Showing 631 - 638 of 638
That's one way to liven up parliament
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 04/03/2012
» There has been some discussion recently concerning sobriety, or rather the alleged lack of it, in the Thai parliament. It was even suggested that MPs should line up to take a breathalyser test before they can enter the hallowed talking shop. What a splendid sight that would be. Mind you, if they had such a test in the British parliament they would never get a quorum.
The spy who came in from the murk
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 15/01/2012
» In the mid-1970s, while travelling on the slowest train in the world from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, I recall ploughing my way through John Le Carre's spy novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Well, just another week at the airport
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 22/01/2012
» It hasn't been the most auspicious of starts to the year for Suvarnabhumi airport. First we had the ugly ''slapping of ears'' incident in which a senior airport official tried to show how superior he was, but only achieved the opposite by humiliating a subordinate who ended up with a damaged eardrum.
Time for the elephant's hind legs defence?
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 29/01/2012
» The saga of the allegedly "unusually wealthy" civil servant and his missing millions of baht continues to ramble on in true Thai tradition. The gentleman in question at least finally appeared before the graft busters last week and proceeded to say absolutely nothing, which in his position is probably the best thing to say.
A fair (traffic) cop
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/02/2012
» One of the more encouraging news items of the week was the report that policewomen are now back on the streets of the Big Mango with the unenviable task of handling traffic duty. Eighteen ladies who used to provide security for VIPs and were known as the Sweet Troop will be taking their saccharine charms to the streets.
With Dickens, it was the best of times
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/02/2012
» As a nipper in England, I often went for walks with my father. If rain was threatening he would say: ''We'd better take a 'gamp', and would pick up an umbrella in the doorway.''
Keep on smiling
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 19/02/2012
» There was a news report recently that Thai people are not as happy as they once were, and the Land of Smiles is becoming a Land of Frowns. From my observations, they certainly might not be as happy, but have not quite reached the stage of Les Miserables. There are still plenty of smiles to savour.
It could all be pretty amazing again
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/01/2012
» I trust everyone is holding up well at the height of the funny hats and hangovers season. In a few days it will be back to grim reality _ hangovers without the hats. And I won't complain if I don't hear that ''happy new mia'' Thai joke for a while.