Robby nz

When they find something with Fred Flintstone on then we will be getting somewhere.

My second attempt to get a picture of a bird and the flying one is out of focus.

By the time I was going to adjust the settings they all disappeared.

At least can anyone tell me what birds are they?

DSC_1240.JPG

Eastern Great Egrets, you can tell by the kink in the neck and the size. With what looks like Little Egrets, smaller with dark bills black legs and yellow feet.

No problem at all.

Posted 2012-02-29 05:44:03 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/537014-dams-in-thailand-to-be-kept-50-to-60-full/

BANGKOK: -- The government is adjusting its water-management plan in line with His Majesty's advice and the current situation. Under the new scheme, the volume of water in dams will no longer be kept at or below 45 per cent of their total capacity.

"Water levels in some dams might be allowed to hit 50 or 60 per cent," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said, adding that the proposal to set up a forest-development company was a good idea.

"in line with His Majesty's advice"

Got that ?

Yes that came from the ministry of propaganda of the Yingluck Govt.

As for weather predictions, from http://ggweather.com/enso/oni.htm.

El Niño La Niña Weak Mod Strong Very Strong Weak Mod Strong 1952-53 1951-52 1957-58 1982-83 1950-51 1955-56 1973-74 1953-54 1963-64 1965-66 1997-98 1954-55 1970-71 1975-76 1958-59 1968-69 1972-73 1956-57 1998-99 1988-89 1969-70 1986-87 1987-88 1964-65 2007-08 1999-00 1976-77 1991-92 1971-72 2010-11 1977-78 1994-95 1974-75 2004-05 2002-03 1983-84 2006-07 2009-10 1984-85 2014-15 1995-96 2000-01 2005-06 2008-09 2011-12

That chart shows clearly that 2010 and 2011 were strong La Nina years which brought the floods, Yes there was flooding in 2010 but it was better managed (yes I can prove it) so they didn't get to BKK.

Also shows La Nina was weakening from 2011 to 2012 and changing to the El Nino pattern we see today.

Forecasters all over the world were predicting this not just in Thailand.

If you don't understand El Nino and La Nina look it up I am not going to educate you.

Unfortunately the chart didn't come out as it should when I posted, look up the link to get it.

Always wondered what happened to the 350 billion that the cabinet approved for flood relief (water management) back in 2012 I don't see anywhere that they actually got it, only statements by the minister of finance first that it would be obtained from overseas then later he changed that to obtained locally.

We do know that they got 120 billion and spent it:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583795-thailands-bt120-billion-anti-flood-budget-exhausted/

BANGKOK, Sept 12 – The government’s Bt120 billion budget for the country’s massive flood prevention scheme has already been distributed to all state agencies concerned, according Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.

These so called flood prevention schemes would (should) have in fact been water management which would (should) have included provision for drought years.

There plans were indeed called "Water Management Plans" :

Posted 2012-02-29 05:44:03 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/537014-dams-in-thailand-to-be-kept-50-to-60-full/

BANGKOK: -- The government is adjusting its water-management plan in line with His Majesty's advice and the current situation. Under the new scheme, the volume of water in dams will no longer be kept at or below 45 per cent of their total capacity.

But the chairman of the Water and Flood Management Commission at the time was none other than Plodprasop of 1000 propellers fame so just what happened would be anyone's guess.

On back to the low dam levels. As you can see from the Govt policy the dams were allowed to drop to around 50% of capacity in 2012 to make provision for rain that never came because of the developing El Nino effect which the weather forecasters were warning about at the time.

There has not been enough rain to refill the dams since then and El Nino gets stronger.

The cause for the lack of water are the greedy farmers who during the rice scheme just planted one crop after another.

There could also be some blame on the govt who after the 2011 floods lowered the dam levels to 50% even though they were repeatedly told by the weather people that there the country was heading for drought. They wanted to take them down to 30% but His Majesty told them "No Way, dams should never go below 50%"

Had there been no Rice pledging there would have been no extra crops to take advantage of the scheme.

But as a supporter of PT and a defender of the indefensible you will attempt to blame anyone else.

Your post contains some obvious BS, but out of fear of Thai law i will not point it out.

The great cop out.

As I live in a rice growing area I have followed the pledging scheme closely and have an extensive data base of links I can to refer to ensure I post the truth.

If you are not prepared to prove me wrong butt out.

An little old Toyota fire engine that someone is trying to convert into a mobile shop.

On the way out there were families sitting watching and eating the last snacks they had been given.

Children were also watching wearing their new foot ware. There was no waving good by only sitting quietly watching us go. What would be in their minds,

one day we will be going with them perhaps ?

Looking down from the road out to some of the 'fields' of that village it puts a new definition on hard scrabble farming, in some places it was close to vertical. Corn was already planted on the hills with the paddy in the valley just starting to be worked, rice would be planted there when sufficient rains came. After that it was up to the weather and the gods so enough could be harvested to see them through till the next crop. If there was not enough then the remaining forest had to be turned to for food.

We went back down by a different road and stopped at a small school where we left most of the remaining things we had with us. All the schools in that area are Royal projects with this one a Queen Mother Project. When you travel in the more out of the way parts of this country you will see Royal Initiated Projects everywhere from health, education, soil and water conservation, agriculture and horticulture and everything you can think of, particularly concentrating on the poor and disadvantaged.

The Royal Household has done more for the poor of this country than all the politicians put together. They have my profound respect.

The final stretch tomorrow.

So responsible dog owners have to adhere to special hours and have to clean up after their dogs while stray dogs are allowed there any time and can crap anywhere.

The soidog outfit should be made to clean up after the strays they love so much.

It must be a great relief to those who get bitten (their fault of course) that the all, well most, well some, of the stray dogs have been vaccinated and are rabies free.

I saw over the life of the pledging scheme some mills building large new warehouses presumably to take advantage of the large amount of rice in storage and profit from storing it.

These warehouses must now be redundant as will the ones which are at present storing the remaining 16 million tons of rice that has to be sold off for something.

There were stories of the PT Govt paying millers and 'Friends' to build warehouses, for their expectation was that the scheme would continue requiring more storage space.

If this is not true than those who built warehouses off their own bat to store rice from the scheme which was terminated will be looking at a large loss.

I am all for preservation of forests and reclaiming deforested areas for I like nothing better than to be able to get 'away from it all' into a forest.

However that doesn't mean I believe the hype of man made climate change, a theory which has made billions for those who push it.

Then there are "Carbon credits" which can be traded both for profit and so that countries can buy them from those who pollute less so they can continue polluting.

The climate of this planet has always changed from hot periods to ice ages and it always will, the difference that man can make to this will be infinitesimal.

While saying that I support preventing or cutting pollution whatever the excuse used.

Although I think the BKK fella who wants to use superstition has a better chance.

The cause for the lack of water are the greedy farmers who during the rice scheme just planted one crop after another.

There could also be some blame on the govt who after the 2011 floods lowered the dam levels to 50% even though they were repeatedly told by the weather people that there the country was heading for drought. They wanted to take them down to 30% but His Majesty told them "No Way, dams should never go below 50%"

Had there been no Rice pledging there would have been no extra crops to take advantage of the scheme.

But as a supporter of PT and a defender of the indefensible you will attempt to blame anyone else.

I see this arose from a speech from a red stage in 2013.

Lets hope they start going carefully through all the speeches from various red stages and activating the stalled cases against all the red leaders who implicated themselves with their hate and violence filled speeches when they thought they were invincible and untouchable.

Robby I do not know your nationality or your age.

What I do know is that a heart full of anger, vengeance and hatred is very bad for health.

The human immune system thrives on happiness, we cannot make you happy, you have to do that for yourself.

Peace, forgiveness and reconciliation are extremely important in the welfare of any nation as well as the health of an individual.

Your chances of having a political person extradited from a country like New Zealand back to Thailand are very close to nil.

The New Zealand culture is one where we can roundly criticise our political opponents and then go off and have a beer with them, nothing like what you are used to in Thailand.

You it would seem know very little and are a little short on being able to work things out as well as having a poor memory.

Could the NZ after my name give a clue, age not your business.

We have been through this hate thing before on another topic and if your memory fails you go back and have a look.

As per our previous conversation I am used to doing what I want and going where I want in this country and have no problem with authority as I choose to obey the law.

No place for hate in my life but I can see the hate in others which brought about the 2010 riots and I believe that those who instigated the riots and perpetuated the hate from their stages should be brought to justice for the sake of their victims and the country.

As for reconciliation, the victims of crime can only find reconciliation in bringing criminals to justice. Allowing criminals to get away with their crime just to make them happy is no answer.

I see this arose from a speech from a red stage in 2013.

Lets hope they start going carefully through all the speeches from various red stages and activating the stalled cases against all the red leaders who implicated themselves with their hate and violence filled speeches when they thought they were invincible and untouchable.

What a delightful person you are.

You seem to think the red leaders should be allowed to get away with their hate and violence speeches which inspired their followers to arson and murder.

"Burn BKK to the ground". "Each bring a bottle I have a million liters of Gasoline".

No problem to you, reconciliation for the reds but what about the victims of their riots ?

I see you can only manage an insult this time, no sensible post.

The water hyacinth build up behind the dam in the photo must be putting a tremendous strain on that dam. Should there be a lot of rain and the river rises and it will be forced down against the dam, the weight of that weed could easily breach the dam.

With the river level lowered the next thing we will hear is salt water incursion into BKK water supply and calls for the dams to be opened for the city dwellers. No way let them buy water from elsewhere and put the farmers first.

I see this arose from a speech from a red stage in 2013.

Lets hope they start going carefully through all the speeches from various red stages and activating the stalled cases against all the red leaders who implicated themselves with their hate and violence filled speeches when they thought they were invincible and untouchable.

^^^^

Robbie, Mike and Smut please take your p**sing-contest somewhere else!!

This thread is not about, who was in power 18 months ago, but about yet another failure by the Thai judiciary system!!

One law for the rich and one for the poor. Sickening!!

Don't include me troll.

Wont make any difference to rank and file gambling for only the rich can afford casinos.

What it would do is bring in more tax, presuming they are taxed, and provide a great conduit for money laundering.

They were not charged with picking mushrooms they were charged with illegal logging for they were in an area where an illegal logging gang was working and they got arrested while the loggers escaped.

They ended in jail because they couldn't afford a lawyer to defend them and none of the human rights lot were interested.

From memory they were completely bewildered as to why they had been picked up and had no idea what was going on throughout the trial.

They should never have been charged in the first place let alone convicted.

Shows that the BKK fella is on the right track telling people that it is disrespectful to the spirits to chuck rubbish in the klongs.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832972-curse-succeeds-in-stopping-litterbugs-thai-official-says/

Nice, Robby. Where were the Blossom-headed Parakeets? Attached here is a Red-breasted. These are common here in Bangsaen, Chonburi. 3.5 years ago, I was regularly seeing Alexandrine Parakeets on my soi also. Probably a feral colony of escapes, but breeding as I once had a mother feeding a juvenile. Sadly, I have not seen them in some years. Captured for sale or poisoned, I reckon.

They are around the Singburi area, quite widespread but not common. I saw a pair yesterday and have seen flocks of 8 or 10.

They have a "Doctor" in the village, whether qualified or not I didn't ask. He moves around and looks after many of the other villages in the area.

We had been asked to take basic medical supplies such as sticking plaster, bandages and cough medicine and we had taken a big box of stuff that was both donated and bought with us in our car.

This is the doctor in white and a young man from the village who has escaped and has been as far into the big world as BKK, he has returned to the village and acted as an interpreter. The kids are taught in Thai at school but the older people still use their own language.

Her ladyship had been complaining of a sore shoulder so the Doc sat her down in his "Surgery" and got to work. I was called on to do a "Take my photo" before it was time for me to go pack up our tent.

As most of the group had to get back to work it had been planned to only spend one night at the village. The advanced guard moved out negotiating the stream and large rock. There were 2 trail bike complete with all the falling off gear with us, that went in front to warn anyone coming the other way of the convoy following. A good safety measure for in the early part of the trip up and the latter part of the way down there were a number of motorbikes and a few pickups.

There had been a serious breakdown on the last stages of the way in and the "Chang" had been working on it the previous day but all he was able to do without parts was to disconnect the front wheel drive, this job was still in progress so several vehicles including the one we were in waited till he had finished. This was a wise move for they had to be winched up a couple of steeper parts of the track.

On the road home tomorrow.

The best of the stockpiled rice has obviously been sold off and they are now getting down to the lower quality stuff.

Wont be long before prices expected will also have to be lowered to get rid of the many millions of tons that are left.

The longer it is kept the worse it will get for there is no way the quality can rise in storage.

Hanging on to the stuff and hoping for prices to rise due to less new seasons rice because of drought isn't an option either for continuing storage costs would erode a price rise even if there was one.

Put into proper perspective, I am not suprised that 4% of the 17 million tons of stored rice spoiled. Even modern grocery markets expect 1%-3% spoilage under ideal storage and monitoring conditions.

The spoliage still should have been lower. The warehouse owners failed their obligation to the government to provide for adequate security of the grains from exposure and infestation. Prayut should sue those owners for the 650,000-690,000 tons of spoiled rice grains. But then he needs them to store new government rice inventories.

This is just the first of many rotten rice disposals

Why would it be the first of many? There is a total of 650,000 tons of stockpiled rice that has been declared rotten, end of story.

However, in October 2014, Prayuth was saying this

Gen. Prayuth told reporters on Tuesday that only about 10% of the 18 million tons of rice he inherited from the administration of former leader Yingluck Shinawatra is in good condition.

About 70% of the stock is of low quality because of poor storage, he said, and about 5% of the rice is so poor that it can’t be sold for consumption. He said about 100,000 tons of rice are missing.

So in June 2015, four to five per cent of the total rice in storage is so poor it can't be used for consumption, 300,000 tons are an 80/20 mix of good rice and Grade C rice and the remaining 54,000 tons are mislabelled, altogether 1,000,000 tons of "inferior" rice.

Yet Prayuth was saying last October that 70% of the stored rice, that's 12,600,000 tons, was of poor quality. Something doesn't add up.........................

Perhaps what doesn't add up is your lack of understanding that "Poor quality" and "Rotten" are different things.

This only happened yesterday afternoon so there is a lot more to come on this one.

Would hope that the cops involved are discharged from the force and charged with multiple offences and I would think that as this is in the mainstream media, as well as social no doubt, that will happen.

Their boss also needs to be hauled in and severely spoken to (demoted) for the actions of his men.

Dont tar all the cops with this brush because of this, but there are those who will, all Thais are............right ?

Perfectly sensible approach, if you are dealing with superstitious people use their superstitions to get them to change their behavior.

Heck Ive cursed litter bugs myself many times particularly in national parks but perhaps curses after the deed is done dont work or maybe I have to do it in Thai.