Kerryd

PM downplays concern on water shortage 

“Now, officials concerned make artificial rains all along and the water level in reservoirs increases to a certain extent. So, don’t worry about the water shortage. Let’s consume it normally,’’ said the premier.

--TNA 2005-06-23

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Hmmm, they want the TV stations to turn off at midnight to conserve energy. Petrol stations to turn off their lights, resident's to turn off lights and air-cons, ect.

What next, residents to stop using water after midnight, to save water for the industrial sites ? Oh wait, many residential areas have already had their water cut off !

It seems the government is banking everything on the cloud-seeding program, obviously the cheapest solution. But don't you need clouds to seed in the first place ? There are too many factors involved with cloud-seeding to make it a gauranteed fix (i.e. density, elevation, wind direction).

What if they saturate every cloud they can find, and it only delivers an inch of rain, as the clouds drift over the ocean ?

Wooohooo !

Another "rain" thread ! How long will this one last ?

Judging by the lack of rain in the Pattaya are, I'd say not long ! 

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It is important to people who are thinking of taking a trip or who have local interests in absentia - understand

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Sheesh, lighten up.

I know it's important, especially if you are planning to travel to Pattaya DURING the rainy season (even if it's not actually raining yet).

I'm hoping for torrential downpours, to fill the resevoirs, so I don't have to have a water truck come to my building THREE times a day (not to mention using a bucket and a bowl to shower with) !

I get a great chuckle when Mother Nature shows us how to get really wet (unlike those little sprinklings you get during Songkran). Huge downpours for a few mintues, and an hour later you'd barely even know it had rained, other than the flooded sewers and roads !

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An old man lived alone in Ireland. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work.

His only son, who would have helped him, was in Long Kesh Prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his predicament.

Shortly, he received this reply, "For HEAVEN'S SAKE, Dad, don't dig up that garden, that's where I buried the GUNS!"

At 4 A.M. the next morning, a dozen British soldiers showed up and dug up the entire garden, without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asking him what to do next.

His son's reply was: "Now plant your potatoes, Dad. It's the best I could do".

tried the ver with the minefield.

Best shot = 702.5 (hit quite a few mines along the way)

er, make that 817.5 !

Finally, best shot = 912.9

Time to get out of there !

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Hey, those are the same planes they used in the movie Air America ! Not sure if they really used those in the 'nam though, BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE !

Oh yeah, temperatures have hit 50+ here, probably won't get anymore rain until October now.

Would like to see some monsoons in Pattaya though (3 of my buddies are there, living the good life while I'm here sweating like a pig)

Do pigs sweat ?

Wooohooo !

Another "rain" thread ! How long will this one last ?

Judging by the lack of rain in the Pattaya are, I'd say not long !

I need to get some busines cards printed ASAP. Can anyone recommend a printer/translator to do them reverse Thai/English?

Is it better to get the translation before the printers?

Anywhere in Jomtien/Banglamung/Naklua/Nongpru good for me.

Funny enough: I have not seen any print shops in Malls or on the Soi's of Pattaya.

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I saw a small shop on one of the upper floors of the Royal Garden mall that advertised business card printing. Never checked it out as I didn't need any.

Have to look closely though, I'm sure I've seen others, but they are small little shops scattered around the center part of the floors (not large, mainstream printing shops, just little booths). Some look like little photo booths.

How frequent the songthaew runs betw the resort area and pattaya center?

Afraid that at night we will not have comparing to our visit to Pattaya and stayed in Green Park Resort.

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OK, I just checked the location of your hotel on the map. You are very close to Beach Road.

Walk up to Beach road, flag down a baht bus and jump in. When you get close to where you want to be, press one of the buzzers on the roof. Get out and pay the driver (like I mentioned before, it's supposed to be 5 baht per person, but they try and get foreigners to pay 10 baht per person).

The way back is a little harder. You'll have to catch a bus on Pattaya 2nd road, and go to the Dolphin round-a-bout. Some bus's turn off there and go a different direction. You'll probably have to get out, walk towards Beach road and catch another bus (no transfers, so you'll have to pay the fare again). Watch and when you get close to your Moo, press the buzzer, pay the driver, ect, ect.

The baht bus's go down Beach Road pretty much continuously, shouldn't have to wait more than a minute or two to flag one down.

Try to flag one that already has people in it.

Just arrived back today from Turkey

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Living the life of a rich bar owner eh ? Must be nice, while the peasants slave in the deserts.

I'm off to Egypt next month for a 12 day whirlwind tour of dead bodies and ancient temples. Don't get back to Pattaya until late August (if everything goes well).

So, what did you think about Turkey ?

The current commander of the ISAF forces here is Turkish. Not very well liked at the moment. He's been trying to impose Turkish rules on all the contingents and camps (things like no women in the drinking messes). Doesn't go over well with the Euro and N. American contingents, who make up 95% of the troops.

Ah well, soon to be finished here any ways. Then it's off to Pattaya to try my luck as a bathroom attendant !

The police are oviuosly looking at soi Lucky Star,shame about Tiger Bar as that is one of the least busy,and more quiet music  bars late night in that area.

  But I bet Jenny Star is in full swing.

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Aha ! A conspiracy plot in the making ! Hmmm, who would profit the most if the Tiger bar (on soi Lucky) suddenly went up for sale ?

(hint, it's not me, as I couldn't afford anything in that area any ways )

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The owner there is a great guy who would'nt give up that easily, anyway i've got first refusal if he decides to sell (he has'nt got plans to) He only drinks there anyway (with me most nights)

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Haha ! I thought that would get your attention ! You've been kinda silent lately

How much the price per trip from Garden Beach Resort to PAttaya Center?

HoOw long does it take?

And the distance.

Thanks

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Where is the Garden Beach resort located (what soi # ?)

If you flag down a baht bus on Beach Road (for example) and jump in (without telling the driver any location), the fare is supposed to be 5 baht, whether you go 1 block or 15. Foreigners are often expected to pay 10 baht though.

If you tell the driver where you want to go, you are effectively "hiring" that vehicle. You should negotiate the price before getting in.

If you hire a baht bus, you should be able to go pretty much anywhere in Pattaya for 100 baht. Trips to Naklua or Jomtien may be a little more, depending on your negotiation skills.

oh yes there can't possibly be any innocent  people in Thai s h i t hole jails can there?

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I'm sure if you ask them, they will all tell you that they are innocent.

They were just set up by the system, they are mis-understood victims of society. It wasn't their 10kgs of coke found in their bags, the customs guys must have planted it.

It wasn't really them in those kiddie porn pics and videos, someone must have faked those thousands of pics.

Honest, it was a one-armed man that killed my g/f ! (The Fugitive).

(like that Canadian guy who spent hours confessing to an undercover cop about how he killed his g/f, washed her, wrapped her in a clean white sheet, and buried her in a recently dug grave.

He thought he was talking to some big crime boss.

After giving a very detailed account of his crime (secretly video-taped) they arrested him. He was shocked when he realized he'd been confessing to a cop, and, of course, he entered a plea of NOT GUILTY when charged !

If you want to do something humanitarian, there was another thread about the women's prison needing panties, as the government only gives them enough to supply each girl with 2 pair a year.

Germany still uses pfenning coins, as well as 1, 2, and 5 Deutschemark coins.

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Germany switched to Euro and Cent already some years ago.

There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Cent coins and the bills start with 5 Euro.

@ Kerryd

if you still have German Pfennig and Mark you can still change to Euro but in the Central Bank only.

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Doh ! I fergot dat all dem dere people gone and switched over their money. Haven't been back to the land of Bodacious Blonde Babes with Big........................Beer Steins since '88

Over here, our pay is calculated in Canadian, pay advances are in US $, and at the air base (KIA, not Bagram), everything is in Euros.

Good thing I have a wad of Baht on me ! (can't exchange it or spend it here)

Does this make him french toast?

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I think the current (PC) term is "Freedom Toast"

 

Q: What's the difference between Frenchmen and Toast?

A: You can make Soldiers out of Toast ! 

Mr BoJ

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Reminds me of a picture I saw of a magazine cover:

"Soldier of Surrender" - Official Magazine of the French Army

Or that Simpon's episode, where Groundskeeper Willy (the Scotsman) had to teach French because of a teachers strike:

"Bonjooouuur you cheese-eating surrender monkeys" (imagine it with a heavy Scot's accent)

A) It is definetly smuggling.

Ignorance is no excuse.

As far as I know, Ignorance of the law is not an acceptable defense in any country I've been to (only about 15 so far).

Anyone who has travelled in and out of their own country more than once should know that there are limits on what can be imported, and how much. If they have limits in blighty, gees, you think maybe other countries might have limits too ?

Even in this sandbox (Afghanistan), they have limits (but most of the x-ray machines are broken !). Of course, why smuggle smokes in here when you can buy them for 100-120 baht a carton ?

Taking them out of the country is a whole different question. I rarely take more than 2 cartons (1 open and 1 still sealed). Never been x-rayed at the airport, or searched/questioned by the customs people.

Screwing with the law in Thailand, you'll never come out on top. Lucky you could come up with that kind of cash, especially after "being driven down dead end roads by chaps with guns"

That must be similar to the one I went into   Funds in hand next week

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I'm dealing with a reputable HK banker. He has an account belonging to a (dead) Iraqi military officer, with no will or dependants.

All I have to do is give him my bank account number and I'll get 7.4 million US $ !!

(do people actually fall for these ridiculous scams ? Tthey must, otherwise there wouldn't be so many people trying to run the same scams over and over again)

Pity it wasn't won, but someone who didn't have any money in the first place. Rather than someone who it seems, was well off in the first place.

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It is a bit annoying. People who are already rich by normal standards, winning even more.

A couple of years back, a couple in Vancouver (Canada) won the jackpot. They owned an upscale restaurant on the north shore and were reportedly worth over 5 million $.

Then they go and win a 7.6 million $ jackpot ! What are they going to do ? Put some in the bank, maybe give some to their kids, and carry on working.

I could go on and on with a list of countries. I suspect that a large number will respond for Europe, especially if I had put the UK as a seperate listing.

"The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council. The

Secretary-General's selection is therefore subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security

Council."

Meaning that the US, China, Russia, France and/or England can veto any candidate for the post.

And yes, Little Billy Clinton has expressed his interest in becoming the next SG (fat chance of that happening, but think what that would do for spreading the sexual revolution around the world !)

The previous (and current) Sec Gen's:

Kofi Annan (Ghana)

Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt)

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru)

Kurt Waldheim (Austria)

U Thant (Burma, now Myanmar)

Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden)

Trygve Lie (Norway)

Sir Gladwyn Jebb (United Kingdom) (acting SG, 1945/46)

With the recent corruption allegations against some very senior UN officials, including Kofi Anan, what are the chances of the next SG coming from a country where (percieived) corruptability is almost a mandatory entry on one's resume ?

Here are the SG's since the UN started:

Trygve Halvdan Lie Norwegian 1946–53

Dag Hammarskjöld Swedish 1953–61

U Thant Burmese 1962–71

Kurt Waldheim Austrian 1972–81

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar Peruvian 1982–91

Boutros Boutros-Ghali Egyptian 1992–96

Kofi Annan Ghanaian 1997–

No North Americans, 2 from Africa (look on the map, Egypt is on the African continent), 2 Scandanavians, 1 European, 1 Asian and 1 South American.

So, if it's any region's "turn", it should be someone from North America, or even possibly from any English speaking country (UK, New Zealand, Oz, Canada, ect).

Highly doubt an American would get the post, unless they threatened to withhold their membership dues again.

Pretty much gaurantee no Israeli or Arab will get it either. I don't think Canada has anyone suitable, and they'd be considered an American stooge in any event (even if they bent over backwards to screw the Americans, all it would do is piss off the states, and the SG would still be viewed as a stooge).

Probably end up with another SG from a 3rd world country, to appease all those little guys that can't afford their membership dues any ways. How about Bangladesh ?

Crikey, if that was me I'd be collecting the money faster than smell off a monkey.

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I'd have the money collected and stashed away days before even thinking about talking to the press.

In Canada, there are packs of professional "poor" people that go to every (big) lottery winner and try to scam them for money (sounds like a certain class of girls in LOS, just with slightly different stories and no "rewards" for the generous givers). The usual "I need 5grand for my daughter's liver transplant", "I just need 10 grand to start this business, I gaurantee 'll pay you back double in a year" and so on.

One elderly lady in BC (late 60's). Retired school teacher, lived in the town all her life. Won about 2 million (Cdn). About a month later she had to move out of town. People were calling her 24 hours a day, and knocking on her door all day and night, trying to get hand-outs from her.

The police couldn't post 24 hour security at her house, and when she changed phone numbers, it only took a couple of days for the scammers to learn the new number (having an unlisted number didn't help it seems). She finally gave up and moved out of town.

Speaking in anticipation of the close of the bidding process tomorrow, Mr. Wisut Srisuphan said that mints from Finland, the UK and Canada had all put up bids.

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Canada ? If I recall correctly, they have a problem producing Canadian coins at less than face value. They recently tried to make some new quarters for Remembrance Day (11 November), with the Queen on one side and a red poppy on the other. Screwed some of them up so that the red paint ended up on the Queen's face !

The 21.75mm diameter coin, weighing 4.4 grams, will be made from nickel-plated steel. The front of the coin will feature His Majesty the King, while the ‘tail’ side will feature Bangkok’s famous Golden Mount temple, a design chosen from one of several submitted by the nation’s young people.

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Isn't that already on a coin ? Or is that a different temple I'm thinking of ?

WOW!... not too many instances where something can be done cheaper in the UK, Finland, or Canada than Thailand. 

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Probably outsourcing as a way of getting "incentives" without the same scrutiny as might be received locally. Less chance a foreign mint will blab about what ever kickbacks they paid out (possibly damaging future business). None of the foreign mints would get any political leverage out of such an announcement.

Some years ago, the US stopped circulation $1,000 bills, because they were being used to much by drug dealers and money launderers.

Germany still uses pfenning coins, as well as 1, 2, and 5 Deutschemark coins.

Same problem as described above. You tend to throw all the "shrapnel" into a can (or what ever), until it overflows, then start a new one.

Took a large can to the bank once in Germany, turned out I had enough for 2 months rent in there (after about 6 months of collecting change) !

When I left the army originally in '96, I had 2 milk crates full of coffee cans, each full of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and $1 coins. Had over $700 Cdn in total (about 22,000 baht).

I have a coffee cup half full of 1 baht coins. The five and 10 baht coins get used regularily paying for moto-taxis, baht busses and hong-nams. When my cup gets full of 1 baht coins, I'll give them away to the kids living in my building.

A 2 baht coin will most likely end up in the cup as well. I agree that a 5,000 baht note would be more convenient, especially as most things here seem to be done in cash.

Looks like a case for Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan – maybe then it will become more than an unsubstantiated claim as to what party(ies) are responsible for the crime.

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Probably find that is was their employer that did it, to avoid having to pay them. Blaming it on the Muslim violence occuring in the same area is a convenient way to cover it up.

Or maybe the seperatists just wanted to whack two inconsequential, immigrant farm workers as a way of showing the government that they mean business ?

Non-changeable avatars may present a problem, especially for newbies. A new member logs on and wants to put up an avatar right away.

Maybe it's not the perfect choice, but he/she puts up what ever they have handy at the time (for example, my avatar. Haven't bothered looking for a new one, yet. This just happened to be handy when I first registered)

After being here for awhile, they may decide to post an avatar that suits them better. Not being able to change could really suck, especially if you picked a lousy avatar in the beginning.

Solutions ?

How about a standard TV avatar for newbies.

Let all members change their avatars once each time they go up a level (Standard avatar for newbies, change once at "Member", change again at "Advanced Member, Senior Member, ect).

That might provide a wee tiny bit of incentive to post more, although it might encourage some people to simply post a smiley in reply to every message that appears (happens a lot as most of you have already noticed no doubt).