Hornell

Thanks guys

I have a couple of friends coming to Thailand end Jan/early Feb next year, who are both keen bird watchers. We are going to be in the north - Chiang mai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Kong and the Mekong areas. Can anyone advise on birding in any of these areas or put me on to someone who knows? Grateful for any help.

Someone once said he was "more twerp than tyrtant" - and I think he was probably right!

Many thanks for the replies - looking into them

Young Thai 18 year old boy wants to study art (drawing, painting etc) possibly with a view to illustrating childrens books or teaching. Not academically brilliant, so university not an option. Anyone any idea of art colleges or schools in Thailand, preferably in the Isaan, but anywhere will do? Or failing that just how he might start off using his pretty fair skill as an artist. Grateful for any help.

It wasn't a million years ago that another Thai PM went off to a UN conference and found that when it was all over he hadn't a job to come back to..............

http://www.chaipat.or.th/chaipat_english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4103&Itemid=293

Here's an English translation PDF version I actually tried to evaluate years ago: thailaws.com - King's Sufficiency Economy

Pheu, that's a heavy read! I wish the PM luck when he attempts to explain this to the UN, given that the total time for his speech is 10 minutes, and that his style of delivery is not exactly suited to brevity! It's all good stuff, but there is little there that is mind-blowingly new.

As plagiarism starts at school and continues throughout university and business, I suppose no-one saw anything wrong until the good Dr exposed the deceit! Amazing really!

If we do nothing, the Thai culture will get deteriorated.

If you do nothing HeijoshinCool, your English will remain cr@p!

I doubt this will be greeted with much enthusiasm by officials here, not just because the US hasn't gone out of its way recently to win friends and influence people in Thailand, but to have an 'honest broker' (yes, I know!) on board these big infrastructure projects would likely reduce the size of brown envelopes to an unacceptable degree.

What this article doesn't really address is the fact that it is not just those parents rich enough to have Gucci handbags, Hermes head scarves etc who are finding it difficult to meet the seeming ever increasing costs of the new school year. I live in deepest Isaan and so many parents here have real problems finding the money for uniforms, which always seem to be changing, books and various other things including the embroidering of names on garments - an irrelevant and unnecessary expense. Education at whatever type of school at whatever level is by no means free in Thailand and I feel sorry for the poorer parents who have no option but to try to find the money without Gucci hand bags, Hermes head scarves et al!

Thanks for the advice as I have been bugged with this problem as well. Visiting AIS shops wasn't helpful in sorting it. A couple of points: 1. The e-service is pretty useless and really doesn't help. 2. Calling 1175 and selecting the switch off service works well, but you need to talk to one of their operators/advisors as well. I was fortunate that the one I had spoke excellent fluent English and it all happened.

I messaged you about an hour ago. Hope you got it.

Yup Kamalabob2, thanks for your last and I noted your previous post. I thought I'd drop in to the show in Buriram over the Chinese new Year (!) I'm pretty clear what I need to do now, but it would be interesting to talk to the boss at Ruangsangthai and find out his views. All I have done so far is to dig a 150 metre trench ready for pipes! I like the idea of a solar powered pump.

Thanks to all for help and suggestions. I now have a pretty good idea of what I need to do, which would seem to be to site a pump as securely as possible beside my pond. A lot of useful advice here, thanks again.

Thanks steveG; to answer the qs: a) probably no more than 2 m, as stated, some 140 m, c) don't care as I am only topping up/filling a 15,000 l concrete tank situated at ground level.

yes, I have considered putting the pump by the pond, but am reluctant to do so for the reasons I mentioned. May have to if I can't get a good 'sucker' pump!

I want to pump water from my large pond at the back of my property some 140 metres to a large concrete tank in the walled and raised part of it, from where I will pipe the water to the places I need it - this latter part is not the problem. I do not want to situate the pump by the pond because a) it will get nicked and I would have to run a power cable up there. I therefore want to put the pump behind my wall beside the water tank and adjacent to a power point. Question: I need a pump that sucks water rather than pushes it. Suggestions gratefully received.

90 day reporting alas still needs the form in some offices; I asked if it was necessary and they said yes - in case the computer system goes down! paperless offices in LoS??? i should coco!

It is high time that they put up speed limit signs on the roads. Between Korat and Bkk the speed limit is 90kph according to the signs, on the Hua Hin Cha Am By-pass it is 80 (ditto) and on the western Kanchanapisek Roak (Bkk By-Pass) it is 120 (ditto). I don't think I have seen speed limit signs anywhere else. having said that, it does seem that if one drives at a speed slower than 120 kph one doesn't get 'pinged'.

Thanks for this info. I find the TV calendar most useful and hadn't picked it up this year. Came through fine via the link above.

Amongst all the hot air on this thread is the simple fact that according to the statistics given (and for the last few years) Thailand's accident record per annum is around 28,600 and given a population of 65 million, this averages out to 550 a week. The weekly death figures for New Year and Songkran each year are therefore highly fudged or else show a distinct improvement on the average. I leave it to you to decide which!

Fascinating.........*!?