[espenijij]

Is that in their print edition? It should be noted that a lot of these newspapers print more stories online than in the print editions.

BTW, I heard this month's Economist is banned in Thailand again as they have a story on the red shirts.

[77Dinaartickire]

I haven't read the national newspaper (Western Mail) in Wales any day this week, but it has featured in the local county (Flintshire Leader) newspaper a couple of times this week. When I go in to town people who now my wife is Thai are aware of the happenings and ask me about it.

David

[aburva.org]

A friend emailed me and said the Red Shirt demonstrations have been getting considerable coverage on TV news bulletins in Australia. Oz online newspaper websites have also been covering the story on most days.

[Thomaswhitee]

Let me qualifiy with the fact that I don't read newspapers, so I can't speak to that. Online news agencies and television media have had very little coverage.

CNN International had Thailand listed on their list of 4 top stories every hour and there was one "in depth" report (it lasted 6 minutes) on an world show. BBC America has had some coverage. CNN domestic, MSNBC have had nothing... I don't watch Fox to know.

[VoriEremiagem]

Is that in their print edition? It should be noted that a lot of these newspapers print more stories online than in the print editions.

BTW, I heard this month's Economist is banned in Thailand again as they have a story on the red shirts.

I'm not sure, I don't even know what day of the week it comes out.
I'll keep an eye out, though I won't be buying it, as here in Japan it costs 800 Yen, which is 285 Baht or close to USD9. (!!)

[VoriEremiagem]

There were pictures on the front page of the International Herald Tribune Monday to Wednesday here is Japan.
I was one news piece on the Japanese news that lasted a few minutes on Tuesday I think.
It was also in the top 3 stories on BBC and CNN here until Tuesday or Wednesday with the blood spilling being the last I have seen or heard about it here.

[Kemapreedasse]

I remember seeing it on the front page of CNN when they started spilling blood. I honestly think that Thailand is kind of a laughing stock of the political world so most people are just apathetic to whatever happens there. I remember last time the coup happened my friends just knew of the coup but none of the details. What that tells me is that not many people care to dig any deeper than the headline.

[VoriEremiagem]

Time magazine has a piece published today.
In Thailand, A Little Black Magic Is Politics as Usual

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...#ixzz0ihmhE2wT

The images were shocking — and strange. On Tuesday, thousands of Thai protesters splattered buckets of their own blood outside the Prime Minister's office in Bangkok as a Brahmin priest in flowing white robes lit incense, chanted spells and cast a curse upon the government.

As theater, it was both effective and mysterious: clips of the blood curse led international news broadcasts, with viewers and analysts bewildered as to what the protesters were trying to achieve. But in Thailand, it was anything but an aberration. Curses, dark rituals and black magic have long been part of the political culture of the country and some of its neighbors. And to some Thai analysts, the strange rite was a rare public revelation of a more covert aspect of the ongoing conflict between the country's political movements — a war of the supernatural. (See pictures of the 2008 protests in Bangkok.)

The protesters, known as the Red Shirts for the color they wear, were supporters of fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and has fled the country rather than serve a prison term on a corruption conviction. His opponents include the current Democrat-led government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the military, a rival group of protesters known as the Yellow Shirts and, according to some, Thailand's monarchy. Thaksin's followers are comprised largely of the rural poor, and so it was easy to dismiss, as many commentators did, the bloody curse as a desperate act by uneducated farmers. But in Thailand, despite modern commuter Skytrains, gleaming new international airports, and a populace with a passion for the latest IT gadgets, members of all classes regularly pay deference to the supernatural. From hit men getting tattoos they believe will repel bullets, to aristocratic ladies trading stocks on the advice of astrologers, and ministers who pay tens of thousands of dollars for amulets they believe will ward off evil, the unseen is a serious, and potentially lucrative, business.

Thailand is a nation that prides itself on its Theravada Buddhist heritage. But Buddhism in Thailand is blended with a brew of Hindu, animist, Khmer, pagan and other beliefs. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the country's 82-year-old constitutional monarch, spent time as a Buddhist monk but also retains astrologers and Brahmin priests at court, as is tradition. So it's no wonder that coup plotters, Prime Ministers and lawmakers have frequently consulted fortune-tellers before making important decisions. Performing dark rites to increase one's power and defeat your adversaries is as pervasive among the political class as bribery and vote buying. Even Thaksin, who became a billionaire from satellite services, computers and telecommunications, once declined to answer a reporter's question because "Mercury [was] not in the right house."

In fact, according to Wassana Namnuan, a Bangkok Post reporter, Thaksin and his opponents have been deeply engaged in black magic battles for dominance of the country for several years. "Both sides have been casting curses and spells upon each other," says Wassana who has written a book on the subject in Thai called Secrets, Trickery and Camouflage: The Improbable Phenomena. According to Wassana, Thaksin believes he is the reincarnation of a Burmese king who killed many Thais, and so has engaged in elaborate cleansing rituals to wash away the sins of his past lives. While in power, Wassana says Thaksin performed several saiyasat, or black magic rituals, that he hoped would prolong his rule for life. While visiting Burma he sought counsel from a deformed astrologer nicknamed "ET" who is favored by the generals that have kept the country in their iron grip for more than half a century.


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...#ixzz0ihmbC2al


This is page one, it goes on longer, follow the links.

http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...973871,00.html

[jinnamys]

As a few others have said, there was regular coverage in Australia at the peak of the demonstrations. Also the blood spilling made a great story. There wasn't a lot of depth in the TV coverage but the major newspapers were better.

However, as the protests have lost momentum, coverage has stopped. I've seen nothing at all yesterday or today.

To really understand what's going on, you need to check the Thai online press....and, of course, keep an eye on Richard Barrow's excellent Twitter feed! Quite seriously, it had some of the best real time coverage of the first few days.

Either Foreign Correspondent (ABC) or Dateline (SBS) (sorry forgotten which) is going to run an in-depth analysis this week.

Edit: It's on Dateline, SBS One, Sun 8.30pm.

[DoterrFor]

I never read the newspapers, but because Thailand is a major tourist destination for Australians, any major story will hit the press. The commercial television news networks had substantial coverage on the first day of protesting in Bangkok and again with the blood spilling but not much since, however the Australian government Television Chanel the ABC does have a lot of in depth international current affairs programs and they do have in depth details on a regular basis on the political situation in Thailand, I have not had time to watch them lately but avid watchers of the ABC have good knowledge of international politic and you can be assured the coverage of this event in Thailand will receive at least a detailed 40 minute segment on "foreign correspondent" or the "4 courners" program some time soon.

[TOD4wDTQ]

Considerable coverage and discussion in Swedish newspapers.

Also featured in all our news channels..... all four...

[PersonalLoansBank]

Daily updates on internet BBC News which I have been linking here for those that do not overly trust the local English language press & for general interest.
Have not caught any British TV news for a few days, but it did feature on every bulletin initially.

[Enrivaanonock]

As a few others have said, there was regular coverage in Australia at the peak of the demonstrations. Also the blood spilling made a great story. There wasn't a lot of depth in the TV coverage but the major newspapers were better.

However, as the protests have lost momentum, coverage has stopped. I've seen nothing at all yesterday or today.

To really understand what's going on, you need to check the Thai online press....and, of course, keep an eye on Richard Barrow's excellent Twitter feed! Quite seriously, it had some of the best real time coverage of the first few days.

[Butiqueso]

I remember seeing it on the front page of CNN when they started spilling blood. I honestly think that Thailand is kind of a laughing stock of the political world so most people are just apathetic to whatever happens there.

There are fair coverage in Singapore mostly on the "amusing" things the protestors are doing like spilling blood and going on "parades" but most Singaporean are just concern will these affect their holiday plans to Thailand.

[Acrogeokickic]

BTW, I heard this month's Economist is banned in Thailand again as they have a story on the red shirts.

I think it's more to do with its discussion of the monarchy.

[iNYZgxNC]

I dont read newspaper all that much here in Australia, but I do watch TV news regularly. Especialy over the last week or so, since the demonstration trouble in Thailand. I try and catch the major bullitins just to see if there is anything happening.
They do show some footage from Thailand, but it does'nt appear to be a major topic,
often the last thing they show. Actually the tsunami that hit Thailand a couple of year ago,hardly got a mention in the Australian medi. According to the news reports, Indoneisia was just about the only place that was affected, why I dont know.
To me, the Australian Governent are not all that worried about Thailand. It is just a tourist destination and a place where the occasional drug runner is stuck in the slammer.
Personally, because many people know my wife is Thai, I get asked about the trouble in Thailand. Am I worried about going there, my reply is always no, im'e not
I tell them, I still think Thailand a safer place to be in than much of Australia. Usually when I explain why I believe that to be, they agree.
As for what we see on TV or read from the media, we are told what they want us to know, similar to America. The only time you read in a news paper what the writer has written. Is when it is a paid for advert, after that the editor's can drop a sentence or a word or two, slice TV footage and turn the story completly around.
What I see or read is taken with a grain of salt.
To answer part of your question, would I have taken notice if I wasnt all interested in Thailan. For me yes, I like to think there are many interesting things happening in the world, other than who is going to win the football at the weekend.

[espenijij]

I read Pailin's comment on another thread that there has been virtually nothing in the newspapers. I am wondering what kind of coverage this is getting in your print media. If there is something, would you have noticed it if you weren't focussed so much on Thailand? Who is more worried, foreign governments or their citizens?

[iNYZgxNC]

To day Saturday 20, Just had a read of our local news paper and the Hearald Sun, a major Melbourne paper, No mention of Thailand.

[L8fGLM4d]

the major news websites in my home country picked up the story when it got bloody, also providing some basic background information. it is underlined that the current government was not democratically elected. a blogger living in BKK is always the most comprehensive source of information and photos on anything that happens here. he always goes out to see these demonstrations and take pics, and can follow the Thai media as well.

[Misespimb]

I read Pailin's comment on another thread that there has been virtually nothing in the newspapers. I am wondering what kind of coverage this is getting in your print media. If there is something, would you have noticed it if you weren't focussed so much on Thailand? Who is more worried, foreign governments or their citizens?

I lived in the USA for 2 years and I assure you that the international or news from other countries are the last concern of the media agencies there, it is controlled for cretin objectives only and if you want any news to be noticed just pay and it will show up the next day.