Thailand is deeply correctly involved.

If we don’t start making plans now, we never will.

Traffic experts are in no doubt that a major cause of the jams are parents who insist on sending their children to school in their own cars.

Power cables, telephone lines and water pipes are also laid at will.

They cite the fact that traffic jams cause huge economic losses and blame it on the lack of proper town planning. This leads to people missing airline flights.

The Transport Ministry has a massive infrastructure project but is having trouble funding it.

Unfortunately, restricting people from using their vehicles whenever they like has always been controversial.

In short, it is not only the government to blame.

The world should hear his opinion, beyond the platitudes that promise to get along.

Yet, many of us decry human diginity and endorse state violence against rural folk protesting mega-projects as the enemies of economic development.

Mr Bush won a clear majority of the popular vote for the first time in recent elections.

Let’s not make excuses for a heap of corpses ever again.

Sadly, Thailand is among that numerous group of nations.

Over a thousand people assembled at the police station forcing officials to dissolve the mob.

The incident could have been put to and end if only fear and prejudice had not taken over care and common sense.

What should have been done was simply to take the proper actions at the proper time, instead of letting out all those glib responses after the fact.

It must be ratified by the governments of 55 signatory countries, which must have accounted for at least 55 percent of the emissions of carbon dioxide in 1990.

This will be a dilemma all nine NCCC commissioners will face - but not without a third option.

The best way out for the commissioners to serve the country is by resigning.

Theirs might only be a fringe group, laden with mysticism and extremism that earns frowns from conventional Muslims, but it is a religious belief all the same.

The locals, however, believe it was really people in uniform who were the raiders - the same that they believe happened in the raid on an army camp in January.

Some 79 more died from suffocation and from being herded like cattle while in custody - which equals manslaughter.

Amnesty International also upholds the same objectives.

Contrary to popular opinion, the AI reported that the death penalty has never been shown to deter crime.

The Prime Minister's popularity declined in a recent opinion poll by Assumption University.

Hopefully history will not repeat itself too soon.

There should not be any comments about whether or not the damage done to a bank is small compared to its size.

While the infamous failure of the Bangkok Bank of Commerce has gone down in modern Thai history, the memory of those who caused such a fall, and how they did it, has also been fading fast.

Jundta struggled to get an education against all odds.

All children are entitled to study to the highest level and cannot be denied certificates or degrees.

It came as no surprise that the lack of citizenship - given the ensuing problems - is a No. 1 factor pushing ethnic girls into the flesh trade.

That began her seven-year struggle. The first six were fruitless although she worked for the school library.

The prime minister has finally shown the courage to deal with underperformed ministers.

One may wonder whether this long overdue change will help improve problems.

A few more tricks may still be hidden up the sleeve of Mr Thaksin that might be pulled out in the near future.

It bred suspicion among doubters that it was politically motivated. After all, they could not be blamed for harbouring such suspicion.

But while their supporters have been negative on the attack, the two candidates for president have conducted civil debates in the democratic tradition. In one specific sense, that has been a shame.

There is a light groundswell of anti-Asian feeling in America.

The Criminal Procedure Code makes it mandatory to investigate into "unnatural deaths.

Many "unnatural deaths" occurred in 2003 and also in this year.

Given all the legal safeguards, perhaps we have the best of laws already.

During the rule of Peter the Great, the palace was built with simple decorations. It became ornate when his daughter Elizabeth took the throne.

When Catherine the Great was at the helm she didn't liked gold decoration.

In 1712 St Petersburg was full of buildings made in foreign architecture.

The crowd was sparse.

The bus moved past the St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, who blesses passers by by wishing them a successful trip.

Due to the high humidity and dust, our guide explained that the facade of the building has to be regularly renovated.

The city is located on an island named its founder.

The liner gently pulled out of the harbour and headed in the watery realm.

A father and son were basking in a swimming pool.

Although it's an overnight journey, the Silja Opera Cruise is a luxury floating hotel that plies the Gulf of Finland.

While we enjoy on board, the cruise is delivering us to St Petersburg, Russia.

Charity is one of the most respected actions in the world.

Charities that collect or redirect charitable donations for murderous attacks are the worst sort of confidence tricks.

Some of the most egregious and longest-running cases have been by the Commnist Party of the Philippines.

But by following the money used to finance terrorist attacks, it seems al-Qaeda and its field agents have used charities to finance their operatation.

Even the Sept 11 terrorists received money diverted from actual charities.

Charities have a strict and unbreakable trust with those who donate.

There is no justification for diverting money and goods donated from the heart.

For Thailand, of course, the best US President is the leader who does the best by this country, directly or indirectly.

Mr Bush says he is a war president, who picks America's friends based on their actions against terrorism - but Thailand has its own internal security problems.

Not being all the same should not be a problem.

No wonder Muslim villagers who also resent the rowdy rangers in their home villages feel they must keep their mouths shut.

If we deny the reality of ethnic differences, we deny people's rights, suffering and existence.

We won't let the military monopolise the southern problems as they do now.

Corruption is not a problem for the government alone.

Thai fishermen are moving further and further afield in their search for food fish until they encroach on the territorial waters of other countries and foreigh fleets encroach on ours. Gradually the world's oceans are losing the life which sustains them.

We must take this task of policing what's left very seriously.

Thailand will be pushing for regulated commercial trade to be allowed in the orchid known as Vanda coerulea while elevating the rare Irrawaddy dolphin to the endangered list before it becomes extinct.

If they take to the sea they will find that Thailand is not immune from the ravages to nature inflicted throughout our planet.

Nets from fishing boats are responsible for the reef's demise, along with their former inhabitants.

The National Parks Department has already prohibited plastic and foam containers in its parks even though the ban's enforcement in many parks leaves much to be desired.

Campaigns to raise public awareness and other voluntary measures have long been a major feature of the war against garbage.

However, there appears to be contradictory and confusing signals emanating from the process to draft a law and measures to manage such waste.

Mysterious potholes scatter along the otherwise perfect road.

With this road, you can drive to Soi Dao.

And if you hit an animal that big, imagine what your car, and yourself, would be like.

If Mr Thaksin has his way, the inner Gulf of Thailand and the precious wetlands along the coast will be destroyed forever. The writing is on the wall.

There are other alternative routes. The authorities say no.

The changes will cause the decline of marine life , destroying both nature and the fishermen's livelyhood.

The construction will also stir up toxic sludge that is now sleeping underground. What will become of the sea?

The bridge pillars also pose a danger to fishermen. If a boat hits a pillar, causing the bridge to collapse, who will be responsible for the tragedy?

Ironically, the locals' criticisms of the bridge were used by academics- for-hire to refine the project's rough edges.

This dirty trick collapsed when the deputy governor of Phetchaburi issued a letter denying this talk as hearsay.

To start with, the project's official name is the Elevated Way Along the Coast of the Gulf of Thailand. That is a lie.

Mr Thaksin is asking us - perhaps reminding us would be more accurate - in no uncertain terms to decide if we like this or object to that.

The service provided at individual police stations has improved out of sight.

We're killing each other with no end in sight.

Thailand is no longer a major player in world trafficking.

Between Afghanistan and North Korea, Burma is Asia's biggest producer of illicit drugs.

This must not divert attention from Burma, which has accepted major trafficking by allies of the military dictatorship.

The war on drugs reduced the level of human rights in Thailand.

No heroin factory has even been suspected in the country.

State policies held back the negative impact from public knowledge.

The committee was asked to make a Solomonic decision able to satisfy both camps.

Getting rid of them is a highly-skilled task.

His name might not have rung a bell with many Thai people under 35 years old until recently.

There has hardly been a country where the transition has been so peaceful.

The blast, which killed and maimed only innocent bystanders, may have had a political message.

Terrorists are too free to threaten both the democratic gains and the peace of the region.

In the first round of voting electors rejected former army chief Wiranto, who some believe should stand trial for war crimes in East Timor, the Islamic president and the outspoken head of parliament.

What else I could expect?

You couldn't believe how quickly time passed.

I joined a culinary demonstration and learnt some professional secrets.

Fortunately, with weather permitting, our hosts had organised the Under the Stars Barbecue Dinner and Dancing by the pool.

I started studying about Silversea Cruises and it dawned on me that this was going to be something extraordinary.

I imagined myself watching the sky above the ocean aglow at night with the light emitted by stars in and outside our solar system. These imaginations, and a few others, have always coloured my travel dreams.

There are people who say that ocean cruises are expensive and therefore not worth the fun.

I chose not to bother about the price of the cruise and helped myself to what ever there was available to enjoy on this trip.

The vessels target the ultra-luxury market, whereby a new class of smaller, intimate vessels were built to reflect beauty and the spirit of adventure on sea.

The all-ocean view suites and open seating options allow guests to dine when ever and with whom ever they wish.

It was my first cruise and new cultures unfurled before my eyes.

Unbelievingly, luxury is found in every detail.

The Jemaah Islamiyah group "decided to call Australia to account, which we consider one of the worst enemies of God". But no other Australian was harmed.

It is impossible to know whether JI had any intentions beyond causing blood on the streets of Jakarta - assuming the group committed last Thursday's murders, which is reasonable yet uncertain.

Or perhaps the JI leadership had no ulterior motives, and merely concluded, like Lenin and others, that the purpose of terrorism is to terrorise.

President Megawati has stated truthfully that the fast arrest and trials was among the world's most impressive displays of justice.

Approval, at best, might take years.

Many would blame this lack of awareness on uneducated villagers.

Reasonable people can disagree over Russian policy and specific actions in Chechnya and concerning Russian Muslims.

The morning market sells everything from fresh vegetables and seafood to pork and chicken and other things besides.

Ban Krud became famous as a choice place to relax and soak up sea breezes. Almost all of my co-workers headed down there, leaving me as the laggard who had never made the trip.

Although these thoughts passed through my head, I didn’t feel that Ban Krud’s being a place to relax quietly by the seaside was a bad thing.

I would like to have seen the way people had originally lived there, when the local lifestyle was purer than it is now. So I enjoyed the seaside atmosphere that I found there. But before daybreak the next morning I went to the fresh market.

The building where the workers live was in a style that struck me as many times more attractive than the resort that had been built on the beach.

There was also a wide array of vegetables to eat together with the noodles.

Those who were there moved easily among the local residents, eating the local food the way the townspeople do.

Many trains stop right at Ban Krud, since trains going from Bangkok to the South stop there, as do those coming in the opposite direction.

I may have been slower than my colleagues in getting to know Ban Krud as a place to relax next to the sea, but I wasn’t too late to get to know the local society.

Inside, a woman worked on the piano. Visitors sat quietly immersed in music admiring the unique architecture.

It’s another way of the Finnish expression that when it comes to building church there is no fixed style.

It was built by blasting a rock hill and sculpted from there to look like a dent in the hill.

Today was our cathedral day. Not far from it, was another cathedral.

He found Engel, who was later appointed chief architect in 1816 and remained in Finland for the rest of his life.

Cheese and smoked salmon, pickled fruits, chocolate, sweets were prevalent every where.

It’s a historic place in itself.

It was the season of strawberries.

The bad thing is that we arrived too early and the hotel we were booked in didn’t allow us to check in straight away, as is the case in several other cities of Europe.

The Vanata Airport was a pleasing sight because of its compact size.

We arrivede in Helsinki early morning after a nine and half hours Finnair flight from Bangkok, the shortest on the route.

We saw a lot of wooden huts preserved there from old days. They had small doors signalling that their occupants must have been men of small frame.

Helsinki in summer sees people basking in the sun on every green strip in public parks. You can lie there for hours doing nothing.

Finnish people, like in Nordic countries, may appear reserved but the way they feel relaxed and enjoy the sun make visitors feel relaxed too.

The air is clean and it is pleasant to go out for a walk without breaking a sweat.

Like other high latitude cities, Helsinki gets its first light at 5:00 a.m. and the sun doesn’t set until almost 10:00 pm.

If you do not go to bed early, you have ample time to know the city.

Taiwan must seriously heed the recent warnings against pushing China’s limits.

Remember, we are not dealing with chemical compounds that are in any case products of nature.

Take nuclear power. It is indisputably a very powerful form of energy. Yet it is highly radioactive.

There is no panacea as there is no perpetual motion, something scientists have also been wracking their brains trying to find.

The government's trade deal with Australia only will benefit the government's insiders.

The GMO last straw is especially explosive.

Everyone prayed that heavens would hold.

The island is best recognised for its fine pottery.

Beside's fine pottery, one can stumble upon handicraft.

Manoeuvring ourselves through the throngs of shoppers turned out to be an eye-opening experience which the tourists among us found highly enjoyable.

After lunch, everyone did their thing.

In his mind, the Bangkok voter’s vote, either for Democratic party candidate Apirak or for Pavena, the Thai Rak Thai party proxy candidate, will be an indicator of his current popularity.

If anyone answers four or more, give that person your vote. He is either crazy or has a sophisticated understanding of our traffic congestion causes.

The ban will hurt these people and, without any doubt at all, add to the animosity toward the government.

The officers have been working hard to put an end to the mindlessly cruel killings.

Perhaps most infamously, the generals organised a democratic election in 1990.

Without change, Burma’s simmering problems will each explode.

The Burmese dictators are causing major diplomatic questions.

The UN has long been involved in attempts to replace the tyranny of Burma.

Efforts to start the abortive “Bangkok process” seem doomed.

The drug dealers of Burma threaten Thai, Chinese and Indian youths in ways that have been fully documented.

Under normal circumstances his death would soon be forgotten but he was the 16th person killed for trying to protect the nation's natural resources.

But let's give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that Supol Sirichan will not become just another statistic.

The level of surgery among these women doubles that of women not abused.

It will not see the light of day under this present administration.

The police would enjoy freedom to interpret what amounts to domestic violence.

The last time Thai people felt almost this good was eight years ago.

Many of our national athletes train quietly on their own with barely enough support from the state.

Also questionable is why Mr Somluck fought at all.

There is so much talk about forming a third party, a new party. Can the Democrat party transform itself into that new party? Answer these questions and you will know how to vote.

So do you vote, as you must, for the best person to attempt to manage Bangkok in a modern way?

As an organism, the city’s life seems impervious to this or that governor.

Even four years of that political dinosaur has made little difference, thankfully.

Who can govern, let’s say manage, this heap of ripe mango?

I’m having a hard time distinguishing the best candidate for Bangkok.

We can all use a little less fuel.

The price of diesel remains pegged to limit the affect on the economy.

Motorists now understand that the fuel their cars burn is no longer so cheap.

There is room for further expansion if people are to be moved about town comfortably and inexpensively.

Entertainment was punishable by sentences up to death.

The UN has been hamstrung by money from the start.

There is no doubting the nation’s willingness nor where the people want to go.

The Buddha images of Bamiyan were bloody-mindedly blown up by the Taliban.

They will catch a record number of cheats and liars who have used well publicised medical procedures to cheat their way to victory.

An Olympics champion stands to gain a gold medal and tens of millions of dollars in fees, promotions, advertising, appearances and more.

The goal of cheating to win renders the Olympics motto void. Citius, altius, fortius is for suckers.

A soccer match is supposedly between teams who match their basic skills, training and coaching – not who has the better Dr Frankenstein.

While officials try to weed out the cheaters and their criminal medical traffickers, another problem recently raised its head prominently in China.

China hopes to use the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to raise its international image and pride the way Japan did in 1964, and South Korea repeated in 1988. The recent Asian Cup football tournament raised strong questions about that.

Chinese leaders have yet to condemn or stop the use of hugely unfriendly crowds during international sports events.

The political attacks by Chinese sporting fans on the country of Japan during the soccer tournament often were shameful.

Twenty years after all pretence of keeping professional athletes out of the Games, many of the participants simply sneer at the official Olympic creed stated by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

One hopes that the anti-drugs staff at the Olympic Games watched every night by one billion or more people will catch every cheating winner, and make them return their medals.

Jobi's case is only the tip of an iceberg.

He has been trying to seek his due citizenship.

Compassion and indiscriminate giving is the key to peace.

Thai Rak Thai’s runaway popularity do not dwell on the loopholes in the constitution alone.

In the current circumstances, and probably even more so in the future, this allows the ruling party to govern almost unchecked.

To provide a counterweight to parties like Thai Rak Thai’s growing influence, an all-out campaign is needed.

We are calling on US lawmakers to assure that the results of the voting will not be surrounded in doubt, mostly because of the use of computerized voting machines.

And already there has been controversy in state elections surrounding the DRE systems.

In Texas a very close race with some irregularities in the voting could not be recounted.

They believe they have a better future with this party, just as cattle move to where they expect fresher fodder.

The concept of the Olympics is to have as many athletes as possible, watched by tens of thousands of spectators all in attendance together at the events.

This “struggle” to make the Olympic Games safe in a dangerous world is serious and mortally important.

With no way of knowing even if terrorists want to attack the Games, it is necessary to take defensive steps to secure the Olympics.

The Koran expressly forbids kidnapping at all.

Some old beliefs have died as hard as the one in the United States that the homeland was secure.

No single nation will defeat the threat to life and happiness posed by groups claiming to be Islamic extremists.

There is increasing cooperation among countries with Islamic majorities and important minorities.

The problem is no longer police taking bribes from a pub opening after hours – something the government may want to draw public attention to.

The people involved in corrupt practices have also become so smart that it is very difficult to nail them.

Mr Bush must continue to develop his plans for fighting terrorism and his economic policies.

Kerry could have explained better.

Mr Kerry missed a major chance to tell the world of his plans if he becomes president.

He spoke only generally of his hope to recruit allies to help.

Just one important foreign policy slipped Mr Kerry’s lips, and that must concern Thailand and Asia.

They are an indicator of how a Kerry administration might try to conduct commerce and call it free trade.

What can the generals have been thinking?

Mining laws allow investors to destroy the environment while damaging people's health.

If it is not corrupt officials who help investors steal common land, it is almost always government mega-projects the villagers are fighting.

And that is what we should do if we know who the real criminal is robbing the people.

It departs from the top-down administration model which has been in place across Thailand, apart from Bangkok and Pattaya, which is governed as a municipality.

They possess the right to participation in determining their own futures.

As a rule, the authorities have failed to get the killers.

No more wives will have to shed tears like her.

Almost as shocking was the apparent lack of decency on the part of management by not giving the reason for the change.

The deal has many media watchers wondering who is the real beneficiary of the changes taking place.

This is the week of the Asean Regional Forum, but sustainable cooperation is built at lower levels.

The fight against terrorism cannot be resolved by any single nation.

The confessions of senior Al-Qaeda leaders demonstrate the wide ambitions of terrorists to affect all the world.