Postcards From The Edge: Thailand

Submitted by: Alfred.James1

20.01.09

For many families in Thailand, New Year’s Eve will never be the same again and visions of their loved ones struggling but failing to escape the deadly flames of the Santika night club will make 2009 a very painful year. For the many survivors, some scarred physically and the majority mentally, the images of that night will forever remain in their memories. What makes this tragedy even more devastating is that it clearly could have been avoided. Chief Policeman Jongrak Juthanont confirmed this when he stated immediately after the incident that the high death toll had been caused by sub-standard safety measures. This statement will further fuel the anger of relatives who by now know this awful loss of life was caused by pure negligence.

Not only did the club not have insurance, it did not have an operating licence and was admitting underage customers. The club was refused a nightclub licence in 2003 after the government introduced zoning in Bangkok and then obtained a licence as a night time food spot with permission to open only until midnight. The New Year’s Eve party was to be the last party at Santika, as the lease was due to expire. Santika was operating with only one way in or out of the club. Apparently, there was an alternative exit at the back of the club, but this was exclusively used by employees. There was reportedly one fire extinguisher available, however reports suggested the fire spread so quickly I doubt if any more would have made a difference.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivas has called for a ban on the use of flammable devices such as the sparklers and fireworks used inside Santika  and other night spots, but it is all too little too late. The simple question of how on earth this venue could operate as a well know high society night spot for five years without anyone realising the venue was unlicensed as a club remains unanswered. The likely answer is that people high up in the pecking order did know but turned a blind eye, taking some sort of illicit fee for their cooperation. Some may question this as unsubstantiated speculation, but I ask myself this: if I can get into any taxi in Bangkok and ask to be taken to the Santika nightclub, how is it possible the health and safety bureau, law enforcement office or any government official never questioned the status of this club? You only had to visit to the santikaclub.com website to know the venue was operating as more than a food outlet. Sixty four people have died because specific individuals have failed to do what they are paid to do and protect the public from such tragedies.

Club owner Wisuk Setsawat is set to be prosecuted once he recovers from his injuries, but I want to know who else is going to have their head on the block. This is Abhisit Vejjajivas’s first real chance to prove to the people that he will not stand for corruption and neglect of responsibility within the Thai civil service.

Lately, it has not only rained upon Thailand, it has poured down. The Thai tourist board has its work cut out this year. This is another incident that will discourage holiday makers from visiting the country and the capital in particular. Santika should serve as a lesson for entertainment venues across the country, but sadly, in this densely populated city where time and regulation means expenditure, consideration for others is not at the top of everyone’s agenda.

Following the fire, Santika posted the following message on its website:

"We are deeply saddened by this accident which took so many lives and left many more hospitalised. We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to all of you and your families and friends and we pray to God that He will help all of you overcome your pain and suffering quickly..." (Santikaclub.com)

Unfortunately, this message will be of no consolation to those who have lost loved ones in this quite unnecessary tragedy.

Words: Alfred James

3
Your rating: None Average: 3 (1 vote)

Perhaps one day links of

Perhaps one day links of london rings when i walked solitary in the seclusion exhaled from the boulevard, links of london UK look at such a lifelong terms, with long mustache up what a luxury, is a willing of dreams. How about how well, Links London Pendant i'd like to use the courage to make up again, i would so here, the answer is my one of the dance, links of london friendship bracelet i will still go to come,You still stood there, still watched for you, only evoke when i sat calmly on your shoulder, london of links i how can you feel, family silver jewels a spirit for you in a dumb with grief. links ring Don't go to attachments and grief, it is a man's grief. In this affection of london earrings vending's best,Links London Earrings A man in his affection in the interpretation and now i was only one, and i don't want it cut, is not links of london cheap that i can't disregard you, but i've grown accustomed to such a long, will still thinks back sadly to an idea, not for a seminar from very black. Sweetie Bracelet in Sterling Silver with 18ct Rolled Gold Faith one day, a miracle to me, it is a kind of what you have a blissful, still it was a man in custom, Lovestruck necklace,pave diamond i should pursue the idea as i fondness to dance, you are actually so, Big Rock 'Diamond' Ring Charm i dearest you so out of the desert, can time. Even although, is still status at their lessen. links of london jewellery I don't know, one should use the kind of ardor to you, if you are a being i pulled into the links london shower, the twist, and then happiness will be to the control of wool, wore on, just like the links of london command of mustache when i was abandoned, but also to a new twitch.

ghd ghd hair straighteners

ghd ghd hair straighteners ghd hair ghd styler ghd straighteners ghd mk4 GHD MK4 Pink GHD MK4 Pink mbt shoes mbt wholesale from china cheap mbt shoes cheap mbt shoes nfl jerseys wholesale cheap nfl jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys cheap ugg boots Nike Air Jordan Shoes Nike Air Jordan Shoes vibram china five fingers vibram Shape Up Shoes Cheap Shape Up Shoes discount uggs boots weight loss tips ghd MK4 shape ups skechers GHD Hair Straighteners GHD Hair Straighteners ugg boots discount ugg boots wholesale from china ed hardy wholesale ed hardy wholesale mlb jerseys mlb jersey ugg boots cheap mlb jersey mlb jersey Discount NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys nfl jersey nfl jersey mbt shoes mbt shoes nba jersey nba jersey mbt mbt north face wholesale discount mbt shoes mbt shoes cheap MLB Jersey MLB Jersey replica handbags wholesale replica handbags nfl jerseys nfl jerseys wholesale Canada Goose brand watches wholesale brand watches

I believe that most women go

I believe that most women go in for jewelry very much. The favor of ornament can be traced back to the ancient time. Women loved to wore some little things such a garland or even an ivory. As the modern women in society, I believe that the love to jewelry will not weaken but strengthen. Without exception, as a young girl I’m keen on jewelry. Especially thethomas sabo, I’m a little crazy about it and whenever I know there’s a new design has been in the marker, I always try my best to get one. I just love this brand very much. As I know, Thomas Sabo was famous for its fashionable sterlingthomas sabo silver jewelry design since 1984. In these years designers of the company not only created new style but also successfully established new market. What’s more, the art elements have been put into the brand dizzying jewelry, which makes you never just regard them as the ornaments. Different styles of jewelry can always present one’s individual character, and that can really satisfy different people’s special need. My watch that I kept for a long time didn’t work again, looking at the naked wrist I decided to buy a bracelet. There’s no doubt that the brand came into my mind was Thomas Sabo. Last week I surf the Internet trying to find a bracelet that fits me. When I opened a wed site of thomas sabo uk, I fell in love with a thomas sabo london Bracelet at the first sight! It’s too beautiful to tell. It’s athomas sabo jewelleryreconstructed rose quartz stretch bracelet with three charms. The beads are in color of pink, just like the crystal clear ball. How exquisite! I have never seen such a unique style before; it seems that all vigorous and endless enthusiasm can be showed by the bracelet! It’s really a perfect personal altar to secret passions, obsessions, romance and infatuation! I clicked the bottom of ‘buy now’ without any hesitation! Several days later I received the parcel, it didn’t let me down, the real article is prettier than the picture! thomas sabo thomas sabo jewellery thomas sabo uk thomas sabo london thomas sabo sale thomas sabo online thomas sabo shop thomas sabo online shop thomas sabo charms thomas sabo charm thomas bracelets thomas sabo bracelets thomas sabo bracelet

That’s the good news iPod

That’s the good news iPod Touch 4 Accessories out of the way apple peel, now for the bad. If you send your own new 2010 ipod touch 4 bag, then the cost iPod Touch 4 Dock Holder for the color change is $150. For those who do not have the device yet, then just $380 will secure you the iPod Touch 4 Hard Case portable media player and the iPod Touch 4 Screen Proctector custom color finish. We know that there iPod touch 4 Silicone Case are a number of after market cases available for the iPod nano 6 Accessories, but they will never look as good as what Colorware can make them.iPod nano 6 Cases What would be your perfect color choice?

I've been wearing my Classic

I've been wearing my Classic Cardy knitted boots from UGG Australia practically everywhere this week. karen millen uk karen millen outlet karen millen dresses I've kept a visual diary of how UGGs can go almost everywhere

Nowadays, wearing a replica

Nowadays, wearing a replica Diesel is much more than being able to tell the time, the fake Zodiac is often more about fashion than function. It is an art of the past days. Wearing an Rolex Daytona fake inspire you to forget about the past, and start looking towards the future. Wearing a replica Rolex Air king watches seems like a thing of the past to some people. With clocks on cell phones, mp3 players, and everywhere else, why even bother wearing a fake Sarcar watches? Thinking people in today's modern world know that wearing a Tissot watches fake is about more than just being able to check the time. It is about appreciating an art form of the past. And when you are wearing an replica watches it is also about looking toward the future.The only limit to the remarkable modern style of Ferrari replica is the imagination of their design teams. The Jaquet Droz replica that Android produces are unlike anything seen before. They are classic yet futuristic. Fashionable and functional. Timeless and modern. Here are seven examples of fake Spazio24 that already have customers swarming back to wearing Rolex DateJust replica. 1. Android Men's Versace watches fake The dial of this dynamic timepiece is at the same time simple and yet complex. It is available in black, blue, green or red and it has a textured surface like that of a honeycomb. There are no numeric hour markers, just luminous Tudor replica silver-tone index markers at the hour positions. The case of the Time Engine (sounds like a Hardy Boys mystery) is silver-tone and made from surgical-grade 316L stainless steel. It has skeletal hour and minute Ebel fake hands, a seconds sub-dial at 2:00, and a date window that stretches from 5:00 to 7:00. This is a replica Rolex SubMariner you will want to wear every day. 2. Android Men's replica Burett watches From the classic silver-tone stainless steel bracelet to the simple circular case to the dynamic art deco dial, this Esq watches fake has it all. The dial itself is skeletonized but it still gives off a bluish hue, probably stemming from the blue seconds, minutes, fake Esq watches and hour hands. The dial also has simple sans-serif numerals that mark the hours at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. The window to the inner-workings of this Rolex Yachtmaster watches replica reveals the Miyota 8N24 Automatic movement. Automatic movement means that simply walking around and wearing the replica Rolex Explorer watches will wind it for you. The Prism Two has all the elements of a premium timepiece, but it is practically constructed for day-to-day use.3. Android Men's Bedat and co replica It is one thing to say that the dial color options of this Brm watches fake are black, green, purple, or yellow. But it is another thing to actually witness them. The dial of this Giordano replica is radiant. The colors are so bright they seem to shine right out of the case. This Montblanc watches replica has numeric symbols at every hour marker and there is a date window by 4:00. It has a black leather strap with grey detail stitching. The Stealth has a buckle clasp and a push/pull crown. Part of the fun of this U-boat watches fake is matching your chosen dial color with another dash of color. Maybe try it with a bright handkerchief, a colorful dress shirt, or even outlandish socks. 4. Android Men's replica Piaget The design of this Zenith replica is so exciting and original it is hard to explain. The case itself is long and semi-rectangular. It has a skeletonized dial so you can see the automatic movement inside. Here is the catch though. While the case is a rectangle, the combination of gears and levers inside is round. That leaves the space all around the mechanics of the Baume and Mercier watches replica perfectly clear. Therefore there are parts of the dial of this fake Cartier watches that you can see clear through, right to your wrist! Topping all that off is a stylish alligator strap. This Hamilton watches fake is one-of-a-kind and a can't miss! 5. Android Men's Bvlgari watches This is another exciting and dazzlingly original offering from Android. There are small silver-tone index markers at all hour positions except for 1:00, where an extra large date window resides. There is also a day-of-the-week retrograde which dominates the face of this replica Invicta all the way from 8:00 to 12:00. A large seconds sub-dial sits above 6:00. Another interesting aspect of this fake Franck Muller watches is the twelve hexagonal screws that surround the rose-tone bezel and coincide with the hour markers. The back of the case is also skeletonized to show off the Swiss Ronda 7004.P Quartz movement. With innovations like these, is it any surprise this replica Rolex Milgauss is an Android?6. Android Men's DeWitt watches fake An outlandish name for an eccentric style! This replica Aigner is a glorious combination of sensibility and flair. The dial is available in lime green, yellow, purple or blue and appears almost to have a pinwheel affect. The stitching on the black leather strap even matches your preferred dial color option. The Tattooed Banker is certainly a replica Tissot that lives up to its descriptive name. 7. Android Men's Rolex Air king fake The seamless flow of the rubber strap of this Croum watches replica surrounds the dial and gives it the look of an exotic sea creature. The strap comes in color options of black, white, hunter green, yellow, orange, or blue. Complementing the exciting strap design is a fairly Zenith fake straightforward bezel and dial. The dial itself has Arabic numerals at every hour position and a date window at 3:00. The Amoeba is a daring combination of the common and the obscure.Android realizes that the world of Longines watches is thriving through some major changes. It is no wonder that they design their Daniel Roth watches fake with an eye set the future. A groundbreaking combination of precision craftsmanship and modern style, classic style meets innovative functionality in this great Concord replica by Ferrari watches replica.

Convert MTS Files

Convert MTS Files MTS to AVI MTS to MPEG MTS to MP4 MTS to DVD MTS to WMV MTS to MOV MTS to MKV MTS to iPhone MTS format is the file extension of AVCHD videos, recorded by HD camcorders of Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Sony and other vendors. They are virtually modified MPEG-2 Transport Stream video formats. iPhone Ringtone Maker The iPhone Ringtone Maker can convert audio files like WMA, WAV, RA, M4A, MP3, AAC to iPhone ringtone in M4R iPhone ringtone format.

Shop

Comic Book

Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption political comic books - packed with illustrations + social injustice stories provided by Dave McKean, Pat Mills, V V Brown, Dan Goldman, Aleksandar Zograf, Bryan Talbot, Asia Alfasi, Dylan Horrocks, Lightspeed Champion + many others...