hanno

Asian Emerald Cuckoo. Good bird!

There is a big news item in today's Bkk Post about plans to build a port somewhere in Krabi province - mainly to handle coal for a coal-fired electric plant run by EGAT. Needless to say, the EIR (environmental report) was not properly established, and more than a few locals are annoyed about the plan. The article didn't specify where the coal fired plant will be.

I visit Burma often, and one of the biggest differences between Burma and Thailand, is how quick and eager Thailand is in destroying nature and covering it with concrete and asphalt. I call it the 'Chinafication' of Thailand. It also compounds flooding, because there's less soil for water to soak into. Bkk gets a major flood every 5 years. the last biggie was 2011, so get ready for 2016.

And Myanmar is even more "Chinafied" than LOS. How do you think the Generals amassed all their fortunes. If you visit often, you must surely have seen the endless streams of barges heading down the Irrawaddy carrying ebony and rosewood? And you must be aware of all the areas conveniently closed off to foreigners where all the mining goes on, turning areas into moonscapes (and poisoning man and land in the process)?

Quality Mothering !!

As parents will tell you, you cannot watch children every minute of every day. Do you want them tied / chained to a chair or something?

I doubt the detergent had a safety cap on it. Such things are more of a rarity in Thailand. Plus lack of education in the matters of dangers associated with bleach and other household cleaning materials.

Yes, the detergent and any other similar products should be placed out of the reach of children, but none of us are perfect and mistakes happen.

'... and mistakes happen.'

The same kind that sees kids three and four up, with parents, on a motorbike? Are those the kind of mistakes you're referring to?

If a started a thread on how nice the weather is, it would descend into Thai bashing within 3 posts as well.

Let's take the US for example: all educated, all safety checks in place, no kids on motorbikes, and no avoidable infant deaths. Thats i, if they do not shoot themselves or others....

Honestly, I never quite understand the fuss. I have been running, cycling and biking in SE Asia for 20 years and never had an issue. Maybe I have been lucky, but I would be a lot more scared of the massive dogs back home than the mutts here.

The 'fuss' is constant barking, biting, spreading of disease (soi dogs) pissing and shitting and being a traffic hazzard. Reason is a total waste of time with owners who think it's normal to go to work for ten hours and leave their dogs in the yard barking all day long, poison or move are the only options here. When it comes to soi dogs mass culling needs to be done on a nationwide scale, namby pamby neutering of a few thousand by western do gooders is at most a useless drop in the dog poo. Soi dogs are a health risk and a menace and need to be KILLED OFF.

The "namby pamby neutering" as you so eloquently put it, has worked in other countries. I am pretty sure that many Western European countries were awash at the beginning of the last century; not really that long ago.

drinking, fighting, spreading of disease) pissing and shitting and being a traffic hazzard

Seen plenty of those hanging out in bars in Thailand, but killing them off seems a little too radical and they are to old for a need to be castrated....

If you are interested in changing things long term, you could always support the Soi Dog Foundation: http://www.soidog.org/en/about-soi-dog/

I liked your post but misunderstood what the Soidog.org group was all about.

Once I viewed their website I realised it is a charity dedicated to save and re-home the poor mutts whilst likely lining their own pockets from donations, in the bargain.

I don't want to see the soi dogs "rescued". I want to see them gone (in other words, I don't want to see them at all).

Quickest and most humane way to do this is to just make an example of them to their owners and/or those who might care about them.

Call me "harsh" if you will but, in some instances, tough love is the best love of all.

You did not read all, they also castrate and neuter dogs and cats, which is the only way to control the problem. When I grew up in Kenya, we had the same problem until a neutering campaign was started.

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear
And to throw them down from off the top seemed quite a good idea
But the gaffer wasn't very pleased, he was an awful sod
He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod.

Hi got off light!

I think the cruise company got of lightly!!!! They paid a measly Million Euros for all charges to be dropped and without having to explain why elevator doors stayed open, emergency generators did not work, bulkhead doors didn't close, etc.

Sure, the captain is a whinger who blames everyone except himself but certainly the operator had questions to answer as well.

Get pepper spray as the authorities won't do anything. Just don't hit yourself;-)

Where can I get pepper spray.

Seen it at pretty much every night market. Probably illegal and you might want to try to see it actually works before you piss off a bunch of dogs .

I try and keep it simple and try for the following goals:

3 helpings of fruit

3 helpings of veggies

2 helpings of lean meat or fish

2 helpings of nuts or seeds

2 helpings of whole grains

2 helpings of dairy

No refined grains, sweets, fried foods, or fatty proteins.

Of course I do not achieve this every single day but I do OK overall.

Honestly, I never quite understand the fuss. I have been running, cycling and biking in SE Asia for 20 years and never had an issue. Maybe I have been lucky, but I would be a lot more scared of the massive dogs back home than the mutts here.

Common practice in this part of the world (same in Vietnam and Cambodia) so why get hung up about it? What annoys me when restaurants/hotels charge service charge but do not pass it on to the staff.

Make yourself a nice pot of tea and take a deep breath

I think I prefer the Thai cops.......

Same in the US. I think women will eventually just be born with a cellphone as part of their hand with their next mutation.

I have seen plenty of men with phones glued to their hands or ears. Preferably in a train/airport lounge/cinema discussing all this multi-million Dollar deals they are working on .

Tempest in a tea cup, me thinks. You don't like the table they give you' ask to move without ifs and buts. I work in a hotel and of course we try and maximize revenue but we will always try and accommodate guests and certainly won't move them once seated because a larger group comes in.

Yes, I agree; these scams should be stopped; they are a disgrace.

On the other hand these are the days of constant Internet and Google, the information is all out there. Oh, and some common sense helps, too.

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

He's only 21 so he may have been born in Australia to parents that made Australia their home decades ago, "Pseudo Australian" is a bit presumptuous.

Especially from another immigrant but then I find they are usually the worst.

Funny guy who believes his own dreams 555+

He works for TAT HH.

I have no association with any business in HH, but the last couple of times I was there; both hotels I stayed in were full by all appearances.

No excuse for violence but maybe there was a little more to it than Mr. Yang just "taking out B100".

I am with you on that one, arthurwait. Last couple of times I stayed down the road a little bit in Pranburi and found that very pleasant.

What did he say?

Get a pole to put the TV on?

He was German and circa 1939?

Cheap shot, not sure what nationality has to do with it.