57 minutes ago, djayz said:

True, but I am shocked to see fellow exparts sharing the same view/arrogance. 

Stockholm syndrome.

Many Thais  especially  in  rural areas   dont use  showers they use a bucket and a tupperware  container throwing it  over themselves.

I wonder if there is any way to convince Thai people to refrain from soaking the roads. In my village everyone does it daily, some even connect sprinkler heads so they don't have to stand there. 

15 hours ago, djayz said:

My point exactly. 

If you take a man's ability to feed himself and his family away from him, then you must provide an alternative - otherwise things could get ugly. 

He can still feed himself, and maybe make even more money, if he learns to adapt and in the dry season grow a crop that does not use so much water..... because he has the land, the space, the equipment and time.  It just seems that it may take a little thinking about... which some people are to lazy to do.  

7 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

He can still feed himself, and maybe make even more money, if he learns to adapt and in the dry season grow a crop that does not use so much water..... because he has the land, the space, the equipment and time.  It just seems that it may take a little thinking about... which some people are to lazy to do.  

Possibly not too lazy, but have not been given alternatives which appear to be financially viable.

The equioment they have for rice is not very adapatable for other dry land crops, so being dirt poor to begin with presents large challenges

10 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Possibly not too lazy, but have not been given alternatives which appear to be financially viable.

The equioment they have for rice is not very adapatable for other dry land crops, so being dirt poor to begin with presents large challenges

I do agree with you.  However, they do have the tractors that they use in the rice fields, and also the people who come to plant the rice could also plant other crops.

 

I think the main problem is the attitude of some of the farmers.  Perhaps they lack the brains to consider alternatives.  While they can just ignore the governments 'urging' to not plant the next crop, with no penalties like fines etc, then there is zero incentive for them to change.  This is the same problem with the forest and field burning each year.

27 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

I wonder if there is any way to convince Thai people to refrain from soaking the roads.

Easy, sweep the road for them each morning ???? 

1 minute ago, jak2002003 said:

However, they do have the tractors that they use in the rice fields, and also the people who come to plant the rice could also plant other crops.

In a rice field? you might want to do some further research before you accuse others of "lacking brains" 

Thais will have no problem with this adhering request.

However, ask them to stop washing the 4 wheel Chariot they drive every other day, and there would be an uproar.

Better reduce the 7 days of crazy water spilling to 1 day in Pattaya instead of that 7 day's , shall give better result and serious example 

18 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

This is a ridiculous statement, showering is essential for everyday life.

 

What is wasteful is the Songkran festival where people throw water at others just for 'fun'.

 

They should ban water throwing during Songkran instead.

 

 

Yeah...>sigh< ..because 4 days of Songkhran easily make up for the other 361 days of having no plan, no idea and no clue...

But of course there is plenty of water for Sngkron available....

2 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

He can still feed himself, and maybe make even more money, if he learns to adapt and in the dry season grow a crop that does not use so much water..... because he has the land, the space, the equipment and time.  It just seems that it may take a little thinking about... which some people are to lazy to do.  

Nobody likes change, therefore somebody has to take the initive and teach/show them the alternatives. In my opinion, that responsibility falls on the people in power. Leaders are supposed to be leading, planning and shaping the nation for the future. I know this isn't a perfect world, and T.land is even less than perfect, but if the leaders can't/don't care, then we shouldn't expect the people at the bottom of the barrel to change and make a difference. 

7 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Please explain the logic about dams not drying up

 

A dam holds back the water it is nothing but dirt maybe concrete or wood and stone

20 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I'll sacrifice showering alone and shower with a sexy Thai lady if it will help in the drought relief effort

At least that may end your own 'personal drought ' ???? 

Shower with a friend. MS>

A lot of the usual inaccurate suggestions -

1. Don't grow rice, grow something else - maybe valid for some irrigated paddies, but a lot of rice fields depend just on rainfall for water. It isn't wasted, it is used. Storing the water not easy as the land is pretty flat - and you loose some land to do that. And, what else to grow? when your field is under 20 cm of water for a few months, not much choice. Growing crops in the dry season - well, by the time the rice is harvested little you can grow before the next wet season without irrigation.

 

2. One kilogram of beef requires 10,000 litres of water -  Only if you have a feedlot and factor in all the water to grow the cows food. In Thailand, half the cows just browse on waste ground and rough pasture - no water is 'used' to grow these weeds and scrub. And the cow doesn't drink 10.000 litres of water in a year.

 

3. It takes 6 kilos of plant protein to produce 1 kilo of beef - Maybe true, but try and get the protein out of those weeds, scrub and straw. A cow does it for you.

 

4. Desalinisation - An option for Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, but no help to all the inland drought hit areas - pumping water there not practical or economic.

 

5. Songkhran - If everybody played water at Songkhran, it still would only be less than 1% of domestic consumption. Factor in commercial usage and agriculture, and it is insignificant.

 

 

Reality is that in Thailand infrastructure planning is chaotic. inefficient and response to droughts is short term - once the drought is over plans are all shelved again ..... look at the flooding in 2012 - 8 years later and practically nothing has been done to prevent this happening again. Yes, agriculture could be modified to use less water, but who will pay for that? Changing a rice field to cassava would require a lot of landscaping and drainage, even if it was practicable.

6 hours ago, djayz said:

You can't in all fairness expect them to stop growing rice and start using the rice paddies for something else (unless, of couse, the alternative crop is actually suitable for that area and soil). 

You can't in all fairness use all the water so the big Apple has nothing to drink! 

 

Are you on the lao kao already?

21 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Honestly, I've never met an expat that couldn't forgo one burger a year.  Some of them, one a day.

I haven't had a burger since about 1.5 years ago at a pub with an acquaintance. Before that I honestly have no idea when I've eaten a burger or pizza for that matter. I live in central Bangkok.

 

Thai food is cheap and delicious. We buy steaks at Tops premium and eat sushi out.

 

BUT I would agree entirely with you. Farang hate Thai food.

 

1 minute ago, Number 6 said:

Thai food is cheap and delicious. We buy steaks at Tops premium and eat sushi out.

 

BUT I would agree entirely with you. Farang hate Thai food.

 

Not meaning to go down that rabbit hole, in the 7+ years I lived in Thailand I found a general decline in the quality of the ingredients used to make the Thai food.  I chalk it up to government pressures to keep food prices low while the cost of raw ingredients naturally go up due to normal inflation.  Something had to give, and I often found out it was the quality and mix of the ingredients.  My personal problem with Thai food is the massive quantities of MSG, to which my family has a sensitivity (another rabbit hole for a different thread).  And the tongue blistering spiciness, even after asking for not-spicy.  

 

24 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Not meaning to go down that rabbit hole, in the 7+ years I lived in Thailand I found a general decline in the quality of the ingredients used to make the Thai food.  I chalk it up to government pressures to keep food prices low while the cost of raw ingredients naturally go up due to normal inflation.  Something had to give, and I often found out it was the quality and mix of the ingredients.  My personal problem with Thai food is the massive quantities of MSG, to which my family has a sensitivity (another rabbit hole for a different thread).  And the tongue blistering spiciness, even after asking for not-spicy.  

 

I won't say you are wrong about the low quality ingredients but I find eating in upscale food courts a refuge. No way I can be bothered to seek out farang food or waste my time cooking when I can get a great dish for 50-60b. Just ask for the dish without msg. I've never had Thai food so spicy as to not be edible by myself. I love spicy food. 99.5% of farang can't touch it especially Europeans and British.

 

I'm very anti farang food. It's expensive, I'm lazy to search it out, it's boring.

 

But I've come to the conclusion that farang absolutely don't like Thai food. The evidence is overwhelming.

 

7 hours ago, Chazar said:

Many Thais  especially  in  rural areas   dont use  showers they use a bucket and a tupperware  container throwing it  over themselves.

I did that in Loei for two years.  In the cool season, I had to put a tub out in the sun all day and cover it with a piece of glass to warm it up.    The tupperware container was also used to flush the squatter toilet, which was outside, underneath the house.

On 1/7/2020 at 9:39 PM, RichardColeman said:

I'll sacrifice showering alone and shower with a sexy Thai lady if it will help in the drought relief effort

I have been looking for volunteers to join you in the shower and show their support same as you ....

To date only one has come forward ...

 

6 hours ago, CGW said:

In a rice field? you might want to do some further research before you accuse others of "lacking brains" 

Sorry, what are you talking about?

 

The 'rice fields' are flat fields of earth, which can be flooded to grown rice, or not flooded (and shallow irrigation channels dug) to grow any other crops.  They use tractors, (either their own or rented) which are used to plough in the old burnt rice stubble just after the field is flooded, before they plant the young rice.  

 

Why are you suggesting I am lacking brains?  

 

 

On 1/7/2020 at 9:39 AM, RichardColeman said:

I'll sacrifice showering alone and shower with a sexy Thai lady if it will help in the drought relief effort

Yes, Me too.  Nothing wrong with the buddy method.  Similarly, in the cold weather I lived in when I went to college, keeping the house temperature on the low side, sometimes helped induce more cuddling to keep warm.  Of course I am talking about the 1970s here that were a bit different time

On 1/7/2020 at 10:00 PM, impulse said:

I'd give up rice first.  Or just cut back.  Takes 2500 liters to grow 1Kg.  That's about 10 showers worth of water for a small bowl of rice.

250 liters for one shower?

 

10 liters in a bowl and pitcher ????

2 minutes ago, Metropolitian said:

250 liters for one shower?

 

10 liters in a bowl and pitcher 

 

That's 2500 liters for a kg of rice, not a small bowl.  I figures about 10 gallons for a typical shower. 

 

Unless it's one of those cold showers in a very cheap hotel.  Then it's 2 liters to get wet, shut down to shave and 8 liters to rinse.  Which would put you right on the money.

 

My wife will kill me if I didn't shower before bedtime. I am terrified of her.

Quote

My wife will kill me if I didn't shower before bedtime.

Same here 5555

 

In summer I have about 5 or 6 cold showers a day to beat the heat around 42/44 C etc 

It is going to be one stinky country

Lots of bad breath too

10 hours ago, fruitman said:

You can't in all fairness use all the water so the big Apple has nothing to drink! 

Of course not. But people in the big Apple shouldn't feel they are entitled to drink all the water either.