thomas3940

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Armed with rock breaking equipment, Thai treasure hunters have started an official hunt for World War II era booty believed to be hidden inside a jungle cave.

The 60-member team, comprising army troops and experts from forestry, fine arts and mineral resources department, will drill through blocked portions of the cave for seven days, Forestry Department chief Plodprasop Suraswadi told reporters outside the cave on Monday.

More than 400 policemen and forestry officials were deployed around the area to keep at bay hundreds of people who gathered outside the Lichea Cave in Karnchaburi province, 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Bangkok.

The gold rush started after a controversial senator, Chaovarin Lathasaksiri, announced last week that he has discovered evidence of the treasure after a five-year search.

Chaovarin claims that after a five-year search, he located the hoard, including 2,500 tons of gold and 250 U.S. Federal Reserve gold bullion bonds dated 1934 with a total face value of $25 billion.

He said the treasure, left behind by retreating Japanese soldiers during the World War II in 1945, was worth billions of dollars, which could easily wipe out Thailand's national debt of 280 billion baht ($6.2 billion).

Read More: http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/...iland.treasure/

Why would the Officials look into something that they participate in? Bribes payoffs ah yes the Thai way? The Farang way? it certainly isn't the right way! My heart goes out to those poor people who are exploited and used by Thai and Westerners alike. What happened to truth and love and genuine honesty?

I give the highest praise and thank God, bhuddah and other profits for the people who provided there time,services and funding for the good of the people!

As for you other gain seekers don't worry what goes round comes round! Shame Shame Shame on you all! Hope your next life is ######!

There are brand new shop house appartments in Bandu accross from Rajabaht University. They start rentals from 4000 baht per month. Some have air and hotwater. Just go into there office and ask as a lot of the units have been already purchased and furnished for rental. You can have an office downstairs and live upstairs?

Going into Burma through Maisai is an event in it's self! You think being the Thai are aggressive is trying to sell a farang something? The burmese there really don't take no for an answer to them it means come down 10 baht and try again. This boarder town is great for buying DVD's and music cd's and cigarettes if you find the right vendor. I was there one time and was approched by about 5 guys selling dirty movies for 40 baht a cd! I though ah!! what the heck bought 4. Upon my returning home I plugged one into my DVD player and well let just say I started to laugh as there was nothing dirty to watch as I was seeing a childrens cartoon! Yes the othe 3 DVD's had similar content all harmless.

Hahahaha buyer be where

There is a Casino there too and well let's just say the only winner there is the casino. I played black jack and the dealer beat me 20 times in a row! What odds?

Going to Lao is like visiting Thailand 30 years ago. I gave them 50.00 usd and they proceeded to give me stacks of money. I had to buy a small bag to carry there bank notes. There wasn't much for shopping and accomidation was different to say the least. Upon my leaving Lao I just handed the money to a skinny old woman and crossed the boarder.

So I guess what I'm saying is the best part of the Golden Triangle is Northern Thailand. It's safer and there lots to see and do!

NGO? try looking at www.akha.org is it all true? Not sure? If it's even 20% true you can see what NGO's offer the poor and meek! I have seen many foundation directors here driving around in fancy new vehicles living in homes most poeple could only dream of? I have talk with other Farang here and one told me he visited one Foundation home and the kitchen was bigger than his house?

Helping the poor and less fortunate is a worthy cause, using them for personal gain however is ignorant to say the least.

I wounder why some foundations have to force their religious beliefs upon the poor in order to provide food,education,medical assistance and housing. Yes educating people in health and aggriculture is great, but offering aide with strings is unethical.

So if your coming here with the the though of Do unto others please come and give you knowledge, help and love.

However if your here to wave money and Aide to better your image and pocket book please stay where you are! There is enough of this going on already!

Sorry if my comments are somewhat rude, it's just my oppionion take it or leave it?

Chiangrai is what it is! Quiet, little traffic and less polluted. There are many freindly weterners here and most of the Chiangrai Thai are helpful, some are very helpful at trying to extract more baht out of you but where in Thailand is it any different? The weahter here is not as hot and if you don't mind rain for a couple of months this is the place to be. Come visit us all in Bandu on Sundays at Jozeph and shirleys #1 hamburger joint foods good, great customers and cold beer! Come up North you'll love it!

Limbo has not replied so I guess he does not want to discuss this further.

And Thomas I did not have a bad day there,  I had three bad days .

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I'm sorry to here it went so bad for you there. Hopefully your next visit won't be so bad. food for though I was standing in a bank lineup a while back and there was a western gentleman aged about 70 in front of me. I said to him oh my god the Thai are slow these bank lineups are horrible. He smiled and said relax tomorrow you will completely forget about even being here! I paused for a moment to take in his comment and then realized he was right.

We all wish things here could be somewhat more western but once agian the truth is there not!

Try to remember Thai education is 1/4 of ours and 99.9% of most Thai have never been to another country! So how are they suppose to know what the real world is really like!

I'm sure that after your being here for sometime you are aware of the massive lack of formal education in this country. It's sad to see a country that wants to keep their citizens uneducated. Oh my gosh if they all had an western educations and could travel to other countries freely, how could all the wealthy and upper class thai keep robbing the system?

This Country has exploded since the fall in 1997 and they have done a fairly good job concidering there above mentioned situation.

I have had the opportunity to be in many countries on this planet and having to put up with some &lt;deleted&gt; official for a day or two just doesn't seem to matter to me anymore as I think to myself thing could be worse I could be freezing my butt off in Canada and being taxed to death!

So once again I say sorry you had a bad experience, try to think of the good things that Thailand offers There isn't many scooters with cute young girls on them in unifroms riding around in my country, How about yours?

Always look on the bright side of life

Alien hmmm I wounder if you would call him a farang too! Poor little fella traveling all this way to find minimal intellegance in Thailand. I wounder if he got finded 200 baht by the police for speeding?

In this instance I have to agree completely with Limbo about Maisai immigration,they have been very courtous and always deal with you in a very

professional way.When you read and hear of all the corruption and graft in Thailand it makes me happy that I have never had a single problem with immigration and it is always a joy to cross the border at Maisai.

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Shame Shame,

The Maisai Immigration officers are very helpful and very polite. I met one at my friends house who did a home visit and he was very nice. He did his best to answer my questions in english and was very good to my friend aplying for his visa extention. Maybe you were having bad day or just had some hate on for the Thai that day? You are a guest in this country and things here are not like back home! One bad experience with an immigration offical doesn't warrant dissing the whole office.

Living here can be difficult at times however have you ever tried paying an RCMP officer money to look the other way for a traffic violation?

Soooooo remember take the good days with the bad ones as this is Pardise compared to home!

Sorry you had a bad experience

They sell cherries seasonal just like in north america you can get them in Pattaya and most Big C stores

Have had the great pleasure of eating at Hamburgar #1 in Bandu Meung and the food is great! Joseph and Shirley serve up a good western and european venue and are always polite and helpful to new arrival farang to Chiangrai. Joseph has a very good working knowledge of the area and is very helpful and honest!

It's nice to go there on Sundays as you can meet other expacts in the area and enjoy good home cooking at very cheap prices!

Thumbs up to Joseph and Shirley wish there were more people like them in Thailand

Property Northern Thailand

I am moving to Chiang Rai in october with my thai wife. I am a 32 year old engineer. As I imagine it's easier to get a volunteering job than a real paid job, I'd like to check if anybody has experience with interesting volunteering work in the area. Just to stay busy while getting settled in Thailand. Thanks.

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You may also look at www.akha.org?