Toknarok

       This really isn't anything new. Last year Durex did a survey of the most adulterous countries in the World. Thailand came out tops. Obviously the Thai youngsters are carry on the tradition.

                            http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/most-shocking/the-worlds-10-most-adulterous-nationalities/

       I wouldn't be surprised if the person who recorded the incident is persecuted. The military don't like unauthorised recording devices on their turf. Remember the incident where those conscripts were made to smash their mobile phones for taking them onto the base when told not to?

       Of course it's increasing. More and more vehicles on the overcrowded roads coupled with the appalling driving standards it's bound to increase. Ubiquitous mobile 'phones recording everything bring it to our attention.

         No General, Trump is no more a politician than you are. He did however get to where he is by legitimate means which is more than can be said for yourself. 

24 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

For those of us that like to see such things, I have attached a picture of a pair of Sarus cranes that are frequent visitors to my farm. The picture was taken just over a year ago. The birds are being reintroduced into Thailand from Cambodia and are being reared in a sanctuary about 10 Km south of Buri Ram. When you see them flying past they are magnificent with a wingspan in the order of four metres.

             Would that be the sanctuary next to the big lake South of Buriram?

           You're in luck. The rubber price has risen lately to 24 baht kilo (up from a low of 15) in this area (N.E.). You will be able to tap until about March when you should stop until the onset of the monsoon season.

          Plenty of info about rubber in the ThaiVisa farming section.

     Thanks for that KhunBenq. I watched the moon starting to rise this evening at about 5pm in Buriram. It wasn't (obviously) full. As it rose in the sky it got brighter and I'm hoping that not too late in the evening of thev14th  I can observe a phenomenon that has only occurred once in my lifetime  when I was far too young to appreciate it.

    I very much doubt that I'll be here to see it next time.

        Does anyone know (provided the sky is clear) what the best time will be to observe Monday's super moon here in Isaan?

                 During Yinglucks rice pledging scheme hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rice appeared from nowhere to be sold to the Thai millers. I live on the Cambodian border ans saw the heavily laden trucks carrying Cambodian rice purchased cheaply there and then being re-sold at double the price guaranteed under the rice pledging scheme. Fortunes were made. I'm sure that poorly paid border officials looked the other way for a consideration.

              The border here is like a Swiss cheese. Any scheme giving a higher price for rice than can be got in Cambodia/Vietnam will result in a similar situation. The Junta will have to plug (or try to plug)  this loophole to avoid a recurrence.

       It has rained here (S. Buriram) for the past 3 days, in fact it's pouring down right now. Right in the middle of the harvest season just when the farmers don't need it. Vast swathes of top heavy rice now lie flattened. This rice cannot be harvested by the combine machines, they cannot pick up rice that has fallen. Once down it stays down.

     The two combine harvesters in my village yesterday evening came back to their depot to be laid up. I saw at least another 4 combines being trailered away. As far as the combine machines are concerned their harvesting season is over a month early. They may get to harvest some late grown crop when things dry out.

    So now what. The only way to salvage flattened a flattened crop (if the grain hasn't already rotted) is by hand. Back breaking labour just like the old days before combines. Costly business, provided you can get the labour. Then the rice has to be threshed, I've seen one or two threshing machines, a few years ago there used to be dozens. I suspect many have been scrapped.

   Now the farmer has to make a big choice, does he go for the hand harvesting and threshing thereby incurring further costs or will he simply abandon the crop. With the very low prices being offered by the millers I suspect that many farmers will adopt the latter course. Cut enough rice to feed the family for the next year and leave the rest to rot.

   I envisage hundreds if not thousands of tons of quality hom malee rice will be lost. There will be no need to store the rice until the price (hopefully) would increase. In all probability the price will rise because of a shortage.

    Pity the poor farmer - it never rains but it pours. There are going to be some desperate people in this part of the woods. 6 baht a kilo was better than eff all which is what a lot of them will be getting now.

      5 dead and 15 injured. I wonder how many were unharmed? Grossly overcrowded vehicles no doubt travelling at speed. The carnage continues.

        After destroying the dogs and cutting off their heads the corpses should have been incinerated, not simply buried where other dogs, foxes or other animals (including humans) could dig them up. Sheer laziness.

    The first time I went to India 35 plus years ago the first guy, apart from the taxi driver to speak to me said "I see that you have a lucky face!'

6 minutes ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Will there be unlimited access to the Internet or will it be felt necessary to restrict foreign influences who say bad things about Thailand and invent stories ?

     Yes, my immediate reaction was 'Is this part of their single gateway plan?'

      My family had to harvest their crop last month or it would have rotted in the ground. They got 1 baht a kilo. Where the Govt. gets it's 1.6 baht a kilo from I don't know, if that's right someone's making a killing at the farmers expense.

   At this low price it's just not worth growing. I've suggested that they leave their land fallow for a year to let it recover. My family can afford to do this, many others can't.

        In view of recent events does anyone know whether the festival will take place next month?

          Interesting post. I'm your age and quite frankly have no desire to return to my Country of birth. I agree with you about the political situation here but by keeping a low profile it doesn't really affect me at all.

        You have only been back in the UK a couple of months. Please post again in 6 or 7 months time when you have experienced an English winter. Let us know how big your heating bills are. Do you own a vehicle? wait till you see how much even basic insurance costs. I doubt you;ll be doing much walking like you did in Chiang Mai unless you like the cold, wind, rain, sleet and snow.

       Anyway good luck to you all. I hope your wife settles down and likes it there, some Thai women become very homesick after a time.

    This bloke is an adult, why are you continuing to let him sponge off and steal from you? Are you sure he's doing drugs? A quick visit to the local police station, a word in a 'friendly' coppers ear and one piss test later your problems will be solved (at least temporarily)

11 minutes ago, Johnniey said:

Of course they are, they are all by  Kusuma Namwon's friends.

 

Put it on the Labour Dept.'s facebook page or the Road Department's site and you'll see some very different responses.

 

Roads here are not made to last, it how the local government make a livable wage, getting contracts/money to repair the same roads every year.

      So are you seriously telling us that the poor construction, inadequate repairs, serious delays and backlogs to maintenance are deliberate so that the locals have continuous employment. Get real, you know as well as I do that corruption with road construction and maintenance contracts leads to the appalling state of roads in many parts of the Country.

     The next time you come off your bike due to a pothole, or the shocks and suspension on your vehicle are needing replacement I'll bet you don't say to yourself "That's O'K', I don't mind forking out all my cash for hospital bills or repairs - the locals have got jobs'

     Not only are major prizes pathetic compared to other Countries, should you win one you are taxed on top of that. Complete waste of time and money, much more chance of winning the (illegal) local lottery. Every village has one.

     It must have been awful for them. Watch it again and see if you can spot ANYONE wearing a lifejacket. I can't.

         Just North of Prakonchai there is also a large parcel of land designated as a airport. It even has (had) a small control tower. This airport must be about equidistant from Buriram as the one being used at present. Wonder who owns that?

     Don't write off the RTP at this stage. The Thai Govt have just passed a new Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and it would appear that the circumstances of the incident might reveal a contravention of the Act. Give it a try, nothing lost if they can't be bothered.

    I'll bet the authorities are playing this down. In all probability thousands have been affected and were not diagnosed with zika as the symptoms are very similar to other mosquito borne viruses. As the symptoms are mild many would not have sought medical assistance where a blood test is required to positively identify the virus.

    It may well be that in a few months time when babies with deformities are being born that the true size of the outbreak is known (heaven forbid).