One of the things about Bangkok Chinatown is that it keeps getting more interesting. The coal smoke from the chestnut roasters, the fresh fruit, the vegetables, the remarkable fish and seafood stores, the restaurants spilling out legally into the grid-lock traffic every day, the outstanding varieties of just about everything...and ,for me, how everything that is transported is transported through narrow crowded alleys on beautiful vespa motorscooters from 30 years ago....it's an astounding place and, strangely enough, one of the deeply safe places in South East Asia. Even with Thailand's throes of political and military upheavals that continue because the Great King is old now, no one will cause any trouble in Bangkok Chinatown. Whoever you are, whatever political or social movement you are passionate about, no one in their right mind every causes a big disturbance in a 2 million-people strong sub-city of Chinese merchants just trying to make a living by having a shop. That's just crazy. No matter what your cause, it doesn't belong here. You will be hunted down and dealt with at a completely local level.
The best restaurant in Bangkok Chinatown: The Red Shirt Seafood Restaurant that cranks up on the footpath in the main drag at 5 pm every day, revolution or no revolution. The best seafood, freshest, cheapest, fastest.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
China's Approach is Consistent with Supporting Peace
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- China strongly urges both sides of the Korean Peninsula to keep calm and restraint, solve issues through peaceful dialogue and engagement, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Wang Min said here Monday.
Wang made the remarks to reporters at the United Nations Headquarter in New York. He said China has taken note of the latest developments of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula is in the interest of both the South and the North of the Peninsula, as well as other relevant parties, he said.
"We strongly appeal relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint, act in a responsible manner and avoid increase of tensions," Wang told reporters.
The Security Council met for an emergency close-door meeting on Sunday that lasted about eight hours, but failed to reach consensus due to gaps among the council members.
Wang said China on Sunday supported Russia's proposal to call for an urgent meeting of the Security Council on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
"Members of the Council, including China, the United States and Russia have made efforts to the extent possible to avoid armed conflict on the Peninsula. The meeting was positive and of great importance," he said.
South Korea staged a live-fire artillery drill in the sensitive area of Yonphyong Island off the west coast earlier on Monday. The army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) dealt no counterattack to the drill.
"Calm rather than tension, dialogue rather than confrontation, peace rather than warfare. This is the strong aspiration and voice of the peoples from both sides of the Peninsula and the international community," said Wang.
He said China recently has spared no efforts to engage both sides of the Peninsula and relevant parties through various channels, in order to avoid broadening of differences and escalation of tensions.
Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo paid urgent visits to South Korea and the DPRK respectively, conducting candid and thorough discussions with leaders of the two countries. He urged the two sides to maintain calm and show restraint, pursue dialogue and engagement, and avoid taking any action that may worsen the situation.
During the last several days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China also urgently met with ambassadors of both the DPRK and the ROK in Beijing, reiterating for several times China's views and positions, Wang said.
"China strongly urges both sides of the Peninsula to keep calm and restraint, solve issues through peaceful dialogue and engagement. China will continue to make our efforts toward this end," Wang said.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
Wang made the remarks to reporters at the United Nations Headquarter in New York. He said China has taken note of the latest developments of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula is in the interest of both the South and the North of the Peninsula, as well as other relevant parties, he said.
"We strongly appeal relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint, act in a responsible manner and avoid increase of tensions," Wang told reporters.
The Security Council met for an emergency close-door meeting on Sunday that lasted about eight hours, but failed to reach consensus due to gaps among the council members.
Wang said China on Sunday supported Russia's proposal to call for an urgent meeting of the Security Council on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
"Members of the Council, including China, the United States and Russia have made efforts to the extent possible to avoid armed conflict on the Peninsula. The meeting was positive and of great importance," he said.
South Korea staged a live-fire artillery drill in the sensitive area of Yonphyong Island off the west coast earlier on Monday. The army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) dealt no counterattack to the drill.
"Calm rather than tension, dialogue rather than confrontation, peace rather than warfare. This is the strong aspiration and voice of the peoples from both sides of the Peninsula and the international community," said Wang.
He said China recently has spared no efforts to engage both sides of the Peninsula and relevant parties through various channels, in order to avoid broadening of differences and escalation of tensions.
Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo paid urgent visits to South Korea and the DPRK respectively, conducting candid and thorough discussions with leaders of the two countries. He urged the two sides to maintain calm and show restraint, pursue dialogue and engagement, and avoid taking any action that may worsen the situation.
During the last several days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China also urgently met with ambassadors of both the DPRK and the ROK in Beijing, reiterating for several times China's views and positions, Wang said.
"China strongly urges both sides of the Peninsula to keep calm and restraint, solve issues through peaceful dialogue and engagement. China will continue to make our efforts toward this end," Wang said.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
Monday 20 December 2010
DPRK on alert/ SBS Australia News
N.Korea on alert ahead of S.Korea drill
Email to friendPrintEnlarge text20 December 2010
01:54:07 AM
Source: AAP
North Korea has boosted the readiness of its military forces on the coast nearest to a planned live-fire drill by South Korea, the South's Yonhap news agency said on Sunday, quoting a government source.
"The North Korean artillery unit along the Yellow Sea has raised its preparedness level," the anonymous source was quoted as saying.
"Some fighter jets that had been inside the air force hangar have come out to the ground," Yonhap quoted the source as saying, without confirming whether weapons had been moved closer to the south.
In November North Korean artillery fired on Yeonpyeong island, near the two countries' disputed maritime border, killing four people in its first shelling of a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War.
The attack has sparked fears of a conflict on the tense peninsula.
The North has threatened to hit back harder if South Korea carries out a planned live-fire drill in the area, but the South said on Sunday it will go ahead with the exercise on Monday or Tuesday.
Yonhap said the North's weapons in the area include a 76.2mm gun with a 12km range and a 122mm multiple rocket launcher with a 20km range.
Email to friendPrintEnlarge text20 December 2010
01:54:07 AM
Source: AAP
North Korea has boosted the readiness of its military forces on the coast nearest to a planned live-fire drill by South Korea, the South's Yonhap news agency said on Sunday, quoting a government source.
"The North Korean artillery unit along the Yellow Sea has raised its preparedness level," the anonymous source was quoted as saying.
"Some fighter jets that had been inside the air force hangar have come out to the ground," Yonhap quoted the source as saying, without confirming whether weapons had been moved closer to the south.
In November North Korean artillery fired on Yeonpyeong island, near the two countries' disputed maritime border, killing four people in its first shelling of a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War.
The attack has sparked fears of a conflict on the tense peninsula.
The North has threatened to hit back harder if South Korea carries out a planned live-fire drill in the area, but the South said on Sunday it will go ahead with the exercise on Monday or Tuesday.
Yonhap said the North's weapons in the area include a 76.2mm gun with a 12km range and a 122mm multiple rocket launcher with a 20km range.
Sunday 19 December 2010
South Korean protestors hold banners and shout slogans during an anti-government rally in Seoul, capital of South Korea on Dec. 18, 2010. South Korea has declared plans for a live shell artillery drill in the waters southwest of Yeonpyeong Island on a selected date from Dec. 18-21 depending on weather conditions. (Xinhua/Park Jin Hee)
ReUnification or Integration?
The following article is from Al Jazeera regarding the views of the South Korean President. This is interesting and presents half an idea. The other half belongs to the North. To have any validity both North and South must work out the details without force being applied to either from foreign powers. I'm thinking they will surely fight each other because this is what warr-like brothers usually do. Whilst it's kind of good that the UN is getting involved, we should remember that it was the UN who created the division within the one Korea to suit the two powers USSR and USA...and the idea has worked abominably every day since. Still, there is some hope. As we can recall there was an equally bizarre and schizophrenic nation divided into North and South Vietnam some time back. Unification has worked out very well there.
The other alternative for the North I think would be for it to integrate into the greater China system with specific portfolios within the Chinese politburo held by NK present representatives. This would be far better than the current situation. Either would be far better than the current situation. Korea remains about the only place on earth that a real international war could commence: the strategic position, the untapped wealth of the north, the population densities etc. No one is really interested in peace between Palestinians and Israelis because on the whole no one likes either very much, and there's no real resources there, and, comparatively, not many people. Korea is very different and remarkably more significant and explosively 'tectonic' to life on earth.
_______________________________________________________-
South Korea's president says Seoul must prepare for a united country as the North becomes aware of South's affluence.
Despite calls for reunification, tensions still remain high on the Korean peninsula [GALLO/GETTY]
South Korea's president has said unification with North Korea has become more likely as people in the North become more aware of the South's affluence.
Lee Myung-bak said on Thursday, during a trip to Malaysia, that residents of the communist nation know the world is changing, but did not elaborate on how their knowledge has expanded, or how soon unification would come.
"Reunification will definitely come," Lee said in a speech marking the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese colonial rule.
"I believe that the time has come to start discussing realistic policies to prepare for that day such as a reunification tax."
Heightened tensions
Lee's comments come amid a period of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula after the North shelled a South Korean island close to a disputed maritime border, killing at least four people.
The North has blamed the South for sparking the exchange of artillery fire last month and criticised both Seoul and its US allies for "provocative" military drills.
The two states are still technically at war having only signed a ceasefire in 1953 and since coming to power in 2008, Lee has abandoned the so-called "Sunshine Policy" of his predecessor for a more strident stance.
Lee said on Friday that North Korea's new understanding of circumstances in the outside world is "an important change that no one can stop".
He added that South Korea has a responsibility to ensure that the North's 23 million people enjoy basic rights, and that Seoul should use its economic power to prepare for unification.
One way Lee proposed was a "reunification tax" to help fund the expected $1 trillion it could cost when the two Koreas eventually rejoin.
Costly reunification
He also said it was now time to start saving for the massive cost of reuniting with the North, whose economy has been driven close to ruin by central economic planning, heavy military expenditure and years of famine.
North Korea is one of the world's poorest countries, with annual gross national income of about $24bn in 2009 - less than three per cent the size of the South's economy.
The cost of reunification could wreak havoc on South Korea's economy, with a state-funded research agency saying it would raise the tax bill for South Koreans by the equivalent of two percentage points annually for 60 years.
Opinion polls, however, show more than 60 per cent of South Koreans want unification, but they would prefer it happen later rather than sooner because of the cost.
The other alternative for the North I think would be for it to integrate into the greater China system with specific portfolios within the Chinese politburo held by NK present representatives. This would be far better than the current situation. Either would be far better than the current situation. Korea remains about the only place on earth that a real international war could commence: the strategic position, the untapped wealth of the north, the population densities etc. No one is really interested in peace between Palestinians and Israelis because on the whole no one likes either very much, and there's no real resources there, and, comparatively, not many people. Korea is very different and remarkably more significant and explosively 'tectonic' to life on earth.
_______________________________________________________-
South Korea's president says Seoul must prepare for a united country as the North becomes aware of South's affluence.
Despite calls for reunification, tensions still remain high on the Korean peninsula [GALLO/GETTY]
South Korea's president has said unification with North Korea has become more likely as people in the North become more aware of the South's affluence.
Lee Myung-bak said on Thursday, during a trip to Malaysia, that residents of the communist nation know the world is changing, but did not elaborate on how their knowledge has expanded, or how soon unification would come.
"Reunification will definitely come," Lee said in a speech marking the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese colonial rule.
"I believe that the time has come to start discussing realistic policies to prepare for that day such as a reunification tax."
Heightened tensions
Lee's comments come amid a period of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula after the North shelled a South Korean island close to a disputed maritime border, killing at least four people.
The North has blamed the South for sparking the exchange of artillery fire last month and criticised both Seoul and its US allies for "provocative" military drills.
The two states are still technically at war having only signed a ceasefire in 1953 and since coming to power in 2008, Lee has abandoned the so-called "Sunshine Policy" of his predecessor for a more strident stance.
Lee said on Friday that North Korea's new understanding of circumstances in the outside world is "an important change that no one can stop".
He added that South Korea has a responsibility to ensure that the North's 23 million people enjoy basic rights, and that Seoul should use its economic power to prepare for unification.
One way Lee proposed was a "reunification tax" to help fund the expected $1 trillion it could cost when the two Koreas eventually rejoin.
Costly reunification
He also said it was now time to start saving for the massive cost of reuniting with the North, whose economy has been driven close to ruin by central economic planning, heavy military expenditure and years of famine.
North Korea is one of the world's poorest countries, with annual gross national income of about $24bn in 2009 - less than three per cent the size of the South's economy.
The cost of reunification could wreak havoc on South Korea's economy, with a state-funded research agency saying it would raise the tax bill for South Koreans by the equivalent of two percentage points annually for 60 years.
Opinion polls, however, show more than 60 per cent of South Koreans want unification, but they would prefer it happen later rather than sooner because of the cost.
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