. In addition he trains elephants for theatre productions that include re-enacting elephant fighting during war time. He was the consultant on the "Blue Elephant", Thailand's first animation feature.Meepan also advises the government departments on elephant problems. This includes advice and solutions for street elephants -and wild elephants that have been injured and require relocating and rehabilitation.

Most importantly, Meepan encourages the development of mahouts and staff to raise the status of elephants and their keepers to the noble po once held in the Thai society.

As usual; all the information comes from www.elephantstay.com own Ewa Narkiewicz and Michelle Reedy

ELEPHANT PAINT SCHOOL

Elephants love to paint because they get to do a fun activity with their mahouts. They get huge amounts of attention, positive reinforcement and treats from their mahout -and so of course they are going to enjoy themselves. At http://www.elephantstay.com/ they only use younger elephants that are too young to give rides and it really is amazing to watch how everyone plays together in between and physically and verbally show their love to all of the people they associate with this activety.

Today's "star artist" is AKA PETER (Noppakhao)

Information as always from Elephantstay's own Ewa Narkiewicz and Michelle Reedy.

To see AKA PETER "in action" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRtJQC-x7Mg

THE ROYAL ELEPHANT KRAAL, AYUTTHAYA, THAILAND

The Royal Elephant Kraal in Ayutthaya is home to approximately 90 elephants. One of the unique aspects of situating the elephants at the world heritage listed Royal Elephant Kraal is the link to history.

For hundred of years the Kings of Thailand would attend the Royal Elephant Round-up and choose the elephants that would work and live alongside the Thai people and help build Thailand into the country it is today.

Today the Royal Elephant Kraal re-lives these centuries old traditions through re enactments and the observation of age-old customs and ceremonies. The training techniques adopted at the Kraal are a marriage of traditional and modern methods.

Laithongrien Meepan has studied historical texts written by the Kings of Thailand about elephants. Reviving these rich traditions raises the status of the mahout (owner) and elephant.

It is a unique demonstration of the skills of the mahouts.

I have "stolen" this information from Ewa Narkiewicz. You will find her and Michelle Reedy on www.elephantstay.com

Look also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtJbtFUSqo8 to see pictures from a normal day at the Kraal. Look out for some cute babies. There are 5 of them less than a year old !

Kingfisher Airlines

I had left it as late as possible to book my flight from Bangkok to London / return. Checking through the options on internet I stumbled over a familiar name; Kingfisher Airlines that I recognized from IPL. Their price on such short notice was well below what the major airlines offer on bookings well in advance. Only "minus" was that I had to change plane in Mumbai. At Suvarnabhumi Airport the staff at the check-in counter were friendly and efficient. Well seated we got an introduction into the airline in a video by the Chairman, Vijay Malliya. He told us of his greatest passion; food and that the customers of Kingfisher Airlines should enjoy nothing but the best. How true that was !! He also told us that he, himself had handpicked every single one of the beautiful hostesses. What did he mean by "handpicked" ??

Then we were told to sit back and enjoy "THE KINGFISHER EXPERIENCE".

Another point was that they had increased the legroom "behind the curtain" (tourist class) after complaints from passengers. Just imagine that !! I complained some years ago about lack of leg-room on a British Airways flight from London to Bangkok. All BA did was to tell me that I had to book a better class (business) if I was looking for leg-room and comfort. I never went back !!!

At the airport in Mumbai time was short and we had to rush through security before boarding the flight to London. It seems like an unneccessary operation, but when we know what acts of terror that has taken place in India, we should just be greatful that security is in operation. Kingfisher provided us with a nice, young woman who guided us through without any delays.

Arriving at London Heathrow, Terminal 4 was a great plus for the ones of the passangers holding european passports. Through immigration in no time.

When the time came to turn the back to britain's cold winds and rain and return to Thailand's +32 and rain we were again meat by the most helpful and efficient staff at the check-in counter.

Well onboard, sitting comfortable in seat 24K, I looked up and saw the most beautiful of all the beautiful women I have ever set my eyes on. Chairman Vijay Malliya must have had a fantastic day at work the day he "handpicked" this one ! WOW !! She even spoke to me and gave me a smile !!! The problem is that she was born (far) too late !!

From the check-in at Suvarnabhumi tilol we returned and left the plane at Suvarnabhumi I most certainly enjoyed "THE KINGFISHER EXPERIENCE".

I am now a "King Club Member" (492229312) and am already looking forward to my next flight with Kingfisher Airlines.

The Hmong refugees.

During the Vietnam War, the CIA enlisted more than 60,000 Hmong from The Royal Lao Army to form a secret army to disrupt communist supply lines and reque American pilots. Fierce mercenaries, the Hmong acted as an effective counter to North Vietnam's growing support base in Laos. After the communists had won and CIA left, a handfuk of senior Hmong were flown out, but the majority remaining faced communist retributions for siding with America. The Pathet Lao publicly announced that they would wipe out the Hmong and the attacks were intensified. Some Hmong groups fled deep into the jungle, where it has been estimated that 3,000 still live. The rest sought asylum in Thailand where they remainded until recently.

On December 28th. 2009 more than 4,000 Hmong refugees were rounded up by local Thai authorities and forcibly sent back to Laos. Rounded up is maybe a wrong expression. There were nearly one armed soldier per refugee present. The press or other witnesses not allowed near the camp and the refugees with crying women and children amongst them driven out like cattle in army trucks with hight sides, making sure that noone to take photos. A spokesman for Thailand's Prime Minister, Panitan Wattanayagorn said that the Thai government based these actions on Thailand's immigration law -which considered them to be illegal migrants, so they were dealt with accordingly.

Only six years earlier, under Thaksin Shinawatra's Premiership, the Thai authorities had helped resettle 14,000 Hmong refugees in USA. The Thai about-face on it's Hmong population sparked international furor, with most countries, with the US in forefront condemning Thailand for refusing to protect the minority group. Although Thailand actaually never signed the United Nations Convention on Refugees, the UN was outraged that the government had sent back unvilling refugees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Antonio Guterres said at the time that; "To proceed would not only endanger the protection of the refugees, but set a very grave international example." In addition did all the main human rights organisations condemn the Thai government's actions.

Thailand's involvement in the US's socalled "secret war" in Cambodia and Laos is genarally overlooked. Allied with the US against the communists in Laos and Vietnam, the Thai military trained many of the senior Hmong leaders. But it is quite clear that times have changed. Today's no. 1 major foreign investor in Laos is Thailand and according to Joe Davy, a Hmong advocate, is deporting the Hmong just an example of political "fence mending" following years and years of border conflicts. "The main reason Thailand sent them back was pressure from Laos, which have always accused Thailand of harbouring elements of the Hmong resistance", Mr. Davy said.

US time Magazine reports that to ease international consern, Laotian authorities arranged for two official visits for foreign diplomats. One of the refugees, let us call him Pao Chang told that during one visit a senior commander gave him a script, ordering to tell the diplomats he was being looked after and had no desire to move. Those who refused to abide by the script were denied day passes to leave the camps. After unknown assiliants burned down camp farmland, Pao Chang decided he had to escape. He is now back in Thailand with a few Hmong families. If caught by the Thai authorities, he will be returned to Laos as illegal immigrant. This regardless of the UNHCR document that confirms him as a refugee.

He described the conditions in the camp as unbearable. They were given a flimsy house and a tiny plot of poor farmland. No school and only two nurses for thousands of people. -And always under the surveillance of armed guards.

Most the reports coming back from the camps inside Laos tells us that the true feelings -and stories first comes out after "the lights have been switched off". But to get a private moment with any of the refugees inside the Laos camps proves near impossible.

What will happen to the Hmongs in the future? The world that shouted out their protests a few months back seems to have forgotten already. Thailand's present government has such a poor record when it comes to refugees and human rights that it should be clear to the world that Thailand can not be counted on for the protection of these people. Rather the opposite. To ask Thailand to join -and lead United Nations Human Rights Committee is to my mind the same as Ku Klux Klan asking a coloured person to lead them.

But it is not Thailand alone that is at fault.The sivilized world and United Nations are as much to blame for closing their eyes to Thailands violations of human rights issues and the horriffic treatment of refugees.

Adventure holidays in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

As often as I can do I pay a visit to The Royal Elephant Kraal and Village in Ayutthaya. To sit on the riverbank and watch the elephants having a swim is medicine for body and soul. Only one hour away from Bangkok and here you are, -just sitting peacefully enjoying the sight of these magnificent animals.

People from all corners of the world book in at the village for part of their holidays. They live in huts with aircondition, western style toilet and shower. The food is also excellent.

But they do not come for the food. They come to "bond" with their "own" elephant. To feed, wash, clean, scrubb, ride + to feed, wash, clean, scrubb, ride. I have spoken to many of them -and when the time to say goodbye comes -it is always too early. Most of the visitors return as often as they can.

So why not book yourself an adventure holiday in Ayutthaya ?? A holiday you will never forget !!

For details: http://www.elephantstay.com/

Baby elephant news

At Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal you will find four youngsters. The oldest born in October -09 and the youngest on 29 th. March -10. The Kraal has the most successful captive breeding program in the world.. As more elephants are dying than being born every year, it is imperative that their birth rate increases. Since 2000 the Kraal has successfully bred more than 40 elephants. The philosophy is simple, healthy, happy elephant breed. One of the most important and unique aspects of the breeding program is to breed elephants for temperament and structure. Thus the breeding is only with suitable males that ensure the calves will display characteristics that easily interigate with humans. My greatest joy is to visit at "bathing time" in the afternoons. It is difficult to explain the feeling, so you would be best adviced to come along and find out for yourself !!

The details I have used are written by the Ladies in charge, Ewa Narkiewicz and Michelle Reedy. Look in on http://www.elephantstay.com/ to find out more about Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal, how to book for a short stay in the village, looking after your "own" elephant, -how to "adopt" an elephant -or how to support the elephants in any other way.

Thank you for your support !