Dr. Burrito

EVA via Taiwan to Seattle to NYC (lands in Newark)

Very reasonable and overall good value

Dr. B

I have a power breakfast that is a one-pot dish. It'll rev you up for a big chunk of the day and get things started right.

First:

Make a base of stock (your choice of chicken breast, lean beef, lean pork or fish) w/ onions, garlic, water and seasoning.

Cook it for a good hour or longer if you like so the stock is fully fused with the meat essence.

Add lentils,then cook for another hour.

Then add whatever you fancy. Lately, I've been adding only chopped tomatoes, okra and a bit of tomato paste, but in the past I also added mushrooms, leeks and asparagus.

I make up a big pot then store it in the fridge. It makes for a great, healthy breakfast and is easily made.

Cheers,

Dr. B

Do you find that vegetarians have unusual personalities and act or are a little different from non-vegetarians?

i am convinced they act different. those pure vegetarians i know are much less tolerant in each and every respect than meat-eaters.

When an animal is slaughtered, there is a negative imprint left in it's meat. Our 'soul' is very sensitive to these imprints.

My soul is sensitive to utter hogwash too.

More silly drivel from people lost in their own sphere. Oops, guess I am not tolerant enough.

Dr. B

Average day, approximately 45 mins

Well, on that one, each to his own and I understand. For me, it's well worth it.

Also realized I typed 3/1 when it should have been 33/1, in the same little parking lane as Villa.

If you head down to your local market you will be able to pick up some great Thai tenderloin, i pay 150 Baht a kilo and the stuff is great. Can be used for all dishes (burgers, roasts, dried beef) and much cheaper than the rubbish you buy in Tesco or Tops.

Totally agree. Always bought my meat at the wet market (Tesco meat is terrible, IMO). Ask for filet -- usually have to buy the whole piece, but it is cheap. Can't remember, Bt250? Slice it and freeze. Same for chicken and pork. Back here in Canada, the meat tastes funny to me. Too many drugs or weird feed? The chicken is horrid and I want to throw up when I smell it cooking. Even the eggs taste strange.

JR Texas, like Tatler said, you have to go to the market around 5-6 am. No flies, everything fresh. Season the steaks and let them age in the fridge on a covered rack for a few days.

The beef at Thai-French Butchery on Sukhumvit 3/1 is near on delightful. I would suggest you try them sometime.

Dr. B

My two sons (8,6) are fluent in French, Thai and Cartoon Network. They do understand and speak a bit of English and will start soon Chinese.

But we only speak French at home, except when my wife swears at me ... in English

Surely qualifies as best and truest type answer of the century.

My only variation is English and Thai and the aforementioned network language.

In yesterday's Bangkok Post, there was an article about reviewing the airport rail link project that rather implies a serious consideration of ceasing funding for it.

Surely after the amount of money, time and construction already done, this cannot be a serious consideration.

Did anyone else read this article and am I reading it wrong? Is it simply a Chicken Little tactic to draw attention to this project and find yet another way to discredit Thaksin?

I've heard lunacy, but good lord, we don't need another half finished concrete skeleton haunting the Bangkok landscape.

Dr. B

No offense, but if you had booked a twosome, why didn't you confirm the pricing then and save the grief. I always call ahead about prices and make sure I speak English. It saves me a lot of frustration.

I've been using the South Beach Diet plan, along with getting my lazy arse back in the gym, and it is working just fine. But it is definitely the combination.

Saying that, to address the OP point, this is a fairly low-carb process to begin with to do away with foods that produce sugar and in turn insulin then fat (I think I have the correct order)

The carbs in it are the same as many have mentioned here, bulky, green things, cooked well, which I think as another poster here already said, basically means getting into the kitchen for yourself.

I don't have tremendous weight issues, nor do I ever want to, so I have taken this on as a positive step to better take care of my machine since 50 is not to far away and I want the ###### thing to run well over the last stretch.

It's motivation and commitment, and frankly, it's not for everyone, nor should it be.

I keep a stock of fresh vegetable, regularly cook lentils and snack on things like olives, almonds and walnuts.

Regular meals always include some high value carbs and quality protein. That and a 6:30 am wakeup call for the gym does it for me.

Dr. B

one bag from one trip. I seriously doubt they will even raise an eyebrow.

Dr. B

From what I was told, you must have enough customers to finish all of the meat pretty quickly or it will go bad. I've noticed that the shwarma shops in Chiang Mai generally start out with a much smaller piece of meat than shops in Bangkok.

Thanks for the posts.........I knew that the schwarma was beef. I do not know which cut. About using it up quickly.......are you intimating that you must make the "beef log" anew each day and use it all up on the same day.........no wrapping up what is not used and putting it in cold storage?

Guess the same for chicken, pork and lamb. That is a lot of work! Maybe you can make the "log" and then sell most of it and what has not been sold can then be cooked then be sliced up and mixed in with the new stuff for the next day or frozen.......not thrown away.

Of course, the idea of making smaller logs is a great one (and smart). Test the market with small logs and expand the size when demand permits.

I still wish one person would make authentic Greek gyros with the magnificent and wonderful and outstanding Greek bread......yuuummmmmm!

If any person has a recipe for gyros, schwarma, or kebob, please post it. Wonder if Thais ever eat them......doubt it.

I would think for the beef you would almost be open to any but you like, though I would reckon using something with some good fat content would give you an overall juicier result if calories and dieting were not an issue.

have the butcher shop cut it into whatever size steaks you like, marinate it and then sort it out for the cooker.

Sounds lovely in fact

Dr. B

hey Dr B, it sounds good mate and good on ya for trying, im sorry i have never organised something like this but i do know quite a few professionals on the asian tour and even one who lives here who depending on their schedule might be able to get involved. So you can get back to me when needed and can try and sort something out.

Hi Jonny,

Thanks very much. I will keep that in mind. My first plan of attack is to try and get both Ford and Central involved as well.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Rgds,

Dr. B

I know they don’t give a stuff but I’ve put True on notice. I’m Aussie and enjoy the NFL and most sports (Bull Riding is taking things a bit far). No NASCAR this year now this, what’s next? MotoGP! I dare em too.

Surely you are kidding. Bull Riding is the best thing on the air :-)

My little boy can't get enough of it

Dr. B

Wow, what a lot of thoughtful information to digest.... and no digs at my typo either

The thought process for this is definitely in its infant stages, but I know my mate in the states who I would tag it through, would pitch in and help bring a whole different level of publicity and awareness to it. I think for him, the chance to help kids here in Thailand, and adults for that matter, would be a huge plus, as so much that relates to disabilities and accidents and the awareness of those that have to live with it on a daily basis is limited to the states.

He would jump into the opportunity to stretch out this awareness and I think, but we shall see from discussions, even bring a few celebrities over to join in. For them, the whole thing is a tax write-off anyway, and I know he would squeeze them to pick up their own airfare and such.

Then we could look to auction off their presence into a few groups and hopefully raise even more cash.

This looks like a of damned work and a real challenge.

I'm looking forward to it.

Once I can get some commitment from my mate and the permission to use his foundation's name, I will get on it and pepper you guys with a lot more requests and insight into your knowledge.

Thanks again.

Dr. B

I'm curious if anyone here has ever been involved in setting up a charity golf tournament here in Thailand. I'm interested in trying to do something via a friend of mine who has a foundation in the USA related to his disability from an accident, but for Thai's who are in a similar condition.

I'd like to know things like was the tournament successful? what kind of money did it raise? did your family disown you from the obsessive amount of time required to do it? was it the most satisfying thing you've ever done? would you ever even remotely consider doing it again from the experience?

I could go on and on.

I would be very interested and pleased to hear some thoughts, ideas and experiences. Its getting more and more into my mind everyday to try and pull this off.

Thanks,

Dr. B

One of the best big bike shops in Bangkok is Red Baron Bikes on Ramkaemhang.

For something like you are seeking, they are at least worth a look

Dr. B

I was driving into work this morning and on a small back soi, a farang was, I guess, being kept from turning right into another little soi by a Thai person in their car wanting out.

The farang goes over to the car motioning for them to back up, etc, but they apparently wouldn't yield.

I've no idea who was in the right here, but the farang was clearly as angry as he could be, so as we walked back to his car, he stops in the middle of the street and flashes the old middle finger in a very embellished fashion.

Nothing happened as a result and he got in his car and let traffic clear.

But as I know very little of specific gestures in Thailand, it did make me curious if it was considered that offensive or not. he thought he was telling them off, clearly. Did they take it as dramatically as him you reckon? If so, they weren't inclined to make a scene about it.

Do Thai's have a different set of gestures to make the same point or the same? Was he possibly risking a serious reaction by his gesture?

Just curious, as other than seeing Thai's blow up and chase people with cleavers or kettles, far more serious gestures than a finger, I've never seen any particular '<deleted> you' gesture.

Dr. B

I'm quite sure it is ok to use baht, but if I remember my last trip there, the posted rate was something like 44-1, so you would be overpaying by about 300 baht or so if that is still the case.

Dr. B

If you're talking about The Coffee Bean down on Main St., we were probably almost neighbors at one time

According to Wikipedia you should be getting in touch with a guy in Singapore and bending his ear on this subject

Dr. B

I guess it' close onto a kilometer. All I know is if you go from Lad Phrao, then you go to that hard left and hard right (close to Siam Legal). After that, its about a couple hundred yards up on the right. They have parking across the street.

They've done the place up very northern style, a bit open air and a bit inside.

Still developing I guess, but its a nice place to stop on the way home and to take the family too as well.

Dr. B

I ran across a little gem of a Thai restaurant close to my abode the other day,and since these people seem like such nice folk and have great food, thought I would pass it along.

The place is on Lad Phrao 35, which connects my street to Lad Phrao, so I drive right past it on the way home. It's owned by a farang and his Thai wife, very nice people indeed. The name is Krua Sang Dao, about half a kilometer on past Bale, if you are coming from Lad Phrao on the rght hand side. I admit, at first I thought I had found a new karaoke place, as there lights ablaze and so I stopped. No karaoke in sight though, but I was surprised as heck when I was greeted by this older than me farang who seemed very happy to see another farang.

There were quite a few customers, but I was the only whitey.

They serve a bit of an Isan style menu, but is some of the most cleanly prepared food I have had in a while. Not oily, not overdone, just frankly, nice.

The guy serves Beer Lao and some very Isan type music by a live band.

I know its a blatant plug for them, but hey, I think they deserve it. He's about as sociable a guy as I have met in a long time. Seems he used to live in Los Angeles. Guess he and the missus met there but are now back here. I had a great time and walked away a few pounds heavier for almost nothing, all things considered.

Can't speak highly enough of the place and them.

And no, he is not me.

Dr. B

Caddying in Thailand

As this thread always reoccurs at regular intervals, I as a Thai will give in general terms what a caddies life is.

Firstly I tip 200 baht on none competition events and perhaps 500 baht in a major competition if a very good caddy. IE knows the line of putts and distances to the pin.

My home course has 384 caddies. At 8 minute tee times this equals to 7 hours of play per day. Thailand gets dark at 6 30pm. Multiplied by approximately 7 groups per hour, slower if a Pattaya group, this equals 49 groups X 4 players which is approximately 200 players per day.

If the course was fully booked every day the caddy would have one round every two days.

Sunday will be a guaranteed round due to some Thais taking an umberella caddy.

Of the 250 baht caddy fee, she pays 60 baht booking fee, that goes to the club, plus 10 baht trolley rental that goes to the club.

Last month, high season remember, with no days off, my caddy had 21 rounds of golf x 180 baht = 3780 baht plus 5000 baht in tips = 8780 baht per month for a 31 day work month equals 283 baht per day. Beats planting rice? Sure but it is not the road to fame and fortune as some people seem to think.

The tip

Up to you

Go with the Thai flow 200 baht!

Perhaps a Phuket golfer will confirm but the last time I played Blue Canyon and PCC there was a sign saying that the tip was a compulsory minimum of 300 baht.

Even my Thai Hi-So friends don't give as much as 200 baht. The last time I played with them at the RBSC, they advised me to pay about 50 baht.

It's comforting to know that at least the caddies are laughing at some Thai people too giving ridiculous tips.

If they are not happy with getting nearly 10,000 baht a month then there will be many other woman willing to jump into their shoes.

We have a maid come round and clean the whole house(3 bed-roomed,3 bathroms) at 6am until about 6pm. She does the weeks ironing for the whole household, as well as some baby-sitting. She asks for 250 baht for the days work, and is very very happy with the work. Compare that to the caddy, which is pretty a easy 4 hours and they are crap, answering their telephones etc whilst we are playing.

At my local golf club, the caddy often asks for more money when I offer her 50 baht, cheeky cow.

If farang don't stop tipping these ridiclous tips, golf clubs will soon stop paying them and put up signs saying tipping is compulsory.

You are so utterly full of it. I have yet to play with a Thai person that didn't tip well, though I wouldn't be surprised about the Hi-So <deleted> that are members of the the RSBC, but even most of them, away from the RSBC, behave better.

Of course, perhaps giving all your money to a junkie foreign beggar is a better idea than an actual hard-working local.

Dr. B

I love my job here in Thailand, as I do the same thing I did back in America, at about the same money, with a lot more fun and interesting people. There's more time off for golf and more laughs with mates after work here.

Admittedly, I got pretty danmed lucky, as it fell in my lap.

Dr. B

Weekday golf around Bangkok is one of the true joys of golf here.

Lam Lukka has a sports day on Tuesday and Wednesdays, so it can be a bit crowded for a weekday, but it still moves well and if you are out by yourself, everyone if very good about letting you play through.

Love weekday golf because it means I'm pkaying hooky from work too

Dr. B