jfchandler

Samak issues ultimatum to PAD

By The Nation

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej warned protesters on Tuesday that his government's tolerance is drying up but fall short of saying what actions he will take.

Samak assigned Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Pol Gen Kowit Wattana to handle the security situations and to oversees the overall police operation. Samak acccused People's Alliance for Democracy of crossing the lines with its mass protest in Bangkok Tuesday that included the seizing of state-run National Broadcasting Television (NBT) studio and some ministries.

His government's tolerance has nearly come to an end when the PAD-led protesters stormed into the Government House on Tuesday afternoon.

He warned that if the PAD co-leaders still continued their cross-the-line movements, his government is still have many procedures and mechanism to handle the situation.

He mentioned about the emergency laws but said that is another steps.

He warned protesters to go home and go back to their families if they did not want to face legal action. He thanked Bangkokians for not joining the protest.

But for people from up country who joined the protest, the prime minister said they were lured to join and should go back home.

He also said he will take legal action against PAD's leaders who impolitely criticised him on the stages. He said all were recorded and they will surely be faced legal action.

Samak stops short of declaring emergency

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej threatened to take legal actions against protests but stopped short of declaring the state of emergency.

--The Nation

Samak's on TV now....just after 3 pm. His speech is showing on NBT as well....

As of 1:30 pm, NBT is still broadcasting, albeit from some kind of temporary-arranged studio set.... same with Channel 3... showing some protest news....

Uh oh.... you got some problem with men????

This is a TV meeting... girl.... It's not like everyone will be on the make....

Well.... maybe not...

Ya...I'd second that thought... I was sweating throughout the game with Spain and the prior one with Brazil as well... For being a "Dream Team," there were pretty long stretches in both games where the U.S. team's offensive performance was dead flat and lackluster...

Although we came out on top in the end, considering the U.S.'s historical place in professional basketball, our team hardly ran over the best of its competition in winning the Gold Medal.

I played basketball in school for many years... And to see the sum of the U.S. offense for long periods in the Spain game be to go down court, pull up, and shoot long shots from afar, made me cringe....especially when the Spain team was driving the lane, passing off and often landing easy layups or short shorts over the U.S. defense.

It's hard to complain when your country wins a Gold Medal... But it was a revealing look into the extent to which the rest of the world (or at least parts of it) are catching up to us even in things so American as basketball.

TIME TO LOBBY TRUEVISIONS!

Contact truevisions at: [email protected]

I tried the e-mail address you listed above, and got a failed-delivery error...

So, I went to the TrueVisions web site....and found this e-mail as their contact point....

[email protected]

Hotel California is the second most played song in Thailand...after the national anthem...

Girlx..... are you threatening to take a powder??? Certainly hope not....

Dunno about Thai Visa members..... but on a Friday night at Gullivers on Soi 5....I think I can safely say there will be MANY women around....

You'll hardly be alone...or lonely....

When I visited....I did the "taxi up from Ekamai" route.....and didn't realize that the location is pretty much all the way up to Petchburi Road... On that day, the traffic was a mess going up and back....and it probably did take 15-20 minutes of mostly sitting in a barely moving taxi.

It's certainly too far to walk from Sukhumvit Road.... So if I had to do it over again... I might taxi up to Petchburi...bail out at the corner of Petchburi and Ekamai, and then walk down Ekamai.... Once you get to the soi on Ekamai, the restaurant is maybe a 5 minute walk down that side soi to the location.

---The guacamole was ok---

They had guacamole? At what price? If you calculate with Sunrise taco prices guacamole is more valuable than gold (69 baht for a plate so small that you need a CERN standard microscope to see it).

If you look at the photo I posted earlier of the California Burger at the Big Mango Bar in the Soi 4 area, you'll see a greenish sauce the bar calls guacamole...

It's certainly not the same as the Sunrise Taco's offering (however minimalist in size), which is thick, very tasty, and clearly made mostly from actual avocados.... Something that can be and is scooped with tortilla chips.

The Mango offering may be closer to an avocado flavored sauce.... But since I'm not the chef, hard to say for sure on the makings involved.

I don't want to divert the main subject of this thread.... But on the subject of The (aforementioned) Landmark, their reuben (corned beef) sandwich also has gotten very good TV member reviews in other threads here. I think someone else already opined, just skip The Landmark's overpriced drinks/sodas and stick with the burger and fries....

It's on my list to try, especially since I live nearby... But I keep getting diverted by other priorities, such as last night's Olympic Basketball (and burger) outing.

So tonight, I took a trip into the "dark belly" of Soi 4 to indulge in a bit of Olympic basketball on TV and the above pictured California burger at the relatively new/relocated Big Mango Bar there.

And, I must say, I was pretty pleased. For starters, the burger they served arrived at the table pretty much looking exactly as depicted above, which was a good omen. Nicely toasted bun, fresh onion and tomato slices, crisp iceberg lettuce, and a good sized, nicely formed beef patty that well filled out the bun. And, it had quite a good beef/hamburger taste to it... not with the meatloaf or boiled meat flavor you might find elsewhere.

The guacamole was ok, as were the couple of slices of bacon layed on top, though the bacon strips were a bit fatty/chewy, while I'd personally prefer crisp/crunchy.... But that was a small issue for an overall good meal. Added in a side order of tasty french fries... and I think the whole deal came to 250 baht total... I'd certainly go back for another....but meanwhile, the Great Bangkok Burger Hunt goes on!!!!

Still haven't yet tried the well-reviewed, gold-priced burger at the Landmark Hotel, or the Crossbar on Soi 23, or the Hard Rock Cafe's burger. But, from the myriad of others I have tried already, I'd rate the Mango burger as among the best I've had here...on a similar level with Bully's Pub nearby on Suk Road between Sois 2 and 4.

While on the subject, I wanted to add I had a very good and satisfying burger experience a while back at the Bus Stop bar/restaurant, also on the main Soi 4. But rather than opt for their regular hamburger that night, I took a chance and opted for their STEAK burger... and was quite pleased with a very tender, well marbled, good sized real steak (not chopped or cubed or pressed) that arrived on my sandwich, more than filling out the bun... Good flavor... just chewy enough to be satisfying...but not tough or grisly.... A very satisfying burger that was at a reasonable price... and it reminds me I want to go back there soon to see if they can replicate it...or ... maybe I just caught them on a good night.

A good hamburger is always nice...but sometimes... a real man needs to have steak!!!

Info courtesy of TV member Lomatopo, the new Big Mango Bar on a left hand side soi of Suk Soi 4 about halfway down the street showed the U.S.-Argentina game tonight and is supposed to show the gold medal match with Spain on Sunday at 1:30 pm BKK time.

Tonight, the bar had the game on with volume turned down on a couple of screens downstairs, and a nice big screen with the volume turned up on the second floor. English language announcing via the Astra network from Maylasia. Decent food and reasonable drink prices as well...

Hey Greg.... sorry to be dense here... but...just to be clear...

So... the chili rellenos won't be available for lunch on Saturday??? Only after 6 pm Sat and then all day on Sunday???

And... only at the Soi 12 branch.... not Paragon or Emporium???

I guess I wasn't sure how you're handling your "specials".... When you talk of a special, I always thought that meant all 3 locations the same.... I didn't know Soi 12 would have different "specials" from the others...

Hmm.... in checking their web site today looking for an Olympics basketball venue...came across a real (not doctored) photo of the California Burger at the newly relocated Mango bar on a side soi of Suk Soi 4 (Nana).

Haven't been there yet.... but have to say... this burger pictured looks VERY good....

Chile rellenos, my favorite

Will be having Chile Relenos as our special of the Day on Saturday. Cheese stuffed in imported poblano peppers that have been fire roasted, dipped in batter and covered with our lightly spiced red sauce. Blistering fresh chilies is one of the reasons Mexican food taste so good. Yummm!!!

www.sunrisetacos.com

Greg.... I have long loved those, the hotter the better....but haven't eaten in SO LONG.... the frying..the oil... the cheese....drives the fat/calorie content off the scale...

That said... I might be persuaded to indulge for one day... Are you offering the special at all your current locations??? And, just for Sat. Aug. 23.... or future Sats. as well???

Hi,

accepting the danger of being controversial, but isn't all Mexican food and certainly all of the Chain Restaurant food either Tex Mex or Mex something ?

Real Mexican food, Mexico being a traditionally poorer country with lots of farmers etc. makes a lot of use of the cheaper parts of animals like offal in various sausages and stews. There certainly is no or little cheese in sight. One can not find "real" Mexican food anywhere else but in Mexico itself or may be in some Mexican quarters in the US which will be totally different than the offerings by "Mexican" rstaurants,

John

John, there are plenty of Mexican food restaurants in Southern California that serve authentic Mexican food in all of its various forms.... Though, it is correct that most of the larger "chains" tend to primarily serve Tex Mex choices.... Mexican food is so endemic in Southern California (my former home) that you can pretty much find anything you are hungering for in any style... somewhere.... even real Mexican chorizo!!!

No one has/did offer to buy off my vote.... Too bad... wish they did!!!

WOW... I go away from home for one week and return to find I've missed something here... So Donna and Boo axed 35 nasty posts about Americans...and I never got a chance first to read ANY of them???? Dang!!!!

To the OP... I'm an American living here in BKK.... and I also don't know a very good answer to your question, and it's certainly not a question that deserves any snotty/insulting replies. Likewise, I'm not especially into heavy drinking or bar girls... In my first year living here, I pretty much went out of my way to NOT look for making connections with other farangs (American or otherwise) (except for online here at TV) because I wanted/want to get used to living in my new home/country/environment.

I've heard it said that Americans tend to hang out around Washington Square area bars and restaurants... Bourbon Street, Larry's Dive, etc etc..., which are not really so much serious bar girl territory. (Sukhumvit Road near Soi 22). Tokyo Joe's Dive blues music club on Suk Soi 26 is another possibility. I did meet some Americans this past year when I went to Bourbon Street EARLY one morning to watch the Super Bowl on TV....since I wasn't going to get it on True/UBC at home. And yes, I do find other Americans at times at the Sunrise Tacos branch on Suk Rd near Soi 12.

There are a few times generally when I find I miss some American interaction/understanding...such as Super Bowl/NFL season time or now that the U.S. is playing basketball in the Olympics... Because, of course, other folks really aren't into U.S. football or basketball.... Just as I'm not into soccer....

But in general, my preference here is to hang with Thai friends and go to Thai places, listen to Thai music, etc etc... I lived in the U.S. all of my adult life before moving here, so the things I find interesting are the new and different things one can experience living in a place like Thailand/BKK...

And...to the posters that I missed because your rants got deleted... GIVE IT A BREAK..... I'm not sure exactly how to respond, since I didn't see your original posts. But taking a guess here, Americans aren't George Bush and his war on terror. In fact, 2/3rd to 3/4th of Americans at present think he's doing a crappy job... for whatever public opinion polls are worth.

I'm also no super patriot about America... nor do I have rose-colored glasses about our many faults as a nation. But, in general, I think most Americans (and especially those living abroad) are pretty down to earth... lacking in attitudes and nationalistic pretensions, probably more so than folks from some other countries... But, as surely is the case, when you're big and powerful as a nation (absolutely not boasting here, it's just the simple truth in the world), everyone else likes to try and take their shots.... So, for a change, how about giving a try at NOT insulting other people's nationalities????

I've been out of BKK (elsewhere in LOS) most of the past week...so I just got back and found this thread....thanks to Dotcom...

I've already voted for Bourbon Street.... on the 29th.... But I'm fine for either place... as may be ultimately decided...

Just a comment on the two choices...

For a TV meeting, at Gullivers, the only real option would be sitting outside on the patio.... since inside (at least for me) is so noisy with the music and such as to make any reasonable conversation impossible... But outside, they also have the metal tables... which make it a bit tougher to assemble a larger group together.

At Bourbon Street, they have plenty of room inside, and no problem to assemble tables in whatever manner/size of group is desired... Because it's indoors, it's also not subject to rain problems...

That's why I voted the way I did... But...as I said... I'm happy to drop by either locale...

This is not my best area of expertise...but let me give it a go on a couple of points... and I'm willing to be corrected if I go astray...

1. Any unlocked GSM phone, no matter what country originally purchased, should work fine in Thailand, as a technical matter. You just need to swap in a Thai provider's SIM card. You can also have the Thai shops (like at MBK or Pantip Plaza) unlock most locked GSM phone models for a relatively small charge, though that sometimes/rarely can cause technical problems.

1A. Having said that, since it's for a Thai lady, she herself ought to be the one to ultimately test and pick the model, since there's nothing more important than the hands-on impression of the end user, and you'll likely regret it if you try any other approach.

2. Even for phones purchased outside Thailand, the Thai shops can also add Thai language script likewise for a small charge...though I haven't done that myself yet...

3. While Nokia certainly is the top-selling phone brand in Thailand, I've never seen Thais (women or men) show much interest in slider models, nor in full keyboard models... Flip outs seem to do a bit better...but the single piece candy bar style seems to be the most common here. I use the business model Nokia E61i with a full keyboard, camera/video, music player, Internet, etc.... But a Thai woman would never touch it.

4. I wouldn't buy a Nokia N95 for a typical Thai lady... It's one of their latest models out...so in general, it's way overpriced...and probably has a much larger feature set than most women are likely to really use. Before the N95 came out, the N82 and a couple of the N7X series were pretty well reviewed, and now are on offer at much better prices.

Stopped by New York Style Pizza today for the first time on Suk Rd. between Sois 3 and 5, opposite the Landmark Hotel, and can offer a review, photos and an update on their new prices...

First, just as a preface, the pizza was pretty good, though not great. I too, as someone mentioned above, found the dough vs. cheese/toppings ratio to be a bit weighted to dough, though their pizza crust is thin style and nicely cooked in their ovens, so the crust itself is just fine. But I've also been told Californians such as myself are accustomed to heavier helpings of cheese on their pizza... So for me, it was a bit bready to the taste....

As to their pizza buffet offerings....either 1) the price of cheese really has been going up, 2) you pizza buffet gluttons have been cleaning the place out, or 3) they're just not getting enough customers. Because, what was reported as a 219 all you can eat pizza buffet is now priced on their specials menu at 289 baht. And the other buffet offering -- now pizza buffet plus four chicken wings, an order of garlic bread and a glass of Pepsi -- is now priced at 349.

Notwithstanding, I tried the regular pizza buffet and had an interesting result. Although they had already cooked XL 18 inch pizzas in the window, the manager offered to make me a smaller freshly cooked pizza with my choices of pizza styles off their menu (choosing up to 8 different menu choices of the 15 pizzas on their menu). So I picked the 8 styles I liked best, and wound up with eight different slices each of a different style. Those were OK and smaller slices, but the only one that really felt healthy in terms of toppings was the "hel_l's Kitchen" slice, where they pile on about 8 different toppings (the bottom slice below).

But I wasn't done then, since I'd been on a pizza-free diet for some time. So I asked for a couple more slices, and the manager gave me my choice from the 3 or 4 different styles on display in the window. Admittedly, they look old and tired in the window. But as reported by others, after reheating in the microwave, those three slices actually tasted and came out just fine... large enough to fold over sandwich style...and very hot and nicely moist. Between the fresh cooked and reheated, I'd probably pick the reheated as my preference. I've always thought next day pizza in the micro for some reason tastes better than the day before.

So while the buffet prices have gone up, there is some other good news, in that they now are offering happy hour drink specials from 2 - 6 pm daily, including all their beers, Baccardi Breezers and some other selections.... very good prices, as the following photo of the drink specials menu can attest. And nice for helping wash down that pizza.

They've also recently raised the prices on their regular, fresh made pizzas, as evidenced by the taped paper stickers now affixed to their paper menus....showing new prices of 555 baht for their XL 18 inch sizes (from 495 before) and 455 baht for their 16 inch L size pizzas (from 415 before).... Unlike most other places, all 15 of their main menu choices for pizzas are priced at the same amount, despite the variations in toppings.

However, at those prices, you really have to ask yourself whether their pizzas taste better or are a better value that nearby offerings such as Via Vai on Soi 8 or Limoncello nearby Soi 11... Having tried all 3, and others, I'd say for full pizza ordering, Via Vai and Limoncello are both better values and better prepared/tasting pizzas. But they don't have the pizza buffet either, so I'd say that really for now is NY Style Pizza's strong point.

Also echoing someone's comment above, my Thai GF ordered their regular spaghetti plate, and opined the noodles were a bit undercooked for her taste, and that she couldn't find any of mushrooms in the sauce. I tried the spaghetti also, and while the noodles issue wasn't a biggie for me, the general lackluster flavor of the sauce was a bit disappointing.

Their current/separate specials menu (which we had to ask for in order to see the buffet offerings, since it wasn't given to us by the server) makes no mention of the Thong Lor location, though it's still listed on their regular menus... There's also no mention on the menus or around the shop that I could see about a potential new location.

For late diners, they're showing their delivery hours as between 11 am and 3 am... and eat in hours from 11 am to 4 am daily... which makes them a nice option for post bar closing munchies.... Downstairs is just the lobby and kitchen, while on the second floor is the main seating/dining area. I don't much mind the higher price for a decent all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, especially when its new 289 baht price is still lower than a typical regular pizza at most places. But a bit more cheese and toppings would be nice. Oh well... I can dream....

Someone above mentioned basketball being shown on the Thai TV channels....

I've caught one men's basketball game (U.S. v. China) shown on Thai TV, more or less in its entirety... If Thai TV has shown any other complete basketball game, I've missed it...and seen no mention of it here.

All, I tried the Malee 100% tangerine orange juice for the first time today, after having purchased a couple of liters from Tesco this week on sale for 59 baht each...

On the good side, I will say the overall taste and sweetness level (meaning lack of excessively cloying sweetness) are a bit better than the several different varieties of supposedly 100% Tipco orange juices... I guess the tangerine fruit did give it a bit better taste than the regular orange alternatives.

However, after a couple sips, I still found the Malee tasting excessively sweet and with the familiar "not fresh" taste common in packaged/non-refrigerated orange juices here. So, I cut it 50/50 with still water, and it made a refreshing fruit drink...but hardly real orange (or tangerine) juice at that point.

So, despite the favorable recommendation the Malee tangerine got here from a couple posters, I'm sticking with the half gallons (about two liters) of pasteurized, refrigerated Florida's Natural brand REAL orange juice that can be had from Villa Market for about 163 baht. It is the REAL thing... and tastes the same here as in California... no ill effects from the 8,000+ mile journey from the U.S....

Once you've tasted the Florida's Natural brand, I'd challenge anyone to find anything here in LOS that tastes any better in the realm of real orange juice.