Xangsamhua

This is simply promoting a recycled political philosophy that has resulted in the death of millions of people in recent history.

We shouldn't confuse the aims of corporate statists like Mussolini and Franco with the Thai situation, PAD or the New Politics, though the idea of representation from corporate blocs is superficially similar. As someone said, the way things are at present there can be no resolution. One side regards the electoral process as a farce and the other doesn't mind if it's farcical. For the latter it's all about power and, as we saw during the Thaksin era, power is not seen as something to be exercised responsibly or for the common good. Remember Thaksin telling the non-TRT voters in the South (2005) that they could expect no support from his TRT government?

PAD's New Politics requires further discussion, but the idea of a partly appointed legislature including people who have demonstrated in their lives that they are honourable and responsible leaders in their fields seems to me quite an attractive alternative to what we have at the moment.

We are seeking a response from Eva and will let everyone know just as soon as we have any news update. We also hope they do not abandon Elite Class, hugely popular with all our clients

Guy and Team

Just tried to book elite class on e bookers for May and Sep next year the respose is seat not available when all other classes are, could be fully booked but I don't think so not this early

Are we talking about Evergreen Deluxe? I was able to find available flights BKK-LHR-BKK this afternoon for April 09.

degreediscussion dot com has an interesting forum that discusses unaccredited universities and degree mills.

I had a young yank come in once with his resume/CV and a CDRom with a scanned copy of his 'degree' from the University of Queensland! He didn't know anything about the university and he had even written on his Resume that he was working in Starbucks or somewhere in the States while he was supposed to be studying in Australia! He didn't get a job from me but he is still in Chiang Mai and is doing quite well.

Loaded, the University of South Queensland is an accredited distance learning outfit sort of like the Open University in the UK. I completed a PGCE with them previously.

Not too proud to say that I now look stupid.

ummm.

The University of Queensland and the University of South Queensland are 2 TOTALLY different unis.

jeez, now I'm totally lost

Sorry to be pedantic, but the university referred to is not the University of South Queensland (doesn't exist), but the University of Southern Queensland, with campuses in Toowoomba and Brisbane. USQ is a highly regarded institution for distance learning, but has also an on-campus enrolment of, I think, about 10,000. USQ shared with Wollongong University the Australian University of the Year award in 2000 for their innovations in e-learning.

We shall have a group of USQ Primary Education students at our school this month for a 3-week practicum, so if anyone has any questions about distance study etc you are welcome to PM me and I can connect you with the lecturer accompanying them. A Canadian teacher at our school recently went to Toowoomba for a year to do a Master's at USQ. It was cheaper for him than going back to Canada to do it.

Perhaps the Bangkok branch of the Loyal Orange Lodge might know!!

I'm so happy seeing I'm not the only one who loves Khun Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai / PPP.

90,000 people is not minority.

It's nice to be happy, but 90,000 people is neither a minority or a majority. It's simply the number of people who were bussed into the stadium through whatever incentives and strategies were required for that purpose.

The 90,000 might represent the voice of the poor farmers, or perhaps just their local grandees - those who wield the power and have the real voice in the countryside. It would appear from the Bangkok gubernatorial elections, however, that the 90,000 represent only about 25% of the Bangkok electorate. Do the 90,000 represent a majority of Thai citizens with a secondary or higher education? Does this number represent a majority of Thais who are no longer tolerant of flagrant and gross levels of corruption? Perhaps the 90,000, who presumably believe criminality is an acceptable aspect of populism, reflect those who say they don't care.

We are starting to hear the language of moral equivalence, as we did during the Cold War, when Soviet dictatorship was seen to be morally equivalent to US imperialism. Now we are presented with the UDD as the legitimate equivalent of PAD, but the PAD leaders have not been charged or convicted on any grounds of corruption or theft. The middle-aged and elderly people, women and families that comprise the bulk of daily PAD attendances (from my observation) have not been bussed in in large numbers for a one-off Nuremberg-style rally such as we've seen tonight. The PAD have been invariably right in their analysis, though most agree their "New Politics" needs more discussion. The UDD and their PPP backers seem to have only one agendum, to overturn the law and the constitution in favour of their Leader, a man whose criminality has been established, but whose resources can buy him loyalty in a patronal society.

Well-resourced political leaders throughout the world have always been able to mobilize the numbers. It tells us nothing about minorities or majorities.

Well, it was a toss up between Notts County & Forest !!!!

No toss up. I was a regular at Meadow Lane from the age of 9-11 (1953-55). Used to catch the (Sneinton?) bus to the ground by myself and come back by myself. I don't think it ever occurred to my parents or myself that that might not be wise. We lived in Nottingham while my father was on exchange with REME. Left after a couple of years and haven't been back, but still have a soft spot for the Magpies and sad to see them struggling now. They were in Division 2 those days, along with clubs like Forest, Leicester, Derby, Stoke, Bury, Lincoln, Hull, Fulham, Liverpool (yes), Blackburn, Rotherham - an odd mixture from today's perspective.

Nice thread. These loyalties are meaningful even if it is "only a game".

Garro, nice topic. Here is a quote I like and have posted before on other threads ..... All boils down to not measuring your wealth in dollars.

"What if the spell of a place falls upon a youthful heart, and the bright horizon calls!

Many a thing will keep till the world's work is done, and youth is only a memory.

When the old enchanter came to my door, laden with dreams, I reached out with both hands.

For I know that he would not be lured with the gold that I might offer later, when age had come upon me."

-- Viking's Wake, Richard J. MacCullaugh

Nice one, T_Dog. It's so much better to reach out and respond to the call when you're young and fresh and still able to be excited.

"If you want to make God laugh, make plans." But you still have to, nevertheless. To not plan for the future - and that means putting enough aside to have some independence and some choices in the future - would be improvident. But to sacrifice the present to a future that may not come is a pity, especially if your near and dear miss out as a result.

Living contentedly on a modest salary and putting something aside as well seems a good policy, especially for someone with dependents, unless you want to throw yourself on the good graces of your children or the welfare state in old age, and the latter won't help in Thailand.

Thailand may in fact be a good place to sit out the effects of the coming crash if you have savings and can live on the local economy, but it may also become more dangerous if poverty spreads further and people's envy of your apparent wealth turns to hostility - in which case a nest egg might be handy to get yourself and your family out of the place.

I think it was the Buddha who said we are like children playing under a burning house. At some point we have to be able to avert the undesirable, such as penury and dependence, and that will require at least some modest assets.

Cheers

X.

some Aussie dollars in the bank, managed funds, some baht (I'm not planning on leaving LOS in the near future), and some gold because Mrs Xangsamhua really likes it. I thought of buying some more Aussie dollars, SIN$ and/or Euros and may do so soon, probably the former and reduce my baht balances. We're not talking about big money here, but don't want to waste it. Someone suggested that Thai gold is hard to sell outside Thailand. We might take a bit with us next time we go to Oz and see what the Vietnamese gold shops offer us.

Cheers

Xangsamhua

Hi Xangsamhua,

thanks for your post.

At present, the Baht is high against many currencies and it may be an opportune time to consider diversifying. Whether I would actually BUY $AU, $SIN and or Euro's as such, well, I probably wouldn't as I prefer to hold actual assets rather than currency. That said, possibly balancing out of your Baht holdings into foreign currency accounts may be a good idea. Certainly, as I see it, the interest rates offered in Australia are quite high, but will most likely fall by 1% or so over the next 12 months...but the currency hit the at $AU has taken seems overdone, so in fact you may make something on the currency without even worrying about the interest rate. Who knows ?

Re Thai Gold: I can vouch for the suggestion that it can sometimes be hard to sell out of Thailand. But what I have found is to say to the purchaser: "test it"..which they have then done and their attitude changes to one of acceptance and they are then quite happy to buy it.

Good luck!

Regards

London

Many thanks, London. We'll certainly be buying some more aussies in the next month and will also take your advice re checking out sale of Thai gold in Australia.

Best

Xangsamhua

My question is a bit different and comes from one who has no idea of how things work.

I own a house overseas, have some money in the bank (here and OS) and some superannuation (OS). My wife loves gold, however, and we have a little bit of cash available.

I like cash. It buys me things like air tickets, hotel rooms, small luxuries, etc. However, I know what can happen to cash (I was here in '97). I like gold, too. It's good to have it on hand if required. However, what proportion of my available funds (say $30,000) should I spend on gold and how much keep in the bank?

I don't want to have lots of gold (that my wife becomes attached to) and no cash; but I don't want to have cash that might bleed away either. What's a good balance?

Xangsamhua

Frankly Xangsamhua, I wouldn't be owning physical gold...at present.

I understand your experience with cash in the 97 crisis, however, if anything that should indicate a conservative approach may be better. I am not holding onto any physical gold at present (having sold out completely on Monday), nor do l intend to buy more in the foreseeable future. That may change if the gold price comes tumbling down (unlikely). That said, I don't expect it to rocket up either.

Looking at alternatives: I would now be looking at diversifying away from holding just 1 currency. I like the $SIN, possibly the Euro, at these prices the $AU seems undervalued against the $US. But I would only be holding these as currencies where my investments are held, either in bank accounts or in assets in those countries. Assets can be deposits, managed funds, real estate, equities (perhaps even gold shares!!) and other more obscure holdings.

I should state that I am NOT an investment advisor, or anything like that, but I base my actions on what I see and experience in my travels. Basically, what this means is that I don't know anything more than anyone else.....its just my opinion.

Thanks for your advice, London. It sounds like I should stick with what I've got - some Aussie dollars in the bank, managed funds, some baht (I'm not planning on leaving LOS in the near future), and some gold because Mrs Xangsamhua really likes it. I thought of buying some more Aussie dollars, SIN$ and/or Euros and may do so soon, probably the former and reduce my baht balances. We're not talking about big money here, but don't want to waste it. Someone suggested that Thai gold is hard to sell outside Thailand. We might take a bit with us next time we go to Oz and see what the Vietnamese gold shops offer us.

Cheers

Xangsamhua

My question is a bit different and comes from one who has no idea of how things work.

I own a house overseas, have some money in the bank (here and OS) and some superannuation (OS). My wife loves gold, however, and we have a little bit of cash available.

I like cash. It buys me things like air tickets, hotel rooms, small luxuries, etc. However, I know what can happen to cash (I was here in '97). I like gold, too. It's good to have it on hand if required. However, what proportion of my available funds (say $30,000) should I spend on gold and how much keep in the bank?

I don't want to have lots of gold (that my wife becomes attached to) and no cash; but I don't want to have cash that might bleed away either. What's a good balance?

Xangsamhua

ALL shops/ping centers and tourist-places, like all you mention are open as normal. These open 365 days/yr.

What is CLOSED are the real govmt. offices, real banks(NOT the numerous exchanges) etc.

Admire the giant and beautiful fireworks in the evenings-near the river.

Thanks Asanee

This year we will be in Bangkok on the Queens Birthday and know Mothers day is a Public Holiday and was wondering how this impacted on life in the city.

In particular will tourist spots be shut during the day (inc Grand Palace, MBK and malls, Damnoen Floating Markets etc) or is it just business as usual.

Plus I'm sure when we were in Phuket two years back many bars shut up for the day but this summer in Hua Hin I'm sure it was business as usual. So what happens in Bangkok in the evening????

Any help would be most appreciated.

THANKS

STEVE & KELLY

I'd like to know, too. Specifically the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeow and Vimanmek Palace. We have visitors from Taiwan and they're hoping to go there on Tuesday. Anybody know for sure, or semi-sure??

Interesting to hear the baht amounts being quoted for PAD. I've only ever heard them in reference to anti-PAD demos. PAD are certainly active and taking up more causes as they perceive just how inept their opponents are. Provocative actions like Samakh's threat to disperse them a few weeks ago and the arrest of Sondi on the rice-paper thin grounds of lese majeste only add to PAD's growing support. Expect big crowds at anything run by PAD over the weekend. The presence of military support, some in uniform and including one senior general, for Sondhi himself yesterday is interesting and suggestive. It could be a lively weekend.

I'm not enamoured of all that PAD says and does, but they have generally been pretty restrained, they have an ethic of non-violence, and what they've said about corruption and ineptitude has been spot on.

I believe there's a centre for gifted and talented students at Srinakharinwiroj University (Pasarnmitr, Sukhumvit 23), but 18 months seems a bit young. (I mean the centre is for children, not for students at the university!)

Definitely Dixie (78% from memory). And I'm a native West Australian!! Just shows what kind of Americans I've been around (or what sort of movies I watch?).

A fun quiz. Thanks PB.

Wife has been watching ASTV. I gather Sondhi has been released on bail. General Pathompong is in the thick of it too, in uniform, supporting Sondhi and PAD. Can anyone confirm this?

I've not taken the course and fear it may be as bad as people say; however, I've always thought that you get out of any course in proportion to what you put in (sorry to sound sanctimonious ). Surely with a whole bunch of critically-educated Western teachers on a course they can do something to steer the input and activities into a useful direction. (No? )

Speaking to a well-educated (UK and Australia) Thai administrator yesterday, she stressed that it is important that foreign teachers know about Thai culture and a well-constructed course is the way to do it. I was struck by her genuine commitment to this idea.

Perhaps the courses so far have been sub-standard, but with a positive approach and constructive feedback maybe they'll become more helpful. I don't want to do a Thai culture course either, but if it's going to happen we'll have to make the best of it.

The bar girls aren't calling you "Darling" (English)..... they are called you "NaLing" (Thai -> Monkey Face)

You wont find that on Wikipedia !!!

Really they call you dark ling meaning monkey ass.

What is said is one of several things, depending on dialect and word used. Monkey face and Monkey ass are only 2 such possibilities.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2089309

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2089392

From Thai2English.com

ดาก

(ดาก-)

dàak

[N] a prolapsing of the rectum

(not a pretty sight)

Issan slang, not central thai dialect.

Yes, probably not something some polite Bangkokian would say.

The So Sethaputra New Model dictionary cites it as "n. a plug; tissue at the end of the anus, which becomes piles if swollen, the rectum.

I first heard the term used in Vientiane many years ago, so I'd say you're right - it's Lao/Issan slang.

The bar girls aren't calling you "Darling" (English)..... they are called you "NaLing" (Thai -> Monkey Face)

You wont find that on Wikipedia !!!

Really they call you dark ling meaning monkey ass.

What is said is one of several things, depending on dialect and word used. Monkey face and Monkey ass are only 2 such possibilities.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2089309

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2089392

From Thai2English.com

ดาก

(ดาก-)

dàak

[N] a prolapsing of the rectum

(not a pretty sight)

... until Thaksin Shinawatra decided to replace the cosy military-resistance-criminal compromise down there by transferring authority to the police.

Could you please clarify ? What was the "the cosy military-resistance-criminal compromise" ? And how did the changes initiated by Thaksin altered this "cosy compromise" ?

Not all that well. I got it from my wife who got it from Sondhi Limthonkul and then I sat in on a casual conversation with some friends and a US political analyst advising companies etc on security and related Thai issues, so I haven't got a strong case. However, I suppose if the crims took someone out they could blame it on the resistance; if the resistance did, they could blame it on the crims, and the military didn't mind if these guys were sorting things out in their own way as long as the military weren't being taken out. I don't know what happened if they started taking out innocent people. I don't think they did that so much until it all started going wrong in about 2003, and Sondhi L. argued it was because of Thaksin's new management policy down there, but I don't know why or how the police would upset the apple cart.

if you avoid bangkok where do you live? dont you get bored?

As the great 18th century wit, Dr Samuel Jatuson said: "He (she) who is tired of Bangkok is tired of life" (or was it shopping?)

Just another episode in the ongoing Thai drama - if it wasn't so serious it would make a top viewing soapie.

As I understand it, the problem in the South has been going on for a long time (since the Siamese annexed the Sultanate of Pattani in the mid 19th century) but it was enflamed by Jompon Por's (Pibulsongkram's) dicatorial efforts to Siamise the Malay inhabitants in the 40s and 50s. Periodic upsurges of resistance activity followed by quieter periods then continued until Thaksin Shinawatra decided to replace the cosy military-resistance-criminal compromise down there by transferring authority to the police.

I might have this all mixed up, but that's my memory of the history.

I'm sure though that the people of Pattani (incl Yala and Narathiwat) will never accept what they see as Thai-Buddhist attempts to marginalize their language, religion and culture.

I have found that most of my teaching tools have been discovered on the job. The classroom is the laboratory where the experiments are conducted. All education theory can really do is provide a new lingo in which to make the discoveries of our experiments sound more impressive.

I'm rather more sympathetic to theory than this, Garro. If the theory is based on valid research then it saves us having to reinvent the wheel or wade through the mud to discover things by trial and error.

If, for example, there is credible research showing that simply recasting a student's incorrect response has no effect, that's worth knowing. It saves us laboring over something for no good reason. If the theory tells us that bilingual education under certain conditions and over time helps develop an L2 without detriment to the L1 that might encourage me to try it. If research indicates that marking students' compositions is a complete waste of time (and there's been quite a debate over this in the past dozen years) I'd like to check it out and see what implications it has for my practice.

The discussions on TESL-L on things like the value of teaching grammar and vocabulary refer constantly to the research and, hence, to the theory. People's theories are contested, the research is looked at more closely and our understanding of why we do the things we do is enhanced.

Academic research can appear to be a bit removed and at times a bit peripheral, but it all adds up to better knowledge of what seems to work and why (and the contrary). Sure, the actual ecology of teaching, with its volatile mix of teacher, kids, lesson plan, physical location, time of day, temperature, etc etc can't be replicated in a controlled experiment or even ethnographic study and it's that classroom ecology that provides the real hands-on learning so necessary to teaching. However, without a good theory classroom practice would be just one thing after another, wouldn't it?

Pattaya is the only place in Thailand to be designated a "city" and to be located within another amphur (Banglamung).

Pattaya does not appear on the Chonburi province map. It's represented by Banglamung.

http://www.tourismmart.com/storefront/zoom...&memid=5212