hansnl

So Thailand finally got it's Nobel laureate.......

For asking 3000 people over a months period, I would say that this survey doesn't even deserve to be wrapped around tomorrows fish and chips.

If he got hold of the umphur office records nationally for the last year it still wouldn't constitite a survey.

The interview of 3000 people over 30 days on a population of roughly 60,000,000 people can give a 90% certainty! (+/- 9%)

Also depending, of course, on the outcome of the interviews and the questions asked.

So it is a valid research.

I guess doubling or tripling the number of interviews would not really give a very different end result.

But..... why research the obvious?

On the adultery front, when will humankind rediscover the fact that the species is not monogamous

DISAGREE: It's one thing to say that genetically instinctively humans aren't meant to be monogamous, and another to accept the consequences of it, going merrily on your way singing "not my fault la la la". Humans have evolved culturally well past what can be said for our biology alone (we are have only a 2% genetic variation from our closest relatives the bonobo chimpanzees), and it now takes 20 years of intensive parenting to raise a human child to the point of being an emotionally successful member of society. It's well known that children have a much better chance for successfully raising their own children if they come from a healthy unbroken family. To say humans "can't" or "shouldn't be" monogamous because of biology is a dangerous false prophet. There is a lot of out-dated junk written into our genetic code, to say we should excused for actually follwing any or all of it is just daft. Most of what we do isn't instinct, much of what we don't do is. I for one am happy we've come this far, not to mention that I don't have to put up with having poop flung at me whenever I leave the house.

On the attack and alcohol front, well, the veneer of civilisation is very thin and scratched away easily.

Okay I have to agree with you here, the veneer of civilization is indeed very think and easily scratched away, but mai pen lai? I think not.

To be a wee bit more specific, with stating that the Orang-Orang (Malay for human) is not monogamous, I do not imply anything else, just that genetically this species are not monogamous.

As stated in the part about the veneer scratching, don't you think this also applies to "adultery"?

Maybe there is a lot of outdated junk in our genetical code, however, be glad that it is still there, because one day, you, your children or further down the line, might need it to survive!!!!

I assure you that in times of stress or worse, you too will refer back to the genetic codes.

No cultural fact will stop this, maybe hinder it, but it will come back.

I am also a product of my upbringing, however, I was lucky or unlucky enough to see the veneer scratched away very much and the results of that scratching were not very nice.

Don't be too certain that you will uphold the veneer!

The veneer covering the outdated genetic junk it is only veneer, and does NOT replace the "outdated" genetic stuff!

I assure you that culturally I agree with you mostly with your statement about parenting & all, however I disagree with the idea that culturally acquired learnings wholly displace, or should displace, genetical or biological inherited codes.

In times of stress, war, danger & etc instinct will take over.

Laos now seems to be the flavour of the month with regard to Thai visa applications!

This is because it is much closer that Penang and cheaper. The round trip on the train to Penang is now 2500+ baht and is about 21 hours each way. It can only 3,000 on Airasia if you plan you trip carefully.

The first step is to get a Lao Visa. The Lao Embassy is near "Town in Town" Wang Tong Lang and is relatively easy to find. There is a sliding scale of Lao visa prices for nationals of different countries. Most western visa runners pay between 1200 to 1600 baht for a 30 day tourist visa. The standard processing time is 2 days! You submit the visa application at 9am -12am and collect your visa the next day after 2pm. If however you wish to have the 15 minute express visa service you can pay 200 baht more!

Many local travel agents offer a Lao visa service for a couple of hundred baht on top of the normal visa price.

Mukdaharn is a lot closer than Penang at only 642 kms or 8 to 9 hours. Penang is over 1200 kms! The other plus is that the threat of bomb attacks in the south is substantially more than in Lovely Isaan.

There are 3 very comfortable VIP 24 seat (3 seats across not 4) Buses that leave Morchit Bus Station for Mukdaharn every evening roughly hourly from 8pm till, midnight. The VIP 24 seat bus fare is 760 baht each way. If you wish to go even cheaper (500 baht) there are about 10 aircon buses with the usual little legroom available leaving at half hour intervals from 8 pm to Midnight.

You may also go with one of the Visa Run Gang that I noticed where very much in evidence over the past few days!

If you leave Bangkok at 9pm you arrive in Mukdaharn at around 6 am. On arriving at the Bus terminal in Mukdaharn, I was informed that the new Bridge is open and non locals (Thais and Laos are allowed) are no longer allowed to go by boat to Savannekhet.

There is a big sign in the main Mukdaharn bus terminal annoucing the new Thai-Lao International Bus and there is of course a bus leaving at: 8.15, 9.15, 10.15, 11.15, 13.00, 14.00, 15.30, 17.00. The cost is 45 baht each way!

When I arrived at the Mukdaharn Bus terminal I saw a big line up of independant operators, parked as it turned out waiting for a regular bus to take their clientele to Savannakhet. So all of the Jack Golf group and the like got on a bus at 8.00am, 15 mins before the first independant travellers could leave.

We arrived at the Thai Border and relatively quickly stamped out of Thailand and then got on the bus to go to the Lao side. The Lao immigration people ask for 20 baht from each person and it is optional to pay it! Don't pay it and we will all be better off. On arriving at the Lao side we were all surprised to see the group tour people waiting there. Seems that one of the group tour clients had a BIG overstay and it was missed by the Thai's but picked up by the Lao side and this held everyone up.

Remember that all of the people on the international bus are on a vehicle manifest and so if one person gets held up the whole group can get held up!

The independant travellers group left about 5-10 mins before the organised group and this meant we got to the Savannakhet bus station before everyone else. As was expected there were a couple of dozen Tuk tuks waiting to take people to the Thai Embassy. It cost 20 baht per person and they welcomed us to be almost the first group of the day to get to the Thai Embassy.

At this point don't worry about changing baht to Lao Kip! I found the exchange rate to be, 1 Thai baht was between 250-350 kip depending where you changed. The Tuk tuk drivers in Laos are only to happy to take 20 Thai Baht per person to take you on the 10 min ride to the Thai Embassy. We had been at the Thai Embassy for about 10 mins when about 100 of the organised tour group also arrived totally inundating the small room that is the Visa issuance section.

It was difficult getting a Visa application form, as they are given out by the visa officers only!

What you need for a visa:

Tourist Visa

2 passport photos

1 filled out Thai visa application with the photos stuck or stapled to the form

2 photocopies of the front page (your photo page) of your passport signed by you

1,000 Thai baht

(Single Entry Only)

Non Imm Type "O"

2 passport photos

1 filled out Thai visa application with the photos stuck or stapled to the form

2 photocopies of the front page (your photo page) of your passport signed by you

2,000 Thai baht

1 copy of your marriage certificate accompanied by the original certificate

1 copy of your wife's ID card signed by her and you

1 copy of your wife's House Registration Certificate signed by her and you

(Single Entry Only)

I am sure other visas are issued but these are the only 2 types that seemed to be issued at the Savannakhet Thai Embassy on Monday the 15th of January 2007.

It was a real zoo and I have real sympathy for the 3 men that are trying to issue the visas. It was a hel_l of a job for them!

How to make the visa application process happen as painlessly as possible:

Get there early! Stay overnight or be on the first bus from Mukdaharn and you will get a visa application in.

If you wait to get to the embassy 11am you may not get a visa.

Visa applications are not excepted after 12 noon!

At 11.45 they start calling out the minutes left that they will accept applications

Get all of your documents in order and don't the waste officers time.

All around the embassy were signs that said that from the 15th of January it will take 2 working days for you to get your visa issued. After the visa application process, (30 mins if you get there early or 1 and half hours if you are late) I would suggest you find a hotel. I found hotels to be cheap ranging from 100 baht to about 1,000 baht.

Keep in mind that due to the proximity of Thailand to Savannakhet, if you are in a hotel near the banks of the the Mekong River, your Thai cellphone will work just fine. I stayed in the Mekong Hotel which is an old decrepid french villa now a hotel and karoke bar. 200 baht a night fan and hot water!

Up market and where many of the guided tours stay, is the Hoongthip Hotel. Priced at 430 baht to 880 baht for the presidential suite. Sauna, Cable TV, Internet Cafe and good food at a resonable price. The top 2 floors on the river side also pickup Thai cellphones just nicely.

What to do? Have a look at http://www.savannanet.com/ and you will get an idea of more info about Savannakhet. Not much really. I walked about for miles and ate reasonable western food for 50 baht a meal. The best place to start exploring is at the boat landing in the old section of town. This is also only about 200 meters from the Thai embassy. Plenty of reasonable restaurants and ambience on the river at night. Nice and cool and clean air and 12 hours sleep.

Collecting your Visa.

So it is 1.50 pm on that fateful day and you go back to the Thai Embassy. About 50 poeple stand in awe and wait for their receipt number to be called to collect thier passport. CHECK YOUR VISA NOW!!!

With 5 or 6 people get in a Tuk tuk and go back to the Savannekhet bus station and buy your return ticket to Mukdaharn. Get on the bus early or you will end up standing up all the way to the Thai border, till the organised tours get off.

It is advisable to book you return bus ticket to Bangkok before you leave Mukdaharn or you might not get a comforable VIP seat.

Costings for independant travel to go to the Savannakhet Thai Embassy to apply for a visa!

Taxi to and from Morchit 2x150 = 300

VIP Bus ticket 760 baht x 2 = 1520 baht

International bus 45 baht x 2 90

Visa Tourist 1,000 baht

Visa Non imm 2,000 baht

Hotel 500

Food 500

This means it is going to cost you 4,000 baht max to do a vias run

Group tours all inclusive 5,500 to 6,500.

Now if I can get some sleep tonight I will be able to face tomorrow

Badbanker!

Try the Nongkhai/Vientiane run.

By train to Nongkhai

Tuktuk to bridge

Thai stamps

Shuttle to Lao side

Get the Lao visa

Lao stamps

Shuttle to Embassy

Hotel

Next day pick up at Embassy

Shuttle to Lao side

Lao stamps

Shuttle to Thai side

Thai stamps

Tuktuk to station

By train to Krung Thep

Don't forget the market in Lao or the market in Nong Khai

Generally this run is proven, probably cheaper to make, and sleeping in a train is more comfortable as trying to sleep in a bus.

And soon to come: direct train from Krung Thep to the Lao border!

Poll: Adultery main cause of family break-ups in Thai society; politicos poor role models

BANGKOK: -- Adultery is the major cause for family break-ups and divorce in Thai society, according to a new survey conducted by Assumption University's ABAC Poll.

Noppadol Kannikar, director of the respected poll, said the survey, conducted among 3,088 people in 18 provinces nationwide between March 25 and April 12, found that over three out of four families -- almost 77 per cent -- and 69 per cent divorced persons agreed that adultery was the number one cause which led to broken families.

Now that is big news, really?

Physical attacks, drug addiction, gambling, a lack of responsible attitudes toward the family, and alcoholism are other factors which also bring about family breakups, according to the poll.

So much newfound wisdom, it makes me dizzy.

Six out of 10 -- or about 60 per cent of the respondents -- said that joining in activities among family members during leisure time, meeting relatives and displaying love to one another would strengthen the family.

Quality time is needed anywhere in society, not only in the family

The poll was announced on the eve of Thailand's 'Family Day' which takes place on Monday.

Near two-thirds -- about 64 per cent of respondents said that Thai society was no longer generally supportive because today's political leaders are fighting with one another, causing divisiveness in society.

--TNA 2008-04-13

Now

On the adultery front, when will humankind rediscover the fact that the species is not monogamous

On the attack and alcohol front, well, the veneer of civilisation is very thin and scratched away easily.

I have no idea if the reasons above are found more in the Thai society, I doubt it, but anything is possible.

I do not believe prostitution & bargirls & etc have anything to do with adultery by the working girls & boys, or not much generally, however, the consumers of the services offered above might be more adulterous.

Tesco, Carrefour, Big C and name some others. They are all the same. Driven by the wish to make as much money as possible for the shareholders. Through us, the consumers. I don't think that is a bad thing. If your company is singled out by some officials to blame you for all the perceived wrongs, I guess legal proceedings are the only way to rectify the things that were heaped on you by reps of the opposing companies that were stupid or lazy? . Tesco are operating rather on the agressive side, not only in Thailand, but everywhere, so what? Why? Because they want maximum profit! But as more people said in posts, why not attack 7-11 or the other local leeches? You really think that holding company is operating with you the consumer in their mind, through franchises? Come on, wake up!

No way you can stop this. If Tesco would disappear, some other chain would come in. Signs of the time, people. The old ways are gone forever, also in Thailand. But, Thailand does not know yet.

No, I have no stocks in Tesco, and no, I am not a customer of Tesco.

And I buy in other chains and in local shops that do not charge me farang prices.

I also don't think she ever lost her Thai citizenship. The Consulate should be able to advise you on how to get her Thai passport back. I also admire your dedication to your adopted daughter.

If your daughter was named in the Thailand Official Government Newspaper as having surrendered her Thai Nationality and accepting another Nationality, she has NO Thai citizenship any more.

Officially Thailand does not recognise dual nationality, that said, there are many with a Thai passport also owning another one.

However, if she has been born in Thailand, with natural Thai parents or parent, she can get the Nationality back.

It will probably have to go through the courts, but you could ask a Thai lawyer how to do it.

If the above mentioning was not done, than she will still have her Thai nationality.

Produce the paperwork (birth certificate etc) and apply to the Thai Embassy.

The consulate might be able to help you, but my bet is that you will be better off at the Embassy.

Patience in this affair would be advisable

Good luck.

Guys (and Gals), there's more at stake here than boot-leg dvds/cds (i.e. the RIAA can go fornicate with themselves!). Currently the US is THE place where new medicines are being developed.

While socialised medicine is a good idea in my view, humans are by nature largely not altruistic. If there's no profit, there's no motivation. Try and name a drug that has been recently developed in another country. Even the little blue pill which allows so many of our older TV members to enjoy the carnal pleasures that Thailand offers was developed at the behest of an American company.

With as much hatred of the US as is slung around this forum, I don't think you'd want to antagonise a country that you're so dependant upon for such a vital resource. If it can go to war over the fact that someone tried to kill its leader's pappy (and the perceived oil it was going to harvest), than what makes you think that it can't just pick its ball up and go home. And there'd be nothing you could do about it without being a hypocrite. After all, if you insist that the US should stay out of Thailand's business, you couldn't rightly tell the US it has to share discoveries based on their spent monies.

Your view about medicines being designed/developed by companies in the US, is quite wrong.

Most medicines are NOT developed by companies, but by researchers paid for by grants from Governments and public funds.

And your idea that most medicines are fabricated by US companies, well maybe by companies also working in the US.

Indeed, most "designer" and cosmetic drugs are developed in the US, but real health drugs definitely NOT.

hel_l, most companies spend less than 5% on research!

And no, the US did not discover the Internet!

And no, I do not hate the US or the UK!

And going on the warpath?

World War 1 The US came in for the finale

World War 2 The US did not finish the job

Korea Still going on, more or less

Vietnam You lost

Gulf War 1 The US should have finished it in the right way

Gulf War 2 Still going on, and it is a mess

Shall I go on?

I must agree with this though:

because neither the US or the UK can mind their own business and let others rule their own countries how they see fit.

Well, I rather think that you overrate the influence of those two countries, generally speaking.

What about France, Germany?

What about China, India, Pakistan.

Please go on, complete your favourite hate list.

Don't be afraid, just do it.

What real influence have the two countries on your hate list, US & UK.

Besides McTerrible, Kentucky F****d Chicken, and other cultural examples for the US, and Twesco, Bouts for the UK?

Oh yes, they try, but generally speaking, the countries all kind of muscles are nearly strained for, just play along and do what they want to do, or deem necessary.

You know what, if you do not have the back bone to stand up to someone over an absolute pathetic situation as this one, then you will be walked over all your life.

If you are gullible enough to think you would be dragged kicking and screaming to court over 40 baht, especially when one party has already been caught lying over the 500baht/40baht difference, then you deserve to run away with your tail between your legs.

Take your child out of school, move house, get into a witness protection program even.

A bit harshly put but I have to agree. But then there are many visitors over here who hear and believe the urban legends such as "you have no chance against the police", "if you go to court, as a farang you automatically lose", et al..

I have found the Thai court system to be fairly reasonable - my wife and I twice took a Thai man to court and kicked his butt both times. No prosecutor in his right mind would even consider a case for 40 baht, I don't care how many stories have been told to the contrary, and especially when the plaintiff already admitted to lying! Utter nonsense.

And to move a kid out of a school because the school did not handle the minor bickering of two kids and their parents, seems a bit more 'principal of the thing' (pun intended) than common sense or interest in the child's education.

And why is this thread even on these forums? This could hardly be seen as a reasonable warning to us all to "Beware Of Police" just because of some obscure parent/parent positioning over a childish issue.

A waste of space IMHO, and somewhat of an invitation to confrontation...

You find that the Thai Justice system is rather fair.

You even won two cases.

Obviously those were civilian cases, and NOT criminal cases.

And besides that, you said it yourself, your wife AND you.

So I guess your wife won, not you!

The warning in this thread is rather obvious, if you want, or are able to see it.

See also my earlier answer.

But it is definitely NOT about bickering between parents!

Why was the child taken out of school?

Because the school gave the choice, you take him out or we will send him out.

Ahhhhhhhh

Why did the school send him away?

Guess!!!!!!

Maybe someone wanted it?

By giving in in the school to the wishes of the off-duty policeman, a hearing in the police station and a eventual hearing by the court/public prosecutor of the boy did not happen.

I think that was a good thing too.

You are right in thinking that the boy would probably not be condemned, or maybe not brought to court at all.

However, what about his visa?

Like I said, I received some advise from a public prosecutor.

Like I also said, there are people in Thailand condemned for even less!

It is definitely not the amount but the deed that makes the case, as it should be.

I rest my case, your honour!

Anyway, greetings to all.

And maybe there are some people who see some light in this thread.

Who knows?

Yes mate, you suck as a father.

Go to court, call his bluff. All for 40 baht how ridiculious.

If it had been me, I would have called his bluff and walked out. But before walking out and with everyone around, I would have handed him 50baht and said here, if you really need the money. Accept it as my donation to the policemans ball.

Anyway, I think this post is just another from fantasy land.

Definitely, this is not fantasy land.

I am afraid you think that you can bully yourself out of situations, just like the policeman.

The policeman can do that, you can not.

Remember T.I.T.

First, you were not there

Second, indeed go to court, and see what happens to you.

Third, hand the policeman some money with about 10 people around, including farang, and then look what will happen.

Yes indeed, all for 40 baht.

People have been condemned in Thailand for very much less money.

Besides that, local police can talk to immigration police, savvy?

I was there, listened in, talked to someone in the justice department, and he agreed this could be the best and fastest way to try to minimise damage, because it all boiled down to loosing face!

The policeman overstepped his authority by doing the questioning, because his underage son was the victim, so by law HE was the victim.

The policeman could threaten to bring the boy to court, obviously he does not have that power, because the public prosecutor decides that.

He threatened to refuse the boy to stay in Thailand, that is the prerogative of the immigration police.

That said, like I said before, the policeman could influence his friends in the immigration department.

End result ?

The school was most at fault to surrender the proceedings to the policeman!!!!!!

But they did not dare to withstand the man, being afraid to loose an influential (?) parent.

At a certain point of the proceedings a higher officer was brought in, he listened for about 10 minutes, and went away.

So, I think even you will understand that the lieutenant had covered his tracks.

So please, use your brains.

You know the saying, please switch on your brain before you do something?

The current political situation in Thailand involves a lot of uncertainties. This is likely to have an impact on foreign investors for quite some time to come. Most international investors are today pretty conservative as well - mostly due to the overall economic situation from a global point of you.

At night, after a copious meal, I often get a bad dream about the economy in Thailand.

I always dream that the government try to do a very intensive PR-exercise about the economy.

TIT

Usually you're not allowed to use the mobile phones during take off and landing only. That interrupts with signals from the air-tower. But you ARE allowed to use it while flying. Not that much of a signal can reach anyone up that high in any case.

From the posts, it appears as if people are not familliar with the policies regarding mobile phone usage during flight here in Thailand.

Would it surprise you to know that your phone must stay off for the entire flight? Unlike other countries, you cannot even turn your phone to 'flight mode'.

This is policy for Thai Airways, and I believe all the others follow it as well.

I cannot turn on my mobile at all (it has a flight mode) and listen to MP3, watch movies, or play games even if the flight is 10 hours long.

Thailand's policy is in need of an update.

That doesn't mean we want to make calls, but banning usage for the whole flight is not reasonable

If the flight is 10 hours long, I presume in-flight entertainment will be supplied to you, courtesy of the airline.

If it is possible to switch on a mobile, listen to MP3, watch a movie, then maybe, yes maybe, you might be trying to make a call too.

That is why the categorical denial of the use of mobile phones by most airlines.

I have seen it happen more than once on flights to Europe.

Nowadays, airlines are even thinking about disrupting the possible use of a cellphone by means of blocking equipment.

Now, that is a splendid idea!

I don't see the problem, why is someone using a mobile all of a sudden such a nuisance on the plane. I couldn't care less.

Emirates is the first airline that allows his customers to use mobile phones during the flight. I think it was only a matter of time before this would happen, and I don't see any problems with it.

There was a time that making a phonecall was a private thing.

That were the good times, before people became very uncouth because of the mobile phones.

Now I have to listen to people yapping away about anything ranging from stupid to downright dangerous.

If you don't see any problem, than sir, you should visit a doctor, because you need help. Urgent.

Why?

Well, it is considered to be very rude to talk loudly in company.

If one talks to someone outside a group, he should leave the group where he is in.

Why, because members of the group might be ashamed to listen to a private conversation.

That is why, sir!

I make it my business, if someone talks loudly in the phone, to start talking very loudly to myself!

Or to companions if I am not alone.

Very funny.

Try it out.

The caller hangs up within a minute or so, even in Thailand.

So they bloody well know it is a irritating thing to do.

Imagine, sitting on a plane for nearly 12 hours, trying to sleep a bit, and than: department of silly ringtones followed by verbal dhiarroe for 5-10 minutes or longer

Great!

I don't see the problem, why is someone using a mobile all of a sudden such a nuisance on the plane. I couldn't care less.

Emirates is the first airline that allows his customers to use mobile phones during the flight. I think it was only a matter of time before this would happen, and I don't see any problems with it.

There was a time that making a phonecall was a private thing.

That were the good times, before people became very uncouth because of the mobile phones.

Now I have to listen to people yapping away about anything ranging from stupid to downright dangerous.

If you don't see any problem, than sir, you should visit a doctor, because you need help. Urgent.

Why?

Well, it is considered to be very rude to talk loudly in company.

If one talks to someone outside a group, he should leave the group where he is in.

Why, because members of the group might be ashamed to listen to a private conversation.

That is why, sir!

I make it my business, if someone talks loudly in the phone, to start talking very loudly to myself!

Or to companions if I am not alone.

Very funny.

Try it out.

The caller hangs up within a minute or so, even in Thailand.

So they bloody well know it is a irritating thing to do.

Totally OT, but when I lived in the UK, I collected pen guns and other disguised weapons. (I had the neccessary licences etc). I had a collection of over 40 pen guns and guns disguised as walking sticks and umbrellas....

After the Dunplane shoortings, I had to surrender my pen guns. And when I moved to Thailand I couldn't import my other disguised weapons. They all had to be surrendered to the police for destruction, and no compensation - I lost out on about 20,000 pounds.....

Simon

Ah, so sorry.

But obviously the police did not name the class 5 dealer who would gladly have bought your wares.

When I relocated to Thailand I had to sell my (legal) guns in Holland.

Not for the best available price, but what can one expect.

I could not import those guns in Thailand too because of the calibre .455, .303, .38 Webley.

Not liked by Thailand!

I have the Non Im"o" marriage visa.I have this not because I live in Thailand but I travel back every weekend to see the family and after the day count debacle of last year it was easier getting the visa to go in and out.My current passport has one page left and I need a new one.So will my current Thai visa still be valid even tho I will be using a new passport.The embassy will cut the corners of each page except pages that hold visas.I will be renewing the visa in about 2 months time,but in the mean time will I have any problems on arrival in Bkk every weekend?Any advice on this gratefully appreicated

May I suggest to ask the Embassy to supply you with a "business passport".

I am fairly certain the UK, like the rest of the common market, can help you.

A business passport is a normal passport with a lot more pages in it, so more space for stamps.

I have a Dutch business passport now, and has double the amount of usable pages.

Korat declared disaster area for drought

Nakhon Ratchasima province or Korat has been declared a disaster area for drought the by the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Centre.

The announcement affects all 32 districts of the province.

The centre has already distributed 4.8 million cubic litres of water supplies used for irrigation and for drinking to locals in 265 villages as relief aid. Repair work is now being done on groundwater reserves in the province.

-- Bangkok Post 2008-04-01

I am very seriously interested how on earth the groundwater reserves can be repaired.

I suppose pumping up water somewhere else in Thailand resulting in a repairable groundwater reserve there, and bringing the water, one way or another to Korat to repair the groundwater reserve over there.

Time is there to make very big desilting plants near the seaboards of Thailand and pumping the water inland.

Sunshine to power those plants is richly available in Thailand.

ahhh..... I really prefer and miss the annual Colorado vs Texas tomato war! Water is for wussies!!

And I really miss the snowball fights in Holland in winter.

I always tried to press my snowballs into iceballs, with the help of a few drops of water.

If the snow was really too soft you could always lace the projectiles with pebbles,

Very funny.

No, hilarious.

These guys are wisely thinking ahead (though not above using an irrelevant, spurious statistic to put a bit of spin on their case).

As road transport costs go ever upward, with the rising open-market price of oil, it is only rail transport that can keep Bangkok going.

Bangkokians have to eat and do the exporting of the rice and the importing of the luxuries and transport is vital to all three.

In the longer term, they will have to put money into electrifying the longer lines, too.

But that can come after the tracks have been dualled.

Indeed, a good rail system might become the only transport suitable for a lot of countries in the world, mainly because of the frugal energy needs of a good rail system.

The problem is that in most countries funds for roads are seen as an investment, and funds for railways as spending.

However, any move by any government to strengthen the rail sytem in any country will be battled by both the car industry and the oil companies.

The biggest problem for Thailand is the 1-metre gauge, with a realistic maximum speed of 110 km/h and a maximum axle weight of about 15,000 kg at that speed.

For goods traffic the maximum speed at higher axle weights is very much lower.

The standard rail gauge of 143,5 cm has a realistic maximum speed of (now) 330 km/h and an maximum carriage weight of nearly 50,000 kg at that speed at a rail weight of about 65 kg/m.

Even dual tracks, and all the tricks possible to maximise the amount of possible traffic, will not be enough to cope with all possible traffic, a mix of goods traffic and passenger traffic will bring down the mean speed of trains considerably.

All in all, technical solutions are possible to make it more or less possible to get Thailand's railways out of a kind of stupor and make it a valid means of transport system for this country, all against reasonable prices for exploitation.

The building of the network will be expensive, but so are roads.

What happens at midnight?

Ahhhhhhh

I guess it will be the same as in Sweden when the traffic in this country went from driving on the left to driving on the right!

At midnight all traffic came to a standstill, 5 minutes after midnight all vehicles drove to the other side of the road in a disciplined and orderly manner, and 15 minutes after midnight the traffic started again, in a disciplined and orderly manner.

Imagine this in Thailand?

And that 5 times per week?

21 0r 22 times per month

260 times per year?

Highly amusing.

It will certainly bring in a lot of tourists whom will gladly pay huge amounts of money and teafunds to be able to observe these wonderfully entertaining exercises.

It must be a april fools day joke!

On the other hand, T.I.T.

i thought thailand was suppose to grow this year?? why would you need this then ??

I suppose this is a rhetorical question?

Biggest difference between LPG and CNG is the pressure at which it is stored.

CNG is stored at up to 200 Bar, LPG at up to 9 Bar.

So yep, when a CNG tank goes boom, it is with a serious bang

If I interpret the article correctly, it was the tank which failed...

Thank you!

As I understand CNG is still in gaseous form, while lpg is a liquid.

As I seem to remember from my green wearing instructor, gas always gives a nicer bang as liquids.

On the other hand, he was also a little mad!

They obviously weren't wearing the correct amulets.

I have no idea, there were 3 people in the car, but only one transportcoffin was needed.

They are still looking for 3 feet, some ears, 2 arms, one complete leg, a nose, and an assortment of other parts.

So I guess wrong or no amulets, who knows

LPG is around for much longer then 10 yaers, yet you don't see LPG cars go up in flames every other day!

Ah, but NGV, or Compressed Natural Gas is something very different from Liquified PetroleumGas.

The trick seems to be in the liquid form of LPG, at least, that is what I seem to remember.

What I do know is that in Rotterdam harbour the security measures for tanker with CNG are more stringent than for tankers with LPG, specially during loading and unloading.

The tank for CNG and LPG is VERY strong, I have seen a car that was hit by a train at high speed.

There were only parts to be found of the car plus inhabitants, but the tank minus the appendages was completely sound, scratched, with a few bumps, but after testing was still free of leaks!

Mostly when something goes wrong with LPG-cars, it is the appendages on the tank and on the engine.

And those should be controlled on a regular basis.

In Holland during the big traffic controls by combined police, customs and other authorities, the complete LPG installation is checked out as a matter of fact!

The problem with CNG is that a truck needs many tanks to get some range, and that means a lot of extra connections.

And there is Murphy's law!

When something can go wrong, it will go wrong!

And if one of the tanks goes, the chance for more going too is very big.

So it is........boom and then a split second later BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Oops

illegal?

Oh yes, definitely!

Four tops and one bottom

To be impounded with unseemly haste!