Tata Young Ready For Love

Tata Young's latest international album "Ready For Love" releases on August 25, 2009.



The album's first single, "Ready For Love", was written by Alex Smith, Mark Taylor and Ayak Thiik and produced by André Brix Buchman from Valicon Company in Germany. It also features a track ‘Perfection’ co-written by Leona Lewis along with many of the tracks written by internationally acclaimed songwriters.

Short-haired Tata Young is "sexy and glamorous", says Rainmaker Cho, the South Korean who's shot her latest music video, but he set out to make her even "more energetic and lovely".

Tata Young gets a Korean makeover for her highly anticipated third international album.



The concept of the music video for the first single "is basically from me", Tata told reporters the other day as they previewed the CD produced by Andre "Brix" Buchmann of Berlin's Valicon Productions.

Like Cho, who's previously worked with South Korean superstars Rain and Wang Lee Hom, Buchmann wanted more variety.

Rhythm and blues mix with dance pop on 12 tunes from songwriters around the world.

The title track, which has been airing for a couple of weeks, "feels cool and energetic like in the '60s", Tata says, saying she learned the "big voice" techniques of American R&B singers Aretha Franklin, Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson.

"My Bloody Valentine" will be the follow-up single. "Mission is You" and "Shine Like a Superstar" are Silom Soi 2-style rousers. "Burning Out" and "Suffocate" get melancholy.

"Ugly" is a return to the catchy form of "Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy" and "Love is the Law" sounds like Madonna's "Rain".

Tata calls "Boys Will Be Boys" her favourite track, and "Exposed" the "opposite of her real life".

"It isn't me, but the Sony bosses in Europe said it's gonna be a hit there."

It's about a small-town girl who's dumped by her lover after she becomes famous, and that's sure not our big-city Tata.

A massive advertising campaign is pushing "Ready for Love" across Asia, Australia and Europe.

Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and Japan will receive an unprecedented level of promotion for an album by a Thai pop artist.

Thai Boxing legend Saensak Muangsurin Dies

Boxing legend Saensak Muangsurin (Thai: แสนศักดิ์ เมืองสุรินทร์) passed away this morning at the age of 58 after suffering from blood infection.



The former WBC (World Boxing Council) light welterweight died during an operation at the Rajvithi General Hospital after having admitted since April 12 for intestine infection.

Profile of Sangsuk:
Full Name: Saensak Muangsurin
Nickname: Boonsong Mansri
Boxing Division: Light welterweight
Height: 5 ft. 7 in. (170 cm)
Birth date: 13 August 1950
Birth place: Phetchabun Province, Thailand



Sangsuk, widely called "I Saeb" (Thai: ไอ้แสบ) among fans, held the world record for taking the shortest time to claim a world title after just three professional bouts. Throughout his 20 career fights, he won 14 including 11 knockouts and lost 6 times.

Source: The Nation

Watch the You Tube video of Tommy Hearns and Saensak Muangsurin fight on Oct. 1979

Susan Boyle, the next Paul Potts?

Susan Boyle has become the latest You Tube sensation after her singing act on the third series if Britain's Got Talent 2009. She surprised the judges with a strong performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables in the competition's first round, aired on 11 April 2009, getting the live audience on its feet within 20 seconds and eliciting the "biggest yes in three seasons" from Piers Morgan and "yes" votes from both Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

47 year old Susan is a church volunteer and lives alone in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland with her cat Pebbles, and has never been kissed! She has been catapulted to international fame after her performance on Britain's got Talent.

Mobile phone sales man Paul Potts brought people to tears with his amazing talent as did six year old Connie Talbot with her perfect voice!

Is Susan Boyle going to be the next Paul Potts?

Mum Jokmok in Ong-Bak 2

Mum Jokmok (Thai: หม่ำ จ๊กมก), one of Thailand's most famous comedian, will be appearing on Ong Bak 2 as a crazy guy.



Mom Jok Mok, who's real name is Petchtai Wongkamlao (Thai: เพ็ชรทาย วงศ์คำเหลา), plays the role of a harmless mentally ill, yet good-tempered man called "I-Men" (Thai: ไอ้เหม็น) which means "stinking person" in Thai.

Mum dresses up as a homeless, dirty looking man who tries to mimic anybody he comes across.



Mum's past appearances in Tom-Yum-Goong and Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior sure did add more fun and laughter to those Tony Jaa movies. Sounds like Ong-Bak 2 is going to be more fun!

Ong-Bak 2 is releasing tomorrow, and I just can't wait to watch that trailer scene where Tony Jaa runs barefoot towards a stampede of tusked elephants, climbs onto one of them, and then jumps from one elephant to another. Tony Jaa said in an interview on Channel 3 talk show called Night at 10, that he did a lot of practicing using slings but on the final take, he did not use a sling! He could have died if he fell off an elephant!

The pictures below are a screen capture of Tony Jaa jumping on elephants from the Ong-Bak 2 trailer on YouTube

Salad Bar Architecture at Pizza Hut

Here is a creative way to maximize your return on investment (ROI) at the Pizza Hut's salad bar. Remember, you only get one trip to the salad bar, so make it count!

Go ahead and try it at your own risk! And don't blame me if you get booted from the restaurant or get into a salad bar brawl over a bowl.

Caution: Please don't try this too often or else the manager dude at 1150 Pizza Hut is going to get really annoyed.

















Hey fellas! Check out my salad bowl!



Thanks to some Taiwanese students who constructed this creative salad bar architecture. There is also a YouTube video of how it's done.

If you dislike the idea that Pizza Hut is expensive and you are not allowed to pick your salad more than once, you can always go to Sizzler where you can sit near the salad bar and make as many trips as you like.

Video clip of Somchai?

A video clip is circulating on the internet featuring a man who resembles none other than Thailand's embattled prime minister Mr. Somchai Wongsawat, brother-in-law of fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra.

Isn't that a familiar face?



As reported in Bangkok Post today, the 25-minute video footage, shot by an unidentified cameraman between March 22 and 27 this year, has become the talk of the town. The video was viewed more than 261,000 times in less than 24 hours after it was posted on the Manager website at about 8pm on Wednesday, and there were reportedly hundreds of thousands of clicks on other websites where it was being featured.

In short, the 4-part clip shows the man in his red Mercedes picking up a woman in her 20s, in front of a convenience store, and the couple have dinner at a restaurant serving southern-style Thai food. The second part features the same fellow driving a BMW to a love motel after picking up another woman from a house. The third part shows the man wearing eyeglasses parking his white Lexus SUV at a restaurant and has lunch with his wife, who resembles Thaksin's younger sister, Yaowapa. The final part was taken on March 27 when the man picked up a woman at the Justice Ministry on Chaengwattana Road for lunch, and then went to HomePro department store where they bought a refrigerator.

When asked about the unusual video clips yesterday, Mr Somchai, who also happens to drive a Lexus SUV, a Mercedes and a BMW, refused to comment. He just smiled and rushed back into the House of Representatives.

Hindu Festival in Bangkok

On Thursday evening parts of Silom Road including Surasak Road was closed to motorists to pave way for the Hindu festival procession which was held at Sri Maha Mariamman (Indian) Temple on Silom Road, opposite Narai Hotel.



The procession was to start from the Hindu temple, move along Surasak Road, through Pan Road and finally back to the temple. Along the pavement of the entire route, hundreds of Thai people dressed fully in white with vermilion on their foreheads had setup tables with large statues of Hindu Gods placed on them, along with dozens of coconuts to be used as offerings. I even spotted some Thai ladies wearing red Indian sarees!



This Hindu festival is known as Dussehra or Vijayadashami, and is held to celebrate the victory of the Hindu God Lord Rama, prince of Ayodhya, over Ravana, the ruler of Lanka who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita Devi. This festival is the grand culmination of the 10-day annual Navratri festival, and is celebrated in India and Nepal with much gusto where crackers are burnt, and huge fetes are organised. Effigies of Ravana are also burnt throughout India.

Later that night at the Hindu temple, the devotees performed a bizarre ritual where they push metallic objects through their skin on different parts of the body, primarily around their mouths and backs. These devotees are called "the soldier of god" and this custom has its origin in Malaysia, known as Thaipusam. Similar rituals are also held in most Chinese temples in Phuket Town every year.



Surasak Road was to be closed at 6 pm, and at around 4.45 pm, it wasn't possible to walk on the pavement as it was filled entirely by the devotees. I had to walk on the road as I was heading for Surasak BTS.



It was a rare site to see so many Thai and Chinese devotees with so much faith in Hindu Gods. It was a Hindu festival but the Hindus were clearly outnumbered by the Thais.

Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple in Bangkok


(Photo credit: Kawaputra)

I managed to click just a few photographs after I climbed up the stairs of Surasak skytrain station, after which I had to hurry up and start my train hopping journey from BTS to MRT and beat the human traffic.

Click here to watch a YouTube video of this Hindu Festival at Silom Road, Bangkok in 2007.

YouTube video: Leena Jang's canal plunge

Here is a YouTube video of Leena Jang's soaky wet plunge into one of Bangkok's dirtiest and smelliest canals, the Khlong Saen Saeb.



After looking at the video, it appears as if she plunged into the canal on purpose - could this whole thing be a setup? While she was being rescued, she managed to scream "it stinks so bad" a couple of times. Then she goes on saying how dirty these canals are and if she gets elected Bangkok's governor she would provide free boat rides for everybody.

Free boat rides for all? Sounds dangerous, as there will be more people drowning from boat capsizes - don't you think?

Cuban Taekwondo fighter kicks referee, banned for life

Angel Valodia Matos of Cuba, a Taekwondo athlete kicked a Swedish match referee in the face during the Olympics men's +80kg bronze-medal match on Saturday.


(Photo credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham)


(Photo credit: AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

The video is also on YouTube, watch the YouTube video

The Cuban coach Leudis Gonzalez offered no apology for Matos' actions during the match. The Cuban fighter and his coach were banned for life after the kick, following his disqualification.

Matos was winning 3-2 in the second round, when he fell to the mat after being hit by his opponent, Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov. He was sitting there, awaiting medical attention, when he was disqualified for taking too much injury time. Fighters get one minute, and Matos was disqualified when his time ran out.

Matos angrily questioned the call, pushed a judge, then pushed and kicked referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden. Matos then spat on the floor and was escorted out.

"To me it was obvious he was unable to continue," Chilmanov said. "His toe on his left foot was broken."

Matos won the gold medal in this division at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, dedicating the victory to his mother, who died on the day of the opening ceremony.

Kozo the Hippo Thong Song is really funny

Check out this really funny Hippo Thong YouTube video by "KOZO the Summo Hippo". Kozo, a fat purple hippo wears a thong and dances to the song "Thong Song" originally recorded in 2000 by Sisqó of Dru Hill for the Def Soul label. Watch the hippo's cool dance moves!

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Trailer is out!

The first trailer of the new Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince movie is finally out! The movie is premiering in theaters on November 21, 2008.

Click to watch the YouTube trailer below.



Some photos from the new movie

Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

Just stumbled upon this video called Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon in YouTube. Watch out for the hairy faced guy in the video.



Also found another rare song by the same artist called Roll With the Punches - Warren Zevon. This song was featured on an episode of Tales from the Crypt known as "King of the Road".



Just found out that Warren William Zevon was a Grammy Award-winning American rock singer-songwriter and musician. He was noted for his offbeat, sardonic view of life which was reflected in his dark, sometimes humorous songs, which often incorporated political or historical themes. Warren Zevon died on September 7, 2003, aged 56, from mesothelioma (a form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos, and also the same cancer that killed Steve McQueen). His last album released was The Wind, which included guest appearances by close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty, and others.

Top Thai lakorn on YouTube is dubbed in Khmer!

One of the most popular Thai lakorn (TV series) videos on YouTube right now (2008) is Ptay Snaeh and the interesting part is that it is dubbed in Khmer! Watching this Thai lakorn in Khmer language was really amusing. I can't understand a word it says, except for the title song at the beginning which is in Thai. This TV series is titled Ptay Snaeh in Khmer and was originally broadcast on Thai TV Channel 3 from October 22 to December 2, 2006 with the Thai title เทใจรัก นักวางแผน (Tae Jai Rak Nuck Wang Phan).

With the current border dispute at the Preah Vihear temple area that led to a military face-off between Thailand and Cambodia, I wonder if this is in any way going to affect the popularity of Thai lakorns in Cambodia.

The picture below is the Thai poster of the lakorn



Click below to watch the YouTube video of the Khmer dubbed version



Click below to watch the same YouTube video but in the original Thai version



There are lots of other episodes in both languages on YouTube if you'd like to watch them.

False Killer Whales washed ashore at Phuket's Racha Island

More than 30 False Killer Whales were stranded ashore off Koh Racha Yai island, Phuket province, 1 of them died. Marine officials, local villagers as well as some foreign tourists tried to rescue some of the whales by putting them on a trailer. See photos below.

Watch the YouTube video below.



Staff of the Racha Resort and Ban Raya Resort and foreign tourists yesterday evening tried to help a herd of whales apparently identified as False Killer Whales which came ashore at Batoh Bay at Racha Yai Island. They put some of them on a trailer to another side of the island for first aid and helped them swim back to the deep sea. The herd of whales were spotted at around 6pm yesterday by villagers. Over 30 whales came ashore due to big waves and winds. Seeing that the whales could not swim back themselves, villagers then notified hotels. 20 of them swam back to sea safely, while one died on the beach and 10 of them were carried to a calmer beach. It took marine biologists and locals over 3 hours to help and transfer them. One however was injured and was put in a rubber boat to release in deeper water.

A marine biologist from Phuket Marine Biological Centre, Kongkiat Kittipatanawong, said this is the first time that a large number of such whales have come ashore here. He suspected that the leader of the group must have misled them to shore. The big waves prevented them from turning back to sea. The biologist will still keep watch this morning, to ensure all of them return to the deep sea, while the dead whale would be sent for an autopsy.

Chinese Earthquake YouTube live video from Sichuan

A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Sichuan Province in China on May 12th, 2008. Here is a live YouTube video shot by a college student in his dorm just 50 kilometers away from the earthquake zone at the time of the quake.

Top Thai movie on YouTube - Chocolate 2008

The most popular Thai movie on YouTube right now is Chocolate (2008). Chocolate is the latest Thai martial arts movie from director Prachya Pinkaew with martial arts choreographed by Panna Rittikrai, the same pair behind Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong starring Tony Jaa. Chocolate stars Yanin Vismistananda aka "Jeeja" who has been training for years to prepare for this role as her debut. Jeeja is Thailand's new female martial arts star with amazing skills. In Chocolate she plays an autistic girl who's father is a Yakuza boss, and she goes on to develop martial arts skills by watching television, and from living next door to a Muay Thai academy. She then beats up Thai and Japanese gang members to collect debts to help pay her sick mother's cancer treatment bills.

You can watch this video at YouTube - Chocolate Thai Movie with English Subtitles.

Hey there Khalilah

Hey there delilah is a pretty popular song, but you should check out Hey there Khalilah, its a really funny song!

Very cute video

YouTube is unblocked in Thailand!

Finally, http://www.youtube.com/ is accessible from Thailand after months of being blocked by all ISPs. It is the last Friday of the month today and also pay day so the traffic in Bangkok this evening is going to be totally awful, and if it rains it will get very nasty. I better beat the traffic by catching up on some YouTube vidoes instead! And catch the subway later!!!