0 View Comments Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha arrives for a meeting with Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, April 19, 2018 during the latter's visit to the country to announce the group's investment in the Thai government's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme. (Jorge Silva/Pool Photo via AP) … [Read more...] about Thailand Jack Ma
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‘Drag Race Thailand’ makes U.S. debut
U.S. fans who can’t get enough of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” can now binge on “Drag Race Thailand.” Fashion stylist Art-Araya In-dra and Thai drag queen Pangina Heals host the series which features 10 drag queens battling it out to become Thailand’s Next Drag Superstar. “We were fortunate enough to be on set for some of the taping of ‘Drag Race Thailand’ and we were left breathless,” Fenton Bailey, one of the executive producers of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “Be prepared to gag.” “Drag Race Thailand” is the second international version of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” to air. The first was “The Switch Drag Race,” which aired in Chile in 2015. U.S. ‘Drag Race’ fans can watch the fun on the streaming service WOW Presents Plus on May 4. Episodes of the Chilean “Drag Race” are also currently available to … [Read more...] about ‘Drag Race Thailand’ makes U.S. debut
#DontTellMeHowToDress Campaign Takes Off in Thailand
By Laignee Barron 3:40 AM EDT In the annual lead-up to Thailand’s water-soaked new year festivities, Bangkok officials habitually roll out an admonition: In order to avoid sexual harassment, women must watch how they dress. But this year’s warning, issued in the wake of the #MeToo movement, has triggered a monumental backlash on social media. Women are sharing stories of sexual misconduct experienced during the boisterous three-day holiday called Songkran, while taking umbrage at the suggestion that their clothing, and not the perpetrators, is to blame for the harassment or assault. To shift the focus back onto men’s behavior, Cindy Sirinya Bishop, a Thai-American celebrity and host of Asia’s Next Top Model, launched a now-viral campaign #DontTellMeHowToDress. “Women have the right to dress however we choose, as long as it’s not illegal,” she wrote in an Instagram post that has now been viewed more than 100,000 times. “Sexual … [Read more...] about #DontTellMeHowToDress Campaign Takes Off in Thailand
Will Thailand’s general-prime minister make good on his latest promise to hold elections?
BANGKOK — After he took off his army general’s uniform and put on a prime ministerial suit in 2014, Thai junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha pledged to lead the country back to democracy, although he said it would be “Thai-style democracy.” Four years on, it appears that “Thai-style democracy” means holding an election that returns Prayuth as leader, whether as prime minister or behind the scenes, even as he suggests he has no such plans. “Why should I stay on in power for another 20 years?” Prayuth said in a speech at a university in Bangkok last week, referring to a 20-year strategic policymaking plan his junta has adopted. “I am 60 now, and that’s already old. I need to rest.” A handful of students protested against the junta leader, holding signs calling him a dictator. Prayuth has repeatedly postponed promised elections, and there is little confidence here that he will make good on his most recent … [Read more...] about Will Thailand’s general-prime minister make good on his latest promise to hold elections?
From Thailand, the origins of a popular Fairbanks eatery
FAIRBANKS — When Mikki Patterson first spotted the location where her restaurant, Pad Thai, is now located, she contacted the landlord to see if she could rent the unoccupied building. She was told she could, but there was one catch. It had formerly been known as the Dog House, and the landlord insisted she keep the name.Fifteen years later she laughed while recalling the incident. “I said, ‘Impossible! I want to open a Thai restaurant and I have to use the name Dog House?’”Fortunately, the landlord relented, Patterson signed a lease, and she soon opened the popular College Road eatery.Patterson grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, where she gained the self-sufficiency that has made her a successful businesswoman.“I liked it. I had a lot of friends,” she said of that enormous city. “But one thing. You had to depend on yourself. You don’t just say a prayer to a god to come help you. You have to use your experience to find out what is a good … [Read more...] about From Thailand, the origins of a popular Fairbanks eatery