fareastguy

You can't blame the journalists for excepting a freebie holiday, it's much the same as a freebie lunch or the latest gadget which is offered by all industries or governments all over the world, just look at the advertising world for a new car, all they want in return is a favourable cover story.

Thailand is not alone in this, just look back a bit in time for example in USA, the lavish freebies taken by work colleagues & families from offices of homeland securities (correct me if I'm wrong)

The fine line is crossed by the officials who dress up a glorified holiday in the guise of a "study visit" or "business trip"

The difference being is the USA did something very open & transparent about it, prominent heads rolled, budgets were cut to the bone & justification for this kind of expenditure was changed.

Thailand no one will be out of a job, budgets will not be cut & justification for the trips will continue to be given.. T.I.T

In assessing Thailand's flood response, the UNDP and DDPM discovered a number of challenges to disaster management system.

The biggest being Khun Plod !!

Are their any engineers out there who can cast some light to this problem...

Saeco Odea Go Automatic coffee machine

Top & bottom red indicator lights flashing

Problem:

When I power on my machine from cold it indicates a flashing green light as normal in heat up mode, after about 30 seconds both top & bottom red indicator lights flash alternately & nothing else happens.

Saeco Odea Go self analysis checks performed:

Hold steam button in & turn on power, when all lights flash anti-clockwise release steam button

1) Turn dial fully right position press steam button, brew group operates & top LED light flashes dregs draw (brew position)

2) Turn dial middle position press steam button, brew group operates & bottom LED light flashes descale warning (home position)

3) Turn dial fully left position press steam button grinder operates.

4) Turn dial fully right position press coffee button, pump blips/runs for 1 second only & stops

5) Turn dial fully right position hold coffee button & open steam knob pump runs & delivers cold water from steam nozzle.

6) Turn dial middle position press/hold coffee button nothing happens

7) Turn dial fully left position press/hold coffee button nothing happens

I have removed & fully cleaned the brew group, removed & cleaned the filter plate checked all moving parts are free to move.

I have opened & checked that the gearwheels are properly aligned (as per manual) & the single micro switch is located on the pins.

Replaced the brew group.

When powered back on I get the same indication as before.

Boncafe has a service centre in Bkk & Hua Hin but i'm in between so it means a 2 hour trip in either direction to drop off & pick up after repair, I would rather try to solve the problem myself & order the parts to be delivered to me so I can replace them at home..

Any advice is welcome

Regards

Maybe I should have thought ahead & opened a sandbag company for this years floods..

or is that a "farang" restricted occupation ??

Thai TV news reported last week that the good doctor's brother informed the police of this matter only after they had argued over land and money, implying the brother had already known of this for some time.

In the meantime...'Police were inspecting 40 guns and home-made bullets found at the home, reportedly used for hunting, to see if they could also be charged for making ammunition without permission.'

Hunting? Really?

'...hence the relatives were afraid police might "have difficulty" probing it.'

Oh yes, and so it begins.

If he had only killed Burmese workers I'm sure he would never be prosecuted, but since he killed a thai couple, there is a chance for justice, still doubtful

And we all know what Thai justice means don't we !!

1 Year on & Billions of Baht spent & still asking for millions more... his best response to date :-

Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, said following the Sukhothai situation of water seeping through the floodwall, he had got the idea of using plastic mixed with fibreglass sheets, each 3.50 metres wide, as floodwall base before piling sandbags, and then folding the plastic sheets up. He said it should help prevent water seeping through rather than using only sandbags or "big-bags".

The nation holds it's breath.. Yingluk will probably go for it as an excellent idea & sign the cheque first thing tomorrow.

I've stopped laughing now & started to cry!!

It amazes me just how much the worms wriggle until their off the hook.

I'm guessing he will be pensioned off with a very nice "handshake" & the Alpine group will get to keep their golf course & future profits!!

Everyone's a winner !!

I can smell the stench of misappropriation in the air.. even above the sewage.

The surplus would have made life a lot easier for those up to their necks in water at the moment, or even those still waiting for compensation from last years flooding, but then what does the government care??

Shame on them all.

Police are investigating.. so loads of time for Bubu to abscond !!

The Bt350 billion has gone down the drain.. unlike the water !!

Be sure more funding will be asked for soon to cover the grafts for this year.

I wonder what next years survey of the same people will indicate ??

Simple..

Police & government officials must be warned in advance of all details of any protest gathering.

Protesters will be limited in number according to where & when the protest meeting is taking place.

They will be instructed that they have the right to a peaceful protest, state your case hand over a petition and go home, within a specified time limit.

They do not have the right to build a protest village, blockade roads disrupting traffic or workers from going about their every day activities.

One person must be elected as protest leader & they will be held accountable for all actions committed by the protesters.

_{Quite correct post #4 you cannot spend that amount of money every day, but some officials don't intend to spend it, just bank it !!}

It's not another sub-committee we need right now.. the talking & guess work has to stop!!

It's time Yingluk called a halt to this fiasco & sub-contracted in trusted foreign companies who have the expertise to do the job within a set budget!!

The result being NO MORE FLOODS & NO MORE GRAFTS

Thailand has had & still has a history or should I say a culture of corruption, so deep rooted that it will take an immense effort to eradicate.

It will take time to re-educate all politicians, governors, mayors, company owners, small business owners etc that it must come to an end.

It will only come from the firm orders from the very top, with a panel of unbiased judges to be set up to investigate all findings & a hotline to report abusers.

The order must be unambiguous, "from today this government will take action, corrupt actions will not be tolerated by anyone in any position"

if reported & found guilty you will be punished to the highest level within the law, you will not be privy to any kind of amnesty, you will be removed from your post & have a lifetime ban from holding that position again, be it a politician or company owner.

All profits from proven corruption will be recovered by means of repossessing the assets from the guilty person or immediate family assets.

Only then may these leeches within the Thai society act appropriately within the office they have been elected to work or they will eventually be rooted out and removed !!

Her biggest challenge will come when it's time to keeping close friends & allies in check

But it can only come from the very top, if Yingluk has a taste for true democracy as she say's, then it must start with her giving a clear order to all parties.

Maybe she has developed a taste for politics during the past year, maybe she has the grit & determination to turn the country around, maybe she has a vision of treading the same path as Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia instead of watching them grow & Thailand falling behind.

And maybe one day she will wake up with the self belief that she needs & realise that the strings controlling her from afar are actually holding her back from what she herself could achieve, maybe it's time so clear the cupboard of deadwood & past grievances, it's time she took the next steps herself & starts to write her own history & new legacy for Thailand.

Only then will the Reds, Yellows or whatever persuasion they are realise the future is in font waiting to be tapped, not having lifetime feuds about the past, eventually they will see it's pointless & move into the light or be left behind.

Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee has yet again shown the nation just how inept he is within any office he has held.

​Flood alleviation is completely beyond his comprehension, he should step aside & pass the responsibility on to those that can do the job.

​Yingluck has up to now tolerated these buffoons but at some point even she must shake her head in bewilderment at the complete ineptitude they possess.

Instead of surrounding herself with these incompetent fools she must seek out new blood that can actually solve problems instead of creating new ones.

The Thai people as much as they like her will eventually grow tired of their annual suffering, loyalties will be tested when voting time comes around.

If she wants to remain a credible leader in the eyes of the Thai people & indeed the world she needs to distance herself from those that will eventually bring about her downfall, she needs a reshuffle sooner rather than later.

China's too busy buying up the pacific region & looking for Jap's to worry about Muslim's at the moment.

When they own the middle east (next month) they might look into it.

Why not put the building permit in a prominent position by the entrance door where the public can see the venue is within regulations.

The public can then make up their own minds if they enter.. at their own risk.

An empty venue would soon spur these hard to understand owners to do something.

The elite are above awkwardness & embarrassment.. it just runs off like the rain.

No.. the worlds coming to an end this year... supposedly!!

Agree with post #2

Put the fishermen on a bus back to Vietnam no charges to be made.

As for the trawlers seized within Thai waters, offer the owners 1 month to purchase them at current market value, after 1 month they will be put up for auction.

It was raining, he was speeding, he didn't see them... BANG what the hell was that ????

It was as the term wrongfully describes "an accident" a very tragic accident !!

He panicked & fled the scene.. big mistake.. OK he handed himself in soon after.. at least he recovered his conscience.

Rule of the road in any country.. stay on the pavement & Don't step into the path of a car.. especially in BKK

Condolences to all concerned..

In reply to post #43

I found your comment to be be most offensive, if that"s all you can really think of with regards to this tragedy then you need to check yourself in for treatment.

Yep all that money spent & still short on dip sticks...

My advice is go to the government offices.. on parade are all the dip sticks you can imagine, long ones, short ones, skinny ones & fat ones the list is endless

A hit & run where a women is killed & another with serious injuries.. out on bail.. I don't think so !!