Johpa

Btw Johpa: there IS an alternative to getting rid of the rice stubble: just plough it into the ground! That's actually better for the soil than burning it.

Yes, and those few who can afford to do plow it into the ground. But not all have the time nor the finances to plow. In my neighborhood the farmers only rest (and drink) for a day or tow after the completion of the rice harvest before planting a second crop. Burning the padi only takes a day. Besides, burning the rice stubble does not generate the same amount of smoke and pollutants as does burning off the hillsides to clear out land that had been fallow. That begins a little later after everything dries out a bit more. The rice stubble on the irrigated padi burns rather quickly and does not contain all that much fuel.

The rural farmers have very limited time to plant a second crop, such as soy bean, into the rice fields. The crop must be planted while the level of the ground water is still high and there is sufficient flow in the streams for irrigation. Until an affordable alternative for clearing the rice stubble is found, I am afraid you neo-sahibs in the city, who burn up far more carbon over the course of the year than the farmers, will have to live with some additional smog.

And by the way, I really don't see too many Thais posting here.

tanks can fire up to 20+ kilometres away

Tanks do not have the ability to fire at any such distance, more likely an artillery piece mounted on tracks. To the untrained eye such a weapon might be referred to as a "tank".

One of my favorites, although a bit pricey.

Just my opinion, but it would seem to me that a "central" location in Chiang Mai would now be located out towards Huay Khao and Neeman. This area is rocking while the old tourist areas are quiet. The night market is interesting for perhaps one night. I think that the two old grand dames of Chiang Mai hotels, the Orchid and the Amari Rincome, are now screaming deals given the revitalization of that area.

As for fun trips with kids, just head up north to the elephant camps and up to the Chiang Dao caves. The Mae Sa Valley road has countless road side attractions for kids. Go further, get high (in elevation that is) then drop down into Samoeng and head a few extra kilometers over towards Mae Sap and take the kids into the small bat-filled cave on your left for some extra thrills.

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

First, we are really talking about the larger trawlers that ply the international waters and not the local fisherman in the smaller boats that stick to the Gulf of Siam and whom most ex-pats are likely to encounter down south. Second, I am curious as to what similar logic you are referring to when you claim that fruit pickers in Australia are in the same boat, so to speak as Southeast Asian fishermen who have been shanghaied into working on these boats. Please provide references to any article that would indicate that fruit pickers in Australia have been abducted and forced to pick the fruit. Sounds like Murdoch right wing crap to me.

This story is nothing new, other than there has been a shift over the past 15 years or so from Thai men to Burmese men abducted and forced to work offshore for a pittance. These are also the same "influential" people who use to prey upon the Vietnamese boat people in the late 1970s.

As a footnote, the AIDS epidemic in Thailand had its roots in the fishing community down south although at the time the government tried to blame it upon western tourists.

If im visiting hill tribes on my own(riding motorbike) and they usually have an entry fee(longneck tribes etc) where do you pay to enter?

Also are most of the tribes use to people showing up and watching there daily lifestyle?

What are some recommendations for visiting around CM?

There are no indigenous "longneck" villages in Thailand, only tourist spots, thanks to one particular Lahu lady, where the only way in is through the front gate where they, those who operate the place, will collect an entrance fee. Other minority villages are little different than Thai villages in that you are free to drive through and stop at a noodle shop, if available, and look around. Most villages are rather quiet and empty during the day as the kids are in school and the parents are working in the fields.

The Samoeng loop had plenty of Mong and Karen villages. Going on the Pai highway there are also a few Lisu villages. All these villages tend to be a bit off the main roads. Try to find a copy of GT-Rider's Mae Hong Son loop map, not easy to track down, or the more available Samoeng loop map and take your chances. The loop ride around Doi Mong Long is now mostly paved and has both a Karen and a few Mong villages along the route and great views, but watch out for the ATV caravans.

I'm looking forward to asking her what she thinks happens to the blankets and clothing.... I would imagine they have nowhere to store them for the rest of the year so likely sell them.... I would....

The blankets that are donated are of fairly poor quality and often only last a season or two. Thet are not an item that can be washed easily in a stream bed. I doubt there is much of a market for dirty used cheap blankets, even amongst the upland poor.

it's a very early drop of temperature, such temperatures do happen end of december/beginning of january.

It is not that early into the cool season. The coldest night I ever experienced was during the first week of December. The temps have not yet dropped below 10C. yet, but I had to wear a jacket on my motorbike this morning at 10:00AM coming into town.

Take take the Mae Sa Valley Rd to Pong Yang. Turn right up to the Mong Village of Nong Hoi where there is also a Royal Project. Follow the road through the village about another 1km to the radio station towers. There is a viewpoint there, a little sala, that should give one about a 300 degree view of the sky. The road is paved except for the last kilometer. Even better, go camping up at the Rock Tower for an unimpeded 360 degree view. Other good viewing to the north of the city would be the road to the Mong village of Mae Sa Mai or the road up to the Khon Muang village of Pong Khai, both out of Pong Yang. Use David's Samoeng Loop map for details and countless other options.

One of my in-laws has been hospitalized at Chiang Mai Ram for the past week and his visitors have reported that the boredom of the hospital room has been greatly alleviated by being able to watch the fashion show at the Lavender pool side. The gentleman wearing the neon green Speedos was quite the hit.

Thus the ruling families in the larger muangs were given names such as Na Chiang Mai, Na Ayuttaya, etc.

Is listing 'Na Ayutthaya' a slip, or is that name also inherited by some outside the Rattanakosin dynasty?

Perhaps a bit of a slip, I am not sure if that name is still being used strictly for royal descendants or whether it was also bestowed upon non royal blood. The direct royal descendants will have the additional royal bloodline titles such as mom luang (M.L.) or mom ratchawaong (M.R.). Many of such titles folks with royal blood do not have a "Na" style family name, a well known example coming to mind being M.R. Kukrit Pramoj. But with Royalty taking only a single wife, such titles folks are becoming increasingly fewer and far between.

Thus the ruling families in the larger muangs were given names such as Na Chiang Mai, Na Ayuttaya, etc.

Is listing 'Na Ayutthaya' a slip, or is that name also inherited by some outside the Rattanakosin dynasty?

Oops, A bit of a slip in the current context.

You need to be a pacifist or non-confrontational type to stay out of trouble. Not me.

Well no need to read much further to understand why you are not meant to be living as a guest in Thailand. Thailand is not the place for confrontational people. You will be much happier elsewhere. Smooth sailing.

In the 19th century Thailand was not yet 100% united behind the Chakri dynasty. The country was still tied to a strong local patron-client social structure that was at odds with a unified central government. As a means to cajole the local lords (caos) to accept sovereignty from Bangkok without rebelling, the throne in Bangkok handed out to ruling families titled names akin to the feudal titles in Europe, a Thai version of a Duchy. Thus the ruling families in the larger muangs were given names such as Na Chiang Mai, Na Ayuttaya, etc. Since these families were landed aristocracy, they continue to be powerful families within the broader society. Although now enough time has passed that not all that bear the name are of such high status and some of the fruit has fallen far from the tree. But in general it notes that the great great grandparents were local rulers.

Yeh, everyone around here has plenty of 'good' stuff on everyone else. It's the good old boy network. Saxena will use his knowledge of everyone else to leverge a deal for himself and that should be the end of that.

Well yes, Thai politics has never been about policy or ideology. It has always been about which group or coalition will get the biggest piece of the pie for themselves. Saxena's alleged misdeeds occurred long enough ago that his peers are now scattered about all the various political factions. A tell all expose by Saxena could indeed bring down the Thai government and not just the current ruling party, but it will never happen.

Will be taking a motorcycle trip with my son over to Phrae later this month. We do not have unlimited time, so I am looking for combination highway and local routes to Phrae. Looking at Google maps, I am contemplating taking Hwy 11 about 2/3 down and then take the left at Baan Bo Lek Long onto local road 1023 ( I have a penchant for these 4-digit roads), taking the back road from the west into Phrae. Any thoughts, alternatives, and suggestions for accommodations in Muang Phrae. We are both very competent Thai speakers.

Also looking at various routes going north from Phrae into Nan and then up to Chiang Saen. Once in that area I am back in familiar territory. And yes, I will be buying a dinner or two for my good friend Mr. GT-Rider to mine his wealth of information as well.

Decent quality airsoft rifles (AEGs) start at about $150, so I guess a minimum of 3,000 baat in Thailand. Anything less than that will be the high end of the toy range where repairs and part replacements become problematic. These are "hobby" guns and need care and need replacement parts over time so you will need to find a tech or DIY. There are plenty of vids on YouTube for repairs, but shimming the gears is more of an art. They normally shoot around 350 fps (feet per second to us Yanks) out of the box, and the member who noted 480 fps must have had a sniper rifle as it takes lots of upgrades (springs, tight bore barrel, and upgraded gears) to make even a high end AEG, like a KWA, shoot at that speed. Most airsoft events world wide restrict velocities to around 400 fps. The bbs are 6mm and come in varying weights from around .20 grams up to .28 gram and even heavier for some sniper rifles. (The little plastic toy pistols shoot .12 grams bbs that come in a rainbow of colors)

The bbs don't really have the mass to penetrate skin at the 400 fps rate except an nearly point blank range. Most organized events in the US use a 20 foot safety rule to avoid too much pain. But they will scare off most varmints, and the brighter varmints will learn to go elsewhere

How can a westerner criticize pop music in Thailand when the musical tastes of the youth in the west exhibit a preference for so many musical genres that have been stuck in a dead end cul-de-sac for decades: reggae, techno, and of course the worst of the bunch to my ear, hip-hip? If you want to encounter mass musical unsophistication then take a trip to Koh Phangan and endure the musical dreariness of the full moon party scene. But then again, in the musical world one person's sophistication is another person's annoyance. Remember, art is best defined as what wealthy people are willing to pay for.

Do you guys really think that this guy as a foreigner to Thailand was the main reason for the bank fraud? Do you really think that he could as an adviser start this huge scam without the knowledge of the bank directors?

They all was on it and he is the scape coat for the real con masters.

Rakesh was the architect of the scam, although yes, the directors were aware and facilitated the scam as well. And still, some members of Thai society are still untouchable. But to call Rakesh a mere scapegoat is a bit of an overstatement.

Amazing that the hapless Canadians, who now deny entry to US citizens due to minor legal infractions made 30 years ago, are so willing to continue to host this scumbag.

The aspect your not accounting for is under reporting. For example in Thailand many road fatalities never make into into the govt hospital statistics. If someone in a small village dies on a motorbike they go straight to the temple for cremation and are not counted.

Actually all deaths are reported by the local headman to the kamnaan and onward to Amphoe. More recently in might be reported to the local tambon development office (O.P.T.), an office that is increasingly taking some of the administration duties from the local kamnaan. Although a fatality may not make it into a hospital, the death is recorded. It is only in the most isolated villages that a death may not get recorded, and there are far fewer such villages today than in years past.

And just what is wrong with back packers? I've found them to be quite lovely.

I daresay Ian, there is hope for you yet and perhaps redemption is near. But I too enjoy interacting with the younger crowd when they allow it, far more entertaining than listening to the tired middle-aged conversations at the ex-pat venues. And as one who backpacked in his youth around Thailand, part of the generation that helped build the current tourist infrastructure along with their Thai counterparts, I really hold in contempt those of you who speak disparagingly about the younger budget traveler set and who never engaged in any old school adventure travel into regions with little tourist infrastructure and few people who could speak English, let alone other western languages. Far too many of you just enjoy a wee too much riding that high horse, perhaps the result of having had a rather mundane youth.

I will be in town next month, so just to piss you all off I think I will go have a smoothie over at Daret's new place on the east side of the moat.

And whilst we are talking about new enterprises think about the number of new "spa's" that have popped up over the last 2 -3 years. It has been suggested that these are just a part of money laundering operations.

Are you suggesting that all those "resorts" around the north that never seem to have a single guest now have competition? I suppose it is more convenient to have a spa in town rather than a resort along the Samoeng loop.

Promising handouts if elected [with the governments money] is not the same thing is not the same thing as handing out your OWN cash to get elected. How on earth could that money be recuperated unless illegal activities was performed while in office?

The salaries are crap, so...

The cash used to purchase votes was most often obtained by illegal activities, or to plagiarize A. Pasuk, "Guns, Girls, Gambling, Ganja", the cash cows of the business world. But there is also smuggling which explains the rise to power of former PMs from the south (oil & cars) , the former PM who controlled the western border (teak, gems, and drugs) , and more recently the PM who controlled the Cambodian trade. Further into the past, the PM was the heroin kingpin. Somebody runs the yaa baa trade, but they are staying behind the scenes. The simple purchasing of votes costs little relative to the profits in these trades, most of which are sent offshore.