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A Sweet Unexpected Journey – By Maida Pineda
CHIANGRAI – Beyond bargain shopping at Chatuchak Market or visiting the different temples in Bangkok, much remains unexplored in Thailand. On my last stay, I discover interesting attractions off the beaten tourist path that lead to rather unusual experiences.
Here are some of them:
1. Trainspotting at the River Kwai
Nestled between limestone peaks and a river, Kanchanaburi makes for an ideal retreat from Bangkok’s bustling city life. But this idyllic setting was also the location of the infamous bridge over the River Kwai, whose tragic World War II history was behind the plot of the award-winning movie of the same title.
Under Japanese rule, captured allied forces were tasked to build a railway connection from Bangkok to Yangon in Burma to transport men and military supplies. It became known as the Death Railway, 415 km of rail built in 16 months when it would have taken five years of normal labor to complete a project of this scope.
During the war, the Kwai River Bridge claimed more than 100,000 lives, now honored with a War Cemetery and the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre Museum documenting the railway’s history.
Today, trains still run over this railway and bridge, as local folk and a few tourists opt to use the train as a cheap way to get around the country.
2. Momentary Markets
A few steps away from the Maeklong Station, beneath makeshift tarps, is a market along the railroad tracks. When no train is passing, you find vendors on the tracks hawking just about anything: six different types of eggplants used for curries, a variety of rice noodles, curry pastes in mild yellow, spicy green, and extra spicy red, skewered grilled frogs, fiery red chilis, Thai desserts, super-sized beans, dried fish and a whole lot more. Fruits are in abundance, and cheaper than in Manila. My favorite find amidst the varied squid and fish balls was seafood balls shaped and colored like Red Angry Birds. Once a train arrives, the vendors scramble to secure their wares, while shoppers run for their own personal safety.
3. Muang Sing National Park
If you haven’t been to Cambodia and wish to see ancient temples, head to Muang Sing National Park, which features the remains of two Khmer temples dating back to the 13th Century. The temples are in Bayon style, in honor of the ancient Khmer Kingdom during the reign of King Jayavarman in the 12th century. There are Mahayana Buddhist images inside the main temples and one of Prajna Paramita, the goddess of transcendental wisdom. Thai people still come to offer flowers and pray to this image with its face, knees and heart gone shiny from the devotees’ frequent rubbing. Inside this ancient city have been found prehistoric human skeletons, metal tools, vessels, brick bases of Dvaravati period architecture and other artifacts from the 13th century.
4. Ancient Temples in Chiang Rai
While there are temples all over Thailand, at the Chiang Saen District of Chiang Rai, two ancient temples stand out: Wat Phra That Chedi Luang and Wat Pa Sak. The former is the tallest Lanna monument at 88 meters in Chiang Rai, with Lanna-style bell-shaped chedi. There are different styles of pagodas around it, and the Chiang Saen national museum next to it.
Close by is Wat Pa Sak, built in 1295, whose main pagoda contains holy relics of Lord Buddha’s bones from India.
5. Hanging out with the Hill tribes
If you wish to be transported to a different time and a totally different culture, immerse yourself in the hill tribe cultures of Northern Thailand. In the midst of the jungle is Lanjia Lodge located in Kien Karn village, where we were hosted by Hmong and Lahu villagers who cooked us traditional meals. Children and parents danced in the evening and allowed guests to laugh, talk and take photos. During the day, one can visit the village shaman to learn practices about spirits and how to heal illnesses. You can also try your hand at batik art and make a handkerchief using natural dyes and traditional patterns. Rooms were comfortable, and aptly equipped with mosquito nets.
But my biggest joy here was waking up to the cool, crisp, clean mountain air, and lounging in the open-air hut as the sun started to rise. Immersed amidst the Lahu and Hmong people, I realized how good it was to return to a simpler way of life.
6. Sparkling White Temple
Even if you have seen many pagodas in Thailand, this one stands out with its intricate details and blindingly white color. Known as Wat Rong Khun, this White Temple is not really a place of worship. Rather, it is a work of art by Chiang Rai artist Achan Chaloemchai Khositphitphat.
The ordination hall is decorated with tiers of glittering mirrors. Inside the temple is a mural with super heroes, even an image of Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix.” In this setting, you almost expect the Ice Queen to surface.
7. Black Houses
Less prominent than the White Temple are its hidden counterparts called the Black Houses. Created by Thai national artist Thawan Duchanee, the 25 Northern Style houses are where he exhibits local art and artifacts. Seeing antler, elephant bones, giant baskets and gongs inside these black buildings make for an interesting afternoon.
8. Tea Plantations
India and Bangladesh are known for their abundant tea plantation. Even the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia is popular for its tea fields. But unknown to many, Thailand produces fine Oolong Tea or Black Dragon Tea. This area has the biggest tea plantation in the country.
After a 70-kilometer drive from Chiang Rai on dizzying zigzag roads, one arrives in Mae Salong and immediately feels like being in a different country all together. At 1,200 meters above sea level, the plantation has a mild temperature ranging from 150 to 200C.
The people look Chinese and speak Chinese dialects, not Thai. They are retired Chinese soldiers from the 93rd Division of the KuoMinTang party who fled China for Burma during WWII. With Burmese soldiers fighting them off, they eventually moved down to Thailand and settled in Mae Salong.
The cool climate and fertile soil make this area ideal for growing tea. Naturally, there are also restaurants serving authentic Chinese food, as well as pagodas.
With limited space in my luggage and still more destinations on my journey, I regret buying just one box of tea. The Emerald Thai tea I bought was naturally sweet, with no added sugar, and was an apt souvenir of this trip. •
For more golden delicious moments in food and travel join the author’s journey at Facebook/MaidasTouch, follow her on twitter/themaidastouch, read Maida’s blog, www.themaidastouch.blogspot.com or e-mail her at [email protected].

News
Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.
According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.
Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.
Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding
Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.
Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.
Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.
To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.
Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.
On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.
In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.
Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

Pixa Bay
Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding
On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.
TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.
When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.
And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.
Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.
A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.
Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.
But today, it feels more like reality.
Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.
SOURCE | CNN
News
2024 | Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

Washington — Trump Media, The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear an appeal from social media platform X about a search warrant acquired by prosecutors in the election meddling case against former President Donald Trump.
The justices did not explain their rationale, and there were no recorded dissents.
The firm, which was known as Twitter before being purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, claims a nondisclosure order that prevented it from informing Trump about the warrant obtained by special counsel Jack Smith’s team violated its First Amendment rights.
The business also claims Trump should have had an opportunity to exercise executive privilege. If not reined in, the government may employ similar tactics to intercept additional privileged communications, their lawyers contended.
Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case
Two neutral electronic privacy groups also joined in, urging the high court to hear the case on First Amendment grounds.
Prosecutors, however, claim that the corporation never shown that Trump utilized the account for official purposes, therefore executive privilege is not a problem. A lower court also determined that informing Trump could have compromised the current probe.
Trump utilized his Twitter account in the weeks preceding up to his supporters’ attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to spread false assertions about the election, which prosecutors claim were intended to create doubt in the democratic process.
The indictment describes how Trump used his Twitter account to encourage his followers to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the certification, and falsely claiming that the Capitol crowd, which battered police officers and destroyed glass, was peaceful.
Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case
That case is now moving forward following the Supreme Court’s verdict in July, which granted Trump full immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.
The warrant arrived at Twitter amid quick changes implemented by Musk, who bought the company in 2022 and has since cut off most of its workforce, including those dedicated to combating disinformation and hate speech.
SOURCE | AP
News
The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.
The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.
Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.
This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.
In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.
The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.
This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.
The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.
In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.
According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.
Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.
The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.
For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.
Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.
As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.
As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.
The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.
SOURCE: AP
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