NxaiPan

What did Tam Dalyell say?

The 11th Baronet, Sir Thomas Loch, to give "Tam" his proper name, merely rehashed a quote by Gladstone from the 1880's concerning Home Rule for Ireland..... Next?

"Community clashes" - Lol, the MSM gets ever more dishonest in the way it presents the news. Let's rephrase the article by pointing out that these are sectarian clashes where 52 Pokomo who are 90% Christian and who till the land to raise crops were hacked or burnt to death by the Orma who are 95% Muslim and graze their herds with no regard to property rights or the fact that their herds are destroying planted crops.

There, simple really, tell the truth or don't bother reporting the news at all.

Ah the evil Muslim prism strikes again. What most people would see as a conflict based on resource (land & water) shortage, ethnicity and a long history of tit-for-tat raids in a desperately poor part of Kenya that has seen little development, is of course reduced down to a religious conflict, perhaps another stretch indeed for the clash of civilizations and the "coming to get you" jihadis?

Interesting how you also cast the tribe that happens to be the muslims as the evil party in this conflict.

Sadly your biggest error, which makes your criticisms of the inaccuracies of msm reporting so hilarious, is that in your rush to highlight the evil works of Muslims you have got the situation 100% backwards!

It was the Christian tribe butchering it's Muslim neighbours, hence the death toll including 60 head of cattle.

Better luck next time old boy and do try to be a bit more accurate in your accusations, anyone would think you worked for the msm!

Outstanding, talk about a self inflicted injury!

Well I suppose there's no need to let the facts stand in the way of a good story when you are on an agenda-driven crusade.

Thanks Dan for giving us such entertainment....

Des Gourmets "sounds" france?!

Dutch/Thai owners actually, so neutral tonight.

For anyone in Hang Dong or south of the city interested in this game tonight you can watch it at Des Gourmets restaurant on canal Rd between Mae Hia market and the Night Safari Rd.

Kick off at 10pm. No affiliation with the place just keen to watch the game!

To really understand Lockerbie it is important to put it in context, at least in relation to Libya.

Aug 1981 US Navy jets shoot down 2 Libyan air force planes over Gulf of Sidra (repeated in Jan 1989 with same results)

June 1985 possible Libyan link to hijacking of TWA flight 847 by Hizbollah and murder of US Navy diver.

June/Aug 1985 first 2 shipments of Libyan weaponry to IRA.

Mar 1986 US Navy planes sink 2 Libyan naval vessels and attack onshore SAM sites, 36 Libyans killed.

April 1986 LaBelle disco, Berlin, bombed by Palestinian terrorists coordinated by Libyan intelligence agent , 3 killed.

April 1986 Op El Dorado Canyon, US bomb attacks on Tripoli & Benghazi from UK air bases and US Navy carriers, 60? Libyans, 2 US pilots killed (3 UK/US hostages and 1 tourist killed in Lebanon/Jerusalem in retaliation)

July 1986 3rd Libyan shipment of 14 tons of IRA weaponry

August 1986 Libyan sponsored attack on RAF Akrotiri, key strategic base, well planned, poorly executed attack, 3 Brits injured, hushed up by UK and Cypriot governments. Carried out by UNO, Libyan-sponsored unit.

Sept 1986: Hijacking of Pan Am flight 73 in Pakistan, Abu Nidal operation but widely believed to have been Libyan initiated and supported. 20 dead.

Oct 1986 40 tons of weapons shipped to IRA

Aug 1987 Libyan-sponsored UNO gun attack and separate attempted car bomb attack on UK military in Cyprus, 2 wounded. Again hushed up.

Nov 1987 MV Eksund intercepted with 120 tons of weapons bound for IRA.

Dec 1987 possible Libyan link to Rome & Vienna airport attacks carried out by Abu Nidal, 19 dead plus 4 terrorists

Dec 1988 Lockerbie bombing, 270 dead.

Sept 1989, often overlooked and rarely mentioned outside France, UTA Flight 772, a DC10 from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and N'Djamena, Chad to Paris CGD, blew up over the Sahara Desert in

Niger. The plane's destruction was caused by a bomb packed in a grey Samsonite suitcase stored in the forward cargo hold. All 170 passengers and crew were killed.

After a lengthy investigation, six Libyan perpetrators were put on trial in absentia, Libya refusing their extradition request, and were convicted in 1999. Among those found guilty was Abdullah Senussi, Colonel Gaddafi's brother-in-law and deputy-head of Libyan Intelligence.

The motive for the bombing was France's support for Chad in its war against Libya (1978-1987) which ended in defeat for Libya.

AFP writing for

Al Arabiya News on 18 July 2011, quoted the former Libyan Foreign Minister, Abdel Rahman Shalgam who had defected to Benghazi in March 2011 saying:

"The Libyan Security Services blew up the (UTA) plane. They believed that opposition leader Mohammed al-Megrief was on board, but after the plane was blown up, it was found that he was not on the plane. The Lockerbie operation was more complex...the role of states and organisations has been discussed, and while the Libyan Services were implicated, I do not think it was a purely Libyan operation."

Libya therefore had considerable form in using/supplying third parties to undertake attacks on US & UK targets. Lockerbie would therefore fit this pattern and the similarities with the UTA attack are striking. All circumstantial but interesting. Connections with Iran and PFLPGC also quite possible as hinted at by Shalgam.

Right charmers the Libyan government were! Seems like they had the motive, experience and capability of plotting &/or outsourcing a job like the Lockerbie bombing.

Dragonair

That is a new one to me is it a economy air line like Air Asia or a regular one?

It's owned by Cathay Pacific and focuses on regional flights from HKG to Asian destinations especially in the PRC, see below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonair

Overall a pretty decent airline.

From 1 July Dragonair will be flying 4 times a week CNX to HKG, see timetable below:

Hong Kong – Chiang Mai

Wed, Sat KA232 15:05-17:10

Thu, Sun KA232 14:00-16:00

Chiang Mai – Hong Kong

Wed, Sun KA233 18:20-22:20

Thu, Sat KA233 18:30-22:30

This is initially only until 30 Sept but will throw up a different range of possible connections to the US, Europe and regionally.

Given the Air Asia CNX-MFM flight from 22 May as well it is good news for Chiang Mai, though I am a little mystified about the July-September timing of the Dragonair flights.

why not try and discount the content of my previous post!?

Some friends who are coming to stay in the summer have asked me to recommend the best place in CM to do a Thai cookery course and the best place for a spa/massage experience each day they are here.

They might as well have asked how to change a gearbox on a 1963 Mustang!!

Any recommendations? Please.

One thing I have found is that using the Post Office at the airport dramatically speeds up the arrival time of posted mail. I have had items arrive in the UK in 2 days!

The folks at the Post Office there are helpful and friendly and I have never had an issue.

Very interesting post.

Although I wonder if you are only saving at most one day as doesn't most mail go to Bangkok by truck from Chiang Mai?

Don't know exactly how it gets there but I agree it certainly gets places faster from the airport PO than from any other PO I have used!

Folium I was in West Germany when the wall came down, I saw the Trabants queueing up to get into my home town, and I saw the people cry in the street when they realized they had fed a lie for 45 years.

You have just came from one of the greatest countries in the world, which was wrecked by military dictatorship over the course of the last 48 years, and now the people are on their knees.

You compared that regressed country to Thailand. Check your OP,

We seem to be discussing this from 2 different angles.

I am not saying and have not said that Myanmar was anything other than a repressed basket case for the last 5 decades. Even during that time there was a certain magic about the country and it's people notwithstanding the appalling situation they were in.

Now with change apparently underway it is fascinating to witness change finally happening. Many Burmese mention Thailand as how they do not wish to see their country develop in terms of its tourism. Will Myanmar end up with its own versions of Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui? Possibly but perhaps after 50 years there may be sufficient desire to get it right now they finally have the chance.

I'll accept that Folium, yes there is a kind of magic in Mynamar, an old country charm if you like. When you like behind the charm though all you can see is an unremitting tragedy.

India was the Jewel in the British crown, but Burma was loved like no other. Let's not get into a Colonialism argument, but just look at the reality of Burma 1948. It probably had the best Civil Service per head of the population of any country in Asia, it had relative stability, unbelievable natural resources, it had major companies such as Burmah Oil, the Anglo-Burma Tin Mining company, it has one of the largest shipping fleets in the world, alongside an educated middle class with outstanding multi-lingual abilities and a tremendous ethnic mix.

It was a stunning country at the date of Independence, and what happened after was a human catastrophe.

So yes, go look and admire the fading architecture, the ramshackle roads, the decrepit vehicles and down trodden people who will flash you a smile and treat you kindly. Go see the Burma Banks and go up to the mountain ranges, the stunning temples etc you get the idea. But look at it with sadness for what might have been.

I wouldn't swap the post-war history of Thailand as compared to Burma.

On your other point about the possible effects of the country opening up and suffering some negative consequences as a result, I agree. There will be negative consequences for some, There will be a mad dash to industrialization, to build massive sea ports, to build a tourist infrastructure etc.

That is the price of progress, of freedom, of people having the choice and ability to improve their lives. I think we would all like a Time Machine so that we can go back and sample places of yore, but yore is where they will stay......welcome to the future!!

edited for clarity

Without being too nitpicky and considering your previous saltire profile picture your comment about Burma's shipping fleet is very close to home. I presume you are referring to the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. Built in Scotland and shipped out to Burma for reassembly, this Scottish run company was indeed at one time the world's largest river fleet. Operated until the Japanese invasion when the whole flotilla was scuttled to deny their use to the Japanese.

Burma always had a disproportionate number of Scots and was known as a little slice of Scotland. Makes you feel proud I'm sure!

I have been on the road lately to Manila, KL, Ho Chi Minh, and Phnom Penh as well as smaller places in the countryside. And yes, there are seeming advantages to each over Bangkok/Thailand. KL is cleaner and less crowded, Manila more international, and both have far mroe English-speaking people. HCM and Phnom Penh have more of that Joseph Conrad/English Empire feel. I can understand how HCM and PP might be attractive to a short time visitor, They are more exotic, more wild.

But maybe as I get older, I like to come back home to a nice condo after work. I like my clean gym. I like going to the mall or Villa and picking up western food. I like getting delicious Thai food most anywhere I go. I like knowing that I can get quality medical care should i need it. I like good internet connections.

I might like to sit in an open-air restaurant in PP, sipping on a cold juice and watching the Tonlé Sap flow by, but after the second or third day, I would be getting mighty bored.

Not taking anything away from those other places, I am quite content in Thailand, warts and all.

For me Thailand is a convenient, well connected and well served location in terms of healthcare, education, connectivity etc. It's a good base but I spend few vacations within the country as there are far more interesting options elsewhere in the region, including Myanmar.

Thailand's rather like an everyday drinking bottle of wine, dependable, does the job but there's a lot of other options out there if you are so inclined.

Some people like to settle into a place and make it home, others live out of a suitcase and are always up for a new challenge, destination or excitement. I fall squarely into the second group but can see the other approach's attractions. I'm just not that type of person.

Old cliche: if we all wanted the same thing at the same time, there would be one mighty long queue. So thank goodness that people think and operate differently.

two thoughts spring to mind...

Firstly if Thaksin did not exist would posters on this topic still be so keen on the military's existing legal right top stage a coup whenever it suits? Is this just Thai-style flawed democracy?

Secondly the ever-charming and softly spoken General Prayuth commented the other day in respect of the Nittirat group and its proposals:

''If you guys play hard ball, I'll have no choice but to do so too.''

Is this all a bit of "all talk and no trousers" or are we going to be seeing a rerun of what the Thai military does best?

See below for some gratuitous heavy metal pictures from 1932, 2006 and the latest toy acquired by the RTA, the Ukrainian Oplot, conveniently allocated to cavalry units either in or within easy striking range of Bangkok. The only downside is that the Oplots weigh over twice that of the ancient M41s and will really rip up the tarmac in downtown BKK.

Interesting article recently published on this subject.

Seems that some things never change in LOS. See below:

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2012/01/07/thailands-soldiers-of-political-fortune/

CM could do with some improvement.

If the government moves up here that would mean all the diplomats, media types and assorted hangers on have to move also. It would certainly change the demographics of the farang population.

As Myanmar & Laos open up and the links with China come online, CM would become a regionally crucial centre.

Where's the downside?

Speaking of fire, we're into that time of year when you see (almost) nightly small forest fires on the hills. It's mostly the undergrowth that burns off, not whole trees and things, but at night it makes for an interesting display.

Hell of a lot of burning last night from the direction of Samoeng.

Driving down to Mae Sot there is burning, or evidence of, the whole way and it looks like Mischief Night Detroit-style looking west into Burma.

I served 25 years, boy and man the the Royal Air Force.

I was and still am proud of it.

Ha'way the crabs! Per ardua ad astra.

Scaly back in British Army served 12 years

If you ain't cav, you just ain't!!

Looks like the curse of OneWorld strikes again as Malev, having skirted near-death experiences for a while finally brings down the shutters, joining Canadian & Mexicana as terminal members of OneLife.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16866872

Zombie members include JAL, AA (though the ever generous Chapter 11 will stave off the inevitable creative destruction) and the not even fully fledged member Kingfisher.

Hope someone has tipped off Air Berlin & Malaysian, who are due to join the club in the next 18 months. Can't see Tony Fernandes being a big fan.

Ironically core members BA, Iberia, Finnair, Cathay, Jordanian & Qantas rumble on, but LAN (now S.America's biggest airline) may flee the ship now it has finalised its takeover of Brazil's TAM.

Jump on a flight (Air Bagan or Mandalay by choice) up to Nyang-U and spend a couple of days at Bagan (one of the most amazing places in Asia). Mandalay ok for a day but no great shakes nowadays apart from the name.

Or go to the beach at Ngapali (fly Yangon - Thandwe) for an unspoilt great beach.

Travelling by road is long, uncomfortable and no fun with children.

Not the cheapest option but with 8 days a real shame not to experience more of Myanmar rather than the inside of a bus.

You can fix up the flights when you get to Yangon, just shop around or check out Thorn Tree or Tripadvisor forums on Yangon for latest info.

Handy little tips on etiquette and phraseology in link below (including your monitor lizard and a painful act with a duck).

http://www.knowphuket.com/thai_language/L23_insults.htm

Hi Nxai Pan.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Just to be clear, I'm not looking to do a vacation, but would just like to save money and time and get back to Chiang Mai and back to work. Are you saying these options are better than traveling to the capitals of Laos and Cambodia for price/speed?

1. Boat trip to Luang Prabang (take the more civilised one not the boneshaker speedboat or backpacker cattle boat). Fly back on Laos airlines to CNX for 90 days visa.
   
2. Fly to Kunming on China Eastern (Chinese visa from efficient consulate here in CM) and explore Yunnan. Might be a bit chilly this time of year.
   
3. Fly to KL for a bit of shopping and....not a lot else. Air Asia direct flight, book ahead can be pretty cheap.
   
4. Fly to Singapore direct on Silk (x3 week?) or cheaper on AA daily. Serious shopping, serious credit card hit.
   
5. 3 times a week CNX to Yangon on Air Bagan. See Burma before the rest of the world gets there. Amazing place, but visa needs trip to Bangkok or through travel agent in CM though.
   

For cheapest/quickest option KL is probably your best bet, but why not make a trip of it and go to Luang Prabang or Bagan in Myanmar (2 of the best places IMHO in SE Asia)?

Or just play around on AA's website and see what silly prices you can get flying out of BKK on dates that suit you. if this is your last trip why not make it a great one? Vietnam, Bali, Sri Lanka....

As you are working on your suntan and want a quick turnaround to get back to your sunbed your best options (taking 4/5 Feb as a random weekend therefore not interrupting the working/tanning week) are:

AA to KUL 5000THB plus hotel night

AA to SIN (actually on 18/19 Feb) 5500THB plus hotel

Bangkok/MAS to KUL 17,000THB done in the day on 4 Feb

Laos Airlines to LPQ 15,000THB plus hotel (online price, less if you go to Laos agent in town) plus visa cost

No entry visa cost for KUL or SIN.

That's enough playing travel agent, well at least doing it for free!

Whoops got my USD -> THB conversions muddled.

For the LPQ trip the online fare is about US$295 and thus THB9000, rather than YHB15000.

If you haven't been to LP I would recommend it highly as a great spot for a weekend, French food, Beer Lao at giveaway prices, cheap places to stay and a wonderful town.

Hi Nxai Pan.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Just to be clear, I'm not looking to do a vacation, but would just like to save money and time and get back to Chiang Mai and back to work. Are you saying these options are better than traveling to the capitals of Laos and Cambodia for price/speed?

1. Boat trip to Luang Prabang (take the more civilised one not the boneshaker speedboat or backpacker cattle boat). Fly back on Laos airlines to CNX for 90 days visa.
   
2. Fly to Kunming on China Eastern (Chinese visa from efficient consulate here in CM) and explore Yunnan. Might be a bit chilly this time of year.
   
3. Fly to KL for a bit of shopping and....not a lot else. Air Asia direct flight, book ahead can be pretty cheap.
   
4. Fly to Singapore direct on Silk (x3 week?) or cheaper on AA daily. Serious shopping, serious credit card hit.
   
5. 3 times a week CNX to Yangon on Air Bagan. See Burma before the rest of the world gets there. Amazing place, but visa needs trip to Bangkok or through travel agent in CM though.
   

For cheapest/quickest option KL is probably your best bet, but why not make a trip of it and go to Luang Prabang or Bagan in Myanmar (2 of the best places IMHO in SE Asia)?

Or just play around on AA's website and see what silly prices you can get flying out of BKK on dates that suit you. if this is your last trip why not make it a great one? Vietnam, Bali, Sri Lanka....

As you are working on your suntan and want a quick turnaround to get back to your sunbed your best options (taking 4/5 Feb as a random weekend therefore not interrupting the working/tanning week) are:

AA to KUL 5000THB plus hotel night

AA to SIN (actually on 18/19 Feb) 5500THB plus hotel

Bangkok/MAS to KUL 17,000THB done in the day on 4 Feb

Laos Airlines to LPQ 15,000THB plus hotel (online price, less if you go to Laos agent in town) plus visa cost

No entry visa cost for KUL or SIN.

That's enough playing travel agent, well at least doing it for free!

1. Boat trip to Luang Prabang (take the more civilised one not the boneshaker speedboat or backpacker cattle boat). Fly back on Laos airlines to CNX for 90 days visa.
   
2. Fly to Kunming on China Eastern (Chinese visa from efficient consulate here in CM) and explore Yunnan. Might be a bit chilly this time of year.
   
3. Fly to KL for a bit of shopping and....not a lot else. Air Asia direct flight, book ahead can be pretty cheap.
   
4. Fly to Singapore direct on Silk (x3 week?) or cheaper on AA daily. Serious shopping, serious credit card hit.
   
5. 3 times a week CNX to Yangon on Air Bagan. See Burma before the rest of the world gets there. Amazing place, but visa needs trip to Bangkok or through travel agent in CM though.
   

For cheapest/quickest option KL is probably your best bet, but why not make a trip of it and go to Luang Prabang or Bagan in Myanmar (2 of the best places IMHO in SE Asia)?

Or just play around on AA's website and see what silly prices you can get flying out of BKK on dates that suit you. if this is your last trip why not make it a great one? Vietnam, Bali, Sri Lanka....

Waste of a good piece of cardboard and directed totally at the wrong people

Its a business owned by Thais, run by thais and its thais who have the full responsibility of it and any consequences that come of it, but as always the best scenario is to blame the farang when in actuality its just thais causing problems for other thais.

I feel for the residents but they really have no chance when you consider who owns and runs that establishement, if it were me I would be shopping for some double glazing cause its going to be a long term problem that is not going away anytime soon.

DK

Some Farangs on vacation seem impervious to things around them and immune to the law. Walking down the street smoking weed, throwing beer bottles, stopping traffic while crossing the street cause their tired of waiting, grabbing girls assuming they are all prostitutes, yelling at the top of their lungs cause they're free and in Thailand.

Basicly behavior of a freshly released primate in general.

Of course resident farangs wouldn't dream of behaving like that.