The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• In Maungdaw Village, Residents Fret Over Missing Family Members
• Marching Villagers Call for Burma Minister to Be Sacked Over Comments
• Burma’s Government to Appoint a Second Woman Minister
• Myanma Airways to Lease 10 Boeing Jets With Expansion in Mind
• Nepal Picks Koirala as New PM, but Challenges Remain
• First Key Protest Leader Arrested in Thailand
• Planemakers Look to Ink Asia Deals Despite Economic Worries
• Bell Tolls for Legendary Thai Boxing Stadium

In Maungdaw Village, Residents Fret Over Missing Family Members Posted: 11 Feb 2014 04:58 AM PST A woman from the Rohingya Muslim village of Du Chee Yar Tan, in Maungdaw Township, shows reporters a damaged house. (Photo: Sanay Lin / The Irrawaddy) DU CHEE YAR TAN, Maungdaw Township — Zuu Lar Har is living in deep distress as she has been waiting more than three weeks for her 18-year-old daughter Zuu Kai to turn up. The 60-year-old Muslim resident of Du Chee Yar Tan village in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, said she feared for the life of Zuu Kai after she disappeared during the tumultuous events of Jan. 13, when, according to accounts of local villagers, an Arakanese Buddhist mob violently raided the village. Zuu Lar Har said her daughter had been sick and bed-ridden when the alleged attack took place, and as the Muslim villagers fled Zuu Kai went missing. "I thought my daughter had come along with the family, but later I found she hadn't," Zuu Lar Har said. "I do not know whether she is still alive or not. I am really worried about her security. I only trust that Allah provides for her safety," she told Irrawaddy reporters who visited Du Chee Yar Tan village early last week. "If she is still alive, she would have contacted us or came back to our family because she is 18 years old already and her mind is fine." The village in the south of Maungdaw Township, located in northern Arakan State, is the site of the alleged killing of dozens of Rohingyas, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who said that police and an Arakanese mob were involved in the supposed attack on Jan. 13. Médicine Sans Frontières (MSF) said it treated 22 wounded people from the village in days following the supposed attack. Burma's government has, however, vehemently denied mob violence took place and has insisted that a police sergeant named Aung Kyaw Thein was attacked by Muslim villagers during a patrol on Jan. 13 and subsequently went missing. The government claims that the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), a little-known Islamic militant group, was involved in the killing of the policeman. Officials reject allegations, made by the UN rights office, that police might have let an Arakanese Buddhist mob loose on the Muslim village in an apparent retaliation for the killing of the policeman. Inter-communal violence between Muslims and Buddhists in western Burma's Arakan State has killed scores and left more than 140,000 people displaced since 2012. Burma's government has allowed UN staff and foreign diplomats to inspect Du Chee Yar Tan village, and encouraged journalists to visit the site in Maungdaw, a Muslim-majority region on the border with Bangladesh where access is severely restricted. Irrawaddy reporters were allowed to travel outside of Maungdaw town last week, but were warned against entering Du Chee Yar Tan village alone. "They do not trust other people except Muslims. So, if you are going inside the village it will be dangerous for you," police lieutenant Wai Phyo Zaw said, adding that he would send no less than 10 well-armed officers into the area for any operation. During an unaccompanied visit to Du Chee Yar Tan village, reporters witnessed ample signs of recent violence as dozens of the wooden and thatched-roofed homes appeared destroyed, looted or abandoned. Only about 60 villagers remained of the original population of several thousand Muslims, most of who are believed to have fled to surrounding villages. The impoverished villagers appeared anxious and an atmosphere of fear prevailed in the village. Interviews with about 20 villagers revealed that all had fled on the night of Jan. 13 when word spread of an approaching Arakanese mob from the nearby village of Na Da La, located about a kilometer away. None of the interviewees could provide an eye witness account of the mob attack as they fled to other nearby Muslim villages, but all were adamant that the destruction in the village had been caused by the mob, while many said that they had lost touch with family members. Few disputed the report that a policeman had been attacked earlier on Jan. 13. Har Ja Ra, a 45-year-old woman from the southern part of the village, said two of her daughters, Saw May Dar, 16, and Ah Gyi Dar, 14, had gone missing since the alleged Arakanese mob attack. Villagers said they worried that their missing family members had been arrested or killed, but none stated that they had witnessed any dead bodies in the village. "We will only know the exact number of disappeared when all people come back to the village," said Ahmed Hussein. Police lieutenant Wai Phyo Zaw said 16 Muslim villagers had been arrested in relation to the disappearance of the police sergeant. Representatives of the Arakanese community flatly rejected allegations of an Arakanese mob attack on Jan. 13 and dismissed the claims that dozens of inhabitants of Du Chee Yar Tan village had since gone missing. Khin Maung Gyi, a senior member of the recently-formed Arakan National Party, said in a phone call from Sittwe, "They [Muslims] always say their people have disappeared when they feel that they are not safe. Now [they do so] because the police is trying to make arrests among them because they killed a police officer." Nyo Aye, an Arakanese activist who has led campaigns calling on international aid groups to stop providing care to Muslim communities, claimed the inhabitants of Du Chee Yar Tan village were receiving instructions from MSF. "They lie about how their people were killed in the village. They do what MSF told them to do. But, it is not true about the killings," she said. Preliminary investigations by the Myanmar Human Rights Commission and an Arakan State government commission have so far found no evidence of a mob attack and only established that a police officer has gone missing. The US government has called on Naypyidaw to set up an independent investigation team that includes at least one international expert—a suggestion that Burmese officials have rejected. On Friday, the government announced that a new commission will investigate events in Du Chee Yar Tan village in order to establish the "root cause" of the death of a policeman. The announcement, however, failed to specify if the investigation will address allegations made by the United Nations that dozens of Muslims were killed. The post In Maungdaw Village, Residents Fret Over Missing Family Members appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Marching Villagers Call for Burma Minister to Be Sacked Over Comments Posted: 11 Feb 2014 04:31 AM PST Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development Ohn Myint, whose recent comments in Magwe Division have sparked protests. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) More than 1,000 villagers in Magwe Division demonstrated on Monday calling for the dismissal of a government minister caught on tape making offensive remarks. One protest leader was charged in Aung Lan Township on Tuesday under the controversial Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, since the authorities did not give permission for the protest to go ahead, making it illegal under the law. Aung Lan residents marched along the town's main street, reportedly shouting slogans—including "We don't want the union minister who would slap the public"—and demanding that action is taken against Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development Ohn Myint. Remarks made by Ohn Myint, a former military general, to locals in Magwe town's Thityakauk village last month have caused widespread outrage. A video posted online shows him ranting and people demanding clean drinking water on Jan. 28. In the video, the minister declares that he would not hesitate to "slap" anyone who opposes government policies. "I can go around and slap everyone's faces… If anyone insults or opposes the government, [I will] hit them and lock them up," the minister was recorded saying. Protest leader Myat Ko told The Irrawaddy that he was called to the township police station on Tuesday morning, and will have to appear before a court for holding the protest without permission. "The head of township police U Htay Maung told me that I am charged with Article 18 [of Peaceful Assembly Law] and I am now on bail," he said. Scores of activists across Burma have been jailed under Article 18 in recent years, but President Thein Sein issued an amnesty on Dec. 31 freeing all those jailed for the charge and dropping all standing charges under the article. The article is still in the law, however, and Parliament is yet to discuss amending it. The cabinet minister' remarks were widely criticized in the Burmese media, and led to a small protest in downtown Rangoon on Feb. 3 calling for Ohn Myint's dismissal. A lawmaker has also raised the incident in Parliament. Myat Ko said that Aung Lan residents had asked for permission to demonstrate on Feb. 5, but police rejected the request on Feb. 7, saying that the protest would block the main street and market. Myat Ko said the police's reason for not permitting for protest was "unacceptable because we were protesting peacefully and without causing any trouble." Aye Myint, a leader of the National League for Democracy in Aung Lan, said the protesters were only exercising their rights by demonstrating. "We expected that we would not get the permission and the township police chief responded that the protest would not be allowed, but we continued with our plan as it is our constitutional right to gather and demonstrate our desire in accordance with Article 354 of the 2008 Constitution," he said. Article 354 states that "every citizen shall be at liberty in the exercise of the following rights – (b) to assembly peacefully without arms and holding procession – if not contrary to the laws, enacted for Union security, prevalence of law and order, community peace and tranquility of public order and morality." The post Marching Villagers Call for Burma Minister to Be Sacked Over Comments appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma’s Government to Appoint a Second Woman Minister Posted: 11 Feb 2014 03:49 AM PST Khin San Yi will be appointed as Burma's new education minister if Parliament approves. (Photo: Embassy of Israel) RANGOON — Burma's president is set to appoint Khin San Yi, formerly a deputy minister of planning and economic development, as the new education minister, bringing the number of woman ministers in the government to two. Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Myat Myat Ohn Khin is currently the only woman holding one of the 36 union ministerial positions in the Burma government. There are just six female deputy ministers, and only 28 of the 664 lawmakers in both houses of Burma's Parliament are women—one of the lowest levels of representation in the legislature in the world. Khin San Yi's nomination by President Thein Sein—which comes after the death of her predecessor Mya Aye in December—will go ahead as long as it is approved by Parliament during a meeting on Feb. 14. The Union minister of National Planning and Economic Development, Kan Zaw recommended her for the position, according to the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development. The appointment was welcomed both for increasing the number of women in higher government positions, and because of Khin San Yi's academic expertise. Khin San Yi was a tutor at a regional college from 1987 to 2012 and then a rector at Rangoon Economic University before in April 2012 being appointed as a deputy minister at the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce in Accounting and Auditing, a Master's of Commerce in Trade and Marketing from Rangoon's Economic University, and a Doctorate in Economics from University of Göttingen in Germany. Mi Myint Than, a lawmaker for the All Mon Regions Democracy Party told The Irrawaddy that the appointment was welcome. "We support her and will not object after reading her biography. Currently, the government is facing lack of academics to choose from," she said. However, Sandar Min, a member of Parliament with the National League for Democracy, said that while she would not vote to reject the appointment, Khin San Yi's expertise on education were questionable. "She is an expert in economics according to a brief biography I read on her, but she seems to be weak in the education field," she said. "She is more academic, but she used to teach at the Economic University. What we want is someone who is an expert in education, education policy and the state education system, and has good experience." Salai Issac Khen, executive director of the Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar, said the new minister was a welcome addition to a government in which the majority of posts are filled by former military officials. "It's fine as long as it's not from the military," he said. "I am glad and welcomed that she is not only a woman but also an academic," said Salai Issac Khen. "She is an academic so she will know how to play [in the field of education] well. How she will implement and play will be more important than her background." The post Burma's Government to Appoint a Second Woman Minister appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Myanma Airways to Lease 10 Boeing Jets With Expansion in Mind Posted: 11 Feb 2014 02:24 AM PST A man prepares to fuel an ageing Myanma Airways plane in the city of Myitkyina, Kachin State. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's national flag carrier Myanma Airways has inked a deal with General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) to lease 10 commercial aircraft, and has enlisted GECAS's AviaSolutions consulting arm to create and implement a strategic growth plan for the airline. The subsidiary of the US conglomerate General Electric signed a contract with Myanmar Airways to lease 10 new Boeing narrow-body aircraft, with deliveries of the planes scheduled to begin in June 2015, Myanma Airway announced on Tuesday. The US$960 million contract calls for six Boeing 737-800 models and four Boeing 737-8 MAXs, with deliveries to be made through 2020. A signing ceremony was held at the Singapore Airshow 2014 in the Southeast Asian city-state on Tuesday, with Burma's Transport Minister Nyan Tun Aung, Myanma Airways Managing Director Than Tun and officials from GE in attendance, Myanma Airways said. Derek Mitchell, the US ambassador to Burma, was also on hand to witness the deal. Than Tun said at the signing ceremony that Myanma Airways was delighted to work with GECAS to develop and upgrade the carrier's fleet and expand routes into key markets in the region. "Our collaboration with a leading multinational US company like GE will benefit the airline and the Myanmar economy," Than Tun said. GECAS already leases two Embraer E190 aircraft to the state-owned airline. "We're pleased at GE to work with Myanma Airways to provide new, state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft," said Norman Liu, president and CEO of GECAS. GECAS, the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric, has a fleet of over 1,670 owned and serviced aircraft, contracted to more than 230 customers worldwide. In Tuesday's announcement, GE said its AviaSolutions would work with the airline's senior management on plans that include international expansion using the airline's newly leased Boeing jets to serve the business and tourism sectors. Myanma Airways was established in 1948, then called the Union of Burma Airways. The state airline's current incarnation serves all major domestic destinations from its main base at Rangoon International Airport, but does not offer international routes. "We are delighted to be supporting the national airline, Myanma Airways, in this period of growth for both the country and the airline. It is an exciting project and one that will leverage our airport and airline expertise," said John Carter, managing director of AviaSolutions, in a statement on Tuesday. The state airline has not been immune to the aviation accidents that have blighted the domestic industry's reputation over the years. In 2012, two separate landing mishaps in the space of a month involving Myanma Airways MA60 turbo-prop planes led the carrier to ground its fleet of the Chinese-made planes. The 2009 crash-landing of a Myanma Airways flight in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe injured two passengers, and in 1998, two crashes in the same year killed a combined 50 people. In 2008, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued an advisory warning its staff to avoid flying Myanma Airways, citing the airline's failure to meet international safety standards. Myanma Airways currently relies primarily on French/Italian-made ATRs for its commercial flight services. The post Myanma Airways to Lease 10 Boeing Jets With Expansion in Mind appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Nepal Picks Koirala as New PM, but Challenges Remain Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:08 PM PST Newly elected Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala waves to media personnel as he walks out from the Parliament after being elected as prime minister in Kathmandu on Feb. 10, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Navesh Chitrakar) KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepal's parliament picked a social democrat as its new prime minister on Monday after a last-minute power-sharing deal ended a deadlock that had lasted since an election two months ago. Sushil Koirala, the head of the centrist Nepali Congress party, was elected with support from the communist UML party, which holds the second largest number of seats in parliament. Koirala, who was once jailed for his involvement in a plane hijacking and belongs to a noted political family, faces the task of drafting a new constitution for the Himalayan country. Nepal, wedged between India and China, has been plagued by conflict, instability and intractable political division for years. It has been running under an interim constitution since the 2008 abolition of a centuries-old monarchy. Both of its giant neighbors are trying to woo the desperately poor country as a geo-political ally and fear prolonged turmoil could turn it into a haven for international criminal gangs, militants and traffickers. Koirala, 76, is the fourth member of his family to be become prime minister. He needed to be elected by a majority in parliament and his Nepali Congress party controls 194 seats in the 601-seat assembly. He won the support of 405 lawmakers. The UML is made up of communists with more liberal political views than the Maoist former rebels who waged a civil war until 2006. UML leaders, reluctant to support Koirala, compromised after he agreed to a presidential election next year. Koirala replaces Khil Raj Regmi, the Supreme Court chief justice who has headed a caretaker government since March last year. He now has the job of overseeing the preparation of a new constitution, one of the conditions of a 2006 peace deal that ended the decade-long war. The charter has remained elusive because of differences about the political course the nascent republic should adopt. A previous attempt to write it failed after the term of a constituent assembly expired in 2012. The soft-spoken Koirala is always seen wearing a black Nepali cap and sports a silver beard. He lacks experience in public administration and never held a government position when his party was in power for most of the past 23 years. But he is known as a clean politician and was jailed in Nepal and India during the country's fight for democracy from the 1950s. Koirala spent three years in Indian jails for his role in the hijacking of a Royal Nepal Airlines plane to the eastern Indian state of Bihar in 1973. The plane was carrying thousands of dollars' worth of cash from Biratnagar in east Nepal to the capital Kathmandu. Koirala was among the five people who were waiting for the money. "The money was meant to support the fight for democracy launched by his party against the absolute monarchy," said Dinesh Bhattarai, a retired Nepali ambassador to the United Nations now living in Kathmandu. On Monday, Koirala was elected despite failing to win the support of all political parties. "The new constitution is possible only with the consensus and unity among all political parties. My government will strive for that," Koirala told the parliament. The Maoist former rebels, who dominated governments since joining the mainstream, suffered a stunning defeat in the polls. They were offered a berth in the new cabinet but refused to participate, Koirala's aides said. The Maoists fear that the two big parties could gang up against them to water down their vision of a federal and secular republic. Analysts say Koirala's challenge is to win their confidence in making the charter. Shifting political winds have increased the economic woes of Nepal's 27 million people, one quarter of whom live on a daily income of less than US$2. The crisis has stunted efforts to create jobs, forcing thousands of young people to seek work abroad. The post Nepal Picks Koirala as New PM, but Challenges Remain appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

First Key Protest Leader Arrested in Thailand Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:58 PM PST Anti-government protesters travel atop a bus near the Interior Ministry building that is being surrounded by fellow protesters in Bangkok Feb. 5, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Thai police made their first arrest of a senior leader of anti-government protests for violating the country's emergency law Monday as government officials promised to apprehend other leaders of the movement, too. The arrest further heightens tensions in Thailand's three-month-old political conflict in which protesters seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra have shut down major intersections across Bangkok. Government officials have been threatening for weeks to arrest protest leaders. Police arrested Sonthiyarn Cheunruethainaitham, the former managing director of news company Tnews, known for its anti-government views, said Department of Special Investigation's director-general Tharit Pengdit. He described Sonthiyarn as "a chief-of-staff" for the movement and "second most important figure" after protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban. "We will continue arresting more protest leaders who have violated the law in the same way," Tharit said. Arrest warrants have been issued for 19 leaders of the anti-government protests on the charges of violating the special law and authorities on Monday were seeking the court's approval for 13 other leaders on the same charges. The arrest happened just hours after six street cleaners were injured—two seriously—by a small explosion at a protest site in downtown Bangkok. At least 10 people have been killed and scores hospitalized during the political upheaval. The demonstrators, who mostly draw their support from the urban middle and upper class and those in the south, want Yingluck to step down to make way for an interim appointed government to implement what they say are necessary reforms to fight corruption. She has refused to resign, arguing she was elected by a large majority and is open to reform, but that such a council would be unconstitutional and undemocratic. Her government invoked the emergency decree last month following increasing attacks at protest sites prior to the Feb. 2 general election, allowing authorities to ban public gatherings, impose curfews and censor local news reports. The emergency decree, in effect for 60 days, also gives police expanded powers to make arrests, conduct searches and seize suspicious materials. Sonthiyarn was apprehended at a hotel in northern Bangkok and is being held for questioning at a border patrol police base in the capital's northern outskirts. Under the state of emergency, a suspect can be held for 30 days without being charged, but police must seek request for detention every seven days. The post First Key Protest Leader Arrested in Thailand appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Planemakers Look to Ink Asia Deals Despite Economic Worries Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:50 PM PST South Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles perform a maneuver during an aerial display ahead of the Singapore Airshow February 9, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) SINGAPORE — Aerospace firms will finalize billions of dollars of deals at next week’s Singapore Airshow, hoping to ride out a storm in emerging markets whose prosperity is vital to their plans to keep producing record numbers of jets. Asia’s largest aerospace gathering is usually a "show and tell" event where executives come to mingle with some of the world’s biggest long-haul carriers and Asia’s ambitious new travel tycoons, as well as the region’s busy military buyers. After a record $200 billion of deals at last November’s Dubai Airshow, few expect Asian buyers to be ordering in similar quantities – yet the Feb. 11-16 event will test the appetite of one of aviation’s fastest growing regions. "Asia is a huge market but has been somewhat eclipsed by the Gulf which has the same idea about how to pursue traffic and got to the orders race a few months before Singapore," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia, vice president at Virgina-based Teal Group. Vietnamese, Indian and Thai carriers will place orders for over 100 Airbus or Boeing passenger jets worth $12 billion at list prices, industry officials say. Malaysian Airlines could also place an order for Airbus long-haul and medium-haul jets. Both Airbus and Boeing have committed to record production rates for their most popular models and have longer-term plans to produce more than 100 narrowbody jets a month between them – churning out a $100 million jet every few working hours. But executives will be looking out for any signs that financial turmoil in key aviation markets like Indonesia and Thailand will threaten economic growth, which directly determines the level of air traffic demand. "The manufacturers might be getting ahead of themselves given the troubles in emerging markets," said Aboulafia. "Many of these markets are in some form of currency crisis or economic downturn and the focus will be coming back to the Middle East and a hoped-for North American resurgence." The world’s no. 1 planemaker Boeing does not see its commercial jet business affected by weakness in emerging markets, Chief Executive Jim McNerney said this week. But he noted more divergence among such countries, and China and the Middle East remained strong. "Some perspective is very important. We have a short term blip in growth and the orders that are being placed are for the long term, for the requirements eight, nine or 10 years out," said Peter Harbison, chairman of the aviation analysts CAPA. Airbus and Boeing will face off for the first time with their latest lightweight long-haul jets, the 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. The A350 will make its first full air show appearance. Arms Fair As well as being a magnet for commercial aviators, next week’s event in Singapore is a weapons bazaar which has grown in importance as China’s increased military assertiveness has raised concerns. U.S. arms makers are counting on increased foreign sales to offset slower demand from U.S. and European governments, whose military budgets are under increasing pressure. While global military spending has been on the decline over the past few years, reflected in the Pentagon’s own budget cuts, Asian spending is on the up. "Asia Pacific is the only region where from 2009 onwards we have seen a steady rise in defense expenditure," said Craig Caffrey, senior analyst, IHS Jane’s Aerospace, Defence & Security, in a recent report. "Based on IHS Jane’s Defence Budgets projections, Asia Pacific’s share of global budget spend will grow to 28 percent from its current 24 percent by the end of the decade, reaching $474 billion." China looms large in Asia, where it has overlapping territorial claims with several Southeast Asia countries in the South China Sea. At the same, China-Japan tensions have risen over their rival claims to a set of tiny uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons adds another serious dimension to what is shaping up as an arms race in Asia. In Singapore, shoppers can choose from fighter jets, trainers, cargo planes, maritime patrol aircraft, drones, defense radar systems, missiles, and missile defenses. The host country, although one of the smallest in the region, has the deepest pockets and is eyeing new jets. Its immediate priority is a billion dollar upgrade of its F-16s, but it is also looking at buying the stealthy F-35, which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. Japan has already placed an order for the F-35 – a so-called "fifth-generation" warplane designed to be nearly invisible to enemy radar – and South Korea is expected to finalize an order for the jet this month. Malaysia is assessing the Boeing F/A-18, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen to replace its ageing MiG-29 fighters, while Indonesia is also seen as a potentially big customer for fighter jets. Singapore and Japan are also eyeing the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor plans built by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc. The U.S. Marine Corps is sending two of the planes, which take off and land like helicopters but fly like planes, to the air show. U.S. officials are expecting questions and interest in missile defense systems built by Lockheed and Raytheon Co, Boeing’s maritime P-8 surveillance plane, and the KC-46A refueling plane, also built by Boeing. South Korea is expected to kick off a tanker competition this spring. The post Planemakers Look to Ink Asia Deals Despite Economic Worries appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Bell Tolls for Legendary Thai Boxing Stadium Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:44 PM PST Spectators follow a fight at the legendary Lumpinee stadium, one of Bangkok’s oldest boxing venues, which is being demolished after 57 years. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Every muscle of Sattan Muanglek’s body glistened as he was rubbed down by his trainer with liniment, its herbal odor permeating the dank corridors of Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium before a historic fight. For once the Thai fighter was not focused on the prize. Friday’s match was his last in one of Bangkok’s oldest boxing venues, which will be demolished after 57 years to make way for high-rise urban development. "Lumpinee closing has left me speechless. I could barely concentrate the first time I boxed here I was so excited. This is where every young boy dreams of fighting," said Sattan. Like many men who choose the rigorous life of a Thai boxer, 21-year-old Sattan came from a poor background and saw the national sport as a means to support his extended family. "Muay Thai", a violent sport that can make western boxing look tame, is said to be 2,000 years old. Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs" for its extensive use of hands, elbows, feet and knees, it also mixes religious beliefs with traditional cultural practices. Lumpinee’s circular structure, with an ageing tin roof that lets in rain and sunlight, is a stone’s throw from the central oasis of Lumpini Park and had avoided Bangkok’s frenetic building boom. The stadium harks back to the capital’s golden days before the invasion of skyscrapers that now soar above it. But it stands on prime real estate and its lease was not renewed by the Crown Property Bureau, one of Bangkok’s biggest landlords and the fund that supports Thailand’s monarchy. That is forcing the stadium to move to a new venue on the outer fringes of the sprawling city – a logistical hassle for tourists and Thais who have flocked to Lumpinee for decades. Crowd Hooked The fund plans to build condominiums near the old stadium. "Nothing will be left in this spot. The stadium will be completely dismantled. But change is necessary," said Surakai Chuttumart, director of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. He reminisced about a particularly memorable match between "Rambo" Ponsiri and Paluhadlek Sitchungtong that brought more than 10,000 fans to the stadium, pushing its capacity of 9,000 to bursting point. "They had the crowd hooked every minute," said Surakai. "This stadium will be gone but the memory of legends that have fought here will remain." For the fans, it’s the crowd at Lumpinee that makes the stadium a cut above grander venues. "Even if the boxing is outstanding, if the crowd isn’t good it means nothing – and the crowd here is one of a kind," said Thotspol Kunapermsiri, who postponed a business trip to Vietnam to be at Lumpinee for the last big fight on Friday. "This is the mothership of Thai boxing. The atmosphere is electric," said Thotspol, who would like to see the stadium preserved as a "national treasure". Proving his point, the transfixed crowd screamed with every blow Sattan dealt his opponent. On one side of the ring, gamblers made animated hand-signals and shouted into mobile phones in a scene reminiscent of a stock trading floor. The stadium was one of the few places in Thailand where gambling was permitted, adding to the raucous mood. "Round five! Final round!" the master of ceremonies announced. The crowd rose from creaky wooden benches and craned towards the ring as Sattan came out of his corner to the sound of rhythmic drums and wood instruments. His fans were to be disappointed, though, with Sattan losing the fight. Veteran trainers who came to watch the final bouts bemoaned the end of the "authentic experience" of Muay Thai, a sport with roots in rudimentary boxing rings in the rural heartlands. "When I brought young talent to Bangkok I wanted to bring them to Lumpinee first," said Chart Phonchai, 73, a former Muay Thai trainer, letting out a hearty laugh. "It is intimate and makes them feel less nervous when they get knocked out." The post Bell Tolls for Legendary Thai Boxing Stadium appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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