featography

Somyos advised people to boil or add an appropriate amount of chlorine to water before drinking it.

You can't advise people to add an appropriate amount of chlorine without telling them what an appropriate amount is (any guesses what that amount would be?)....... even then they'll probably get it wrong and the whole of Thailand will resemble February in Chiang Mai.

I didnt know you used chlorine in drinking water ( im no expert ) but i remember i had the taste of chlorine, in Florida once, and i asked locals why the water tasted look pool water, no one knew :-]

so how much pool water should we drink today ?

i bet the bottles are better, :-]

All water in the US is chlorinated, but I don't know about Europe, Australia and Canada. Mexico does not chlorinate, and that country is likely to give one the Hershey Squirts, aka Trots, Montezuma's Revenge, than we will get from bottled water in Thailand. If you taste chlorine anywhere in the US, its normal. Exception to the rule is San Diego Calif. where it does taste like swimming pool water. I don't know why that city has so much chlorine in it. I tend to worry more about how much flouride is in the water. Google that for its side effects. It's not pretty.

70% only?

Why should I pay more for this low quality drinking water?

What about in 7/11? There are many brands of bottled water to choose from. Any clues?

40% for water supply utility?

Pretty low indeed. ..

most of restaurants in Thailand don't care to use clean water.... Eatin' out here in Thai is to destroy your health.....

I want them to check restaurants , food courts and street stalls too.

I really doubt.... Will it be lower than 40% passin' the quality requirements,FDA?

"Regarding bottled water, please stick to products certified by the Food and Drug Administration," Somyos said.

Namthip bottles is marked on the labels by the Ministry of Public Health. I don't see anything certifying by the food and drug adminstration. So where do we find the food and drug adm. stamp on the water bottles??

I can stand in a queue in an airconditioned building and quite quickly be attended to by a smiling, reasonably polite, person who hands me my cash and updates my passbook at the same time all with little or no security risk for FREE

or

I can queue at an ATM with the sun blazing on my neck while some non-technically-minded moron in front of me fiddles with the ATM keyboard desparately trying to get it to play the lastest #1 pop hit while chatting on his/her mobile. When it becomes my turn I squint to see the dark filthy finger-printed screen on tippy toes or crouched down as the ATM has been placed at a height either for giants or dwarfs I find out that it has either no 100 baht notes, no 500 baht notes, or no notes at all. If I'm lucky and it does have money I'm taking a risk of having my pin number stolen and my account emptied by some unscrupulous Bulgarians. And for all of this I pay a FEE.

ATMs should be FREE OF CHARGE.

What bank are you with?!?!? At Kasikorn, the long legged young skinnier than a lite pole, ladies take your queve slip, give the 4 fingered hand point to the front door and ask us to use the atm outside. This is a fact.

Yes, I suspect the banks WILL indeed find other sources of income to make up. Like increasing the ATM charges for foreigners from 150 baht to what ? After all there are at least 12 million tourists a year in Thailand. If we assume even 10% of those tourists rely on ATM withdrawals, and if we further assume just ONE withdrawal per tourist, it translates to at least 1.2 million ATM withdrawals by foreign tourists a year -- yielding a fee income of 180 million baht a year at current levels. Now jack that up to 300 baht and PRESTO !! an additional 180 million baht income to make up for that so-called 100 million baht loss.

I have an idea! Lets start a grassroots action to spread world wide, to all 12 million tourists each year, to bring only travelers checks. Use no atm cards. We can tie up all the bank employees' time counting checks and Thai baht. to the Hub of travelers checks.

This looks like a fee increase to me. I have never been charged a same bank ATM fee for cash withdrawls, if within the same province. Now a fee will be charged after you've used the ATM four times in one month?

edit: nevermind, I think I read it wrong. Looks like same bank, same province withdrawls are still free?

Customers will be given free service for cross-bank, same-city cash withdrawals and balance enquiries for the first four times of each month.

Yes, it appears to mean you can use another bank's ATM in the same city for four free withdrawals per month. Presumably if you use your own bank it would remain "free."

What do you bet that translates to 4 free withdrawals from any bank, same province, but the 5th and those after, FROM ANY BANK including the home bank will be charged.?

" I always carry a buff cloth for just that. "

Just a little too gay . . . . .dear boy.

Your the only one having the gay thoughts. Keep your insinuations to yourself..!

Velocette may be mistaking buff cloth, for "jack rag", something he may be familiar with?

Decided to stop back in on the way home, all very accommodating and let me watch the video to my heart contents.

Certainly not good enough quality to pick out my black, faceless helmet from the multitude of other black faceless ones, if he even had it on his head. So after 3 minutes it was thanks and mai pen rais all round, and back on with some sleazy, dirty filthy guy's 'helmet', one can only shudder at the thought of who's unwashed sweaty head had occupied that for the past decade.

Um... did you know that BigC sells helmets?

Er, yes. Had the same helmet that was nicked waiting back home, as had bought a matching pair, plus my good HJC and one the missus has. Felt those 3 were still enough, and didn't need some inferior BIgC bucket added..

I might trust Big C helmets for riding bicycles, but.......

duplicate post deleted

I intended to buy a Toyota pick up today.

However, when the sales person told my better half that she would need a 30% deposit "because you have a Farang boyfriend", I told them to stick their car up their arse.

My missus is now going to be a proud owner of a Ford Ranger

Sorry about your luck and sorry about the FORD thing.

Seriously, this was some racist BS they tried to pull on you. I would have told them the same thing but would go to the other Toyota dealer and get it from there, I am sure it was that particular sales guy or a particular dealer. I would also send the email to Toyota Thailand and CC to Toyota Japan.

And to Spoonman, it's not a issue of extra 5% or 10%, it is the wording "because you have a Farang boyfriend". IF you don't see the problem with that, then you need to grow up before you post a reply.

I would have mailed my letter in both English and Thai, to the head of that dealership, noting in the mail that copies were going to Thailand Toyota headquarters, and corporate office in Japan. That shows all are made aware of it, and possibly, as we say in the States, S%$# flows downhill, and with enough momentum, it might all over the sales rep you have the problem with.

The Lotus 'how do they do it' video Union Jack.

Tool for how they do it. Look at some other other video suggestions down the right hand side as well to learn.

Love the Crome

Google: totally-dynamic co uk

They have some little videos on the bottom right

Also some FAQ's on the left.

Im playing condiments here (catchup), what are the benefits of wrapping?

Treatment with borates is effective and safe. We've treated 100s of poles and built a large house. There's been no problems with borers or decay.

Rich ppl are starting to build with bamboo. It would only take a small amount to grow enough to build a house every year.

As far as the cost compared to building with timber, bamboo would be much cheaper, the labor costs would be higher but cutting and transport would be less.

specifics on the labor costs?

This what it is all about to me. There are some beautiful bamboo structures around.

How does it compare costwise I wonder?

A couple more questions;, how much land is required to establish a renewable annual income that would pay for annual maintenance and land taxes?At what point would one be breaking even, and when might one start showing a respectable profit?

Could it be effective with 5-10 rai?

Thai only know how to work hard,

in spurts.

Farang know how to work smart,

not to mention, and pace themselves.

Go directly to the shipper. DHL, FedEX etc.

They should be able to tell you something.

I concur. I am fairly sure that you will be required to package the blood in a hard plastic, insulated cooler with ice or frozen chem packs, taped well. DO NOT under any circumstance, pack dry ice in the cooler. That is banned from an air travel, due its rapid expansion at high altitude. It will literally explode. You will be required to pay the costs of the fastest available shipping time, and it will have to be properly labeled with bio hazard stickers, which will also require haz-mat 5 part labels.

Personally I would pay the hospital that is drawing the blood, to ship it to its final destination. Coming from the hospital will be much less problematic than shipping it yourself.

Hope this helps.

UPS retired.

Virus killed NZ tourist in Thailand

Updated: 14:13, Saturday March 12, 2011

A young New Zealander who died in Thailand last month had a highly infectious virus which can spark the heart condition which killed her, tests show.

Sarah Carter, 23, died in Chiang Mai, where she was holidaying with friends Emma Langlands, 23, and Amanda Eliason, 24. All three were seriously ill and suffered vomiting and heart complications but only Carter died.

Four other people - an elderly British couple, an American woman and a Thai woman - also died unexpectedly in Chiang Mai within five weeks and their deaths are being investigated.

But the Dominion Post on Saturday reported tests carried out on Carter showed she had echovirus - a highly contagious disease which can cause myocarditis, the heart condition which killed her. The disease is linked to dirty, overcrowded conditions.

The discovery was revealed by Thai doctor Pasakorn Akarasewi, who met New Zealand embassy staff to report the investigation's latest findings on Thursday night.

British couple George and Eileen Everitt died in the Downtown Inn - the same hotel Carter and her friends were staying in - just two weeks later, while Thai woman Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47, died in the room next to Carter on February 3, the day before the New Zealanders became ill.

The hotel's air conditioning and facilities have been checked but nothing suspicious found.

http://www.skynews.c...?id=588109&vId=

Tests link virus to dead Kiwi tourist

Tests have revealed that Kiwi backpacker Sarah Carter had a highly infectious virus that can cause the same heart condition that killed her in Thailand last month. Thai health authorities are still investigating what caused the sudden deaths of Ms Carter, 23, and four others in Chiang Mai within five week, including an elderly British couple, an American woman and a Thai woman.

Ms Carter and Kiwi friends Emma Langlands, 23, and Amanda Eliason, 24, became seriously ill with vomiting and heart complications while staying at the Downtown Inn in the northern tourist city.

Ms Carter died of myocarditis, or acute inflammation of the heart muscle, on February 6, and Ms Eliason needed emergency heart surgery. Their illness was initially blamed on food poisoning from a seaweed toxin.

Thai doctor Pasakorn Akarasewi met New Zealand embassy staff for a two-hour briefing on Thursday night to report the investigation's latest findings.

His report includes newly released autopsy tests, which showed Ms Carter had echovirus, a highly contagious disease linked to dirty, overcrowded conditions, which can cause myocarditis.

Dr Akarasewi, Bureau of Epidemiology director for Thailand's Department of Disease Control, said doctors were unsure what caused the Kiwis' illnesses.

"After the group of three New Zealanders, we set up the joint investigation team," he said.

Soon after, the team heard about the deaths of elderly British couple George and Eileen Everitt in the same hotel only two weeks later. Members also heard about Thai woman Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47, who died in the room next to Ms Carter on February 3 – the day before the New Zealanders became severely ill.

Dr Akarasewi said autopsy results showed the British couple had blocked heart arteries, which could have caused their deaths.

A fifth victim, American woman Mariam Soraya Vorster, 33, who died on January 11, though not in the Downtown Inn, had symptoms that were "in the same pattern" as Ms Carter's.

Although her death occurred a month earlier, an autopsy had been performed before her cremation in Chiang Mai, he said.

Thai police had checked the Downtown Inn's air conditioning and facilities but found nothing untoward.

- The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co....ad-Kiwi-tourist

Surely this is just inaccurate reporting. Tell me it wasn't the police that checked it.

of course it was the police. Don't you know carcenigens are afraid and run away at the sight of Thai police?!?!?!?

so far, from the lack of proof for food poisoning, it rather should be treated as a coincidence. Travel health warnings are serious matter, as they can invalidate travel insurance

I tend to disagree. One death, is an accident or incident. 2 similar deaths is a coincidence. 3 similar deaths is a trend. 4 similar deaths is a habit.

TAX TAX TAX TAX

cut and paste from another site = dont shoot me I am only the messenger!!!

Are you sitting down?

Okay, here's the bombshell. The volcanic eruption in Iceland, since its first spewing of volcanic ash has, in just FOUR DAYS, NEGATED EVERY SINGLE EFFORT you have made in the past five years to control CO2 emissions on our planet – all of you.

Of course you know about this evil carbon dioxide that we are trying to suppress – it's that vital chemical compound that every plant requires to live and grow, and to synthesize into oxygen for us humans, and all animal life.

I know, it's very disheartening to realize that all of the carbon emission savings you have accomplished while suffering the inconvenience and expense of: driving Prius hybrids, buying fabric grocery bags, sitting up till midnight to finish your kid's "The Green Revolution" science project, throwing out all of your non-green cleaning supplies, using only two squares of toilet paper, putting a brick in your toilet tank reservoir, selling your SUV and speedboat, vacationing at home instead of abroad, nearly getting hit every day on your bicycle, replacing all of your 50 cents light bulbs with $10.00 light bulbs (most pollution as they contain a LOT of mercury and dont get disposed of properly) ...well, all of those things you have done have all gone down the tubes in just four days.

The volcanic ash emitted into the Earth's atmosphere in just four days - yes - FOUR DAYS ONLY by that volcano in Iceland, has totally erased every single effort you have made to reduce the evil beast, carbon. And there are around 200 active volcanoes on the planet spewing out this crud any one time - EVERY DAY.

I don't really want to rain on your parade too much, but I should mention that when the volcano Mt Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it spewed out more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in its entire YEARS on earth. Yes folks, Mt Pinatubo was active for over one year – think about it.

Of course I shouldn't spoil this touchy-feely tree-hugging moment and mention the effect of solar and cosmic activity and the well-recognized 800-year global heating and cooling cycle, which keep happening, despite our completely insignificant efforts to affect climate change.

And I do wish I had a silver lining to this volcanic ash cloud but the fact of the matter is that the bush fire season across the western USA and Australia this year alone will negate your efforts to reduce carbon in our world for the next two to three years. And it happens every year.

Just remember that your government just tried to impose a whopping carbon tax on you on the basis of the bogus "human-caused" climate change scenario.

Hey, isn't it interesting how they don't mention "Global Warming" any more, but just "Climate Change" - you know why? It's because the planet has COOLED by 0.7 degrees in the past century and these global warming bull artists got caught with their pants down.

And just keep in mind that you might yet have an Emissions Trading Scheme – that whopping new tax – imposed on you, that will achieve absolutely nothing except make you poorer. It won't stop any volcanoes from erupting, that's for sure.

But hey, relax, give the world a hug and have a nice day!

PS: I wonder if Iceland is buying carbon offsets?

If Australia lowered its carbon emissions 5% it would effect the planets temp 0.0001% however this would be offset by other developing countries growing ie China coal burning for energy.

Dont be fooled folks - its all about another tax that will effect every single thing you buy or use!

Plus Al Gore didnt win the Presidential election however went on to become a multi billionaire touting the global warming fear

that about covers it all, Blackjack. You're one of the sharper knives in the TV drawer.

A major debate is raging across the developed world as to whether global warming (man-made or not) is a reality or not. But luckily someone at the weather centre in Thailand has the definitive answer.

Amusing Thailand.

yeah! blame it on DEVELOPING WORLD.

Let me tell you this, the person came from DEVELOPED WORLD and now living in UNDERDEVELOPED for some reasons, almost ALL environmental critics from around the world will be quickly point their fingures to the global warming when something bad happened. I know that the former vice-president Al Gore was the very first person who told the world that the earth was warming up. Where did he come from again?

good question. As far as how smart US presidents and vice presidents go, thru out US history, before, during, and after office in the White House, Gore was never considered a sharp knife in the drawer. Some even called him the butter spreader. Now he in his financial / power trip, and more popular than at any time before. He is on track to becoming one of the richest men in the world, if no one puts the brakes on his agenda.

The whole issue isn't so much about 'Global Warming' these days.

They changed the goal posts a few years ago to 'Climate Change' as they realised that maybe 'Global Warming' tied their hands a little too much

The truth is that while Mankind may or may not have contributed to 'Climate Change' weather patterns have shifted throughout history.

I'd like to know what the lowest recorded temperature for Bangkok in March is though.

If you cast your memory back quite a few years before global warming it was the whole in the ozone layer that was going to destroy mankind, funny how they dont talk about that anymore?

Smarter people blew "holes" in that theory. It, also, didnt make enough money for the theorists. They will make a lot more with the current theory until enough smarter people convince the majority that there are holes in this one too.

There is no major debate about climate change. It is an accepted scientific fact.

"When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities." — David Hume.

Indeed. "Those who know, do not speak. Those who speak, do not know" - Lao Tsu

Those that can, DO

Those that can't, TEACH -anonymous

... vulcanic activity ...

More likely Klingons, I reckon.

I must have missed an episode. I thought the Vulcans influenced Volcanic activity.

Yet another intelligent announcement by a Thai specialist in something or another .

Could the earth being knocked out of whack a couple of inches by the force of the earthquake have anything to do with this freaky weather change , maybe just a coincidental happening . The moon has an influence on tides and weather , I normally see it just looking up from my balcony , last night I had to lean over the rail to find it , it was still up there how-ever .

I agree. The moon effects the tide. Although the moon also effects the untide

There is no major debate about climate change. It is an accepted scientific fact.

Some businesses and political interest groups are trying to produce a debate for their own benefit, but almost all scientific evidence shows that we are changing the earth's climate by releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

All real research is suppressed

No debate will be allowed

It's not fact, it's religion .......... BURN all heretics!

The Hun could have achieved his objective by withdrawing the right of the Cambodian lady marrying an older foreigner to leave the country for say 3 years. It's still a liberty infringement, but less so than an absolute marriage ban.

75% of the clientele of the PP bars are over 50. I wonder how this will affect the 'taxi girl' trade there.

ok I havent heard that one before. Whats the taxi girl trade?

So there's a Bungalow business up for grabs. Unless of course some Thai Lady happened to be the partner and she keeps the lot. At least it should see the Police bothering to visit Phi Phi and make a few enquiries. For example, ' Your husband just got shot. Any chance of the bungalow complex at discount? Oh, and where were you?'

No doubt it'll be yet another death by misadventure. The Police concluding that he ran into 4 stray bullets that happened to be passing at the time. It happens ...................... in Thailand.

If the Police found 22,100 baht then how much did they not find in the wallet?

And their amazingly vigilant response is not to cordon the scene, put up road blocks or gather witness statements, but it is to contact the motorbike rental owner and tell him him the bad news; bike's been crashed mate. Worse still he's dead so has got out of paying the over priced repairs. Falangs eh? And worse still the Police lose out on getting their share.

Life can be cruel. So can death.

But I admire the sensitivity of the Press. No naming or photograph. Well that should ease the family's grief at learning how he was shot and left to die from his wounds and that there'll be no justice whatsoever or arrest.

Thailand.

It amazes me that you are still here in Thailand - I cannot find one positive statement or comment in your post, just plainly rude, insinuating and insulting, Hmmmm maybe not even 'plainly'! You have accused the police of stealing, his partner of colluding, and in general, Thais' and Thailand to be a Hell away from Hell. Why don't you return to the delights of whichever land you left and get mugged there, THEN complain! Why ARE you here? Maybe the guy had upset someone, that remains to be seen, but stop and think for a minute - you are upsetting many people! (Sorry Mr Editor if this is a bit of a diatribe - but invidious and bigoted people just anger me)

Well, UncleKleef, have you not been in Thailand for 5 or more years? Housepainter, tongue in cheek, (I thought somewhat comical) stated the standard operating procedure of Thailand's Law Enforcement, (those 2 words should never be in the same sentence), and what makes it comical to me, stated very accurately what we all read about in similar crimes, or mysterious demises of people here. Lighten up and get a sense of humor, without thinking too much.