Wish I'd known about this place earlier. I first heard about it last week, when one of the students I was photographing suggested his team take a group photo at TCDC. "TC what?" I have to admit I was tired and pushing for the deadline (more in a bit..) so my brain wasn't too excited when some suggesting packing up, traveling, and re-shooting in a shopping mall. So, I filed the place's name somewhere in the back of my head with all the other jung, figuring I'd check it out the next time I was at the Emporium.

Today, P'Oy and P'Oun asked me to drop off a package their design company needed to send to this same mall. I said sure, because it's pretty close to my house and they said it was urgent. Around 4pm I re-read the instructions on the package:

TCDC. 6th floor, Emporium
Name Card Festival 2008 Application
Three Dot Design

Sweet! So I googled it, then ran like a mad man to MBK and found a shop to print the required 300 cards. Print quality wasn't too hot, nor was the price, but I was 2 hours from the entrance deadline the package from Three Dot's marketing deptartment still siting in my backpack.

I turned in both applications in time and received a discount on a 15-month membership (600 baht) at the TCDC Library... which is something every student should have access to. This library is actually quiet, comfortable, has interesting books and periodicals, and should be a wonderful place to study. I'm excited to take my Media and Society slides and read at the TCDC tomorrow evening.

Midterms are near. Wednesday, Thur, Fri, Sat, Fri. Odd schedule. Bad news is that there's one week of class between the end of midterms and the midterm break. Also an odd schedule, but I think I'll make it through.

The BU News deadline that I mentioned above isn't as close as August and I had thought. No news is good news? The September and October months are a single issue, which we had thought was a October/November issue. Which means that I just finished the November issue's story and I have almost two months to prepare for the December issue.

I think I'm going to try and head to the village this Sunday and return Tuesday night. It's been too long and I'll have several days to kill before the last exam on the 3rd. Looking forward to fresh air/food and familiar faces.

So much to do.

Tomorrow, I'll be conducting interview for the October issue of BU News Mag, with four students who took part in an internship pilot project last month. There have been many scheduling conflicts, so it'll be nice to get this one finished. The September issue is out and it looks pretty nice, if I may so myself. A printing color set I joked about when I started writing for the school news, pink and white, actually looked OK.

PAD protest gallery is up with a few pics: www.danieldepew.com/PADprotests

Some silly shots with friends too:
www.danieldepew.com/friends

Business cards are coming and a "cute" domain name too. ShootwithDan.com will link straight to danieldepew.com but should be easier to remember. Please let me know what you think.



And, I've finally started the personal project I'd been promising myself. More soon..

PAD Protests

The People's Alliance for Democracy have been in the news all week. Last week was the beginning of "the final war" protest against the corruption of the current administration. 200,000 protesters have taken over the government buildings, government TV station, and major airports and roads throughout Thailand. Many PAD supporters are groups who have come from small villages and provinces by bus to protest. Labor unions are also coming to Bangkok for the protests.

All of the streets leading to the government compound have been barricaded with tires and, ironically, metal police barriers. The barriers are overlapped and lashed together for strength. The only way inside is through security check points or hopping the fence while "security" holds your bags.

On the inside there are two types of people. The majority of PAD supporters lay on lawns, sidewalks, under tarps, and inside tents, listening to speakers on the main stage set in the middle of several city blocks. There are many smaller stages, with projection screens and speakers, catering to the overflow supporters who arrive by evening. The second type of supporters are those who rest next to sticks, pipes, golf clubs and helmets. They stay near the outer edges of the area under PAD occupation, at various "posts"; Intersections or small streets where opposing protesters, police, or army troops could enter from. However, these guards aren't just middle-aged men: elderly women and college students too.

Protesters injured during the Monday night fights, started by allegedly hired thugs of the Peoples Power Party, return to their old posts still wearing hospital gowns, as if they were returning home to see family. They are heroes. People rush to take pictures and ask for autographs.

In some cases, they are returning to family. Dozens of families are living under tarps or tents in gardens and lawns of government buildings.



Who do I support? I'm not sure. Some of the "peaceful protesting" wasn't. But they don't have much of a choice... PAD was written off by politicians as a few powerful people who were all noise and no fact. What amazes me is the way Samak has handled the situation. Not once has his administration commented on Samak's 80 million baht profits or why Samak continues to consult former PM, PPP/TRT spokesman, and crininal Thaksin, or about known cases of vote buying during the previous election. If I was innocent I'd at least try to explain... PM Samak has yet to give any answers; only threats to those who protest.