A kebaya is a traditional blouse-dress combination that originated from the court of the

Majapahit Kingdom (today Indonesia), and is traditionally worn by women in Indonesia, and
also Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, southern Thailand, Cambodia and the southern part of the
Philippines.# 3

As of 2017 the largest economies in Southeast Asia are:

 Indonesia $1.01 trillion.
 Thailand $455.37 Bn.
 Singapore $323.9 Bn.
 Malaysia $314.5Bn.
 The Philippines $313.4 Bn.

Background
"Vesak”, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day to millions of
Buddhists around the world.
The teachings of the Buddha, and his message of compassion and peace and goodwill have
moved millions. Millions around the world follow the teachings of the Buddha and on the Day of
Vesak commemorate the birth, the attainment of enlightenment and the passing away of the
Buddha.
A Message from the former Secretary-General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, to Buddhists on the Day
of Vesak in May 1986 reads:
"For Buddhists everywhere it is indeed a felicitous opportunity, while commemorating the birth,
enlightenment and passing away of Guatama Buddha, to celebrate his message of compassion
and devotion to the service of humanity. This message is toda yperhaps more relevant than ever
before.
Peace, understanding and a vision of humanity that supersedes national and other international
differences are essential if we are to cope with the complexities of the nuclear age.
This philosophy lies at the heart of the Charter of the United Nations and should be prominent in
all our thinking, especially during this International Year of Peace"--Javier Perez de Cuellar

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reaty of Paris 1898: The End of the Spanish-American War

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CUBA - 1898: US Marines raising the American Flag over Guantanamo Bay after successful invasion of
Cuba during the Spanish American War.

US Marine Corps / Getty Images

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byRobert Longley

Updated July 29, 2019

The Treaty of Paris (1898) was the peace treaty signed on December 10, 1898 by
Spain and the United States that ended the Spanish-American War. The terms of
the treaty also ended the age of Spanish imperialism and established the United
States as a world power.

Key Takeaways: The Treaty of Paris

 The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, was a peace agreement
between Spain and the United States that ended the Spanish-American
War.
 Under the treaty, Cuba gained independence from Spain, and the United
States gained possession of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
 Marking the end of Spanish imperialism, the treaty established the United
States’ position as a world power.

The Spanish-American War

The 1898 war between the United States and Spain came after three years of
fighting by Cuban rebels to win independence from Spain. Happening so close to
the coast of Florida, the conflict in Cuba transfixed Americans. Concerns for U.S.
economic interests in the region, along with the American public’s outrage over
the brutal tactics of the Spanish military spurred public sympathy for the Cuban
revolutionaries. With tensions between the U.S. and Spain growing, the explosion
of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898 brought the
two nations to the brink of war.

On April 20, 1898, the United States Congress passed a joint resolution
acknowledging Cuban independence, demanding that Spain abandon its control
of the island, and authorizing President William McKinley to use military force.
When Spain ignored the U.S. ultimatum, McKinley implemented a naval
blockade of Cuba and called for 125,000 U.S. military volunteers. Spain declared
war on the United States on April 24, and the U.S. Congress voted to declare war
against Spain the next day.

The first battle of the Spanish-American War was fought on May 1, 1898
in Manila Bay, where U.S. naval forces defeated the Spanish armada defending
the Philippines. Between June 10 and June 24, U.S. troops invaded Cuba
at Guantanamo Bay and Santiago de Cuba. With the Spanish Army in Cuba
defeated, the U.S. Navy destroyed the Spanish Caribbean armada on July 3. On
July 26, the Spanish government asked the McKinley administration to discuss
terms of peace. On August 12, a cease-fire was declared with the understanding
that a peace treaty must be negotiated in Paris by October.
Negotiations in Paris
Peace negotiations between representatives of the United States and Spain began
in Paris on October 1, 1898. The American contingent demanded that Spain
acknowledge and guarantee the independence of Cuba and transfer possession of
the Philippines to the United States. In addition, the U.S. demanded that Spain
pay Cuba’s estimated $400 million national debt.

After agreeing to Cuban independence, Spain reluctantly agreed to sell the

Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. Spain also agreed to pay back the $400
million Cuban debt by transferring possession of Puerto Rico and the Mariana
island of Guam to the United States.

Spain demanded that it be allowed to retain possession of the Philippines capital

city of Manila—which had been captured by U.S. forces hours after the August 12
cease-fire had been declared. The United States refused to consider the demand.
Representatives of Spain and the U.S. signed the treaty on December 10, 1898,
leaving it up to the two nation’s governments to ratify it.

Pages 8 and 9 out of 19 pages comprising the Treaty of Paris, which ended the
Spanish-American War. Spain relinquished Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Philippines to the United States in exchange of payment of $20,000,000. Spain
also agreed to assume the $400,000,000 Cuban debt. Corbis Historical / Getty
Images

While Spain signed the agreement days later, ratification was strongly opposed in
the U.S. Senate by senators who viewed it as instituting an unconstitutional
policy of American “imperialism” in the Philippines. After weeks of debate, the
U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on February 6, 1899 by a single vote. The Treaty of
Paris took effect on April 11, 1899, when the U.S. and Spain exchanged
documents of ratification.

Significance
While the Spanish-American War had been short in duration and relatively
inexpensive in terms of dollars and lives, the resulting Treaty of Paris had a
lasting impact on both Spain and the United States.

While it suffered initially from the terms of the treaty, Spain eventually benefited
from being forced to abandon its imperialistic aspirations in favor of focusing on
its many long-ignored internal needs. Indeed the war resulted in a modern
Spanish renaissance in both its material and social interests. The post-war period
in Spain saw rapid advances in agriculture, industry, and transportation over the
following two decades.

As Spanish historian Salvador de Madariaga wrote in his 1958 book Spain: A

Modern History, “Spain felt then that the era of overseas adventures had gone,
and that henceforth her future was at home. Her eyes, which for centuries had
wandered to the ends of the world, were at last turned on her own home estate.”

The United States—whether intentionally or not—emerged from the Paris peace

talks as the world’s newest superpower, with strategic territorial possessions
stretching from the Caribbean to the Pacific. Economically, the United States
profited from the new trade markets it gained in the Pacific, Caribbean, and the
Far East. In 1893, the McKinley administration used the terms of the Treaty of
Paris as partial justification for annexing the then-independent Hawaiian Islands.

Thai Aristocracy
Of the categories or strata discernible in modern Thai society, only one -- the
royal family and the hereditary nobility -- constitute a self-conscious group.
When reference is made to a Thai "aristocracy", a distinction must be drawn
between two very different elements : on the one hand the members of the
royal family, the close relatives of the king and princes of royal blood. On the
other is the privileged social class whose members possess disproportionately
large shares of wealth, social prestige, educational attainment, and political
influence. The advantages have been acquired mainly through inheritance from
a long line of similarly privileged and cultivated ancestors.

Thai ranks of nobility were hereditary only to a certain extent. Typically, each
following generation descended by one rank. Palace matters are regulated by
the palace law known as Gotmontienboan. It dates back to King Rama Tibodi I,
the founder of the Ayutthaya kingdom in 1358. The palace law which was
modified over the course of history, and today defines Thai nobility, especially
the ranks and titles of the king's children and relatives, according to the status
of their mothers. While many kings, especially in the 19th century had several
wives, only one was elevated to the rank of queen, and only the king's children
with her were in line to ascend the throne.

There was no such thing as an hereditary nobility in the land, even the
descendants of Majesty becoming merged in the people at the fifth generation,
but those about the Court and officials of the Government, from the highest to
the lowest grades, held titles by virtue of their offices and constituted a sort of
aristocracy, from which, however, they could at any moment be expelled at the
royal pleasure. Any person could aspire to the highest official dignity but it was
usual for the sons of those who had held high rank to be selected for
preferment. The members of this society, while tendering the utmost respect
and obedience to those above them, exacted an equal consideration from all
those below, and there thus existed a sort of social pyramid round the base of
which knelt a submissive populace while upon ifs slippery sides a throng of
anxious courtiers precariously maintained itself, each individual engaged in
rendering homage to those above him and to the king at the apex of all.

The feudalism in Siam was personal. It was very different from the territorial
feudalism of mediaeval Europe, where a powerful hereditary nobility lived on
their landed estates, and formed an imperium in imperio. In Siam there never
had been hereditary nobles. The institution of nobility first seems to have been
regularly systematised for the first time in the fifteenth century. A title was
conferred on a man for life, and always in connexion with some office, every
one of note remaining in the Government service till the end of his days.
Naturally there had always been influential families, and the son of a powerful
noble, though born a plain commoner, was and is sure to have the chance of
rising to distinction. Nevertheless theoretically one man is as good as another.

King's children are called Chao Fah or Chao. If male, he is called Chao Fah
Chai, if female, Chao Fah Ying. Chao's children have the lower rank of Phra
Ong Chao or Phra, while the Phra's child has the rank of Mom Chao. They are
all addressed in Rachasap, the royal language, which was borrowed from the
Khmer in the early Ayutthaya period and is still in use today. For example, "I"
when used by a commoner in talking about himself in Rachasap to members of
the royal family is Tai Far La Ong Tuli Prabat, which literally translates into "I
who am but dust under your feet". From the Mom Chao rank, all that follow are
no longer addressed in royal language. The child of a Mom Chao is a Mom
Rachawangse. A Mom Luang is the child of a Mom Rachawangse.

There were many sayings current among foreigners illustrative of the large
number of princes in Siam, and in the early 20th Century the royal family was
certainly a very large one. The title 'Prince,' applying collectively to all its
members, had no parallel in Siamese except perhaps in the term Chao Nai
meaning 'Chief,' and only employed to express colloquially a 'Royalty.' The
titles of the individuals were many, and by them the actual rank of the holders
was at once distinguishable. The sons and daughters of the king and of the
queens were born with the title Sonidet Chao Fa while those of the king and of
ladies who were not queens are Phra Ong Chao. The children of Chao Fa and
Phra Ong Chaome Mom Chao, their children being Mom Racha Wongs, the
next generation Mom Luang and the next were without title of any sort.

King Boromaraja II died in the year 1448, and the Prince of Phitsanulok,
Ramesuan, became king of Ayutthaya, assuming the reign name Trailok
[Borommatrailokkanat]. King Borommatrailokkanat (1448-1488) the eighth king
of Ayutthaya, established the authentic Royal Kingdom. The king ceased
sending high-ranking members of the royal family to rule the provinces and
instead appointed aristocrats from the central government to rule under the
supervision of officials in Ayutthaya, to whom they reported. During his long
rule of four decades, King Trailok reformed the administrative system with a
more strict hierarchical structure.

The system of nobility in Siam was founded by King Trailok, who created seven
grades of nobles. From the highest to the lowest Siam's grades of nobility [with
their British equivalents in brackets], were: 1. Phaya (Marquis), 2. Phra (Earl),
3. Luang (Viscount), 4. Khun (Baron), 5. Muen, 6 Pun, 7. Tanai. Later an
additional grade - the rank of Chao Phaya - was created topping Phaya. Chao
Phraya [the greatest river of Thailand] was the highest title in ancient Thai
nobility, similar to the Grand Duke in European nobility. The title is no longer in
use.

These ranks of nobility are not hereditary. The only hereditary ranks were
prince or princess for the offspring of kings and princes. Ranks of nobility were
given by the King, who could also revoke them. The king had a free hand to
bestow ranks of nobility on those who served him well. In the 17th century, a
Greek immigrant to Siam, Constantine Phaulkon became the counsel of King
Narai and rose through all ranks of Thai nobility, starting as Luang Wijayen and
becoming Phra Wijayen, Phaya Wijayen and finally Chao Phaya Wijayen.
Under King Narai's successor, he was executed.

Princes of the rank of Chao Fa and Phra Ong Chao, on attaining manhood
might be given official rank as Krom Phaya, Krom Phra, Krom Luang, Krom
Khun and Krom Mun, of which the first is the highest. Formerly there was very
seldom a holder of the titles Krom Phaya and Krom Phra, while of the other
three there were not more than four of each in existence at any one time, the
twelve princes so distinguished, and no others occupying official positions in
the king's service. By the early 20th Century, however, things were different,
there being two Krom Phaya, four Krom Phra, seven Ki'om Luang, eight Krom
Khun, twelve Krom Mun and only four Phra Ong Chao, the junior sons of the
late king, who held no other title, while moreover many other members of the
royal family occupied positions under Government in the military and civil
services which by reason of their superior education, they usually fillled with
distinction and success. Those who were born Mom Chao did not as a rule
receive any other title but very occasionally an individual from among these
may be created Phra Ong Chao. The lower grades hardly counted as royalties
and frequently dropped their titles or exchange them for those attached to
ordinary official positions usually filled by persons who were not royal. Many of
the princes and princesses had more than one title, and alterations can be
made, not only to their rank but also to the terms describing their relationship to
the reigning monarch, which change from reign to reign. These ranks and titles
are finely graded, revealing nuances which explain the exact rank and
relationship to the king of the individual prince or princess. This hierarchy of
rank and title is unique to Thailand [although a similar, but less complex system
exists within the royal family of Cambodia] and is the most elaborate system of
royal rank to be found in any country in the world. There are three distinct ranks
of prince and princess, but even within each rank there are finer distinctions
which divide the members into different sub-groups. The three main ranks are
as follows:-

1. Chao Fa - This title is usually restricted to the children of a king or queen.

There are at present only five Chao Fa living , one prince and four
princesses; they include the present Crown Prince, two daughters of His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, his sister, and the daughter of His late
Majesty King Vajiravudh [Rama VI]. Another daughter of His present
Majesty, the former Princess Ubol Ratana Rajakanya, who relinquished
her royal title in 1972, was also of this rank.
2. Phra Ong Chao -- there are two specific grades within this rank, those
Phra Ong Chao who have the additional word Chao within the preamble to
their title, and those who do not : [Phra Chao Vorawongse Ther] Phra Ong
Chao--Prince or Princess and Royal Highness. [Phra Vorawongse Ther]
Phra Ong Chao--Prince or Princess and Highness. The Phra Ong Chao
nowadays are always the grandchildren of a king -- three of the present
King's grandchilden are of this rank, and the other 10 living Phra Ong Chao
are all grandchildren of King Chulalongkorn [ Rama V ], from senior lines of
descent.
3. Mom Chao - the lowest of the royal ranks and the usual title of a
grandchildren of a king [except where raised to be a Phra Ong Chao]; in
the case of a great-grandchild of a king who is a Mom Chao then he or she
is the child of a Phra Ong Chao prince, who is himself of a grandchild of a
king. The Mom Chao are known in English as Prince or Princess and
Serene Highness. There are at present some 150 Mom Chao living -- 53
are grandchildren or great-grandchildren of King Chulalongkorn [Rama V],
82 are grandchildren or great-grandchildren of King Mongkut [Rama IV], 14
are grandchildren of the last Maha Uparaja [or Deputy King] and one, the
last surviving grandchild of Second King Pinklao, who died in 1866.

They are for the most part elderly and in the years to come their number will be
much diminished. In the early part of the 20th Century the total of Mom Chao was
much higher, numbering several hundred, and including grandchildren of King
Rama III, King Rama II and even King Rama I, as well as numberous
grandchildren of the earlier Maha Uparaja. By the end of the 20th Century there
were only be several dozen Mom Chao left within the Royal Family.
The great-grandchildren of a king do not bear royal rank but are entitled to use
the title of Mom Rajawongse, which is not translated into English. The great-
great-grandchildren bear the title of Mom Luang. Subsequent generations in
the male line of decent from a king have no titles, but may add the dynastic
surname of "na Ayudhya" to the surname of the branch of the Royal Family
from which they descend.

The Royal Family is divided into 131 different branches. Each son of a king, or
Maha Uparaja, who founded a family, was granted a surname by King
Vajiravudh [Rama VI] - several more were granted during the reign of his
successor, King Prajadhipok [Rama VII]. As part of the 60th birthday
celebrations of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, representatives of each
branch gathered at the Chitralada Villa of Dusit Palace in a ceremony that had
not been performed for many years. They were received in audience by the
King in the Dusidalai Hall and were grouped strictly according to the seniority of
their descent from the previous kings of the Chakri Dynasty. The task of
deciding the order of precedence is not an easy one and assistance is given by
the chairman of the family association of the Chakri Dynasty, who keeps careful
track of the whereabouts of each branch and its members, ensuring that they
are informed of the gathering and at the same time checking that no imposters
lay claim to an unverified descent. This is rare, though from time to time
"pretenders" do emerge and assume the name of some remote line of descent
of the Royal Family.

One of the fascinations of the Thai system of royal rank and title is the subtlety
with which the title of a member of the Royal House reveals an exact degree of
rank. Apart from the three distinct princely ranks, there are other features of
royal titles which further define the holder's precise position in the royal
hierarchy. In the titles of all princes and princesses of Phra Ong Chao and
Chao Fa rank are to be found certain words which also indicate their
relationship to the reigning King. These form part of the preamble to the title
and in the case of the closest royal relatives indicate the exact relationship.
More distant relatives have a word indicating to which group of princes and
princesses they belong. Thus the son of the reigning king will be Somdetch
Phra Chao Lukya Ther Chao Fa, the daughter Somdetch Phra Chao Luk Ther
Chao Fa, the elder brother Somdetch Phra Chao Piya Ther Chao Fa, the
younger brother Somdetch Phra Chao Nongya Ther Chao Fa, and so on.
These relationship terms change from reign to reign, with the children of one
king becoming, perhaps the elder and younger brothers and sisters of the next
king. The system applies equally to deceased members of the Royal Family
and the late younger brother of a reigning king will become the late uncle of his
successor and his title will be altered accordingly. There is thus a gradual and
evolving pattern of change within the system of royal titles.

Another feature of the precise definition of rank can be found among the regalia
of the most senior members of the Royal Family. When they receive their titles
they are presented with a set of regalia, which, should their title be high
enough, will include a multi-tiered royal umbrellas, or parasol. These royal
umbrella are of different levels, usually of five, seven or nine tiers. Only a
crowned king possesses a nine-tiered umbrella [prior to his coronation he is
entitled to one of seven tiers]. The holders of seven tier umbrellas form a
special group within the Royal Family, those whose titles contain the words
"Somdetch Phra Baromma" and at the present time these include only four
people, Her Majesty the Queen, H.R.H. the Crown Prince, H.R.H. the Princess
Mother and princesses of Cho Fa rank are entitled to royal umbrellas of five
tiers. These royal umbrellas reveal the rank of the holder and as such can form
part of their insignia or coats-of-arms and at their cremations are to be found
suspended above the crematorium, or above their urns at their lyings-in-state.

As the Thai system of rank is so very much more complex than those systems
to be found in European countries it is often difficult to ascribe adequate titles in
English and the other European languages. A system has evolved gradually,
beginning as early as the reign of King Mongkut. He and his successors took
particular care in choosing the correct English words to be used as a translation
for various Thai royal titles, and in the cases of King Chulalongkorn and King
Vajiravudh discussions took place between themselves and members of
European royal families on choosing suitable equivalents. However, the
European languages cannot convey the degree of subtlety apparent in the Thai
system and anomalies occur. Although the Queen is Her Majesty, the Princess
Mother, according to European custom is only Her Royal Highness, a rank
equal to those of certain princes and princesses. In Europe the mother of a
reigning king whose father has never been king cannot be a queen mother, as
she was herself never a queen consort and is therefore known as the princess
mother. That the present Princess Mother of Thailand was raised to the rank of
Somdetch Phra Baromma with the right to seven levels of royal umbrellas
during the reign of her son cannot be adequately conveyed in the English
rendering of her title.

Aristocrats (cao) were blood-related to the kings and the kings' wives. They
were usually given important offices and/or a prebendal right over some land,
wives, animals, slaves, and other privileges. Generally, aristocrats who were
more closely related to the kings held higher positions in the military and civilian
offices. However, it was also a function of their abilities, and the favors they did
for the kings. A few aristocrats might not have high official administrative or
military positions but they were important to the king because they looked after
the cultivation and collection of harvests in the royal fields.

In older days, the preference, the norm, and the majority of practices were that
the aristocrats were sent to rule towns and small regions. But when the
Chiangmai kingdom expanded during the reign of King Ti10k (1442-1487), an
increasing number of non-aristocratic officials were sent to rule towns and small
regions.

The aristocrats were appointed by the king, who, in theory, could dismiss them
at will. In fact, the aristocracy had become heriditary. In the reign of King Rama
II, one family of the nobility, Bunnag family, rose to such high power that it
became a kingmaker. When King Rama V ascended the throne at the age of
15, the head of the Bunnag family, who was appointed as the regent, effectively
challenged the king’s power during the early years of his reign. Between 1882
and 1888, the king slowly replaced these conservative hereditary aristocrats in
the administration with his young brothers and sons as well as a new group of
modern-educated civil servants.

The assignment of aristocrats to administer rural areas during the second half
of the 19th Century was partly to support the ever increasing number of
aristocrats [an inevitable result of Royal polygamy]. The proliferating aristocracy
was anxious to expand and resettle old secondary towns for defense and
especially for support for some of their number appointed as administrators.
Some commoners had their rice fields seized on charges of witchcraft or phi ka
(evil spirits in human form). During the 1870s and early 1880s and confiscation
not only benefitted the aristocrats economically, but was also used as a means
of forced migration for the resettlement of remote old towns. During the l890s,
the ruling aristocrats' appropriation of land increased.

In Thailand, which was never formally colonized, the Thai aristocracy

westernized in the mid-nineteenth century after Chulalongkorn centralized his
administration in response to Western pressure. Siamese aristocrats’
conception of civilization ["siwilai" - a transliterated form of English term
"civilized"] gradually evolved from the mid-nineteenth century to the turn of the
twentieth century. During the reign of Rama V, Siamese aristocrats took
Europe and their colonies in South and Southeast Asia as the new paradigm of
“civilization,” even though the kingdom of Siam was not formally colonized. The
construction of siwilai was transcultural since ideas were transferred and
localized in the Siamese setting. Siamese aristocrats fabricated the public
image of not only themselves, but also the kingdom – an independent Oriental
nation that was steeped in history yet engaged with enlightened modern
internationalism.

Because control over the military was crucial to the endurance of the throne,
during the absolute monarchy, princes and the kings’ brothers were often
appointed to top positions in the military. In 1910, 9 of the 16 most senior
positions in the army were occupied by members of royal families. Thai politics
after 1932 was a matter of competition between bureaucratic cliques, and the
army — the powerful branch of the bureaucracy — came out on top. One factor
in the 1932 Coup was resentment among the young aristocrats, especially
those who had been educated in Europe, over the royal monopoly of power
because a large number of the nobility and royalty occupied most of the top
positions in the aristocracy. The coup was only the replacement of princes and
nobles with aristocrats who used their authority for individual or collective
causes.

Army Commander General Chawalit Yongchaiyut's family was firmly linked to

the ruling Chakri dynasty for at least the last 100 years. No member of the
Yongchaiyut family could ever be less than totally loyal to a Thai monarch due
to such strong links to the royal family since time immemorial.

Like the military, the civil service after 1932 was still an aristocratic institution.
The civil service continued to be an elite system. Approximately 74% of the
special-grade officers, the top seventh through eleventh grades, were from
official and business families that accounted for only 10% of the national
population. Politics in Thailand after World War II was a matter of the struggle
for dominance among three groups: the military, the parliament and elite
aristocracy group, and the smaller but more prestigious traditionalists and
royalists.

Thailand is somewhat unusual in that it is one of the few modern states to have
escaped colonial domination. Although in Southeast Asia colonialism was the
primary agent of the Western impact in Thailand the Western impact came
largely under the auspices of the traditional elite. The traditional aristocracy
came to assume new roles and responsibilities as officials in the departments
of government set up advisors from numerous Western countries. The effect of
the Western impact on Thailand was less drastic than in the colonial regions
and large numbers of people were not violently jarred out of their traditional
modes of life.

The Thai aristocracy of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries held a
virtual monopoly on government affairs, avoiding domination by the European
colonial powers and maintaining the existing social order domestically. The
ethnic Thai aristocracy, the traditional elite of the country, gravitate toward
military, government, and religious occupations. The traditional ruling clique
comprised mainly memhers of the Royal family, the upper crust of Thai
aristocracy, selected nonveau nohlemen who had earned their royal master's
favor. The bureaucracy (which was peopled largely by members of the
ethnically Thai aristocracy), was an independent entity that could claim for itself
the virtually sacred role of protecting the Thai state and its subject-citizens. The
echelon of the Civil Service and Army used to be limited to members of the
Thai aristocracy, but by the mid-20th Century, they have opened their doors to
the non-aristocrats as well.

The effect, rather, was to change the character of the elite; the monarchy in
time lost its autocratic powers and authority gravitated into the hands of three
groups of the transformed elite; the military, the bureaucrats, and the students
who had returned from studying abroad. These three groups were all the
products of the changes that the monarchy introduced; they were the most
Westernized elements of Thai society. However, since the rest of the society
had not changed as drastically, they came to occupy a somewhat autonomous
postion, in that they did not have strong roots in the larger society and thus
relations among themselves came to dominate the politics of the country.
Under these circumstances, the military became the key group because of their
command of the means of violence, and the coup d'etat became the main
device for testing changes in relative power.

Today, the Royal Decorations are symbols of honor, bestowed onto those
having rendered devotional services to the Kingdom, by the Royal Decree of
His Majesty. They are rewards of distinguished ranks. A careful consideration
must be taken to ensure that the devotional services rendered to the Kingdom
are worth of the Royal Decorations, because of the merit, not of the ranks of
persons or the completion of time. Hence, the persons conferred will be really
proud of themselves and the Royal Decorations will be symbols of high rank of
honor. The Order of the Precedence starts at the Most Noble Order of the
Crown of Thailand and ends at the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.

In modern Thailand, the award of a certain rank within one of the higher royal
orders entitles a woman to be addressed as "Khunying", generally translated as
"Lady", while one higher rank, "Thanpuying" is analogous to the British "Dame",
a rank rarely given to an individual of common birth. In a society still deeply
attached to stratified patron-client patrimonies rooted in the social lite of the old
royal Thai aristocracy, and still attached to a widely revered monarchy, these
titles are highly prized — and coveted. The hankering after such titles is widely
lampooned in contemporary Thai popular culture.

Since not all princes and princesses enjoy the same status, different sets of
pronouns as well as nouns and verbs are used according to their royal ranks
and titles. This is also true, though to a lesser extent, for those with
ecclesiastic, civil and military ranks and titles. Common people have a pseudo
honorific system also. Speech style is reflected in the lexical choice of a
speaker.


 WORLD CLASS TALENT SEARCH “PILIPINAS GOT TALENT”
PREEMS SATURDAY
 World class talent search Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) returns to television to search for the
best Pinoy acts beginning Saturday (Jan 23) on ABS-CBN.

Hosted by Billy Crawford and Luis Manzano, the local adaptation of the worldwide hit
franchise gets even bigger this season as PGT welcomes a new set of judges. Joining
resident judge and certified star maker Freddie FMG Garcia in the panel are award-winning
versatile actress Angel Locsin, astig idol Robin Padilla, and the phenomenal box-office star
and comedian Vice Ganda.

This season also marks the first time the judges will use the Golden Buzzer. If any of the
judges decides to press the Golden Buzzer, the contestant instantly goes straight to the
semi-finals.

Last week, the preliminary live auditions roared to life at the KIA Theater where hopefuls from
Metro Manila pulled out all the stops to impress the judges and the live audience. In the
coming weeks, the PGT team will go around different parts of the country to cull and watch
the potential talents from the different regions.

The popular Got Talent franchise first made its debut on Philippine television in 2010, when
siomai vendor Jovit Baldivino was named the first grand winner. In 2011, it returned for the
back-to-back seasons 2 and 3 won by singer Marcelito Pomoy and singing trio Maasinhon
Trio, respectively. In 2013, online singing sensation Roel Manlangit was named the grand
winner of PGT' fourth season.

Pinoy acts not only conquered the local stage but the international stage as well, as some
PGT contestants made it to the first edition of Asia' Got Talent. Shadow act El Gamma
Penumbra was named the grand winner, Gerphil Flores was among the top five finalists, and
the Velasco Brothers made it to the semi-finals.

Who will be season five' grand winner?

Don't miss Pilipinas Got Talent this Saturday (Jan 23), right after MMK, and Sunday (Jan 24)
after Rated K on ABS-CBN.

For updates, follow @officialPGT5 on Instagram and Twitter or

like www.facebook.com/officialPGT on Facebook.

The ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP)

Home/Archive/The ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP)

The ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) was established in 2007 by the ASEAN
Economic Ministers in 2007. Its members are representatives of consumer protection agencies of AMS.
The ACCP serves as the focal point to implement and monitor regional arrangements and mechanisms to
foster consumer protection in the ASEAN Economic Community

Since its establishment in 2007, the focus has been to ensure that consumer protection legislation is in
place in all AMS, consumer access to information is enhanced, mechanisms for consumer redress and
recalls are in place, and institutional capacity are strengthened. These are reflected in the strategic
approaches under the work plan for the ACCP 2012-2015. Among the major accomplishments are:

Nine AMS have consumer protection laws, with Cambodia aiming to enact its consumer protection law in
the very near future;

The launch of the ASEAN Consumer Protection website in 2012 (www.aseanconsumer.org); and

Notification and information exchange mechanism developed for official and voluntary recalled/ banned
products where Member States are able to upload its recalled/ banned products in real time through the
ACCP website.

The ASEAN Consumer website, which was launched in 2012, thus serves as the main reference point
for matters pertaining to consumer protection issues including the provision of information on (i) AMS
focal points for handling cross-border complaints; (ii) notifications on recalled/banned products; (iii)
consumer protection legislation of AMS; and (iv) other information such as publications and workshop
materials.
The ACCP has also overseen the implementation of initiatives and commitments under the AEC Blueprint
2015, including the development of a (i) notification and information exchange mechanism on
official/voluntary recalled products; (ii) research and dialogue on consumer protection (a set of 24 policy
digests); (iii) technical competency for consumer protection in ASEAN (a set of six training modules); and
(iv) a set of public awareness models and guidelines.

Current Chair of ACCP:

Consumer Protection Group

Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippines

List of ACCP Leads:

Brunei Darussalam

(TBC)

Cambodia

Mr. Kim Meas Sok Seiha

Deputy Director – General
CAMCONTROL Directorate-General, Ministry of Commerce
Cambodia

Indonesia

Ms. Nina Mora

Director
Directorate of Consumer Empowerment
Directorate General of Consumer Protection and Trade Compliance
Ministry of Trade, Indonesia

Lao PDR

Ms. Phonesavanh Chanthavong

Director
Consumer Protection Division
Department of Internal Trade
Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Lao PDR

Malaysia

Dato’ Haji Razali bin Othman

Deputy Secretary General
Consumerism and Management
Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, Malaysia

Myanmar

Mr. Myint Lwin

Deputy Director General
Department of Consumer Affairs
Ministry of Commerce, Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Philippines

Atty. Ruth B. Castelo

Undersecretary
Consumer Protection Group (CPG)
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)

Singapore
Ms. Loh Dan Lin
Senior Assistant Director,
Pro-Enterprise Division
Ministry of Trade & Industry

Thailand
Ms. Wimonrat Rukkhaworakul Teriyapirom (Ed.D)
Director of International Cooperation Section
Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB)
The Prime Minister’s Office

Vietnam
Mr. Trinh Anh Tuan
Deputy Director General
Vietnam Competition and Consumer Protection Authority
Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam