Newsblog video gallery

The videos on this page are all field edited news footage of different events covered by John Le Fevre in the course of his work as a photo-journalist. All field editing work is performed using an Apple Powerbook G4 and iMovie software.

Songkran Battle for Bangkok April 8 – 13, 2009 red shirt pro-democracy protests in Bangkok

Video of the opening of the annual Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai

For five days in April 2009 the “red shirt” pro-democracy movement under the umbrella of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) besieged Thailand’s Government House demanding the resignation of Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. An estimated 150,000 people attended the so-termed D-Day mass rally and over the the next five days the gatherings were still attracting large crowds. On the fifth day the situation deteriorated with increasing levels of violence as the red shirts grabbed control of areas outside of the protest area. On the sixth day the violence unexplainably  increased until protesters were battling the Thai army on the streets of Bangkok . This is a compilation documenting those days. The are more photos and stories at Thailand pro-democracy rally, April 8, 2009 photo special Battle for Bangkok photo special Thailand political unrest continues as hundreds of thousands rally in Bangkok Thailand on the edge ahead of mass pro-democracy protest Thailand Prime Minister dead man walking as Asean leaders flee Pattaya Monk – I saw Thai army shoot monk and people at Din Daeng Rumours fester among Bangkok red shirts as emergency decree continues Red shirts defiant as “third hand” blamed for Thailand riots and assassination attempt: Thai tourism plummets

In Chiang Mai the annual Loi Krathong ceremony coincides with the traditional Lanna Yi Peng Festival (Festival of Lights). Commonly called Sky Lanterns, the Yi Peng Festival involves the launching skywards of thousands of tubular lantern hot air balloons called “Khome Loi” as an offering to Buddha and to cast away grief, misery and ill-fortunes. The lanterns are constructed using traditional bamboo formed into hoops and then coated with either tracing paper or Saa Paper made from the branches and leaves of the mulberry tree. A small candle placed in the base provides the hot air to fill the paper envelope and float the lantern gently skywards. More on Thailand’s Loy Krathong and the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival can be found here: Loi Krathong Festival and Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival – festivals of floating lights A pictorial feature on the Chiang Mai Loi Krathong and Yi Peng festivals can be found here: Chiang Mai Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festival pictorial special

Video of William Thomas Douglas’ murder trial in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Video of the arrest of  William Thomas Douglas for the murder of Gary Bruce Poretsky in Chiang Mai

Sixty one year old former Perth resident William Thomas Douglas was sentenced to four years jail for the murder of 46-year-old Hawaiian resident Gary Bruce Poretsky in the Northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai in March 2008.However the former Australian Army Vietnam War veteran will serve just two years after having his sentence cut in half for pleading guilty. Douglas claimed to have been working as a police informer during the 28-years he has lived in Chiang Mai and is reported to have boasted of having killed two drug traffickers while working with the police.   A witness told the court Douglas “pulled out the gun and shot Gary two times in the chest. Gary fell to the ground and then Douglas fired a third shot into his head.” Douglas claimed that Mr Poretsky had antagonised him by criticising the Vietnam War and had said “Australia should not have followed the US into the Vietnam War and that Australia and Thailand were dictated to by the US.” A full report on the trial can be found here: Cash payment lowers sentence for Australian murderer

Gary Bruce Poretsky, a 46-year-old resident of Hawaii was shot to death in the Northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai in the early morning of March 22, 2008 by Australian man William Thomas Douglas.Douglas turned himself in to police several hours later. In this video shot on March 23 Douglas clearly says he shot Mr Poretsky because he didn’t like him. At his trial in October, 2008 he claimed he couldn’t remember shooting Mr Poretsky.   Douglas was sentenced to four years prison for the murder of Mr Poretsky with the sentence being cut in half to two years because of his guilty plea. A full report on the trial can be found here: Cash payment lowers sentence for Australian murderer

Video of Elephants’ birthday at Mae Sa Elephant Camp Northern Thailand

Video of Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son: Day 1

Elephants have a long association with Thailand and for many years were the backbone of the country’s forestry industry. From an estimated 200,000 plus, the number of wild and domesticated elephants in Thailand has dwindled to an estimated 2,500 today.   In 1963 the white elephant became the kingdoms national animal and in 1998 the government proclaimed March 13th to be Thai national elephant day. The Mae Sa (Maesa) Elephant Camp is a big tourist drawcard for those visiting Northern Thailand generally and Chiang Mai in particular. The camp has 73 elephants in its park and runs an active breeding program. A calf was born the night before the 2008 elephant birthday celebrations. A story on the elephants’ birthday party can be found here: Elephants birthday a jumbo celebration in Thailand

Day one of the three-day-long Poi Sang Long ceremony in the Northern Thailand city of Mae Hong Son. The three day Poi Sang Long ceremony traces it’s origins back to Buddhist legend which tells the tale of Prince Rahula, the son of Buddha, who gave up his worldly possessions to follow his fathers teachings and who became the first novice Buddhist monk and youngest ordained Buddhist monk 2,535 years ago.   Practised by the Shan people of Burma and Northern Thailand, Poi Sang Long means Festival (of the) Crystal Sons and is a rite of passage ceremony undergone by boys between seven and 14 years of age. One of the largest and most colourful Poi Sang Long ceremony is held each year in the Northern Thailand city of Mae Hong Son (province [of the] three mists early in April. It is believed that by participating in the Poi Sang Long ceremony and joining the monkhood the boys will gain merit for their parents. More can be found on the Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son here: Poi Sang Long ceremony follows Shan traditions

Video of Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son: Day 2	Video of Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son: Day 3
The second day of the Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mai Hong Son, Northern Thailand.   More can be found on the Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son here: Poi Sang Long ceremony follows Shan tradition	The third and final day of the Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mai Hong Son, Northern Thailand.   More can be found on the Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son here: Poi Sang Long ceremony follows Shan traditions

The copyright to all the material on this page is held by John Le Fevre. Permission is granted for non-commercial use providing the appropriate credit is given and a backlink/pingback provided.

Buddhism festivals; Chiang Mai, Corruption; Conservation; Crime; Elephants birthday; Gary Bruce Poretsky; Mae Hong Son; Mae Sa Elephant Camp; Murder; Northern Thailand; Poi Sang Long ceremony; Religious festivals; Shan hill tribe; Thailand; Thailand Festivals; Thailand legal system; Thailand tourism, Thailand travel, Tourist murder, Vietnam Veteran, Vietnam War, William Thomas Douglas