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The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand will hold its 2012 Annual
General Meeting (AGM) and Election of Officers on Friday evening, February
10th at 7pm in the FCCT Clubhouse. This is the time when the Executive
Committee reports to the membership the activities and financial results
of the year just concluded, and a new slate of officers and directors is
elected to carry on through the upcoming months.


Please make a point to attend this year's meeting, if at all possible.
The Executive Committee is elected to manage the Club on behalf of and for
the benefit of its members. The AGM is the best opportunity for you to
make your views known, express your appreciation or your disapproval and
ensure that the Club carries on in accordance with its stated purposes and
lofty goals, and meets your needs in the best possible manner. This past
year, 2011, was a good one for the Club but recent gains could easily be
opportunities to contribute your energy, your talent and your experience
have never been greater.

Nomination forms for Executive Committee posts are available in the FCCT
office; completed forms must be submitted not later than seven days prior
to the date of the AGM.  Nominations, however, may be made from the floor
of the meeting with the consent of the nominee.

For correspondent members only: if you will be out of town or otherwise
unavailable on February 10th, please remember to give your proxy to
another correspondent member who will attend.  Forms for that purpose are
also available, again through the FCCT office.

As has become our tradition, complimentary snacks and drinks will be
provided to all members attending the AGM.

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The Baloch Voice Foundation is a non-profit and non-governmental organization based in Paris, France, and its mission is to raise issues relating to Baloch people around the globe.

Despite being a resource rich province which produces more than one third of Pakistan's natural gas, Balochistan is today marked by a high rate of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and infant and maternal mortality. A government report revealed in October 2009 that Balochistan is the most backward province in terms of HDI in Pakistan--almost 21 per cent below the national average.

The human rights situation in Balochistan is under reported by the world's media. In the last decade, according to BVF's figures, more than eight thousand of Baloch men, women and children, including students, activists, teachers, and writers, have been victims of enforced disappearances.

Different human rights organization say there are more than 1,100 documented cases of Baloch missing persons and the number increases monthly.The cases are underpinned by admissions by Pakistani officials that Balochi people are currently detained and that release of information regarding the disappeared is contingent on political agreements with Baloch separatist forces. Also characterizing the situation is the deep mistrust of the Pakistani army and judiciary by the Baloch people.

Speakers will include:

Dr. Ali Akbar Mengal, coordinator for South Asia Baloch Voice Foundation

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The World Bank's so-called principles of "responsible agricultural investment" (RAI) ostensibly safeguard the interests of rural poor small-scale peasants against the increasingly violent global trend of land grabbing. In reality, however, RAI does far more to legitimate the process by which land is taken out of the hands of rural poor cultivators and transferred to the control of big agricultural business interests. In turn, when the rural poor lose their land and livelihood, they generally have no choice other than to migrate to the city, where they often become slum dwellers, who are once again vulnerable because they lack security of tenure.

Leaders and Organizers of Community Organizations in Asia (LOCOA), an Asian regional network of urban poor slum dwellers and organizations that work to support them, is holding a women's workshop in Bangkok this week that brings together women from India, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand to learn from each other about the alternative urban development initiatives they are currently piloting in their communities. Yet because LOCOA women are aware that no development, whether urban or rural, is sustainable in the absence of security of tenure and access to resources for the poor, they remain equally concerned about the issues of secure land for housing and production, and evictions.

Therefore, together with People's Movement for a Just Society (P-Move), a Thai umbrella formation linking together organizations of the urban and rural poor who are adversely affected by Thai development policies, including Four Regions Slum Network, the Network of Communities for Social and Political Reform, the Northern Peasants Federation, the Assembly of the Poor-Pak Mun, and the Northeastern Land Reform Network, LOCOA will hold this press conference at the FCCT to express its position on land grabbing and evictions, and explain its opposition to the World Bank's principles of "responsible agricultural investment."

Speakers will include:
• Orranuch Phonphinyo, Women's Network for the Protection of the Right to Land for Production, Petchabun Mountain Range, P-Move
• Nutchanart Thanthong, Four Regions Slum Network
• Rebecca Leonard, Focus on the Global South
• LOCOA women community leaders from India, Indonesia and the Philippines
• Jeff Wong, Anti-eviction Coordinator, LOCOA

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Nitirat, a group of legal experts from Thammasat University, has come
under fire for spearheading a campaign to amend Article 112 of the
Criminal Code, which protects HM the King, the Queen, the Crown Prince
and the regent from insults. Opposition politicians and the army chief
have called on the group to drop its campaign to gather 10,000
signatures in support of the amendment to allow it to be considered by
Parliament.

What motivates the group? What do they make of the backlash? How far
is the group willing to go to see changes to 112?

Please join us to hear key members of Nitirat make the case for
changing Article 112.

-       Worachet Pakeerut
-       Sawatree Suksri
-       Piyabutr Saengkanokkul
Reservations: To ensure sufficient food for the buffet, we would greatly appreciate your making a buffet reservation at least one day before the program if you plan to join us for the dinner. (No penalty for cancellation if last minute conflicts arise.) Please also note that tables/seats will be reserved only for those with advance buffet bookings. To reserve, please call 02-652-0580-1 or click here to send an e-mail to info@fccthai.com .

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As Malaysia approaches a fresh election cycle, Anwar Ibrahim is
gearing up his Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance to make a run at
unseating Prime Minister Najib Razak. It won't be an easy task:
Najib's party has ruled Malaysia for decades.

Anwar himself was once a ruling party power broker, first joining the
Cabinet of Mahathir bin Mohamad in 1983. Over the next two decades he
held various portfolios, including agriculture, education and finance.
Many observers saw Mahathir grooming Anwar as a successor before he
pushed for the party to reform. In 1998, the year Newsweek dubbed him
"Asian of the Year," Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption. A
conviction and 15-year jail sentence quickly followed.

In 2004, he was released from prison after challenging the sodomy
conviction. Four years later, he won a by-election and re-entered
Parliament. The victory coincided with a second sodomy allegation, a
trial that distracted the opposition's efforts to seize power from the
ruling party. In early January, Anwar was acquitted of the second
sodomy charge, yet the prosecutors have already filed an appeal.

What lies next for Anwar? Can Malaysia's opposition win a majority in
the next election? What is the strategy?

The FCCT is pleased to welcome Anwar to discuss Malaysian politics as
the election nears.
Reservations: To ensure sufficient food for the buffet, we would greatly appreciate your making a buffet reservation at least one day before the program if you plan to join us for the dinner. (No penalty for cancellation if last minute conflicts arise.) Please also note that tables/seats will be reserved only for those with advance buffet bookings. To reserve, please call 02-652-0580-1 or click here to send an e-mail to info@fccthai.com .

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A movement to change Article 112 of Thailand's criminal code, known as
the lese-majeste law, has gathered momentum over the past year. The
debate comes amid a surge in cases alleging insults to HM the King,
the Queen, the Crown Prince and the regent. Recent convictions such as the
2.5-year sentence for U.S. citizen Joe Gordon and a 20-year prison
term for Ampol Tangnoppakul, known as "Uncle SMS," prompted the U.S.,
European Union and United Nations to call on Thai authorities to
respect freedom of speech.

Dr. Tul Sitthisomwong, head of the multicolored group known as Network
of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land, has led efforts against calls
to change the lese-majeste law. The medical doctor
affiliated with Chulalongkorn University has rallied supporters to the
United Nations and U.S. Embassy last month and has held regular
meetings at Bangkok's Lumpini Park to generate support for Article
112.

Please join us to hear Dr. Tul and others make the case for why
Thailand needs Article 112.

*Other speakers will be announced as confirmed. The FCCT has also
invited members of Nitirat to give the opposing view, and will make
another announcement when that evening is confirmed.
Reservations: To ensure sufficient food for the buffet, we would greatly appreciate your making a buffet reservation at least one day before the program if you plan to join us for the dinner. (No penalty for cancellation if last minute conflicts arise.) Please also note that tables/seats will be reserved only for those with advance buffet bookings. To reserve, please call 02-652-0580-1 or click here to send an e-mail to info@fccthai.com .

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The FCCT's sell-out publishing success, The King of Thailand in World Focus, a 280-page collection of articles and images from the international press on the life and reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, is now available in a new, popularly priced soft-cover edition. In addition to making for fascinating reading, the book is the only comprehensive reference work on the current reign as reported over the years by correspondents, journalists and photographers in magazines and newspapers around the world

This large-format, full-color book is identical to the hard-bound third edition which sold out late last year, but with a stiff, varnished art-card cover, and priced to be easy on the wallet. It's available through the FCCT office and at Asia Books around town for the cover price of only Baht 300. FCCT members can get a copy through the FCCT office only for just Baht 270, on presentation of your current membership card.

Bulk rates (25 copies or more): 260 baht per copy.

Normal price is 300 baht per copy available at Asia Books, Se-ed and Kinokuniya.

Don't miss out. Get your copy of this unique publication today!

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The FCCT gratefully acknowledges the kindness and generosity of these fine firms.. Please support our sponsors when you can, as they support us!

Major Sponsors

Coca-Cola (Thailand) Limited, producers of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Minute Maid, Nestea, Sprite and Cafe Zu
Pfizer (Thailand) Limited
Unilever Thai Group of Companies, producers of Chesebrough-Ponds skin care products, Helene-Curtis shampoos & deodorants, Best Foods mayonnaise, Lipton Tea and a host of other food, beverage, home and personal care products
Bangkok Bank: providers of personal and business banking services to the FCCT and its members, throughout Thailand and the world

Sponsors

• Nation Multimedia Group, for daily delivery of The Nation


• NewspaperDirect, for daily delivery of a wide variety of leading international newspapers


• Post Publishing Co., Ltd., for daily delivery of the Bangkok Post


• TrueVisions Public Company Limited, for premium cable television access


• Star Alliance, for our wi-fi internet service and air tickets supporting the FCCT's annual photojournalism contest


• Maneeya Realty


• Richard Wilson and Biz-Art Design & Direction for creation of our logotype.


• Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, often voted "The Best Hotel in the World", for their consistent support, including, for the past three years, our Year-End Party.

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The Bulletin is published weekly by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, Penthouse, Maneeya Center, 518/5 Ploenchit Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. President: Daniel Ten Kate. First vice-president: Tim Johnston. Second vice-president: Anasuya Sanyal. Treasurer: Umesh Pandey. Clubhouse manager: Thanutra Teerasuphaset. Office telephone: 02 652-0580-1; fax: 02 652-0582. Clubhouse telephone: 02 254-8165. E-mail: info@fccthai.com. Web site: www.fccthai.com.

Opinions expressed may be entirely those of an individual writer or organization, and do not necessarily represent the policies, positions or opinions of the FCCT, nor does the FCCT, by virtue of publication in The Bulletin, assume any liability therefore. While all reasonable efforts are employed to ensure accuracy of announcements appearing in The Bulletin, including but not limited to dates, times and cover charges, the FCCT is not bound by those announcements and occasional errors or omissions may appear; we apologize for any inconvenience. Copyright © 2011, Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand and others. All rights reserved.

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For five decades, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand has played a vanguard role as Southeast Asia's most active press club. The club advocates press freedom as a cornerstone of civil society in emerging democracies and is a vital venue for an open exchange of information. Our speakers range from heads of state to local activists to international advocates, many of whom address issues that might not get a full hearing without the support of the FCCT.

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