steady

Reports from Pattaya, better than Bangkok but its not jumping and Chiang Mai, they can only dream.

I wonder what the stats would look like if all sex tourists were eliminated from the count?

Then it wouldn't be normal! How did we say we define "normalcy". We are in Thailand we don't define anything that should be measurable. Hence why we are having such an enjoyable yet repititive subject. Do we not have something like this every other day?

About a couple of years or so ago I tried to buy salt without iodine already added and Tesco, Big C and Carrefour only sold the iodine added salt. The only place I could get salt without iodine added was in Foodland and that was an import from Australia. It sort of leaves me with the impression that the government is trying to make up a reason for it's failures in education and childhood development. I also think that every party, if in power, would react in a similar manner.....it's what people in power in Thailand do!

A few years ago I worked at a government university (Rahjabhat). As anyone entered the gate there to see was a large (about 3m x 6 m) sign. It had the same 4 students on 2 levels, on the upper level they had the white shirts and no excess hair or make-up with a great big tick next to them. On the lower level the same students were dressed like goths (or normal teenagers) and got a great big cross next to them. The message was clear, conform and be stupid and you get a degree or be the next Einstien and fail!!!

Sad but true, unfortunately not a lot has been learned...........

Very sad story all round.

I take a size 13 and have found it impossible to purchase shoes. You can try have them made to order. I think there is a place in Sukhumvit Soi 1. Know of a couple of places down here in Pattaya.

You said the magic words " Know of a couple of places down here in Pattaya". Whereabouts? Like you I'm rather well endowed - in the wrong place!

There are a few chemical shops around democracy monument. I can't remember the exact addresses but they all sold dextrose a few years ago. I assume it is the same now.

Last week I had the misfortune for my two children to fall ill at the same time. So we went to our local hospital, Bangkok Pattaya and had reasonable treatment but the doctor then advised that we admit both children for a day or two.

Then came the issue, both children are under four years old so we asked for one room, no problem said the admissions clerk but I have to charge you for two rooms as there are two patients. I responded by saying a small increase in price to cover an additional mattress would be reasonable but not double the price. We argued for a while and could not come to an agreement so I said ok, two rooms, please make sure that they are next to each other. She said no, they would only give us one room as the children were so small. One of those Thailand moments!

After a time of arguing and her phoning her boss we decided to leave and go to another hospital. When I asked for my bill no one would provide it, everyone stopped helping us. However the nurses did continue to keep an eye on children, but no administrative staff would do anything for us. We left without paying and as we were getting to the door one of the staff ran up to us with a piece of paper in her hand saying to pay the bill. I told her to send it to me. It has yet to arrive at our home.

We were in the next hospital when the phone rang, first of all it was the admissions clerk asking “How much you give me for room mister?”. I wasn’t sure if I was at a Thai market or Pattaya beach road. It wasn’t what I expected from a so called professional hospital. Five minutes later I got another call from someone saying no problem room ready. The person did not introduce themselves and when I asked who they were they said they were in charge of admissions at BPH. It was as if they get a commission on whatever money they can charge for the room. I’m not an anti BPH person and there are some doctors there that I would recommend. However the administrative side is much less switched on. Why they don’t have a standard price list which doesn’t change with the weather I don’t know. I always assumed that if an organisation had quality accreditation then prices should be clear, and (hopefully) have a value for money aspect! As a BUPA member I wonder why BUPA allows this hospital to change prices for the same thing depending on the patient's ability to pay.

As an aside we stayed in the other hospital for two hours and the doctor sent the children home after treatment.

I don't care if Farangs want to go home.

Why? Is it because you don't care about any advances in Thailand's development that a falang may be responsible for? Mai son jai is a very Thai trait.

I’ve been reading all the posts relating to the present situation from both the red shirt lovers and the red shirt haters. All spouting about whether the government is legitimate and what should happen in the future.

As a falang who just happens to live here in Thailand I thought that I would give my contribution, for what it’s worth.

My first observation is that (depending on your loyalty) a crowd representing between 0.1 and 0.2 % of the country’s voting population is causing havoc in Bangkok. That is about 30,000 to 60,000 people in a voting populace of approximately 30 to 40 million. Even 1% of 30 million is 300,000 people. This is not acceptable in any country because it means that they are hurting other individuals businesses and well being. Everyone has to make a living, even if someone else is being paid to demonstrate. Not really a positive if you are shouting about wanting to become a "real" democracy. Before anyone thinks this is one sided, I believe that exactly the same would happen with yellow shirts.

The military and police should be ashamed at the lack of protection they have given the local shopkeepers and business people in the area. Although it is not a surprise.

I can understand a lot of the red shirts grievances, but not the acceptance of Taksin. I believe that so much is in the public domain about his actions whilst in power deems him to be considered a criminal in any country. However all he did was to copy Thai prime ministers before him. Unfortunately he is new money and they were all old money. Even Thailand with its warped sense of justice found him guilty. Taksin just can’t get into the big boys gang and now wants to start his own!

I also think that the future for Thailand must include democracy as understood by most western people. That is one person one vote and no vote buying and no artificial blocks to running for parliament such as educational or financial barriers. Some red shirts advocate this others are much more vague. The yellow shirts ideas of getting more votes depending on educational or social status should be treated with the contempt it deserves.

The red shirt idea that Abhisit should step down and everything will be alright is equally ludicrous. My own view is that Abhisit is one of the few politicians not tarnished by corruption, although his party has an equal amount of “dodgy geezers” as its political opponents.

So, to the red shirts I would say go home and tend to your rice. Your leaders will be giving themselves up to the police in 2 weeks time anyway, at least that’s what they promised. Just remember that when you vote next time don’t sell it for 20 baht to buy a share in a bottle of lao kao. Equally to all you others, just because they do not come from Bangkok does not make people inferior. Bangkok, contrary to Thai masculine belief, has never been the centre of the universe.

Just a word of warning. Most people go through the general practioners first before finding the specialist. My wife had been not to good for a while and we went to the hospital partly thinking that seeing as no obvious symptoms were there, just an underlying " not quite feeling right" for too long, sort of feeling then a blood test would be expected.

We went into the doctor's room, explained the situation and were told to wait outside in the general waiting area. Shortly afterwards a nurse came along with a folder asking what tests we wanted, showing the folder like a menu! I explained that I was paying for the doctor's expertise and the nurse just repeated "what do I want?". I asked for the bill as we were leaving (we should have just left), it came back at 600 baht (for 90 seconds of doctor's work). We had a full and frank discussion with hospital staff, during which time the doctor disappeared and my volume increased. I offered 200 baht, very loudly, which was accepted too quickly (I offered too much). I have never been back.

I went to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and good treatment was forthcoming. The wife is now fine.

Now I'm not saying that BPH is actually better I'm just saying that BPH has enough replacement doctors if you don't like the one you have. Generally this is not the case with the International. Previously I had always seen other doctors and they were ok, not brilliant, just ok. Same as PBH.

I have since seen on promotional blurb that PIH welcomes second or third opinions for the patient. Well all I can say is that they must have got rid of the doctor we saw because he really, really didn't like his opinion being challenged!

Anyone that concludes that this vaccine is dangerous based upon this news item is an idiot. Here's why;

40,000 subjects with 19 mild reactions and possibly 4 serious ADRs and not one death.

4 out of 40,000 is well within the accepted risk parameter.

In the meantime, 168 unvaccinated people died.

The problem with a news item like this is that it encourages speculation. It is poorly written and focuses on the negative, when the data presented is in fact very positive.

One doesn't know if the 4 serious ADRs are really related to the vaccine since key information is missing;

- What were the underlying medical conditions?

- Did the post event data demonstrate a true relationship with the ADR?

- What is the identification of the type and source of vaccine administered?

Miscarriages are unfortunately a normal part of the child bearing process and occur at all stages of a pregnancy. To date I am unaware of any miscarriages associated with the vaccine in the countries reporting to the public health agencies in the USA, Canada, Australia and the EU. The other ADRs described suggest an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Either someone was not properly screened or didn't know they had an allergy to the ingredients used in the vaccine preparation. Although the subjects were distressed, the reported rate of ADR is well within acceptable safety standards and no evidence is given to support a statement of relationship.

Seriously, <deleted> is wrong with the boneheads at the Nation that they have to fling the feces?

You're right when you say that there are lots of holes in the reporting.....well that is normal for here. However if (surprisingly) there are some facts amongst it then 4 serious reactions would not be acceptable anywhere else in the world. That's one in 10,000. It's a lot of reactions in a population. About 6,000 in Thailand, if you include the less severe reactions then the figure goes a lot higher, about 20,000 more. Here your argument about not getting the vaccine holds water. Why have 6,000 or more hospital cases when you can avoid it especially as the flu has been proven to be less serious than the average flu.

Yet again we find ourselves discussing incomplete or vague reporting. Such is life in this part of the world.....

Why oh why do tourists still pick girls up off the street,dont they read the news

why oh why do tourists keep $2,500 in cash in their rooms?

Because Icelandic's do not trust banks, and doubt any Brits will ever trust an Icelandic banks ever again...

Did any of the girls have a BBC or mid Amsterdam accent??? He could always get Thailand to hold a referendum to see if he gets his money back!

If the wife and kid move back to Thailand, a agreement on access to the child would probably not carry much weight.

The divorce is the moment to arrange for the custody over the child. No judge will change that at a later date, unless there are very good reasons to do that because of the welfare of the child.

Get advice from a lawyer regarding your options. Not sure if you can get an injunction for your wife to take the child abroad. I normally advice against getting such injunction, as it will seriously affect the relationship with your wife. That in turn will have is effect the relationship with your child.

I think that before any divorce proceedings start you can get your child made into a "ward of court". In layman's terms this means that she cannot take your child out of the country without a court order. I don't know the actual physical barriers to leaving i.e. on a computer list at the airport. It does mean that if you came home and found her missing then you can phone the police and they will act on your behalf if you have reason to believe that she is trying to leave the country because she has now broken the law.

i can rememeber before (probably not now) I could buy a case of San Miquel which worked out about 27 baht in those wholesale shops which are scattered everywhere..... so then a bar sells it for 45 baht.. thats an uplift of approx 60% which is pretty good considering how easy the product is to handle as it doesn't go off like, say, fruit and veg where you have to allow for waste...

Anyway I'm talking about "bars" that consist of 4 counters, a fridge and a couple of fans.... so if someone can't see the common sense of paying less for a beer in a bar in the same vincinity thats up to them....

"thats sums up about 85 % of Pattaya day time clientele.. even though I'm not a business guru, thats not a bad share of the market...especially if your bar consists of the open air tin roof variety..."

William, maybe I can educate you just a little on how owning a bar works. First off an open air tin roof in Pattaya is not cheap. In fact an enclosed bar in BKK costs less. Pattaya rents are really high. I looked at an open air tin roof place on Soi 7 last month. Let's assume I took it. There was one million Bht a year key money and the rent was 70,000 a month. Take the one million and devide it by 12 months, that comes to 83333 Bht add the 70,000 Bht per month and you get the true rent for a month 153,333 a month.

Now that 27Bht San Miguel you talk of actually costs 34 Bht delivered. Sell that beer for 45 Bht and there is a profit (not really, I'll explain) of 11 Bht That is 7.5% profit, not 60%

I'm sure that you like your beer cold, so I will have to buy ice every day to keep it cold. One bag won't do it. Lets say that I only spend 1,000 Bht a month on ice, because I really don't care how cold the beer is, after all I give you a condom for the bottle, and a cool cloth to wipe the sweat off you. Oops, another 1,000 Bht or a month

You will not go in if the lights are not on or fans running, so lets add 2,000 Bht a month for electricity.

Now we will assume a light bulb never burns out, a glass never brakes, no one ever knocks over a speaker, and chairs never break or get worn out, and coolers run forever. WE will make maintenance 0 Bht

My clientele only cares about price of beer, and not service, or ladies, so I skimp on those. I hire one casheer at 5,000 a manager at 10,000 and have two ladies serving during the day, and two more at night, the cheapest rate for a fat 35 year old woman with bad strech marks is 2,500 Bht each. (we are all the same here, and a bar with only two ladies working will attract us right in) we have a total staff costs of 25,000 Bht

We won't add in the cost of things I had to buy to open the bar. Like furniture, glasses, a sign, light fixtures, fans, sound system, after all, they are cheap, and I shouldn't need to recoup the cost anyway, after all, I'm the bar owner. That should be enough.

Let's add those costs up. Rent 153,333 Keeping beer cold 2,000 electricity 2,000 maintenance 0 staff 25,000 that equals 183,333 Bht I have to pay to serve you a half warm beer by an ugly lady. If we take that 183,333 and divide it by the 11 Bht "profit" I make on a beer and we get 16575, the number of beers I have to sell per month to break even. Divide that by 30 days in a month and we get 552 beers a day I have to sell to break even. Or 552 times 45 Bht per beer equals 24,863 Bht per day my bar has to make to break even.

Lets talk about you for a minute. You will come to my bar because of my cheap prices, and the fine lady company I have available. I'm going to guess you'll take up one of my seats for about two hours and buy three beers got a total profit to me of 33 Bht Now I only have to make 24,833 Bht more today, to break even. Wow. Break even means I don't make any money. That's OK though, I'm only in business to make you happy and comfortable. I don't have to do the things you do,, like have a place to live, eat, drink, take my lady out, or send her family money. It's OK if I can't go to a movie, or pay for a taxi, they are extravagances anyway.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Maybe I should give you my girlfriend for 33 Bht for 2 hours also. dam_n, I'll be rolling in money then.

I'm interested in your girlfriend at 33 baht for 2 hours....but I'm a bit concerned that she might be the 35 year old one with stretch marks. Would you give me a discount ?

mods.

leave it for a while. I liked this one, it said "mature" twice and then all the other BS - wants to be a leader, exceptional career path, multi-tasking, creative problem-solver, self motivated and efficient.

Well if I was mature then I would understand what a lot of rubbish all the rest was. I must have missed the salary scale or offers to facilitate the work permit etc.......

Reminds me of a treadmill I was once on!

Did I understand the news item correctly? 2,500 marines per day will be on shore and the Thai police are protecting them from about 80 katoeys who might have the wrong paperwork...........

Writer: BangkokPost.com Published: 29/08/2009 at 11:14 AM

Abac poll reported on Saturday that more than 70 per cent of foreigners it surveyed are worried about the imposition of the Internal Security Act.

The government has from today to Tuesday imposed the security law in Dusit district to control the red-shirt anti-government demonstration on Sunday.

More than 65 per cent of the respondents admitted that they know not much about politics and political situation in Thailand. As much as 91.2 per cent of them suggested the government provide more information about the security law enactment.

Continued: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...on-security-law

This is a very poor start to a thread because giving percentages without clarifying how many people were actually interviewed really does make it worthless. If you add to that the comment from ABAC that more than 65 % of respondents admitted that they do no not know much about politics or the political situation in Thailand further devalues the crdibility of either ABAC or The Nation for misreporting it. Do we wamt to take bets on who is making the info worthless? Oops no gambling allowed....

In the UK, and I suppose other countries, it was stressed that washing hands WITH soap was effective. I haven't seen much soap in wash rooms in shops, bus stations etc out here. So is just putting hands under running water any use?

Having read all of the comments on the subject I can't help thinking that perhaps some things are simpler in this life than we realise. The question was "What input does the expat population have on Thailand?".

The initial point about how many expats and their spending caused problems because no one actually knows how to define an expat, how many expats there are etc etc. The UK for example "knows " that there are around 50,000 UK retired or semi retired citizens in Thailand (at some time every year) and has published this figure in a document relating to UK citizens worldwide. I think that the Thai government does not keep these types of figures because they don't want expats to be an issue, because expats bring change. Money is ok but TiT!!

If one accepts that around 50,000 people come from the UK then a figure of 500,000 to 1,000,000 long term stayers worldwide (we still haven't defined expats) would be possible per year. I accept that maybe we are merging with tourism. Assume each person spends 50,000 baht a year (a very low estimate but some people come on short visits, 2-3 months). That would still mean an income to Thailand of free money of 50 billion baht. I know that all of these figures are open to dispute but a point to consider is that no one appears to be able to find any "official" statement concerning this area.

On a side note perhaps the government has a concern because of the amount of money floating around. In other countries whenever civil unrest occurs people act through passion, allegience to something or someone but in Thailand it appears to that 500 baht a day per person will rent you a crowd.

Keep things grey (and up until the age of the internet) people will remain ignorant of the facts.

I have a very similar problem but can access Emirates (the airline) website. Do they have a site in Thailand? However I don't just get stopped I get an error message which doesn't make sense to me (but I'm no expert) It's to a site called dealio.com, but can't post the URL here and then whatever site I am trying to access. So do I have another problem on top of blocked outside world access.