THREE COUNTRY GOLF COURSE:

Three Country Golf Course For Upscale Tourists - Thailand Tightens Noose On Foreigners

National aRadio Text Service - Thursday February 28, 2002

In an effort to promote upscale tourism Thailand has proposed to build a golf course called the Emerald Triangle that will be situated where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet.

Studies later revealed the original plan to have the golf course in the three countries is not feasible. The land in Thailand is not flat enough. The Thais now propose to build hotels in their area. The Cambodian side is flat enough to build a golf course. How Laos fits into the picture has not been disclosed. Cambodia and Laos have yet to agree on the project.

The major problem is land mines. ``No Entry! Danger Zone!'' signs warn visitors that the region is heavily mined. Tiger Woods... are you ready? You've got to love the logic.

Here's the travel tip…. if this course is built and you're an avid golfer who would like to try it out… don't chase your ball into the rough. Agree or not agree?

FOREIGNERS FACE EXPULSION:

When traveling into an area a tourist is wise to factor in the political climate of the country they will be visiting. Events in Thailand are bringing into focus their tightening of controls on foreigners.

Two journalists for the Far Eastern Economic Review magazine were given notice to leave the country for an article they wrote in the January 10th issue that the government deems a threat to national security.

Identified were Shawn William Crispin, a US citizen who is the magazine's bureau chief in Thailand, and British-born reporter Rodney Tasker. Tasker is also the president of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand.

Hong Kong based publisher Philip Revzin and editor Michael Vatikiotis are threatened that they will not be permitted to enter the country.

According to the Bangkok Post Thai police put them on a police watch list after the magazine refused to correct the article that alleged there were tensions between Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the palace.

The watch list includes 13 members of the Falungong spiritual movement and four members of the Free Vietnamese Movement accused of planting bombs in front of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok last June.

The February 24th issue of the Post noted that a US watchdog group named The Committee to Protect Journalists, said it would be alarmed if Thailand took retaliatory steps against journalists who were ``accused of nothing.''

``This is the kind of behavior we would associate with Burma and not Thailand. This would really send a wrong message. I hope better sense prevails,'' the Post reported Lin Neumann, the committee's Asia representative, based in Bangkok as saying.

To keep abreast of this story go to: www.bangkokpost.com.

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