thaibites0

If your timings are right and your party will fit into a standard saloon car something can be arranged

The lads are on holiday and cluttering up the house!

Last call FreedomDude - we leave in 50 mins and you didn't phone. Anyboby else want to pop-in it is the new 'Staff City' on the shore of the lake at nong Bua market, turn left at the traffic lights on Chiangkul Road to go past 'Talat Nong Bua' (if your going out of the city) and turn the first left after the Temple (Wat Nong Bua) Staff City has a HUGE sign that says 'Staff City'! and is on the right - the new works to extend the lake are on the left.

Why would one ask for information and then not give the reply? Flying into Ubon Airport and then straight to the border - was it a Visa trip? Why not fly to place with an embassy?

And now the Ministy of silly walks brings you the chance to pay homage to my wife!

It's her Birthday and we will have a BIG cake with very few candles (she does not like to be reminded!) Want to go FreedomDude?

The wife does not know that the cake will be there - we all forgot the birthday! She's not angry - just disappointed!

The cake was ordered and will be there - 4lbs should do anybody likely to turn up - want to make her day and tell her we didn't really forget her Birthday?

A rider to Marco's post -

A standard Airport taxi would cost you the B2000+ but a normal taxi (not many of those in Ubon!) would cost you around B1500, a trip into the town will give you bus services ranging from B200-600 depending on the standard you want.

Are you crossing the border and returning or just crossing? Do you need a return trip and how many people are you talking about? A Mini-bus can be arranged to meet a party at the airport and transfer you to Khong Chiem.

And now for something totally different! If your sitting around twiddling your thumbs FreedomDude - fancy a meal out one night? There's a brand new Korean Beef place that has a lot of different dish's available too - most tastes catered for and a free salad/fruit table!

If your in Ubon city we can pick you up and drop you off afterwards.

I have just asked the lads and B1300 is about the price for a days rental from a car rent place but a car owner could be the way to reduce the cost - where do you want to go and how many of you want to go FreedomDude?

Marco - I don't think it's the size of the car that counts until you start looking to rent a 'lot Benz' and that would increase the cost! I could get one of the lads to drop by the one in front of Robinsons (I still think of it as Ying Yong!) and ask the prices but I do think it's going to be around 1300ish.

I have only just read this post but will ask questions tomorrow and see what I can find out for you FreedomDude. Car rental is expensive but it might be possible to get a car owner to not only supply the car but also a driver for a lot less than B1300 if it's just a 100K trip somewhere.

Thread hijack - Hi Jay, you back in UK?

Thailand is now importing perhaps 100,000 buffalo a year from neighbouring countries like Laos (and would take more if they were available). (At say US$500 a head that’s US$50 million worth).

That's quite expensive for a Buffalo here isn't it? B20,000 a time? Are these Bio firms selling Franchises and hoping them to grow here? There is a niche market in bio-fuel but it will not supply the Thai market with the alternative to oil imports.The oil shale in the north will go the way of the Canadian oil shale market and the gas/oil deposits in the south will never take the place of imports.

When the global market makes it difficult for Thailand to buy oil on the open market you need to look at just how much is imported and how much 'cottage' industry can produce - the crunch will come in the next 5 years and B26 a Litre will seem so cheap you will wonder why you didn't fill a HUGE tank with it!

A little to hardline? Switch of the Fox news feed and do a net search for 'peak oil' - was that too extreme? Try 'bio fuel future' and see what you get.

Still too extreme? try 'disney world America' and open another bag of chips.

Need to check a long standing trip to Rayong around that time Bergen but if we are free that weekend we will be there and book a room for the night, wifes in bed at the moment so will post tomorrow if we need the room - not sure she would go for a tent in the back garden though!

Early Afternoon is good for us too - the trip to the Temple is a maybe too as we've both been there a couple of times.

Any dates on this Marco/Bergen? If the dates are right I'll be there with the wife.

You got a tour of the temple organised for the next day? How many people can you cover Bergen?

The last get together was 46+ - can you put up 20 couples?

Suppasit Hospital with your private Doctor attending will be as good as you can get anywhere and a lot cheaper. My son was born in a private clinic 23 years ago so I am afraid I can give you no up to date info but your wife should have no problems.

I am surprised you even have the choice, the family should already have everything sorted out and all you would have to do is look pathetic and coo now and then!

Good luck with the birth and if you decide to have it in Ubon and not BKK - remember to register it in time! My son has 2 birthdays because we had to tell fibs when we registered it!

One would have to wonder why a prolific poster such as 'lampard' thought the BBQ was invitation only! Was it badly advertised? Shame on you Marco!

When is the next one?

I have to edit this very quickly! It was tongue in cheek 'Lampard' ! I hope to see you next time.

7 posts and we still only have 'is it possible to rent a room apartment or house in Ubon' Which is a fairly idiotic question considering the size of Ubon.

It does seem funny that a 'newbie' can master the quote facility so quickly and then even quote a post to add 'thanks' to - do you think it's just a troll?

It seems you are not aware of the current revolution that is taking place... in Thailand and many other countries in the region, many people are planting Jatropha curcas (Thai name is "sabu dam") to produce an oil that can be converted into biodiesel; Thailand is also planting oil palm to produce biodiesel. In a few years time, there will be no need to rely on countries like Saudi Arabia to supply fuel for tractors, cars and other vehicles. Due to the recent increases in oil prices, making biodiesel is now a profitable enterprise. It is possible to have your own integrated oil plantation, conversion plant and retail station all in one. Investment should be less than US$100,000.

Junglebiker'

One does of course have to ask where the rice is going to be grown! If the country is going to grow something (lots of things can be converted to fuel for your car) to replace the oil imports it has to be on a very large scale and a simple Google search will show you that 'Biofuel' is not really an alternitive unless you can buy your staple food from overseas.

I will say it again (I'm a pedantic old fool anyway!), if you are on the pics and need to hide for some reason just mail me and I will delete the pic from the site and from my camera.

Another couple -

If you were there and want some pics emailing, just ask! I will put them all on CD and give them to Marco next week but can send them to anybody that is not afraid!

A little aside here - I knew the reporter from 'Wake up' magazine! She came to a party at our house when she was a schoolgirl 15 years ago! She will write a piece on the 'Farangs' living around Ubon and it will be in the next issue of 'Wake up' magazine.

Some more because I feel like posting!

Need we say any more? You are going to send an Ubon resident on a wasted trip and laugh about it?

The most beautiful attendee going home when she was VERY tired -

And of course Marco and the spiffing wife so you know both of them next time without having to read the Tshirt!

One more then - I have more and will give them to Marco on a CD so he can send them to whoever wants them - one more though!

A disclaimer !!!!!!!! If you need to hide and your picture is here PM me and I will remove it.

Too many? No problems, Marco will have a CD of them all and he can mail them.

Some more?

Do you want any more? I have 105 pics of the night but here is the most beautiful attendee! --

Here's a pic of Jayuk and his lovely wife - he won't see it until he gets back to UK because he's not online here! A few pics added of people that came but if you need to hide just PM me and I will delete them.