OceanicThai

That's what the junta is saying now; the victims can eat frogs, fish and edible weeds they find around...they don't need aid, just send cash to the government. Here's some excerpts from the regime's official newspaper: "The government and the people are like parents and children," the paper said. "We, all the people, were pleased with the efforts of the government." (Liars, liars, pants on fire!) "Myanmar (Burmese) people are capable enough of rising from such natural disasters even if they are not provided with international assistance," the newspaper said. "Myanmar people can easily get fish for dishes by just fishing in the fields and ditches," the paper said. "In the early monsoon, large edible frogs are abundant." "The people (of the Irrawaddy delta) can survive with self-reliant efforts even if they are not given chocolate bars from (the) international community," it added. No aid agencies are known to h...

scorpion 003 Originally uploaded by oceanicthai We found this big scorpion this morning in our livingroom! We had to drag the dogs and cat away from it, they were determined to play with it. It was climbing and crawling all over the place until we finally managed to flip it into a container. It sure looks menacing, and BIG.

Cell Bible study on Friday night at Ba Nangs house 006 Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Singing together

Ginger Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Ginger loves to run in the mud!

Sweet Poppy & Ginger Originally uploaded by oceanicthai

3 weeks after the devastation the Burmese military junta is now allowing aid workers into the country to help the survivors of the cyclone disaster that left over 100,000 dead. The feeling here among the Thai and ex-pats is unbelief and a sense of outrage that people already suffering should be subjected to gross neglect for the sake of the military junta's agenda. Not to mention the selling of donated aid for the survivors for personal profit, or the demand of thousands of dollars in corruption money for those aid workers who were finally allowed to enter the country a week ago.

(Thailand and Burma are bordering countries.) Burma agony BangkokPost.com (Thai) Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej called off plans for a flying weekend visit to Burma, concluding late on Friday that not even he can talk the military junta into accepting international aid for its suffering cyclone victims. Mr Samak had said earlier on Friday that he would fly to Burma, talk to the junta members, and use his personal influence to open the doors to civilian aid workers. Hours later, after talking on the telephone with his counterpart Thein Sein, he said the trip would be a waste of time. Thien Sein told Mr Samak he was welcome to travel to Burma on Sunday, but the regime was adamant that no foreign aid workers will enter Burma, now or ever. "So there is no point of me going there," he said. Prime Minister's Office Minister Vichienchote Sukchotirat said Mr Samak was not giving up. Two Thai envoys inside Burma will try to impress on Burmese officials the necessity of getting ex...

(Click on title to see entire article.) Agencies plead with generals to get access AP and BANGKOK POST --> spac_writeAd( "/SITE=BANGKOKPOST/AREA=NEWS/AAMSZ=300X250PIXELS/POSITION=RIGHT5/METHOD=JSCRIPT" ); Burma's junta seized two planeloads of critical aid sent by the UN yesterday for a multitude of hungry survivors of last week's devastating cyclone, forcing the world body to suspend further help. ''All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated,'' said Paul Risley, a spokesman of the World Food Program (WFP) in Bangkok. He said the seized aid, including 38 tons of high-energy biscuits, arrived on two flights from Dhaka and Dubai. ''It is being held by the government. We are awaiting resolution of this matter,'' he said. More than one million people made homeless in last Saturday's cyclone waited for food, shelter and medicine. Many crammed into Buddhist monasteries or camped out in the open. Th...

"It's clear that the government's ability to deal with the situation, which is catastrophic, is limited." Click on title to see rest of article. also "the regime has forsaken the people in their hour of greatest need." For full article, click on link below: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=127566

"Five days after the storm, the junta continued to stall on visas for U.N. teams and other foreign aid workers anxious to deliver food, water and medicine to survivors amid fears the death toll could hit 100,000. Among those stranded in Thailand were 10 members of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team. Air Force transport planes and helicopters packed with supplies also sat waiting for a greenlight. "We are in a long line of nations who are ready, willing and able to help, but also, of course, in a long line of nations the Burmese don't trust," U.S. Ambassador Eric John told reporters in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. "It's more than frustrating. It's a tragedy," he said. Each day of delay means "a lot more people suffering," he said. " Associated Press Click on the title to read the entire article. Our friends are still waiting for their visas to get in the country to help. This morning Kennedy took a Burmese family to the...

We have friends waiting to go into Burma to help...waiting because Burma won't issue visas to them. It must be agonizing to the thousands of Burmese here in Southern Thailand to know the world is ready to help their country but the military won't let them in. Tomorrow Kennedy is going to take a group of Burmese (with legal papers) to the border so they can get on a boat and take care of any relatives left. We are hearing reports people are without safe water and without food.