Dark Days Loom For Late-night Swingers

[sabaijai]

Promoting use of insulation in buildings might save more than a few baht...

Hear hear.

[roscoe]

Dark days loom for late-night swingers

as an occasional swinger I don’t think 9pm is the time to play,” Pornchai said.

--The Nation 2005-07-06

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really ? So when is the time the to swing? As an avid energy saver I will do all I can to assist.

[marquess]

I reckon that Mr T doesn't want to hike up the price of fuel to much as he's already loosing popularity. Instead, he's trying to get us to use less and keep it government subsidised.

Anybody else concour?

Couldn't argree more, it is all about control control!

[Sophon]

i'mstill suprised that no one has come up with my suggestion of altering the clocks by one hour.albert shy ted

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually daylight savings time wouldn't work to well in a country like Thailand. The idea behind DST is to make better use of available daylight during the long summer days. Thats why it's used by countries well north of the equator (does countries like Australia have daylight savings time during september to march?).

In Thailand the days are more or less the same length the whole year round, with the sun coming up around 6 a.m. and going down again around 6.30 p.m. Most people are active for all that time, so turning the clock forward one hour will just mean that people will have to use their lights in the morning instead of the evening. The effect on power consumption would be negligible.

Sophon

[Head Snake]

HOw about staggered work times to alleviate traffic jams in business districts.

Since it is less hot at night and aircon can work better at night, all foreign work (work done by falang) will be enforced to work at night with only the luxury of candle light only. Thus no need for bars at night, too.

All falang choosing to fall or unwillingly pushed from the top of buildings will be attached to a chain which will harness the potential energy of the person falling to the ground. If there is still enough of the falang to salvage from the ground, Thai workers can take the carcass back up for another a recycling trip.

SInce rain causes longer traffic jams, perhaps Thaxin can enforce a "No Rain Policy" during Rush hours.

You'd think there were enough hubs by now in Thailand that they could link all of them together and harness the power of the hot air generated.

[Jai Dee]

<snip>

Wow... that was a really intelligent contribution...

[Martin]

" You'd think there were enough hubs by now in Thailand that they could link all of them together and harness the power of the hot air generated. "

Nice one, Head Snake.

[Head Snake]

Sorry I wasn't serious jai dee. It was late and I was interested in a laugh.

Of course this is a serious dilemma. Its the poor Thais that will have to "pay" for this problem as mentioned earlier with the rice growing analogy.

It looks like the government wanted to look good for their people and that has ended up to cost the people.

[Boatabike]

Unfortuanately saving energy starts with education, if the people of Thailand knew the whys and whats they would proberly go along with what ever is suggested, if they had a set of options explained to them about what they could do to there own homes, cars etc they might take the steps to conserve energy themselves, but just saying no TV and you can't have this car might very well fall on deaf ears. Just a suggestion, how about all the teachers here getting together to put a good energy saving plan lesson together for the children of Thailand, If starting at the top don't work start at the bottom and work up, kids may very well tell parents who may be interested in what there kids are learning. Just a thought.

[wilko]

Another example of muddled, unresearched thinking. At least it's only "testing the water". But even considering some of those measures would seem to indicate a total lack of understanding of the situation.

As someone has pointed out earlier air-conditioning, viewed as a status symbol in Thailand is one of the main drains on energy here. It is wasted not only in public and private buildings but it also affects the fuel consumption of your car.

[wilko]

I reckon that Mr T doesn't want to hike up the price of fuel to much as he's already loosing popularity. Instead, he's trying to get us to use less and keep it government subsidised.

Anybody else concour?

Couldn't argree more, it is all about control control!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hear! Hear!

[deepdiver]

I was going to fly in on Mon evening. Sod that if there`s no runway lights

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

massive !!!

[mamypocopants]

In the countryside you see outside lights on all night even in very poor communities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about pee? mai mee fi mee pee....

[mamypocopants]

I don't want to sound alarmist but this planet is about to reach the top, in 5 - 10 years, of the bell shape curve in relation to supply and production of fossil fuels.

Demand is constantly increasing, this speeds the depletion of our remaining reserves even faster.

Folks, this is a time for intelligent thought and discussion on changes that will be affecting all of our lives. Better yet, thought about how to use what we have left in a constructive manner. This, instead of consumerism for the sake of consumerism and the myriad of other mindless ways we spunk our natural resources for a short term fix.

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net

and

http://members.home.nl/peakoil/index.html

two good pages looking at the current global energy situation.

[haha]

I don't want to sound alarmist but this planet is about to reach the top, in 5 - 10 years, of the bell shape curve in relation to supply and production of fossil fuels.

Demand is constantly increasing, this speeds the depletion of our remaining reserves even faster.

Folks, this is a time for intelligent thought and discussion on changes that will be affecting all of our lives. Better yet, thought about how to use what we have left in a constructive manner. This, instead of consumerism for the sake of consumerism and the myriad of other mindless ways we spunk our natural resources for a short term fix.

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net

and

http://members.home.nl/peakoil/index.html

two good pages looking at the current global energy situation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the book mentions that we would need about 220,000 kilometers of solar panels to be able to provide enough energy for the whole world as it was in the 1950's.

to put everything in prospective....

the size of thailand is about 514,000 kilometers. the state of california is about 250,000 kilometers. the land on this planet consist of about 149,000,000 kilometers, and is about 29% of the surface of the planet earth.

seems like a lot of solar panels to make. but if need be, don't you think the human race could accomplish it?

I'm assuming you are basing your calculations on the current technology of solar panels. so, if we look at the new thin solar panels, maybe we wouldn't need 220,000 kilometers. maybe less, right?

at one time, china with a population of over 1 billion didn't use hardly any oil, and they survived. as did india.

the situation is not that bad, is it?

[cutter007]

Two nights ago, I was going home at 12:30am

And was almost out of gas.

I stopped at 6 different gas stations, none of them were pumping gas,

but all of the stores were open with all of the lights on.

And 3 out of the 6 still had the lights on for the gas pumps, even though they weren't using them.

1 month ago, I inquired about a solar system in Thailand, everything was imported and about twice the price of the same system in the USA, and with no option to sell back the excess electricity to the power company, like in California. And no tax breaks from the government, in fact according to the sales guy, the system was so expensive because of the high import taxes they had to pay.

Thai government subsidizes diesel, but taxes clean solar power, can anybody say hypocrite.

A couple of days ago I read an article in the BKK post about a wood burning power plant in the north, and how is was clean energy, and so it would not have negative effects on the environment. Hello, what do you call cutting down trees and burning them, a positive effect on the environment.

Thailand is a joke, and the children that are in charge will be suggesting by next month that we start breeding horses to ride, to save petrol.

[mamypocopants]

the book mentions that we would need about 220,000 kilometers of solar panels to be able to provide enough energy for the whole world as it was in the 1950's.

to put everything in prospective....

the size of thailand is about 514,000 kilometers. the state of california is about 250,000 kilometers. the land on this planet consist of about 149,000,000 kilometers, and is about 29% of the surface of the planet earth.

seems like a lot of solar panels to make. but if need be, don't you think the human race could accomplish it?

I'm assuming you are basing your calculations on the current technology of solar panels. so, if we look at the new thin solar panels, maybe we wouldn't need 220,000 kilometers. maybe less, right?

at one time, china with a population of over 1 billion didn't use hardly any oil, and they survived. as did india.

the situation is not that bad, is it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bad? Look at your lifestyle and think about what energy is required to sustain it. Do you live in an aparment, what floor do you live on? It requires energey for the lift to get you there. Most apartments would be uninhabitable without a fan (energy) air-con (energy). How does the water get up tp an apartment? not capillary action, it has to be pumped (energy). 17% of all energy produced goes into food production, transport, harvesting, pesticides (nearly all pesticides are petroleum based). The list just goes on and on....

"the danger of exchanging life's necessities for tokens, then becoming bedazzled by the tokens themselves."

cited @ http://www.unknownnews.net/040712a-fm.html

[Jai Dee]

A couple of days ago I read an article in the BKK post about a wood burning power plant in the north, and how is was clean energy, and so it would not have negative effects on the environment. Hello, what do you call cutting down trees and burning them, a positive effect on the environment.

I'm actually currently working on a feasibility study for a number of power plants in Thailand... fueled by burning rice hulls/husks.

[tuky]

I'm actually currently working on a feasibility study for a number of power plants in Thailand... fueled by burning rice hulls/husks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good on ya mate

now how are you gonna eat all that rice?

[Jai Dee]

I'm actually currently working on a feasibility study for a number of power plants in Thailand... fueled by burning rice hulls/husks.

good on ya mate

now how are you gonna eat all that rice?

55555...

I'll leave that to the Thais...

Thailand is after all purported to be the world's leading rice exporter... and all those rice grains need to be husked before export.

[cutter007]

Rice husks is a great idea. Some guy in Europe is using coffee grounds to make logs for fireplaces. Heard he is making a killing.

But wood burning power plants are a thing of the past, and belong in the history books, not in the current edition of the Post.

[haha]

Bad? Look at your lifestyle and think about what energy is required to sustain it. Do you live in an aparment, what floor do you live on? It requires energey for the lift to get you there. Most apartments would be uninhabitable without a fan (energy) air-con (energy). How does the water get up tp an apartment? not capillary action, it has to be pumped (energy). 17% of all energy produced goes into food production, transport, harvesting, pesticides (nearly all pesticides are petroleum based). The list just goes on and on....

"the danger of exchanging life's necessities for tokens, then becoming bedazzled by the tokens themselves."

cited @ http://www.unknownnews.net/040712a-fm.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what constructive advice do you have to offer?

[mamypocopants]

what constructive advice do you have to offer?

Buy land, buy gold.......

Edited July 7, 2005 by mamypocopants

[ChickenTonight]

How about employing all the farmers to produce crops that can be easily made into BIODIESEL !

Biodiesel is basically just vegetable oil, in Thailand the climate is such that it wouldnt wax the engine of a car - it can also be used for electricity production.

Biodiesel does not increase co2 levels in the atmosphere because the same amount of co2 is absorbed by the plants when they grow as are released when the plant oil is burnt in the engine.

Biodiesel is more efficient than synthetic diesel, does not pollute.

Most diesel cars and trucks can run on biodiesel with minimal modifications, in a warm climate like Thailand many diesel cars would not need any modifications at all to run on biodiesel.

Edited July 7, 2005 by ChickenTonight

[ChickenTonight]

Actually a lot of older diesel vehicles would run perfectly well if you fill the tanks with clean vegetable oil without any mods. A better system would allow you to switch to synthetic diesel for the last 10 KM of a journey to clear the veg oil out of the engine to prevent any chance of waxing (although its unlikely in this climate).

You can also add a bit of parafin or methanol (better) to thin the fuel down a bit.

It would be better to change the glow plugs to always-on marine glow plugs there are kits available for many vehicles.

You can also recycle used cooking oil to make into biodiesel but the process is a bit dangerous, although fairly easy to do at home.Is veg oil cheaper than diesel (in bulk?).

How about employing all the farmers to produce crops that can be easily made into BIODIESEL !

Biodiesel is basically just vegetable oil, in Thailand the climate is such that it wouldnt wax the engine of a car - it can also be used for electricity production.

Biodiesel does not increase co2 levels in the atmosphere because the same amount of co2 is absorbed by the plants when they grow as are released when the plant oil is burnt in the engine.

Biodiesel is more efficient than synthetic diesel, does not pollute.

Most diesel cars and trucks can run on biodiesel with minimal modifications, in a warm climate like Thailand many diesel cars would not need any modifications at all to run on biodiesel.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Martin]

mamypocopants says "Buy land, buy gold". Yes, gold is the great hedge against both inflation and deflation, either of which is possible (or maybe swinging from one to the other). But if you buy land, make sure it is productive land out in the agricultural areas. Land in the cities is a bad bet.

I do wish people would stop banging on about "Life after the oil crash". It is really over the top, and just spreads needless alarm. There isn't going to be an oil crash. Oil is not going to run out. All that is going to happen is that demand will exceed supply from now on, and the available supply will be rationed out by price. It is unlikely that oil will cost more than twice what is does now in less than five years, four times what it does now in ten years, eight times what it does now in fifteen years, and so on.

OK, I will concede that this means major adjustments to lifestyle for a lot of people (bye-bye holidays abroad for all except the very,very rich and bye-bye to working in an office and hullo to working in the fields growing rice and vegetables for a great many, and so on).

But, with just a trickle of oil from its own resources, Thailand can feed its whole population and quite a lot of paying guests from countries where the winter is too cold for the old folk to live without heat. So all we need to do is to accept that we will be changing our lifestyles big-way, and settle down to living frugally at about the level of material wealth that our greatgrandparents had.

Of course, that all assumes that the USA will concede gracefully to China taking over as the major player in the world. If the USA doesn't and continues starting Resource Wars, then all bets are off.

[Rumpole]

Why not deal with the visa renewals at imigration rather than sending 100,000 on a long mini bus tour to the border for stamping passports.

That is what I call a real saving when it's a win win situation!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In your dreams. Harassing farang is MUCH more important than saving energy.

Why is it that we don't seem to be hearing dire tales of fuel shortages in neighbouring countries and other places throughout the region? China's consumption of energy is second only to the United States, yet they manage to keep the lights on most of the time.

Ruritania.

[satu]

dear administrator, please make my account working again. tx arthsch

[terdsak_12]

I'm actually currently working on a feasibility study for a number of power plants in Thailand... fueled by burning rice hulls/husks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've seena few of these eplaces on TV around Thailand, seems like a decent way to go!!!

[Scott]

I am not an expert, but I read somewhere that one of the problems is that they haven't had a new electrical generating power plan put on line since 1997.

Since most electricity comes from non-oil power plants, I am somewhat confused. Does the gov't want us to save electricity because there isn't enough, or save oil because of the current account deficit?

It seems the gov't hasn't done a very good job of planning. To export your way out of financial problems, you need industrial output. To have industrial out-put you need electricity.

I am a strong supporter of conservation of all resources, so I am not advocating anything but trying to cut down on consumption. It's helpful to know what is happening and why.