gomangosteen

New Zealand has a long history of supporting demining operations in Cambodia.

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NZ Army 1991-2005 Cambodia

The NZ Defence Force demining specialists worked alongside the United Nations to help the UN establish the Mine Clearance Training Unit, which took over training and supervising Cambodian mine clearing operations on behalf of the UN, and the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), which was responsible for mine clearing.

The New Zealand engineers were among the first mine clearing specialists to arrive in Cambodia, and they set about developing training programmes, and teaching the locals how to develop standard operating procedures so that mine clearing could be done cohesively and effectively.

Photo from the UN peacekeeping mission in the 1990s

Landmine clearance had been identified by the UN advance mission as urgently needed. New Zealand engineers took part in this, developing a landmine clearance programme that included a training component. The trainee mine clearer at work in this photograph is closely watched by a New Zealand army engineer and another trainee.

Successive governments have continued to provide financial support for demining and agricultural development projects in the region. 

15 hours ago, anterian said:

It was a cobalt bomb, the slang name for the radioactive source in an x-ray type machine. 

He was likely referring to this one from 2014:

Seven dead after scrap metal workers cut open WWII bomb in Bangkok

Bangkok: At least seven people died and 19 others have been injured when a massive World War II bomb exploded at a scrap metal warehouse in Bangkok as workers tried to cut it open, officials say.

The 225-kilogram shell was found at a construction site by builders who then sold it to a suburban scrap metal merchant believing the bomb had been defused.

Hi, just to say welcome to Chanthaburi.

Can't help re rental or land queries as I'm working out of the country and can't return till travel opens up again.

Curious why you've chosen Tha Mai area? 

11 minutes ago, johnmell said:

Was going out to a restuarant for my birthday with 3 family members but wont bother if i cant get a beer aswell. Thats a few thousand baht a Thai business wont get. Just a small example of an unnecessary rule.

John, why not go out and have an enjoyable evening with the family, better that than in their memories being the birthday you didn't celebrate just because you couldn't have a beer. Life's too short to punish them out of your spite, get out and have a nice time, and happy birthday!

Had two trips booked, both Bangkok-Sydney-Wellington and return, booked direct online with SingaporeAirlines for April and October.

April flight fares have been refunded in full, money received 14 days after the date of cancelled return flight. 

October - I left 'as is' for now but have option to transfer at no extra fee, or apply for refund if flights still not an option at that time.

In the circumstances, about as good as we could expect

Durian picking is a very short season, so no point discussing 'per month' rates, it may only be a matter of days' employment

I don't necessarily doubt 1000b a day. It would be 2011 the local daily contract rate for cassava cane cutting was 750b for a top worker, and a lot more profit in durian than cassava.

We lived in Sa Kaeo 2010-11 and weekly this dog pickup truck would pass through collecting stray dogs.

Never knew where they went, just 'away'. Either northwards, or east across the border to Cambodia I don't know.

Understand collections stopped soon after 2011.

9 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

No restrictions yet imposed for Chanthaburi province, based upon Tesco-Lotus and 7-11 still selling, expect they would be first to shut down sales if alcohol sales were to be stopped.

 

Spoke too soon.

Ban on alcohol sales for Chanthaburi province was announced with immediate effect last night from 10pm, until 30 April 2020.

Minimal effect on us, know few people who drink, our town has the usual 7-11, Tesco selling alcohol but no pub or bars, most restaurants are similarly 'dry'.

Green tea, anyone?

No restrictions yet imposed for Chanthaburi province, based upon Tesco-Lotus and 7-11 still selling, expect they would be first to shut down sales if alcohol sales were to be stopped.

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

Well it had been nearly 18 years since she had been there (although she has been purchasing a lot of land through an agent)

 

 

Seventeen years after her first visit to Cambodia, Angelina Jolie has come under fire for her conduct while casting a film based on a Khmer Rouge survival story And in 2011, it was reported that Ms. Jolie had purchased land in Battambang province from Yim Tith, alias Ta Tith, a notorious Khmer Rouge commander who has since been charged with genocide.

At times, Ms. Jolie’s involvement in Cambodia has been portrayed as just another celebrity “white knight” whose vanity projects have done little, if any, good for the country.----Cambodian Daily

You've misunderstood, either deliberately or through lack of basic  comprehension, the paragraph you've quoted in isolation.

"We’ve been coming back and forth for 17 years. It feels like a second home to me,” Ms. Jolie told reporters at a news conference in Siem Reap the day before the February 18 2018 Cambodian premiere of “First They Killed My Father.”

She was as United Nations Goodwill ambassador to Cambodia since 2002; gained Cambodian citizenship in 2005. Appointed a United Nations High Commissioner to Refugees Special Envoy to Cambodia in 2012. 

Sorry if facts upset your narrative.

2 hours ago, sungod said:

Covid 19 has been with us since January, did you not see it coming? Anyone who has not got a mask of sorts has not tried very hard.

'a mask' isn't effective, more than one required

Ms M's workplace had a large stock of quality ones and continue to issue to their 155 staff daily.

Markets are selling low-grade disposable dust masks at 40 baht each.

Not easy for low-income families (many who may soon be no-income) to afford that

Chanthaburi has one confirmed local C19, and also one confirmed recent visitor, a TV actress who was here doing promo/photography work for local businesses last week, she is now in a Bangkok hospital.

Meanwhile, thousands crowded Morchit bus terminal in Bangkok yesterday, heading home image from ThaiPBS

21 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I am unable to understand why I would want to sit in a hotel room for two weeks while the authorities faff around deciding whether I am infected or not. Congratulations NZ, your tourist industry is stone dead for the time being. There'll be quite a few jobs lost.

Think that's answered here, NZ Herald

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Tourism numbers would have dropped anyway, as fewer people wanted to holiday anywhere during a pandemic.

He said the priority for the Government was to focus on the people and businesses of New Zealand.

I have hired from Europcar, Hertz, Budget in past eight months, all pickup and drop off at Suvarnabhumi.

Have found them all to be thorough with pre-hire checks in my presence noting any existing minor scratches, only sign when I've checked the diagram on the form

Each car I've had has had relatively low kms, from 1200 up to around 30,000 and have not hadcany problem when hiring or returning and re-doing the body checks.

About 3yrs ago I had a hire from a smaller no-name car yard, it was fine at flat fee of 5000 per week. Months later I went back to same place, as our car was being driven from storage to where we were waiting the auto trans failed/seized. Walked away, I'm guessing if that had happened while I was driving it would have been my fault, my responsibility (as well as upset our travel plans) .... Never again, only deal with international name companies from then onwards.

Thanks, wasn't aware of this one, opened July 2019, we'll visit when in the city

Pics from here

No respite from the smoke, from Thairath today

35 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

waterbomb the sugarcane fields? Who doesnt want to see that?!?!

Sugarcane in Trat? 

It's a forest fire than covers the ranges both sides of the Thailand Cambodia border. Smoke has covered much of Chanthaburi province as well, it's like fog today

Trat central

School continues

From thairath

^

Air Force C-130 currently in use dropping fire retardant over Nakhon Nayok forest fire, 23 Feb 2020 Tharath

Thairath and Daily News report as just a forest fire

We're in Chanthaburi province, 9yrs this April, in a town of around 9,000

Retail - 2011 there was one 7/11, now three, plus a medium-size Tesco-Lotus supermarket opened 2013

The fresh market relocated to a new building about 2015, much better setup with parking

Several cafe/coffee shops have been and gone, 3 months seems to be the lifespan before they realise it's not as profitable as they thought. Meanwhile, the Doi Chaang one that was here when we arrived is still going strong

Similarly, a few restaurants have been and gone

We're in a 'dry' town no pub or bars, several restaurants dont serve alcohol either.

As the policeman told us when he visited the first day we were here, "the police can sleep" .... remove public alcohol, remove problems

I've got a good group to go cycling with, MsM active with the gym and a healthy social life

She changed employer July 2014 and very happy there, we moved here due to her accountancy role with Virayah Insurance but the local franchise holder wasn't the best of bosses and no regrets about leaving

After renting a new house 2011 to 2014, then another, we built in 2018 in a new subdivision, 5 houses past us on a no-exit soi, happy with our neighbours, just a pity none have kids near our daughter's age

Step-daughter completing her second year of four, employment law and HR management at uni, Chanthaburi campus and doing well

And our (I do the work, daughter the amateur landscaping planner) garden is doing great

Not a bad life, getting well setup for when I eventually retire

Unfortunately the giraffe has been found dead in a pond, about 2km from where it had fled from the truck. 

Dr Jack, a matter of terminology, NZ Superannuation (NZ Super) is the government funded pension scheme.

The buses from Chanthaburi to Bangkok/Ekamai will all stop at King Kaew, I do this a few times a year, taxi from there to Suvarnabhumi around 150b.

Coming back it's ideal, there's a Cherdchai bus booth there outside 7-11 they'll call thru to Ekamai and reserve a seat on next available bus heading to Chanthaburi

Are you still there? How's the nightlife?

But seriously, I'm surprised the minivan traffic wasn't there, how did you get to Pong Nam Ron and beyond?