STEELINOX

Yeah right; the lack of oversight alone will condemn this futile effort to make any places where people amass safe ~ LOL, "lipstick on a pig, anyone ! We've got cherry, pink, gareen, red, purple (500B note) "

Thanks,

Randy

Tourists flock to national parks

Thousands of tourists chose 10 of the national parks across country as their destination to celebrate the New Year holidays, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department said yesterday.

He said the agency will improve its measures to limit tourists entering the national parks during the next holiday season to prevent them from destroying sensitive sites.

Uthai urged the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport, and the Education Ministry, to encourage people to count down to the next New Year at temples instead going to pubs and bars.

-- The Nation 2009-01-06

And so it goes - LOS cant even manage a park !

Imagine this place trying to go "Green" = this place is quite a catastrophe on its own in every facet !

Thanks,

Randy

Dissolution I'm so sorry for your loss. We witness tragedies everyday and become desensitized to it all, we have to; to survive but this one has hit close to home and it's impossible to ignore. I feel mournful for you and all the others. I can't understand why things like this have to happen.

This has put the nail in the coffin for me and Thailand and when I can leave in about 6 months I will not come back for a long time. I know now for sure I'm not overreacting. I've slowly come to realize behind the few spurts of progress this country is basically a zoo with no accountability. I love many things about Thailand but that doesn't offset the dangerous and real things that are wrong with it. There's just too much risk living in a 3rd world country.

I have to agree w/you also. Its worse than "3rd World," its more like a "Transvestite Nation," meaning just that it clings to old ideas like "mai pen rai" and "who get the money"~ Thailand doesn't seem to aspire; and this is the danger for any nation to become a place that signifies "something" rather than "smiles and great food" let alone be a power in the world...

Thanks,

Randy

This is the result of corruption.

Many time we see how easy is pay for have advantage.

99% of the time people pay for dont have safety in their shop,club,disco, bar....ecc ecc EVERYBODY KNOW'

Same for all kind of business in thailand.

The problem is that also when people die nobody care after 1 month and the never ending tea money story dont finish.

I hope that the SIR that know about all this situation and thake money for close their eyes they soffer same as the people that burn in santika.

Also the Owner him not cry or was sad when im pay for have advantage and live him money in the bank for buy a new Mercedes.

Im sorry but when i see this things i want take ALL them in a public place and give to them the same treatment" burn in the fire".

ciao

Thats it !

I agree also...

Thanks,

Randy

I think he is going to need a lot more than 2 mil baht.... 32 survivors in ICU are probably costing at least that amount every day.

2,000,000 / 32 = 62,500

I think there are few more parties liable to pay: The very government body responsible for overseeing safety inspections- The Ministry of the Interior(???). Another party that should also be liable is the Thai Government itself; ultimately they oversee this ministry responsible for keeping its people safe to which it too has also failed. There's more than enough money to give these poor souls families, millions of Baht - I believe !

Thanks,

Randy

The problem is why should rich people get paid off when poor people of this country with just as many if not more difficult issues don't get a shoe in? Think Deep South, Issan, Karen, all the people living on the railways tracks...

The system is rigged and although the authorities are willing to pay for the legally attributed costs of this tragedy they should not be given a blank slate just because they (depending on your point of view) accepted/skimmed/extorted/skimmed/accepted enough in the past or near future to cover their negative cash flow from this event.

One question with an event like this is whether the voting majority care enough about the issue to make it a serious political item or if it can be hushed by enough cash to the affected parties. I'm very interested in how this event plays out in the public view over the next few months. For example, in NZ heads would be rolling.

If I was one of the affected families,citizens or tourists I would be baying for blood right now.

Just that the small stone thrown in the koi pond doesn't usually hit a big fish.

I understand what your saying and would add too that I will be watching closely as to the outcome; how the government conducts itself, and to see wether "Thai's" still like jamming themselves into Disco Halls for the sake of "sanuk maak" !

I think the voting majority really dont understand fully the impact that what has (consistently) unfolded before their very eyes - could indeed happen to them. Not in the exact same way, but by the same form of neglect and incompetence and the most important variables, "stupidity and ignorance."

Thanks,

Randy

I think he is going to need a lot more than 2 mil baht.... 32 survivors in ICU are probably costing at least that amount every day.

2,000,000 / 32 = 62,500

I think there are few more parties liable to pay: The very government body responsible for overseeing safety inspections- The Ministry of the Interior(???). Another party that should also be liable is the Thai Government itself; ultimately they oversee this ministry responsible for keeping its people safe to which it too has also failed. There's more than enough money to give these poor souls families, millions of Baht - I believe !

PS: My sincere condolences to you, Dissolution, God Bless...

Thanks,

Randy

I just don't get it... fireworks, sparklers, INDOORS ?!! I really don't get it... did they hire a 2 year old to handle the party?

Its quite the scene; the people were given sparklers to use inside the club !

The management culda given them all sticks of dynamite and they wuldn'ta noticed the difference !

Too sad...

If I had a pair of size "10's" !

Safety regulations are a drag for builders, but they've got to be put in place!

You're right and it really shouldn't be looked at as a "drag" because when you build things and "add safety features" it costs money and this is incorporated into the cost of building a venue like this. With "cover charges" reaping huge profits to these places the cost of safety is negligible and will never ever be noticed until something like this happens and your numbers of deceased drops from 60 to a few. Its good business to not cut corners on the lives of your patrons...

Of course, what you expect?

I would expect people, no matter what language or country you are in to have the ability to add and that means: LOTS OF PEOPLE IN CROWDED ENCLOSURE + A SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY/EXIT + STUPID ACTS OF NEGLIGENCE "SURE TO HAPPEN" + A GUARANTEE THAT NO OFFICIAL WILL "POP IN" FOR A SPOT INSPECTION + YOUR OWN INABILITY TO COMPREHEND ANY OF THE ABOVE B/C YOU WILL BE RIPPED OUT OF YOUR MIND FROM TOO MANY SINGHA'S OR WHITE RUSSIANS = A PRETTY HIGH PROBABILITY THAT CHAOS AND CATASTROPHE CAN HAPPEN TO YOU SHORT OF YOURSELF WINDING UP IN A GUTTER IN A POOL OF YOUR OWN CHUM !

People pay their money and expect a degree of safety

add into the mix selective enforcement of regulations and standards and the lack of awareness by people in crowded places and its a wonder that these things arent happening more frequently.

Its all in the "odds" of it happening and since we know full well that these "Clubs" overcrowd at EVERY opportunity which really is not that high in frequency, then throw into the mix the, what I call, "Numbskull Factor" ~ in this case the adding of fireworks as a "multiplier" increases the probability for catastrophe exponentially; man, its not rocket science !

Once again, Muang Thai, as usual, fails to disappoint on the level of travesty. Its on all the National and Local Networks here in the US. And in a few weeks this will be forgotten. As someone said, its all about the "Mighty Baht" and its "Power" to cause everyone to lose their minds when it comes to common sense. Sheese, what will LOS do next !

Sad. RIP.

Stay tuned folks; more chaos to follow !

I was in BKK Dec 06 for the New Years festivities along with about a dozen friends, all who traveled to BKK from points across the USA; we were astonished to experience our new years plans unfold as a bloody rise of terror as bombs throughout the city blew up. We were all in taxis traveling to WTC for the start of the evening and we heard over the taxi's radio that the city was under attack with the bombings. We were closest to Victory Monument and decided to turn around and head towards Lumpini to regroup. We were at a restaurant near the park when we saw His Majesty on TV asking for calm; and in finding out more details that the evenings events were ALL cancelled.

Now I dont know about the rest of you, but the feeling was, holy crap ~ lets eat ! Since food was still being served and it wasnt like the town was on fire, so we had our own New Years Eve Party at this seafood place near Lumpini and ate like kings. I remember at least having the best meal, and then moving ourselves to the Marriott to continue.

Today, we are witness to something quite different and if I had tickets to BKK now, I would first have to listen to the State Dept's recommendation and based on that would determine wether or not to go. More than likely I would still go if the State Dept said it was ok. But I would wait til the airports re-opened.

Thanks,

Randy

I forgot the thing is only 4 gigs !

Welp there ya go- and power hungry too - Not worth it !

Thanks,

Randy

I heard on CNET that the battery is greedy and doesnt last long -

IMO itsa glorified 30gig ipod video with a $200 cphone add on !

I dont thinkso !

Thanks,

Randy

700 baht, and yes you do.

If you want to live and work in Thailand, then the Thai PP is the way to go.

Thanks Samran !

what about when you leave - so you still have to pay the "exit" charge - 600B I think it is ?

Just an update - I did get my Thai passport today in the mail.

I did have to show my US passport (facsimile) during the process.

Now, how does this give me an advantage for use at the airport? When I arrive in BKK - I just go to the Thai Passport desk - and this is done because (1) its faster than foreigner desk? (2) Thais are less hasselled for bringing in dutiable goods. I am just spiffballing here - as I am trying to figure out when its best advantagous to use the Thai passport vs. the US passport.

Your comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

Randy

What we are witnessing now are those that are "fit and ready to get out" - these people should be clear in a few days; we will have a better idea on how we stand by monday. Hope you all have good "sea legs" !

Thanks,

Randy

So now they are transferring "the same incomptance" to an even more high profile leg of government- how does this help the LOS?

Thanks,

Randy

The airport's director-general Chaisak Angsuwan has admitted that there are cracks on runways and taxiways over a wide area of the airfield.

Shouldn't the airport be closed immediately?

If the quality of the runway is substandard (for whatever reason) when are cracks most likely to occur - when the runway is idle or when it is impacted by the weight of an aircraft landing?

Am I being too simplistic here or is some form of Russian Roulette taking place every time an aircraft lands?

Are the commercial interests of the airport and the airlines being allowed to override safety considerations?

Welplessee, picture this: you are driving down the road and your run over the "typical" pot hole; now mind you the entry and exit of the actual hole itself is probably quite close in proximity so you really only feel a brief thud through your chasis. The cracks in the airport seem to be long and parallel to one another but sometimes in a sinking succession to one another and possibly wider apart; well traveling down a runway with the breaks and thrust reversers active you may not feel anything, but if those cracks are hit in just the right angle (hi % probability not to) this could cause a "ground loop" and shoot your fully loaded 747-400 across tarmacs of the wrong flavor to be on while coming to a stop for the active taxiway. It is not a big problem now but when the rainy season comes this whole thing will become lakefront property and a popular tourist attraction as the "airport that was!"

Thanks,

Randy

DSI identifies a BKK bombings suspect

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) disclosed that an additional suspect of the bombings in Bangkok and neighbouring Nonthaburi on New Year’s Eve has been identified, thanks to the state-of-the-art photographic technology.

The officials got hold of the footage where the suspect was at the parking lot in Seacon Square Shopping Center. However, the DSI has not invited the suspect to the department for interrogation yet.

Mr. Sunai Manomai-udom, the DSI director-general, however stated that the images from the security camera could not yet confirm whether the suspect was directly involved with the incident, and more evidence and witnesses have to be gathered.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Charnchai Likhitjittha revealed that the DSI has spotted three suspects from the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), and two of them are men and the other is a woman. However, the images have clearly captured the facial appearance on one suspect.

He further stated that the suspect is a civilian with heavy criminal records, and the person is also trying to get away from the police at the moment.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 February 2007

DSI - that stands for Dumber Silly and Incompetent services. What a frakking load of cow dung !

l have been travelling via the new airport on many occasions, either business trip or vocation and l encounter so many problems with the airport services.

The worst one was on 30 Dec. The flight l took was AY0092 from Hong Kong. The plane cannot stop at the gate because the bridge wa not working properly. After the problem was fixed after more than 10 mins, we were allow to leave the place. However, when l try to find which belt to collect my luggage on the big notice board before goint to passport control, l could not find my flight. When l was the staff there, l was told not to trust the big notice board, better to check it after the passport control. After l clear the passport control control, l still cannot find my flight on the screen display!!!! And to me horror, all luggages were unloaded to a belt without any sign at all!!!!!!

l would like to know what happen to system on 30 Dec night. Why flight AY0092 was not display on the sign board? Why the airport staff are not helpful at all? How can a airport than operate for less than 6 mths start having equipment failure?

I too landed there at 1am on a China Air Lines flight from Taipei and our luggaage was put on a carousel which didnt have any signage to direct you to. So that was a little wierd. Using my instincts I located the carousel without too much trouble - it was located further east of passport control in a different sectioned part of the building. It was not cool to have to look for the carousel and there was no signage indicating the exsistance of it...

Thanks,,

Randy