Tejas

It would really help if posters learned something about climate change and global warming prior to posting.

Is the strange weather in Thailand due to warming?

Certainly climate change and global warming are real and impacting the planet now.

All I know is that every old person I have talked to in Thailand says the same thing:

"It is much warmer now than in the past."

Glad to see that deference to the pooyai is strong and well.

I have never heard anything so nonsensical as believing that someone old in Thailand has anything worthwhile to bring to a scientific discussion simply because they are "old".

It obviously is not easy for you to understand. It is called "perspective."

Getting their views is a proxy measure of what has been happening. Unless, of course, you think they are all crazy.

What they are saying carries weight because it fits with what scientists already know about global warming and climate change.

But to understand what I just said requires a fundamental understanding of scientific methodology.

It also requires an appreciation of history.

There are books out there on scientific methodology, global warming, and climate change.

I hope you can find at least one.

What about constructing some very large lakes (to store water) like you see in most Western countries. Would that help? Or would it only be a temporary fix? I am guessing it would only be temporary. But this is a hot climate and evaporation would drop the water table on the lakes each year.

Pakboong, maybe I have misread, but your contribution seems to be a very negative portrayal of the ethnic Chinese. You leave the impression that these people all move in one coordinated movement and are organized in some vast conspiracy. It is somewhat unsettling. I have one question for you. Have you ever asked some of the people who or what they are? I believe that most would offer that they are Thai and not "chinese". I don't think too many of these people would wish to trade the limited freedoms they have in Thailand for the police state of China. In that regard, I believe they have alot in common with ethnic groups in the USA, Australia, UK etc. Yes there are now sizeable segments that identify more with their religious beliefs in those countries, but ask Tony Soprano in New Jersey what he is and he'll say American. Ask Jimmy Wong in Sydney and he'll say Australian and so on.

I think you are overplaying the physical appearance and ethnic heritage of people and how it impacts their view in the country. When an Asian moves to Texas, does the asian aspect of the heritage preclude that immigrant from becoming a part of the nation and his/her kids becoming 100% American? When the Carribean people emigrated to the UK back in the 1950's they integrated into the society. I think if you ask the 3rd generation of these immigrnts what they are, some guy ise not going to say I'm an African because my skin is of dark complexion. He will most likely say, piss off you twit, I'm an Englishman.

I suggest that you under estimate the need to belong, to be a part of something. Absent of a major belief, the trend of youth is to assimilate. The Chinese diaspora may look Chinese on the outside but on the inside after a few generations and in the absence of hostility, they become part of the society around them. Look at the population of Surin. So many are Khmer and yet they consider themselves Thai. I do not believe the ethnic Chinese are any different.

I am sorry, but I have to disagree with the gist of what you have written.

I spend a lot of time in China and have found the Chinese people to be less xenophobic and racist than Thais (far less).

The Chinese seem genuinely interested in Westerners.

Certainly, in terms of the police/immigration, I do not feel the same sort of BIG BROTHER oppression in China as I feel in Thailand.

Chinese TV is one exception, but I don't watch TV. Also, you can't talk about Mao. Other than that, I just don't feel what people say I am supposed to feel: massive oppression.

Myth vs reality. I really think you have to live in both places to separate the two (and have an open mind).

Yes, the Govt. of China has done some bad things on a big scale. But Thailand has done similar things on a smaller scale.

I think if Thailand was as big and powerful as China, it would be doing bad things on a big scale.

It would really help if posters learned something about climate change and global warming prior to posting.

Is the strange weather in Thailand due to warming?

Certainly climate change and global warming are real and impacting the planet now.

All I know is that every old person I have talked to in Thailand says the same thing:

"It is much warmer now than in the past."

Did you know that there is currently 40% more ice in the Antarctic than there was in 1980. Did you know that the Arctic ice cap has only reduced by 7% since 1980.

LaoPo

To Tigs: It really would be productive is some posters learned something about science in general and climate science/global warming in particular.

Global warming and climate change are real. No reasonable person is debating whether or not they are real. You seem to be living in a world of myths.

Now, back to the topic. I agree that it would be far too costly, especially for a third world country like Thailand, to spend most of its revenues on a massive dam to protect Bangkok from rising waters.

Diverting the river might help.

Perhaps some large lakes could be constructed to hold some of the water.

Maybe a major canal project could be undertaken to move some of the water to dry areas (providing there are dry areas).

Actually, this is shaping up to be a real disaster, and a very costly one at that.

The place to look for answers is probably the Netherlands.

tropo, your better then that arguing the toss with simpletons.

With the exception of Tropo, I don't know another person in Thailand that thinks this high season is higher than last year.

The last three months have been a disaster for many businesses. This after an even worse six months.

I think if you want to get a good idea of what is happening, just ask the shop owners.

You may see a lot of people walking around, but if the are not spending how does that impact business?

10-15 years ago there was a "balance" between the number of shops and tourists/long stay expats. That balance was good for the local economy.

That balance is now gone. People who have only been here five years know nothing about it.

Because of that, they will say it isn't important.

Well, it is important. It represents a significant and negative economic change.

Why start a campaign to focus on high end tourist and potentially dissuade lower end tourist coming, thinking they're not welcome??

Why doesn't TAT focus on, just, tourism????

That is the solution: stop upsetting the majority of tourists (most are not rich) and start focusing on tourism in general for all income groups--high, medium, and low income.

The solution is so simple. Why can't TAT see this? Why continue to upset Westerners and ruin the tourism industry?

I won't say where or who, but some organizations are run by total idiots.

Upsetting Westerners is not a part of the picture, the numbers for January to October last year show that most visitors to Thailand come from :

A Malaysia 1,359,220

B Japan 822,767

C United Kingdom 670,904

D China 590,725

E Australia 520,090

F USA 496,812

I wont say who but some posters don't know what they're talking about.

But it is obvious that upsetting Westerners is part of the picture.

The point I and others are making is that it is not wise to implement a tourism policy that offends ANY foreign tourists. Why? Guess.

The best promotional policy is to target all tourists from all income levels.

Why start a campaign to focus on high end tourist and potentially dissuade lower end tourist coming, thinking they're not welcome??

Why doesn't TAT focus on, just, tourism????

That is the solution: stop upsetting the majority of tourists (most are not rich) and start focusing on tourism in general for all income groups--high, medium, and low income.

The solution is so simple. Why can't TAT see this? Why continue to upset Westerners and ruin the tourism industry?

I won't say where or who, but some organizations are run by total idiots.

Here is a picture of something good. But the dish is not finished. This is what it looks like before you put it in the oven to melt the cheese. Add guacamole and you have something many Westerners like, especially before the main meal.

thai economy revolves around 3 things - Sex, - Rice and tourism. You take out one of these and thailand would crumble in a matter of minutes.

Rough figures:

Tourism - 6% of GDP

Prostitution - 3%

Rice - don't know, but it isn't the remaining 91%

True tourisim is a relatively small part of the Thai GDP, but its also the largest earner of foreing currency.

It has been stated so many times already, but here it goes again.

The figures are misleading!

For starters, take the prostitution figure and triple it to at least 9%. Then add it to the tourism figure. Now you are up to 14%. Now add everything else they leave out: hotel supplies, taxis, restaurants that cater to foreigners, etc. and you are likely up to 20%. Now figure in the lack of income reporting and you are now up to 25% or more of the economy. Tourism is a huge component of Thailand's economy. All you need to do is walk around with your eyes open and you will see it all over the country.

You obviously haven't tried Coyote. Even more expensive and less authentic. La Gorda's on Silom is also worse, and I doubt you would like Los Cabos either.

If Coyote's is the place near Pat Pong, I have tried it (long time ago). I don't remember being impressed.

What I really don't like is the healthy, California-style stuff.

I like messy Mexican food with lots of cheese, oil, meat, and other good stuff.

What I would like to see is a small taqueria serving a very limited menu--inexpensive, good and messy.

As an aside, I think way too many people who get into the Mexican food business here try to do too much.

To me, one outstanding taco or tamale or chile relleno or messy burrito on the menu is better than 100 other items that are not that good.

Sunrise Tacos? Maybe I was a bit harsh. It is hard to make a success out of a restaurant in Thailand.

I thought the place looked good, but that was it. I really did not like the look of the food in the bins.

And the menu was odd and confusing. I found it difficult to order what I wanted.

I also did not like the salsas. And it seemed way overpriced.

Tacos and Salsa, in my opinion, makes some very good salsas and decent food. But it is not a bargain.

Los Cabos and Monita are places I want to try next. Both are getting good reviews.

The good news for all of us is that we are beginning to get some choices in terms of Mexican food.

It is a free market and those that listen to customers and adjust their menu and prices accordingly will win.

agreed,

Racism was the wrong word. I stand corrected.

Racism is not even in the Thai Dictionary

Xenophobia is... and it is more appropriate!

Xenophobia, racism, prejudice, and discrimination are similar concepts.

Xenophobia and racism (both culturally and biologically based) often come in the form of ideas and thoughts.

Prejudice and discrimination often come in the form of a specific action.

(Not to bee too academic, but at the basis of all of this is ethnocentrism, a we-they or in-group/out-group distinction.)

Basically, all are universal and not peculiar to Thai culture. So there really is no need to take a high horse here. Being human with an evolutionary past, we are all part of the problem.

Having said that, the OPs question is about Thailand. I think the level of racism in Thailand is cuurently extremely high. And so is xenophobia and prejudice/discrimination.

One example: The new attack--via visa rules--on expats who are married to Thai women is clearly an example of prejudice/discrimination based on xenophobia/racism.

I am just preparing a CV for job application at TAT.

" I am completely stupid, I cannot think and I do not know what common sense means."

That should do it.

I have no doubt that you will get the position, listen carefully to idiots, and implement policies that will all but destroy the tourism industry, except for a few hotels that cater to the ultra-rich. It is obvious from your comments that you are the perfect candidate for the job. Clearly you fully grasp the situation and meet the requirments for the job. Good luck!

I spend over 1.2 million baht a year in Thailand, who spends more, a tourist or me, TAT should focus on taking care of me and people like me, people who live here!

It might not add up to your maths but I am sure the tourist does spend more: let's say that (poor) tourist will spend an average of Baht 1,000 per say giving, at the end of year, Baht 365,000 and so on...you might be surprised how much a tourist spend. When I go on holidays (in Europe), for a month or so , I can spend up to a year of my budget back home (but then again I go for quality rather than quantity when it comes to how many holidays I take)

Why should you be taken care of ? You already are here, using all benefits provided by the kingdom including 'cheap' (compared to Europe)access to a tremendous amount of 'excellent' services that one would only dream of in their countries of origin

I'm sure there are tourists who spend more than £22,250 ($36,200) on their annual holidays but on average holiday makers spend much less than that. The thing is I, and others like me, spend at least that amount here every year. Many of us in this category are here because this is our home, we're not here for a few weeks or months, we live here - we're not here to see how many women (or men) we can bed in the shortest time, we have families here, wives, children and homes. Perhaps if expats like us could report more positively about Thailand, the issue of targeting tourists would be a moot point because there would be no need, tourists would flock here without being prompted, as things stand we each see the full catalogue of scams every day and they become oh so tiresome - added to this is the extent to which our host government's Immigration Dept makes us dance to their tune every 90 days which is ludicrous.

I met a retired American over Xmas who retired in Malaysia. He stated that the principle reason, and this goes for many others who lived there also, that he didn't retire in Thailand was the visas. Add in the apparently tax free car (I hadn't heard about that one in Malaysia) and the ease with which he went about buying his condo, he couldn't understand why anyone who didn't have a spouse who was Thai would ever consider moving to Thailand.

Maybe that is the way to get more tourists; create more Mia Farangs.

That is interesting and a positive response to insane changes in visa/retirement rules that have taken place over the past ten years.

I can tell you, with certainty, that having a spouse that is Thai is no longer something that brings with it any visa security in Thailand.

The Immigration Dept., is currently giving expat-Thai married couples problems. The new strategy to promote "national security" appears to be to attack married couples.

Crazy? Totally.

Why? I suppose so that the Thai wife and family the expat supports can live in extreme poverty after he runs off (with his money) to Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, or Cambodia.

Yet another reason to avoid Thailand as a place to visit, retire in, or invest in.

Some Thais have lighter skin than other Thais have. It's not racism when they're all Thai to begin with. It's just skin colour.

Then it's just a shame that the people with dark skin are put down and made to feel inferior by their fellow countrymen for no other reason than the shade of brown they happen to be.

Thailand is the most racists country I have ever lived in.

And I grew up in the southern part of the USA when racism was greater than today.

A lot of it you will not be aware of unless you speak the language.

There is both internal (migrants, expats, and Thais with dark skin) and external racism (anyone not Thai).

Very good point,I also wonder how many foreigners get beaten up by the BNP in the UK

It is not that great a point because this is about "impressions" and not necessarily "numbers."

The days of Thailand getting away with being tagged a "peaceful destination" are long since over.

Back to topic. The solution is simple:

1) Roll back all of the visa changes that have taken place over the last ten years.

2) Promote tourism for all income levels--low, medium, and high (no need to focus on one income level),

Unfortunately, to come to that conclusion takes common sense.

Fortunately, most countries, other than Thailand, embrace and benefit from this simple tourism policy.

The good out weighs the bad by a long shot, but there are some things that just make you shake your head in wonder.

The good outweighs the bad sounds nice, but in Thailand the bad far outweighs the good for many if not most expats.

The main problems:

1) totally insane visa/retirement system;

2) totally insane business rules for foreigners;

3) massive corruption;

4) stealing from foreigners at every opportunity;

5) environmental pollution;

6) complete lack of understanding of basic hygiene;

7) horrible traffic jams.

There are certainly better places to be than Thailand.

How about tamales with beef Chile and cheese?

Here is a picture of the beef chile sauce.

The sauce in the picture is on top of enchiladas, but I have eaten it many times over tamales.

It reminds me of chile without beans. But it is not identical to plain chile.

My guess is that this is American style. But many people like it.

OK thanks for the picture, It is the cheese sauce over tamales, thanks for informing me, I will be going back to Mexico and Tucson Az in a couple of months, and will check out the tamale and Soft Taco's there

Cheers: .

That cheese sauce also has beef in it. It is actually a beef sauce (similar to what we call chile) with cheddar cheese on top. It is always served hot and bubbly.

When served with tamales, it makes the tamales less dry, something many Westerners like. They may not be like Mexico, but I am just stating what many Westerners like north of the Border.

Another very simple thing Westerners like is nachos. In the USA, there are many types, but one I like is like this:

Corn chip with frijoles on top, with cheese on top of that, with a small piece of jalapeno pepper on top of that. All layered. Then it is heated up in an oven and served warm.

Most Westerners love them.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/envi...icle6991177.ece

World misled over Himalayan glacier meltdown

A WARNING that climate change will melt most of the Himalayan glaciers by 2035 is likely to be retracted after a series of scientific blunders by the United Nations body that issued it.

Can't wait to hear the apologists try to explain this one away.

The IPCC based their report on an article by the "New Scientist". NS based the article on a telephone interview with an Indian scientist who speculated that the glacier could melt.

Is this science? What happened to the peer review system?

It is clear that the people who refuse to accept global warming and climate change as facts are totally ignorant of science. Maybe they should take time to learn something before posting here.

The only thing I am planning is not attending my funeral.

But a statement from your bank showing $20000 in your account 3 months before arrival

And zero in your account upon departure.

Same old TAT song and dance: "quality tourists, not quantity, blah, blah, blah..."

It appears that the people in charge of TAT do not have the ability to learn from their past and current mistakes.

Emphasizing a policy that has already proven (with clarity) to be economically and socially destructive will cause more damage to Thailand's tourist industry.

Are the same people who run the Immigration Department in charge of TAT?

The good news is that Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines and even Lao will gain from this.

In fact, if you travel to those countries and ask the locals what they think about Thailand, the reply is simple: NUTS!

The al pastor at Tacos y Salsa. I would put these up against any I have had in San Diego or Tijuana.

The al pastor, is a good selection!

Thanks:

Cheers:

How about tamales with beef Chile and cheese?

I have never had that type of Tamale, Could you give me a little more information on it, Please.

I have had tamales de Chile con Carne, I have had Sonoran Tamales de Elote, Green chile stripes and cheese in green corm tamale Masa (Only have seen those in Sonora and Arizona) and Sweet bean tamales that, I did not care much for and a Tamale stuffed with Vegetables, did not taste bad. But I would not go out of my way for one.

If I am hearing you correctly, you are referring to a tamale with Chile con Carne de Res and cheese together.

If that is so I will make a few and try some before, I pass judgement it is an interesting combination.

Thanks for your post:

Cheers:

Here is a picture of the beef chile sauce.

The sauce in the picture is on top of enchiladas, but I have eaten it many times over tamales.

It reminds me of chile without beans. But it is not identical to plain chile.

My guess is that this is American style. But many people like it.

It seems to me that it is possible that the Gulf will rise at the same time that rainfall will increase. So, the water will come from two sides: the Gulf of Thailand and the rivers emptying into the Gulf (first passing through Bangkok).

The cost of addressing this twin problem will be enormous. It will mean less money for infrastructure, health care, education, etc. It represents a "hidden cost" of continuing to embrace what amounts to an insane fossil fuel energy policy.

Of course, the problem is not specific to Bangkok. We could be talking about New Orleans, Miami, New York City, etc. Add up the total global cost of continuing to embrace an insane fossil fuel energy policy, and you get a very, very large number.

The al pastor at Tacos y Salsa. I would put these up against any I have had in San Diego or Tijuana.

The al pastor, is a good selection!

Thanks:

Cheers:

How about tamales with beef chile and cheese?