THE WEEK THAT WAS The pleasure of living and setting a good example in Thailand; Rooster rounds up the week’s news

[webfact]

 

OPINION | by Rooster

 

It was no surprise that one of the most read and commented upon stories this week - especially on Facebook - concerned food. “Tasteatlas” had their top 50 best cuisines with Italy #1 followed by Greece and Spain. France was fifth.

 

Thailand only rated 21st two behind the Philippines, utterly absurd if comments on my recent column about Thailand’s Asian neighbor were anything to go by. 

 

My favorite food is definitely Indian, which made 10th place. English (or British food) didn’t even make the list though I liked the comment of one guy on Facebook who disagreed saying: “Yes, they did. They were in 10th”.

 

When I was a kid the only time we ate out was at a hamburger joint called Wimpy in Brighton or once a year when we went Christmas toy shopping at Gamages in London and used Luncheon Vouchers nearby.

 

I remembered smelling parmesan cheese and thinking someone had vomited. Brits were “sheltered” when it came to food.

 

The choice invariably was prawn cocktail, Duck a l’Orange and half a grapefruit with a glace cherry in the middle to finish. Fancy places had Crepe Suzette. Fish and Chips (invariably soggy) was the only takeaway.

 

My mum was a great home cook who made superb roasts and ice cream with evaporated milk. She’d monitor Jimmy Young on the radio for the latest recipes. 

 

My young kids in Bangkok love to help dad cook dinner (mum tends to shoo them out of the kitchen fearing mess). In the pandemic we got into home baking. I saved thousands of baht making my own pizza bases - then cracked a molar that requires a 30,000 baht implant. Som Nam Na!

 

Food got much better in England after I left in the 1980s though far too many people get fat on takeaways. Indian food really did become English mainly because it wasn’t like what you got in India at all. Maybe because 90% of the Indian restaurants in the UK are run by Bangladeshis! But I do like a Madras. A Vindaloo leaves me having to Findaloo. 

 

Thai food has never been my favorite with several iconic dishes like Tom Yam, Green Curry and Tom Kha Gai on my hate list. But I love Som Tam Gai Yang (minus pla raa and crab), all manner of noodles and street food like Khao Man Gai (chicken rice) and Hoi Thort (mussel or oyster omelette over bean sprouts). 

 

The food survey story was not the only one about local sustenance as the usual variety of stories from local media hit the ASEAN NOW site.

 

One concerned what many consider to be an old wives’ tale - never to eat durian and alcohol. I was warned about this in my very earliest days in Thailand. One woman thought she was dying this week after getting half way through her second beer following three segments of the King of Fruits.

 

Sanook quoted a Chulalongkorn scientist, no less, who confirmed that durian and beer were a no-no. Apparently all the stuff in durian reacts with the alcohol to make acetate and carbon dioxide. It sounded horrible and not surprising that a soldier in the north succumbed and died last month.

 

The worst food related illness ever to beset Rooster was an amoebic liver abscess, a consequence of poorly treated dysentery. I was admitted to St Louis hospital at death’s door in 1987 though it was worth it because the nurses were lovely. 

 

I’d arrived in a taxi, been put straight in a wheelchair and wheeled……to accounts.

 

An interesting story from Chachoengsao concerned crocodiles. One had been trapped after biting an old woman foraging for shrimps. A famous local kamnan said that when crocs escaped from farms in the area these days the owners didn’t bother to go after them because the price for a 2 meter one has dropped from 100,000 to 500 baht. Apparently Thai crocs are not sought after abroad due to a lack of skin quality. 

 

Back in the 1980’s there was a hilarious-cum-tragic story from the main Crocodile Farm tourist facility in Samut Prakan. An unidentified Thai man on a day out had keeled over and fallen down dead in the crocodile pit. 

 

The owners of the farm appealed for relatives to come forward, which they did. They claimed the 10,000 baht funeral expenses offered by the farm and took the body with them.

 

The next day the real family showed up.

 

Some places in Thailand sell crocodile meat on sticks. Maybe that’s the answer to the plague of escaped beasts in Chachoengsao. 

 

Also concerning food, a wily 65 year old lady at the fresh market in Ratchaburi is still managing to sell food to go for 10 baht. It looked delicious too!

 

In Covid news (zzzzzz) Dr Opas said that the June 1st “reopening” of bars and pubs had not been responsible for new infections. Though he said wait a couple more weeks to be sure. I don’t think he gets out much - by all accounts most places have been open for months anyway with no adverse effect on the numbers. 

 

My kids were both at school all week for the first time in about two and a half years. Mum and dad hardly knew what to do with ourselves. I’m even playing in a Scrabble tournament at Pacific Park in Sri Racha this weekend. Come by and say hi if you’re in the area. I’ll be the one with grey hair getting beaten by Thai kids. 

 

In Udon Thani a three vehicle accident at a crossroads had all three parties claiming their light was on green. A foreigner married to a Thai lady ended up clambering out after his pick-up overturned. A reminder that while it is important to stop on red, it is even more vital to beware on green. 

 

In international news, Boris Johnson called the show of confidence in his leadership a “convincing result”. Bless! 148 or 41% of his own party MPs voted against him. The latest betting on the next election is that BJ is 1-2 NOT to be the leader while the Tories and Labour are approximately even money each for most seats.

 

Trump remains 11-4 favorite to be the next POTUS while Biden is 11-2 second favorite. 

 

In sports news two time golf major winner Dustin Johnson quit the PGA tour for the new Saudi backed LIV tour. Phil Mickelson, who can’t seem to make up his mind whether he hates the Saudis or just loves their money, also planned to play in St Albans. They are rumored to be getting $150 million and $200 million apiece respectively. 

 

Congratulations to Wales on getting to the World Cup for the first time since 1958. They are in Group B with Iran, the USA and England. When the group was announced the Sun newspaper in the UK had my favorite headline of the year:

 

“It’s Iranian men, hallelujah!”

 

Australia beat the UAE to set up a final play-off with Peru to get to Qatar while England’s Harry Kane surpassed fellow legend Bobby Charlton in getting his 50th goal for the Three Lions versus Hungary. 

 

Back in Thailand a reenactment of a rape murder of two children in Phetchabui turned nasty. A video showed relatives trying to attack the man responsible, finally arrested after 14 years on the run. 

 

A few years ago the RTP chief tried to stop reenactments; he was ignored principally because they are one of the best avenues for making it appear that the RTP are actually doing something. And the Thai press lap them up - especially when they resemble a lynching.

 

Meanwhile in Phuket three foreigners are now in custody in connection with the Russian woman who fell to her death at a condo the other week. They have initially been charged with recklessness causing death. 

 

Dual pricing was reconfirmed at Thailand’s National Parks. The thread had 500 comments in a day but I’ve done this to death in TWTW. Suffice to say that even us permanent residents are fleeced so my family won’t be going. 

 

In Bangkok a “win” (motorcycle taxi rider) was arrested after he held a box cutter to a 16 year old girl’s throat and tried to take her to a curtain hotel and rape her. Thankfully she got away, and thankfully he didn’t. 

 

On Wednesday “Ferrari Joe”, former chief of the Nakhon Sawan police Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon,and five associates got life imprisonment for the murder by torture of a drug suspect back in August 2021. 

 

Despite all the absurd online chatter by cynical know-it-alls (Red Bull Boss, 500 baht fines, let go after five minutes, brown envelopes… ad nauseam) the sentence seemed about right to me. 

 

What really needs to change is the rewards system for police arrests that meant Joe amassed all those cars and wealth and apparent invulnerability. The RTP needs to be drastically slimmed down and, yes, paid a far better wage. 

 

Top laugh of the week was a “Titter on Twitter”. A French Muay Thai champion had a Thai script tattoo on his forearm that many thought said “Khuay Thai” and not Muay Thai. A very rude word for a Thai todger rather than boxing. 

 

You can see Rooster’s take on this link.

 

Top videos of the week both came from Chiang Mai. One featured a man mercilessly beating his own dog with an iron rod to sarcastically (that’s prachot in Thai) get back at a neighbor who complained about his pet rummaging through trash in the street. The man seemed totally unhinged. 

 

Finally, the other clip showed a secondary school pupil being mown down on a zebra crossing outside a school on Chang Pheuak Road. 

 

Reformed Rooster always stops at zebras since the death of ophthalmologist Dr Kratai, making doubly sure that I’m not going to be rear ended by traffic behind. Last week I did this on my motorcycle; the pedestrian was bemused but I grinned as she crossed in safety. 

 

A fellow Thai biker had also stopped beside me and smiled broadly at the foreigner on the Honda. 

 

Setting a good example can make your day. 

 

Rooster

 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-06-11

 

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[BritManToo]

Me first, 

Bit dull this week IMHO. 

Could have mentioned cannabis as it's the major story this week. 

Edited June 11, 2022 by BritManToo

[DezLez]

21 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Could have mentioned cannabis as it's the major story this week.

Thank goodness he didn't!  There has been enough cr@p written about the cr@p already!

[Tropicalevo]

Totally agree re Philippine food.

I cannot remember a decent meal there.

I wonder where Khmer food ranked? Did it even make the list?

[sambum]

“It’s Iranian men, hallelujah!”

 

Got to agree - nice one!

[Mark mark]

"My favorite food is definitely Indian, which made 10th place. English (or British food) didn’t even make the list though I liked the comment of one guy on Facebook who disagreed saying: “Yes, they did. They were in 10th”. ... Har Har !!! YESSSS ... and well, I could add, that the Islamic Indian foods, ARE just about the best food in the world that I have ever tasted !!! ... I do not know if it is still there but In Penang, also the best Curry House in the world !!! .... But ? Possibly Here ??? ... Just around the corner from Soi Folang of Penang ??? Well was it ??? Chulis st.

If it is Ok to post it ? .... Like these Guys are just basic Boots on the Ground Islamic Indian food People. ... and NOT high flyers. (So do not expect a quiet meal !!!) ..... But yes ! ... just Great Islamic and Tamil food ? ... and the best Curries that I have ever tasted ??? ...

[Mark mark]

Yes, I think that Durian, Also just basically pushes up your Sugar, so well a quite Old but successful (One of the old shop Boats Ladies of the Canals) ... who was a chronic Diabetic apparently, thought that she would get a new lease on Life, by eating a large amount of it !!! .... No Alcohol !!! .. But it did kill her any way !!! .... Apparently ! ? .... So I would get my Blood Sugar meter out ! If you eat a lot of it also I would think my self also ???

[Mark mark]

"Back in the 1980’s there was a hilarious-cum-tragic story from the main Crocodile Farm tourist facility in Samut Prakan. An unidentified Thai man on a day out had keeled over and fallen down dead in the crocodile pit. 

 

The owners of the farm appealed for relatives to come forward, which they did. They claimed the 10,000 baht funeral expenses offered by the farm and took the body with them.

 

The next day the real family showed up."...

 

... Yes I remember that story, !!! ...  I was living in Soi 22 (Yipsong) (345 was it ? Don Tong Larn ???) side soi ??? at the time !!! and well when you went to the Crocodile park, with friends, ... You sent the girls in First, ... so that they got in on Thai Price ... and then came in your selves, 5 minuets later, and met them in side !!! ... Yes I was living with pretty Un pretentious, and smart girls in Soi Yipsong at the time !!! ...

[Mark mark]

"In Udon Thani a three vehicle accident at a crossroads had all three parties claiming their light was on green. A foreigner married to a Thai lady ended up clambering out after his pick-up overturned. A reminder that while it is important to stop on red, it is even more vital to beware on green."

 

.... JFYI after the Thai Guy, on his way home from work, accidentally hit the French Woman cyclist in Ayutthaya, Oh 2 or 3 weeks ago now ??? .... (And once again different stories on the lights, though possibly simply, not in the same time frame I suspect ??? .... But he had a dash Camera, ... and he did go through in the Green !!! ... Which probably has saved him a Lot ?  like a LOT !!! .... Like a Real Lot !!! of Distress !!!)

 

So, I have also Got my self a dash Camera now. !!!! ... A Fair necessity I think in this country and on these roads ??? ... WELL, every where now, I would actually say my self. ! ? ....

 

... 1800 b ? and fully installed including a backing camera as well ... at my Local, and also very Nice, AND Boots on the ground practical also, garage ... I never bargained, or asked any where else ??? I was lucky to find this bloke not busy on that occasion, so well YES I said, "Just Install it" !!! .... as I knew that these guys were OK, as they had rescued me with a flat battery and refused a tip, one time with us in town there before. !!!

[spidermike007]

I find it hard to believe that Thai food is rated below that of the PI where overall the food is horrible. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

And for those who dissent, I would say step it up a notch. Perhaps the low quality street food, the food courts, and the 50 baht restaurants are simply not trying hard enough? There is alot of amazing food here.

 

 

 

[Noah K]

As always, thanks for what you do. But... and isn't there always a but?

 

"my favorite with several iconic dishes like Tom Yam, Green Curry and Tom Kha Gai on my hate list. But I love Som Tam Gai Yang (minus pla raa and crab), all manner of noodles and street food like Khao Man Gai (chicken rice) and Hoi Thort (mussel or oyster omelette over bean sprouts). "

 

What! Khao Soi Gai did not make your "I love" list but Som Tam did? This is the difference between Southern Thai cooking and Northern Thai cooking. I cannot get used to that Isan style fermented fish sauce. In Hua Hin, I could eat Som Tam every day!

[Mark mark]

1 hour ago, Mark mark said:

"My favorite food is definitely Indian, which made 10th place. English (or British food) didn’t even make the list though I liked the comment of one guy on Facebook who disagreed saying: “Yes, they did. They were in 10th”. ... Har Har !!! YESSSS ... and well, I could add, that the Islamic Indian foods, ARE just about the best food in the world that I have ever tasted !!! ... I do not know if it is still there but In Penang, also the best Curry House in the world !!! .... But ? Possibly Here ??? ... Just around the corner from Soi Folang of Penang ??? Well was it ??? Chulis st.

If it is Ok to post it ? .... Like these Guys are just basic Boots on the Ground Islamic Indian food People. ... and NOT high flyers. (So do not expect a quiet meal !!!) ..... But yes ! ... just Great Islamic and Tamil food ? ... and the best Curries that I have ever tasted ??? ...

Food and the best Muslim Indian Curries !!! (And Tamil food ? so it seems ???) .... Hameediyah Restaurant, Lebuh Campbell, Georgetown, George Town, Penang, Malaysia, well there is 2 there ... including Hameediyah, which is a bit closer to Penang Road I think .... I possibly have been to both, probably Co owned, and you know Asia ... put a good restaurant in one place ... and soon enough you will have 5 Good ones there !!! ??? and a beer bar as well ??? Though I am not to sure about this place as it seems pretty Islamic. ... (And there is one thing that I always say about Arabs, and Muslims !!! .... and that is at least he bastards know how to Eat well !!! ???) 

 

I am not sure of this 360 degree camera picture of the second place will come through ... but well east to find !!! Just follow the Indian and Muslim diners down the street from Penang Road !!! right ???

[Tropposurfer]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I find it hard to believe that Thai food is rated below that of the PI where overall the food is horrible. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

And for those who dissent, I would say step it up a notch. Perhaps the low quality street food, the food courts, and the 50 baht restaurants are simply not trying hard enough? There is alot of amazing food here.

 

 

 

Too right! The food here is blo.dy delicious ! The quoted rating by this mob is total BS. Vietnamese food is also delicious and super healthy. How French food can be 5 on the ist is beyond me .. . local provincial cuisine is amazing. No wonder the Italian fare is rated tops ... I cannot describe in words the deliciousness of local produce Italian food. 

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, Mark mark said:

Yes, I think that Durian, Also just basically pushes up your Sugar, so well a quite Old but successful (One of the old shop Boats Ladies of the Canals) ... who was a chronic Diabetic apparently, thought that she would get a new lease on Life, by eating a large amount of it !!! .... No Alcohol !!! .. But it did kill her any way !!! .... Apparently ! ? .... So I would get my Blood Sugar meter out ! If you eat a lot of it also I would think my self also ???

Try ginseng instead. Quite apart from restoring a stiff todger, it apparently has been proved to reduce blood sugar in clinical studies.

[unblocktheplanet]

Please put in a plug for your dentist! All mine want B50-70k for a molar implant. If you can get it for 30k, you're doing well.

[Lacessit]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I find it hard to believe that Thai food is rated below that of the PI where overall the food is horrible. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food.

 

And for those who dissent, I would say step it up a notch. Perhaps the low quality street food, the food courts, and the 50 baht restaurants are simply not trying hard enough? There is alot of amazing food here.

 

 

 

Agree. It does not have to be Thai either.

 

# Kaow pat goong, cooked by my GF

#Ham and salad roll, mango yoghurt smoothie

# Pad Siew Gai

#Vegetables bought at an Akha road stall in the mountains between Phrao and Wiang Pa Pao. 5 Avocados, 5 beetroot, two types of broccoli, red cabbage. 80 baht the lot.

 

 

[Mark mark]

15 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Try ginseng instead. Quite apart from restoring a stiff todger, it apparently has been proved to reduce blood sugar in clinical studies.

Thanks, yes maybe time to see if I can find a pretty, .... Chinese Pharmacy to be able to get some !!! ... Yes, and Thanks Greatly. 

[MyFriend You]

Is it Saturday already???   Actually pretty tame for you Mr Rooster, I expected a bit more crowing, but it has been a quiet week, and THANK YOU for not mentioning anything to do with the Pot Market and the legalities surrounding it............Guys/Gals it has always been available since the dawn of time, and always will............Peace

[Happy Howard]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:37 PM, Mark mark said:

Yes, I think that Durian, Also just basically pushes up your Sugar, so well a quite Old but successful (One of the old shop Boats Ladies of the Canals) ... who was a chronic Diabetic apparently, thought that she would get a new lease on Life, by eating a large amount of it !!! .... No Alcohol !!! .. But it did kill her any way !!! .... Apparently ! ? .... So I would get my Blood Sugar meter out ! If you eat a lot of it also I would think my self also ???

My Wife & I love Durian & we've been eating a lot of it. Her more me, but I have made the mistake of eating it after a beer & also tonic water. Anything fizzy & it plays havoc with my stomach for many hours afterwards.

[Mark mark]

23 minutes ago, Happy Howard said:

My Wife & I love Durian & we've been eating a lot of it. Her more me, but I have made the mistake of eating it after a beer & also tonic water. Anything fizzy & it plays havoc with my stomach for many hours afterwards.

Mine Also !!! ... Though I love it Also !!! ... Like No Pain No Gain ??? well ??? .... I do not know about that, so well I might just eat less !!! ??? Right ??? ... Thanks. Happy Howard !!!