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This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations. March 08, 2005 Activities for home learners INTRODUCTION

Since most of our student readers are on holiday for now, we’ve decided to aim the Instant Lesson at home learners for a few issues. This week, we have two articles for you to look at — both news stories from recent editions of the Bangkok Post. As with all news pieces, they both contain a report on the current situation of what is an ongoing story. You can approach each story in two ways. Firstly, you can simply read it for enjoyment using the vocabulary to help you. It might be useful to note down any words or phrases that you are unfamiliar with for future reference. Once you have read each story, think about what might happen next. For example, in the first piece, we learn that a centuries-old royal crown is stored in the US and now Thailand is asking for it back.             Obviously, the crown is an important piece of Thai heritage, but it is not clear who stole it. At least it looks like the current owner, a US private collector, obtained the crown legitimately. Can he be forced to sell it back to Thai authorities or does he have the right to keep it? In the second story, we learn that foreign aid workers who are here to help with tsunami relief work are under threat of arrest for not having work permits. Do you think this is fair? After all, the aid workers are all volunteers and not earning any money. Having said that, it could be that the story is just a rumour as an official at the Labour Department said he knew nothing of plans to arrest people who are helping tsunami survivors. What do you think? As a separate exercise you could write down a few suggestions, in English, as to what your predictions will be. Will the crown be returned or will the aid workers be made to get work permits? Then follow the story and see if you were right.

OUR STORIES FROM THE BANGKOK POST Thailand to seek return of royal regalia on show in US BANGKOK POST and AFP Thailand will ask the United States to help negotiate the return of a centuries-old royal Thai crown on display in a San Francisco art museum, a government spokesman said yesterday. Jakrapob Penkair said the cabinet agreed to seek the return of the crown, dating from the Ayutthaya period, which stretched from the 14th to 18th centuries. “The foreign and cultural ministries will work together in contacting the US and bringing back the crown,” Mr Jakrapop said. The cabinet addressed the issue after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra saw a news report about the crown. Mr Jakrapob did not say what grounds the return of the treasure, which belongs to a private collector, would be sought. The crown is reportedly on display at the Asian Art Museum as part of an exhibition showcasing 89 surviving works from the Ayutthaya period, which ended when the former capital was sacked by the Burmese. However, respected archaeologist Srisakara Vallibhotama said even if the crown in question was genuine, the government would have problems producing evidence to claim its return. It was unlike the case of the famous Reclining Vishanu lintel from Phanom Rung Historical Park, in which Thailand used old photos that showed it in place before it was stolen, in claiming it back from a US museum in 1988. Nobody had ever seen the crown while it was on Thai soil. “We didn’t even know it existed or what the design was like,” Mr Srisakara said. It was true a large amount of royal regalia was excavated by thieves from the ruins at Wat Ratchburana and Wat Mahathat temples in Ayutthaya during the time of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram, he said. Several pieces were reportedly sold before the thieves were arrested, while the remaining items are now on display at Chao Sam Phraya museum in Ayutthaya province. “In seeking the crown’s return, we need to have strong evidence,” Mr Srisakara said. “If we don’t, the chances are next to nothing, unless the museum is willing to give it back.” negotiate to try to reach an agreement by formal discussion address to think about a problem or a situation and decide how you are going to deal with it   sacked to destroy things and steal property in a town or building archaeologist someone who studies historical old remains regalia the special clothes that are worn or objects that are carried at official ceremonies excavate to dig in the ground to look for old buildings or objects that have been buried for a long time Foreign helpers hear they need work permits PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN More than 1,000 foreign volunteers from about 25 countries helping tsunami survivors rebuild shattered lives were outraged yesterday to hear they face legal action by the Labour Ministry unless they have a work permit. Sombat Boonngam-anong, director of the Chiang Rai-based Krajok Ngao Foundation, said confusion and anger reigned among the foreign volunteers at Khao Lak in Phangnga's Takua Pa district when a Labour Ministry official told a local English-language newspaper that they were required to register with the ministry for a work permit otherwise legal action would be taken against them starting March 1. The official was reported as saying that although the volunteers were not earning any money, they were still required to have a work permit. “The report has also appeared on websites, causing panic among the volunteers. They are now asking what they should do next. We can’t get the right answers for them,” Mr Sombat said. Labour Ministry officials, after the interview was published, also went to their living quarters, raising more concern among the volunteers. “If a volunteer is arrested, we will fight hard to have him freed. What’s the point in getting them registered? “As several thousand have come on a rotational basis, this would only make their work difficult,” said Mr Sombat. He suggested that the cabinet pass a resolution to relax some legal requirements to facilitate the volunteers’ work. Senator Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the Senate foreign affairs committee, expressed concern over the matter. He said the volunteers were not only helping the tsunami victims but also promoting tourism and bringing in donations. “The Labour Ministry is not doing the right thing by treating them like alien workers. This will only lead to criticism by the international community,” he said. He sent a letter to the Labour Ministry opposing the move, he said, and was told by Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong’s secretary that as far as he knew the ministry had no such policy. shattered destroyed outrage a strong feeling of shock and anger confusion a state of uncertainty about what is happening or what you should do reign to be the most obvious feature of a place or moment rotational the act of regularly changing something facilitate to make an action or a process possible or easier alien a person who is not a citizen of the country in which they live or work address to think about a problem or a situation and decide how you are going to deal with it • This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager/Editor of the Learning Post at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme. Read our other instant lesson here. Return to our home page. | © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2005 | Last modified: March 8, 2005