sibeymai

A major concern with nuclear weapons is who actually has the authority to launch them and the controls that are in place to prevent an accidental launch. Does anyone know what protocol the Iranians would use?

There is almost no strategic value for a country possessing a limited nuclear arsenal compared to their enemy unless the country uses their arsenal first, so not a very sophisticated protocol needed, just the belief of an imminent threat.

The whole purpose of the proposed missile defense shield intended to be deployed in eastern Europe is to reduce the strategic value of nuclear weapons (specifically Iran's or N. Korea's) as a threat to western nations from almost nothing to absolutely nothing.

Well, they don't work so why would they whistle ?

anyone who thinks the US will honour it's defense pact obligations in SE Asia is living in cloud-cuckoo land, with China on the doorstep.

Economics and diplomatic relations will be valued over any environmental concerns. The license review process is nothing less than a whitewash to allow PTT to continue operating.

No government, especially a resource focused one like Australia, is going to turn even PTT away, regardless of how lacking their standards are found to be.

Why doesn't Olympus get a mention here ?

It's a form of social security. With the distribution of wealth being so uneven in Thailand, if the wealthy did not take mia nois then the deserted wives of poor husbands who do a runner would have no support. Obviously, it's usually only the young, beautiful and "talented" who managed to land a wealthy and usually elderly benefactor.

I just came through with two wooden boxes over a metre long. Red channel. Guy says "what's that ?". "Model boats". Hmmm...too hard basket, through you go, not even x-ray.

Beer might be pushing it though. VB is available locally in BKK cheaper than you can buy in Oz, but don't know about Tooheys New.

War on Drugs, War on Terror: slogans dreamed up by the politician's spin doctors. Thaksin's war had little effect, as does the US's much publicised efforts against drugs and terror.

There has never been more than a very temporary shortage of any drugs in Thailand as a result of law enforcement actions (legal or otherwise). I would dare to say probably not even a shortage, but rather simply making availability more complicated with the added effect of concentrating the supply amongst the better organised and connected criminals. All of which results in the emergence of a stronger organisation later, rather like a virus which develops an immunity to certain treatments.

All that can be said is that the management policies which have been tried over the last 50 or more years have been demonstrated to have completely failed in their objectives. The question which must be addressed but which is constantly avoided is whether a better outcome would be achieved if the same management policy as exists for alcohol were applied instead. After all, this is the only practical alternative likely to be acceptable.

c'mon guys, take the gloves off and stop being pussies !

BTW, to solve the issue of running all over town for the best price you just send your willing and obedient TG to do it. If she doesn't come home with exactly what you want at the best price in town then tie her up and whip her to teach her a lesson.

Thailand: the drainage hub of Asia.

Bangkok: going down the drain.

Indeed for Qantas this is a very bad week. Out of all airlines flying jet airliners they almost certainly have the best accident record.

When the CEO Alan Joyce was questioned he indicated that the A380 Airbus can fly safely on two engines.

I thought "would it require one working engine per wing"?

It seems to me the pilot would have to overcome strong directional forces due to thrust coming from two engines on one of the wings.

If two engines failed, I'd feel more comfortable as a passenger if they were engines 1 & 4, or 2 & 3.

The computerised flight control system will automatically compensate for whatever engine configuration is operational. Ones assumes that the system can "auto-detect" which engines are working thus avoiding the China Airlines scenario where the pilots wrongly configured a shutdown engine into the autopilot and induced a spiral dive from which they barely recovered.

Indeed for Qantas this is a very bad week. Out of all airlines flying jet airliners they almost certainly have the best accident record.

Perhaps "best safety record" is a better description? Many here will remember QF1's crash-landing at BKK on 23 Sep 1999, no fatalities (although I wouldn't have wanted to be on the upper deck starboard escape chute ). QF spent a ton of money to recover and repair that airframe in order to maintain their unblemished record. Since it plowed through the golf course at DMK it was renamed the "golf buggy".

The golf buggy's registration number is VH-OJH, in case anyone wants to avoid it.

The height of the engine will also be a consideration. The marinised V8 will most likely be fairly low in height whereas a straight diesel may be taller. Could be an important consideration if the original engine fits below the cockpit floor.

You will need to ensure that the exhaust manifold risers are high enough to prevent water from entering the exhaust and reaching the cylinder heads/valves. The weight of the diesel may affect the waterline level thus affecting the needed riser height.

As for RPM, I wouldn't expect any problem with the Mercruiser petrol versus an automotive diesel.

Thank you Velocette for such worthy elocution.

Just for the record, this "pleb" has also bought a Jazz, hence my first hand knowledge of Honda's poor after sales service.

What Thai would pay out 5m baht for a Honda when they can buy a Benz or BMW for the same amount. Simple as that.

You don't see too many Lexus' for the same reason. Thais would rather spend more and buy a C class Benz than a significantly cheaper and probably better Lexus.

It would seem the Honda guys know the local market well.

Perhaps it also has something to do with Honda's reputation for poor after sales service....they'd have to reach unheard of levels of customer care to support Legend buyers, something they don't have to do for the plebs who buy the likes of Jazzs and Civics.

Lucas himself has stated that there were never any drugs in coffins and that this aspect of the movie American Gangster was a figment of Hollywood's imagination.

He won't be bothering the girls for some time.

The stripping naked part of the reenactment should be entertaining.

Agree with the above 2 posters. Transfer it as you need to by TT. You can do this online with Westpac and in my experience if you transfer in the morning Oz time it will be in an SCB account within a few hours as cleared funds.

Definitely DO NOT send baht from OZ, always AUD.

Costs $20 a time with Westpac and I think SCB charge nothing at the Thai end for receiving and no tax, but that may be dependent on the amount transferred.

....sex leads to crime in most places in the world....

Now that's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever read in this forum.

If it were true then I, like many foreigners in Thailand, must be a hardened criminal by now.

Congrats to the poster on their achievement in such a short time. It's a very competitive field and for a beginner on TV it looks like you've got a great future here. I'm certainly looking forward to further posts.

SBK, for the complete picture on the peopling of the world (out of Africa) read Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel".

His conclusion reached by tracing linguistic similarities was that there were successive waves migrating south out of China. Don't quote me but I think he says for at least the last 5,000 years.

Besides, even if it can be built and people can be found to run it, how to stop the millions of Thai drivers who drive straight through level crossings completely ignoring barriers and warnings of approaching trains. They better buy a lot of extra rolling stock.

High speed tracks do not have crossings; just bridges and tunnels

LaoPo

Unless every centimeter of track is elevated like the airport link it will be a disaster waiting to happen.

Remember, Thailand is a country where high voltage electricity transmission towers collapse because thieves steal the bolts holding them together. What do you think will happen to kilometers of unprotected and expensive overhead copper cable ?

Sorry to say it but it can never work safely. Regardless of being able to instill the concept of safety in the Thais who run it there are still too many others for whom the concept of safety has no meaning. It'll only take one drunken idiot on a motorcycle taking a short cut across the track through a gap in the fencing which wasn't fixed to cause complete carnage.

The only way to avert this is to elevate all of the track as I stated earlier. The chances of that happening seem slim (might pay to buy some shares in SCG just in case).

Would you travel on a fast train in Thailand at ground level ? No, I didn't think so.

I suppose it might be possible for Thailand to run a high sped rail network. After all, the BTS and MRT work well most of the time and contain similar technologies.

However, given all the bickering about 3G telephone licenses and how other "mega" projects never seem to amount to anything I'd bet on this never amounting to anything either. China might be the only country to have the patience to go through the political process. I think western companies would be very wary of getting their fingers burnt.

Anyway, regarding anything over 100km/h as a fast train indicates the fast train project is already off the rails. The cost of constructing a true fast train network at 300km/h will be significantly more than for 150km/h.

Besides, even if it can be built and people can be found to run it, how to stop the millions of Thai drivers who drive straight through level crossings completely ignoring barriers and warnings of approaching trains. They better buy a lot of extra rolling stock.

What a nonsense.

I suppose the forum readers must assume that the reason(s) for your above statement are either unimportant or non-existant, otherwise you would have been generous enough to share them with us.

At least you managed to increase your post count so your post wasn't a complete waste of your time.

Im really happy for you guys that feel good about this change, rather than thinking about it as a problem or worrisome. It actually makes me wonder how badly most men have got it, regarding their libidos. Almost like slaves to their testosterone. Maybe, the lower libido (but not meaning low..just lower), is the more comfortable existence (for both you and your partners). I also imagine you guys think clearer! I get the impression it would make you much better companions for your female partners too, without the excessive pressure for sex..or as much of a wandering eye.

Eek you are assuming all women are like you and dont like sex very much. My woman would divorce me if I slacked off in the sex department.... she needs it way more than I do and she gets really grumpy and we have fights if we dont have sex often. Im only in my 30s. She is not Thai. She says sometimes she cannot concentrate at work because she needs it so bad..... that never happens to me! I don't find her needs excessive and too much pressure though... Im her partner, it's my pleasure to keep her happy, even if I don't need it all the time like her.

Completely agree Sabum.

The Thai wife is constantly telling me to "get in here and do your job" ! Her expectations and the pressure to perform are enormous (amongst other things !!).

Eek, women can be so cruel to men....all that unrelenting pressure for sex is unfair. Women shouldn't regard men as just sex objects. now if only she would develop a wandering eye and found a lover. That would take some of the pressure off.

How about a committee to adjust the Thai alphabet (?) - so it's not so confusing, redundant, difficult.

There are several 'dead letters' and too much redundancy. Does it still need a half dozen symbols each for the P and T sounds? The vowels (sela) are just as bad in the redundancy dept. Thailand's scholars could do what Japanese and Europeans have done - adjust their alphabet to be more sensible , and thereby spelling of some words to make them less archaic. Ok, won't happen, but just wanted to mention it.

I asked a little Thai boy, which was the more difficult class at his school, English or Thai. Right away he said Thai. Ok, it's just one kid's retort, and maybe he likes his English teacher better (or it's a more laid-back class), but it could be indicative of why Thai students spend a very large proportion of their study time trying to decipher their own language.

Absolutely agree. And try using spaces between words for further simplification.

If two Thais speaking together fail to understand each other (a common occurrence in my experience) then it would appear that there could also be a a problem with the language as well as the alphabet.

Unfortunately, any such moves regarding the alphabet or language will be stopped dead by conservatives crying out for the need to conserve the cultural heritage and purity of Thailand. With such thinking by those in control Thailand is destined to become a backwater with a stagnant culture. Surely it is obvious that culture and language in particular is in a forever dynamic and evolving state and to try to preserve it at any given time is futile.