Savings quickly used up on entertainment and women, lacking health insurance, hospitals end up paying for their chronic illnesses.
Hospitals count cost of foreigners' bills, Elderly patients often can't pay for treatment by Achadtaya Chuenniran
PHUKET : State hospitals in the southern province are shouldering a heavy burden for treating elderly foreigners who cannot afford to pay their medical bills.Many retired foreigners who came to Thailand with the hope of settling down here are now struggling after spending their pensions wastefully and marrying Thai women, some of whom left them after their money ran out.
Lots of foreigners have fallen ill and been admitted to local hospitals. Their relatives back home refuse to pay for their treatment on being contacted by the embassy, Vachira Phuket Hospital's public relations centre said.
The embassies regard the matter as personal. They will provide help to their nationals only in cases of emergency or disaster.
"So we've treated these patients based on professional ethics until the last moments of their lives. Funeral rites and merit-making ceremonies are held for them," a source at the centre said.
The state-run Vachira Phuket Hospital admitted a record 377 foreign patients, mostly Britons, in the 12 months to Sept 30, 2010.
There were also cases of foreigners who died outside of the hospital but were brought in for autopsies. They died of causes ranging from road accidents to drowning and suicide.
The hospital last year spent 1.3 million baht treating 17 penniless foreigners. It was the third consecutive year that the hospital had logged unpaid bills.
The hospital bore costs of more than 1.2 million baht in 2009 for 22 foreign patients, a 50% rise from the 800,000 baht in costs to treat 17 patients in 2008, the centre said.
"These patients are mostly European men," the source said. "They didn't take out health insurance. They renew their visas every year and have no savings."
Some of them produced fake financial statements to have their visas renewed. Each foreign national seeking the renewal of his or her retirement visa must have at least 800,000 baht in their bank account or show they have earnings of at least 65,000 baht a month.
The source said foreigners' savings often were quickly used up on entertainment and women.
Some who wanted to build families in Phuket married Thai women who later took off with their money.
In a lot of cases, the patients require long-term treatment for chronic illnesses such as alcoholism and liver and heart diseases.
The source said the government should review its policy and focus on quality tourism.
Stricter screening of visa applications was needed. Foreign residents must be required to have health insurance.
The government should even set up a fund to help foreign patients with some of their financial costs, the source said.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Hospitals count cost of foreigners' bills, Elderly patients often can't pay for treatment, 20/01/2011, Achadtaya Chuenniran, link)
destitute - having no money, penniless, very poor แร้นแค้น, ยากจน
bills - money owed to others that must be paid quickly
elderly - older people, over 65 สูงวัย, อาวุโส, อายุมาก
treatment - the process of providing medical care การรักษา
burden - a serious or difficult responsibility that you have to deal with ภาระ (See glossary)
shouldering a heavy burden - having to deal with or carry out some difficult task and responsibility
afford - to have enough money to be able to pay for something มีเงินพอจับจ่าย ซื้อหา, มีเงิน/ทุนพอ
retired - no longer working because you have reached the age where you are officially too old to work เกษียณอายุ
settling down - starting to live in a place for a long period of time, as your permanent home
struggling - having serious difficulties มีความยุ่งยาก
pension - a saving system for retirement and old age, "arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment" (See Wikipedia)
local - in the area that you live
relatives - a member of your larger (extended) family, family who does not live with you such as grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins ญาติพี่น้อง, หมู่ญาติ, เครือญาติ
relatives back home - relatives who live in the country that the foreigner comes from (is a citizen of)
refuse - say they will not do it
embassy - a group of officials who represent their government in a foreign country สถานทูต
Public Relations (PR) - the activity of communication and creating news releases that create a favorable public image (See Wikipedia)
regard - to consider or have an opinion about something or someone เห็นว่า,ถือว่า
matter - a situation or subject which is being dealt with or considered เรื่อง, ภารกิจ, งาน
provide - to give someone something that they want or need
emergency - an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
disaster - something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people ความหายนะ ภัยพิบัติ
ethics - a set of principles people use to decide what is right and what is wrong จริยธรรม
professional ethics - the rules that guide professionals such as doctors, nurses, architects, etc in making decisions about what is right and wrong (or moral)
rites - a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one พิธี
funeral rites - the ceremony (usually religious) for burying or burning (cremating) a dead person
merit-making - in Buddhism performing specific acts and ceremonies to build up kamma and improve one's rebirth in the next life (See Wikipedia)
ceremony - a formal traditional or religious event, with a fixed set of meaningful formal actions พิธี
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
state - government รัฐ
record - list down, the official count made the organization
spent - used ใช้ไป
autopsy - the examination of a dead body (corpse) to "determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present," performed by a specialist (See Wikipedia)
drown - when a person who dies by going under the water and not being able to breath
suicide - when a person killing him or herself การฆ่าตัวเอง
penniless - have no money
consecutive - happening one after another อย่างต่อเนื่อง
bore costs - paid the costs
health insurance - when you make regular payments to a company, who will make large payments to help you if you have a problem in the future such as an accident or are sick การประกันภัย (See Wikipedia)
renew - extend the period that something is valid and can be used (when it is about to expire and end) ต่อ
fake - made to look like something real in order to trick people ปลอม ที่ทำปลอม, ปลอมแปลง
financial statements - formal records or reports that show the financial activities of a business, person, or other entity, as well as their wealth (assets, liabilities, and net worth), as well as income งบการเงิน (See Wikipedia)
foreign national - a citizen of a particular country ประชาชน
renewal - increasing or extending the life of some official document or permission (driver's license, visa, passport, etc) การต่ออายุ
retirement - the time when you stop working, especially because of old age เกษียณอายุ
bank account - an arrangement with a bank to keep money at the bank
took off with their money - stole their money
chronic - (of a disease or pain) serious and lasting for a long time เป็นประจำ
alcoholism - continued consumption of alcoholic beverages despite health problems and negative social consequences; prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to severe withdrawal symptoms, habitual intoxication, problem drinking โรคพิษสุราเรื้อรัง, การติดสุรา, การติดเหล้า (See Wikipedia)
policy - a plan of action to guide decisions and achieve outcomes (See Wikipedia)
focus - think about and work on one thing (rather than waste time on many), concentrate time and attention on one thing ให้ความสำคัญ
screening - checking for problems before accepting
residents - people who live in an area ผู้อาศัย ผู้อาศัยในบริเวณ ราษฎรในบริเวณนั้น
fund - money gathered together or set aside to pay for something เงินทุน กองทุน
Black Tai woman in traditional attire
- Published: 24/01/2011 at 03:45 PM
In the highlands of northern Vietnam, a Black Tai woman in traditional dress and hairstyle walks quickly towards a photographer.
Black Tai language, literature and culture are the focus of a website at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in the US (See site).
Read an academic paper on a Black Thai historical chronicle (PDF).
Read previous articles on photos of hilltribes in Thailand (Read #1, #2, #3).
FACES & PLACES: Black tai occasion by Peerawat Jariyasombat
When my colleague and I were taking pictures in Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam, we were glad to get a special photo opportunity when a number of Black Tai or Tai Dam ladies in their traditional attire and hairstyles walked towards us.
For centuries, Dien Bien Phu has been the home of the Black Tai, the ethnic Tai group found living in large numbers between the Black River and the Red River in Northern Vietnam. The Black Tai are named for the colour of their women's clothing.
They were friendly, polite, sympathetic and full of humour. Although we could not understand their language, we found them friendly like Thai people.
But this time these ladies were unusually affable and polite because they saw us as their customers. They tried to reach us as fast as possible to offer us handicrafts, like hand-woven hair covers and other souvenirs.
Meeting locals makes your travels even more enriching. If you have interesting photos of people and a memorable experience to share with other readers, email them to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th. The photos must be sent as jpeg files (at least 1MB in size), and the text as document files.
Life reserves the right to select and publish the photographs.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Life section, FACES & PLACES, Black tai occasion, 24/01/2011, Peerawat Jariyasombat, link)
Black Tai - (or "Tai Dam") an ethnic group in the mountainous northern areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand bordering on China ไทดำ (See Wikipedia)
Black tai occasion - a play on words using the phrase "black tie occasion"
black tie occasion - a dress code for formal evening events such as dinner parties, in which the men wear a tuxedo (See Wikipedia)
dress code - a set of rules about what clothes a person can wear in a certain situation such as work or at a special event such as a party (See Wikipedia)
play on words - changing the words of a text so that there is more than one meaning, for humorous or artistic effect (See Wikipedia)
colleague - someone who works in the same organisation or department as you do เพื่อนร่วมงาน
Dien Bien Phu - city in the far north of Vietnam on its mountainous border with Laos, located in an area with many ethnic groups including Tai and Hmong, in 1954 the Siege of Dien Bien Phu and the French defeat signalled the end of French involvement in Vietnam (See Wikipedia)
border - the line that separates two countries (when you cross the line, you enter another country) เขตแดน
borderlands - the area between two countries or states
opportunity - a situation when it is possible to do something that you want to do (See glossary)
photo opportunity - (short form: "photo op") an opportunity to take a good photo (interesting subject, good composition, good lighting)
traditional - things (clothes, music, customs, etc.) that have been part of a country or society for a long time
attire - clothes
ethnic group - a group of people with the same culture and language, longer: "a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, consisting of a common language, a common culture (often including a shared religion) and a tradition of common ancestry" กลุ่มชาติพันธุ์, กลุ่มชนที่มีเชื้อชาติเดียวกัน, เผ่าพันธุ์ (See Wikipedia)
Tai - a set of different ethnic groups with different languages (related to the Thai of Thailand) that are spread over the northern borderlands between China and Southeast Asia (See Wikipedia and language and literature website and Dr. John Hartmann at NIU)
Red River - a long river that begins in Yunnan, China, flowing through China and then Northern Vietnam where it is of major importance for rice cultivation: "The reddish-brown heavily silt-laden water gives the river its name. The Red River is notorious for its violent floods with its seasonally wide volume fluctuations. The delta is a major agricultural area of Vietnam with vast area devoted to rice. The land is protected by an elaborate network of dykes and levees" (See Wikipedia)
tributary - a smaller river that flows into a larger river แคว, ลำน้ำที่ไหลมาลงลำน้ำอีกสายหนึ่ง
Black River - a tributary of the Red River (See Wikipedia)
sympathetic - showing a natural feeling of kindness and understanding that you have for someone who is experiencing something very unpleasant เห็นอกเห็นใจ
humour - the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that some things are funny or the quality of being funny ความตลกขบขัน
affable - friendly
handicrafts - a type of work (or traditional "craft") in which things are made by hand or using only simple tools (See Wikipedia)
woven - a cloth made by weaving (See Wikipedia) เสื้อผ้าที่ลวดลายถักทอ
hand-woven - cloth made by weaving using the hands and not a machine
souvenir - an object that reminds you of some place you have been to or travelled to, a memento, a token ของที่ระลึก, สิ่งเตือนใจ
locals - people who live in a particular place ชาวบ้าน
memorable - likely to be remembered or worth remembering ซึ่งมีค่าน่าจดจำ, โดดเด่น
experience - something that happens to you, a situation that you are involved in ประสบการณ์
share - to have or use something at the same time as someone else ใช้ร่วมกัน
document - a paper or set of papers with written or printed information, especially of an official type เอกสาร
reserves - keep something for a particular purpose or time in the future สงวน
PM makes his case
- Published: 24/01/2011 at 10:59 AM
Alarmed by the prospect of larger protests over the Cambodian border issue, PM goes on national TV to explain government's position.
A Google map version of PM Abhisit's map, showing route taken by seven Thais (red), barbed-wire fence bordering area occupied by Cambodia (green) and white line indicating straight line between markers 46 and 47. http://bit.ly/dF4LjN Prepared by @thattvnews http://thaitvnews2.blogspot.comAbhisit stands firm in face of joint rally
Three-sided protest arises from border spat
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva points out spot where seven Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers.
Mr Abhisit said in a televised address last night that the government would not submit to the groups' demands, particularly the revocation of the memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2000 governing the two countries' border disputes.
The PAD is calling on the government to revoke the memorandum which they say puts Thailand at a disadvantage in its dealings with Phnom Penh.
It also want the government to force Cambodians from every disputed area and to cancel Thailand's membership of Unesco's World Heritage Committee.
"[The PAD and Thai Patriots Network's] actual goal is not to push for the revocation of the memorandum, it is to oust the government from office," Mr Abhisit said.
He insisted he would not allow a repeat of the 2008 yellow shirt PAD seizure of Government House, when the pressure group targeted the Samak Sundaravej government.
Tearing up the 2000 memorandum of understanding governing border areas contested by Thailand and Cambodia will only lead to the use of force, Mr Abhisit warned.
The prime minister said in his television broadcast that the memo had helped prevent either country from taking back the border land to which they laid sovereign claim.
Scrapping it, as demanded by the People's Alliance for Democracy, would leave the two neighbouring countries with no option but to use force to reclaim the territory, he said.
Mr Abhisit used a digital map to trace the path taken by the seven Thais on Dec 29 when they entered a disputed area near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district next to Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.
The seven were charged by Cambodia with illegal entry and trespassing on a military area.
Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth and Veera Somkwamkid, a coordinator with the Thai Patriots Network, which is allied to the PAD, were among those arrested.
Mr Panich and four others were given suspended jail terms and have since returned home.
The court has still to bring down a ruling on Mr Veera and his secretary, Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, for illegal entry and they also face charges of espionage with the Phnom Penh court scheduled to hand down its decision tomorrow.
Mr Abhisit said during the broadcast last night that the memorandum was a tool for keeping either country from asserting unilaterally its territorial claim over disputed border areas.
The PAD is calling for the memo to be scrapped, saying it is tantamount to giving Cambodia licence to take Thailand's border land. The group is holding a protest tomorrow in Bangkok to highlight its demand.
The premier said the memo required the two countries to determine together what aspects of the dispute could be settled and what remained contentious.
In areas which are unsettled, the memorandum also sets a course of action and protocol to be followed.
Mr Abhisit said the two countries would have no choice but to use force to settle the border conflicts if the memorandum was cancelled.
Military clashes would have far-reaching ramifications on diplomacy and also affect people on both sides of the border who now live in harmony.
barbed wire – thick wire with a lot of sharp points sticking out of it, used for making fences ลวดหนาม
firm – definite and not likely to change แน่นอน, แน่วแน่
joint – done together; belonging to or shared between two or more people ที่ร่วมกัน, ความร่วมมือกัน
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries เขตแดน อาณาเขต
spat – an argument or disagreement, especially over something that seems unimportant เรื่องทะเลาะเบาะแว้ง ในเรื่องไม่เป็นเรื่อง
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
bow to – to agree to do what someone wants you to do even though you do not want to ยอมทำตาม
pressure – a force pressing against you or attempting to defeat you ความกดดัน
People’s Alliance for Democracy – the union of several groups protesting against the past government and which staged large protests against the Thaksin government as well พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย
Thai Patriots Network – The group formed to pressure the Thai government into not approving any agreements which would result in the loss of territory to Cambodia เครือข่ายกลุ่มคนไทยหัวใจรักชาติ
sect – a small group of people who belong to a particular religion but who have some beliefs or practices which separate them from the rest of the group นิกาย (ทางศาสนา),กลุ่ม, พรรค
address – a formal speech คำปราศรัย
submit – to accept that someone has defeated you ยอมจำนน
demand – a very firm request for something ข้อเรียกร้อง, การเรียกร้องrevocation – officially saying that something is no longer legal การยกเลิก การเพิกถอน
memorandum of understanding (MOU) – a document used to describe a form of a written agreement between two or more groups, countries, etc. The document is not as strong as a contract but outlines a commitment between the two to work together toward the same purpose or goals
govern – to control the way that things happen ควบคุม, บังคับ, ครอบงำ
dispute – a serious disagreement ข้อโต้แย้ง ข้อพิพาท
disadvantage – something that makes someone or something less effective, successful or attractive ข้อเสียเปรียบ ข้อด้อย
disputed area – contested area; an area claimed by two or more countries, groups or people พื้นที่ที่เป็นกรณีพิพาท
World Heritage Committee – the UN committee which determines whether a place, building, structure, etc is of great historical or culture value and should be given a special protected status คณะกรรมการมรดกโลกgoal goal – aim; purpose เป้าหมาย จุดมุ่งหมาย
oust – to force to leave a position of power ขับออกจากอำนาจ
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
seizure – the act of taking control of something, especially by using power or force การบุกเข้ายึด
target – to direct something at someone or something ตั้งเป็นเป้าหมาย
tear up – to scrap; to get rid of; to stop using or accepting เลิก, ทิ้ง
sovereign – of the right of a country to rule itself and its land อำนาจอธิปไตย
lay claim – to demand or ask for something because you believe it is your legal right to own or to have it อ้างสิทธิ, ยืนยัน
option – a choice; something that you can choose in a particular situation ทางเลือก
reclaim – to take back something that was yours เรียกกลับคืน, เอากลับ
territory – an area of land controlled by a particular country, leader or army อาณาบริเวณ อาณาเขตประเทศ
trace – to follow the same route or path that someone else used before ตามรอย ตามทาง
charge – to accuse someone officially of committing a crime ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
illegal – against the law ผิดกฎหมาย
trespassing – going onto someone's land or enter their building without permission การบุกรุก,การรุกล้ำ
coordinator – someone whose job is to organise the various parts of an activity and make sure that all the people involved work well together (used to identify Surasai Katasila, PAD coordinator) ผู้ประสานงาน
allied – connected with something ซึ่งมีความสัมพันธ์กัน
arrest – (of the police or, in this case, soldiers) to take someone under control because they are believed to have committed a crime จับกุม
suspended jail term – a situation when the court decides that the person who has been proven guilty of a crime does not have to undergo the punishment given, usually under certain conditions ไม่รอลงอาญา
ruling – a decision by a court of law คำตัดสิน คำชี้ขาด
espionage – the activity of secretly getting important political or military information about another country or of finding out another company's secrets by using spies จารกรรม
assert – to state firmly that something is true ยืนยัน
unilateral – done or decided by one country, group, or person, often without considering what other countries etc think or want ที่เป็นฝ่ายเดียว, ด้านเดียว, ฝ่ายเดียว
tantamount to – being almost the same or having the same effect as, usually something bad เท่ากัน
license – freedom to do or say whatever you want, often something bad or unacceptable เสรีภาพ, ความเป็นอิสระที่จำทำสิ่งใดสิ่งหนึ่ง
highlight – to stress; to made something more noticeable เน้นย้ำ
determine – to officially find out or decide something ตัดสินใจ ชี้ขาด
aspect – one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc ด้าน,มุม
settled – reached a formal agreement that ends a disagreement ทำข้อตกลง
contentious – causing or likely to cause disagreement ซึ่งโต้เถียงกัน, ซึ่งเป็นที่ถกเถียงกัน
unsettled – (of a problem or argument) not having been dealt with successfully ยังไม่ตัดสินใจแน่นอน
course of action – actions that are taken or can be take ขั้นตอนการดำเนินการ การกระทำ ลงมือทำ
protocol – a formal international agreement สนธิสัญญาชั้นต้น
conflict – an angry disagreement between people or groups ความขัดแย้ง
clash – a fight or battle between two groups of people การต่อสู้ด้วยกำลัง
ramification – the possible results of an action ลักษณะหรือปัญหาที่เกี่ยวข้อง
diplomacy – the ability of being able to deal with people in a sensitive way that does not upset or offend them and which builds good relations among groups of people การคบค้าสมาคม, การเจรจาต่อรอง
harmony – when people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together ความสามัคคี
Finally free
- Published: 24/01/2011 at 08:44 AM
Anatoliy Vdovychenko is free after what he says was 12 years of forced labour in a local factory.
Anatoliy Vdovychenko says he was confined to a factory premises.Click button to listen to Forced and rightclick to download
Nightmare ends after 12 years
Ukrainian engineer Anatoliy Vdovychenko says his nightmare began about two years after he arrived in Bangkok to work for an oxygen factory in 1996.
After suffering burns in an accident in July 1996 and being unable to return home, he was verbally offered a work agreement by a Thai factory owner. He was promised a 30,000 baht monthly salary, plus a car and other expenses, including medical expenses.
The factory owner, he said, planned to build a new oxygen factory and his job was to maintain two oxygen systems. He said he only received a full salary for the first three months. By the end of 1998 he made a demand on his employer for 600,000 baht in outstanding pay.
After that, the owner stopped paying him and confiscated his passport when Mr Vdovychenko, now 57, returned from a trip to Malaysia in 1998.
Over the next 12 years, he says he was only paid from ''time to time'', sometimes receiving 1,000 baht a week to buy food and nothing more.
Mr Vdovychenko told the Bangkok Post Sunday that he was under 24-hour guard and only allowed to leave the premises to buy food from a stall near the factory located at the Rangsit industrial complex.
Mr Vdovychenko said he survived with the help of Burmese migrant workers at the factory who brought him food and clothing.
He was finally rescued from the factory on Jan 11 after Ukrainian consular staff confronted the owner and threatened to call police.
Ukrainian consul Constantine Ivaschenko said they became involved in the case after a Burmese worker who had left the factory sent a letter to the engineer's family in Ukraine last November telling them of the engineer's fate.
''I thought I would be there forever,'' said Mr Vdovychenko, who is slender in appearance and seems emotionally unsettled by his ordeal. ''I thought I would die and nobody would know. My mind was closed and I was depressed.
Adapted from a story in Bangkok Post’s Sunday edition by Maxmilian Wechsler.
confined – kept somewhere and not allowed to leave; detention ถูกกักตัว
premises – the buildings and land that a business or organisation uses ที่ดินและสิ่งปลูกสร้าง
nightmare – an extremely unpleasant event or experience or possible event or experience; a very upsetting or frightening dream ฝันร้าย
verbally – using words ทางคำพูด
salary – a fixed amount of money that you earn each month or year from your job เงินเดือน
maintain – to keep something in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly ซ่อมบำรุง
outstanding – not yet paid, done, solved, etc ค้างชำระ
confiscate – to take away ยึด
under guard – prevented from escaping (by a guard); protected from attack or danger (by a guard) ถูกคุ้มครอง
stall – a large table or a small building that is open at the front, used for selling things (or for giving people information) รถ หรือแผงขายของ
industrial complex – an area of land where industrial companies have their buildings นิคมอุตสาหกรรม
survive – to continue to live มีชีวิตรอด
migrant – someone who travels to another place or country in order to find ผู้อพยพ
rescue – to save someone form a dangerous or unpleasant situation ช่วยชีวิต
consular – involving government officials who represent their country in a foreign city เกี่ยวกับกงสุล
confront – to face, meet or deal with a difficult person, group or situation เผชิญหน้า
threaten – to say you might or will do something bad or harmful, especially in order to make someone do something ขู่
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
fate – the things that happen or will happen to someone ชะตากรรม
forever – for all time in the future, or for as long as you can imagine ตลอดไป
slender – thin ผอม
appearance – the way that somebody/something looks on the outside; what somebody/something seems to be รูปร่างหน้าตา, ลักษณะภายนอก, ภาพลักษณ์
unsettled – changing; not stable ไม่สงบ, ไม่มั่นคง
ordeal – an extremely unpleasant experience, especially one that lasts for a long time ประสบการณ์ที่แสนสาหัส
depressed – very sad and without hope เศร้าสลด, ห่อเหี่ยว
After suffering burns in an accident in July 1996 and being unable to return home, he was verbally offered a work agreement by a Thai factory owner. He was promised a 30,000 baht monthly salary, plus a car and other expenses, including medical expenses.
The factory owner, he said, planned to build a new oxygen factory and his job was to maintain two oxygen systems. He said he only received a full salary for the first three months. By the end of 1998 he made a demand on his employer for 600,000 baht in outstanding pay.
After that, the owner stopped paying him and confiscated his passport when Mr Vdovychenko, now 57, returned from a trip to Malaysia in 1998.
Over the next 12 years, he says he was only paid from ''time to time'', sometimes receiving 1,000 baht a week to buy food and nothing more.
Mr Vdovychenko told the Bangkok Post Sunday that he was under 24-hour guard and only allowed to leave the premises to buy food from a stall near the factory located at the Rangsit industrial complex.
Mr Vdovychenko said he survived with the help of Burmese migrant workers at the factory who brought him food and clothing.
He was finally rescued from the factory on Jan 11 after Ukrainian consular staff confronted the owner and threatened to call police.
Ukrainian consul Constantine Ivaschenko said they became involved in the case after a Burmese worker who had left the factory sent a letter to the engineer's family in Ukraine last November telling them of the engineer's fate.
''I thought I would be there forever,'' said Mr Vdovychenko, who is slender in appearance and seems emotionally unsettled by his ordeal. ''I thought I would die and nobody would know. My mind was closed and I was depressed.
Adapted from a story in Bangkok Post’s Sunday edition by Maxmilian Wechsler.
confined – kept somewhere and not allowed to leave; detention ถูกกักตัว
premises – the buildings and land that a business or organisation uses ที่ดินและสิ่งปลูกสร้าง
nightmare – an extremely unpleasant event or experience or possible event or experience; a very upsetting or frightening dream ฝันร้าย
verbally – using words ทางคำพูด
salary – a fixed amount of money that you earn each month or year from your job เงินเดือน
maintain – to keep something in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly ซ่อมบำรุง
outstanding – not yet paid, done, solved, etc ค้างชำระ
confiscate – to take away ยึด
under guard – prevented from escaping (by a guard); protected from attack or danger (by a guard) ถูกคุ้มครอง
stall – a large table or a small building that is open at the front, used for selling things (or for giving people information) รถ หรือแผงขายของ
industrial complex – an area of land where industrial companies have their buildings นิคมอุตสาหกรรม
survive – to continue to live มีชีวิตรอด
migrant – someone who travels to another place or country in order to find ผู้อพยพ
rescue – to save someone form a dangerous or unpleasant situation ช่วยชีวิต
consular – involving government officials who represent their country in a foreign city เกี่ยวกับกงสุล
confront – to face, meet or deal with a difficult person, group or situation เผชิญหน้า
threaten – to say you might or will do something bad or harmful, especially in order to make someone do something ขู่
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
fate – the things that happen or will happen to someone ชะตากรรม
forever – for all time in the future, or for as long as you can imagine ตลอดไป
slender – thin ผอม
appearance – the way that somebody/something looks on the outside; what somebody/something seems to be รูปร่างหน้าตา, ลักษณะภายนอก, ภาพลักษณ์
unsettled – changing; not stable ไม่สงบ, ไม่มั่นคง
ordeal – an extremely unpleasant experience, especially one that lasts for a long time ประสบการณ์ที่แสนสาหัส
depressed – very sad and without hope เศร้าสลด, ห่อเหี่ยว
Stefania comes to Thailand
- Published: 22/01/2011 at 01:38 AM
Coming to Thailand to take up her studies at Bangkok University only days after the bloody Ratchaprasong crackdown, Italian Stefania Pittia didn’t know what to expect.
Me with the Thai flag (I know that I have the eyes closed, but the picture represents my willingness to be part of Thailand, even if I am a foreigner).This is the first part of Stefania’s story. We’ll have part two next week.
Stefania comes to Thailand, part 1
Stefania Pittia
I started appreciating Asian countries quite late. But now I love them, above all Thailand. Stefania PittiaTHE BEGINNING:
My Thai experience did not start in the best way. In fact, I came in contact with one troublesome aspect of the country when I was still in Italy: the Thai political crisis. It was on the 26th of May 2010 that I had to change my flight ticket, arriving in Thailand 3 days later. I was afraid of the situation since TV journalists had shown blood and violence in the city.
Fortunately, when I arrived in the “Land of smiles”, the situation was pretty calm. However, I did see a notice at the entrance to the passport check in Survanabhumi Airport warning passengers about the curfew imposed in Bangkok. So, for the first week I stayed in my residence room day and night.
Then, I started to go around the city. The main attraction for tourists was to take pictures from the BTS of the burned Central World. After one month I went to a bar in a hotel near that shopping mall and there was still a smell of burning.
STRONG FEELINGS:
In order to come into contact with Thailand and Thai people, I started to look at them and learn from them. I tasted their typical foods, for example PAD THAI, FRIED RICE, TOM YAM, PAPAYA SALAD. I really loved the way they sell food along the streets. In the evening I used to go out and see the markets, while walking around the city.
One evening a strange thing happened to me – an indirect effect of the political crisis. While shopping in a street market, I saw a wallet. I asked the price from the seller; it was cheap but the wallet was somewhat flawed, so I said that I did not want to buy it. The seller was persistent, however, trying to convince me to buy the wallet.
I said: “no thank you. Sorry”
The seller got angry with me and in a frustrated way she threw away the wallet saying that she had to sell something. She needed the money. I was really scared. Three months of closure and zero profits as the result of the political troubles were behind her emotional response.
challenge – something that needs a lot of skill, energy and determination to deal with or achieve สิ่งท้าทาย
motivation – enthusiasm for doing something; a reason for doing something แรงบันดาลใจ, แรงจูงใจ
aspect – one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc ด้าน,มุม
crisis – a situation that has reached and extremely difficult or dangerous point ช่วงวิกฤต
journalist – a person who writes news stories or articles for a newspaper or magazine or broadcasts them on radio or television ผู้สื่อข่าว
violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
calm – peaceful and quiet สงบ
impose – to introduce something such as a new law or new system and require people to accept it การกำหนด
residence – a place where someone lives ที่อยู่อาศัย
attraction – something which makes people want to go to a place or do a particular thing สิ่งหรือบุคคลที่ดึงดูดความสนใจ
indirect – happening not as the main aim, cause or result of a particular action, but in addition to it โดยอ้อม
wallet – a small flat case that people keep money, bank cards, and small documents in and usually carry in their pocket or bag กระเป๋าขนาดเล็กที่ทำจากหนังหรือพลาสติก
flawed – spoiled by something บกพร่อง
persistent – continuing to do something in a determined way ดื้อ, ไม่ลดละ, ไม่ย่นย่อ
frustrated – feeling annoyed and impatient because you are prevented from achieving something ผิดหวัง,ท้อแท้ใจมาก, หงุดหงิดใจ
profit – money that you make from selling goods and services after all your costs have been paid กำไร
emotional – related to strong feeling such as anger or love, or strong feelings in general อารมณ์
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Stefania Pittia was born in 1985 in Monfalcone (Gorizia), Italy. She graduated in Business Economics at Udine University with a Bachelor’s Degree and continued her studies attending courses for a Master’s Degree at Udine. In February 2011 she will graduate, presenting a thesis on the impacts of the subprime crisis on Thai real economy. During the last academic year, she had the opportunity to study for the summer period at Bangkok University International, where she also attended a Chinese language course.
She is planning to study for another Master’s degree in International Business and, in the meantime, find a job that allows her to work with companies that have relationships with Asia.
Now she is working for 3 months at the Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok as an intern, thanks to the opportunity given by her University in Udine.
Asbestos ban proposed
- Published: 21/01/2011 at 07:22 PM
- Online news: Learning From News
Prices of products such as roof tiles and brake pads are likely to rise.
Photo above of a typical asbestos roof house.
Click button to listen to Asbestos and rightclick to download
Asbestos ban could affect prices by Nanchanok Wongsamuth
Makers of products containing asbestos are threatening to raise prices if the government bans asbestos imports.
The National Economic and Social Advisory Council has recommended banning imports and sales in Thailand of asbestos, which has been linked to health problems including cancer.
Thailand has imported asbestos for 30 years, and manufacturers say it is still necessary for the industrial sector to use the product until Thai researchers provide medical proof of a cancer link.
While asbestos is used in 114 countries, it is banned in 48 countries, mostly in Europe. Countries including the US, Canada, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Malaysia allow its use in some products.
Uran Kleosakul, marketing director of Oranvanich Co, the producer of Oran roof tiles, said that 70% of all roof tiles were made of asbestos. A ban of the mineral would affect around 570,000 households or 2 million people, most of which are low to middle income earners.
"If [asbestos] is banned, we will stop production since it will be cheaper than having to pay for damage [caused by low quality non-asbestos tiles], which are two times weaker than non-asbestos tiles," he said.
Thailand last year imported 69,000 tonnes of asbestos from Russia and Canada. Prices are currently around US$400 per tonne compared with $300 three to four years ago due to increased demand in China, Brazil and Russia.
In Thailand, about 90% of the asbestos sold goes into roof tiles and cement pipes. The rest goes into the production of brakes and clutches, vinyl floor tiles, gaskets and heat-insulating materials.
Suwit Panyasewanamit, managing director of Polytex Industry Co, a distributor of motor brakes, said the company would raise prices if asbestos is banned, as 70-80% of it is used in making brake pads.
(Source: Bangkok Post, INDUSTRY, Asbestos ban could affect prices, 21/01/2011, Nanchanok Wongsamuth, link)
asbestos - a mineral with fibers (magnesium silicate) "used for fireproofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings, and chemical filters, the small fibres can cause cancer when lodged in the lungs" (See Wikipedia)
ban - an official statement ordering people not to do, sell or use something การห้าม
NESDB (National Economic and Social Development Board or "Sa-pa-pat") - Thai government planning agency for economic development, creates five year plans with an agenda of: 1. Alleviation of Poverty and Income Distribution problems, 2. Enhancing Thailand’s Competitiveness, 3. Promoting Social Capital Development, 4. Promoting Sustainable Development (See Wikipedia)
linked - connected เชื่อมโยง
sector - a part of the economy ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia)
industrial sector - all the companies that manufacture and produce goods and products
provide - to give someone something that they want or need
proof - some fact or argument that shows the truth of something
link - to connect เชื่อม
banned - officially not allowed to do something ถูกห้าม, ห้ามอย่างเป็นทางการ ถูกตัดสิทธิ
producer - a person who makes the practical and financial arrangements needed to make a film, play, television or radio programme ผู้อำนวยการสร้างภาพยนต์, ผู้ผลิต
mineral - a valuable or useful chemical substance which is formed naturally in the ground แร่
households - families or groups of people living together (economics treats this as a unit that makes decisions)
income - money that people receive from work or some other source, used for household consumption and savings
demand - the desire or need for goods or services by households and businesses
clutch - the pedal in front of the driver in a car that is pressed to change the gear of the car (See Wikipedia)
vinyl - a shiny and tough and flexible plastic; used especially for floor coverings
gasket - a sealing device used between two parts to prevent leakage (See Wikipedia)
insulating - protecting the inside from the outside (usually from outside heat) การป้องกัน (ความร้อน)
brake pads - the two pads in a brake that come together to slow and stop a car's forward motion (See Wikipedia)
Parliamentary Reform
- Published: 21/01/2011 at 01:33 PM
- Online news: Learning From News
Proposed laws require MPs and those called to testify before parliament take their responsibilities seriously.
This is an extract from a larger article which can be read here.
Click button to listen to Parliament's Problems and rightclick to download
THAI PARLIAMENT: The power to demand, and be given, accountability by Mongkol Bangprapa
...What makes it difficult for parliament to fulfil its duties are the parliamentarians themselves. The quality of MPs is central to this issue, given that many walk into the lower house after successfully bribing voters in the election, or riding in on the financial backing of influential figures in their constituencies, only to become their voices in the lower house. The local sponsors are careless about the qualifications of their nominees. So long as they can represent their interests in parliament, that is good enough.
It is not surprising to see these groups of MPs paying no attention to their duty of checking what the government and the government agencies are doing. They show no commitment to attend assembly and panel meetings. That is why many sessions in the house were forced to adjourn on several occasions due to the lack of a quorum.
Many House committees have few panellists in the room because some only signed up for the session simply to pocket the per diem for the meetings and then disappeared. That is why several House committees cannot function properly.
MPs could argue against this point. For them, panels in parliament do not work because they have no power to force officials to be summoned to the forums. They can send letters asking cabinet ministers or senior officials to appear before any panel to give them information on the issues under investigation. But those officials almost always send their subordinates who have little or no knowledge at all about the issues being looked into. Sometimes the person called does not even bother to send anyone to represent him before the panels. One MP once aired this frustration on the floor. A House committee probing suspected irregularities at Thai Airways International had sent a letter to an airline board member asking him to appear before the panel. That letter was passed on from the board member to his subordinates and eventually the person assigned to meet the panel was an airline staff member in charge of selling tickets to passengers. That made the committee look rather foolish, the same MP complained...
Mongkol Bangprapa reports on political affairs for the Bangkok Post.
(Source: Bangkok Post, THAI PARLIAMENT, The power to demand, and be given, accountability, 20/01/2011, Mongkol Bangprapa, link)
parliament (noun) - the group of people elected from the different cities and regions of a country to make laws of and debate national issues (See Wikipedia) รัฐสภา
parliamentarians (noun) - a member of parliament elected to represent people who live in some area of a country (constituency), also called "legislator" สมาชิกรัฐสภา
parliamentary (adjective) - having to do with or related to parliament
MP - same as "parliamentarian"
reform - improving the way the government operates, especially changes to make the system more fair or work more effectively ปฏิรูป
testify - to make a statement about something that you saw, know, or experienced, in a court of law or to a parliamentary committee, to give evidence to support the claim that some event happened เบิกความ, ให้การ, ให้ปากคำ, ให้ถ้อยคำต่อศาลในฐานะพยาน
power - ability to control and influence events อำนาจ, อิทธิพล
demand - ask forcefully for something to happen or to be given you, say it must happen
accountability - a situation where people have the right to ask you about or criticise you for something that has happened ความน่าเชื่อถือ
duty - some task you must do as part of your work or job ความรับผิดชอบ, หน้าที่รับผิดชอบ, หน้าที่
fulfil duties - complete your duties (the tasks you must do)
central - most important
central to this issue - the most important thing in this issue
issue - a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
lower house - House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament which has elected representatives from relatively small areas (constituencies), as opposed to the Senate which is the upper house of parliament and represents larger areas or is partially appointed สภา (See Wikipedia on bicameralism and lower house)
bribing - giving money or presents to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal ติดสินบน
election - the process of choosing a person or a group of person for a position, especially by voting elect (v) electoral (adj) synonym: the polls การเลือกตั้ง
financial backing - support, giving money for some business or project สนับสนุน
influential - can control events because they are powerful ที่มีอิทธิพลต่อ
influential figures - powerful people (who control events)
constituencies - the voters who elected an MP, for whom the MP is working for, to satisfy their needs
become their voices - speak for them and act for them, represent them
local - in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about ท้องถิ่น
qualifications - the abilities, qualities, degrees, etc. that you need for a particular job or activity
long - to want something very much ต้องการ ปรารถนา
represent - to act, speak or be present officially for another person or people เป็นตัวแทน
interests - connections that you may benefit from (gain or lose from depending on how events turn out), therefore affects your attitude to it and the way you deal with it
pay attention - listen or watch something very carefully (not letting the mind wander)
pay no attention - not listening or watching carefully
duty - something that you have to do because it is part of your job, or something that you feel is the right thing to do หน้าที่, ความรับผิดชอบ
checking - controlling and limiting
commitment - a promise to continue something, a requirement; something that you must do ข้อผูกมัด, ข้อสัญญา, ความรับผิดชอบ การใ้ห้คำมั่น
panel - a group of people brought together to discuss, investigate, and give advice on a subject
adjourn - to temporarily end a meeting or law trial (until the next day, for example)
lack - does not have ขาดแคลน
quorum - the smallest number of people who must be present at a meeting to allow official decisions to be made องค์ประชุม, จำนวนบุคคลที่กฎหมายกำหนด
lack of a quorum - do not have enough the people who need to be at the meeting, to start the meeting or make any decisions
session - a formal meeting of an institution such as a parliament or a court การประชุม
per diem - the amount of money given each day to cover expenses to a person doing some work
pocket the per diem - take the per diem, get the per diem
function - to work or operate in a normal way เป็นปกติ ใช้การได้ปกติ
force - require or make people do something, even if they do not want to do it บังคับ
summoned - officially ordered someone to come to a place, especially a court of law เรียกตัว
issues - subjects that need to be considered, discussed and debated about ประเด็น
investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง
subordinate - a person who works for or under another person, who has less power
look into - check out or investigate a situation
not bother to - (because it is not important)
frustration - an annoyed or discouraged feeling because you cannot do or have what you want ความผิดหวัง, ความไม่พอใจ
air frustration - express your frustration, show or tell people that you are unhappy or unsatisfied about something
probing - gathering information about and investigating something that happened, looking for irregularities (same as "look into" above)
suspected - thought to have happened to to be something เป็นที่สงสัย
irregularities - a situation in which the rules, laws or usual ways of doing something have not been followed (and may indicate wrongdoing or corruption) ความไม่สงบ
board - same as "board of directors"
board of directors - the group of people elected by the stock shareholders of a corporation to oversee the operation of a corporation at a very high level (See Wikipedia)
director - a member of a company's board of directors
corporate governance - the policies and procedures used by a board of directors in overseeing the operations of a company (See Wikipedia)
eventually - at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
X in charge of Y - X manages and controls activity or project Y
affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ
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