Robby nz

I suppose its fair enough that they should look into the ethics of the present cabinet.

After all when they looked at for ethics in members of the previous cabinet they found none.

Seems the Thai radio station run by the association that wants to help set up in Burma is http://thairadiofm1063.com/ all in Thai and no translation available.

Doesn't seem to be much information around on this association that is going to help set up a radio station other than a hint of involvement by the Dhammakaya temple and foundation.

However the headline regarding Thai Buddhists is somewhat misleading giving the impression of 'all Thai Buddhists' while only more than 12 were said to have attended the meeting.

Some great points well put. But what The Thaksins did diferently from the european and usa aid packages was to try and avoid the loss the usa and europe automatically accept when they set these aid packages up. How? They gambled that the price of rice would carry on going up and by sitting on the rice and selling later maybe part or the loss from the subsidy would be covered. Ok it <deleted> up and its admin got abused but i can see the logic in the thought.

rijit

What you are saying is that they attempted to manipulate the price of rice on the world market by withholding Thai rice from the market.

Some things you forgot to mention, it was never a subsidy and was never touted as such, or as running at a loss, rather it was said to eventually run at a profit.

The rice was stored in less than optimal conditions that led to a large proportion deterioration to the stage it is not fit for human consumption. Indeed inspection tells us that several million tons still in storage are not even fit for animal feed.

There was substandard rice sold to other countries, in one case the US returned a shipment because of low quality in another the Ivory Coast had to dump 25% of a shipment because of poor quality.

In one case rice ordered by Iran through a Thai agent was never shipped and because of that to this day, Iran which was once one of Thailand's top rice customers has refused to buy any more Thai rice.

There were fake G2G deals with Chinese companies where low prices were paid for rice that never left the country. This has been shown by the impeachment of Govt officials and cabinet ministers who are now awaiting court action on criminal charges relating to one of these deals.

Personally I don't see the logic in attempting to defend a scheme that will, when all the rice in storage is disposed of and the numbers added up will cost the country close to, if not more than, a Trillion Baht.

Right now the repayments of interest and principal of the loans taken out to fund the scheme are reported to be costing 64 billion Baht a year, these repayments will continue for many years as a millstone around the neck of the Thai economy.

And for what ? The average farm debt was estimated to have risen 6% per year during the tenure of the PT Govt and the average farmer is now in deeper debt than ever before.

Meanwhile in NZ the temperature in one part of the South Island has dropped to -21c not far short of the countries all time record low of -25c and it is snowing in parts of the North Island.

Global warming is obviously here to stay.

Once again we see a tragedy for someone and their family turned into a Thai bash.

I neither knew him or knew of him but I can see the waste of a young life and the sadness for his family.

We are told elsewhere that the greatest threat to world security today is the IS but we are not sure who is the friend and who is the enemy in fighting them or what to do about it so look for an alternative boggy man.

Cant have a "Resurgent Russia" and as the economic war against them isn't producing the desired results lets try something different to provoke them.

"The latest changes at NATO follow broad policy decisions taken by U.S". That's the way to go EU and NATO follow along like good little puppy dogs.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to look back and see what some of the previous " Broad policy decisions taken by U.S" have led to.

Is it possible that he bought the gun in Japan?

He produced a licence for it, didn't he? So how the hell did he buy it in Japan if he has a Thai licence to carry it?

Am I wrong? am I as confused as all the others on here?

I missed that part that he showed a licence for the gun, it could even be a fake licence.

Said in the BKK Post that he admitted to owning the weapon and showed his ID card and documents for the gun.

Didn't say whether they were Thai or Japanese documents or what the documents were, neither has the type of weapon been stated.

Would have thought in an international situation a passport would be the thing to show rather than an ID.

But it could have been a police ID "Don't you know who I am"

Nice little headache for AOT as they can't or won't admit security was lax or that his VIP status was a little too special so they have to deny he carried the gun out of Thailand but if he admits it was his and he took it with him in his bout of forgetfulness ... ?

Don't you think that if he did have it with him when he went to Japan that the Japanese would also have to admit that their security was lax for allowing it into Japan ?

It would seem that the Japanese police have the weapon so if it is a legal weapon from Thailand it shouldn't be to difficult to check the serial numbers.

If it is not legal then who knows where it came from.

For those who want to have a go at Thai airport security consider this.

If he did take the weapon out of Thailand undetected it means that Japanese airport security also failed to detect it when he entered Japan.

but didn't realize he had left it in his carry-on bag.

So that would be TWICE that he didn't realized he's got a gun in his carry on yes?

on the way over and back from Japan yes?

Ok, who are we to argue with a general and Thaksin's pet....

Congrats on being the first to make a connection with Thaksin on a thread which is absolutely sod all to do with him. There always has to be at least one...

The great defender leaps to his heroes defense.

Perhaps it is appropriate to point out that your hero is also his, for back in 2011 he had his badge of rank proudly pinned on him by Thaksin and kept the photo of the event hanging in his office.

The judgment of a police general who would be proud of his connection with a convicted criminal on the run would have to be called into question and this topic surely reinforces the lack of good judgment and common sense of Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit.

Battery died a couple of days ago so we did the rounds yesterday of all the places that sold batteries, also talked to the outfit that does our service and a couple of others who are supposed to know something about these things.

Came down to a choice between Panasonic maintenance free, GS wet of FB Hybrid. all with 1yr warranty and 400 for the old battery

Advice was that GS were good a couple of years ago but quality has dropped.

Ended up going with FB Hybrid with 135 amps for extra cranking power for Isuzu 2.5 diesel, 2200B with the 400 for the old one :

As a non smoker I shouldn't really be posting on here but what the heck.

Mate of mine told me his way of stopping smoking was to stop buying them.

He said he was able to bludge one of his mates for a while but they soon realized they wouldn't get one back from him if they ran out so one by one they stopped giving them to him.

He reckoned as long as he stuck with 'not buying them' he had it licked.

My lady has done many years study on Thai herbs and tells me those mentioned can be dangerous if taken by themselves and must be taken in conjunction with other herbs (she uses them).

She says there are better alternatives.

If anyone is interested PM me and I will give you a contact in Thai.

Thanks Robby for the PM and the offer of help from your lady but in vain the Boss won't do anything to try to help herself with this problem

She seems to think that this is how it's going to be!

Regards Harvey

OK Harvey, if Wan ever changes her mind you know where to get hold of us.

Robby

Thanks. There is newer version SX60, with 60x optical zoom. Not sure how good it is, as I guess the owners who already have sx50, don't see a big enough change to switch to that camera. And not to forget Nikon P900 with 83x optical zoom. Goompa have one.

While the super zoom / bridge cameras do not have the IQ of the interchangeable lens cameras (*) and due smaller sensor, don't perform so well with low lightning.. these cameras are pure fun to use. The ability to frame a shot, even if the subject is in the distance, is great. Then there are other things, which come with a long lens. Ability to 'compress' 1km of street view to one image.

I have a Olympus m4/3 camera, which has better IQ, but still I take the SX50 for daily travels.

(*) Is there a better/easier/shorter term for non-compact/non-bridge cameras, including DSLR's and m4/3 etc. cameras?

I now have both the 50 and 60. The 60 has 16.1 meg pixels compared to the 50's 12.1 and the difference in the viewfinder is striking.

I can use the 50 hand held at any zoom but need the tripod for the 60.

The 60 is great in good light but not so good in poor light.

When I get into forests I am carrying the 60 on the tripod and the 50 round the neck, mostly using the 50 for closer shots, quick snaps behind me, shots at an upward angle that are almost impossible with the tripod, butterflies or scenic shots.

I am on my second 50 so am familiar with it and guess still learning to get the best out of the 60. Disappointed with some of the stuff but the good ones make up for it.

Top range cameras with long lenses will get much better results but from both a weight to carry around and the cost factor I will stick with the bridge.

That will help ensure that the US stays at the top of weapons exporting countries.

The manufacturers will be happy. Who will they be wooing as their candidate for 2016 ?

^^Appreciate that, as mine will only be good for 355 days when I apply.

Can anyone else confirm?

Yes I have to do the same.

You will also have to get your O visa transferred to your new passport when you get it.

I was given a form for this with no number only the heading "Transfer stamp to new passport form"

Timing should work for me to be able to do everything at the same time but will ask at next 90 day report to be sure.

If you make a deposit or withdrawal, the last amount on the bank book and the amount on the bank letter will no longer match. I thought that it was required that they always match exactly.

When I first had to make a transaction on the application day because I had got the book updated and a letter the day before (a few years back) they accepted the new book total which was 100b more than the letter without needing a new letter.

I know now so always get the letter, fixed acc on the morning of the day I apply.

I wonder what these other crops are that these people have in mind.

What are these other crops, is seed available, what fertilizer, spray if any is needed and is it available ?

Have they done any market research as to where they may be sold, processed ?

How many rai of these crops is it projected that there will be planted ?

What machinery, labor is required to plant, cultivate and harvest them ?

Is there any specialist knowledge required in their cultivation ?

What will be the lead in time be between planting and harvest, IE how long will a farmer have to wait for a return ?

Can markets absorb the quantity expected to be produced ?

What impact will an additional quantity of these crops have on the market price ?

If rains do come as hoped what impact will this have on crops planted on low lying paddy which floods in heavy rain ?

Will farmers already deep in debt want to take risks with crops they know nothing about ?

Farmers are in a bad way with this drought with many having no income so far this year, although the ones in the OP seem better off than some as they are getting some water even if it isn't all they would like.

Now if only someone could convince those who live in BKK and other cities along the river that their cars don't need washing and their toilets don't need flushing 6 or 8 times a day and their plants can do with out watering every day, then there might be more water for the farmers upstream.

The farmers must be amazed at the complaints from those in BKK who have been delayed in their cars by flooding, what they would give for all that lovely water that is being dumped, pumped into the dirty klongs and wasted. Is there no way this flood water can be stored, utilized ?

They see that the city people are going to get a lovely walkway down the river, how about those millions, or is it billions, being spent on desalination gear so sea water can be used in the city. The technology is there to get clean fresh water from the sea why not use it and leave the river water for those who really need it ?

But anyway bring on the rains they are desperately needed and if the don't come in large quantity next year is going to be a national disaster.

Is there no way this flood water can be stored, utilized ? In short NO.

I am surprised that water restrictions aren't in place in BKK (AFAIK) but BP reported days ago that salinity levels of its drinking water are rising. I would be very much surprised if there were desalination plants capable of supplying BKK's minimum fresh water needs, or even if billions of baht were spent they could be installed in time.

We seem to have a different concept of a national disaster. You seem to see it as farmer's not being able to use huge volumes of water to make a gross profit of B7/5000 litres. I see it as a city of 10 million people running out of drinking water, and the same story being repeated along the river.

Installed in time for what ?

If no start is ever made nothing will ever be done, read a little and you will see that 70% of the fresh water for the entire country of Saudi Arabia is supplied by desalination : http://www.greenprophet.com/2009/05/saudi-arabia-desalination/

These plants are also in California and Israel http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-13/israel-desalination-shows-california-not-to-fear-drought

There is no reason why a start cant be made to augment the water supply of the countries biggest city instead of relying on a single river system to provide every drop.

Do you really think that if there is no significant rain and the dams dont fill this wet season that the farmers will be the only ones effected ?

Where is all this drinking (and washing) water going to come from if the dams are empty and little is flowing down the river ?

Yes it is possible to collect and direct rain water to where it is needed and it should be done with spouting on all buildings fed into either tanks or into drains made mandatory. This is done in other countries.

Most of the flood water in the streets of BKK runs uncontrolled of buildings it doesn't fall on the road itself.

There was a post on another topic recently from someone saying they put a rubbish bin under the pipe coming from their air con and collected enough condensation to water plants, someone with brains, shows there is more than one way to save water.

And here's me thinking the country already had water management plans.

After all the PT Govt spent 120 billion on them and their cabinet approved another 350 billion to be spent. Wherever that went.

Or was that only managing water in a flood situation and they never considered the possibility of drought ?

Farmers are in a bad way with this drought with many having no income so far this year, although the ones in the OP seem better off than some as they are getting some water even if it isn't all they would like.

Now if only someone could convince those who live in BKK and other cities along the river that their cars don't need washing and their toilets don't need flushing 6 or 8 times a day and their plants can do with out watering every day, then there might be more water for the farmers upstream.

The farmers must be amazed at the complaints from those in BKK who have been delayed in their cars by flooding, what they would give for all that lovely water that is being dumped, pumped into the dirty klongs and wasted. Is there no way this flood water can be stored, utilized ?

They see that the city people are going to get a lovely walkway down the river, how about those millions, or is it billions, being spent on desalination gear so sea water can be used in the city. The technology is there to get clean fresh water from the sea why not use it and leave the river water for those who really need it ?

But anyway bring on the rains they are desperately needed and if the don't come in large quantity next year is going to be a national disaster.

Don't be shy Kobkarn, come right out and say it. "MERS, the shot in the arm our tourism industry needed". Bookings increasing, indeed.

Fortunately for us you have access to more up to date numbers and can give us a more informed and accurate report.

Why should one isolated case of MERS concerning a man from a middle East country who went straight to hospital and was diagnosed promptly have any effect on tourism ?