News stories by Marwaan Macan-Markar, page 27

A year after they were allegedly subjected to torture by the Thai army, two young men from the country’s troubled southern provinces have done what no other victim of similar abuse in the area has dared to do - go to court.

In a country where the culture encourages people to bow, worship and even grovel before authority, Giles Ungpakorn has always been an exception.

Faced with shortages of blue crab delivered to his food processing company a Filipino businessman turned to a green-friendly solution to restore the supply chain.

Thailand’s plans to contain the spread of the deadly avian influenza virus must involve the tens of thousands of Burmese migrant workers employed in this country’s poultry industry, say experts.

For most of her adult life, Yard Sunee had to endure a reality that was worlds away from the conveniences that people in a modern metropolis like Bangkok take for granted -- like ready access to tap water.

Vendors at a bustling municipal market in this provincial city are fairly open about the need for Thailand to have a proper democracy with regular elections. In fact many of them wear red shirts to announce their political choice.

Burma’s military regime ended 2008 with greater resolve to steamroll over opposition voices in order to pave the way for a junta-friendly government when the country holds general elections in 2010.

If Burma's military regime is showing signs of worry about the change of guard that has taken place in neighbouring Thailand, there are good reasons.

If Burma's military regime is showing signs of worry about the change of guard that has taken place in neighbouring Thailand, there are good reasons.

Until late August, Harry Niccolaides was just one of thousands of foreigners working in Thailand as English teachers. But now the 41-year-old Australian national is behind bars, charged with violating this kingdom’s draconian lese majeste laws.