...Ken
-
Posts
84 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Downloads
Posts posted by ...Ken
-
-
The topic is Trekkers Lodge, not age of consent in hill tribe villages. Take it to General Topics if that's something you want to debate.
Relax your knickers a tad sabaijai.
I believe Chanchao is a group moderator and he responded regarding age consent in the village related to the Trekker Lodge discussion. My response was relating to that flow of topic . I also added the 'nuff said to show I was not interested in further debating age of consent.
.......and as this has little or no relation to Trekker Lodge I will also not debate your comment further.
...Ken
-
> Oh...so you were one of THOSE sorts. :-)
Just for the record though let me state that I'm most certainly not one of THOSE sorts. (I realise you don't specify what exactly are THOSE sorts, but even not knowing that for sure I'm still pretty sure than I'm not in that group, whatever it is.
)Cheers,
Chanchao
Good to see you have a sense of humour Chanchao.
The 'those sorts" comment was concerning ' those sorts' of fellows that choose to stay in tribal villages rather than in more comfortable lodgings. I have been found guilty of that myself.
It always makes good sense in the evening....but seldom in the morning ;-)
...Ken
-
> Did you know Vinai well ? Vinai was the original owner of trekker house.
No, don't know him at all though I may have run into him at one of the village festivals. I never actually stayed at Trekkers Lodge but always in the village up the hill.
> A Farang woman I know well, who spent many months at Trekker House,
> went up to the Lahu village and was told by a (the first) Farrang who had
> moved in to the Lahu village, to go into the other room and meet his new
> Lahu wife. She returned saying "there are no women in there, just children."
Well Lahu girls marry young no matter who they marry.
Plus they tend to not the tallest people in the country to put it mildly, so it's not THAT strange that a person would consider them children. Few Lahu girls make it to age 15 single. Then they have at least 3-4 children, so 5 years later by the time they're 20, they turn 40. Cheers,
Chanchao
Oh...so you were one of THOSE sorts. :-) What you said above is the common stereotype.
Being the father of three daughters from 10 to 32 yrs. of age and ample experience around young women of Farang/Thai/Ethnic origins I say ....bullshit ! The bodies grow far faster than their brains mature. That 17 year old with the two babies, however pragmatic, is usually still a fearful 14 year old inside.
I believe the first Farrang to actually move into that particular village 'married' a 14 year Lahu old girl.
Reminds me of a Farrang I was introducing to a Lisu Phu Yai once, who wanted to marry a young Lisu woman.The Lisu chap says " of course, all men want a young wife. how about a 19 year old ?"
"Younger" says the Farrang ( a 40 yr old Brit). "How young?" says the Lisu. "14 - 15" says the Brit.
The Lisu says " why would a man want a child for wife ?"
'nuff said.......Ken
-
Has anyone got any hot tips on where to find old motorbikes in Chiang Mai ?
Preferably British (BSA, Enfield, Triumph etc) but would be interested in anything unusual or even an Enfield India.
Any condition considered but must be fairly complete.
If you are really serious about a classic Brit bike look into the BSA M20 (Do a Google search)
There are a fair few around Chiengmai. These bikes cannot be legally licensed to ride in Thailand because of their age and Thai laws. Permits are available for special use.
If you really want to go esoteric there are some Japanese Harley Davidsons of war era vintage that Harley built in Japan, pre war, and the Japanese used during the war. They were used in the Burma campaign and some have leaked across the border.
Good hunting......Ken
-
Whether it is urban folklore or not...........
There was the story going around Chiengmai about the person who was electrocuted in a telephone booth in a rainstorm. It seems that when the customer (standing in a puddle) placed their baht against the coin telephone they were electrocuted. Not from the telephone directly but from the overhead light.
Something to think about as the rains come.
...Ken
-
It's a very nice area. When you go up that road you first pass a Lahu village (Huay Muang), then you pass the turnoff to a nice waterfall where you can swim, then further you get to a regurlar Northern Thai village called Muang Noi. The road is completely paved now. JUst past Muang Noi up the hill is Huay Nam Rin, a Lahu village. Around there there's fields and further Lahu and Karen villages. Trekker's Lodge is just past Muang Noi on the way to the hilltribe village. Further up from there is a Royal Project, and in that area are also some new bungalows that are rented out fort accommodation. I'd check those first.
Very nice area, I used to go there a lot.
Cheers,
Chanchao
Chanchao,
Did you know Vinai well ? Vinai was the original owner of trekker house.
An interesting place at one time...that became quite squalid as time went on.
Inevitable from the onset, but seeing the culture clash over several years was interesting.
A Farang woman I know well, who spent many months at Trekker House, went up to the Lahu village and was told by a (the first) Farrang who had moved in to the Lahu village, to go into the other room and meet his new Lahu wife. She returned saying "there are no women in there, just children."
......Ken
-
If you have any pals with family still living in the villages have them ask around, especially the older folks who may be willing to share recipes. Also, many of the small village shops still sell yaa dong by the glass, as well as lao khao by the glass. Often you can buy a bottle too.
Hi Johpa,
Although I am now a little bit more of a temperant fellow than I once was....there was a time when my favourite early morning breakfast drink would be lao khao and hot ovaltine. Just enough earthiness and
vitamins to help start the day. I expect that you have tried the 'lao kapote' ? Truely lives up to the name of 'thumpskull'. I watched some being made once with the Lisu. I was very impressed as the 'still was a gourd positioned over a campfire with a long piece of thin bamboo as the condensor.
Their ingenuity surpassed their product....Ken
-
Route 1150 East to Chiang Dao has some small lisaw and Lahu villages (worth a visit), and a couple of large Hmong Villages
Large Hmong village ? You must be mistaking the Thais and the Lahu Dam for the Hmong at the entance to Ban Mae Paam. The Hmong used to be the main folks there but some of the Thais at Mae Paam moved out to be closer to the bus stop. Later on the Black Lahu moved in just behind the Hmong village. Very separate of course. Getting to be less Hmong all the time. There was a war between those Lahu and the Lisu near Ban Bang Maeow a few years back. It was rather heated for awhile until a Thai school teacher was shot by accident. The 'police' came and killed some of the Lahu and it has been mostly quiet since....well, except for that nasty war on drugs phase.
A lot to see in this area
Phrowe
If you head West toward Ping Koung from Prowe, you might stop in Ban Bang Maeow (first Thai town when you make the steep drop down from the mountain). There is a North direction road about mid town that takes you up to a big Lisu village. If you go past the Thai school and on about 3 km there are caves that a few monks live in. They are usually appreciative of a few donations of food. This is not a tourist destination. The road/track continues on and T's into the Phrowe/ Fang connecting road.
......Ken
-
Best thing about Phroe is the run West over to Ping Koung or the run East to Wieng Pa Pao.
But then again, the old back road that comes out on the Chieng Dao/ Fang road might be even a wee bit more interesting.
...Ken
-
~
In some fifty years of forest fire training and so-called control, I have come to realize that a forest cannot burn more than it is supposed to, even with human intervention. It also cannot burn less than it is supposed to, even with human intervention.
Fire is a good thing overall; even if we see it as a temporary disaster...
Got a match...?
My gawd man......such blasphemy !
Aye.....there is nothings as fine as dropping a 4 foot stick with the top a burning as bright as a blazing beacon..........and 12 weeks later seeing the deer contentedly grazing on new green sprouts.
...Ken
-
Mutts are better than dogs of a more similar 'recognized' breed....hmmm. It could be you are just not familiar will the appearances of your average soi dog.
I am sure you have a great dog.....help it obtain it's potential of being 'user friendly'. The dog certainly has that potential.
Your criticisms of pure bred dogs in Thailand rings hollow with me when I think of my old, close friend, 'Mad Mike' (deceased) who would go to Australia and 'shop' for pure bred German Shepherds. He would politely ask for a photo copy of a dogs pedigree. Once obtained he would go to several dog pounds and buy the cheapest half dozen German Shepherd looking dogs available. A few more photo copies and a plane ticket back to Thailand and .....there was a few baht in yer pocket.
All done to insure a multidiscipined gene pool, of course.
.....Ken
-
Buying Teak is similar to buying a ruby. There are some very poor quality stones being sold that are still quite genuinely rubies. Teak is no different. First off, make sure the moisture content of the wood going into your furniture is no higher that 10% (6% ideal). Look at the number of growth rings; if they are wide apart you are probably looking at teak plantation thinnings and the price should be 'considerably' lower. Old growth teak may have 25 - 30 + rings per inch and be 'considerably' more expensive.
Look at the colour of the wood; generally the more washed out the colour the younger it is. However, colour varies greatly with teak from dark chocolate brown to the light golden teak. Darker coloured wood is generally more dense . However...most cheap teak furniture is stained to look better than it is.
Look at furniture that has already be made. Look at the joints and especially if they have used
any filler goop to enhance their poor joinery (very common).
Best thing to do is buy one piece at a moderate price. Take it home and study it. The odds are that you will not make that same mistake twice. ;-)
...Ken
-
An English chap I know, a bit north of Mae Taeng, got the Japanese encephelitis a good while back.
Came very close to death and underwent years of slow recovery. I always smile, when in Fallangland, and folks complain about mosquitos....the bites itch; be happy that is all they do.
The common belief, in rural northern villages is that it is the yellow striped, big bodied,long legged mosquitos that carry malaria/dengue/JE. However, I don't know if that is true.
.....Ken
-
I am led to believe that the type of food you eat is more important than excercise for strictly weight loss goals.
Gotta disagree with you on that point....
I lost my 50+ kilos based mostly on a Mcdonalds/Pizza Hut/KFC/Dukes diet, interspersed with some fruits and vegetables.
I've come to realize that, for me anyway, it's not what I eat, but how I balance that with time, amount, and excericse. I can eat whatever I want as long as I balance it out And, being a non-perfect human being, I can mess things up occasionaly and still get away with it
Well......proofs in the puddin' ;-)
Anyone who drops 100 lbs. is doing something right.
Congratulations....Ken
-
[
No reason to think that, but every reason to think that it was caused by, 1. my Diabetes 2. My irregular heartbeat 3. my heavy weight (now 50 kgs lighter) 4. My sedentary lifestyle
Not only am I a new member of this group, but also a new member of the Type 2 club.
By not eating 'anything from a cow' (fat) and eating to my meter (blood sugar) I dropped 3 lbs per week for 12 weeks to 185 lbs. I actually ate more food than usual and worked (excercised) no more/no less. From my experience, I am led to believe that the type of food you eat is more important than excercise for strictly weight loss goals. We (family) are returning for the 5th time to
attempt 'sustainability' in Thailand. I am concerned about long term health concerns, not only for myself, but my wife and young daughter. I have known too many 'expats' in the Chiengmai area who died off well before their mid/late 60's. As I am fairly familiar with Thai rural lifestyle I am quite aware of the quality of vegetables that leave the farms. Most farmers I know have separate crops one to eat and one to sell. Those vegetables that the Chiengmai wholesale buyers want get the extra dose(s) of pesticide, they are the ones the farmers won't eat. Anyone eating strawberries or watermelon in Thailand is a complete fool....but those two are the easiest to avoid. Garlic is nearly as bad.
In my opinion....wood smoke should be the least of your concerns.....much of the 'Thai food' commonly available is, albeit tasty, quite detrimental to already compromised health.
....Ken
-
OK guys....N` gals.
I was last in Chiang mai in 1988.....I am getting old!
Just curious : what was your impression of Chiang Mai in 1988 ?
Excuse the interruption....... The difference in Chiengmai compared to then and now , from a Fallang centric point of view, is that in 1988 when you walked down a side street young girls would giggle, smile and walk over to look at you.... without saying "wat geh' hou' yu stay ?". When you could walk into an upcountry market and the whole bleedin' market would come to a complete halt.
Hmmmm, before the Thais figured us out.....and were not impressed.
In my opinion...if you were in Chiengmai in '88 and have fond memories....be smart, stay home and cherish those memories. Better to head down to Irian Jaya instead.
...Ken
-
Snake
in Chiang Mai
Looks like a common green whip snake, and non venomous...
Not according to my excellent field guide book, A photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
According to this guide, the snake is a Pope's Pit-Viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum).
Commonly found at elevations of 900 mtrs to 1,500 mtrs. Venemous and dangerous.
Very common.
We had one in the shrubbery next to our front door that looked very similar. The wife quickly dispatched it. We took it to the father in law who called it "ngu sigh maa" (horse tail snake) because it can strike as fast as a horse can switch it's tail. Locally regarded as extremely dangerous.
...Ken (Esq.)
-
Remember-Never spend more than you can afford to lose.
Yeah, I remember that one....grumble, grumble.
It was Dick, of Papa Dicks Bar, in Santi Thom district of Chiengmai . some 18 years ago who first gave me that advice.
Now there's a blast from the past....Papa Dick's! I was only driving past the old site of his bar the other day on my way to Rimping. Smiling to myself as I drove past.
I think on my last look it was still running at #7 on my list of "all time great sleaze bars" of Chiangmai.
Naturally LV is still top of the list
Ahhh...Los Vegas, I remember that place.
There was a hole in the wall in a soi west of LV, just a door and a small room with a couple of men. One girl in the other room had a rope on her ankle. That was unsettling.
Back to Dick's... I used to smile when the Thai lads would line up at Dick's 'medicine counter' to get a shot of #3 or #8 on their way to the ban sow. Some of Dick's magic potion was almost guaranteed to make a man out of 'em.
...Ken
-
Remember-Never spend more than you can afford to lose.
Yeah, I remember that one....grumble, grumble.
It was Dick, of Papa Dicks Bar, in Santi Thom district of Chiengmai . some 18 years ago who first gave me that advice.
The wife already owned the land so I invested the least possible on building the house (what I could afford to lose) Twenty rai came up for sale next door for 100,000 baht....but I was too smart for that.
Same reliable wife 18 years later.....
....Ken
-
The interesting part (IMO) is their appearance in an area that has not been their traditional
territory. Whether they have been displaced or their populations are increasing, I don't know.
The relatives say there are signs of lots of pups.
Hopefully a good news story..... unless you're eating the same things they are.
...Ken
Who says? What kind of scientific evidence have they presented, when none has ever been presented before? How do they even know what to look for?
Sorry, but the scientist in me demands facts
Let me guess....you're the condescending curmudgeon of this group ?.....Whoops, hold that thought, I just noticed the smilely face. Where would we be without those creatures? Anarchy, perhaps ?
...as for scientific evidence, hmmm, nope. This is all anecdotal......and that is what I find interesting, a hint that something undiscovered has yet to fall to the wayside of becoming accepted fact. The thrill of discovery....the hunt !
Maybe there is a condo balcony sitter in this ng who wants to venture further than the nearest Mexican restaurant and attempt to photograph this elusive animal, lay down a gps coordinate and enter the record books ? (smiley face)
...Ken
-
This is not directed towards Farrangs or Thais, just them damned Urbanites !
...Ken
......never met a tree I didn't want to hug.
Ken, is this my ol' pal Ken from two ways up north?!?
Hello Johpa,
Yes, good to hear from you. I trust you and yours are well and happy.
I finally gave up on SCT after 11 years. You figure there is any life worth exploring here ?
best regards.....Ken
-
The interesting part (IMO) is their appearance in an area that has not been their traditional
territory. Whether they have been displaced or their populations are increasing, I don't know.
The relatives say there are signs of lots of pups.
Hopefully a good news story..... unless you're eating the same things they are.
...Ken
-
Thai wild dogs ('maa paa' in Thai) 'Dhole' in English and 'Cuon Alpinus' in Latin are apparently making a comeback in an area North of Chieng Dao.
...Ken
Are they a special genus of wild animal or just a group of very angry soi dogs?
Yes, * Cuon alpinus infuscus ( I believe)
I realize that this is not as important as Mexican food or the best breakfast deal in Chiengmai but, yes this wild dog is unique and indigeneous to Asia. They are an endangered species and have never been scientifically recorded in North Thailand (still not) . Local villagers started to notice them for the first time in 2004. In a time when Thailand's environmental degradation is expected it is a sign of promise. The reports I get from hunters is that their numbers are increasing.
...Ken
-
Thai wild dogs ('maa paa' in Thai) 'Dhole' in English and 'Cuon Alpinus' in Latin are apparently making a comeback in an area North of Chieng Dao.
Dhole:
"Present in Thailand, including Khao Yai National Park (Lekagul and McNeeley 1977) but status is unknown. Despite frequent visits to the north of Thailand, and bordering Burma, Corbett (pers. comm.) never observed dholes, nor was he convinced that they still existed in much of this region."
Their sign is evident and occasionally being spotted by hunters about 100/120 km N.N.E. of Chiengmai.
...Ken
)
Then they have at least 3-4 children, so 5 years later by the time they're 20, they turn 40.
Trekkers Lodge, Doi Saket Area
in Chiang Mai
Posted