New Mandala

New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia

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THAISOC101: Behaving bureaucratically

November 12th, 2007 by Nicholas Farrelly · 29 Comments

The [Culture] ministry has recently reissued a booklet entitled “Thai Social Etiquette”. The booklet is written in English and offers visiting foreigners the usual tips about performing a proper wai, not pointing with the feet, and not patting the head. But it is much more wide-ranging than most such guides. It tells its readers how [...]

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Tags: Asian Studies · Thailand

Justin Wintle’s response to Robert Taylor

November 12th, 2007 by Justin Wintle, Guest Contributor · 6 Comments

I write with regard to New Mandala’s interview with Professor Robert  [H.] Taylor, dated November 7th and posted on the Internet.
Professor Taylor says apropos Perfect Hostage, my biography of Aung San Suu  Kyi, that it is ‘badly flawed’. Naturally I wish to counter this prejudicial allegation. Before so doing, however, I would point out areas of [...]

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Tags: Uncategorized

Mekong eavesdropping

November 12th, 2007 by Andrew Walker · Add a Comment

Courtesy of Des Ball at the ANU here is the Burmese crossed-loop HF/VHF DF system located about 500 metres up the Mekong from Ban Sop Ruak (the so-called “golden triangle”). It is presumably for tracking the radio communications of vessels moving up and down the Mekong, but can be used for locating any HF or VHF transmissions in northwestern [...]

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Tags: Burma · The Mekong · Trans-Border Issues

Seminar on conservation in Kachin state

November 12th, 2007 by Andrew Walker · Add a Comment

Identifying conservation issues in northern Myanmar (Burma)
Dr Tint Lwin Thaung
Forest Conservation Coordinator (Asia-Pacific)
The Nature Conservancy Indo-Pacific Resource Centre
Tuesday 13 November 2007, 12.30-1.30pm
Seminar Room B, Coombs Building
The Australian National University
Abstract: Kachin State in northern Myanmar is home to many biological hotspots, including subtropical moist forests, hill forests, alpine meadows and broadleaf and conifer forests (Olson and [...]

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Tags: Burma · China · Trans-Border Issues