HakimKlunker

any pics of all contestents ?? and if possible swimwear pics LOL

let me be the judge

See their photos online: www.pichunter.com

"All bars, shops and entertainment centers will closed based on a sliding window. Mondays close at 1:00AM, Tuesday 12:00 Midnight, Wednesday 11:00PM, Thursday 10:00 PM and Fridays at 9:00PM. Saturdays, Sundays and all official holidays, alcoholic beverages will not be allowed to be sold."

Where is the problem? Let us make Saturday and Sunday a work day. So during the week we can start drinking early. 5 Minutes before dead line we can fill the boot (and back seats) of our car, carry the stuff back home and continue consumption...

If we invite entire Thai families for this, they can get drunk TOGETHER and so achieve a merry family life.

Once the husbands and fathers are drunk we have the right line for the wives and daughters. Everyone female above age 40 is locked up at massage saloons; this clears the street from something we do not want anyway.

I support the idea 100 %

My sincere sympathy with Mrs. Robertson!

Being a sailor myself, I would be interested how the criminals managed to board and take controll. Sharing this information can maybe save another one's life and Mr. Robertson's death would not have been completely in vain.

1. Yacht building

2. Slow but stable with some reactions on present financial panic. There is a drop in requests for long term, but present projects are safe.

3. Can it drop much further? Think positive. Think big. We look for diversifying plus searching new sales opportunities: When one door closes - then open a different one.

4. 95% Foreigners

Comment: Each business has its own characteristicts. What is good for the pawn-shop is not welcome for a Ferrari dealer.

"People in pick-up trucks have done a pretty good job at showing how ineffective the US military machine is in Iran and Afghanistan for the last few years so I wouldn't be making judgments based on the mode of transport the Cambodians might use. That of course comes after a rag-tag group of people in pyjamas and flip-flops chased the same military machine out of Vietnam."

I understand you feel America is the evil empire but please get your history right. The people in pyjamas and flip-flops did not chase America out of Vietnam. The American Congress did that. The Viet Cong (people in pyjamas and flip-flops) were pretty much not the major problem. The regulars units of the North Vietnam army were. The corruption of the South Vietnam government was a huge problem. The famous scene on the roof of the American embassy occurred two years after American combat forces left Vietnam, after the American Congress stopped funds promised to Vietnam, and when North Vietnamese tanks rolled into Saigon.

When all is said and done Vietnam was a defeat in a battle in the Cold War but America won the war. America is still here, still the number one military power in the world, and Communism and the Soviet Union are in the trashcan of history. We have won the war in Iraq. Maybe at a higher cost than victory was worth but we have won. Obama , although I personally oppose him in general, is moving more troops into Afganistan so the result there is still unknown.

In the meantime Europe year by year becomes less relevant in world affairs and continues its decline.

God bless America. And dump the rest of the world. Me included.

"...The French attributed the temple to their side (since they occupied modern day Cambodia)..."

My suggestion: As a WORLD heritage, leave it to both parties and give it back again under French custody. As general manager I recommend: Mr Mowgli.

(Don't reply: I know that this is not a qualified or competent response )

If you MUST marry, better do so according to your home country law. If she refuses: drop her.

We are a quality article and I firmly believe that the word partner comes from PART-ner. It cannot be that only the girls make the rules. Request governs the 'market price'.

My PCG told me after 1 month that she would like to change her name. My reply: 'ok - I will call you Harry'. I got away with it and she is still there. I also got away with pointing out that I do not intend to be responsible for outside family business and I still have a friendly relation to her parents.

By the way: did one of us ever claim a Thai family's support because Mom at home needs an operation or a new water buffalo?

There are seemingly guys out there who can be told to bark like a dog while walking on their hands to qualify for a local marriage - and they will do so.

I have seen here many comments about safety and attitude. Obviously, the standard is not at the level where most people want it.

I think, we should not try to change people because firstly there is no right to do so (it is indeed THEIR country) and secondly because time has shown that it does not work if we try. So why not changing ourselves? If we seek the lowest price, we also get the lowest standard. If I do not have confidence in "this Thai captain" - well: is it so hard not to do the trip with him? We seemingly have forgotten to take responsibility for our own activities; there are so often people who know it better - unfortunately always only afterwards...

The best we can make from this accident now, is to find what happened and how. From there, someone can carry on and do it better and his/her efforts should be honoured; those who do not thrive for (active, please!) improvement better go down as well.

Is Dive Asia to blame? For the victims that does not make a difference. I am sure that this company followed all requirements - if they are sufficient or not - and obviously did more for the standard than many other competitors. It seems that everyone knows about those "typically Thai" conditions and so each individual must be aware of taking a risk probably. That is the price of being an adult.

The vivid discussion about a dead couple found is indeed somehow displaced. On the other hand: If it is true what we all seem to think here - if we cannot change the fact that we die, it seems best not to die alone but in company with someone we love. I think there was a successful movie about a similar topic...

I personally decided to let everyone get away with everything - - - as long as they don't get away with ME!

Up to now I am still breathing

Actually a rogue wave has been mentioned, but judging from the captain's account, it wasn't a rogue wave.

I don't believe it was a rogue wave, I believe it was high winds that blew that "elevator shaft" type of boat over and sunk it because I bet it didn't have any water tight compartments. Sometimes I see those dive boats leaving Chalong and when they steer hard over it takes a long time to right its self. I have been saying for years that these so called expert Thai boat builders are creating a disaster in waiting.

Well that's my 2¢ worth after 35 years at sea.

Sorry if any casualties,

LiveSteam

Your observations are correct. BUT: Often the boat yards are requested to produce this or that and at least for my behalf I can say that I tell my customers when they talk nonsense or plan something un-safe. Very often we also find later modifications that conflict with the construction. Building requirements in Thailand are on a very low level and so I would say that at present the responsibility is in the hands of the operators. Which does not mean that the builders and naval architects are not also called to raise the standard.

.....

Three different things can make waves. The wind, moon, and earthquakes can all make waves.

.....

True basically. But tide is predictable. Weather can be observed. Boats can be handled.

True also: Only a detail report will show what the situation actually was.

But most ships of this world stay afloat, and if not, there were humans involved: Captains/Skippers or builders who happened to make mistakes. Though doing watersports since about 25 years, I would say that still I did not see all and each day can bring a new surprise. Anyway, I suspect that in this case (again) we will later find that greed, irresponsibility and incompetence had their share in the disaster.

Hi. My company is making boats directly at ocean marina. It is true that they run a high price policy. They can do so because it is the only suitable marina around.

The price for travel-lift is about 320 US$ (11449 ThaiBaht). Wet berthings are rare but at present the marina expands. There is also dry storage available.

We pay for a Catamaran berthing (two slots) 17900 Tb monthly. Some boats have permanent moorings outside but there is no weather protection from the West and so this arrangement better should be safe. The bay here is shallow and (not often) some unkind waves build up.

Marina costs here are indeed higher, but on the land-side the price level is definitely lower than Phuket and for a long stay it becomes more interesting. And don't expect that over in Phuket they do NOT try to strip you from cash...

My personal experience from Phuket is that there is not much solidarity to expect even from our own skin colour. Ahead of them all: Phuket Lee Marine and Phuket Yacht Pro.

If you want to see lots of pretty sailing places, Phuket has surely more to offer; but here we also have a couple of nice places.

Cheers: Hakim Andreas

.... , I am surprised a new boat that size, could capsize so quickly! ....

Boats are made by people and they take it very serious of who is making them.

Rubbish in - rubbish out!

I produce boats in Thailand and so know how some competitors play with the life of their customers.

Registration and certification also is still at a quite low level and the (sometimes) inadequate qualification and carelessness of operators cause additional harm.

By the way: Our products never have sent a passenger down yet - without diving gear I mean For all others: we also make rescue boats!

When we are facing boats used in passenger traffic, it is amazing how little sense for safety there is: In Pattaya you see run-arounds having not even safety pumps or fixed tanks. Other boats are badly overloaded with crowds on the upper deck and so asking for a capsize. As we have seen in the recent case, often not even the basic safety equipment is found.

On the other hand: Many tourists enjoy low prices and should be aware that there is some cutting-the-corners going on; everyone has eyes to see and brains to think. Rejecting doubtful operation seems to be a suitable response. It will starve of the black sheep in the crowd and in return we stay alive and make sea traffic a little safer.

Well where I am from, ....

If you like your country that much, then go back. (Wasn't it the one with chiefly criminal genetics?) On my behalf, I prefer to learn the differences, respond to them and make the best out of it.