The key to this success has been reach and diversity of content, according to the site’s managing editor, Alan Soon. I caught up with Alan at the WPP Stream conference in Thailand.

For reach, Yahoo “introduces the human element” by engaging prominent bloggers in each market. These bloggers, in turn, pull in second-tier bloggers. The result is a growing and closely-knit community of influencers.

Rather than build niche markets, however, Yahoo aims to make content as diverse as possible. Instead of just news headlines of the day, for example, Yahoo Southeast Asia follows the lead of the Huffington Post in writing about a wide range of topics.

Yahoo’s importance as a portal has had no small effect on its success as a news site, but it is still surprising that traditional media have not been able to dislodge Yahoo as the leading news site.

Any theories why?

He is also known as Wise Kwai, author of the popular Thai Film Journal. If you learn one thing from Winston, it should be this – see Tears of the Black Tiger – it was this film that got him interested in the genre. For more hot tips, follow him on Twitter.

Winston isn’t just into film, he’s also an experienced Tuba player and blogs about eco-friendly Kayaking.

Prior to politics, Thaksin was a policeman who made it big selling computer to the force. He went on to found Shin Corporation and Advanced Info Service – the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

In addition to the video interview on this blog , I had Thaksin’s first interview upon being elected Prime Minister in 2001.

As a fugitive from Thai justice living in exile, Thaksin splits his time between Hong Kong, Dubai and other countries that do not have extradition treaties with Thailand. He left Britain when his visa was revoked.

Thaksin obtained a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University in the United States in 1975, and three years later received a doctorate in Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University in Texas, with a dissertation on “An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Criminal Justice Educational Process and the Attitude of the Student Toward the Rule of Law.”

With a top flight choir from the Royal Thai Navy and lyrics that only a committee of government officials could love, let history take note that the ASEAN anthem was unveiled on February 27, 2009.

Lyrics below or listen to the full musical version:

Raise our flag high, sky high
Embrace the pride in our heart
ASEAN we are bonded as one
Look’in out to the world.
For peace, our goal from the very start
And prosperity to last.

We dare to dream we care to share.
Together for ASEAN
we dare to dream
we care to share for it’s the way of ASEAN.

The song was chosen from competition by a committee of judges from each ASEAN country, as well as Australia, China and Japan. The winners, lyricist Payom Valaiphatchra and composers Kittikhun Sodprasert and Sampow Triudom, were all Thai and beat out 99 other entries to win $20,000.

Given the musical talent in the Philippines, surprising that a Filipino entry did not win.

The article, which ran on page 1, refers to my blog posting with Thaksin last month. Irony was running strong in the newsroom with the editor who wrote the headline.

The story got numerous pick-ups and the video was broadcast on TV around the world, including here in Hong Kong. My favorite, however, was having my name printed once again in the International Herald Tribune, this time not as a journalist, but as a “blogger”.

   He was last month sentenced in absentia to two years in jail for helping his ex-wife buy state land when he was premier.
   PAD protests in early 2006 helped lead to the coup that ousted Thaksin later that year, and the PAD resuscitated their campaign in May this year after Thaksin‘s allies won elections, infuriating his many enemies.
   cm/dk/pch

Curtis Winston, aka wisekwai, has obsessively followed and blogged on Thai film for years now. For the first time, Curtis has doubled the size of his end of year list to includes 10 top films, not just 5.

In the videos below Curtis says why we should all watch Thai films and lists out his top 10 films for 2008, which he wrote about for his Thai Film Journal.

Why we should all watch Thai films:

The best Thai films of 2008

Adresse: Librairie du Siam et des Colonies, 645/42-43 Petchaburi Rd. Au fond d’une cour, face à Pantip Plaza. BTS Ratchathewi.

Ici une autre posting avec Francois sur l’Opium dans la litterature d’Indochine.

He gave a guided tour of his remarkable bookshop (in French) posted here.

Address: Librairie du Siam et des Colonies, 645/42-43 Petchaburi Rd. Back of courtyard across from Pantip Plaza and directly opposite the Indonesian Embassy. BTS Ratchathewi.

Shawn answers questions as to how the site distinguishes itself from the mainstream media and whether the site takes a political stance.

Disclosure: Many years ago (1995-97) I worked at Asia Times newspaper, a printed predecessor to Asia Times Online owned by the same Thai businessman, Sondhi Limthongkul.

Shawn’s take is that Thaksin is finished. There is not enough financial or military support for Thaksin or his party to be a credible force in Thailand.

Another theory floating around Bangkok – not by Shawn – is that if Thaksin really wanted to come back to consolidate power, he should serve time in jail. Current sentence is for 2 years. At that point he would come out of prison in a stronger position than ever.

NOTE TO READERS: I don’t normally follow Thai politics so closely, but follow my exclusive interview with Thaksin, the former leader in exile, readership of Thai-related items has shot up.

HONG KONG, Dec 3 – Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general of ASEAN and Thai foreign minister, today said it could take “weeks” before the political situation in Bangkok to return to normal and that the Thai constitution may need amending.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative in Hong Kong, Surin also expressed full confidence in the resilience of Thailand while warning of tough economic times ahead for all of Southeast Asia.

Asked whether politics could continue under the current constitution, Surin said that amendments may be needed.

“The Constitution is written to be amended,” Surin said. “That is the furthest we could go – to amend – but you know the situation is quite fluid.”

On whether Thai politics will remain within the Thai constitution, Surin said he hoped so, but that Thailand is deeply divided.

Internationally, he added, the Thai situation has raised worries.

“There is a lot of concern,” Surin said. “I have tried to comfort them that we will pull through and with their support, their sympathy and their understanding”

The road ahead for Thai politics, he added, will not be easy.

“The country has been deeply divided and what we are trying to do now is trying to heal that rift,” Surin said. “This is an extremely difficult process for us.”

As for the economic situation for Southeast Asia, Surin said that the structures and policies put in place following the Asian financial crisis are working well.

More details in full transcript (below) or the video.

Full transcript below the fold

How badly with ASEAN be hit by the economic crisis?
We are better off now than ten years ago when we were hit by the Asian financial crisis. We have learned a lot. Just like what President Clinton said, we have reformed. We have instituted mechanisms and monitoring systems. In fact, I think we have been extremely cautious. In some cases probably banks have even been more cautious than they should be because it is really cutting down the flow of money, the flow of resources in the market and in industry. If anything I think that banks in Asia – on the whole – are less exposed to toxic assets. But we are trying to compensate for the shortfall of external funds and capital coming in due to the shortages in America and Western Europe. We are talking about trying to implement our own Chiang Mai initiative, a multilateralized fund to the tune of $80 billion. Maybe we can expand that to use it to compensate for the resources that have dried up. And look into the Asian bond market more actively, more seriously because there are a lot of savings in the region.

So ASEAN is using the learnings and structures put in 10 years ago after the Asian financial crisis to address the global crisis?
Yes, exactly.

What about the situation in Thailand?
I think the Thais are going to go through their problems and will reestablish themselves trying to find a balance in the system. There have been a lot of pressures, I think partly because of the efforts to try to position themselves for a lot of external problems and pressures and competition, exports and how to streamline our own structure our own society and economic institutions. All of these things are problems for our country and we are going through that motion. It has taken some time but I think we will see all these problems through.

And the political situation?
Yes, it is still going on. I think it will take a few more weeks in order to find that balance and that consensus so that we can move forward. We are hoping that the mechanisms that are already in place can accommodate – all these problems, all these pressures – going back to the Parliament within the constitutional means and try to accommodate each other.

Will politics remain within the constitution?
I would certainly hope so. It is a very, very difficult process. The country has been deeply divided and what we are trying to do now is trying to heal that rift and I think the Thais are trying to do their best.

What is the perception of people outside of Thailand?
There is a lot of concern. As President Clinton has just said, it is worrisome for the US because Thailand has been a very close and the first ally of the United States in Asia. A lot of concerns, a lot of worries, but I have tried to comfort them that we will pull through and with their support, their sympathy and their understanding that this is an extremely difficult process for us. Hiccups here and there once in a while, but on the whole it is a very, very open and participatory society. I think if anything because it has been very, very open; very, very equal and very, very participatory. But institutions and the structures we somehow need to streamline and fine tune them.

Will this constitution last or is there a need for a new one?
The Constitution is written to be amended. That is the furthest we could go – to amend – but you know the situation is quite fluid.

NOTE TO READERS: I don’t normally follow Thai politics so closely, but follow my exclusive interview with Thaksin, the former leader in exile, readership of Thai-related items has shot up.

William Itoh, US Ambassador to Thailand under Clinton, warns of negative impact from the Thai court action. Itoh, now a consultant for McLarty & Associates, wrote this in an email to Chris Nelson of Samuels International Associates.

Do you agree with Itoh’s analysis? Whether you agree with Itoh or not, interesting to see how the events in Thailand are viewed from overseas.

Chris,

All the best, Will

DEC 3 UPDATE: I just posted a copy of an email in which William Itoh, former US Ambassador to Thailand, critiques the Thai court forcing PM Somchai’s resignation.

The original posting with video has been overwhelmed with comments (more than 300 at last count), so I have closed comments on there and opened this new string.

Many of the comments have been anonymous and critical of Thaksin, which is fine. Unfortunately many have just been crude rants, which is too bad.

There have also been many comments critical of me, which is fine too – but many of the accusations were untrue.

Among the false allegations, I have been accused both of being paid and of paying Thaksin for the interview. Neither is true.

I have also been criticized for not asking questions on a wide range of issues (human rights questions; why Thaksin won’t return and face rule of law himself; his policy in southern Thailand; how he made his money, etc). I agree with this criticism. I would have liked to ask many other questions, but as you can see from the video, I had very little time to conduct the interview. I do not claim this 4-minute video gives the complete story. It is a single snapshot from one angle that hopefully gives some insight into the events in Thailand.

Interestingly, the interview has proved a textbook case showing the new power available to bloggers. Less than two days since I recorded on my mobile phone, the video posted on YouTube has been viewed more than 30,000 times.

The interview was also, picked by:

English-language Thai media: The Nation newspaper

Thai-language Thai media: Matichon newspaper, Manager newspaper, Kom Chadluek, MThai, CBN Press

International media: AFP, Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, Singapore Press Holdings, Manila Times, Le Nouvel Observateur, The Scotsman, The Daily Telegraph and quite a few others.

Feel free to continue the discussion below and please do your best to refrain obscenities.

DEC 3 UPDATE: I just posted a copy of an email in which William Itoh, former US Ambassador to Thailand, critiques the Thai court forcing PM Somchai’s resignation.

HONG KONG(NOV 28) – Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today warned that the protesters blocking Bangkok’s airports must clear out or face the consequences.

In this video below, Thaksin also warned that should the military launch a coup, it would be much more bloody than the previously occasions.

These came out when I had coffee today with Thaksin, who now lives in exile. He spoke passionately about this week’s events in Thailand.

Thaksin is extremely upset by the turn of events and remains closely involved. As we spoke, he took lengthy calls about the situation from two prime ministers in Southeast Asia.

In the video below, Thaksin urges all parties to obey Thai laws and warns that – unlike previous coups – attempts by the Thai military to seize power would go very badly.

Some quotes from the video:

“The airports must be reopened and the protesters must respect not only the law, but the citizens of Thailand,” Thaksin said. “If no one respects the law, then law enforcement must be done.”

“This is dangerous for the country and there will be a long term effect if the Thai people are not united,” Thaksin said. “The protesters need to leave the airports.” “Those who violate the law must be prosecuted.

“If a coup were to happen, there would be bloodshed, this would not be an easy coup like in the past. The people in Thailand now face hardship since dictatorship came.”

Thaksin urged his supporters to “protect democracy”: “If you protect Democracy you may be painful for a while, but if you allow dictatorship to take over Thailand you are going to have a nightmare for your whole life.”

Thaksin’s message to the military: “They are officials whose salary is paid by taxpayer money, so they have to do what is wanted by the whole of the Thai people, not just for minority groups. They must respect Democracy. They must play by the rules. Being neutral means you have to observe the law.”

Life in exile has surreal quality, Thaksin said. He was waiting in line for UK immigration one recent morning when Thai politicians began calling him on his mobile, lobbying for him to support their bids for power. A few days later, while outside of Britain, he learned that he could not go back to the UK. “It takes such a very strange quality sometimes, my life,” Thaksin said.

Want privacy? Don’t email Thailand! (That said, they don’t offer much comparison to data retention laws in other countries.)

From Aug 23, private firms, organisations and government agencies will be required to store all internet traffic data for 90 days so it is available as digital evidence for police. Pol Col Yannapol Youngyuen, commander of the Bureau of Technology and Cyber Crime at the Department of Special Investigation, said the IT Ministry order has no exceptions and will include banks, hotels, schools and internet cafes.

He said digital evidence gathered from computers is useful in tracking those engaged in cyber crime.

Cyber offences, ranging from email forwarding of pornographic pictures to posting libellous messages on forums, are on the rise, Pol Col Yannapol said, but police agencies find it hard to gather the evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He said internet cafes will also be required to collect information to identify computer users, such as ID cards, time of logging in and sites visited. Shops that fail to heed the rules will face fines up to 500,000 baht, he said.

h/t Asia Media