1 .http://italy-italia-buongiornoprincipessa.blogspot.com/ This was my favorite blog, Italy is a rich country culture wise. We see that racism is a big problem in this community and its something that at first glance we don't notice.
2. http://juansuperblog.blogspot.com/ This blog showed everything that Japan has gone through from world war II, to it's recent tragedy the tsunami which caused economic distraught.
3.http://mailyn12.blogspot.com/ This blog shows the reality of Syrians and how they aren't granted their basic rights they are abused the the police.
4. http://whumanrights.blogspot.com/ I chose this blog because it seem interesting the oppression these people have to face daily.
5. http://sudanhumanrights-hw.blogspot.com/ Sudan currently has so many issue these people deal with abuse constantly, this doesnt stop them from fighting for their rights.
6. http://giovannihumanrightblog.blogspot.com/ Cubans have always been a minority. Its dictator Fidel Castro never gave his people any rights. He controls everyones lives they have no freedom at all.
7. http://lovingourrightsvale.blogspot.com/ Africa is believed one of the third world countries whos people die daily from treatable diseases, the poverty is incredibly outstanding.
8. http://hisonmexunrep.blogspot.com/ Mexicans risk their lives in order to have a better life in the states. Mexico has so many problems such as poverty, prostitution,human trafficking.
9.http://paolac7.blogspot.com/ Somalians have to live horridly life conditions, full of unsanitary ways
violence,hunger.
10. http://forevertunisia.blogspot.com/ Tunisia is filled with corruption, people do not have the right if speech nor to protest.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Open your eyes and realize the truth
We see Thailand as a beautiful country filled with ca rich culture but what we don't see is it's constant struggle it has to go through everyday. Currently Thailand has many huge conflicts like human tourism,drugs,prostitution,violence,abuse,prison and detention center Conditions,rape and political problems. Daily and issue involving one of these problems make headlines on local news. Thailand really needs help from its international community to help put an end or at least control these issue that are tearing this country apart.
Sex tourists, means “those who travel to a country for the purpose of having intercourse” see it as an opportunity, or even an entitlement, to have sex available for less money than they would pay at home. The sex tourism industry is driven by acute poverty. Thai women, adolescent boys and girls and those that walk the increasingly precarious gender gap line – “ladyboys” and “toms” – are all for sale. Women and girls from poor rural families make up the majority of sex workers in Thailand. As a result of the current economic downturn. The prison and detention center conditions are horrid most were overcrowded. There were approximately 172,000 prisoners in prisons and detention facilities designed to hold 150,000. Sleeping accommodations were insufficient, medical care was inadequate. Prison authorities used solitary confinement to punish male prisoners who consistently violated prison rules or regulations; the Department of Corrections maintained that the average confinement was approximately seven days. Authorities also used heavy leg irons to control prisoners who were deemed escape risks or harmful to other prisoners.
In conclusion Thailand needs a solution they need to create a stronger political system to help rebuilt there countries constitution. Sex tourisms,brothels,prostitutes and human trafficking should be taken more into consideration it seems as a part of the countries culture as a normal everyday accepted issue and it shouldn't be that way, this is a serious federal crime and Thailand's main goal should be to prevent such activity. Its economical problems are a huge factor that create problems like the war on drugs. Every issue can be solved with the help of the international community and Thailand's own people.
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16RJ_M7yiB8
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16RJ_M7yiB8
Friday, May 6, 2011
Human Rights
Human trafficking:
Human trafficking is a major issue that Thailand battles on a daily basis. Men promise better paid jobs but instead forced to work as sea slaves as much as 3 years. Children trafficking is also another major issue in Thailand forcing kidnapped children as young as four to use as sex slaves in major cities like Bangkok.
Prison conditions are poor. Most prisons and detention centers are overcrowded. There were approximately 172,000 prisoners in prisons and detention facilities designed to hold 150,000. Sleeping accommodations are insufficient, medical care was inadequate, and communicable diseases were widespread in some prisons. Seriously ill prisoners at times were transferred to provincial or state hospitals.
Prison authorities sometimes use solitary confinement of not more than one month, as permitted by law, to punish male prisoners who consistently violated prison rules or regulations; the Department of Corrections maintained that the average confinement was approximately seven days. Authorities also used heavy leg irons to control prisoners who were deemed escape risks or harmful to other prisoners.
Freedom of Speech and Press:
The constitution and law specifically provide for freedom of speech and of the press with some exceptions, although the government limited these rights during the year.
Resources:
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Little is known of the earliest inhabitants of what is now Thailand, but 5,000-year-old archaeological sites in the northeastern part of the country are believed to contain the oldest evidence of rice cultivation and bronze casting in Asia and perhaps in the world. In early historical times, a succession of tribal groups controlled what is now Thailand. The Mon and Khmer peoples established powerful kingdoms that included large areas of the country. They absorbed from contact with South Asian peoples religious, social, political, and cultural ideas and institutions that later influenced the development of Thailand's culture and national identity.
The Tai, a people who originally lived in southwestern China, migrated into mainland Southeast Asia over a period of many centuries. The first mention of their existence in the region is a twelfth-century A.D. inscription at the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which refers to syam, or "dark brown" people (the origin of the term Siam) as vassals of the Khmer monarch. In 1238 a Tai chieftain declared his independence from the Khmer and established a kingdom at Sukhothai in the broad valley of the Mae Nam (river) Chao Phraya, at the center of modern Thailand. Sukhothai was succeeded in the fourteenth century by the kingdom of Ayutthaya. The Burmese invaded Ayutthaya and in 1767 destroyed the capital, but two national heroes, Taksin and Chakkri, soon expelled the invaders and reunified the country under the Chakkri Dynasty.
Over the centuries Thai national identity evolved around a common language and religion and the institution of the monarchy. Although the inhabitants of Thailand are a mixture of Tai, Mon, Khmer, and other ethnic groups, most speak a language of the Tai family. A Tai language alphabet, based on Indian and Khmer scripts, developed early in the fourteenth century. Later in the century a famous monarch, Ramathibodi, made Theravada Buddhism the official religion of his kingdom, and Buddhism continued into the twentieth century as a dominant factor in the nation's social, cultural, and political life. Finally, the monarchy, buttressed ideologically by Hindu and Buddhist mythology, was a focus for popular loyalties for more than seven centuries. In the late twentieth century the monarchy remained central to national unity.
During the nineteenth century, European expansionism, rather than Thailand's traditional enemies, posed the greatest threat to the kingdom's survival. Thai success in preserving the country's independence (it was the only Southeast Asian country to do so) was in part a result of the desire of Britain and France for a stable buffer state separating their dominions in Burma, Malaya, and Indochina. More important, however, was the willingness of Thailand's monarchs, Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-68) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910), to negotiate openly with the European powers and to adopt European-style reforms that modernized the country and won it sovereign status among the world's nations. Thailand (then known as Siam) paid a high price for its independence, however: loss of suzerainty over Cambodia and Laos to France and cession of the northern states of the Malay Peninsula to Britain. By 1910 the area under Thai control was a fraction of what it had been a century earlier.
In the early decades of the twentieth century, Thailand's political system, armed forces, schools, and economy underwent drastic changes. Many Thai studied overseas, and a small, Western-educated elite with less traditional ideas emerged. In 1932 a bloodless coup d'etat by military officers and civil servants ended the absolute monarchy and inaugurated Thailand's constitutional era. Progress toward a stable, democratic political system since that time, however, has been erratic. Politics has been dominated by rival military-bureaucratic cliques headed by powerful generals. These cliques have initiated repeated coups d'etat and have imposed prolonged periods of martial law. Parliamentary institutions, as defined by Thailand's fourteen constitutions between 1932 and 1987, and competition among civilian politicians have generally been facades for military governments.
Resources:
http://www.sawadee.com/thailand/info/tat01.html
http://www.thailand.com/travel/historical/historical_introduction.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108034.html?pageno=1
http://www.thailandsworld.com/index.cfm?p=2
Monday, May 2, 2011
Culture.
Languages in Thailand
The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins. The Thai language, belonging to the Tai family, is the main language in Thailand although there are several regional dialects as well. Other languages spoken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer, while English use is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. English is also being taught as a second language in secondary school and universities, which enables the English speaking visitor in Thailand to have little trouble conversing.
Buddhism in Thailand
Thailand is a stronghold of Buddhism.
. Buddhists believe that life does not begin with birth and end with death, but rather that every person has several lives based upon the lessons of life not yet learned and acts committed (karma) in previous lives.
. Buddhists believe that selfishness and craving result in suffering and that compassion and love bring happiness and well-being.
. The true path to peace is to eliminate all desire, a condition which Buddhists define as 'nirvana', an indescribable state free of desire, suffering, or further rebirth, in which a person simply is, and is completely at one with his surroundings.
Buddhism is practised in Thailand by over 90% of the population.
The Wai
The wai is the common form of greeting and
adheres to strict rules of protocol.
. Raising both hands, palms joined with the fingers pointing upwards as if in prayer, lightly touching the body somewhere between the chest and the forehead, is the standard form.
. The wai is both a sign of respect as well as a greeting. Respect and courtesy are demonstrated by the height at which the hands are held and how low the head comes down to meet the thumbs of both hands.
. The wai may be made while sitting, walking, or standing.
. The person who is junior in age or status is the first one to offer the wai.
. The senior person returns the wai, generally with their hands raised to somewhere around their chest.
. If a junior person is standing and wants to wai a senior person who is seated, the junior person will stoop or bow their head while making the wai.
If there is a great social distance between two people, the wai will not be returned.
Thai Family Values
. The family is the cornerstone of Thai society.
. Family life is often more closely knit than in western cultures.
. The Thai family is a form of hierarchy with the parents at the top.
. Children are taught to honour their parents.
cultural norms
music
Thai musical instruments are varied and reflect ancient influence from far afield - including the klong thap and khim (Persian origin), the jakhe (Indian origin), the klong jin (Chinese origin), and the klong kaek (Indonesian origin). The two most popular styles of traditional Thai music are luk thung and mor lam; the latter in particular has close affinities with the Music of Laos.
Aside from the Thai, ethnic minorities such as the Lao, Lawa, Hmong, Akha, Khmer, Lisu, Karen and Lahu peoples have retained traditional musical forms.
Dance
Thai Dance, known as "Fawn Thai", was originally an art performed for the royal courts of old Siam. The dance troupes were formed within the courts and their precision and beauty was the highlight of every performance. "Fawn Thai" in its many forms is usually performed by four to six pairs of dancers, and on some very important occasions it is performed by hundreds. There are five "Fawn Thai" styles: "Fawn Tian" or the Candle Dance; "Fawn Leb" or the Finger nail Dance; "Fawn Ngiew" or the Scarf Dance; "Fawn Marn Gumm Ber" or the Butterfly Dance; and "Fawn Marn Mong Kol" or the Happy Dance. Each of these is accompanied by a special orchestra of traditional Thai musical instruments and each has its distinctive tempo and movement.
Khon
The Khon masked drama draws its story line from the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana. Khon performances are characterised by vigorous, highly-formalized action. Acting and dancing are inseparable, and each step has a definite meaning, which is emphasized by precisely defined music to suggest walking, marching, laughing, etc. Until the 19th century the Khon was acted by men playing both male and female roles. By the mid 1800s both men and women were appearing on stage together. The actors are often masked and cannot speak, so narrative verses are recited and sung by a chorus that sits with the accompanying musical ensemble. The leading male and female performers do not wear masks and may occasionally speak. The highly decorated papier mache masks are works of art and perfectly portray the characters' personalities. Major characters can be identified by the predominant colours of their costumes. Phra Ram, the hero, wears green. His brother, Phra Lak, wears gold and Hanuman, the monkey-god, wears white.
Lakhon
Simplest of all in form and presentation is Lakhon Chatri which can be seen at shrines when dancers are hired by those whose wishes have been granted to perform for the shrine deity. Lakhon Nai is graceful, romantic and highly stylized. Plays were originally presented only in the palace. Lakhon Nok was performed outside the palace and acted only by men. Filled with lively music, off-colour humour, and rapid, animated movements, Lakhon Nok was the ancestor of the enormously popular Likeh folk theater which is still a feature of many provincial festivals in Thailand.Likeh
Likeh, containing elements of pantomime, comic folk opera, and social satire, is generally performed against a simply painted backdrop during temple fairs. Its court-derived stories are embellished with local references and anecdotes, and spontaneous dialogue is filled with outrageous puns and double entendres.Nang and Hun
Two other dramatic forms are the Nang Yai shadow plays and Hun marionettes. Intricately fashioned cowhide figures are held against a back-lit white screen.Ram Muay
The Ram Muay is a Muay Thai boxing dance that precedes every Muay Thai match. It is a form of Wai Kru and is a way for Muay Thai boxers to show respect to their teachers. It serves as a graceful expression of the special relationship between a Muay Thai boxer and his trainer. Muay Thai regulations specify that both fighters must perform the Ram Muay before every bout. The Ram Muay usually lasts about five minutes and is done through a series of gestures and movements performed on the stadium in rhythm to ringside musical accompaniment.Art
Thai visual art was traditionally primarily Buddhist. Thai Buddha images from different periods have a number of distinctive styles. Thai temple art and architecture evolved from a number of sources, one of them being Khmer architecture. Contemporary Thai art often combines traditional Thai elements with modern techniques.
Literature in Thailand is heavily influenced by Indian Hindu culture. The most notable works of Thai literature are a version of the Ramayana, a Hindu religious epic, called the Ramakien, written in part by Kings Rama I and Rama II, and the poetry of Sunthorn Phu.
There is no tradition of spoken drama in Thailand, the role instead being filled by Thai dance. This is divided into three categories- khon, lakhon and likay- khon being the most elaborate and likay the most popular. Nang drama, a form of shadow play, is found in the south.
Literature in Thailand is heavily influenced by Indian Hindu culture. The most notable works of Thai literature are a version of the Ramayana, a Hindu religious epic, called the Ramakien, written in part by Kings Rama I and Rama II, and the poetry of Sunthorn Phu.
There is no tradition of spoken drama in Thailand, the role instead being filled by Thai dance. This is divided into three categories- khon, lakhon and likay- khon being the most elaborate and likay the most popular. Nang drama, a form of shadow play, is found in the south.
Etiquette
. The wai (as mentioned above) is the traditional form of greeting, given by the person of lower status to the person of higher status.
. Thais generally use first rather than surnames, with the honorific title Khun before the name. Khun is an all- purpose form of address that is appropriate for both men and women
. In general, wait for your host and hostess to introduce you to the other guests. This allows everyone to understand your status relative to their own, and thus know who performs the wai and how low the head should be bowed.
Gift Giving Etiquette
. If invited to a Thai's home, a gift is not expected, although it will be appreciated.
. Gifts should be wrapped attractively, since appearance matters. Bows and ribbons add to the sense of festivity.
. Appropriate gifts are flowers, good quality chocolates or fruit.
. Do not give marigolds or carnations, as they are associated with funerals.
. Try to avoid wrapping a gift in green, black or blue as these are used at funerals and in mourning.
. Gold and yellow are considered royal colours, so they make good wrapping paper.
. Only use red wrapping paper if giving a gift to a Chinese Thai.
. Gifts are not opened when received.
. Money is the usual gift for weddings and ordination parties.
Dining Etiquette
If you are invited to a Thai's house:
. Arrive close to the appointed time, although being a few minutes late will not cause offence.
. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours before entering the house.
. Ask another guest to confirm the dress code.
. Step over the threshold rather than on it. This is an old custom that may be dying out with younger Thais, but erring on the side of conservatism is always a good idea.
Table manners
. A fork and spoon are the usual eating utensils. However, noodles are often eaten with chopsticks.
. The spoon is held in the right hand and the fork in the left. The fork is used to guide food on to the spoon. Sticky rice, a northern Thai delicacy, is often eaten with the fingers of the right hand.
. Most meals are served as buffets or with serving platters in the centre of the table family- style. . You may begin eating as soon as you are served.
. Leave a little food on your plate after you have eaten to show that you are full. Finishing everything indicates that you are still hungry.
. Never leave rice on your plate as it is considered wasteful. The words for food and rice are the same. Rice has an almost mystical significance in addition to its humdrum 'daily bread' function.
. Never take the last bite from the serving bowl.
. Wait to be asked before taking a second helping.
. Do not lick your fingers.
Food
Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine is known for being spicy. Balance, detail and variety are important to Thai cooking. Thai food is known for its balance of the five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and (optional) bitter.
Videos
Resources
Sunday, April 17, 2011
THAILAND
Thailand:
Location :
It's located in the center of Southeast Asia.
Geography:
Thailand features many natural borders with neighboring countries: a mountainous border with Myanmar (Burma) to the north and west; a long stretch of the Mekong River separating Thailand from Laos to the north and east; and the Mekong River and the Dongrak Mountains delineating the border of Cambodia to the east.
Population:
63,878,267
Politics:
The Thailand government is based a constitutional monarchy quite similar to that of the United Kingdom, in which a Prime Minister serves as head of a parliamentary government and a hereditary Thai king functions as head of state.
Political State:
Currently, Thailand is embroiled in political wrangling over the implications of that coup and the subsequent legislative shake up caused by mass protests both against and in favor of the former Prime Minister. Nonetheless, the Thai people are very politically active and value their freedom despite their tenuous democracy.
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2000 census)
School life expectancy:
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2010)
Language:
Thai and English
Religion:
While roughly 95% of the Thai people are practitioners of Theravada Buddhism, the official religion of Thailand, religious tolerance is both customary in Thailand and protected by the constitution. By its very nature however, Buddhism, which is based on the teachings of the Buddha, “the enlightened one” (nee Siddhartha Gautama), is a compassionate and tolerant religion, the aim of which is the alleviation of suffering. Consequently, Thai people are very respectful of the religious beliefs of others and are very open toward discussing their Buddhist values with visitors. In fact, there are many opportunities in Thailand to visit Buddhist temples to learn about or study Buddhism and perhaps to learn to meditate.
Birth Rate:
12.95 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Life expectancy:
total population: 73.6 years
male: 71.24 years
female: 76.08 years (2011 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
Legal System
based on civil law system with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.
suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
unemployment rate:
1.2% (2010 est.)
1.5% (2009)
industries:
tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
communications:
Telephone,internet,broadcast media.
military service:
21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)
transnational issues:
separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011 Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand; 140,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border
illicit drugs:
a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns.
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