dougrobinson2024

Looks like the handwriting was on the wall, way back last year. I guess I was right: Thailand is going puritanical.

Hey, I've been going to SuperBaby a lot in the last few day and keep hearing these chipmunk style versions of big hits like Kylie Minogue's "Cant get you out of my head" and others. They sound like a choir of chipmunks singing it! Funny as ######!!

What is this? Who is doing it? Where can I hear more! They are sanuk mak mak!!!!

(No, it's not the drugs)!!

I guess if you ae seeking answers in a "murder/drugs/alcohol/suicide/farang" investigation you may just as well use the expertise of your skeleton staff

Yes, but only if they work on the graveyard shift!

Here we go again, from PattayaMail:

Copycat suicide claims life of foreign resident

Here's the story:

Copycat suicide claims life of foreign resident

Boonlua Chatree

Local police received a report of the death of a foreigner from the man’s uncle in the Kao Karat condominium at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon.

Police and Sawang Boriboon personnel arrived at the condo unit to meet Robert Jeangeot (sic) the dead man’s uncle. He told officers that he had just returned from an afternoon out, to find his nephew, Olivier Broque dead in their shared apartment.

Olivier Broque in happier times with his daughter.

Initial investigations revealed no signs of a struggle or any suspicious markings on the man’s body. Olivier Broque had apparently died from asphyxiation after placing a plastic bag over his head and sealing it airtight with tape around his neck.

The man’s uncle was at a loss for an explanation but told police that his nephew was a quiet man and kept to himself.

The body was taken to the forensic institute for a post mortem examination.

A similar suicide took place last month in a Soi 8 hotel with the Dutch tourist also taping a bag over his head.

Right... so if you were to commit suicide, you'd put a bag over your head and take the time to tape it off. Then try to ignore your own involuntary, desparate clawings at your own head, trying to rip through the plastic!

In Thai, try:

"Who sells the chicken egg?"

Doug

Sigh....  now they are banning 18 songs for being too naughty..  I think this has got to be a back-lash from the Thai version of the "moral majority"...  How could a country, known world-wide for it's openess and live-and-let-live attitude, swing so far back?

See: BIG BROTHER: You can't be serious!

Here's the text, just in case the page disappears:

BIG BROTHER: You can't be serious!

BANGKOK: Our moral guardians want to ban 18 'offensive' songs, including one that has been around for 20 years

The Culture Ministry's fight for the moral high ground is approaching new levels with its latest plan to ban 18 songs about love affairs which it deems offensive to "public decency".

The banned songs include those by two well-known artists, Suthep Wongkamhaeng and Chai Muang-sing.

The ministry wants the Public Relations Department to stop state-run radio and TV station broadcasting the songs.

Permanent Secretary to the Culture Ministry MR Chakrarot Chitrabongs said yesterday that the ministry's Cultural Watch Centre had determined that the songs had "improper" content and should be banned.

Chakrarot said he did not think the ban would violate individual rights, but allowing such songs to air could be regarded as violating the rights of people who disliked them.

Rather than being overly conservative, Chakrarot said, the agency was simply doing its job in preventing possible negative changes to society.

National Broadcasting Board member Phra Mahachow Thassa-neeyo said that, at the ministry's request, his board had warned record labels not to distribute songs that could be construed as encouraging sexual promiscuity or marital infidelity.

"If the warning is ignored, songs of this nature might face a permanent ban on all broadcasting outlets," the monk said.

Suthep said yesterday that he was surprised that his song, "Pid Tang Rak" (Wrong Way to Love), faces a ban nearly 20 years after its release.

"I see nothing wrong with the lyrics. The song is about a man who falls in love with a woman, but it's a one-sided affair - as if he's in a dream world. There's nothing immoral or provocative," the veteran singer said.

"I will have to explain this to the committee that deals with the matter," Suthep said.

He said the Culture Ministry should think about banning newer songs that contain vulgar and suggestive lyrics about indecent behaviour, particularly those in the look thung (folk music) genre.

Actress Sinjai Plengpanich, who sang the original "Chan Rak Pua Khao" (I Love Her Husband), one of the songs set to face the Culture Ministry ban, said such songs merely reflected events in society, but would not encourage people to do indecent things.

Sinjai said the song in question was more popular among adults than children.

"I agree that some songs are unsuitable for younger people. If the Culture Ministry is really serious about keeping order on the content of songs, they should set up a ratings system to designate the intended listeners," Sinjai said.

Jintana Suksanan, a fan of singer Lhong Longlai, yesterday voiced disagreement to the ban on his song "Choo" (Lover).

She said the lyrics were intended to be sarcastic and amusing - an evident characteristic of look thung songs - rather than encouraging indecent behaviour.

"Serious people don't listen to this kind of music [look thung]," she added.

--------------------

Banned

Excerpts from some of the compositions on the Ministry of

Culture's blacklist of immoral songs:

"I Fear No Sins" by Yinglee Sreechumpol

"I know you have a wife, I've got used to that and I don't

care,

All I can do is look at you; I want to hold your heart,

Let them gossip, I don't care, I don't want to fight with her,

You are married, yet so tempting"

***

"My Wife Had An Affair" by Chai Muangsing

"My wife has had an affair, it's the talk of the town,

She left years of marriage and our children behind,

My blue-blooded sweetheart, you don't care about morals,

Always acting like Western stars do"

***

"I Love Her Husband" by Sinjai Plengpanich

"I am obsessed with a secret love for her husband,

People will call me names for loving her husband,

But forget about the ####, it's a true love"

***

"I Know That, But I Still Love You" by Charas Phuang-arom

"I know, I know, I know you have a sweetheart,

But I don't know why I cannot get over you,

And why am I still crazy for you as days and nights go by?"

---------------------

The Blacklist - 18 Songs to Be Banned

1. "I Fear No Sins" (Bo Yan Bab) by Yinglee Sreechumpol

2. "I Fear Sin" (Ai Yan Bab) by Phaithoon Nhunchoke

3. "Big Flabby Buttocks" (Tai Aon Yaon) by Phaithoon

Nhunchoke

4. "Secret Lover" (Choo Tang Jai) by Dhanin Indarathep

5. "Wrong Way To Love" (Pid Tang Rak) by Suthep

Wongkamhaeng

6. "Leftovers" (Suan Kern) by Dowjai Paijit

7. "One Woman, Two Men" (Nueng Ying, Song Chai) by

Dowjai Paijit

8. "I Love Her Husband" (Chan Rak Pua Khao) by Sinjai

Plengpanich

9. "My Wife Had An Affair" (Mia Pee Mee Choo) by Chai

Muangsing

10. "Tears Of A Lieutenant's Wife" (Num Ta Mia Nai Roi) by

Jintara Poonlab

11. "Lover" (Choo Rak) by Why Not Seven

12. "A Mistress' Ultimatum" (Kham Khad Mia Noi) by Kanista

Thaidachai

13. "A Step-husband" (Pua Boontham) by Samphan Seripab

14. "Lover" (Choo) by Lhong Longlai

15. "Love In Mind" (Rak Nai Jai) by Winai Panthurak

16. "The Door Crushes The Hand" (Pratu Neeb Mue) by Paijit

Aksornnarong

17. "I Know That, But I Still Love You" (Tang Roo Koh Rak)

by Charas Phuang-arom

18. "Is It Sinful For Us To Love?" (Bab Nak Rue Ta Rao Ja

Rak Kan) by Suthep Wongkamhaeng

Source: The Nation

Forget her. If she really loves you, she will follow you to the end of the world.

I agree too.  

I just believe that, for it to last, it's got to start out strong to stay strong.  If she's acting unsure, gives you "yes" answers one day, then "no" answers the next, if she wants you to go after her sister, if she calls you "her brother"--forget it.  

There are too many other wonderful Thai ladies out there.

"Next"...

Doug

Doug,

Once you found the high speed internet, could you manage to watch Tv from home? How practical is it? What was the quality like?

OK, I'm finally back home and can now report back how it all went.

I opted to test out my #3 option (from my previous post on this thread: "Leave a PC with a TV tuner card installed (like an ATI All-in-Wonder), connected to a cable TV system and broadband").

I had PC Anywhere installed on my desktop back home and on my laptop, which I took with me to LOS.  I was able to successfully record very American TV back home.  I was even able to download them to my laptop in Thailand and watch them in my hotel room! The problem was that I didn't find a net shop fast (and/or reliable) enough to pull down the 650+ MB of data for a standard 1-hour show.  Bummer!

But, I think if/when broadband ever really comes to Thailand (not just the 256K "broadband"), then it would be possible.  However... I did have a problem with the power going off back home, which resulted in me having to call someone back home.  I had to instruct the person on how to reboot my PC and reboot my cable modem.  So that brings up another point: make sure you can leave your equipment back home in the hands of someone who is PC-literate.

Also, from time to time, my ISP will assign me a new IP address.  That kills PC Anywhere!  You gotta make sure you have a static IP, if you want to try doing things this way.

I'd still like to try streaming the output from the TV Tuner  (on my vdeo card) to a private web site, then use PC Anywhere to change channels and/or record, using the above method.  That would probably be the ultimate!  That way I could really channel-surf and then if I found something I wanted to watch on the big set I could record it and watch it later!

Doug

I'm here at Fantasea@CafeNet, 2nd floor, Big C in Pattaya.

Unfortunately, I gotta retract my recommendation of Fantasea @ CafeNet, Big C, second floor.

I explained to Tom (the owner?) that I had brought special equipment from America (a Cisco ATA 186 VoIP Adapter, ethernet cables, phone cord and adapters, a phone, my laptop) to try making phone calls through one of the local broadband net shops.  He offered to meet me at his shop the next day at 9:30 AM (before he opened).  He seemed very professional and customer-focussed; I was very impressed!

The next day I showed up at 9:30, as planned.  Unfortunately, he breezed in an hour and a half late--right before 11:00, when he opened the shop--and with quite the attitude!  No apology for being late, no admission that he forgot--in fact, he seemed to be going out of his way to impress the other customer (only one other guy there) that he wasn't about to "bring his business down" just for my "little experiment"..  ??  

C'mon!  I can understand if the guy just plain forgot to show up on time.  No big deal--even though I did lug this equipment all the way to Thailand just for this one test and I did get up early to catch a baht bus all the way from Jomtien to Big C to meet him, as planned and even though this was my last day in Pattaya...

Oh well, maybe it was the heat that got to him that day.  Who knows?  I just wanted to let everyone else know, in case you wanted to try the same thing: better count on someone a little more dependable.

But like they say "This is Thailand"!

Doug

SO WHAT YOU PPL BITCHING ABOUT??

Hmmm... OK, I'll stick my neck out and say in a way, I can understand what you are talking about but...

BUT....

For starters, I wonder who started the market for all this "nefarious activity"?  Was it the Thais?  Was it the farangs?  If the farangs started it, why does the "problem" seem to be primarily only in Thailand?  Right or wrong, I can think of no other country where this "problem" is so pervasive.

I am no expert on Thai culture or history, nor do I know that much about Buddhism.  But I suspect the "problem" may be an outgrowth of just how Thailand evolved.  Maybe a cross between (what seems to be the Buddhist) "mai pen rai" attitude and a keen business sense of knowing what people want...

Sure, there are a$$hole farang who come to Thailand and flaunt their wallets, humiliating the poor Thai ladies in the process.  I agree with you--shame on them!  And I don't personally approve of some of the disgusting "shows" I've been offered in Bangkok and Pattaya.  This kind of vulgarity probably should be stopped.  And of course, I'm certainly not for anything involving children--or for that matter, involving anyone who is in the business out of desperation.  

But, I don't see anything wrong with two consenting adults doing what they want in private, as long as no one is hurt.  Believe me, I've come across many Thai ladies who loved what they are doing and I think they would still do what they do, no matter what!

That's what is so great about Thailand!  The women there seem so sweet, so beautiful and sensuous, so uninhibited and guilt-free..  Unlike the women we have back home.  I can only attribute this fundamental difference to the differences between eastern culture and western culture.  It might even be rooted in the differences between Christianity and Buddhism.  Maybe I'm a little off-base on that, it's just a hunch...

Frankly though, I'm a little tired of other people imposing their belief structure on others (you included).  That's one reason why Thailand is so refreshing... It's all "up to you".  

Doug

Couldn't you just buy a VCR and run the cable to it, then use the audio and video outs on the back, to connect to the plasma TV?

Doug

Here's a second test, using a different speed test on another web page.  I wanted to get a second opinion:

*********** Testing Results ************

Upload Speed: 93 KiloBits/sec

Download Speed: 153 KiloBits/sec

This, again, is from the net shop at Big C.

Doug

Just for the record...

I'm here at Fantasea@CafeNet, 2nd floor, Big C in Pattaya.  Just tested the connection speed, using the URL I posted earlier (see above), and the results are:

158 kbps!

Way faster than at Royal Garden, which clocked in at only about 60 kbps.  Even though they advertise a 256K connection, it might showed a slower rate because there more people there all sharing the same connection.  (It's a popular place).

Doug

The one in the Big C seemed pretty good to me

Bingo!  That's it!  THANK YOU!!  

I tested this one today, after reading your recommendation, and it is faster than any other one I've been to yet!  Faster than eInternet on Beach Road and the one on the 2nd floor in Royal Garden (by far).

Feel free to test the speed yourself, by going to the following page:

http://webservices.cnet.com/bandwidth/

Again--Thanks!

Doug

I'm here in Pattaya only for a few more days and brought special VOiP equipment with me (from Vonage.com) to test making high-quality voice phone calls back to the US, for virtually nothing. The results of this test would benefit a lot of us here on this board.  Basically what it means is you could call back to the U.S. for free AND people in the U.S. could call a regular 7-digit U.S.-based phone number and it would ring you in Thailand--without the long distance international rates!

I NEED TO FIND THE *FASTEST* NET CAFE IN PATTAYA in order for it to work.  

I tried to post this question before but wasn't able to find the info.  I'd hate to go back to the U.S. without finding out how well this works!  If you know of a net cafe or net shop that has a TRUE high-speed connection, please let me know as soon as possible.  I'll only be here until August 7th.

THANKS!

Doug Robinson

I tried two net cafes that claim to be 256K or higher and neither seemed to achieve that.  The first one I was at, on 2nd Road, actually only hit speeds of 12 kbps!  

I'm sure it can be done though, because I just linked in to my desktop (again, through PC Anywhere) and right now I'm uploading the test file to my web server, as a test to see how long it would take.  This is all being ftp'ed through my cable modem back in the US, via me remotely in Pattaya on a dial-up connection in my hotel (khao chai mai?)  

At any rate, after about 15 minutes of uploading, it's about 3 or 4% done.  So, I'm sure this is feasible--I just have to find a TRUE HIGH SPEED CONNECTION.  Anyone know of one??  I tried posting that question previously and, as I recall, didn't get much of a response.

If anyone knows where in Pattaya I can go to test this out, I'll be here till early August and am willing to take the time to try it out...

Doug

OK.  Just got back from taking my laptop down to Royal Garden area in Pattaya.  To make a long story short, I couldn't find a fast enough connection that made it feasible to download the 570 MB file I needed to download.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd like to hear them.  But basically the bottom line is: I was able to successfully use PC Anywhere to set the timer on the TV tuner on my video card back home on my desktop PC and record a show that--if I could find a fast enough connection, I could then either watch on my laptop or burn to a CD as a VCD.

So success!  ...sort of...

Doug

OK, I'm here in Pattaya now and have a 28.8 kbps connection (which was way better than the 9 to 12 kbps connection I got in Bangkok)!  

28.8 is still too slow to download large 650+ MB files, but fast enough to connect back into my home via PC Anywhere and start the video recording on my ATI TV tuner card--which I've done several times now--all successfully.  I've done quite a few 5 or 10 second clips and they all work fine, although it can take 15 or 20 minutes to download them, on this slow connection.

I've set the tuner to record a 30 minute show and later today I hope to take my laptop down to one of the "high speed" (256K) net cafes and download it to my laptop and from there, burn it to a VCD and try it out on my VCD player.

Will post the results of the test here on this thread later.

Doug

Yeah, whenever I stay at the Ruamchitt Hotel (right above the Thermae), I *always* get sick.  Happened time after time.  I like the place because it's right over the Thermae and the pool is fun, but after I switched hotels--I haven't gotten sick once.

I suspect it's the filters in the air conditioner.  But another thing about the Ruamchitt--they *never* clean their carpets, and I think it's trapping gunk that gets kicked up into the air when you walk in the room.  It's so bad that I've had times where the bottoms of my feet would wind up being black, just from walking on the carpet in my room!  Filth!

Doug

I use a program called Remote Administrator (www.famatech.com), to remotely access and control my London-based servers when I'm in BKK. This works abit like PC Anywhere and gives you full remote control of your computers.  It does not need high bandwidth and I have even controlled a server (eg opened programs, rebooted etc etc) using a palm-pilot and 9.6kb mobile phone link!

I have even controlled a server (eg opened programs, rebooted etc etc) using a palm-pilot and 9.6kb mobile phone link!

Ha!  God, I love this technology!  Fantastic stuff--I love this shit!

I took a look at Remote Administrator before settling on PC Anywhere.  You can use both from either a low or high-bandwidth connection, they are about the same.  I just felt *maybe* Symantec had a little more power to their program than the RA, since they are a bigger company and could probably through more programming dollars at it.  That and Symantec's Tech Support is probably bigger and more responsive.  Plus, if you can get PCA on eBay for $20 -  $25, then you save $10 over RA!

But either one would probably be fine...  It's all good!

Doug

Oh!  ..No significance!  Just one of the avatars they offer here.  

Doug

But what is the significance of 26 Nov 1985 ?

??  I don't know what you're talking about?

Doug

Another similar idea I had a while back was you could stream the video signal coming from your TV tuner card to a web page.  I remember running across a web site that sells the necessary software to do that  I thought I had bookmarked it, but now I can't find it.  

That would have been sweet though, because then you could use PC Anywhere to "click" the channels on your TV tuner card and simultaneously watch the streaming output on a web page!  Voila--your favorite stations from back home, privately transmitted to you in Thailand!  Low res--but real-time!

Doug

i don't think real player let's you watch TV channels

Yeah, I don't think it does either.  You could take the video that you recorded and encode it as a RealVideo file though, and that might make it smaller (maybe) than an MPEG file.

Doug