Chiangmai Cheers

Another whitewash. Surprise. Surprise

It just gets better and better by the day!

Maybe if they showed a bit of manners, one could feel sorry for them. My heart bleeds

15C does not warrant a disaster, come on its not that cold.

That depends on the average temperature you spend most of your time in. Presumably you won't be complaining when the temperature in Chiang Mai hits 40c because 'it's not that hot'?

For it to be a disaster, what we are really talking about is deaths through hypothermia. It has absolutely nothing to do with the average temperature you spend most of your time in. You are not going to get hypothermia with temperatures as high as 10-15 degrees.

The provincial disaster response services director Prajon Pratsakul, has declared all its 25 districts as a disaster zone due to the cold snap affecting the region. It is not just the mountain areas he is talking about.

Incidentally in 2009 it was an Emergency and 2008 was a disaster. i have no information on previous years, but presumably some alarmist term or other was used.

In 2009 "The office was given a budget of Bt26 million to provide 70,000 blankets and 40,000 winter jackets for local residents. It earlier distributed 291,114 winter items to help 64 per cent of locals affected by the cold spell".

In 2008 the provincial administration sought Bt2.5 million from the government to provide urgent help to local people who need about 100,000 blankets.(25THB / blanket)

What has happened to all the blankets and clothes given in previous years?

It is just another case of excessive exaggeration and annual request for more money

Well we have finally seen the minimum temperature drop below 15 degrees celsius in Chiangmai and once again Chiangmai is a "DISASTER" area. Six months ago we were a disaster area because of lack of rain. A couple of months later we were a disaster area because of flooding (mind you I did not see much flooding).

This time the provincial disaster response services director Prajon Pratsakul, is seeking a budget of Bt14 million from the Interior Ministry to purchase around 80,000 sets of winter clothes and duvets for the cold victims. Whatever happened to the clothes and duvets which were bought last year,and for each of the past number of years?

For the past three years the Meteorological Department has warned us that we were about to face the coldest and longest winter on record. That hasn't happened, and as a retired weatherman, I soon learned not to be "the boy who called wolf".

What constitutes a disaster?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia :

A disaster is either a natural or man-made hazard which has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the natural environment. It is classified as either a natural disaster or a man-made disaster. A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event with great loss stemming from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions.

Is this just another way to boost the coffers?

I find it quite incredible that people like CMGossip and AlfieConn come onto the forum to get their kicks out of "school bashing".

Can you show me my comments on school bashing Varee .

Apologies Alfie, I put your name in by mistake

I find it quite incredible that people like CMGossip and AlfieConn come onto the forum to get their kicks out of "school bashing".

My daughter is in the English Programme and I am very happy at the progress she is making. My daughter-in-law, who is a school teacher back in Europe could not believe how high the standard at Varee is. She reckoned the standard of the class would be at least as high, if not higher than in Europe.

My daughter was at another bi-lingual school in Chiangmai previously and i would have to say that Varee is a far better school than her previous one, Sarasas.

Both of her homeroom Teachers, Khru Mai, and Teacher Mike are very well qualified and are exceptionally good teachers. It is a huge advantage that Khru Mai speaks English, pretty fluently. My daughter really enjoys her time at school. We never have any problems getting her up in the morning!

As I have already said, I am extremely happy with my daughter's development. Sending them to an international school does not guarantee them a good and successful education. It does not even guarantee them properly qualified teachers. My own experience of International schools is that they are privately owned money making institutions, and that comes from helping out in a couple of them, in the past.

Varee School tries to instill some discipline in the children, as well as giving them a good rounded education and that is rather unusual in Thailand. Discipline is not beaten into the children, but is taught in a loving and encouraging manner.

Last week we went to Doi Inthanon. It was covered in cloud and quite damp. My daughter explained to me, about how clouds were formed and where the rain came from. As a retired Meteorologist, I can only say that she was spot on. How many 7 year olds could explain that at home?

Cambridge Checkpoint tests are for use at the end of Cambridge Secondary 1. They are marked by CIE and provide schools with an external international benchmark for student performance. Cambridge Checkpoint enables feedback to be provided on a student's strengths and weaknesses in key curriculum areas. Feedback of this kind is an invaluable source of information. Schools and colleges will be able to make strategic decisions, drawing upon a pool of information and specialist reporting tools built into Cambridge Checkpoint. Learners at international schools will have a transferable indication of their academic progress.

It's a pity that people have to come onto the forum to air their dislikes. A bit of time spent helping their children's development might be a better idea.

Tragic. May they rest in peace

"We're trying," Somyos told The Nation yesterday.

Indeed .... very trying

I'd like to second Mr & Mrs Pun Pun comments on the amazing, brilliant show tonight. For far too long there has been very little to do in Chiangmai, at night, but now we have found a new mecca.

Many thanks to Sansai Sam for his very kind invitation.

Tt was our first time, but we will definitely be back. I would highly recommend the show to everyone. The costumes, sets and cast were simply out of this world. A show one would be proud of anywhere in the world.

A very, very professional performance and superb choreography.

Thank you,

Mr, Mrs and Ms. Chiangmai Cheers

If you still have tickets, please put me down for 3.

Mr, Mrs ans Ms Cheers

"Thai doctors are world-renowned for the expertise in reattaching severed penises."

Thailand the hub for re-attaching todgers.  Next week brain transplants. 

Seems thay have plenty of practice in the Land Of Sliced

I wonder if he'll be cumming to visit her again

What an idiot, or does he have mental health issues? Not content with alleging a fake consipracy against the government of Thailand (they "could have" planted drugs, but they didn't did they?) he now wants to take on the Australian government.

At least the other Red Shirt British gentleman has had the decency to shut his mouth about it once he was deported.

But you must remember he is of Irish descent.

Please explain your racist comment

Well done ,I think its time for many foreigners to understand NOT to interfere in Thailand politics. After all we are only guests here . Hope this story will be set as example for the future.

What a load of rubbish. This guest thing is getting a bit lame. Many of us have been here for many years, have families here and are helping with out extended families. Are you implying that we should hand over our money and behave like little puppies? Of course everyone has to have some political views, if we did not care what was happening to our adopted home, we would be no better than animals.

It's one thing having views, it's another thing to incite hatred. There is a clear difference, and that's a person's attitude. The video clip posted portrays a particular side to both of their attitudes. Whilst we don't know them personally, it does lead one to draw their conclusions on the type of people they are, and on face value, it's not a good impression.

I agree entirely with what you are saying, about someone inciting violence. But surely, those of us who have lived here over many years, and have paid our dues are entitled to our views on what is happening in the country. This excuse of us being guests in the country is rubbish. I wonder how Thais would feel if they were treated in the same manner in the west. Double pricing, not allowed to own a house etc. etc.

More ex-pat schadenfreude at Thaivisa....

People you won't meet in a bar in Pattaya (and not just because they're dead)

Thomas Paine

Le Marquis de Lafayette

T.E Lawrence

James Brooke

Eamon De Valera

Che Guevara

Charley Wilson

...and let's not forget all those lazy drunken louts of the International Brigade who stuck their noses into Generalissimo Franco's business...

It is the privilege of the young to be revolutionaries. It is the sentence of the old to vilify idealism from the bar stool.

Wow, I'd love to be able to use big words like "schadenfreude", and to be able to come up with such deep comments.

Well done ,I think its time for many foreigners to understand NOT to interfere in Thailand politics. After all we are only guests here . Hope this story will be set as example for the future.

What a load of rubbish. This guest thing is getting a bit lame. Many of us have been here for many years, have families here and are helping with out extended families. Are you implying that we should hand over our money and behave like little puppies? Of course everyone has to have some political views, if we did not care what was happening to our adopted home, we would be no better than animals.

Perhaps he'd be better sticking to polotics

Last night, I finally had enough of the "Mi-dees" and "me-dies" and decided to look for an English commentary of the World cup on the internet. No joy from Radio 5 live, so I did a Google search snd found plenty of sites offering live streaming.

Unfortunately, I was unable to view these, as a message came up saying "An access to such information has been temporarily ceased due to the order of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES)

under the authority of emergency decree B.E 2548 (A.D. 2005)."

This got me thinking, and the only reason that I can see for CRES taking this action must be that someone might think that Donovan's sliding celebration on scoring the winner for USA could possibly be viewed as a message from someone, far away, asking for the government to be brought to their knees.

Perhaps Thaksin would have been an even better choice.

"Chaos reigns in North, Northeast"

By The Nation

More good reporting by the Nation. If they have nothing to write about, why the sensationalist headlines?

Maybe someone should point out to them that Samut Prakan is not really in the North or North East.

I've just got home from dropping my daughter to school on Chiangmai and there's not the slightest sign of anything untoward happening in the city.

"Bangkok govornor: Bt100 million needed to restore and renovate the city. /via @veen_NT

TAN: INN: Education Minister will hold a meeting 2 evaluate situ to consider whether opening of school terms in Bkk needed to be postponed "

I know the Baht is strong at the moment, but Bt100 million wouldn't restore much

Drove past the railway station about an hour ago. All sign of red shirts, stage etc.....gone

Varee ChiangMai to be open tomorrow, according to their website http://www.varee.ac.th/

Bit of a damp squib this, TG