masuk

You can see that this coup isn't like others and that there is a very specific long term goal in place, no discussion allowed of this however so I won't elaborate.

Dash it all, there I was thinking that the coup happened because of corruption and a looming civil war, at least that's what I read on here.....................................

Agree with you here. If the corruption and civil conflicts became any worse, where would the country be?

look at all the slightly bent BIB who are behind bars.

POLLUTION

Health fears in the North as smog spreads

Patinya Srisupamart

The Nation

Annual burnoff causing havoc again

CHIANG MAI: -- POLLUTION LEVEls in the North have reached potentially health-harming levels in some areas due to uncontrolled burns and wild fires, new data has revealed.

The Pollution Control Department revealed yesterday that nine air-quality monitoring stations in northern provinces found that the volume of particulate matter with a maximum diameter of 10 microns (PM10) had risen over the safe level of 120 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

The highest recorded figure so far is an alarming 254 micrograms in Lampang, while its has also risen above a safe level in Lamphun (214), Phrae (209), Chiang Mai (176) and Tak (130).

The Air Quality Index in the North has also exceeded a safe level. Yesterday the AQI measure at most monitoring stations was over 100. Lampang's air pollution was the worst with an AQI level of 159.

Due to the hazardous levels of air pollution, the Ministry of Health has advised particualrly vulnerable persons such as children, the elderly and the sick to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. But if people are forced to go outside they should wear a mask or cover their face with a wet towel.

The ministry has distributed 140,000 masks in the seven northern provinces.

Chiang Mai has been covered by smog for several days due to a wild fire.

Siriporn Plarak, a Chiang Mai resident, said she had shortened her exercising in a park because if she stayed too long the smog irritated her eyes and made her throat soared.

Siriporn said the pollution was making people sick.

The smog was so thick in parts of the province that the peaks of Doi Suthep and Doi Pui could not be seen from the city. In Chiang Mai, the visibility has been reduced to only three kilometres.

Airport affected

At Chiang Mai International Airport, pilots have been forced to take extra care when taking off and landing.

This is not the first time Chiang Mai residents have gone through this. In March last year Chiang Mai recorded a PM10 level of 243 micrograms.

The air pollution is a chronic problem in the northern region. Every year in the dry season, farmers burn fields to clear land, creating a huge amount of smog and dust while the potential for wild fires is high due to the dry conditions.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Health-fears-in-the-North-as-smog-spreads-30255202.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-03

The PEAKS of Doi Suthep cannot be seen?

HA! The whole flaming mountain is totally obscured.

Visibility with the city is about 1km at best.

As soon as a Cathay Pacific plane hits the tarmac on landing, there is always at least one PRC passenger who thinks it is a good time to jump up and empty the overhead.

Yes, it's quite common to hear mainly Asian passengers unclip their seatbelts while the plane is still doing 200km/h down the runway.

Then they crowd the doorway so they can be first out.

It's a bit of a pain!

I bought a HP desk top; excellent quality, and as it has a 'non-registered' Windows system, had a few blue screens which their tech guys at CHI CHANG (off Chang Klan Rd) fixed at no cost.

They have a good range you could discuss with them.

If you wouldnt drink and drive at home .why try in thailand.i wouldnt risk even 2 beer in canada.licence gone 5000 dollar fine

Try Norway.

No arguments, no courts, no fines.

It's direct into the slammer. Not sure for how many months.

Gas Attack?

It's getting bad here, waking up through the night coughing and sneezing.

I'm told there's a guy wandering the streets of Chiang Mai with a full mask, as used in gas attacks.

must be a sight to see. any photos?

I am reading a lot of different opinions on the smoke season. Ranging from people who barely noticed to people saying anyone who comes up north around March would be absolutely crazy. So it would be great if anyone else has some information, as we are planning to visit Chiang Mai (doing the Mae Hong Song loop) from the day after tomorrow...

Thanks in advance!

Should be ok. Not really kicked off yet.

visibility this morning March 1st.

Doi Suthep is in the opposite direction, and cannot be seen anyway.

It's gotta be 'flash in the pan'.

Those in 'inactive posts' will be just marking time until after the election of a NORMAL civilian government.

'Cos then everything reverts to NORMAL.

Yes, possibly but lets hope NOT, for the good of Thailand.. But some idiots will still actually believe that this would actually be good for Thailand.

Business as usual for the northern Amart and their stooges (see above) to resume raping the country again? Where are their brains.

Look, Thaksin had his chance to be the greatest PM of Thailand in living history but greed, power and unbridled megalomania got the better of him & he blew it. It is quite sad for Thailand because he was in a position dispose of the greedy Amart who were running the place for their own good to be feted & fondly remembered by all, forever, as the man who made Thailand a fair & decent place for all Thais. Not just the above by a deluded &/or bribed minority for a decade or so as it turns out.

The position, and job description for a man to do this for Thialand is still open. When and where will Thailand find the real thing? Look two countries south for a role model. (Hint his name is Lee Kuan Yew.)

I know this sounds terribly condescending, but I doubt too many on this forum will know who Lee Kuan Yew is/or was (he's rather ill just now).

Those who know of him and can see what he did, my apologies.

I first visited Singapore in 1965. It was very much an Asian market town; In less than thirty years, this island city had grown to a highly educated population, scholars sent overseas to broaden their learning, an excellent road network, buses, underground trains, the airport is a hub for Asian air transport.. The past twenty years has seen excellent harbour works, and a city of parks, gardens, clean streets.

Sure, it's been a disciplined place, but it's led to a great legacy for the current generation. The communists (mafia?) were tidied up, people learned to live in high rise apartment blocks, English was one of the main trading languages, and no fines imposed for using one language above the other as is done in Thailand.

Let's hope that when ASEAN is fully under way, some countries might learn from others.

Meanwhile, back to topic.

What has surprised me in Thailand is the bitterness of expats on this forum.

When I was first considering retiring in Asia, it was between the Philippines and Thailand.

I joined up the CEBU forum, and read page after page of racist comments, moaning, groaning, complaints, and I really couldn't understand why these folk had ever left the USA.

That decided me to move to Thailand. I joined the Chiang Mai and Thailand Fora.

No further comment, other than to say that it's nice that there are a few altruistic folk in this community, who are genuinely trying to help those who want to be helped.

1. The time to talk is not in the days & weeks before the burning season. It should have been after the last burning season, giving all year to come up with a plan.

2. Is "haze" the current euphemism for that lung-clogging smoke they get each year? Haze is certainly a kinder, gently term for their horrific pollution.

YES! SMOG is quite the wrong term for those who use it. Smog is natural fog, mixed with smoke.

Here, it's pure smoke, mixed with the spewing diesel smoke of buses and song teaws.

I think you are right, but it would be interesting to know from the 'horses mouth' such things as, why is the online appointment system sometimes full immediately it opens after midnight?

I guess it will just remain one of life's little mysteries.

To answer your question, possibly it's a matter of there being many more expats requiring this service, than there are Immigration staff and office space to handle the work-load.

I'm sure Chiang Mai Immigration have statistics at hand, but it's a matter on convincing the decision makers in BKK, be they Immigration seniors or politicians.

Data might be:

Number of expats requiring 90 day reports. (more than doubled in the past 24 months)

Actual working days in that 90 days.

Number of staff processing on-line requests.

I'm sorry but I have absolutely no idea how this answers my question or is even related to it.

I thought this might have been obvious.

It's directly related to your question in that I'm suggesting Immigration look at their statistics and see why on-line bookings are immediately filled as soon as they're opened.

There is obviously a demand for these services, and so more appointment slots need to be made available.

From what my Thai wife says most of the beggars work for one individual who drops them off to beg then collects them and takes most of their money they were given. At first I didn't believe her until one day driving I witnessed it myself when I saw a van door open and a beggar got out. Inside were many beggars. Whether they work for the BIB as Rod suggests or not they are working for someone. This is one of the reasons I will never give money to them. As one Op here suggests that they should be given vocational training? This is a good idea in theory only. These people have spent their lives getting free money. They will not take any training to actually have to work for it now

BEGGING 101 ??

I lived under him a long time. I loved the old Singapore in the 1970's and 80's. What he and others did was needed at the time and they did a good job. Nobody remembers the Commies or the Triad controlled areas now. But they had power then and they were dealt with. However, like most Hakkas he went too far in his personal cult control of the populace. His death may provide a reprieve for the average Singaporean who sincerely need it. KIV, under him the PAP (his Party) came to stand for Pay And Pay and, boy, did the Singaporeans pay and pay and still do. All in all though a man for his time.

Certainly, Singapore is the most modern city in all of ASEAN. Clean streets, excellent transport system both surface and underground.

I always enjoy going there, even though it's tough on the wallet.

My first visit was in 1965. see photos. Things have changed!

Yup immigration must charge him with working without a permit. Sad state of affairs . Just think how much ahead Thailand can be if they say to all the retirees

Ok you can only do community based initiatives without a work permit. How wonderful that would be for all Thais. Help in orphanages, protect the parks, Help tourists who are having some problems. Help the poor, and so on and I am sure the retirees would love to help the country

But Thais will bite of their nose rather than accept incredible help from Faranags

Correction. He's volunteering without a permit. Normal fee for a volunteer is $600 for one month! check out the 'volunteers pages'.

Look at the fuss when volunteers turned up to assist after the tsunami. The Thais didn't want them, and it took foreign embassies protests before Thais would accept them.

Check your statements from BKK Bank....They are definitely charging transfer fees this end....and pay roughly .5% less than the going rate to get more out of you.

Was told this be another member on TVF and checked....he was right. In Aust you are charged roughly $24 AUD for the transfer from the bank there.

When it gets here you get charged a handling fee of roughly $15 AUD from the BKK bank....They get you both ends, if you look at it.....

Some banks in Oz charge $20 for a telegraphic transfer. Bendigo/Adelaide Bank charge $30.00. Last month Bendigo exchange rate was ฿24 to the Oz $, and as Weegee has said, the banks here take a slice of the cake too.

Another Aussie here: I have my pension sent up each month from my Oz bank. I decide how much, leaving a bit to cover the cost of the telegraphic transfer and to keep the VISA card sweet.

Centrelink will also post it direct to your bank in Thailand, therefore saving $20 - $30 transfer fees.

A month back, just for a change, I had my salary sent up in Thai Baht. A DISASTER!

First, the bank in Oz gave me a really bad exchange rate. Then the money did not appear in my BKK bank account. Chased around for 5 days and it suddenly appeared. BKK bank (as usual) also charged a percentage. No-one knew why the funds went astray.

The term 'short term investment' comes to mind.

The pension sent up by Centrelink is at a rate set by the Central (Reserve?) bank and seems good, according to a mate of mine.

I catch the 10.10am (TG103) from CNX to BKK regularly. The flight originates in Frankfurt and was mostly 747's but now more often they're using 777's.

Previously with the Jumbo's, if you were travelling "business" and you checked in early at CNX.. they'd bump you up to First Class, but not now with the 777's.

This seems to me the biggest aircraft flying out of CNX. It really rattles the windows.

I knew Isis tactics would end up happening in that Muslim state. Horrid country full of horrid humans.

Some Muslim states still amputate the left hand for proven robbery.

However, the kangaroo court and instant execution in this case is certainly going over the top.

......snip

There were no questions put to immigration that would put them on the spot to answer and I wonder why not?

I doubt they would ever have a question and answer session, without the questions being vetted......would they?

Several reasons that it was decided not to have a format with "on the spot" questions.

As you saw in the video, none of the Immigration officials are especially fluent in English. The idea of having a British Parliament give-and-take style Question Session would be totally impossible.

As we saw with some of the questions submitted in the poll of members there are people with "one-off" questions, of interest to just one person in the Universe. Frankly, some of these people are just plain crackpots with an ax to grind. Would you want to pay a couple hundred baht to come to a meeting to listen to them spout off?

Some of the questions submitted were, shall we say, beyond the portfolio of the Immigration people in that room. For example, it's not within their power to decree that 90 day reports are stupid, serve no purpose and will no longer be collected. They may agree, but they can't make that decision, nor would they ever tell us what they really think.

Our time with the Immigration officials was limited. If we turned over the microphone to, say 15 random people in the audience, we might not address the 15 most important issues of concern to our members.

There certainly wouldn't have been any Power Point slides to support answers to open questions. You've got to admit the Power Point slides go a long way in helping to support what the officials are saying.

Perhaps we could have had open questions, but we wouldn't have had a video that could serve as a good reference.

An open Q&A would most probably have been time-wasting as well, potentially, a circus.

The officers' performance and the video will never get Oscars, but the result was constructive and useful "Immigration 101," and that's where most people are, not into post graduate studies!

There is potential for follow-up, as has been gently alluded to above. Volunteer activities for long-stay expats is a no-no, but coffee klatches or high tea among friends could work.

I think you are right, but it would be interesting to know from the 'horses mouth' such things as, why is the online appointment system sometimes full immediately it opens after midnight?

I guess it will just remain one of life's little mysteries.

To answer your question, possibly it's a matter of there being many more expats requiring this service, than there are Immigration staff and office space to handle the work-load.

I'm sure Chiang Mai Immigration have statistics at hand, but it's a matter on convincing the decision makers in BKK, be they Immigration seniors or politicians.

Data might be:

Number of expats requiring 90 day reports. (more than doubled in the past 24 months)

Actual working days in that 90 days.

Number of staff processing on-line requests.

I wonder what owners have to pay when one of their dogs attacks someone - Thai or non-Thai.

??

Taking flip-flops to Thailand? Zillions available.

Mosquito spray (DEET)? Tons available.

Tiger balm?????!!!!! Is she serious. This country exists on Tiger balm

Too lazy to go through each item in the list.

Some I simply don't understand, too feminine

Your list seems to point to the right direction.

Have a read of a good travel guide.

You'll get a load of history, travel tips, immunisation and other shots you need to have some weeks before departure.

Lonely Planet is one of my favourites.

They have a gland that clog's up , you have to get it cleaned, or put a glove on and do it yourself, a vet can do.

Yup. My Labrador had the same problem. vet cleaned him out with a couple of ear buds.

I don't care a great deal about the expense, but I do care about getting good access to American content with out slowing down internet speeds. Any suggestions will be very appreciated.

I'm more than happy to get ExpatTV and some good British, Aussie programs.

No need at all to have guns to make a decent show.

This is nothing new at Thapae Gate, they have been doing it there quite regularly for several years.

My understanding based on some first and second hand experience , 10K Bt bail for Thai's 20K for others (including Burmese). Next day court, fine depends on the alcohol level. An acquaintance blew 94 and got about 5K. Stupid idiot got done twice in two weeks but they didn't seem to take previous offences into account. Allegedly, over 100 is a mandatory jail term, but TIT.

Not so easy to buy your way out. The stops are often by traffic police, who hand arrested people over to the local station for processing so there is a paperwork trail to circumvent.

I believe its got worse/tougher with the latest law enactements

I think tougher is the better word.

I don't want to see my Thai friend or his family wiped out by a drunk driver, Thai or farang.

Maybe they were using the newish drug breathalysers ?