peterallard

A recent article in The Nation lauding the involvement of two Thai welders in the Chilean mine rescue operation proved to be inaccurate - the men were not welders. It was an error that causes the reader to question the accuracy of all other stories in the paper, and causes editors to chew the carpet and threaten all manner of injury to the offending reporter/writer. I was a reporter for two years and an editor for 26. I know of these things.

This is what I used to tell new and/or new-to-the-paper reporters:

“Never, ever in the history of mankind has there been a publication that has been entirely, 100 percent free of error. Please give that some thought. Meanwhile, this is your big chance to help us amend that woeful truth.”

Alas, it was not to be at any paper I worked at, despite the efforts of all of us who tried our level best to produce a flawless product. It can’t be done as long as people are involved in the work.

But it is especially difficult in Thailand for a number of reasons:

English is a foreign language here.

The country is struggling to emerge as a democracy, always a messy business.

The press is working under the strictures of a government suspicious of it.

A free, or more accurately, a semi-free press is new in this country, so it is unrealistic to expect it to spring upon the marketplace as a fully mature entity.

So I would ask those of us on the forum who are always ready with harsh judgment to pause before letting fly. Do not withhold criticism nor refrain from pointing out error. Just think about it for a minute or two. Newspapering is really, really difficult to get right, it takes a lot of people to do it, and nearly everyone who is working at it is doing the best he or she can. No newspaper, ever, anywhere, will be error free.

So the newspaper got it wrong. Nevertheless, Mr. Francis gives reason for some national pride in this extraordinary and so far successful effort. I am glad to see the recognition of two able Thai men.

Highchol, thanks.

So the trees themselves have no good or ill luck attached, except for where they were placed. I asked because upcountry, some trees, by virue of their great age, not species, are home to spirits much valued by surrounding community members, as falangs have found out when trying to remove them.

This county is endlessly interesting.

This is actually kind of interesting. Do animistic beliefs inform some governing policies? Or maybe the government people were responding to concerns of nearby residents. It would be good to know where the government house is and what its function is.

I want to thank every contributer to this thread. It is, by a long ways, the BEST ONE ON THE FORUM. IA, you have the makings of probably the most informative and hilarious book ever for the aspiring falang immigrant. Taken as a whole, this thread in its entirety would make a terrific read for the outside world. Thank you all.

Re: animism - I posted this elsewhere a while ago in response to someone's question about mysterious rural explosions:

On the way to our village, we passed three fellows walking along the road and carrying what appeared to be musket-loaders.

"What are they up to," I ask Herself.

"Funeral," she says. "They shoot."

"What do they shoot, please."

"Ghost. Bad spirit."

Just one more thing I love about rural Thailand.

P

I bought a Canon P&S camera stateside for a Thai friend. The cost saving is significant. Canon has model numbers for the states and international model numbers for the same camera. I went to Tukcom in Pattaya and had a shop make a copy of the user manual in Thai. Charged me 300 baht. The camera itself had Thai in the language settings.

Many thanks - the camera shop idea especially. Gave me a "Duh" moment.

Jt, I have a simpler solution: do what 99 percent of us do and ignore it. I bet until you brought this up, most weren't aware of this function. Smooth move exlax

Yup, exactly so. I had no clue it was there. Now that I know it's there, I have no idea why, nor do I particularly care.

I am looking to get a compact digital cam for my sweetie. Is there a significant price differential stateside vs. LS? If much cheaper in the states, is there a way to get Thai language instruction booklet (She doesn't read English)?

Thanx for your help.

We were headed home to our place in Isaan when we passed three fellows strolling down the road with muzzle-loading rifles which prompted the obvious question to my lady.

"Funeral," she replied. "They shoot."

"What do they shoot, please?"

"Ghosts. Bad spirits."

A couple of hours later, the evil spirits were put to flight by multiple resounding gunshots.

I love this country.

AP via Yahoo has an interesting piece today about post-op infections. The New England Journal of Medicine reports a dramatic decline in the rate of infection when the patient is bathed in antiseptic and treated with a nasal ointment before the procedure. Check it out. It might be a useful DIY treatment before surgery in the LOS.

Stunning. Only eight or so of my selections made it, but I salute my co-voters. It's just wonderful. Thank you.

Hmong are a bright and energetic people. Why they are an international pariah remains a mystery to me. Yes, they have added to the welfare rolls in the United States, but they have also added to the political and economic vibrancy of my state (California). They are more an addition, rather than a subtraction, to the welfare of any state. My wish is that Thailand takes the lead in offering these beset-upon and energetic people an opportunity to add to the wonderful mix that is Thailand.

Terrific pictures. Great talent. Too bad you can't use them all.

Great thread. My dad, a Navy Corsair jock, vintage WWII and Korea, taught me how to fly in a Piper Champ with trike gear in '62. I had to wait two years until I turned 16 to get a check ride with a certified instructor, then solo. The guys cut the whole back of my shirt off so all their signatures would fit. Terrific memory. Much later, had a Cherokee for about 20 years and put almost 3,500 hours on it and me; and yes, general aviation is expensive, but it is the most fun you can have with all your clothes on. The community of flyers is the most friendly and collegiate I have ever been associated with. Alas, I lost my medical about six years ago, so have to ride right seat with pals now, and the Cherokee has a new home and owner. Took an introductory ride in an ultralight recently, and fell in love anew. Am now shopping for a kit I can ship over when I retire next year and make permanent home in Isaan. LOS seems like an ideal locale for low and slow, and the tiny craft are way cheaper to acquire and operate than their bigger siblings. Anyway, OP, good luck with your quest.

The monicamotors site appears to have malware in it.

These critters are a bit pricey, and I'm not sure if they are available in LOS, but they work as advertised if nematodes are the problem. I cleaned up a dying orange orchard with them here is Southern California - the trees started to recover about a month after treatment. The website has lots of good stuff.

http://www.naturescontrol.com/predatornematodes.html

It's been amusing to follow the vote-buying coverage in the Thai news outlets and the discussions here. Living in the U.S. gives a person a view of vote buying on an epic scale - health insurance companies, big pharma, hospital cartels and the rest of the health care providers here have spent more than $500 million (on advertising, lobbying, campaign contributions, junkets, bribes and such) in the last 18 months to defeat health reform. That's more than twice Thailand's GDP. So I am counting the days - I have 15 months to go - when I can finally call LOS home, where corruption might be endemic, but at such comparably insignificant sums that it's almost laughable.

Question for sabaijai:

Is Sri Lanka not considered in Southeast Asia? If it is located somewhere else, I apologize for my incorrect post.

Probably better stay at the airport as Los Angeles traffic is awful at the best of times and can gridlock in a heartbeat. There is a bar/cafe in the international terminal that has various amenities - wifi, rest area, et soforth - but costs $25 for three hours' stay; open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The terminal, undergoing a billion-dollar renovation, is a mess, and will likely remain so for another 18 months or so. The domestic terminals have more to offer if you don't mind a hike. Be very happily surprised if you encounter a pleasant customs/immigration/HSA employee. They are almost always snotty, officious and sometimes really stupid. If you want to venture afield, some nice beaches are close by, with lots of funky shops and eateries.

Thais aren't the only people nutty about pandas.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/

Not a bad thing to be nutty about.

The problem is not exclusive to Swampy, as has been pointed out. At least there appears to be an effort to clean it up, here and elsewhere around the world.

For what it's worth, I have never lost anything at Swampy.

SAN MATEO -- Three baggage handlers at San Francisco International Airport have been convicted of stealing from luggage during an undercover sting that was launched in the wake of the theft of a retired police sergeant's gun, authorities said today.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...1#ixzz0MsJ8wxMw

TRENTON -- A former Transportation Security Administration baggage screener was sentenced to three years in jail today for stealing more than 100 cameras, laptop computers and other items from checked luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/f...rt_baggage.html

MEMPHIS - A trip to the airport might seem like your ticket to a getaway, but for some people, it's an easy route to get away with your stuff. Nancy Allen found out first hand.

"They took her iPod, his wallet, my camera equipment, my XD cards," Allen said. Allen is a WREG employee.

Her family's trip to Disneyland was ruined when their flight landed in Memphis and she opened her luggage to find more than $1400 worth of electronics and her family's vacation memories, gone.

Read more: http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-luggage-loot...0,7521871.story

HANOI - Luu Truong Giang of the Noi Bai International Airport Ground Service (NIAGS) was caught red-handed last Friday night taking a digital camera and two memory cards from a bag that he was loading for a flight to Bangkok.

Read more: http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/?cati...mp;newsid=50999

BRUSSELS — The EU's top transport official put airlines, airports and national transport authorities on notice Tuesday that he wants them to do more to address the "very serious" problem of airline passengers' lost luggage.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianp...nwWH7NyxwZQgT-A

DUBAI - Dubai Police are investigating theft at the airport after suspects changed tag numbers of luggage, causing it to be diverted.

According to statistics provided by the Dubai Police Airport Security department, there were 21 cases of theft in the first three months of this year.

Read more: http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Police_and_...s/10332948.html

DURBAN - Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty has said that his costumes and other belongings were stolen and hinted that the theft was "organised" in connivance with the luggage handlers of the Airports Company of South Africa, which said it was unaware of the incident.

Read more: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/16223/...no-problem.html

There are many versions of this story - Google "thai government buying elephants."

Thailand offers Bangkok elephants for adoption

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Elephants idling outside discos or lumbering through traffic have been part of Bangkok's colorful nightlife for nearly two decades. Now authorities want to send them back to the jungle.

Thai officials say they have come up with an innovative solution: offering the pachyderms for adoption.

Several groups have already paid the estimated 500,000 baht ($14,664) to buy an elephant and relocate it to a reserve in the countryside.

Half of the city's 200 elephants have been relocated since the program began in March, and Bangkok Governor Sukhumphan Boriphat vowed in a glitzy press conference Friday that the rest would be out within a year.

"Roaming elephants can cause accidents, especially at night, and even more importantly are harmful to themselves," Sukhumphan said at a ceremony that featured a marching band, a Thai film actress and several heavyset women who were recent participants in a Miss Jumbo beauty contest.

"It's important that we get elephants out of Bangkok as quickly as possible," the governor said.

Elephants first arrived in Bangkok in the late 1980s after a logging ban made them redundant in forestry work. Since then, they have been trafficked into the city from rural Thailand and even neighboring Myanmar by politically connected gangs who count on corrupt government officials to look the other way.

The elephants' handlers persuade tourists to buy the animals sugar cane and other snacks or use the elephants to promote the sale of ivory trinkets. Many of the animals get hurt when they collide with cars or step into drains or potholes.

The city has tried repeatedly to evict the animals — at one point bringing in trucks to cart them away — only to have the plans undermined by lax enforcement.

This time, the campaign includes putting microchips in the elephants so officials can track their whereabouts, and trying to convince foundations to buy and relocate them.

Once in their new homes, the elephants will be trained to search the forest for their food.

Elephant owners can use the money to get into a new business, and those who refuse reasonable offers will be fined, city officials said.

"They are icons of our country," said Chookiat Prathipasen, deputy secretary general of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, which has adopted 63 elephants and plans to take a total of 81. "They should not be treated as pets. They should be treated nearly like humans."

Thanks for the site. It will be useful.

I make the trip frequently, and after always checking the usual - Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak, etc. - I go to Vayama and find the best fares. All but once it's been China Airlines. Right now the fare is $814 RT LAX-BKK, about $80 lower than any other. Once flew Asiana Airlines at a lower fare, but the return layover at Incheon was eight-plus hours. Ugh.

It is true that China Airlines had a horrible safety record in the 1990s, but have since completely turned it around, to the point where IATA has cited them for their intense safety efforts. My experience flying with them has been nothing but excellent, from their inexpensive fares to their outstanding in-flight service. I have never had occasion to contact their customer service department, but I am not surprised at the fine treatment the OP received.