Green Loonies Strike!

[H2oDunc]

Had to go across to Tao the other day and as we approached I looked out the ferry window to be greeted by the sight of a large grotesque wind turbine. Just which green loon tune though putting a wind turbine on a small tropical island was a great idea ? Is there nowhere that is safe from these global warming cranks ?

I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ?

[screamingeagle]

Personally, I find these majestic stuctures very aestheically pleasing, as well as helping to produce carbon fee energy. If you think about it, these islands desperately need another source of electricity.

[jaidam]

Well said Dunc, what a dumb idea. Tourists go there to enjoy the beauty of a small tropical island not see a total eyesore. It also makes a very loud whining noise much like a jet airliner on landing approach.

Apparantly 5 more on the way which will be spead out around the island. I hope they are not planning on actually generating electricity from them. The present diesel generators are far from reliable(due to shoddy maintenance?) but I much prefer them to the idea of only having electric on a windy day. This area isn't famous for having constant winds apart from the 2 month monsoon.

Very sad times for Koh Tao. So much for the unwritten rule of building below the height of the palm trees.

[crusty]

Personally, I find these majestic stuctures very aestheically pleasing, as well as helping to produce carbon fee energy. If you think about it, these islands desperately need another source of electricity.

Typical Greenie brainwashed response ! Why not spread your argument to include water management ? All the island's ( Samui, Phangan, Tao ) Hoons in charge keep signing off permits to build ever increasing numbers of " Pool Villa " estates and Splash Pool Resorts. Electricity we always got used to get by, but no water ? Get real !

[screamingeagle]

Personally, I find these majestic stuctures very aestheically pleasing, as well as helping to produce carbon fee energy. If you think about it, these islands desperately need another source of electricity.

Typical Greenie brainwashed response ! Why not spread your argument to include water management ? All the island's ( Samui, Phangan, Tao ) Hoons in charge keep signing off permits to build ever increasing numbers of " Pool Villa " estates and Splash Pool Resorts. Electricity we always got used to get by, but no water ? Get real !

Well, this is the first time I've ever been called a "brainwashed Greenie". Judging by your name (crusty) you are probably too old to care about our future generations. And yes, think about water. What will be your response if we run out of water later in the year????? . Yes, we always used to get by with an electicity cable to the mainland. Ever noticed the incessant power cuts? And why would that be? Rampant development from villa complexes to 5 star hotels. Your response is a typical NIMBY. Not In My back Yard.

[BigC]

Well said Dunc, what a dumb idea. Tourists go there to enjoy the beauty of a small tropical island not see a total eyesore. It also makes a very loud whining noise much like a jet airliner on landing approach.

Apparantly 5 more on the way which will be spead out around the island. I hope they are not planning on actually generating electricity from them. The present diesel generators are far from reliable(due to shoddy maintenance?) but I much prefer them to the idea of only having electric on a windy day. This area isn't famous for having constant winds apart from the 2 month monsoon.

Very sad times for Koh Tao. So much for the unwritten rule of building below the height of the palm trees.

yes they are evey where these people has Jahova whitnessat my door before. don't think they will be coming back. i took a leaf out of Mr Burns book from the simpsons. " release the hounds!" . they won't be back. shame i miss them now.

[koheesti]

Wind turbines kill birds and even the late, great Ted Kennedy blocked them in a classic "not in my backyard!" move when they tried to put some too close to his home.

[jaidam]

Wind turbines kill birds and even the late, great Ted Kennedy blocked them in a classic "not in my backyard!" move when they tried to put some too close to his home.

Scary to see in the feasability study that appears crudely done and over a short period, the great scientists decided they would look at the environmental impact as well as sound, visibility, affect to wildlife, tecnical stability, power quality etc etc after the wind turbine was completed. Good to see some humour in an otherwise depressing report.

http://www.thaiscience.info/Article%20for%...%20thailand.pdf

Living fairly near to the turbine (1,500 meters at a guess)I have always seen that the ridge is a popular place for birds of prey of many kinds to catch thermals, often can see a dozen or more of them circling overhead. Still, any birdkill will surely make a nice dinner for the dozen or so workers that have set up a shanty town underneath the turbine.

The other night I was tickled to see that during an all night power cut the wind turbine was still brightly lit up by floodlights running off a private diesel generator under it. Very cute.

Since this turbine has been completed the govt power supply on KT has been way worse than usual. Hopefully just a coincidence.

[crusty]

Personally, I find these majestic stuctures very aestheically pleasing, as well as helping to produce carbon fee energy. If you think about it, these islands desperately need another source of electricity.

Typical Greenie brainwashed response ! Why not spread your argument to include water management ? All the island's ( Samui, Phangan, Tao ) Hoons in charge keep signing off permits to build ever increasing numbers of " Pool Villa " estates and Splash Pool Resorts. Electricity we always got used to get by, but no water ? Get real !

Well, this is the first time I've ever been called a "brainwashed Greenie". Judging by your name (crusty) you are probably too old to care about our future generations. And yes, think about water. What will be your response if we run out of water later in the year????? . Yes, we always used to get by with an electicity cable to the mainland. Ever noticed the incessant power cuts? And why would that be? Rampant development from villa complexes to 5 star hotels. Your response is a typical NIMBY. Not In My back Yard.

Simple rule of thumb in this country, to get by, take care of yourself ! In the past that meant having your own generator at the back of the property and your own well. It all works fine.

[BigC]

global warming is all a load of runnish anyway. u loook through history the world climate has been changing. even if man didn't bring on this supposed man made disaster then it would happen naturally sooner or later. sounds to me like another conspiracy brought on by the media and govs. to profit

[womble]

global warming is all a load of runnish anyway. u loook through history the world climate has been changing. even if man didn't bring on this supposed man made disaster then it would happen naturally sooner or later. sounds to me like another conspiracy brought on by the media and govs. to profit

One of the worlds biggest cons, just another way for academics to blag funding, and governments to raise taxes.

Whilst I am wholeheartedly in favour of renewable energy, there are right and wrong places to put them. Huge ugly turbines on Koh Toa seems ridiculous, in the middle of the north sea, fine, but the gulf of thailand experiances very light winds compared to the strong year round winds of the north sea.

Underground cables would make much more sense.

Out of interest who's idea was the instalation. Who manufactured the equipment, who supplied it and was there a local agent involved by any chance? As i'm guessing the technology is not local.

[BigC]

global warming is all a load of runnish anyway. u loook through history the world climate has been changing. even if man didn't bring on this supposed man made disaster then it would happen naturally sooner or later. sounds to me like another conspiracy brought on by the media and govs. to profit

One of the worlds biggest cons, just another way for academics to blag funding, and governments to raise taxes.

Whilst I am wholeheartedly in favour of renewable energy, there are right and wrong places to put them. Huge ugly turbines on Koh Toa seems ridiculous, in the middle of the north sea, fine, but the gulf of thailand experiances very light winds compared to the strong year round winds of the north sea.

Underground cables would make much more sense.

Out of interest who's idea was the instalation. Who manufactured the equipment, who supplied it and was there a local agent involved by any chance? As i'm guessing the technology is not local.

true enough i wonder is man had the same technolgy when the dinasors became disopeared. my guess is that the govements would blame everyone for using poisonous gass and polluting th air. shame there wasn't many people to blame back then. if there is a disaster my guess based on hitory, evolution previous climate change previous land change. the whole earth being re shaped through out time. then my guess for some un known reason is that it might be natural. just because people don't like disasters li global warmig and the sea level rising. doesn't nessecerlitly mean they we are to blame. i know poisonous gass are bad for peoples health. Pollution can make it hard to breath but holes in the ozone because of things like hair spray and airasole cans is just rediculas.

i know that hollywood has made millions already out of this 2102. my bird had to pinch me to keep me awake

[jaidam]

global warming is all a load of runnish anyway. u loook through history the world climate has been changing. even if man didn't bring on this supposed man made disaster then it would happen naturally sooner or later. sounds to me like another conspiracy brought on by the media and govs. to profit

One of the worlds biggest cons, just another way for academics to blag funding, and governments to raise taxes.

Whilst I am wholeheartedly in favour of renewable energy, there are right and wrong places to put them. Huge ugly turbines on Koh Toa seems ridiculous, in the middle of the north sea, fine, but the gulf of thailand experiances very light winds compared to the strong year round winds of the north sea.

Underground cables would make much more sense.

Out of interest who's idea was the instalation. Who manufactured the equipment, who supplied it and was there a local agent involved by any chance? As i'm guessing the technology is not local.

Yet even in the North Sea, a windy place if ever there is one, it seems the turbines are only running at one fifth of full capacity. See the story in yesterdays Daily Mail.

Turbine was installed by the Provincial Electricity Authority กฟภ. I'm surprised the farang "consultant" who has been involved in this project has not come on the forum to at least say something positive about how destroying Koh Tao has been good for Koh Tao ..... I wonder how Lung Chin, the old guy who donated the land to help the island feels, now that he can see the sheer scale, ugliness and awful noise pollution generated by this farcical project.

Isn't the underwater cable from Surat all going ahead already? The only obstacle was that the landing point near Freedom beach was blocked by land owners, I heard it would come into Maehaad instead. Supposed to be done this year or next?

Any possible grounds here for a civil lawsuit against PEA for environmental vandalism? The windmill should be taken down asap and sent somewhere windy, and not an area of outstanding natural beauty.

[H2oDunc]

The day I went across it was windy on the way there and it wasn't moving. On the way back it was blowing a hooley and it was barely moving. I read the article in the Mail yesterday. It seems the power outputs of these things have been Greatly exagerrated, you don't say, and mostly sited in the wrong place simply to cash in on the renewable energy grants that the stupid tax payer is paying for. It seems that most of the wind turbines are only running at 4-6% of their maximum capacity which makes them worthless. Also NO co2 is saved as the coal fired / gas powered generators have to keep going to provide the electricity for the 98% of the time they are not making it.

BILLIONS has been spent and TRILLIONS more is to come. This whole thing needs to stop and a sensible, SCIENTIFIC discussion held on the whole thing. And soon.

Has anybody ever been close to one when it is working at optimum capacity ? The noise is horrendous. A very deep whoop whoop which reverberates like the bass speakers of a disco. Not something I would want to listen to all night on holiday.

I used to get my divers to look out the window of the ferry as we approached the island to see the beauty and to take some pictures.

[Gatorade]

The day I went across it was windy on the way there and it wasn't moving. On the way back it was blowing a hooley and it was barely moving. I read the article in the Mail yesterday. It seems the power outputs of these things have been Greatly exagerrated, you don't say, and mostly sited in the wrong place simply to cash in on the renewable energy grants that the stupid tax payer is paying for. It seems that most of the wind turbines are only running at 4-6% of their maximum capacity which makes them worthless. Also NO co2 is saved as the coal fired / gas powered generators have to keep going to provide the electricity for the 98% of the time they are not making it.

BILLIONS has been spent and TRILLIONS more is to come. This whole thing needs to stop and a sensible, SCIENTIFIC discussion held on the whole thing. And soon.

Has anybody ever been close to one when it is working at optimum capacity ? The noise is horrendous. A very deep whoop whoop which reverberates like the bass speakers of a disco. Not something I would want to listen to all night on holiday.

I used to get my divers to look out the window of the ferry as we approached the island to see the beauty and to take some pictures.

100% right on! Does anyone know how much electricity one of these monsters generates? Probably just enough to run one 7/11 corner store on a good windy day.

As you rightly point out, what is to gain? You still need another source of electricity when the wind is not sufficient, so the original supply source must be kept in full working order and on standby all the time.

I really worry about the wildlife, particularly the big birds.

Surely there must be some accountability (joking) in the Thai Administration!

By the way, I think that it is German supplied equipment.

[BigC]

great we already had yellow loonies and red, now green. No colour is safe anymore

[stiggy]

Im guessing the same people that decided to build a resivoir at the top of the mountain offering no catchment area ,had some involvement with the wind turbine..

[BusyBee123]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

[Obiwan]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

You are right Bee, these responders are the people who leve the engins of their <deleted> SUV;'s running while shopping, only to keep the cool. These are the people who "invest" in land with their big money , then clear all the trees and make these islands a hel_l.

Then have a big mouth when someone wants to set up something environmmentaly friendly.

[BigC]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

You are right Bee, these responders are the people who leve the engins of their <deleted> SUV;'s running while shopping, only to keep the cool. These are the people who "invest" in land with their big money , then clear all the trees and make these islands a hel_l.

Then have a big mouth when someone wants to set up something environmmentaly friendly.

that is a big sterio type. what is ment my green loonies is more like the extreme green people. who if they had there way they would ban cars and motor bikes and electric. i am in favour of recling. infact i think thailand have done it in a vry clever way. they give you money to recycle stuff. i save all my plastic bottle and take them down. i get some drink money and do my bit.

in the UK. u have to pay tx for rubbish. weather u recyle or not. thank god i have to respect thailand on this forum cause i hate my old so called country. which i call Not so Great any more Britton. can't even be bothered to write or speak my own language properly out of protest

[davee58]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

Hope you read the councils instructions for use of the bins.

I was horrified to discover that shredded paper cannot be put into the paper recycling bin as it blocks the sorting machine.

Yet another opportunity for prosecution and a big fine!

[BigC]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

Hope you read the councils instructions for use of the bins.

I was horrified to discover that shredded paper cannot be put into the paper recycling bin as it blocks the sorting machine.

Yet another opportunity for prosecution and a big fine!

better not get me started on te UK. haven't been back for many years. sore a filme the other night with micheal caine based in an estate in london. people shooting women walking their kids. just for fun. i asked my mate back home if it is realy that bad. he told me it was worse. how did england get so lost. people fightin wars to pretect our landand rights. i think in the uk u have more freedom in a prison than as a straight non crooked citizern

filme was called Harry Brown. at least the police here in thailand have to power to use there own brians rarther then beleive right and wrong is the law. i have a mate who is a policeman back home. he has no brain only a law book inside his head. it is right if the law says its right. it is wrong if the law says its wrong. bascially he would nick his own mum brother or even mates. cause the "law says so"

[Gatorade]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

You are right Bee, these responders are the people who leve the engins of their <deleted> SUV;'s running while shopping, only to keep the cool. These are the people who "invest" in land with their big money , then clear all the trees and make these islands a hel_l.

Then have a big mouth when someone wants to set up something environmmentaly friendly.

Wow! You sound a little bitter and twisted. I suppose you drive a Trabant.

Is it only SUV owners who leave their engines on? In case you hadn't noticed All carsI in the tropics have A/C.

Anyway, who is this someone who wants to do something environmentally friendly?

You have gone away from the original posters comments i.e. that the windmill(s) on Koh Tao are a bloody environmental disaster. FACT.

It might also have escaped your notice that a whole load of fauna and flora had to be cleared to make way for the giant propeller and it was

your hated SUVs which carried the bits up the hill.

[Obiwan]

A car? You think i have a car?

[H2oDunc]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

Have you ever actually been to Thailand ? If you have have you not noticed the constant line of people going from bin to bin doing exactly what you are accusing me of failing to do. Thats how some people live here.

I actually recycle nearly everything and the house is one of the few on the island with a rainwater capture system. I also give my time a few days a year to go and clear the dive sites around the islands here. You efforts to recycle are a waste of time as most of your recycled waste is thrown in the same bin wagon and buried or sent to China to be sorted. At what cost and think of all that nasty CO2 produced. You are typical of the type of person responsible for this eyesore. Your holier than throw makes me retch. All you can do is holler that As I have the temerity to complain I am a heretic. No doubt you are also a member of the cult of Gore and AGW. I am all for saving the planet but there is a limit.

[limbos]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

Have you ever actually been to Thailand ? If you have have you not noticed the constant line of people going from bin to bin doing exactly what you are accusing me of failing to do. Thats how some people live here.

I actually recycle nearly everything and the house is one of the few on the island with a rainwater capture system. I also give my time a few days a year to go and clear the dive sites around the islands here. You efforts to recycle are a waste of time as most of your recycled waste is thrown in the same bin wagon and buried or sent to China to be sorted. At what cost and think of all that nasty CO2 produced. You are typical of the type of person responsible for this eyesore. Your holier than throw makes me retch. All you can do is holler that As I have the temerity to complain I am a heretic. No doubt you are also a member of the cult of Gore and AGW. I am all for saving the planet but there is a limit.

Maybe one of the few Westerners who does this but plenty of local Thais have rain water capture systems, we have a custom made tank and a big, massive water bucket (man sized in height and very wide), my in laws have various buckets in various sizes around their house.

Almost forgot, we also have a well, does that count?

[BigC]

'I thought we were safe from these type of idiots that infest the UK and the EU but but seems they have sneaked into Thailand now. Where next ? '

I quite like these idiots, i now have three wheelie bins at my house in the uk for various recycling because of them ( i think recycling is a good thing and not at all a 'loonie' thing) clearly you like causing the thrash accumulating around samui and the other islands which maybe a green loonie could have helped clear up, may you are the loonie and idiot no one likes?

Have you ever actually been to Thailand ? If you have have you not noticed the constant line of people going from bin to bin doing exactly what you are accusing me of failing to do. Thats how some people live here.

I actually recycle nearly everything and the house is one of the few on the island with a rainwater capture system. I also give my time a few days a year to go and clear the dive sites around the islands here. You efforts to recycle are a waste of time as most of your recycled waste is thrown in the same bin wagon and buried or sent to China to be sorted. At what cost and think of all that nasty CO2 produced. You are typical of the type of person responsible for this eyesore. Your holier than throw makes me retch. All you can do is holler that As I have the temerity to complain I am a heretic. No doubt you are also a member of the cult of Gore and AGW. I am all for saving the planet but there is a limit.

Maybe one of the few Westerners who does this but plenty of local Thais have rain water capture systems, we have a custom made tank and a big, massive water bucket (man sized in height and very wide), my in laws have various buckets in various sizes around their house.

Almost forgot, we also have a well, does that count?

makes sense to capture rain water. though could do with some rain for that to work. not just for recyling but to save money. if i could which i can but haven't done yet all the water from my roof into my pool. that would be enough to fill it in the wet season and my pond and my water tank and my plants. basically i could save money on electric for my pump from my well and fill my pool and pond up for free. better than 600 baht a water truck.

[longtom]

I think the OP should direct his anger not so much at the 'green loonies' but at the politicians and businessmen who make the big money with such an obviously silly project. Same with global warming projects, taxes etc..

[BigC]

I think the OP should direct his anger not so much at the 'green loonies' but at the politicians and businessmen who make the big money with such an obviously silly project. Same with global warming projects, taxes etc..

think that his anger is more simpl. he just doesn't like to be bothered by green loonies while on holiday probably want a brake from them for a few weeks. koh tao is a nice island. u don't get as much bother on the beaches. people trying to sell u stuff jet skis. nice to keep the place peaceful but look what happens when u take away the mafia. u get the green peace mafia. cannot win ! i am not 100 per cent sure about koh tao as i haven't been there for about 1 year but i loved it. really ice brake from samui