SomNamNah

CMSally made a brief mention of it a few days ago, but I think it is worth posting a link to Philip Bowring's excellent and concise article "The Crowd and the Crown"

Been wondering the same since i got here two years ago and heard some of the gossip circulating around up here in the north.

Utterly ridiculous gossip. So stupid and nonsensical that i can only think its being pushed around by forces wishing radical changes, when certain clogs are popped. Difficult to try and write about it without writing about it! - im sure the yanks are on top of it though.. wouldnt want to lose Thailand as a buffer from the east.

darn those pesky Maoists!

So i guess any bribes came out of Toxins frozen $2.3 billion cash?

I guess that is one way to remove him from the equation. Just lose the cash. Could buy an aircraft carrier with the leftover and <deleted> cambodia! hoorah!

I vote for YingLuck. hot as hel_l.. yum.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/a3a/991

Yingluck Shinawatra

President

Thailand

No Problemo!

My fans family live in the nearby village, utterly beautiful area.

In fact it being Sunday... its time for me to rev up the Chopper and hit the road for that very area !!!

A few hours on the road with mountain views sets me up for the next weeks work in front of a PC screen!

Got it:

mental image:

DREADLOCKS = KHAO SAN road = SOI Khao SAN SAN ROAD = MY HAIRCUT

thanks!!

bloody pricey... i havent done it.. not for 2 grand + ! (2000) - should have a Thai Visa discount whatsit.

great location though. My fave little bike ride.

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/articles/maekampong/

Getting there:

I think this is the coordinate of the nearest village ?

Ban_Huai_Kaew.html

Follow the main San Khampaeng road east for roughly 20kms looking out for the signs to the hotsprings that direct you onto highway 1317. Continue for a further 10kms beyond the hotsprings turnoff and bear left at the only fork in the road, at Huay Kaew village, to reach Mae Kampong. Note that the road over the mountain to Jae Sorn may not yet be indicated on some maps.

http://www.treetopasia.com/

DONT GET A PICK UP! Who wants to be stuck in a minibus hurtling through a rainforest! Get a bike!

yup cavelodge is great!!!!

For CM, rent a bike and drive out to 'flight of the gibbon' - on the way you pass by:

caves - look for a flag on top of a highish peak - before hot springs

hot springs - mellow, commercialised, but very nice. might go this afternoon with the kids.

then before flight of gibbon, you go through several lovely villages (eco/resort villages) but nicely done... chickens in road, dogs that wont want to move from the center of the road etc...

finally you get to flight of gibbon... lovely rainforest village... cool air.. ahhhh... nice

bit pricey to do the slide, but kudos to them, its a great location.

if you have a big bike, continue on this road for some awesome mountain rides and mini loop back to CM/ san K.

my satangs worth.

suburban farang ghetto moobaan!! haha! you go girl! - spot on! My panoramic view of Thailand is Mrs Pingporn's washing line!, infuriates me when my family think i live near a beach and sip coconut juice!

seriously though, the air quality in town sucks, not having a ghetto farang fortuner with air con, I have managed to avoid the center on bike for about 5 months! . Off to the hills of San K for some fresh mountain air... aahhh!

Be great to have a tram in CM round the moat - old town, its the one thing CM city has going for it. never gonna happen. I avoid.

Cant CM install a big arse extractor fan up Doi S? Bet the chinese could.

Thanks for the english lesson, i owe you one. If only i had paid attention in grammar classes like. innit. Being a programmer like you, ive been talking in instant messages and emails for the last 15 years - often to someone a few desks away! I lost the use of my apostrophe''''s''' about 7 years ago. Like the yanks lost the use of several english letters..

Certainly sati, old chap, no sweat. you've got me banged to rights! I forget that the rest of the farang world speak a bastardised version of English

I will try my level best to post nonsense in international english only. I must commend you on your grammar, better than mine!

stay lucky me old china - lets do some Thai/Anglo web work together!

I did some research tonight... its not mainly sweet soy milk that they are shoving down the kids necks.. its

dutch mill sweet yoghurt... yum....a Thai company.

looked on back 8% sugar, didnt see fat content... and considering the Asian genes are lactose intolerant too! arrghh!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance

"The frequency of decreased lactase activity ranges from nearly 5% in northern Europe to more than 90% in some Asian and African countries"

however the thai dentists have given it the green light... from the acid point of view.

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pi...300571205001223

but that is not what many Thais eat .

precisely... the farang model.. mass production of processed (profitable) <deleted>!

Maybe its an American model, being part russian/greek/french i have experienced 'healthy' farang diets- you are right, the Thais seem to be apeing the US/UK diets. doomed....

anyway back to nippers teeth...

Being just a step dad, i have tried to educated the Mrs about some western foods, but it looks like a losing battle. White refined bread, and sweet soy milk seem to be the done thing, the lady who peddles it in the markets here almost has an air of saintliness around her... its for the kids...ahhh sweeet..

I have started the kid on skin whitening cream already though. Cant have him looking like he works in the fields!

Nothing wrong with western food 'IF' they were educated on what to feed a child , check what Thais put in almost ALL of there cooking , sugar and salt , even in the bread .

Agree boo, soy is better than dairy. Although it GM. I know the west wouldnt add sugar, here they DO, and maybe you are right about the farang influence.

I do wonder why people take it so seriously when i slag off western diets! haha! how anyone can justify this statement nowadays I dont know, maybe they can afford the prices of vegetables in the west now!

Dont get me wrong, the western diet of fried/oven roast lumps of flesh out of a freezer bags will do the trick.. but it aint what i call 'food'

I have actually done research on this, having been into health food since childhood (rice- fish- veg- soy etc) and as a consequently built like a brick ****house. My relation (Dr,. MA, BM, Bch, FACN) is also the worlds foremost authority on Nutritional Medicine. Harley street clinic and all... PM me if you need details. OZ/UK.

If you will permit me to defend myself: The price of healthy food in the UK is incredibly high. Vegetables are probably the most expensive items nowadays! From what i have seen here in Thailand, i cannot think of ONE SINGLE western foodstuff that is better for them?

Bread - no way, pesticides, low nutritional value (esp white! never seen brown on the stalls) - monocultured crap. tasty though.

Cheese - come on, tasty as hel_l, but not good for you. Hormones, fat, salt

Milk - no way, ditto.

Soy - hmm.. GM, good nutrional value, but the sugar mafia are in town..

Refined sugar - nuff said.

Salt instead of Fish sauce.. no contest, white poison.

7 - 11 is the work of SATAN bwahahaa!

The Thai diet rocks! apart from the hygiene aspect..

Ask mrs Fujitsu at 95 years old! MONOCULTURE and the western diet (factory --> supermarket) have DESTROYED vast areas of the planet! Long live sustainable eastern diets!

Thais just need more quantity, the quality is just fine!! (even if some of the Green slop does stink!!! )

Classical?

My fans 6 year old has black stained front teeth - luckily milk teeth. Ive been step dad as it were for last 2 years...

The reason was that the older sister (nanny) always gives the kids sweetened milk ( i think soy) before bed. - after teeth brushing.

I have a feeling the milk marketing here in Thailand is to blame. (feed your kids (sweet) milk! the farangs do it, and look how big they are!)

Check to see what the milk diet is. It is shocking how bad the 'western' foods are here.

Still progress is progress

1. Become familiar with imitation jade. Only jadeite jade and nephrite jade are authentic jade. The most expensive and desirable jadeite (Burmese Jadeite, Burma Jade, Imperial Jade, or Chinese Jade) usually comes from Myanmar (formerly Burma), and small quantities are mined in Guatemala, Mexico and Russia. 75% of the world’s jade comes from the mines of British Columbia in the form of nephrite, but it's also mined in Taiwan, the United States and (in small amounts) Australia.^[1] In New Zealand Greenstone or Pounamu is highly regarded by Māori. Māori people recognize four main types of pounamu, identifying their color and translucence: kawakawa, kahurangi, īnanga. These are all nephrite. They also regard a fourth type of pounamu - tangiwai- from Milford Sound which, although prized is actually bowenite and not truly jade in the eyes of the rest of the world. Other materials passed off as jade include:
   • serpentine ("New Jade" or "Olive Jade")
     
   • prehnite
     
   • aventurine quartz
     
   • grossular garnet ("Transvaal jade")
     
   • Chrysoprase ("Australian jade" - most of it comes from Queensland, Australia)
     
   • Malaysia Jade (permanently dyed translucent quartz that may be called by its color – Red Jade, Yellow Jade, Blue Jade)
     
   • opaque dolomite marble ("Mountain Jade" - from Asia, dyed in vibrant colors)
     

[*] http://www.wikihow.com/Image:007_162.JPGIrregularities mean it's probably realHold it up to a bright light. If possible, examine the internal structure with a 10X loupe. Can you see little fibrous or granular, felt-like, asbestos-like intertwinings? If so, it's probably genuine nephrite or jadeite. Chrysoprase, on the other hand, is microcrystalline, so it'll look homogenous.^[2]

If you see anything resembling layers with the 10X loupe, you're probably looking at jadeite that's been "doubled" or even "tripled" (thin layer of gem-quality jadeite sometimes glued over a different base).^[2]

[*]Observe the density. Both jadeite and nephrite have a very high density (jadeite - 3.3; nephrite - 2.95). Density is measured by dividing the weight (in grams) by the volume (c.c.).

• A specific density gravity test can be performed as described below, or you can judge the density less accurately by tossing the stone in the air and catching it in your palm. If it feels heavier than most stone pieces of the same size, it is more likely to be authentic jade.^[3]
  
• Another way to judge density is to observe the sound of plastic beads gently tapping each other. If you have a piece of real jade, clink it against the stone in question. If it sounds like plastic beads, then the stone in question is probably fake.
  

[*] Should be cold and stay cold for a bitHold the piece of jade in your hand. It should feel "cold, smooth and soap like to the touch".^[4] It should take a while to get warm if it is real. However, this is very subjective, and most helpful when you can compare it to real jade of a similar shape and size.

[*]Wind a strand of hair around the piece. then hold it over an open flame, such as a match or a lighter, for about a second. If the hair burns away, the piece is not real. But if it stays intact, the piece should be real.

[*]Perform a scratch test. Jadeite is very hard; it will scratch glass or even metal. Nephrite, however, can be much softer, so performing a scratch test improperly may damage a genuine piece. Use the blunt end of a pair of scissors and gently press down and draw a line on an area on the jade piece that is not visible (bottom or end of the piece). Avoid any weathering surfaces because these are much softer and can be easily damaged. If the scratch makes a white line, gently wipe it off (it might be metal residue from the scissors). Is there still a scratch? If so, it's probably not authentic jade.^[5] If it scratches glass or steel, it could still be many of the alternatives to jade as well, including the various forms of green quartz and prehnite.

• Perform this test at your own risk. The piece may be very valuable, even if it's not made from jade, and can lose significant value if scratched.
  

[*]Look for other deceptive practices. Even if you have real jade in your hands, it can still be treated by dyeing, bleaching, use of stabilizing polymers, and creating jade doublets and triplets. Jade is divided into three categories based on these possibilities:

• Type A - natural, untreated, undergoes a traditional process (plum juice washing and polishing with beeswax), no "artificial treatments" (e.g. high temperature or high-pressure treatments), "true" color.^[6]
  
• Type B - Chemically bleached to remove impurities, injected with polymer with the use of a centrifuge to enhance translucency, covered with hard and clear plastic like coating, subject to instability and discoloration over time because polymer gets broken down by heat or household detergent, still 100% real jade with 100% natural color.^[6]
  
• Type C - chemically bleached, dyed to enhance color, subject to discoloration over time due to reaction with strong light, body heat or household detergent.^[6]
  

http://' target="_blank">

Density Test

1. Gather the Things You'll Need as outlined below.
   
2. Use crocodile clamps to grasp the jade item. If the scale doesn't come with crocodile clamps, wrap the tested jade with a piece of string, a rubber band or a pony tail holder.
   
3. Lift the spring scale by its top handle and write down the weight of the jade item in air. (Note this should be a scale based on grams and therefore measuring force in dynes - c.g.s system)
   
4. Gently place the jade item completely into the water bucket and write down its weight in water. The clamp can touch the water; it shouldn't significantly affect the weight. If you're concerned, however, use one of the alternatives described above. Since the test is based on the difference in weight, as long as the string, band or pony tail holder remains on the jade both in the air and in the water, the difference will be the same.
   
5. Calculate the volume of jade item: weight in air then divide by 1000 (or 981 if you have a calculator handy) minus weight in water divided by 1000 (or 981 if you have a calculator handy). This gives the mass in grams in air and the apparent mass in water. Subtract the in water value from the air value, this gives you the volume in cc.
   
6. Calculate the density of the jade item: mass in air divided by volume. Jadeite has a density of 3.20-3.33 g/cc, while nephrite has a density of 2.98 - 3.33 g/cc.
   

good point! trust no-one! hmm.. However i *think* they (farang owners) have certificates up there. Gawd knows. lovely place to visit, even if its just to pretend to be interested in a 500k ring. Im sure they wouldnt mind the heat test either up there on the offcuts. Will give it a go next time i visit.

heybruce, go up to doi suthep, right at the top.. 100% jing jing. pricey as hel_l... but as i said, you can get an offcut for a few hundred baht, or less,(in the work room behind) then take it to the night market stone polisher... easy peasy.

I need to purchase something that I can't get here

fake dreadlocks? im intrigued... what could be at Khao San that you cant get here?

ah ha! fake degree in Applied Physics!? ASTV press pass?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008...-change-weather

2008 will be coolest year of the decade

The trend among charity parties here seems to be to provide warm clothes for hill tribes etc, Maybe the next Thai Visa party, the entrance fee could be one or more items of clothing.

On the upside to the chilly weather, its brought my Fan and I closer together, something in the hot season i cannot handle, being farangus hirsutis.

PMSL!! I can just imagine that!!

There are also big bags of rubies for sale in Mai Sai... apparently off cuts that are too small to make into jewels. shh.... dont tell anyone!

Seriously though, you can buy real jade in Mai Sai, from Burma... but i'd never dare.

You can also buy good jade up at the top of doi suthep at the jade/orchid place there. They have cheap offcuts also... im sure you could find a cheap polisher to cut the costs and make something out of it... hmmm...

Fantastic, Soi San San!! That will save a lot of gesticulation!

what does it mean literally so i can remember it?

thanks

'satiariyan' http://www.satiariyan.com/ ... please PM me if you need any english lessons to undertsand my nonsense.

relevant nonsense.

sometimes.

As Thailand has demonstrated to the world, talking nonsense/hijacking tv/vital infrastructure for weeks/months etc is condoned, so why not on Thai Visa?

double standards my friend. Freedom of speech/nonsense. Thailand has shown the world the way!

snot = kii jamuk \ nose shit

edited: took the troll bait.

That would be the 1890's?

seriously, as im sure every Londoner can tell you. Back Snot every single bloody day. Then it stopped. I think it was to do with unleaded petrol. anyway... yawn.. The air down the road in San K is just fine. If i were a rich man... etc...

what happens when you hit a dog on a big bike?

i dont want to find out, but often find myself wondering... usually at 100 kph plus.

Does the bike treat it like a big pothole, should i lean forward.. back.... or just pray?

thanks

ditto. good on yer