zyphodb

A hard day at Bangkok flower market...

Fujifilm finepicx F30

My wife cooking Bamboo shoots on the farm...

Lumix FZ200 on Inteli auto

Expensive mushrooms??? Hallucinatory ones I've heard of but expensive???

Something lost in the translation I think....

Well of course they did, you wouldn't for a second expect them to say anything else would you?????

WARNING SARCASM !!!!!!!!

The Gov had a budget a year or 2 ago & the Chiang company reduced the size of the bottles from 640 to 630 ml & reduced the beer %age to 6.0% (as the extra tax was calculated on the % alcohol) to keep the price increase down allegedly... This year the budget has come again & they've reduced the %age again down to 5.8% & put it up 15 Bht for 12 big bottles...

I agree with you, its my favorite Thai beer & the taste does change each time, However, to me anyway it still tastes better than all the other Thai beers including its draught & export versions, they all taste "tinny" to me... Anyway yes, bloody annoying...

"....however he went on to say that roughly 80% of all the expenditure was nicked by the administrators and their sycophants in the Ministry, and this was no increase from the previous year. The fact that the school rolls have reduced therefore means more money was actually spent on each child this year compared to last year. This is a positive sign for the education system and we proved we have bigger balls than Vietnam, Laos, and Nepal because we don't mind throwing money at a dead horse".

Maths, education, and the economy - Thai style.

run out of likes so

I live in rural Isaan, driving at night is a complete no no unless you have a deathwish, vehicles & animals including Elephants, of all shapes & sizes with no lights, coming at you from all directions mostly off their faces on Lao Chow, (not the animals it's to be hoped). A very bad place to be driving after dark.....

Well he would say that wouldn't he....

We are going through the hilarious circus called the 'Thai education system'. Tuition fees for our kids are alright but just a fraction of the real costs.

All the different uniforms, shoes, bags, books, mandatory English class, and extra curricular cash demands are raising it by another 200% at least.

We just paid 1,000 baht per child to get their names embroidered on the shirts. We can afford it, but I can imagine a lot of parents are struggling with this.

Not only do they make you pay to have your child's name embroidered on their uniforms, this is also a cunning ploy to stop you handing down the uniforms to your younger children, instead forcing you to buy new each time to further line their pockets, Thai education is all about the educators making money & the child's education comes in at a distant second place to that. Just what the Elite want a ignorant, easily manipulated population...

To be honest I think I would have got more sense out of the local government hospital but they don't speak English, not even a little bit...

A Thai doctor in a local private hospital looked at the result of my blood test, reckoned that I must have had it for at least a year, gave me a big bollicking for not having it checked sooner, gave me some pills & told me to come back in 2 weeks for more blood tests... no idea why they didn't tell me which type. He did speak English but as far as I could see really wasn't interested in dealing with "stupid" falangs....

Hence I need to sort this out for myself until I can find a sensible Doctor anyway...

Thanks again for the advice, I'm drinking Cinnamon tea every morning & also eating the equivalent of a dessert spoon of Aloe Vera gel every day which is also supposed to help,I cant see how either of these could possibly do any harm & Im perfectly capable of recognising the symptoms of hyperglycemia & dealing with it, but I wont really know until I can test my own blood sugar, haven't been told whether I'm type 1 or 2 yet. short of going to Khon Khen or Korat which are both 600 Km round trips I haven't got a lot of faith in the local Thai Doctors, even in the Provincial capitals private hospitals. Knowing how Thais pass Degrees etc. isn't exactly encouraging...

Still, early days....

Thanks for all this advice people, especially Nancy, who hopefully has answered where to find one...

thanks mike, the trouble with getting one shipped is how long it takes to arrive if it does, & if the Thai customs look & decide to put a hefty import tax on it, So I'm going to realistically, have to buy one here, while it would be nice to buy the one you recommend, I think that i will be very lucky to find it or anything "good" here, but something is better than nothing & the sooner I can get one & start to control my diabetes the better, living 60km from the nearest English speaking Doctor I've go to be pro-active about this...

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For those stating there is no middle class in Thailand, you need to get out more.

I agree it's not huge and it's primarily (but not solely) Bangkok based but there's a middle class.

totally agree.

i have a feeling that most foreigners here only ever know and have contact with low class, uneducated thais and know nothing about thai society beyond that limited view

my thai friends are almost all well educated; chula, thammasat, ABAC, many have studied masters abroad or have travelled abroad, most can speak English to a proficient level. they are professionals or have middle/senior management positions or own their own business. they care about the education of their children and are prepared to pay to send them to a good school.

they are what we in the west would describe as middle class

Living here, & having travelled all over Thailand including Bangkok where the vast majority of these "educated" middle class Thais live, what percentage of the population would you say they are? I would hazard a guess at 5% & id say that was being optimistic.... I think its you that needs to get out more.....

I think it largely depends on which private hospital you go to, One nameless chain which ambulances take you to by default in a lot of tourist areas have completely insane prices which are obviously set at rates to fleece health insurance companies, wobetide the uninsured who wake up at one of these hospitals, I've known people who've woken up to bills of 50000 + bahts just for being stabilised & spending 12 hours unconscious there... & they take your passport until you pay the bill if you were unfortunate enough to have it with you at the time, although this is illegal T.I.T

Hi people,

coming into Chang Mai later this week, I've been recently diagnosed as Diabetic & need to buy one of the above so I can monitor & control my Diabetes. does anyone know a shop/Pharmacy where I could buy one?

I live out in the sticks in Isaan so don't go to "proper" cities very often, so the help would be much appreciated....

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ANY drug dealers or users deserve what they get.

So does that include tobacco and alcohol, both bigger killers than any illegal drugs.

Last time I saw a smoker they weren't breaking into houses to steal stuff to pay for their habit. Or rampaging out of control like a wild animal after smoking 5 cigarettes in a row.

You obviously havent ever had experience with Meth users and the harm to others and themselves that they can cause so will cut you some slack on your tired old analogy.

I will take the bait on this one.

Firstly, the original post said (ANY drug dealer or user) which implies ANY drugs since no distinction was made.

That would mean anyone whom has taken aspirin, panadol, vaccinations, anti-biotics, (alcohol, cigarettes), contraceptive medication, ointments for burns, cuts, blisters etc etc etc. is a drug user and deserves what they get.. (hopefully that includes an infection free cut or a head that is ache free...??) ( as a side note: I agree that we all should get what we deserve on all levels eg. if you present yourself or children for vaccinations without performing adeqate due dilegence regarding their ineffectiveness then you probably deserve the consequences - the lesson being not to trust corporations or their hijacked governments to tell us the truth, especially when billions in profits are concerned).

However, I will presume based on the article that the OP was referring to illegal drugs.

If this is the case, then the original statement (ANY drug dealers or users deserve what they get), is so incredibly short-sighted, it perhaps stems from either a bad experience related to 'illegal' substances or a distinct lack of knowledge and understanding surrounding the issue of 'drugs', and not from any form of critical thinking stemming from independent research.

Lets not also forget that many of the gunmen responsible for various massacres and shootings were reportedly taking or trying to 'come off', anti-depressants. ( I have never read claims about a gunmen being stoned or on crack, heroin, speed, mushrooms, LSD etc, but would be interested in seeing the blood toxicology reports if they existed).

There are zero recorded deaths attributed to smoking cannabis, so please explain to the readers why you think its banned, why its so dangerous, how it ruins lives, & how it encroaches on societies ability to self-regulate therefore requiring government intervention, (please provide irrefutable scientific and historical facts)

Top cops have gone on the record to say that during their time on the force they had never made a house call or an arrest regarding a violent pot smoker... now compare this to alcohol and other legal substances and the argument should be concluded.

May I suggest you make a distinction next time considering 'drugs' and their 'uses' and 'users' on the premise that cannabis should be labeled a food or medicinal plant and not placed in the same category as purely man made substances.

But now that there is long standing and increasing evidence to prove the countless medical benefits of cannabis, things are changing. Monsanto is already creating GMO pot so they can patent it and then control it too which is the dominant reason for its original ban (it was too difficult to regulate since anyone could grow it). Same story with mushrooms and other beneficial psychedelics and such as DMT and LSD. (the latter now demonstrating their superiority over all other pharma based anti-depressants)

What of the increasing claims that the 'illegal' drug trade is dominated by high-end government officials therefore will remain illegal to allow for maximum profits? I smell another rat.

On one hand the government lies about the statistics regarding the use and societal damage caused by 'illegal' drugs because if the truth was exposed the public would realize that the so called 'War on Drugs' has only exacerbated the problem whilst making some very influential people filthy rich. On the other hand, you have the hidden truth regarding the insane number of deaths and permanent injury caused by pharmaceutical drugs - Iatrogenicide (not just overdosing and contraindication cases - but outright misdiagnosis), collusion between government regulating bodies ie, FDA, USDA, CDC etc and big industry and the desperate push by the United Nations to enforce Agenda 21 and Codex Alimentarius to replace our natural food chain with laboratory created monstrosities, exponentially increasing the rate of cancers & debilitating illness, wholly supported via consent by the people by virtue of them voting - (yes voting is a scam created to acquire the consent of the people via deceit so as to not abrogate freewill). Yes, you are in the midst of a spiritual war you probably don't yet see)

As 'concerned' citizens we should question the motives of the legislators far more than we do.

Exposing the truth regarding the drug industry (both legal and illegal) would make this a very lengthy article but hopefully this is enough to encourage some real research into the subject and increase healthy debate.

It also serves as a small reminder that things are not always as they appear especially when it comes to drugs and the governments stance for or against them.

This excerpt below alludes to the criminal behaviour of those responsible for the labeling or defining of words associated with legislation surrounding drugs and is certainly thought provoking.

This notice and disclaimer regards recently passed FDA regulations, section 201(g)(1)( of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the dangerous deceptive Act itself [21 U.S.C. ; 321(g)(1)( defining a "drug" as ANYTHING said, written, or claimed to "cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any disease, ailment, or illness." Sunlight is a "drug" under these laws for curing infantile jaundice as per claims written in medical textbooks.

Soon you will need a permit or a prescription to go outside, since the sun has tremendous healing properties.

BE FULLY INFORMED AND WARNED: regardless of what the FDA and these laws say; as clearly the word "DRUG" like the word "immunization" has been redefined in an organized criminal conspiracy to enable the pharmaceutical industry to control natural healing methods, materials, their manufacturers, distributors, and consumers; "DRUG" is hereby responsibly decreed to mean, "Degenerative Regulators Undermining Go(o)d" as evidenced by the FDA's violation of Federal RICO laws section 901(a) of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (Pub.L. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922, enacted 1970-10-15), and Chapter 96 of Title 18 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. ; 1961-1968, as well as the documented despicable effect of FDA-approved drugs--the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States according to published medical statistics.

http://www.fluscam.com/FLUscam.com/FDA.html

(i just noticed the woman in the photo has earings that represent a 6 pointed star... This is very telling and shows with whom her allegiance resides)

Bait taken nicely mate

Always nostalgic to look at UK pics, what I think we all forget living here is just how cold, windy & wet it is... especially that freezing winter North-Easterly that blows around that part of the country...

Brrrrrrrrr.....

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"achievements on the social front over the past six months"

- Closing down broadcast stations for controversal opinions and unapproved NCPO topics

- Firing of tv moderator for asking questions that create "conflict"

- Threaten news media with execution for not making happiness news

- Impose censorship on news media

- Prevent academic lectures and seminars on unapproved NCPO topics

- Impose Article 44 to curb Thais of their rights & liberties

- Use of cyber laws to obstruct freedom of speech in social media

There is only one kind of government that would see these actions as "achievements." And it's not a democractically elected government but another that starts with D.

And what exactly did the last "democratically" elected government achieve in it's first six months, 12 months, 2 years, in office?

I do remember their placed senior policeman in charge of cyber police warning anyone who dared to even click like on a comment criticizing PTP or their cronies would be hunted down and prosecuted let alone those traitors who dared write such things.

Or the scandal of foreign aid sent to help in the flooding being pilfered and sold at high prices by PTP workers - all hushed up of course.

Or a cartoonist being sued for defamation and hounded and threatened by Tharit

Or the Four Season's secret meeting and the lies told denying it; and the murder of the only witness speaking out, which was solved instantly by Chalerm, almost before it happened - "it was the driver".

Or Yingluck running up more air miles than any previous leader, attending parliament far less than any previous leader, and lying whenever it suited her.

Or the initiating of the infamous rice pledging scheme, the launching of the "give us 2.2 trillion and just trust us with it" get rich club, and first machinations on how to give Thaksin a whitewash of his crimes, outstanding charges and anything that might crawl out the woodwork in the future.

The biggest success of course was the issuing of an illegal replacement passport, at a time when the country was devastated by the worst floods in living memory, which required special opening of the Foreign Ministry passport office, for a convicted criminal fugitive; and then hand delivery of the passport by the Foreign Minister himself, all at tax payers expense; and refusing to answer any questions the Ombudsman kept asking. They have still not answered the question almost 4 years later. What a success!

Any more successes you care to add?

How is incompetence of past governments any justification for incompetence of current governments? If you overthrow a government by force, based on being the "good" ones, doesn't that hold you to just a slightly higher standard? So far, the junta has not even come close to even a slightly higher standard.

It's almost as if the justification for the coup was really just a smokescreen for a different motive...

Almost???????

My all time favorite is probably Breathe by Pink Floyd, a big favorite amongst my little family at the moment is this.....

I want to embed a youtube video in my reply, could someone please explain how you do this?

Nobody can do mental arithmetic in Thailand... apart from assorted falangs & aliens of course... If suddenly all the pocket calculators stopped working here the country would grind to a halt, no Thai can be bothered to learn this, too boring.....

With regards to the construction I would recommend one of 2 options:

A) hire all workers directly and you manage the construction yourself.

hire a construction manager or company to do the work

Either way buy all material yourself. Construction companies tend to make most money from the material and often use low quality material to optimize their profits. If you buy material yourself it's cheaper and better quality. Also option a) is usually a lot cheaper. The only downside is that you have to find workers yourself but really isn't a problem here in Thailand. Price difference between option a and b is usually a lot so if you have time managing it yourself definitely hire workers yourself.

Hope that helps.

Wise words, as a retired builder who has been through this & knows a lot of others who also have built homes here, Buy your own materials, whatever you do pay in at least 4 stages: eg 1. groundwork septic tank, pipes to foundations etc 2. posts & roof, 3.walls, windows & doors, 4. everything else. The main pitfalls are, If you manage it yourself :

1. Thai workers will tell you that they can do anything you ask them to, regardless of their ability or lack of it...

2. They will pretend to listen to you telling them how you want it done, & then completely ignore what you have told them & do it how they think it should be done, which is invariably wrong.

3. They will not turn up quite often & give you ridiculous excuses + if they get bored with the whole thing or you telling them what to do they will just stop coming to work altogether.

Using a construction manager or Company you will be charged way over they odds & they will cut every corner that they can, Agree on a total price before you start & buy your own materials & insist on STAGE PAYMENTS Often the company will get to stage 2 or 3, decide that they are not making enough money & pull out, leaving you having to find another set of builders.

The good side is that your design looks mostly Thai so theres a good chance you will find people who actually have the skills to build it. Another problem is most of the good builders go to work in Bangkok where they can charge a lot more money , you will be left with the rest...

And finally, good luck... Building here is usually a hugely frustrating process but rewarding in the end.....

Does anyone know if you still need to put a slip in your passport every 90 days?