More than 60 colonial shophouses in Soi Charoen Krung 52, or Soi Wanglee, are facing demolition by commercial developer JSP Sathon, which is planning to turn the area into a commercial complex and parking garage. Residents are against the project and have petitioned concerned agencies to help save the historical building. The shops, which were designed by a French architect in 1926, were once home to customs inspectors overseeing an international pier where immigrants from mainland China fled poverty, civil war and political revolution to live in Thailand. The site was also home to the Prasittibhol bar, which used to be one of Bangkok's most popular night entertainment spots for both Thais and foreigners.Bangkok Post
Singapore held Thailand to a 1-1 draw Sunday to retain the winner's trophy in the final of the ASEAN Football Championship at Bangkok's Supachalasai Stadium. Thailand had a 1-0 lead Sunday at halftime after a 37th minute goal by Pipat Thonkanya, but Singapore evened up the score in the 81st minute when substitute Khairul Amri charged past the Thai defense to kick in the equalizer. The match was held under tight security due to concerns that recently fanned sporting and political rivalries between the two countries could erupt into violence. No untoward incidents were reported by the end of the game.AP
Sunai Manomai-udom, head of the justice ministry's Department of Special Investigation, said authorities now believe Muslim militants could have been behind the bomb blasts on New Year's Eve. Sunai said that a man caught on a security camera near one of the bombing sites was Thawansak Jehna, who is a suspect in a series of bank bombs in the three southernmost provinces. Sunai said police and DSI investigators had spotted Thawansak, along with another man and a woman, on security video from a mall where a bomb hidden in a tube of potato chips had been defused.Reuters