STORIES
Rinkagate
A gunshot on Exmoor one windy night in October 1975 marked the beginning of the end for Jeremy Thorpe. At Minehead Magistrates’ court on 4 August 1978 four men were charged with conspiracy to murder a man. The alleged victim was Norman Scott, described as a ‘male model’, and the offence was stated to have taken place between
1 October 1968 and 1 November 1977 in Devon and elsewhere. The four accused men were David Holmes from London (Treasurer of the Liberal party), John Le Masurier
from Ogmore in south Wales, George Deakin from Port Talbot and Jeremy Thorpe, Member of Parliament for North Devon. It was the last named who brought scores of pressmen thronging to the courthouse at this coastal resort town in Somerset in England’s West Country. Mr Thorpe had been leader of the British Liberal Party, and was now charged with the most serious offence ever levelled at a British politician. Thorpe (born on 29 April 1929) was a brilliant man with an acerbic, rapier-like wit who had held his seat in the deeply Conservative area of North Devon since 1959 mainly through force of personality alone. In 1965 he became Liberal party treasurer and following the resignation of Jo Grimmond in 1967, he was elected party leader at the age of just 37.
Thorpe’s speech-making style, in contrast to Grimmond’s intellectualism, was youthful and dynamic if also flashy and gimmicky. Some regarded him as an ambitious, dandified, flamboyant Old Etonian media-tart; a former President of the Oxford Union surely more suited to be a leading light in the Labour or Conservative ranks than leader of a moribund marginal British political party. Thorpe however was a staunch defender of human rights, as exemplified by his prominent role in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and he was also a key figure in the campaign for Britain to join the Common Market. In keeping with his colourful character, Thorpe was also renowned for his assortment of Edwardian suits, silk waistcoats and trilby hats, as well as being a fine raconteur and impressionist who often mimicked his political colleagues to the great amusement of his friends. Cruel wit is often
characteristic of highly intelligent homosexuals; and it was an open secret at Westminster that Thorpe had a fatal addiction to young men that in those days made him vulnerable to blackmail. In the General Election of February 1974, Thorpe led the Liberals to an impressive total of 14 seats, and with 19.3 per cent of the electoral vote came close to holding the balance of power in a hung parliament. In subsequent negotiations with the Conservatives, Thorpe was offered a seat in the Cabinet as Home Secretary by Tory Prime Minister Edward Heath as part of a coalition deal, but declined the post when Heath rejected Thorpe’s proposals for electoral reform, known as proportional representation. The prospective coalition therefore collapsed before it even started. Thorpe married his first wife, Caroline Allpass in 1968 with whom he fathered a son named Rupert. Caroline died in an automobile accident in 1970 and Thorpe then married Marion, a concert pianist and the former wife of the 7th Earl of Harewood, in 1973. But persistent rumours of Thorpe’s sexuality dogged his political career, particularly about an alleged homosexual affair with Norman Scott, who was a young stable hand named Norman Jousiffe when Thorpe first met him at Barnstable in 1961. Scott stated that Thorpe had seduced him there and they had conducted a torrid sexual relationship between 1961 and 1963, at a time when homosexual acts were still illegal in Britain. Scott’s airing of these allegations led to an enquiry within the Liberal Party in 1971, which of course conveniently exonerated Thorpe. Scott however continued to make public allegations about Thorpe, claiming that the latter had taken his passport and social security card, making it 
impossible for Scott to leave the country or seek employment in his new career as a male model. He admitted that Thorpe had paid him cash on several occasions and also that the politician was a predatory homosexual who habitually picked up men in public toilets in spite of his high profile as a well known figure in British public life. Scott also claimed that Thorpe had threatened to kill him after the alleged affair had been made public; specifically that Thorpe had incited David Holmes, then deputy treasurer of the Liberal Party, to murder Scott. To prove his case, Scott sold some letters to the tabloid press that he claimed were written to him by Thorpe. One of these contained the memorable phrase, ‘bunnies can and will go to France’ apparently referring to a romantic holiday that the two men had once planned to take together. Though Thorpe denied everything, he could not state that he had never met Scott, and the revelations forced his resignation of the party leadership on 9 May 1976. Jo Grimmond returned as caretaker leader until party elections put David Steel in charge. After committal proceedings at Minehead in 1978, the case was referred to the central criminal court at the Old Bailey, London in June 1979, which became a media circus. Thorpe spoke on both locations only to firmly deny the charges against him. There is no doubt that Scott’s repeated allegations were potentially very harmful to Thorpe’s political career and personal life. He is alleged to have said to his fellow Liberal MP Peter Bessell, “We must get rid of him”, meaning Scott. Bessell, unsurprisingly, was one of the Crown’s main witnesses against Thorpe in the forthcoming trial. He alleged that a former airline pilot named Andrew (Gino) Newton was paid 5,000 pounds sterling from Liberal Party funds to murder Scott in a conspiracy involving Thorpe, Bessell, Holmes, Deakin and Le Masurier. After considering several options, including poison, they contacted Newton through criminal associates known to Deakin and Le Masurier and offered him the contract. Here was where the prosecution’s case became tragically comic. Newton, though all swagger on the witness stand, was really an amateur-hour ‘hit man’. He admitted that, on discussing the contract with Holmes and Deakin one spring evening in 1975 in a London pub, he became very drunk. He said that he was told to go to Barnstaple, find Scott, and then eliminate him. The next day, with only a hazy recollection of the details, he took a train to Dunstable in Bedfordshire, where he tried to locate Norman Scott in a local telephone directory. Instead of going to the West Country to find his target, he had headed to the EAST of England! His evidence read like a script from the then highly popular ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ television comedy show.
When Newton finally located Scott in the picturesque village of Porlock in Somerset, he claimed that he made his first attempt to carry out his mission. He telephoned Scott, claiming to be a friend of a friend, and arranged to meet him at a remote location near the village. He hid a long sharpened file in a bouquet of flowers that he planned to give to Scott before beating him to death with the file. Newton’s oddball plan backfired however: rightfully fearing a trap, Scott did not turn up for their appointment, and Newton was left standing outside a remote public house holding a bunch of flowers like some jilted lover.
Newton then illegally purchased a handgun and carefully stalked his victim. One evening in October 1975, while walking a friend’s Great Dane named ‘Rinka’ just past Porlock
Hill on Exmoor; Scott was suddenly confronted by the guntoting hit man. When Rinka barked and reared at Newton, he shot the animal dead, and then turned the gun on Scott.
At this point either Newton’s resolve failed; or the weapon jammed. In any case a very scared Norman Scott was able to run away, and for reasons unknown Newton did not pursue him in his hired car and complete his alleged mission. When in March 1976 Newton was convicted of the offence of possessing an illegal firearm and attempting to endanger life, Scott used his court appearance as a witness to once again air his claims of a relationship with Jeremy Thorpe, alleging that the latter had threatened to kill him if he made their affair public. The resulting press attention led to Thorpe resigning as Liberal Party leader, and on his release from prison in April 1977, Newton also revived the scandal by claiming that he had been a contract killer hired with Liberal Party funds to kill a man who had been blackmailing the party leader. The British press quickly dubbed the affair the ‘Rinkagate’ scandal. This had some essential ingredients of sensational British tabloid journalism along with a comic element: a respected political party leader blackmailed by his former homosexual lover; a conspiracy to murder; a laughable contract killer who did not know Barnstaple from Dunstable; and an innocent dog shot to death on a lonely moor. During the trial, reporters feasted voraciously on Scott’s testimony that included lurid details of his dangerous and doomed relationship with Thorpe. Bessell returned from the USA and agreed to appear as a witness for the Crown in exchange for immunity from prosecution. His testimony was undermined, however, when it was revealed that he had sold his story to the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ for a fee that would greatly increase if the prosecution were successful. It was further alleged that Newton and Scott also stood to gain financially from guilty verdicts, which surely also tainted their evidence. Like O J Simpson in 1995, Thorpe elected not to testify in his own defence, but his legal team argued that although he and Scott had at one time been good friends, there had been no sexual element in their relationship. The defence claimed that Scott had nevertheless undertaken a campaign of blackmail against Thorpe, and that although Thorpe and his friends had discussed ‘frightening’ Scott into silence; they had never conspired to kill him. In his summing up, Mr Justice Cantley was widely criticised for showing an unashamed pro-establishment bias. One critic described it as ‘a masterpiece of class prejudice’. Justice Cantley could apparently see no reason why a man of Thorpe’s social standing could have been charged with anything when his
enemies were such low-life vermin. He said of Norman Scott: “He is a fraud. He is a sponger. He is a whiner. He is a parasite, a crook and an accomplished liar. But, of course, he could be telling the truth. It is a matter of belief.” He added “Whether this was a conspiracy to frighten or to kill, it was badly botched”, and he reminded the jury
of the possibly tainted evidence of Bessell, Scott and Newton who each respectively stood to gain 100,000, 31,000 and 22,000 pounds sterling from successful prosecutions of the four accused men. In spite of the Judge’s direction, the jury was at first split 6-6, but after a further 15 hours of deliberation, they finally reached a verdict of Not Guilty and the four defendants were all acquitted on 22 June 1979. On hearing the verdict, Thorpe theatrically threw the cushion he had been sitting on to his wife in the public gallery above him. Cantley’s eccentric summing up was famously satirised by the brilliant comedian Peter Cook during his subsequent performance at the London fundraising show ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball’. Cook said: “This man (Scott) is a scrounger, a parasite, a worm, a self-confessed player of the pink oboe, a man who by his own admission chews pillows. It would be hard to imagine, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, a more discredited and embittered man, a more unreliable witness upon whose testimony to convict a man who you may rightly think should become Prime Minister of this country or President of the World at some future date. Please go away and carefully consider your verdict of Not Guilty.” Ironically Cook’s performance was worthy of Thorpe at his witty and sarcastic best. Though exonerated by the court, Jeremy Thorpe was finished politically. He was very much part of Britain’s unique ‘old boy’ network, and the establishment rallied to
his side in his hour of need. But he was then mercilessly rejected as unfit for public service because of the scandal still surrounding him. Charges relating to misappropriation
of Party funds were also conveniently swept aside, but it is whispered by some insiders that this is what really sank his career. “We could have tolerated his rent boys”, said one
prominent Liberal MP, “but when it became apparent that Jeremy also had his hands in the till, we had to let him go.” In the 1979 General Election, his seat in North Devon was gleefully contested by the satirist Aberon Waugh who represented the ‘Dog Lover’s Party’ and the constituency inevitably went by a large majority to the Conservative candidate Anthony Speller as Margaret Thatcher’s Tory Government swept into power. Thorpe retired from public life and was later diagnosed as suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating illness that has also afflicted the great boxer Muhammad Ali.
In 1999, Jeremy Thorpe published a set of memoirs entitled ‘In My Own Time’ in which he described key episodes in his political life but did not even mention the infamous ‘Rinkagate’ affair. Thorpe has also never made any public statements regarding his sexual orientation. In conjunction with Thorpe and some of his friends, historian Michael Bloch is currently working on an authorised biography of Jeremy Thorpe which apparently will be candid about the events surrounding Scott’s allegations and Thorpe’s sexual tastes. This is on the understanding that nothing is to be published while Mr Thorpe is still alive. However between 2001 and 2004 there was a lengthy legal battle as Bloch apparently reneged on his promise and repeatedly attempted to go ahead with publication of his work in Thorpe’s lifetime. On each occasion, court orders successfully halted publication, and the world still has to learn the truth of the ‘Rinkagate’ scandal from the perspective of one of Britain’s most colourful if eccentric politicians. In less enlightened times, here was a man surely brought down by his own fatal addiction to gay sex.
IF YOU need a check on my True Crime series of stories, published in the Hua Hin Observer, here is a complete list to date:
April 2002 -The Green Bicycle case, 1921. May 2002 - The Craig/Bentley Case, 1952. June 2002 - The A6 Murder Case, 1961. July 2002 - Murder of the Earl of Errol, 1941. August 2002 - The O J Simpson murder trial, 1995. September 2002 - The Aileen Wuornos case, 1989. October 2002 - The Ronald Opus case, 1993. November 2002 - Madame X, 1929. December 2002 - The Spree Killer, 1984. January 2003 - Shootout at Smiths' Club, 1966. February 2003 - The Christine Dryland case, 1991. March 2003 - Poisoned Pie in Essex, 1982. April 2003 - The Heydrich assassination, 1943. May 2003 - The Diana Davidson Murder case, 1969. June 2003 - The death of Alkibiades, 404 BC. July 2003 - The headsman of Colmar, 1780. August 2003 - The Ruth Ellis case, 1955. September 2003 - The Mel Jones Murder case, 1975. October 2003 - The Bluebeard of the bath, 1915. November 2003 - Murder in a combat zone, 1966. December 2003 - The Barn Restaurant murder case, 1972. January 2004 - The assassination of JFK, 1963. February 2004 - Judge Falcone and the Mafia, 1992. March 2004 - Gilles de Rais/Bluebeard, 1404-1440. April 2004 - The hand in the sand case, 1885. May 2004 - The body in the bag, 1979
There was a debilitating bout of schizophrenia as leaders from across Southeast Asia meet in Singapore to mark the 40th anniversary of their Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
If you believe the summit speeches, the 10-member ASEAN is the world’s most successful regional bloc, aside from the European Union, having fostered the stability that fueled the region’s phenomenal economic growth in recent decades. It will be a “historic moment” as presidents and prime ministers sign their “landmark” charter - a “bold and visionary regional constitution” committing their nations to democracy, the rule of law and human rights. (ASEAN comprises Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Brunei.) If you believe the critics, ASEAN is at best a toothless talk shop where diplomats are reduced, literally, to song and dance routines; at worst, an apologist for oppressive regimes because its beloved “ASEAN Way” puts dialogue, consensus and non-interference above decision-making, compliance and adherence to universal rights. The idealistic charter, like ASEAN itself, is made a mockery by the inclusion of monkcrushing Myanmar, not to mention communist Vietnam, unsettled Thailand and the absolute monarchy of Brunei.
Who to believe? Actually, both - and neither. And perhaps no one knows this better than Surin Pitsuwan, the former Thai foreign minister and ASEAN’s next secretary general. “We welcome all and threaten none,” he recently told this author in Washington during an exclusive interview. “And therein lies the paradox. ASEAN’s weakness and informality is its strength. But to move further, it will need a lot of power and resources.”
An ASEAN veteran - the ebullient 58-year-old diplomat was instrumental in securing Asian peacekeepers for East Timor - Surin agrees that the new charter is “what it can be at this moment in time”. But citing the “economic pressures” of globalization and “fierce competition” from China and India, he says bluntly, “ASEAN will have to adapt and
readjust.” Indeed, comparing the charter’s lofty rhetoric against the realities of ASEAN at 40 years old reveals a region that is either experiencing a mid-life crisis or finally coming of age. Culturally, the new charter proclaims Southeast Asia to be a single “community” united by “one vision, one identity”. But given the extraordinary diversity of the region’s 577 million people - Muslim-majority Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei; Buddhist-majority Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos; Christian-majority Philippines - forging a common sense of community will as ever be no easy task. People “must develop a dual identity of being a national of a member state and an ASEAN citizen”, says Surin, a Muslim and intellectual from southern Thailand who has called for reconciliation to end his homeland’s separatist Muslim insurgency. “Without a sense of belonging, economic and security cooperation will not get anywhere.” Politically, the region’s leaders also seem torn between country and community. The “fundamental importance” of “sovereignty” and “non-interference” still comes before any talk of ensuring democracy in their new charter. They pledge to create a “human rights body” and to deal with any “serious breach” of ASEAN rules, but they leave the details of enforcement for later and make no mention of sanctioning or expelling errant members.
And yet ASEAN is evolving, increasingly flexing its diplomatic muscle on one another’s domestic matters – from the Cambodian political crisis a decade ago, to the Indonesian
deforestation fires that frequently choke the region in haze, to the recent Myanmar crackdown on street demonstrators, over which it expressed “revulsion”, an unprecedented rebuke to a member state. “ASEAN has abandoned a strict application of the non-interference principle for some time,” says former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas, who helped draft ideas for the new charter, which he says “further recalibrates the non-interference principle”. Myanmar will remain the litmus test for how much the organization is willing to recalibrate - if and how it can maintain both regional unity and international legitimacy. “[Myanmar] is a drag on ASEAN and they recognize it as
such,” a senior American diplomat in the region told this author. “But they have a dilemma. They don’t want to cast [Myanmar] adrift to become a satellite of China.” Economically, the region needs to get serious about its ambitious goal of an EU-like “single market” by 2015. Most immediately, protectionist tariffs and import duties – which have kept trade among ASEAN members at a fraction of its trade with the rest of the world - must be eliminated. At the same time, the region must narrow the huge gaps
between rich (Singapore per capita income: US$29,500), poor (Indonesia: $1,600) and poorest (Myanmar: $200) and between the manufacturing-heavy economies of Malaysia,
Philippines and Thailand and agricultural-based Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. “These gaps are a challenge to a single, integrated community,” says Surin. “We must get serious
about helping one another.” And the stakes couldn’t be higher. “The road to reconciliation between the West and the Muslim world runs through Southeast Asia,” argues Surin, noting that more than half the region’s population will soon be Muslim. “We have to try to keep them moderate, accommodating, progressive and constructively engaged with the outside world.” And so while the ASEAN way may frustrate its critics, it remains for these diverse countries trying to move forward the only way. “From the outside, you can wish for a lot,” says Surin. “Idealism serves us well as a benchmark to aim at, but realism is the stuff of our daily work. We must make the best of what we have and try to improve it for tomorrow.” Put another way, if life truly begins at 40, then ASEAN is just getting started. Stanley A Weiss is founding chairman of Business Executive for National Security, a nonpartisan organization based in Washington DC. This article is a personal comment. MINDFUL of the existence of mutual interests and common problems among countries of South-East Asia and convinced of the need to strengthen further the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation;
DESIRING to establish a firm foundation for common action to promote regional cooperation in South-East Asia in the spirit of equality and partnership and thereby contribute towards peace, progress and prosperity in the region;
CONSCIOUS that in an increasingly interdependent world, the cherished ideals of peace, freedom,,social justice and economic well-being are best attained by fostering good understanding, good neighbourliness and meaningful cooperation among the countries of the region already bound together by ties of history and culture;
CONSIDERING that the countries of SouthEast Asia share a primary responsibility for strengthening the economic and social stability of the region and ensuring their peacefull and progressive national development, and that they are determined to ensure their stability and security from external interference in any form or manifestation in order to preserve their national identities in accordance with the ideals and aspirations of their peoples;
AFFIRMING that all foreign bases are temporary and remain only with the expressed concurrence of the countries concerned and are not intended to be used directly or indirectly to subvert the national independence and freedom of States in the area or prejudice the orderly processes of their national development;
Copyright 2007 www.atimes.com
Obscure Tour - Palau
SO YOU HAVE BEEN EVERYWHERE HAVE YOU? YOU HAVE FACED UP
TO MISSING LUGGAGE, DODGY TAXI DRIVERS, KIDS USING THE BACK OF
YOUR SEAT FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE, BORING IN-FLIGHT MOVIES AND
CONNECTING FLIGHTS THAT DO NOT CONNECT. YOU SIT BACK WITH A SMUG LOOK ON YOUR FACE COMPARING DESTINATIONS WITH OTHER
GRIZZLED, SEASONED TRAVELLERS. BEEN THERE, THERE...AND THERE!
WELL WE ARE DELVING INTO THOSE LAST FEW DESTINATIONS LEFT ON
THE PLANET YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TO, FASTEN YOU SEAT BELT FOR
YOUR JOURNEY TO... PALAU.
Palau officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines and 2000 miles (3200 km) south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world’s youngest and smallest nations. In 1989 Palau was ranked and listed by CEDAM International as the ranking Number 1 Underwater Wonder of the World out of the seven underwater wonders. It is sometimes referred to in English under its native name Belau. Palau was initially settled over 4,000 years ago, probably by migrants from what today is Indonesia. British traders became prominent visitors in the 18th century, followed by expanding Spanish influence in the 19th century. Following its defeat in the Spanish-American War, Spain sold Palau and most of the rest of the Caroline Islands to Germany in 1899. Control passed to Japan in 1914 and during World War II the islands were taken by the United States in 1944, with the costly Battle of Peleliu between September 15 and November 25 with more than 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese killed. Until recently, Palau was not considered a part of Micronesia. In the European and Australian world Belau/Pelew is better known by the name of “The Black Islands”. Vintage maps and village drawings can be found at the Australian library online, as well as photos of the tattooed and pierced Ibedul of Koror and Ludee. Carbon dating and recent archaeological discoveries have brought new attention to the archipelago. Cemeteries uncovered in islands have shown Palau has the oldest burial ceremony known to Oceania. Prior to this there has been much dispute as to whether Palau was established during 2500 BC or 1000 BC. For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well-established matrilineal society, believed to have descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally, land, money, and titles passed through the female line. Clan lands continue to be passed through titled women and first daughters but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan. Palau was one of the last of the South Sea islands to be discovered—not only due to a lack of navigation skill but because neighbouring islands knew nothing about Melanesia. Palau had limited relations—mainly with Yap and Java. Politics of Palau takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Palau is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the
Palau National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.While calm in recent years, Palau witnessed several instances of political
violence in the 1980s. The republic’s first president, Haruo I. Remeliik, was assassinated in 1985; the Minister of State was found to be complicit in the crime. Palau’s third president, Lazarus Salii, committed suicide in September 1988 amid bribery allegations. Salii’s personal assistant had been imprisoned several months earlier after being convicted of firing shots into the home of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Palau’s most populated islands are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror, and Peleliu. The latter three lie together within the same barrier reef, while Angaur is an Oceanic Island several miles to the South. About two-thirds of the population lives on Koror. The coral atoll of Kayangel is situated north of these islands, while the uninhabited Rock Islands (about 200) are situated to the west of the main island group. A remote group of six islands, known as the
Southwest Islands, some 375 miles (600 km) from the main islands, are also part of the country and make up the States of Hatohobei and Sonsorol. Palau enjoys a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (27 °C). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, averaging a total of 150 inches (3,800 mm). The average humidity over the course of the year is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare, as Palau is outside the main typhoon zone. While much of Palau’s natural environment remains free of environmental degradation, there are several areas of concern, including illegal fishing with the use of dynamite, inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste in Koror, and extensive sand and coral dredging in the Palau lagoon. Like the other Pacific island nations, a potential major environmental threat is global warming and the related rising of sea level. Water coverage of low-lying areas is a threat to coastal vegetation, agriculture, and the purity of the nation’s water supply. Palau also has a problem with inadequate water supply and limited agricultural areas to support the size ofthe population. The nation is also vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tropical storms. Sewage treatment is a problem, along with the handling of toxic waste from fertilizers and biocides. The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing.
Tourist activity focuses on scuba diving and snorkelling in the islands’ rich marine environment, including the Floating Garden Islands to the west of Koror and the Rock Islands to the south. Agriculture is mainly on a subsistence level, the principal crops being coconuts, root crops, and bananas. Fishing is a potential source of revenue, but the islands’ tuna output dropped by over one-third during the 1990s. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 81,291 in 2004. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. The population of Palau is approximately 21,000, of whom 70% are native Palauans, who are of mixed Melanesian, Micronesian, and Malayan descent. Filipinos form the second largest ethnic group. Other Asians and Europeans account for the minority groups. The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except for two states (Sonsorol and Hatohobei) where the local language, along with Palauan, is official. Japanese is also spoken widely amongst older Palauans, and retains official status in the State of Angaur. Wikang Filipino is not official in Palau, but it is the 4th largest spoken language. Getting to Palau is not too difficult as Palau International Airport provides scheduled direct flights to Guam, Taipei and Manila, but it is expensive; an example is if you are flying return from Bangkok it will cost as much, if not more than a return flight to Europe, and considerably more in the high and peak seasons. There are two other airports in the country, both with unpaved runways. Freight and cruise ships call at Malakal Harbor, on Malakal Island outside Koror. The country has no railways, and almost half of the roads are unpaved (of the 61 km/38 mi of highways, only 36 km/22 mi are paved). Driving is on the right and the speed limit is 40 km/h (25 mph). Taxis are available in Koror. They are not metered and fares are negotiable. Only Koror maintains a bus service. Transportation between islands mostly relies on private boats. Telecommunications in Palau are provided by Palau National Communications Corporation, and provides all the services you would expect, including internet. There are plenty of telephones (6,600 main lines as of 2001) although the mobile network is still in its infancy. By far and away the main attraction and the reason most people go to Palau is the world-class scuba diving available there. It is recognised as one of the best, if not the best diving site in the world. Palau’s profuse, unspoiled reefs offer a wealth of marine life, coral formations and wrecks. Dives begin in knee-deep water and
plunge straight down to depths of 1000 feet and more. Blue holes, huge caverns and an immense variety of rare and exotic marine species are easily accessible in clear water with visibility exceeding 200 feet. Vast numbers, not found anywhere else in the world, of large pelagic predators, sharks, turtles, dolphins and many species of migratory fish gather here at a unique crossroads of three of the world’s major ocean currents. Land locked marine lakes, accessible from the sea through tunnels beneath the island’s steep shorelines, are home to rare jellyfish, anemones and soft corals. Palau’s famed “Rock Islands” are a collection of rounded, foliage-covered isles which seem to float above the surface of the water. A boat trip through them will reveal a number of magnificent white sand beach hideaways perfect for a secluded picnic or adventurous overnight stay.
Below the water’s surface, divers and snorkellers are treated to a diverse technicolour paradise of fabulous drop-offs, blue holes, breathtaking reefs, crystal caves and World War II wrecks. As with many other things on the islands, accommodation is not cheap, with the cheapest available for advance booking being guest house style boutique accommodation at around US$40 a night. There is a variety of hotels as well, and of
course top quality diving resorts which cost upwards of $200 a night mostly. Another option is the ‘homestays’ that are a little cheaper and can be booked on a daily, weekly
or monthly option. There are a wide variety of bars and restaurants on offer but unusually no local drinks or dishes to recommend, although obviously seafood will be a specialty.
If you are considering a house purchase on the islands it is best to do some research and think twice as prices are high. Summary: To be quite frank, if you are not interested in diving, a trip to Palau would be a waste of time and money. This is not to say that there is nothing else on offer, but that it is simply a ‘must do’ to dive or snorkel when you are there - it would border on the criminal to go there and fail to explore the underwate wonderland on offer. Divers are notorious party animals, fuelled by the natural
wonders and sometimes close encounters with deadly predators, so there is plenty of nightlife available as well. There is a sizeable expat community there, mostly involved in the diving and tourist trade, and the locals are typical of islanders – friendly an hospitable. A trip to Palau is not cheap but for those who explore the waters there it would be an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience.
Tying the knot
Thailand boasts some of the most romantic spots in the world to hold a wedding ceremony, whether it is barefoot on a beach, in a plush hotel or a traditional Thai style wedding, and many foreigners combine their wedding and honeymoon in the Land Of Smiles. There are also many foreigners who marry a Thai in Thailand, and while the choice of location and ceremony are equally wide, they are normally dictated by Thai traditions and the wishes of the Thai partner. Some things are absolutely set in stone though, namely the legal side of marriage in Thailand, and in this guide we will explain these procedures as well. Thailand boasts some of the most romantic spots in the world to hold a wedding ceremony, whether it is barefoot on a beach, in a plush hotel or a traditional Thai style wedding, and many foreigners combine their wedding and honeymoon in the Land Of Smiles. There are also many foreigners who marry a Thai in Thailand, and while the choice of location and ceremony are equally wide, they are normally dictated by Thai traditions and the wishes of the Thai partner. Some things are absolutely set in stone though, namely the legal side of marriage in Thailand, and in this guide we will explain these procedures as well.
WEDDING CEREMONIES: Foreign couples that marry in Thailand can choose from a wide variety of ceremonies and locations, ranging from the traditional Thai Buddhist ceremony, which can take, place almost anywhere, to an underwater ceremony in scuba gear in Trang (Southern Thailand)! Many couples will opt for the former however, and these can often be arranged by the hotel they are staying in. Most religions are practised somewhere in Thailand, so ceremonies particular to your religion can also be arranged; for example there are many Christian churches and Muslim mosques. The Buddhist ceremony can be anything from an elaborate affair which takes several hours to a slimmed down version taking up to an hour at most; both will normally have certain key elements though, most notably the monks chanting and water pouring (see below). The type of ceremony a foreign couple chooses is unrestricted so we cannot go into detail here about those, but for a foreigner marrying a Thai it is normally the Thai Buddhist ceremony. However this will vary quite a lot depending on what part of the country you are getting married in or where the Thai partner is from. It will also be affected by whether it is a Thai man and a foreign woman or vice versa; as the latter is far more common we are going to describe that. One major difference in Thailand that must be addressed before the ceremony is described though is the issue of dowries, called ‘sinsod’. Many Western men are taken aback by this, and it can be a cause of many problems between the couple and her family, but it is something that must be arranged in advance of the day itself. According to Thai customs, a couple traditionally become engaged during a ceremony known as ‘Thong Mun’. This is literally the giving of gold by the prospective groom to his fiancée. Parents, friends and relatives will normally attend this ceremony. In place of a diamond ring as is common in the West, Thais opt for gold, normally in the form of jewellery. Actually, it is almost 96% pure gold made in Thailand. When traded locally, its weight is measured in ‘Baht’. One Baht of gold is equals to 1/2 a troy ounce or 15.2 grams. In practice, an odd number is never given (as it were for a couple), so the minimum should be two Baht of gold. The ‘Thong Mun’ does not always occur though, and as with the ‘sinsod’ is something that is arranged between the man and his fiancée and her family. The ‘sinsod’ is the custom of paying a dowry to compensate the family of the bride “for the mother’s milk”. There is no set amount, the sum is typically determined on the one hand by the suitor’s wealth (and Thais by and large reckon all ‘Farang’ - a Thai name for Caucasians, are rich and wealthy), and on the other hand by the “value” of the future wife. Her beauty, personality, background, education and other qualifications, if she is a virgin, or has got a child and so forth. As an aside, the dowry is normally waived in cases of re-marriages. Nowadays, many families hand the dowry back to the couple as a wedding gift, some families do not require a dowry, and some need to keep the money. Dowries range from around THB 50,000 up to 1,000,000 and beyond, although this last figure is rarely asked for, except in celebrity or ‘Hi-so’ marriages, and normally for the publicity. A typical figure for an average couple would be in the 100,000 to 400,000 baht range. Many times this money is partly used to pay for the wedding party as well, so this could be seen as quite a bargain, given how much weddings in the Western world cost! Once these delicate negotiations have been concluded, then the plans can be made for the big day. As with weddings all over the world the fine details will be decided by the couple themselves, but a typical wedding day outside of the city will proceed something like this. As with many Thai ceremonies involving monks it is an early start, around dawn. The bride and groom will be prepared and dressed separately, and the groom will be taken out into the village and paraded around with an entourage consisting of any of his family and friends present, plus any number of others who will either be standing in for his absent family (often the case) or are more distant family members of the bride. There will also be a man, a master of ceremonies, leading the procession, who will announce to the village the arrival of the groom, accompanied often by various instruments, as well as others carrying a variety of brightly wrapped items, normally things like sugar cane and other produce and seeds, which are used during part of the ceremony. There is normally a fair amount of imbibing going on by the followers even at such an early hour! This raucous procession arrives at the bride’s family house (normally) at a specific time that has been designated by a local monk using charts and books as auspicious for the marriage. From here the groom then has to pass through a series of ‘gates’, normally a piece of ribbon or string held at each end by cousins, nieces, nephews or other family of the bride. At each gate the groom has to pay a ‘toll’ to allow him to pass through, and is another ‘proof’ that he is fit to take care of the bride. The toll is normally a small amount, maybe 20, 50 or 100 baht, inside an envelope. The number of gates is not a set figure but is often between 4 and 8. The final gate allows the groom to finally see his bride in the room she has been preparing herself in, but before he enters he (of course) must remove his shoes; this sometimes sparks a huge melee from those following to grab his shoes, as at a later point he will have to ‘buy’ his shoes back! Once the couple are together and the various offerings the procession carried have been set down, it is time for the couple to light some candles and incense, and then receive blessings from the already assembled monks, of which there is always an odd number, up to 9. The couple will kneel or sit cross-legged before the monks for this, and the proceedings can last some time, so can be quite uncomfortable for foreigners not used to adopting this position! This is exacerbated by being in formal Thai or Western dress and the day starting to heat up as the sun rises... Various chants will be made by the monks, and at various points water will be flicked over the couple and attendees by the head monk, and also food will be presented to the monks by the parents or their representatives and the couple themselves. Once this has been done there is normally a short break while the monks (and others) eat the food that has been given to them, before a presentation of the offerings and the dowry to the bride’s parents, and the formal giving of gold jewellery to the bride; the bride may also give a wedding ring to the groom at this point. Following this the other members of the bride’s family will come forward in groups to be given small gifts by the couple, and in return will normally give some money to the ‘new’ family. This is then sometimes followed by the tying of any number of white string ‘bracelets’ on to the wrists of the couple by the families and guests, and then by the water pouring ceremony – the couple sit next to each other and have garlands of flowers placed around their necks, and a long thick white woven string with a head sized loop at each end placed on their heads, signifying the bond there is between them. They may also have some white paste dabbed on their foreheads by the parents or master of ceremonies. The couple then stretch their arms out over some cushions and rest their arms on them with their hands together in a prayer like fashion.
Everyone in attendance then comes forward, starting with the parents, and is handed a conch shell filled with water (which has been previously blessed by monks), and they slowly pour the water over the outstretched hands of each while wishing them good luck, health, happiness, long life and children. Again, depending on the number of people attending, this can take a considerable time, although in far more comfort for the couple as they are sitting on stools. Once this is finished there is normally a frenzy of photo taking by the assembled guests and any official photographers present. Depending on what has been arranged, there is then normally a break in proceedings until the afternoon/ evening when more guests will arrive and a party is held. Once again guests will be presented with a gift and in return will normally give some money in an envelope (often the one their invite came in). If any local dignitaries attend they are often given VIP treatment and they will invariably get up and make some sort of speech wishing the couple well, in between music and dancing and, of course, drinking and eating! In some cases the couple and parents will also be asked to say a few words, but nothing like the traditional speeches at Western style wedding parties.
THE LEGAL STUFF
Marriage Between Two Non-Thais: Very few formalities are required for a non-Thai couple to marry; it is easy to arrange and inexpensive. The legal marriage registration can be done at any district office in Thailand on any working day between 8am and 3pm.
To marry in Thailand you need to both have your passports and proof that you are single. If you have previously been married which ended by divorce or death you will need the original certificates. If you have never been married the Thai authorities require that you produce to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a statutory statement of non-attachment notarised by your respective embassy. However not all embassies are willing to accept your word that you are single and free to marry and they may require proof of this from your home country. You are advised to contact your embassy in Bangkok directly to enquire as to their individual needs. You should allow four working days in Bangkok prior to registering your marriage as you are required to have been resident in Thailand for at least three days before you marry and you must allow time for the paperwork to be processed in Bangkok. If you wish you can also have a traditional Thai (Buddhist) wedding ceremony, however please note this alone is not sufficient to qualify as an internationally recognised marriage, only the legal registration is accepted. Marriage To A Thai Citizen: Registration of marriage in Thailand can only be done at a District Office (“amphur”), which is similar to a town hall back home. Please note that a marriage ceremony performed in a church, or in a temple, or a ceremony at home with monks attending the wedding is not legally binding in Thailand, - and therefore not legally binding in your country either. In order for a foreign citizen to register marriage in Thailand, the Thai authorities request that your Embassy issue a certificate in English and in Thai (or a certified translation), which confirms your name, nationality, passport number, issuing passport authority, address in home country, employer, position, and salary. Furthermore, names and age of children from previous relationships, if any. And
finally, names and addresses of 2 contact persons (references) in your country, who are not family members. 1. If you wish to marry in Thailand you should therefore contact the Embassy and take the following original documents: a) Passport b)Health insurance card or other official documentation of your present address. c) Salary statement (the latest) or similar documentation of your income, for instance your pension statement or your yearly salary statement from the tax authorities in your home country. d) If you have previously been married, your divorce certificate. The certificate should be translated into Thai. Since the certificate must be legalised by the Embassy, the translation should be made by the Embassy or by a translation office recommended by the Embassy. e) Certificatefrom your home municipality concerning notification of marriage f) Names and addresses (references) of two persons you know in your home country, who are not your family. g) Names and age of your children, if any. Under normal circumstances, it takes two or three working days for an Embassy to issue a certificate for registration of marriage in Thailand. You will normally be charged a fee for your Embassy’s assistance. Alternatively and in order to save time, you may find it more convenient to forward copies of the documents to your Embassy beforehand, in order that the certificate
and any translations are ready when you arrive in Thailand. Please note, however,
that you must present all the original documents when going to the Embassy to
pick up your certificate for registration of marriage in Thailand. 2. You should take the certificate to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be verified as a true document issued by your Embassy. The address of the Ministry is: Legalisation, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chaeng Wattana Road, Bangkok. Tel: 02 503-3905 to 02 503-3907 It usually takes a couple of days for the Ministry to verify a document. Please note that the Ministry will charge you a fee. The Embassy cannot assist you in having the certificate verified by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 3. When the certificate has been verified, you may register marriage at any District Office (amphur).
Embassies, however, usually recommend that you register marriage in Bangkok, or
in another larger city, as the district offices in the cities are more familiar with the embassies’ certificates. You do not need to make an appointment in advance with the district office. The amphur will charge you a small fee for the registration of marriage. Please note that you might also have to pay a small fee to the two marriage witnesses, if they are provided by the amphur. 4. After your marriage you can go back to your Embassy to have your Thai marriage certificate registered with your country’s authorities.
What Colour
We are drawn to certain colours and repelled by others. Early childhood experiences and association play a huge role: greys may remind you of school uniforms, while greens bring back subliminal memories of rolling in summer grass. Taking the time to jot down your likes and dislikes - and where they might stem from - is a worthwhile exercise. It will give you a personal framework from which to understand and then apply colour theory to your home. We often look longingly at the vibrant colours of nature and aspire to include them in our homes. Paint will always be lifeless by comparison, but there are effects that bring warmth and interest to walls (colour washes, glazes, plaster and clay finishes, amongst others). Lynn Edwards and Julia Lawless’s The Natural Paint Decorator is a wonderful guide to methods of decoration - and types of paint available - using only natural materials (the best choice for your own health and the environment). Colour theory and room-appropriate colours are also covered. To choose the right shade for your room, keep light and space in mind. Colour changes depending on the quantity, intensity and type of light that falls on it. Ochre walls look warm and intriguing in dancing sunlight, but drab and dirty in tungsten light, and almost washed-out in halogen light. Ochre can lift the room in winter, but look too heavy in the summer heat. Space also affects colour: a small indigo bathroom feels fun and even warm, but indigo walls in a large living room can jar the senses. Begin with the colours that draw you and then narrow your choices down to a maximum of four. Double-check that these colours are conducive to the room’s purpose: crimson walls aren’t suited to a restful bedroom. Next, test the colours: paint several areas of the room with large patches of colour. Observe how each colour changes in different types of light throughout the day and night and allow for seasonal change, imagining how summer’s brighter light will change the colours. Check the big picture: how does each colour work in relation to the size of the room it will appear in? Rooms should feel inviting year-round, not claustrophobic or austere. Decide how other strong colours in furnishings and pictures interplay with each wall colour. Flat colour can look tedious, so subtle paint effects are well worth considering to add depth and interest. Calling in an expert will pay dividends, as DIY attempts can end up arresting the onlooker’s attention rather than gently drawing their eye. Alternatively, paint one wall a dramatic contrasting colour, but first check all vantage points to ensure it won’t clash with other wall colours. Take time with your final choice: if your first candidates don’t pass the test, choose another three and repeat the exercise until you find the perfect balance. Colour style tips: View paint charts against a wall: They read better from a distance, not flat on a table. Always do a patch test: Never make final choices from paint charts alone. Try optical illusions: Painting a ceiling to match the walls will draw attention away from its actual height.
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