trt

I thought that it was extremely unlucky for Thai's to kill a snake.. esp. a Cobra..??

Great win by a great team!

try the chinese (viet) butchers on William st.. there are a whole bunch of them around when the Viet Hoa rest. is...

me again...

I have heard of a small number of sheep being raised in LOS but never seen it before.. I was told they were bred by the Uni of CM .. my thinking is that they would not be BB sheep..

Would be interested to see what they taste like though... let me know if you find any!

Actually our guys were at the food fair in Bangkok over the past week... you could have tried it there...

If you want quality beef, then you will need to buy it from an importer.  Local beef is only Bhraman cross.. the worst you can get..

Let me know if you want the address of importers of some quality stuff..

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ray23 is correct. The beef is as good as I get in Perth and I believe it is grain fed. Have you tried it?

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Yes.. you can get some pretty crap beef in Perth ... I have tried all types of beef throughout the world and I am very aware of what makes a good steak.. it definately isn't the stuff running around in the fields in Thailand.. It might be grain fed, but wouldn't be anything like the stuff in OZ or the States...

But then again if you like it then good on you... no need to waste money on good quality stuff !

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Your absolutley correct as to range fed cattle, but there are feed lot operation's in Thailand, they are grain fed in those operations just as they are any where else. The reason you don't find it often here is it raised for export and not local consumption. You will pay more for the beef mentioned in this thread. I was told that this beef was raised in Khan Kean. I had some interest in it myself as it was something you could do without a lot of land. I have not found anything in Khan Kean yet, but there is a feedlot association in Sukonakorn ( sorry about spelling)

So the beef industry is changing in Thailand you won't find it at the local market, nor Lotus, there is not enough to meet that kind of demand. You have to find a local butchershop, there is the one in Udon very small operation, Just like butchershops used to be, you go in pick you meat and have it sliced the way you want it.

I have no doubt that you know your beef and maybe this won't fit your taste as it does mine. But until you have tried it seems very unfair to me, to say negative things about a small business. There are not a lot of people who will not pay the price for this beef and a struggling business such as this saves me long drives to get what I want locally. I want them to succeed they go under and then I'm back to searching.

So buy a cut prepare it the way you like, taste it and then gives us your thoughts.

But don't put down a specific business unless you have tried it. that is only fair.

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ray23.. I am not putting down that business.. just Thai beef in general..

I have been involved with beef since birth and now I trade beef on a very large scale.. so trust me I know my beef very well..

The breeds of cattle in Thailand aren't conducive to producing good cuts of beef.. they are the same types that you will find in the NW of OZ.. (tough animals that can stand the hot temperatures)

Also the quality of beef also depends largely on the slaughtering and processing techniques used, of which Thailand is eons behind......

If you want to compare steaks... then maybe we should have a cook off in LOS one day!

If you want quality beef, then you will need to buy it from an importer.  Local beef is only Bhraman cross.. the worst you can get..

Let me know if you want the address of importers of some quality stuff..

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ray23 is correct. The beef is as good as I get in Perth and I believe it is grain fed. Have you tried it?

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Yes.. you can get some pretty crap beef in Perth ... I have tried all types of beef throughout the world and I am very aware of what makes a good steak.. it definately isn't the stuff running around in the fields in Thailand.. It might be grain fed, but wouldn't be anything like the stuff in OZ or the States...

But then again if you like it then good on you... no need to waste money on good quality stuff !

If you want quality beef, then you will need to buy it from an importer. Local beef is only Bhraman cross.. the worst you can get..

Let me know if you want the address of importers of some quality stuff..

Thanks for the info on Chula, it's interesting.I agreewith your point about overestimating current language skills!

How did the Thai teachers acts towards the Japanese and farangs?> What's the score there?

Do you think that the extra cash spent at Chula as opposed to say, Union, is worth it?

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I don't know what the story is with the teachers at Chula.. I think they like the Japanese style of student.. sit in the corner and never ask any questions or never question the teachers ability or knowledge of "general affairs" or topics which the teachers obviously don't have any idea on!

If you are from the States then I would forget about it and not enroll at Chula.. they are extremely anti-amercian there.. everything the States does or has done is wrong in their opinion.. you know the story.. educated but narrow minded Thai's..

I am not sure about Union or the others, as I have never studied there.. however, I have heard from people who have studied at other places that Chula is by far the best... if you can afford it and will stay in Thailand for a while then it is worth it.... that is if you can put up with the hassles....

I completed the year program at Chula... I think something like 25 - 30 started the program and only 2 of us ended up completing it. It is tough, but you will learn a lot, a ###### of a lot in fact. I thought that my Thai was pretty good before I started the program. I could read and write a bit and could speak farily well. But after finishing it I realised I didn't know s*#t when I started. Now I have no problems reading newspapers, listening to the news or watching thai movies. The teachers at Chula are very bias towards Japanese students and they dont like students arguing with them. They will also try there hardest to kick out students with shady backgrounds, or students they just dont like. As long as you can put up with that then you will learn a lot. cost is 25,000 per level - 9 levels in total (yes the most expensive of them all by a long shot)

I am happy I did it at Chula but wouldnt do it again!

MR. anonymousXXX..

Any word or what brand of rubbery stuff you were wrapping your salami in?

I've had the same problem with one particular brand several times... lucky was playing with my gf at the time! mind you i never buy that brand anymore..

hahah but in all seriousness.. as much as I love the tables, the music does really SUCK! or maybe that is their marketing strategy.. you must get drunk to be able to bear the music!

Just like the saddos who reckon they are in with the 'Thai mafia' - like they aren't going to be the first ones against the wall when the shit hits the fan.

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'Thai Mafia' are not going to hang out in Western Bars. . . and only idiots with an ego problem would say that they are!

1.  What would you consider to be a fair dowry for a Uni graduate who's parents are primary school teachers in rural thailand?

I have heard of dowrys from 30,000 up to 1million plus baht depending upon the status of the family.  I would think that 100,000 would be a fair amount

2.  Is the dowry something that is negotiable?

Dowrys are negotiable, but are mainly given to "give face" to the parents of the bride.  I have heard of many dowrys being returned to the groom after the wedding, so this might be an option.  Remember that dowry will always be a talking point among the guests at a village wedding and to a lesser extent a city wedding. It will give the family some bragging rights in a very materialisit society!

3.  Ae's mother claims that she will give most of the dowry back to us after the wedding.  Have any of you had a similar experience in this regard?  Why is a little bell ringing in the deep, dark, recesses of my mind?

Yes .. be careful of this!

4.  What are the typical costs associated with a country wedding ... in Isaan?

Can cost anything from around 50,000 baht to 500,000 baht depending on the number of guests and level of entertainment provided!

5.  What would happen if I put my foot down and set the limit that I would pay ... non-negotiable?  Would love conquer all?

I dont believe in given one, but to give face to the brides family then a returnable one should be the option!

6.  Why does everything have to be "Thai Style"?  Don't westerners have a culture?  Has anyone tried to go 50/50 .... I believe it's called ha-sip ha-sip?  What would happen if I insisted on some of the western traditions?

You could let them know that in Western Culture the brides family usually forks out for the majority of the wedding costs.  50/50 then becomes a fairer option!

7.  Shouldn't they consider that I do all the travelling, and will have to pay for Ae to come to Oz, and future trips, phone bills and the like?  Doesn't this enter into the equation at all?

Probably doesnt enter into the equation. 

Good Luck mate!

Virg'

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Megabreak tables and location are pukka, manager not too bad but music worth kvetching about!