Provincial District Chiefs Encouraged To Ride Horses To Work

[george]

Provincial district chiefs encouraged to ride horses to work

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Interior Ministry is turning back the pages of history, encouraging provincial district chiefs nationwide to ride horseback to work as part of an imaginative range of measures to save energy to fight skyrocketing oil prices, according to permanent secretary for Interior Pongpayom Wasaputi.

At a monthly meeting with provincial governors nationwide via teleconference, Mr. Pongpayom said the ministry has drawn up a policy to save energy during the oil price crisis including the use of horses for local transportation of local officials.

Provincial district chiefs were encourage the travel from home to work by horseback, he said, adding that if any district chief preferred this plan, he could ask for assistance from the ministry.

Other measures proposed at the meeting included loans provided by the ministry for personnel who wanted to install Natural Gas for Vehicle (NGV) tanks in their cars, he said.

The credit line to transform the cars would be not more than Bt50,000 (US$1,515).

The ministry will also conduct markets with inexpensive consumer products for its staff every Friday, he said.

--TNA 2008-06-13

[george]

Saddle Up!

Government officials in the provinces get an interesting message from the interior minister - 'use more horsepower', he says

In the wake of rising petrol prices, Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung yesterday floated an idea encouraging district chiefs in the provinces to travel on horseback.

Chalerm was speaking at the monthly ministry meeting through video conferencing. There were no immediate reports on reactions from ministry officials.

District chiefs in Bangkok were also advised to pay inspection visits in their jurisdictions on foot.

Save energy, stay at home

These environment-friendly issues were among many others discussed in the meeting, including staggering working hours of ministry officials, starting with those at the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, whose line of work involves design and paperwork, which can be done at home.

The work-at-home project will begin on Monday. Officials will still be required to come to their offices two days a week.

The ministry also granted a Bt50,000 loan through its cooperatives for Bangkok-based officials who want to install either LPG or NPG alternative fuel systems in their cars.

Hang Dong district chief Suraphol Sattayarak in Chiang Mai said he agreed with Chalerm's idea about riding, saying it was appropriate for the mountainous areas in his jurisdiction.

Si Chomphoo district chief Preecha Saiprasert in Khon Kaen also echoed the idea but said: "I cannot ride a horse myself, and they are not that easy to obtain."

He said the use of motorcycles was a better option and a car pool system was regularly used when many officials carried out inspection visits in the same areas.

Maung Nakhon Si Thammarat district chief Krai-raj Kaewdee refused to comment on Chalerm's idea, saying that he needed to see the policy in writing before implementing it.

"I would need to discuss with local officials whether the policy could be materialised," he added.

A man and his horse

Chiang Mai leather worker Phanu Nimchomphoo has been seen on horseback on local streets since long before petrol became expensive.

A competent rider since his college years at Maejo University, he is now thankful for a skill that enables him to immediately turn to the expense-free horsepower without any training needed.

What took some time was getting his seven-year-old stallion Khamkon used to loud car horns and traffic congestion when he rode him along the streets of Chiang Mai.

Phanu rides Khamkon, bought for Bt13,000 from a hilltribe, over the weekend with a group of six friends who love riding.

He has now bought two large ponies for his wife and son to ride to work and school in the near future, which means that his family could save Bt700 a month in fuel expenses.

The annual cost for each animal is Bt100 in vaccinations and Bt30 for worming drugs. "Horseshoes and saddles cost me a little, but they last a long time," he added.

-- The Nation 2008-06-14

How much is that stallion?

>> Domestic breed: Bt15,000-Bt40,000

>> Stable hand (for two to three horses): Bt7,000 to Bt7,500 per month

>> Feed: Bt1,200 a month

>> Shampoo: Bt120 a month

---

>> Thoroughbred: Bt70,000+

>> Stable hand: Bt7,000 to Bt7,500 per month

>> Feed: Bt2,400 a month

>> Shampoo: Bt240 a month

>> Shoes: Bt1,700 a month

[cloudhopper]

Looks to me like the country is in the hands of a real brain trust.

[h90]

thinking thinking thinking

traffic jam on the sukhumvit....all these horses......(and the smell)

Chalerm is brilliant.....at least we can stop the discussion if his university degrees are real or bought....it should be pretty clear now.

[slapout]

He should be relieved of his Bentley and placed on perment jack-ass duty. Not rideing, but in the stable keeping stalls, etc clean and shoveling out sh.t.

[nickynomates]

I made a big mistake and told all the workforce that we need to save energy.

Now they work less fast and sleep more.

Big mistake

[AussieFarang]

I'd like to see the Interior Minister riding a horse to work.

The problem of course would be that you wouldn't know if he was coming or going.

[h90]

I'd like to see the Interior Minister riding a horse to work.

The problem of course would be that you wouldn't know if he was coming or going.

Have you ever seen a donkey ridding a horse?

[Tawai]

this report should be transfered to the jokes and puzzles forum - reading the story only partly cause couldn't stop laughing

[NanLaew]

They will embrace it with the usual Thai quirks; like certain pooyai's will only ride expensive, imported german horses with perpetual red plates.

[Martin]

They'll only be seen on Sukhumvit if Thailand moves its capital like Siam did a couple of times.

The article makes quite clear that this imaginative proposal to bring a certain fact of life (the waning of the availability of exosomatic energy and the need to use endosomatic energy in its place) to notice is aimed at provincial elected officials ('kamnuan'), who are one step up from the village elected head men ('phu yai baan'). That is 'provincial', as in 'out in the sticks'.

When I worked in Cambridge and lived in a houseboat on the Cam, I used to go to the bank on a Saturday morning in a dinghy.

It wasn't as quick as getting out the Mark VII Jaguar, but a fun way of beating the parking problem.

I used to have a friend who had a sheep farm in the hills of Snowdonia.

He went round on a horse rather than a little tractor because he said of tractors: "You miss seeing things when you are on those".

Another great advantage of a good horse is that it will get you home when you have imbibed too much alcohol to drive home.

[astral]

I can just see these big wigs giving up their Mercedes for a horse...........

It will happen but not for a few more years.

[Martin]

I have asked my wife about this and she tells me that the local kamnuan used to ride horses when inspecting their districts.

She points out that it makes a lot of sense, as a horse can go straight across country from one point to another, whereas it can be a long way round by road, and the kamnuan in a vehicle may well end up having to finish the journey on foot, if the person that he needs to talk with is working in his fields.

[Seneque]

I suppose they have been looking at ALL other possibilities before going with this one ...

Soi cowboy will finally be true to the name ...

[Chang_paarp]

In most parts of the world you go to the comic (or the the stars) section for a laugh.

In Thailand it starts on th front page and just keeps on going........

[mucker]

Call me crazy but I like the idea. Maybe not practical over long distances, but for a clop around it sounds great.

[h90]

Call me crazy but I like the idea. Maybe not practical over long distances, but for a clop around it sounds great.

For a few applications it might be good. But no way that it even safes 0.001 % of gasoline in Thailand.

[Tony Clifton]

Along with the horses, it may be a good idea to bring back public beheadings from the days of old Siam, see how the same kamnans and poo yais and politicians behave or resign after that.

[Bagwan]

Hhmmm. Horseback eh? Interesting thought. Thailand could then become the hub for the export of rhubarb. I can't help thinking that quite a few horses will go astray up country - and end up in somebody's pot.

What would assist is the cessation of all motorcades. If Betty Windsor and her mob, and the clowns masquerading as the UK Government, can do without at least half a dozen cops cars as an escort, then there seems no good reason for them in Thailand.

[sotsira]

I've heard it all now!

[Scott]

The poo yai will ride horses and the lower classes will have to ride buffaloes--I am sure they will get a law on this so everyone knows who to wai to!

[feens]

Sadly this is a beautiful country being run without any adult supervision

[bina]

donkeys are better: stronger, steadier, can deal with less rich rations and eat less (they dont over eat for the most part), can be left to graze on scrub and brush, which a horse usually wont do, have fewer medical conditions (legs, hooves colic etc), dont need to shoe them, learn the route and dont need to be 'driven', less height to fall off from, lower maintenance in general than most horses/ponies, intelligent (but stubborn), less sensitive to noise etc,

and a mule is a good combination of them both, for work and riding...

due to gas shortages etc (ignore the political stuff for the moment) , the gaza strip has gone back to donkey usage in a big way, meaning the prices sky rocketed , it used to be that u had to pay someone to take your extra donkeys; now they are back in demand....and donkey theft has become common (it used to be just horses were stolen and the donkeys were left wandering around outside the stable areas).

bina

israel

[PhilHarries]

I think the minister for the interior has missed a golden opportunity to solve two problems at the same time.

Instead of horses which are not really indigenous to Thailand he should have proposed they ride elephants. That way as well as saving money he would be providing work for the pachyderms and taking them away from the choking streets of Bangkok. He would also receive accolades from the ministry of culture for reinstating Thai cultural practices.

It is said that in a democracy the people get the government they deserve. Nobody could possibly, even in their wildest nightmares, ever deserve this current bunch of clowns. Alternatively if it is an example of karma in action the Thai people must have done something real bad in their previous lives.

[h90]

donkeys are better: stronger, steadier, can deal with less rich rations and eat less (they dont over eat for the most part), can be left to graze on scrub and brush, which a horse usually wont do, have fewer medical conditions (legs, hooves colic etc), dont need to shoe them, learn the route and dont need to be 'driven', less height to fall off from, lower maintenance in general than most horses/ponies, intelligent (but stubborn), less sensitive to noise etc,

and a mule is a good combination of them both, for work and riding...

due to gas shortages etc (ignore the political stuff for the moment) , the gaza strip has gone back to donkey usage in a big way, meaning the prices sky rocketed , it used to be that u had to pay someone to take your extra donkeys; now they are back in demand....and donkey theft has become common (it used to be just horses were stolen and the donkeys were left wandering around outside the stable areas).

bina

israel

donkeys are amazing intelligent and can handle dangerous situations well (while these ridding horses have the mind of a nervous chicken).

from both (different from cars) you can make nice sausage (salami or (don't know the english word if there is one) Pferdeleberkaes).

Bina: how are Camels in compare? Israel is close the the Camellands....

[h90]

I think the minister for the interior has missed a golden opportunity to solve two problems at the same time.

Instead of horses which are not really indigenous to Thailand he should have proposed they ride elephants. That way as well as saving money he would be providing work for the pachyderms and taking them away from the choking streets of Bangkok. He would also receive accolades from the ministry of culture for reinstating Thai cultural practices.

It is said that in a democracy the people get the government they deserve. Nobody could possibly, even in their wildest nightmares, ever deserve this current bunch of clowns. Alternatively if it is an example of karma in action the Thai people must have done something real bad in their previous lives.

The tourists would love it (the elephants)!

[Tony Clifton]

I think the minister for the interior has missed a golden opportunity to solve two problems at the same time.

Instead of horses which are not really indigenous to Thailand he should have proposed they ride elephants. That way as well as saving money he would be providing work for the pachyderms and taking them away from the choking streets of Bangkok. He would also receive accolades from the ministry of culture for reinstating Thai cultural practices.

It is said that in a democracy the people get the government they deserve. Nobody could possibly, even in their wildest nightmares, ever deserve this current bunch of clowns. Alternatively if it is an example of karma in action the Thai people must have done something real bad in their previous lives.

Politicians are already eating the country (kin baan, kin muang), the elephants would take care of eating up what`s left of the country side.

On a more serious note, I agree with using the city elephants idea.

[Jewelz]

Is this a joke? They do realize that horses have to be fed and taken care of? It'll probably amount to the same cost as riding a car to work. But if you're trying to be "green", it sounds like an 'interesting' idea.

[h90]

Is this a joke? They do realize that horses have to be fed and taken care of? It'll probably amount to the same cost as riding a car to work. But if you're trying to be "green", it sounds like an 'interesting' idea.

it is complete nonsense.......look at other talks from Chalerm, it is all more or less (no not less!) nonsense. His talks that he is a tiger and not a dog is famous. From it comes the duck joke (he is neither is a lame duck). Frequently he is a bit drunk than it gets worse.....

[Tony Clifton]

Is this a joke? They do realize that horses have to be fed and taken care of? It'll probably amount to the same cost as riding a car to work. But if you're trying to be "green", it sounds like an 'interesting' idea.

it is complete nonsense.......look at other talks from Chalerm, it is all more or less (no not less!) nonsense. His talks that he is a tiger and not a dog is famous. From it comes the duck joke (he is neither is a lame duck). Frequently he is a bit drunk than it gets worse.....

Wait until some urgent matter comes up in the evening or week-end and he has to act while already drunk.

It will be the end of his political career before he can finish the bottle. Hopefully no one will get hurt because of him.

To complete the humiliation, gaffer-tape him to a chair on the PAD stage and replay his videotaped contradictions to complete the humiliation.

Then release him in a Bangkok park when he can join the other ducks and lizards.