thailien8

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Having spent 2000-2009 working either directly or indirectly as a consultant for 4 ministries, in I can't remember how many governments and through 2 coups, my opinion is that - excluding the periods when Khun Anand was Prime Minister - Abhisit's government has been the most socially progressive and effective in addressing ministerial corruption.

I know a great deal about inner workings of Thaksin's various programs for Issan, less so the North. EVERY program had a spin.

Here's 1,000,000 baht for your village... Thaksin is giving it to you. Of course, the pho-yai baan would never think of taking a sanctioned commission on the disbursements. Of course, the subsequent house-by-house visits by various agents of mobile telephone services, automobile and motorcycle dealerships - not to mention the loan sharks - was merely a coincidence. Of course, the default rate on what was represented as "loans" is astronomical. Loan, what loan? Thaksin gave us this money.

Here's a paved road right through your village. And by the way, you won't have dust blowing into you house every time something passes. Of course, the paved road stops 500 meters on each side of the village, so going anywhere in a reasonable amount of time and in relative comfort is still impossible. Sorry that it doesn't give you better access to markets or schools, but after all, Thaksin gave you a paved road, didn't he? You didn't have to pay for it, did you? Of course, your road will need regular repair from a highly qualified local contractor, say every 6 months or so, and between repairs - well, even if there usually are 10 or 15 one meter wide holes 20 cm. deep between repairs - there is less dust then before, isn't there?

Me, I'm 63 years old so my "future" in Thailand is somewhat limited. But my wife and 3 children are Thai, and I care about their future in this country. I don't want it determined by demagogues of any persuasion, and the reds' leaders are a clear and present danger to rational, benevolent, and progressive governance.

I would just like to say thank you to haroldc for one of the best posts I have ever seen on thaivisa. This is my way of pinning it.

I also didn't hear the government or police even accusing the reds of this. They probably realize it's a pretty messy/murky situation. Reds by the way also really want to find out who is behind this, so I think everyone is on the same page on this one.

Does that include Sae Daeng and his gun toting, grenade lobbing, knife wielding, khaki-dressing mates, whom I believe are ever-so-slightly Red in their affections? No, there's no way Redshirted sympathisers would stoop to this kind of action is there, especially given their affection for the coalition partners and Bangkok Bank, which ever-so-coincidentally got strafed by gunfire just down the street after this grenade attack. Probably a Yellow posing as a Red, pretending to be a soldier, dressed in civvies.

IMHO, Sae Daeng bears much responsibility for the airport closure by the yellows. Sae Daeng's grenade-throwing dances, that he boasted about, as he and his mates repeatedly lobbed grenades, at night, into the peaceful yellow-shirt protest encampment, made them flee in fear of their lives. For better or worse, they fled to the airports.

Sae Daeng & mates were recently busted for weapons possession... but they're still free men. This guy has connections.

Whoever they are, this lunatic fringe, traditionally tolerated by the Thais, is on the loose in Bangkok, and they are armed and dangerous. With the orgy of unsolved killings of innocents that has been rampant in Muslim Thailand since the Thaksin era, as an example to be copied, I fear for my beloved Bangkok.

Now they are all going to shave their heads!

I have never taken this as a sign of greater intelligence. Next stop - get a tattoo or six?

How about a pubic hair sacrifice for Thaksin?

Will 30 billion baht be enough to salve Thaksin's wounded face, and bring peace at last to Thailand, or will Takky use the money against us?

The CUB is CUTE!!! and will save Thailand, or at least Chiang Mai. Nothing else matters.

On the #38 bus heading down Asoke toward Sukhumvit, first day of the jaywalking crackdown. Pressed the buzzer to get off at the last stop on Asoke (the Soi Cowboy stop) before the bus turns left on Sukh. The bus was still in the far right lane, a right-turn only lane, when the door opened for me. I got out and had to cross (jaywalk?) across four lanes of traffic, stopped for the red light, fortunately. As I squeezed between the cars, watching for motorcycles coming between the lanes of cars, I was glad that no cop was waiting to demand 200 baht from me when I finally made it to the bus stop.

I never looked back to see how the bus driver made it from the right-turn lane to the left-turn lane in the 100 meters before reaching Sukhumvit, but I'm sure he managed it somehow. Thai drivers love to change lanes as many times as they possibly can.

This jaywalking law brings to mind the many times I've walked across Second Road in Pattaya; the road with zero pedestrian bridges, very few zebra crossings, incessant traffic, and many tourist pedestrians who are not aware of the me-first driving mindset in Thailand. The most obvious safety improvement Pattaya could easily and cheaply make would be to build a series of pedestrian bridges above Second Road, and maybe even a few crossing Beach Road.

Yes, sports on TV in Thailand may not be all an American could wish for. I live in Bangkok, have UBC cable, which provides an endless vomit of soccer games, mostly old. Baseball is almost all the Yankees YES network, several games a week. Basketball has been reduced. NBA a game or two a week,a few more during playoffs, very little college BB, no March madness, a little WNBA. Less NFL than in years past. No hockey. Lots and lots of idiotic wrestling. Boxing is a bright spot, with many old bouts, and some live Pay-per-view shown for free on Sunday mornings. Golf and tennis are very well covered. The time difference can be a real problem for watching American sports live.

In Pattaya the sports viewing is far worse. Pattaya's Sophon cable TV is big on music videos, terrible for sports of any kind. I still don't understand the TV sports situation in Pattaya. Many of the bars have sports on their TVs, that are not available in hotel rooms. When I'm in Pattaya, I need to go out and sit at a bar to watch any kind of sports event. Maybe that's the idea....

A few questions raised by the above posts: What is "sour acid"? Do the Crest Whitestrips only keep your teeth "clean-looking" or do they actually whiten them? My teeth are plenty clean, the problem is that they are more yellow than white. What is "have the get kit also" and what is "java"?

I've been using Sparkle Booster Gel for a couple months. This product claims to "whiten teeth" with "Peroxide Whitening Power". After using two tubes of this stuff, I must report that it has zero whitening power. Yes, it does make my yellow teeth sparkle, with a golden sparkle. This is not what I want.

Whenever I'm approached by an elephant and its handlers on a Bangkok street, I always make it obvious that I am afraid. I quickly take cover behind something, and tell bystanders "Dangerous!" in Thai. They always smile and laugh of course, amused by the silly farang. I suppose I'm not really afraid, as the handlers have their elephant hook at the ready, but I hope they see that I think it's a really bad idea to subject the elephant to the misery of begging on the streets.

Walking in front of Indra Regent Hotel, afternoon rush hour, years ago. Long line of cars and buses in the single southbound lane of Ratchaprarop Road, waiting to move. I heard an ultra-loud motorcycle coming at high speed, spewing a cloud of exhaust fumes. Turned to look. He was heading south, in a northbound lane, zooming by the line of unmoving vehicles just at his left side. He didn't see the car that was coming out from a side soi, emerging thru a gap in the line of vehicles, about to make a right turn and head north on Ratchaprarop. He slammed full speed into the driver-side door. As he lay on the road, he pounded his fist on the pavement. I hoped that the driver of the car was not badly injured as well.

Some things in Thailand are worse than useless. Zebra crossings are a prime example. They serve no useful purpose, unlike in some countries where traffic laws are obeyed. Zebra crossings encourage some naive tourists to think that they actually mean something. The tourists try to cross the road, thinking the traffic will stop for them. Too bad....

Thai driving habits will not change. Neither will the venal "enforcement" habits of the Thai police. Be extra careful when crossing any road, and when walking on any footpath that motorbike morons use, with impunity, as their way to get past traffic jams. Believe it or not, driving on a footpath is actually illegal in Thailand.

I saw a large monitor lizard raiding a trash heap on the tiny island there - pretty cool for a country that's decimated nearly every animal bigger than a crow.

The street dogs are thriving and multiplying.

I strolled into Sports Academy, the lovely pool venue above Thermae, between Sukh. 13 and 15, to check pool action on the challenge table. The first thing I saw was a big-screen TV showing a hockey game. Figured this must be Sports Center highlights. But the action continued without goals being scored. By golly, they were showing an actual Stanley Cup playoff game. Where did they get that???

I asked the owner, Risto, who told me that he somehow tapes the game from his computer in the morning, then replays it starting around 7pm. the same evening. The game being shown was from the day before. Risto claims to do this for dam_n near every playoff game. Moreover, the game is shown in high-definition on a big screen, and the picture was indeed great. It's a non-smoking venue, with smoky balcony outside.

So you might want to take a look in Sports Academy any evening to watch the previous day's game, or games. Challenge pool is only 20 baht, only if you lose.

What about the signs in Bangkok's MRT subway Sukhumvit station, directing innocent passengers to Exit 2, that read " Soi Sukhumvit 23 (Prasanmit) " ?

If I didn't know better, when I reached street level on the escalators (Thank You, MRT) I would probably assume that the wide, congested "soi" I was looking at must indeed be "Soi Sukhumvit 23". But, of course, it's not. Believe it or not, this monster "soi" is actually Sukhumvit soi 21, better known as Soi Asoke. I think it's really more of a "thanon" than a "soi", but that's just quibbling.

So what about "Soi Sukhumvit 23" ? Where the hel_l is that? Well, if innocent tourist (and fat wife) are really determined to reach this mysterious "Soi Sukhumvit 23", as promised by MRT on their lovely signs, what's the shortest way? Soi Cowboy, here we come!

March straight on thru, the length of Soi Cowboy, to reach the promised land of "Soi Sukhumvit 23". Never mind the bright lights, the semi-dressed bar girls, the come-ons from both sides, the moto-crazies, the elephants, the always exciting televised replays of any EPL or UEFA soccer game. Soi 23, here we come!

There is no mention of the infamous Soi Cowboy on any signs in the MRT Sukhumvit station, right next to The Ranch. This seems to be unmentionable.

So I'm intrigued as to why the Thais would mislead MRT passengers. Why do the signs all point to soi 23, when the MRT exit is on soi 21?

Is this an indirect, face-saving, Thai way to lure innocent tourists into the lair of Soi Cowboy?

Pattaya roads at 8 pm Friday. Thapraya and Pratamnak roads open going into 2nd road Pattaya. Tempeset road open both ways. Just before red shirts mass exodus from Royal Cliff saw 6 pickup trucks with redshirts stop, picking up rocks in vacant lot, some went into woodpile, came out with sticks having NAILS protruding. Saw local Thai give redshirts the middle finger.

Uh-oh. At dusk on Friday I rode Skytrain to look at the Victory Monument situation. No redshirts there, traffic flowing, tho very light. Most unusual for a Friday rush hour. Maybe Abhisit did the right thing to declare a holiday.

As long as Thaksin hasn’t been punished from his corruption and abuse of power charges, there will be no peace in this country.

Yes, this is my interpretation of those signs the red-shirts are carrying that read "NO Justice (NO) Peace" tho they probably see it differently.

"Did I detect a batsqueak of sexual attraction there by the way?"

On whose part?

Yes, I watched it a second time, when my wife got home. He looked nervous, but handled himself extremely well. My wife had a few choice words for the woman interviewing PM Abhisit. (I think she would have gone and beat her up, if she was in Thailand) lol... Started talking about foreigners having no respect for Thailand and how rude it was to keep cutting the PM off.

I felt the interviewer was really on the offensive against Abhisit and his government, under the circumstances, PM Abhisit did really well, I think.

The programme is called Hardtalk, geddit?

Actually Abhisit got an easy ride (I have already posted on this) and Zeina Badawi was tough but polite.Did I detect a batsqueak of sexual attraction there by the way?

But your wife's comment is interesting.Thais of high status aren't used to intense questioning without freaking out.Abhisit was a bit petulant but he knows English intellectual/upper class culture backwards.He know how to play the game.

And yes I'm proud he's Thailand's PM.

I also caught Abhisit on Hardtalk's 9:30 replay. Why do I think of him as Thailand's Obama, representing the change that Thailand needs so badly? Why does Thaxin remind me of Hitler?

I really liked what Abhisit had to say, in the short times between interruptions by the striking female interviewer. I suppose her aggressive questioning is the Hardtalk style, but it reminds me too much of the disrespectful treatment dished out to his guests by the likes of O'Reilly on FoxNews. Larry King on CNN would have let Abhisit talk, which he does very well indeed in English, and probably even better in Thai.

Most Thais don't realize the value of a PM like Abhisit. Didn't they see the photo on the front page of Bkk. Post last week, and in vernacular rags as well, of Abhisit's handsome face right behind Obama at the G-20 summit meeting? I imagine Abhisit made a number of valuable contacts with other world leaders, that could help Thailand in future, if he's still around.

Thaksin understands the value of English too. He keeps speaking next to his little sign, "Thailand Needs Change" when he rouses the rabble. (Sorry, no disrespect intended, just a play on words) A little English lends credence, respectability, believability (?), even "very fashion", to his self-serving rants.

Here's a fantasy we will never see: An American-style series of political campaign debates between candidates Abhisit and Thaksin. As in America, three debates are held. Two of them are, of course, in Thai. The third debate is to be held in English, to show off, on CNN etc., how modern, globalized, educated, civilized, and generally full of face on the internatiional scene the Thais are nowadays. Who might win that debate?

Reality check: We're now in the midst of a global economic crisis and more pressing issues confront Thailand than Reds/Yellows/Blues or hues (leaving most in the majority completely fed up)

Personally, I wish all protests would end and Thailand is 'permitted' to get back on her feet. THEN general elections can be called. Now is not the time for dissolving the Govt and in effect wasting 3 critical months (in the midst of an economic crisis) simply to satisfy Mr Thaksin's/Red's demands.

However, Mr Thaksin WILL NOT STOP. Global crisis or not, HIS needs are apparently FAR more important and pressing than Thailand's (as always some might say)

In fact, it's to his complete advantage to create further chaos, therefore driving Thailand further in the muck, thus (he hopes) closer to his frozen 76 billion, freedom and a three-peat as PM (probably to be extended via a Chavez-esque constitution change, si?)

Until Dr Thaksin says so (or goes broke, or 'wins'- by destroying Thailand from within or without), it isn't going be over. A further push to try and stir up all out civil war is probably not out of the question for Dr T's purposes (a jaded ploy with a very remote possibility of 'success' thankfully).

Regardless, now is NOT the time to call elections and essentially have a rudderless Govt for 3 months in the middle of the largest global crisis since 1929. Meanwhile, Mr Thaksin aka 'THE victim' may have to wait for his form of 'justice' (or return and seek it).

Bottom line, as long as Dr Thaksin is out of pocket 76 billion baht and lusts for a return to power (along with complete exoneration) it appears Thailand's needs will just have to wait.

Excellent, Khun baht&sold!! You have said it brilliantly.

My condo building features a basketball half court, and the basket has a net, at my expense. Nobody ever uses it but me. Many days I jump-start my exercise routine by dribbling while jogging, then shooting. I can still shoot pretty well, even at 61. I can't jump, defend, or rebound. Even a driving layup can be problematic. Dunking is a distant dream.

But I can shoot, as long as no one is guarding me. I would enjoy just shooting around with anyone who likes to shoot a basketball.

H-O-R-S-E anyone?

H-O-R-S-E

A common, less athletic game for smaller groups of players is H-O-R-S-E (pronounced as "horse"). The game may be played with as few as two people, and as many as desired. The only skill required is shooting; no player is allowed to defend. You cannot shoot the same shot over and over.

The object is to avoid acquiring the five letters in the word "horse". With two players competing, player #1 is allowed to shoot from anywhere on or off the court and, if he makes the shot, then player #2 must duplicate the same shot from the same position. If player #2 misses, he receives the first "letter" from the word "horse" (in this case - an "H"). However, if player #1 misses his original shot; then player #2 is now free to shoot from anywhere on the court and, hopefully, force player #1 to try and duplicate his made shots. A player is knocked out of the game once he has enough letters to spell out the word "horse." The game is essentially the same with three or more players, all players much duplicate the made shot until it returns to the player that made the shot.

Often, the shots in H-O-R-S-E are trick shots that are rarely, if ever, taken in a real game; although unlikely, if the shot succeeds, the opponent is much more likely to miss and therefore receive a letter.

Variations of the rules are sometimes used. In one variation, the player who chooses the next shot may not chose a shot that has already been made. Any word can be used and the games length is dependent upon the length of the word, for example P-I-G would be a shorter version of the game. Another variation is after a made shot, players must infinitely cycle through every player until someone, including the one that made the shot, until someone gets a letter. The "Prove-it" rule, when one player has gotten their final letter, then the player that made the shot must duplicate his own shot that gave the player his final letter, if they make the shot the letter stands and the player is eliminated, if the player misses no letter is given and play continues.No player is allowed to interfere with a player's shooting motion. If done the player who interferes receives a letter.

Hi all,

I will be in Bangkok in February & March 2009 and would like to join anyone playing ping pong at any place. My level is intermediate.

Please PM me. Thanks.

thailien8 - is your invitation still open?

Yes my invitation is still open. nyc, I sent you a PM, but no reply yet. Anyone else, I have a good place to play in my condo building. Craig, I really enjoyed playing with you this afternoon, and hope we can do it again soon. BTW, I sweated off nearly a kilo in our two hours or so.

Shame to see PM Abhisit, an educated man publicly sidestep the important saftey issues such as emergency exits and sprinkers systems by saying that fire crackers should not be bought into clubs, what a cop-out.

I thank Khun Abhisit for pinpointing the most likely cause of this horror fire, firecrackers indoors, under a flammable ceiling. What I'd like to know is who brought the fireworks into Santika, and whose decision it was to fire them in the crowded room. Sparklers were handed out too, by whom?

My first reaction to the tragic news was That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. But the same thing happened in a Shenzen nightclub in September, with similar deaths. So I have to wonder if this shooting of fireworks indoors for special effects is common practice? Has anyone seen, and survived, a similar fiery show anywhere?

This fire killed and badly injured many in Bangkok's high society. My hope is that their influential pain and outrage will spur Abhisit on to find out who is responsible for causing the fire, and bringing he, she, or them to realistic justice. Can this be an opportunity for Abhisit to show leadership in striking a blow against corruption?

Toxin is coming back. Be afraid, be very afraid. I am. He will be even nastier, more vindictive, and greedier than his first time as PM. Absolute power, dictator-for-life... He is salivating with power (and money) -lust even as we read and type. PAD tried hard, but memories of Toxin's first term are short, and now everyone is upset about this temporary airport closure. Never mind... We will have plenty of time to think about how it all went wrong in the next 20 years when Toxin enjoys his lifetime rule over Thailand.

For all of you who seem to confuse PAD with terrorists, I would think that yesterday's terrorist attacks in Mumbai should have reminded you what real terrorism is. PAD are political protesters, not terrorists. PAD has been on the receiving end of government sponsored attacks, trumpeted by that Seh Daeng madman. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PAD has not killed anyone so far.

Let me clearly state that I don't support the politics of either side. My comments below stem from a political process analysis, not from an ideological preference.

It is clear that the reason the protests erupted is because the shadow PM in Hong Kong and his party express the following view of democracy:

"We received the most votes, so therefore we can do whatever we want until the next election and are only responsible to those who supported our election. Everyone else lost and therefore has no voice"

This was evident when the shadow PM made his Freudian slip some time ago and let it be known that provinces that voted for him would receive government services ahead of any that hadn't.

It's further evident from when the Cooking PM was removed and replaced by the single man who could ignite the most outrage in the opposition - the brother-in-law of the shadow PM. It demonstrates a total disregard for compromise or negotiation, even when handed a convenient and face-saving excuse to open a door for discussion.

The result is that whatever group has objections and would like input into the governing process has but one option- to take to the streets. I don't think it is useful to condemn any such group for using their only option, and using it very effectively.

Instead we should be asking why the government could not have created a forum in which the disenfranchised could not be accommodated? In the end, it is the government's job to govern the country responsibly. Instead, the government takes the view that it must RULE the country (as opposed to govern it), and the result is the disenfranchisement of a segment of the population that has the knowledge and power to do something about it.

I would compare the methods and demography (not the politics) of the current protesters to the American rebels at the beginning of the revolution - for example, at the Boston Tea Party. The source of the insurrection is not the protesters, but rather an attempt by the government to rule without moral authority rather than govern with responsibility for the good of the country.

VERY GOOD!!!!!!!!!

A government should be there for all the people!

Yes indeed! Thank you, peekint, for your perspective, and thanks to yeeowww also for his views.

Short-term, things are in an awful mess, tourists and many Thais are suffering, the nation is losing face in the eyes of the world, etc.

Long-term, if the crackdown on PAD that so many posters are advocating comes to pass, Toxin will return to resume his dictatorial rule. And he will be angrier, and more vengeful than before. I lived in Bkk. thru the whole rise of Toxin era; from his monopolistic gouging of AIS customers, to his massive tax evasion on the Shin sale, and all his shameless shenanigans in between. Another Toxic era is the worst outcome for Thailand, IMHO.

I thought Chang Noi put it well, in his conclusion to his recent column (The Nation Monday Nov. 24, page 9A):

"Here lies the poison in the choice which the country faces. Backing democracy also means endorsing Thaksin's overweening greed, his evident desire for revenge, and his authoritarian bent. Meanwhile, standing up for morality, the rule of law, and clean politics means endorsing coups, PAD's cultish and violent conservatism, a mangled version of democracy, and all that lies behind them."