My Thai Friend

Across the Universe-A Trip Down Memory Lane

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:42:00 +0000

Nostalgia in my opinion is a great thing, take last night for instance when I settled down to watch a film called "Across the Universe." Now to be honest I didn't think I had heard of the film before and seeing as there was little else on offer I decided to give it a try as True Moves (satellite supplier in Thailand) described it as a drama and I thought it might be science fiction, which I quite enjoy. However at the back of my mind I was thinking about the title. Why was it familiar.

I soon found out, if I mention Lennon and McCartney I am sure you will now know where I had heard the name before. Yes its a Beatles musical. But I had never watched it.

As it turned out the movie provided a great trip down memory lane or was it Penny Lane for me, because the film is all about the 1960's, The Beatles, flower power, hippies and the Vietnam War. It also provided links between the UK and USA through the cast of characters.

There's Jude(Hey Jude), a stereotypical Liverpool docker, bored with life in his terraced back to back dwelling that he shares with his Mum while on the other side of the pond, there is Lucy(Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds), rich college kid living in a big mansion. Alongside these two pivotal characters there is just about every other stereotype of the era provided often using names from relevant Beatles songs.

There isn't much of a plot to the film, but Jude sets off for the USA, seeking his father, a WWII GI, who had a brief flirtation with Jude's mother. Arriving in the US Jude is seduced not only by the beautiful Lucy but also by the new found freedom of the times. Apart from the Beatles songs, it also focused on the Vietnam War and the unrest in the USA at that time.

All the Beatles songs featured were put into context, providing an insight that I didn't have at the time (1960's). For example, I now understand "With a Little Help From my Friends" and how it relates to illegal substance misuse. Equally I now understand why the Beatles wrote and sang "Let it Be" and its connection with civil unrest in Detroit.

I could go on but I don't wish to bore those of you who are from a generation who might well at this point be asking "what is he on about?"

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could remember all the words to all the songs, which might well be indicative of how I spent my days between 1965 and 1969! Duen seemed a little confused however, especially since the film had Thai subtitles, even for the songs-oh how I wish I could read Thai!

A final poser, given that Jude and Lucy, break up in the plot, but then get back together at the end of the film, can you guess which Beatles song was sung by Lucy's brother in a "reflective" moment near the end of the film as he sits in a New York City bar and Jude sits in a Liverpool pub?

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Bangkok Airport-Another Siege Waiting to Happen?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:05:00 +0000

Travellers to Thailand during late November and early December last year will not need reminding that a year ago today the fiasco involving a siege at Bangkok's two International Airports ended. The subsequent collapse of the pro Taksin Thai government, actually brought about by the courts and not the protesters, followed shortly afterwards.

The current Thai Prime Minister is supported by the anti-Taksin yellow shirted demonstrators that occupied the airport, although he did not come to power in the immediate aftermath of the closure.

So what has Thailand and her government done to make sure this cannot happen again? The answer is very little, true there is now a law that makes such actions illegal, but the penalty, a fine of between 500-10,000 Baht (£10-£200), is laughable. Equally subsequent governments attempts to prosecute the identified ring leaders of the action have been buried under a sea of paper in the Thai court system.

To put the effect of last years airport closure into monetary terms it is estimated that it cost Thai GDP 210 Million Baht, but perhaps more importantly it affected 350,000 visitors to Thailand who were stranded at the time. It is also estimated to have stopped 3.4 million tourists, who planned to visit the Kingdom, from coming. If this is the case then it follows that GDP from the tourist sector will continue to suffer as a result of the PAD action last year.

Could this happen again. Yes it could, but I would consider it is unlikely in the immediate future since with the approach of HM the King's birthday (5th December) and the New Year holiday politicking is likely to be on the back burner until well into January, when interestingly the red shirts have promised to bring down the current government.

Thailand is currently most definitely open for business, but remember last year and just be prepared for the shops closing early!

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Thai the Language of Love?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:16:00 +0000

Being able to speak Thai is a huge advantage if you are an expatriate living in the country. However according to the latest expat survey from HSBC it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. The same survey does however rate Thailand very highly when it comes to falling in love and finding your soul mate.

"One in five expats have found love overseas, with Thailand being the most likely place to fall in love followed by Germany and Brazil. Almost half of expats in Thailand say that they have they found love, however if you are a single expat in India or Qatar, you'd best buy a teddy bear - just 4% of expats have found love whilst living in these countries. Those earning less are also more likely to find love, with expats earning less than $60,000 more likely to find love abroad than any other group - (over a quarter of expats in this group). Similarly, expats over the age of 55 will have a greater chance of finding their life partner - one in four expats around the world aged 55 and over have found love or a life partner whilst living abroad."

So if expats find it so hard to learn the language how do so many fall in love with Thai ladies and settle here. Now English is the sort of second language here since it is taught in most schools, but aside from a very well educated Thai, you won't find the English spoken on the street what one might term the language of love.

Mind you having said that I guess it depends how you classify the language of love and which street you happen to be on!

Personally, two years down the line my Thai remains limited to essential conversation, yes I can count, order food, identify colours, ask for directions and tell the time, but none of these skills would seem to fit the bill if you are trying to communicate with your future partner, except perhaps to arrange a meeting! You know something along the lines of "I will see you under the town hall clock at 9pm, I'll be wearing a red carnation!"

Duen, my Thai partner speaks enough English to get by but I find it more and more frustrating when either my lack of Thai or her lack of English curtails a discussion. It also leads to misunderstandings that do sometimes cause frictions between us. For my part I do try hard and my little teacher Doy does help but she is only six so the more subtle language I desire still remains but a distant dream. In fact I reckon she understands more English that I do Thai.
Duen on the other hand despite living with me has not improved her English skills.

So dear readers, many of whom I know have Thai partners, was Thai the language of love for you? Equally if you are an expat and live in a country that doesn't speak your native language, how have you got along?

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November in Thailand-Cooling Off Period?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:21:00 +0000

November in Thailand signals the start of the high season for tourists and the beginning of the cool season as far as the weather is concerned. Judging by the amount of new white faces in Prachuap Khiri Khan and the drop in the ambient temperature and humidity, it would seem that global warming and the world financial crisis have not affected things too much in Thailand.

Climate change continues to feature in the international news but here in Thailand we have been assured this month that predicted sea level rises in the world oceans will not affect the Gulf of Thailand since and I quote "Thailand is too far away from the ice caps for any effect." Quite how the Thai government spokesman figured this out I don't know, but then again I am no scientist and fortunately nor are the majority of the citizens of Bangkok. Since the City of Angels is barely above sea level. Perhaps the early Thais knew something when they chose Ayutthaya as the capital of Siam.

Political strife is never far away in Thailand and former Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra has continued to stir the mix by turning up in Cambodia. Where, according to reports, he is to become an economic advisor to the Cambodian government. Talk about strange bedfellows.

Meanwhile back in Bangkok and the rest of the nation where mass singing of the Thai nation anthem in the provinces seems to have done little to raise the political gloom. Sadly this week has seen the death of former Prime Minister Samak. Not Thailand's favourite politician, somewhat of a rough diamond, who will perhaps be better remembered for his cooking than his politics. Sticking with politics for a moment. Is it really a year since the Bangkok Airport siege? You know when supporters of the current PM, those with yellow shirts, brought the country to its knees and made a few tourists sweat as well.

This month has also seen the emergence of a type of fragrant rice called Jazzman in the USA. Since Thailand is the worlds leading exporter in Jasmine Rice this has raised more than a few hackles here, with the Thais employing scientists to show that the pretender to the rice kingdom is nothing more that a Chinese strain of rice that has been genetically engineered. Of course if you dig a little deeper you will find that the origin of Thai Jasmine Rice is actually China. Oh dear!

On the personal front we all enjoyed celebrating Loi Krathong early in the month, it was great fun, MTF made some beautiful Krathongs and we floated our boats in the harbour at Khlong Wan. A beautiful Thai celebration was enjoyed by all. I also got my first Thai Drivers Licence having negotiated the red tape at Thai Immigration and the Department of Land Transport.

Hopefully December will provide a nice cooling off period for the politicians and all people living in Thailand. That said its easier to predict the Thai lottery results than political events here, so if you are a tourist heading over for a holiday or a part-time expat visiting a loved one, better pack a few extra red and yellow shirts just to be on the safe side!

PS Look at the image and see if you can work out what the figure in the symbols, above the temperature, means!!

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Thai Natonal Unity Project 2009-Singing National Anthem

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:15:00 +0000

In mid September The Thai Government launched a national unity project. The project has involved the public singing of the Thai national anthem at a gathering in each province starting in Krabi and culminating on the birthday of HM the King in Bangkok on 5th December 2009.

The public singing of the national anthem along with a short, two minute documentary on famous people from each province, continues to be aired on Thai TV at 6pm each evening. Normally the anthem is played at 8am and 6pm each day on all media outlets in Thailand.

While this is old news in one sense I thought I might add some comment today as the project nears its conclusion.

So why did the Thai government feel the need for this project, in a country where failing to stand for the playing of the national anthem is considered a deep insult to Thailand and the Monarchy anyway?

Political commentators might well point out that the current government is hardly popular and this is merely a way of tapping into the Thai peoples national pride in their country and King. A smoke screen perhaps, to focus the nation away from day to day political strife. Well I don't know about that but coming from a constitutional monarchy myself I can identify with the pride I have in the Royal Family of my own country and the national anthem.

When I was a kid the anthem was always played at the end of a movie, theatre performance and sporting events. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Being somewhat Royalist in my thinking I suppose its natural.
Incidentally I quite like the words and music to the Thai national anthem and Doy and I often join in at the 6pm slot. Quite what a visitor to our home would make of us is of course another matter. Remember I'm tone deaf and tongue tied in Thailand.

But what about the Thai national unity project. Do you think its a good idea? What about national anthems in general. Does your country air it regularly like the Thais? What do you think about that?

By the way, just a word of caution, if you are ever in Thailand and the Thai national anthem is played, please stop what you are doing and stand. Apart from showing respect, you will avoid conflict with those around you and stay on the right side of the law which is something a Thai citizen didn't do in April 2008.

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Soi Chicken

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:14:00 +0000

The street (Soi) I live on in Thailand has no name just our house number. However following my abrupt awakening this morning I reckon it should be named Soi Chicken. Now in Thai this would be Soi followed by a word that sounds like guy.

So why my sudden urge to give the street a name. Well I'll tell you a story since I am now wide awake and feeling the urge to write albeit 6.30am in the morning.

You may remember that I have mentioned in the past that one of my neighbour raises fighting cockerels? Well being typically Thai he has branched out a bit and when the cockerels aren't brawling he has got them doing what comes naturally. As a result the soi now has a health head of chicken that clearly outnumber the soi dogs. Now I fully expected the dogs to control the chicken population since they are always looking for fresh meat, well any meat actually and of course accounted for our pet rabbit some time ago.

However this is not the case, the chickens rule the roost, boldly entering gardens while human visitors wait on the street calling the occupant for fear of being mauled by the canine guardians of the house.

Now the soi chickens have taken to venturing into my garden, perhaps its because there is a healthy supply of green vegetation which is far more interesting than pecking leftover food from the plastic bags that litter the street. Now this is OK by me, since chickens are great snake deterrents. But when they started mining operations in MTF's flower border things came to a head and a well directed hose pipe solved the problem, repelling the invaders, it works quite well for soi dogs too, but thats another story.

Anyway back to this morning, the phone rang and woke me at 6.30. Since our gate is locked it must mean we had a visitor, since no one else is likely to ring at that time. Sure enough, we had. So when I staggered outside meagerly clad in my bath towel sarong I was a little shell shocked to find half the soi looking and pointing up at my roof.

A host of things flashed through my mind, including the fact that I was half naked! Fortunately MTF arrived and took charge whilst I retired and dressed a little more appropriately. Emerging a few moments later I discovered MTF had gone. However people continued to look up at the roof. I heard the Thai word for chicken mentioned a few times.

So since I was now decent I headed out on to the soi to join my neighbours. It was at this point that I saw what was attracting their attention. There high on the gable end was a chicken. Perched like the mythical Phoenix wings extended as it surveyed the human population of the soi.

Now I know a bit about chickens, well I was brought up in the country, so I figured that due to the lack of grey matter possessed by these birds, it was unlikely to know how to get back to terra firma. Picking up a handy rock, I was about to give the bird a helping hand, when MTF and the chicken owner arrived back at the group.

Shocked at my intended actions MTF explained that it was bad luck to have a chicken on the roof of your house and that we should let it come down naturally lest we upset the spirits! I now know better than to argue with any dire predictions my Thai partner utters so I retired the scene in search of a cup of tea, leaving my Thai neighbours and MTF to figure it out for themselves.

However being a bit of a joker I couldn't help myself and a little later emerged from the back of our home clutching an egg which I proudly presented to the chicken owner! Everyone laughed, including me when she politely pointed out that the offending bird was actually a young cockerel!

Now as I pen this post the cockerel is happily crowing and pecking its way round the field behind our home, the neighbours have gone to work, the kids are off to school and Soi Chicken is quiet again.

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An Experiment in the Blogosphere

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:11:00 +0000

In my attempt to understand how Google works when it comes to indexing and putting things on the back burner so to speak I have been running a little experiment in the Blogosphere for the last week.

Whilst I have continued to post on MTF I have also been doing more in depth posts on my photo blog. Well if you search any of the post titles for MTF in that period, even in inverted commas you won't find them in Google serps, you might find them courtesy of you guys that are kind enough to have a link in a blog roll though. Now if you do the same with the titles of posts from MTPB you will find them all within the first five pages of serps on Google.com.

This morning I posted an article on "Kite Flying in Thailand." Guess what, 2 hours later its at number 8 of 50,000 or so results from Google.com!

Now I know getting pages indexed is not every ones priority but it does bring in additional readers and some funds to pay for my hosting etc. So what have I done to upset the mighty G? Well nothing as far as I am concerned, but commenter's on a previous post on this subject mentioned duplicate content a lot. But what can you do if some idiot is scraping your feed and they get listed and you don't. I have even set something up in Feedburner to try and stop this happening.

I actually seriously though about switching my main content to MTPB but that seems grossly unfair to my loyal readers who, unlike Google, I actually value.

PS. Sorry for the same old rant

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Cycling in Thailand-Trek 4300

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:59:00 +0000

I have always enjoyed cycling however it wasn't until some ten years ago that I started to take it seriously. Arthritis in my lower back brought a premature halt to my passion for long distance running and I needed to find some low impact sports to satisfy my drive to stay fit into later life.

I tried swimming but in all fairness I got no pleasure doing lengths in a sterile pool, so following a friends advice, I bought my first mountain bike. It was a steel built monster that weighed a ton but I was soon hooked. Fresh air in the lungs, blood pumping, I discovered the pleasure of off road cycling. I was lucky since I lived near Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, UK and there were all manner of tracks and routes to follow.

As I got more serious I decided to invest in some quality equipment, in my case a Giant ATB, light strong and flexible, riding became an even greater pleasure. Sadly when I moved to Thailand I had to part company with my beloved beast but my passion for cycling still remained.

Again a friend came to my rescue, a Thai this time, who I first met on an adventure holiday here, which included cycling through Bangkok! He helped me secure a good bike in Thailand, sadly not the same quality as my Giant, but the Trek 4300 I purchased in Hua Hin is not to bad and certainly is quite suited to the local terrain, which for the most part, is fairly flat.

There are plenty of off road tracks locally so I am never stuck when it comes to finding a place to ride. Both MTF and Doy now have cycles, not quite the same spec as my Trek, but good enough, LA cycles made in Thailand. So cycling is also a family activity, since I have a pickup truck here its simple to load the cycles in the back if we fancy venturing further afield. Since most National Parks are cycle friendly it makes a great alternative means of viewing this beautiful country.

Riding your cycle here is fairly safe, I wouldn't venture on the main highway but the back roads are fine. The only drawback to cycling is the climate, hot and humid, means I sweat like the proverbial pig for 10 months of the year. Now, as it starts to cool, I can venture out at anytime during the day, but in the hot weather I tend to ride early or late depending on my schedule.

An added bonus to cycling in Thailand is that it also provides me with the opportunity to get some photographs from locations I might well miss if I was in the truck. Incidentally there are plenty of cycling tours available in Thailand so if you are fit and healthy its worth considering taking part in one of the many group holidays on offer.

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Do You Like Marmite?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:26:00 +0000

In the past I have written about things I miss as a British expat living in Thailand. Cheese and decent red wine feature at the top of my list. But what about Marmite?

Now since Marmite has been around a while I figure I don't need to explain what it is, which is just as well since I couldn't even start to describe the thick dark funny smelling spread that many Brits enjoy on their toast. Well we are said to be a bit eccentric!

So why mention Marmite today? Well that's easy since I have just written a piece over on British Expats Directory, about a new book called The Mish Mash Dictionary of Marmite.

The book is by a British Expat called Maggie Hall who lives in the USA. Anyway you can read my post about the book over on BED.

Now to be fair I haven't had Marmite for a while but I will tell you that when I was younger (very much) I often had Marmite spread on toast fingers. Both my daughters where subjected to the same ritual and seem to be doing OK.

But what about you? Have you any interesting comments/stories about Marmite, because love it or hate it I would like to hear your views.

PS. take a close look at today's image.

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Frozen Dew or Frost in Thailand

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:20:00 +0000

Now here's a little question for you. What is frozen dew? Now my answer would be frost but what do you think?

OK first I'll tell you why I want to know, you see last night the temperature in the far North East of Thailand hit 7.5C and according to the press there was frozen dew on Doi Inthanon. Now in case you think I got the temperature wrong I can assure you it was even cold here last night (probably around 20-23C) and I needed a fleece to sit outside at 7am this morning. Yes, Thailand can be cold at this time of the year at least at night and early in the morning.

Of course the mountain is several hundred kilometers North of my home here on the Gulf Coast at Prachuap Khiri Khan, in fact Doi Inthanon is actually the highest mountain in Thailand at 8500 feet and is quite popular with the tourists since there is a National Park there too. I have actually trekked in the area and visited the Karen hill tribe people since the mountain is on the Myanmar border where they mostly live.

Anyway enough of a Thai geography lesson back to my question. What is frozen dew? Now before you say Google it, I have but I am still confused so if you can help please let me know.

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River Kwai Bridge Week 2009

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:22:00 +0000

This year River Kwai Bridge week is between 27th November and 8th December. The celebrations which include, a fantastic sound and light show enacting the history of the bridge, historical exhibitions and rides on a WWII steam train are centered around the bridge a few miles North of Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

Of course to many people the week also signals a time for reflection, with many families travelling from around the world to visit the grave of a loved one, perhaps in the Don Rak war grave cemetery in Kanchanaburi.

Aside from the actual Bridge on the River Kwai many people also visit Hellfire Pass and its small museum that pays homage to the "heroes of hellfire pass," thousands of Allied prisoners and Thai labourers who perished nearby building the infamous Death Railway for the Japanese.

Whether you are a long time resident or tourist this is one spectacular event that should not be missed. During the sound and light show headphones are available to listen to the commentary in English, German, Japanese and Chinese.

Needless to say during River Kwai Bridge week accommodation in the area is at a premium and advanced booking is a must.

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Penis Survey-Size Really Does Matter in Thailand

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:29:00 +0000

Something for the Weekend?
How do you measure up? Well if you live in certain areas of Thailand you are about to be given the opportunity to take part in a penis size survey run by Department of Disease Control(anti-AIDS division). So perhaps despite rumours to the contrary, size really does matter or as the Nation puts it, size does count.

Just in case you think I am having a joke I can assure you that disposable penis measuring devices are being distributed by the Thai Ministry of Health under a campaign, "Condoms for all," which hopes to raise HIV awareness and the need to practice safe sex using well fitting condoms.

The measuring tape records widths(I assume they mean circumference or could it be diameter) of between 49 and 56mm (no mention of length) which is apparently the "Thai penis size standard." Personally I like to work in inches so lets see..... I reckon that would be somewhere between 2-2.25."

Now I had heard it said that foreigners have bigger members than Thais which of course begs the question will the measuring device be any use to foreigners seeking protection? Equally I would love to know the parameters of a similar device suitable for Westerner's if the said rumour is true.

Talking about rumours, apparently there is one circulating in Pattaya to the effect that bar-girls are considering determining whether the client wants short time or long time by using the free devices and charging accordingly.

OK I made that bit up but remember this is Thailand!

Have a good weekend!

Image Credit
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Thai Railways- Booking Tickets Online

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:39:00 +0000

Since February this year Thai Railways or The State Railway of Thailand(SRT) to be more correct, has been offering the option of booking tickets online. Slowly more trains/routes have been added, although the system is currently limited to buying tickets on Express and Special Express trains in either sleeping or sitting 2nd class air con carriages.

This facility is provided by a secure web site, Thai railway ticket, on which you need to register before bookings can be made. Payments can be made by credit card from 60 days before departure up to 3 days before departure. For bookings made 3 days or less other methods must be used e.g. visit station or use email. The web site comes in a Thai and English version and is relatively easy to navigate. Recently the facility to book up to four passengers has been added and tickets can be printed off when the booking is complete.

Unfortunately anyone wishing to travel from Bangkok to Singapore on the International train cannot use the system for the whole journey, the best you can do is book Bangkok to Hat Yai online. A safer bet especially if you wish to travel to Butterworth (Malaysia) for Penang is either to book in Thailand at a railway station or by email to Thai Railways. There is however a train from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur which could be booked at Hat Yai.

Despite a lot of negative reports about the SRT, privatisation and safety following the Hua Hin derailment, travel by train in Thailand remains a safe, relaxed and a cheap way to see the country. With the opening up of online bookings, especially for overseas visitors , I fully expect traffic to grow further.

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Thailand-Perceptions of Corruption

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:41:00 +0000

If I posed the question, "What are your Perceptions of Corruption in Thailand?" I wonder what your answer would be compared say with the USA, UK or other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

"Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority."

Okay first a little exercise. Please answer my original question. Use a scale of 1-10, with a low score indicating that your perceptions are that the country is more corrupt than others.

Now lets have a look what the Thai people think.

I would like to introduce you to Transparency International who describe themselves as:

"...... the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world. TI’s mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption. " read more.........

So how does TI go about its task? Well one way is by taking the results of different surveys and creating a league table, called a corruption perception index(CPI), of the perceived most corrupt governments in the world based on 180 countries. Remember these are the perceptions of the countries nationals.

Thailand is 84th in the World on this years CPI, scoring 3.4 out of 10. Not the worst by any means, that honour goes to Somalia, but none the less pretty indicative of what the locals think about corrupt government here. Incidentally the UK (17th) and US (19th) don't exactly come up smelling of roses.

So who is top of the CPI i.e. perceived to be the least corrupt? Well that is New Zealand with another Asia Pacific country, Singapore in 3rd place. You can also view peoples worldwide perceptions on an interactive map to help you get a better overview.

Regionally, Thailand scores better than, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia but is trailing well behind Malaysia.

So now back to my question, what are your perceptions of corruption in Thailand?

Do you think the CPI truly reflects the level of actual corruption in Thailand. In other words are the perceived and actual levels the same?

What do you think of your own countries placement?

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Phuket- Answer to Plastic Bags Waste in Thailand?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:15:00 +0000

In a surprise move six major retailers in Phuket Thailand have announced that from 4th December 2009 they will start charging for plastic bags, currently given away free with shopping.

The six retailers, Tesco-Lotus, Big C, Makro, Central, Supercheap and Jungceylon are expected to charge 1 or 2 Baht (2p-4p) a bag.

Personally I welcome this move which broadly fits in with the policy of Tesco UK and hope that it will spread throughout Thailand. Ever since I have lived here in this beautiful country I have been appalled at the use and disposal of plastic, mostly not bio-degradable, that exists in Thailand.

Unfortunately while the big players in Phuket are to be applauded for their efforts some of the biggest perpetrators of the plastic junk trade, 7/11, Mum and Pop stores and takeaway food carts, are not being asked to join the scheme.

To help put this in perspective, I have just been shopping in Khlong Wan. I bought three items at th 7/11 and some takeaway food. In total I ended up with six plastic bags, 2 drinking straws each wrapped in plastic and ten rubber bands.

Of course it remains to be seen whether Thai customers will simply pay for their plastic bags or whether they will start buying and using bio-degradable long life bags like the ones that are on sale in the UK.

If you want to vote in a poll on the subject click this link to the Phuket Gazette and take part.

So what do you think has Phuket found the answer to plastic bag waste in Thailand?

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Thailand-Is it Really Cheaper than the UK?

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:07:00 +0000

I have been following a thread on Thai Visa recently in which the poster asked this question, "Thailand, is it really cheaper to live here." Now the poster was comparing Thailand and Australia but I though I would do a similar experiment based on the UK and Thailand. So my question is, "Thailand, is it really cheaper than the UK?"

For my comparison I have looked the cost of utilities, weekly shopping bill, running a car, the Internet, a phone, eating out and medical care. I set my monthly budget at £900(49,500 Baht) which is the amount of Sterling I transfer to Thailand each month.

Well based on 2008 prices plus a bit for inflation I found that in the UK living as a single guy in a nice rented two bed room country cottage my £900 would barely be enough to cover the areas of my comparison today. While here in Thailand I live in a 3 bed room bungalow that I own and I get the same services/goods for the equivalent of £411, a month which sounds quite good, I mean 50% less?

Unfortunately these figures don't tell the whole story since you might be surprised to know that some things are definitely cheaper in the UK. Electricity and gas in the UK cost me the same as I pay for electricity here, although in the former case it was mostly spent to keep warm while here it is the opposite with most consumption going on air conditioning.

Weekly shopping (food etc) costs are lower in Thailand, here I pay about 10% less than it cost in the UK just for me, this would be a lot higher if I bought more imported goods though. Of course all the food we buy is fresh with fish being particularly good value. Visiting the doctors here costs around £4 and of course in the UK is free. Medicines however are generally much cheaper here.

A big drain on my finances in the UK was running a car, a diesel Megane, fuel, tax and servicing are much cheaper here where I run a 3 litre diesel truck and my garage mechanic charges £2 an hour labour! Funnily enough vehicle insurance costs are similar but the price of quite old secondhand cars is very high in Thailand. New cars, depending where they originate from can also be more expensive than the UK.

I pay no council tax here (£70 in UK) and get my bin emptied ever week for 30 Baht a month!

People who consume beer, whiskey and cigarettes are generally better off in Thailand, 20 Marlboro cost 70 Baht (£1.20), local whiskey 300 baht for top of the range stuff and 65 Baht will buy you a decent bottle of beer. Unfortunately red wine, my preferred tipple is twice as much in Thailand as the UK and the quality here is poor. Entertainment, should you seek the company of some of Thailand's ladies, can be expensive although more mainstream activities are usually cheaper, visits to national parks and the cinema are very good value.

That said probably the best value activity in Thailand is eating out, where a bill is rarely more than £20, all in, for three or four folk and can certainly be a lot less.

So is it really cheaper to live in Thailand? You would probably say yes based on my small comparison, however remember I own my own property, although that said renting is much cheaper here than in the UK. 8000 Baht a month can get you a very nice property. So do I save £500 a month? No I don't. I have two people besides myself to support, one of whom I send to a private school. So there is not much more than two or three thousand Baht left at the end of the month. Exchange rates also effect what is left and the 55 Baht I am currently getting for my GBP is very low compared to when I first arrived when £700 a month was more than adequate.

Finally to answer my own question, yes I think that overall Thailand is still cheaper than the UK, I know I could budget better to save a few grand, but what the heck life is too short for that!

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Lucky Numbers Thailand-Lucky Sticks

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:25:00 +0000

People really seem to have an obsession with lucky numbers in Thailand. Whether its the State run Thai lottery or a religious ceremony such as a wedding or funeral, numbers always play an important part. In the West this seems less important although I guess a few folk probably avoided travelling last Friday since it was the 13th November!

Lucky numbers can turn up in all sorts of place in Thailand, its not unheard of for ghosts and spirits to provide them including winning lottery predictions. Thai temples, where you seem to get a fair mix of religion and superstition, also get in on the act as you can see in today's photograph. Can you see the red bamboo container full of wooden sticks in the right foreground? Now look behind it on the board, see the white sheets? The picture is taken in a temple in Samut Sakhon,Thailand.

Well the red pot contains sticks with numbers on and the white sheets are numbered to correspond with the numbers on the sticks. Participants will shake the container and eject one stick, easier said than done I might add! After looking at the number they then collect the relevant numbered sheet and read their fortune. Usually they also make a small donations in a handily placed box too.

Now I have had a go at this and as I indicated above its quite an art to get one stick to come out, needless to say MTF is a dab hand, however I have also noticed that if she doesn't like what is written on the paper, she has another go. Definitely cheating in my book, but then again I am not Thai or a Buddhist. I even remember reading somewhere that there is a temple in Thailand that has a roulette wheel you could spin to determine your lucky number.

Now here in the MTF household we have had a brief encounter with good luck in the Thai lottery predictions thanks to our Tokay gecko. However I have stopped giving lottery predictions based on my reptilian friends calls since now whenever he calls its always 9 times.

What you didn't know 9 was a very lucky and auspicious number in Thailand?

I reckon the Tokay does!

Chock Dee Krap!

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Road Safety in Thailand

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:13:00 +0000

In a week that has seen me get my first Thai drivers licence I thought it might be appropriate to finish the week by revisiting the thorny issue of road safety in Thailand.

So why is road safety in Thailand a thorny issue? I suppose the simple answer to this question is because it accounts for the largest number of deaths in the country outside illness and natural causes.

The largest contributory factors to Thailand's appalling road safety record has to be lack of effective driver training and failure of the authorities to enforce road traffic laws. In a country where holding a driving licence is not necessarily the norm especially among the owners of motorcycles there should be little surprise to find that the majority of fatalities on Thai roads come from this group. Drink driving especially at the New Year (6 days) and Songkran (5-10 days) also plays a major part in contributing to the daily attrition on Thai roads.

Actual figures regarding deaths on Thai roads are hard to come by although in 2005 it was somewhere around 20,000.

You might get the impression that the Thai Government stance on road safety in Thailand is fairly low key, however this is not necessary the case since there is an accident research centre TARC set up in 2001, while under the Road Safety Action Plan 2004-2008 there are several ongoing campaigns including drink driving, motor cycle safety and wearing crash helmets that are in place.

So what is the real problem in Thailand when it comes to road safety. Well I don't pretend to know the answer but these words from a Thai might help explain things:

"Dr. Yordphol points out that one of the problems in Thailand is that the people believe that road crashes are the act of God and are caused by something from an earlier life.

"But we know that accidents can be prevented. It is however a very steep hill to climb, when changing people's behaviour in relation to their religion. This is why it is so important to have some hard evidence to show the public.

If the people are made aware that road crashes to a large extent are their own fault, the behaviour might change.

It is difficult to fight against Buddhism.

On the way home from the scene of the crash, a police car overtakes on the inner side. Both officers are driving without a seat belt, driving too close to the vehicle in front with a speed of 130 km/h on a section with a speed limit of 90 km/h." read more......

So just like with the Buddhist body snatchers I wrote about yesterday it seems that religion is also a hurdle that needs to be surmounted if indeed road safety in Thailand is to be improved.

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Thailands Buddhist Body Snatchers

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:37:00 +0000

Thailand does not have a centrally organised professional emergency medical and rescue service. Instead volunteer organisations fill the void. These are staffed in the main by volunteers who see the opportunity to help injured folk as a way of increasing personal karma in the Buddhist faith.

Since Thailand's rescue services are voluntary with little regulation they are also open to abuse. Often referred to as Buddhist body snatchers, volunteer groups have been known to fight over territorial rights and indeed individual trauma victims. The reason for this is quite straightforward, since hospitals pay the crews a fee for each body they deliver to the hospital or mortuary. Fees are said to range from 500-1000 Baht with private institutions paying higher.

Whilst the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, is now covered by two main rescue groups, in the provinces it is a different matter. Often local temples will provide emergency vehicles as those shown in today's image taken at a temple in Kuiburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and located at the side of the main highway to the South of Thailand. The vehicles and expenses are funded by donations to the temple and fees received for delivery of the bodies.

Whilst at Kuiburi I took the opportunity to take an unobserved peek in the back of the "ambulance." Equipment was very basic, a spinal board and oxygen cylinders along with a gurney where all that I could see. One of the other vehicles had some basic rescue equipment.

Crews for the vehicles are usually trained in basic first aid, although training in advanced trauma care is limited to very few and usually only provided in vehicles from the larger hospitals. Sadly in Thailand many deaths occur after rescue, when trained medical intervention, as provided by rescue units in the UK or US is lacking. High speed driving training skills are also not on the agenda.

This lack of adequate medical response units may well explain why most victims of Thai road traffic accidents end up being taken to the nearest hospital in the back of a convenient pickup truck. There are also many rumours around that corpses are often stripped of their valuables before they arrive at the mortuary and that belongings are removed from crashed vehicles once the injured party is removed from the scene.

The Thai Government are well aware of the situation and to be fair are trying to bring more regulation to this burgeoning private industry, however for the time being at least, the Buddhist body snatchers will continue to prowl Thailand's roads.

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How To Get a Thai Drivers Licence.

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Today I got my first Thai drivers licence. The process was fairly painless but I thought I would share my experiences in the hope that it might help you should you need to apply. First a few facts.

Why do I need a Thai drivers licence? Thailand only recognises International Drivers Licences as an alternative to a Thai Licence. There is however a catch to driving on an International Licence because Thai law states that it should only be used as a temporary measure ideal for a tourist visit. It further recommends that long term residents(over 60 days) obtain the relevant Thai licence from the Department of Land Transport(DLT) in the area they live. So if you live in Thailand and want to drive a car or motorcycle legally you need a Thai licence. This is important as insurance might well be invalid if you do not comply with the law on licencing.

What documents do I need to present at the DLT?

1. A valid International Driving Licence, issued in your own country, plus photocopy. A true IDL is only valid for 1 year despite what some Internet advertisers would have you believe!

2. Your passport and a copy of the main page, current visa, must be non-immigrant, (YOU CANNOT get a Thai licence on a Tourist Visa) and your departure card

3. A medical certificate from a doctor saying you are fit and sane enough to drive in Thailand plus a photo copy of this document.

4. Proof of place of residence, either a letter from your local Thai Immigration supposedly free but a little tea money might be charged or your embassy in Thailand(UK Embassy charges around 2000Baht) can provide this. Alternatively if you have a work permit this will suffice in place of the letter. Photocopy this document too.

5. Sign all documents including photocopies. Doctors letter and proof of address must not be more than 30 days old.

6. Fee, 380 Baht for car and motorcycle. Thailand now issues a photo card licence in Thai and English. One plastic card for a car, one for a motorcycle. It is machine generated and you DO NOT need to provide a photograph, the machine does this.

What happens at the DLT?

1. Ideally take a Thai speaker with you unless you are fluent in Thai. They are allowed to translate for you.

2. Present your documents at an unoccupied window. If you want two licences i.e. car and motorcycle present two packs. You may use a photocopy of the doctors letter on the second application.

3. There in NO application form to fill out. The clerk will attache a blank form to the front of your documents-this is for official use and records your test results.

4. When your name is called, take 3 tests for eyesight and reaction, you are instructed in Thai.

5. Take multi choice test on highway code/rules of road. This is in English and is on a machine. 75% pass score.

6. Have photograph taken and licence produced on machine operated by a member of staff. Now pay your fee and leave, happy that you now have a Thai drivers licence and that most of the Thai drivers you will meet on the roads in Thailand don't have one. Total time for the process, on a good day, around 1 hour.

What happens in the tests?

1. The first test checks for colour vision, you are required to identify red, yellow and green dots pointed out at random by a tester on a large chart. You stand about 10' away. Its handy if you know the Thai word for green (keoo) red (dang) and yellow(luang) although most testers understand red, yellow and green, these are the only colours tested!

2. The depth perception test is next, here you are required to line up two posts electronically in a small box using forward and back buttons. One post is stationary you simply line up the other next to it. You sit about 10' from the box.

3. The reaction test is next, at the same desk you press an accelerator pedal lighting up green led's on a display and hit the brake when a red led illuminates.

4. Finally you complete a multi choice test of your knowledge of Thai highway code, very similar to the UK since Thailand drives on the left. The questions are available in English and you must score 75%. Some of the questions appear to have two answers or that there is no correct answer so beware. If you should fail you will no doubt be allowed to take the test again.

5. That's it, no practical test, because you already hold a licence from your own country.

This advice on obtaining a drivers licence in Thailand is based on my personal experiences at the DLT in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Remember this is Thailand and procedures may vary slightly from place to place. The same could apply to the documents required and the need to pass a theory test. The entire cost of the process including obtaining the relevant documents was 1200Baht(£22).

Incidentally my first licences are valid for a year, I must return next year to obtain a five year licence. However no tests are required for this and only limited paperwork, address certification and passport/visa etc. But more of that next year!

Overall I rate the experience of obtaining my Thai drivers licence as very positive. Staff at the DLT were professional although I was left unsupervised to take the theory test and could have simply reset the machine if I had failed.

To make my morning complete and leave on a high note I went outside to watch Thai learners taking their practical test. It is conducted in the grounds of the DLT and involves manoeuvres and parking.

Thai drivers are not tested on the road! Judging by the amount of squashed traffic cones I saw this morning I think I know why!

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Tea Money

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:59:00 +0000

If you live in Thailand then I am sure you have heard the term tea money. Little extra unofficial payments to Government officials, to oil the wheels of bureaucracy, for which you will receive no receipt. Well until today I reckoned I had done quite well in the tea money stakes, since I had never been asked for any whilst living in Thailand.

However that all changed on my visit to Thai Immigration at Singkhon this morning. No problems were encountered as usual when I completed my 90 day reporting procedure, in fact the young male officer was very polite and efficient. But today I had another mission at immigration because I also needed a certificate of residency to prove my address so I can apply for my Thai drivers licence. "No problem," the young man offered and asked for my passport, visa, lease agreement and two passport photographs. Drat I had thought of everything but I only had 1 photograph.

"No problem Khun Michael, you can come and see me later when you have them." So off we go to get some photographs, returning to Singkhon an hour later. After waiting a few minutes my new found friend appears. Processes my application, but before doing so asks if I want a car and motorcycle licence. Now at the time I didn't think this strange, but hang on a minute he's Thai Immigration Officer and I have to go to the Department of Land Transport for my licence, surely the letter is just to show where I live. Isn't hindsight a wonderful gift?

Anyway the guy produces two letters for DLT one for a motorcycle licence and one for a car licence both of which are identical as regards proving my address. He then applies the various stamps and the asks for 600 Baht. "But I thought it was free." "No sir, its 300 Baht for a letter and you have two."

Now this is the point in Thailand, when you suspect a request for tea money, you have to make a decision, do you cause a fuss (politely) or do you cough up. Well I paid, since I figured that I need to return to Singkhon every three months and don't want any hassle in the future. As for my money well it went in a drawer and no receipt was given.

I had just paid my first tea money.

I now have my two letters, when I only needed one, but what the heck, I just need to pay the doctor to say I am fit now (200 baht) and I can get my licence from DLT(300 baht). So in total I will have paid 1300 Baht if you include the price of the photographs I had taken. Now I don't think this is excessive based on a similar process in the UK, or by proving residence here using a UK Embassy letter (2000 Baht), however I do now have a personal dilemma on whether I should have paid up at immigration or not since you could argue that my actions simply fuel corruption.

What do you think, should I have paid the tea money?

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The Demons of Suvarnabhumi Airport

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:32:00 +0000

Suvarnabhumi Airport, better known as Bangkok International or to old Thailand hands as Swampy, because it was built on swamp land, is in the news once again this morning.

Although today the "Demons of Suvarnabhumi" that are making the news are not the taxi mafia or indeed the staff of the King Power outlet, that have grabbed the headlines this year. No this time the demons are "Yaksa," high ranking demons or to be precise 12 statues of them modelled on original works that are to be found in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The valuable works of art that are spread around the inner passenger area of the airport and in the past have received little attention. Well that is about to change since the Airport Authority of Thailand (AOT), is set to spend 1 Million Baht relocating the statues to the check-in area.

Now I love Thai art work and I must admit I have never noticed the Yaksa at the airport myself so I think the move is quite positive. However digging a little deeper into the story and it seems that the move is not being made just to satisfy the art loving general public, no part of the reason for the move is that staff of shops in the duty free areas consider the statues are bringing bad luck.

Which of course might lead one to wonder if the bad luck that the statues are bringing on the staff has led to the exposure of some of the scams operating at the airport in the very shops they work in.

Perhaps the AOT could better spend the taxpayers money relocating the real demons of Suvarnabhumi, housing them in the Bangkok Hilton and throwing away the keys as this would seem to be a far more satisfying and cost effective way of improving the passenger experience at the airport.

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Buddhism-Releasing Life

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:33:00 +0000

As a wildlife lover and keen conservationist I find that I am at odds with the Buddhist belief in releasing life or at least in the way that it manifests itself at many temples throughout Thailand and other Asian countries.

On our way to complete my monkey business in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park on Saturday we stopped off at the Buddhist temple in Kuiburi. MTF had seen advertisements asking for donations on the highway and she wanted to make merit. The wat covers a large area of land right in the centre of Kuiburi and has some fantastic architecture, icons and murals.

However this post is not about the beauty of the buildings but instead about the sale of birds, animals and reptiles at temples throughout Thailand to satisfy the Buddhist belief of releasing life.

It is common to see caged birds, which the faithful purchase and release from captivity but I have never come across captive yellow headed temple turtles for sale and release before. Perhaps I have not looked hard enough because the reasons the turtles have this name is that they are frequently found around Buddhist temples here in Thailand.

As you can see from today's image I found a dry plastic bucket displayed near the "commercial" part of the temple with ten or more yellow headed temple turtles inside. Although the bucket was partially shaded it had no water in it and it is clear to see that the reptiles were stressed.

Just above the turtles where several very small cages stuffed with wild birds, also for purchase and release.

I couldn't identify the birds but they are some sort of finch. So how did the turtles and birds end up at the temple for sale and release? Quite simple really since there is a huge trade in such wildlife. Trappers net the birds, cage them and then sell them to the temple. While the turtles are either netted from ponds in the temple grounds or nearby waterways.

Chances are that many of the creatures are subject to capture and release several times over.

There is also a chance that the captured bird or reptile will be released away from its natural environment which can lead to further stress or in worst case scenario's lead to the introduction of alien species into a country which in turn can affect the natural balance of the eco-system.

While I do not pretend to be fully conversant with the teachings of the Buddha this particular practice of releasing life seems to me to fly in the face of Buddhists love for animals.

What do you think?

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Monkey Business Thailand

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Monkey business was very much on my mind yesterday when I paid another visit to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Thailand(mountain with three hundred peaks). To be more precise I was on a mission to observe and photograph the Spectacled Langur also sometimes referred to as the Dusky Leaf Monkey or Spectacled Leaf Monkey.

As you can see from today's image(view in full size) the Spectacled Langur is somewhat unique in appearance, normally a fairly timid animal, their habitat is usually different types of forest areas where their diet consists of leafs and fruit. Interestingly when the babies are born they are bright orange and it is only later that they develop their unique markings.

This primate is only found on the Malaysian Peninsula, Thailand, Myanmar and nearby islands. Although it is not an endangered species it is classed as threatened mainly due to habitat loss. Because of the animals status, it is protected in Thailand and in Khao Sam Roi Yot there is a programme in place to encourage breeding and stop habitat loss. Foreign volunteers often come to work in the park where they study the animals and help with conservation.

I knew from previous experience(when I didn't see Langurs) that I was most likely to see a Spectacled Langur near the park headquarters so thats where we headed yesterday. Well I wasn't disappointed and managed to find a few nearby, one particular old male was quite photogenic and actually allowed me to approach quite closely.

I also got a chance to observe Crab Eating or Short Tailed Macaques yesterday. There was a large troop in the vicinity and I managed some good photographs. These primates do eat crabs which are available in the mangrove area of the park although this is not their sole diet. Macaques like other primates are also good swimmers and as we left the park we briefly stopped to watch a group frolicking in the water. Short tailed Macaques seem less aggressive than their long tailed cousins and were quite tolerant of human intrusion into their territory.

Khao Sam Roi Yot also provides a fantastic habitat for birds although yesterday I did not see anything unusual. The park also has several cave systems and we had intended to visit Tham Phraya Nakhon, a cave which houses a Royal Pavilion that at a certain time of the day is illuminated by the sun. Access is difficult and best approached from the sea, but no boats were available yesterday due to high winds and waves. No doubt we will return to further this adventure later.

Entry to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park is free for Thais but foreigners pay 200Baht(£4) with a 30Baht levy for your vehicle. There are plenty of great places to eat at very reasonable prices, lunch by the sea for the three of us cost the princely sum of 320 Baht which included a thirst quenching beer for me and a tip!

All in all a very satisfying day especially as I completed my money business!

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Thai Neighbours

thetefldon@gmail.com (The TEFL Don) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:16:00 +0000

Love them or hate them I reckon Thai neighbours are pretty unique. True they are just ordinary folk like you might find back in the UK or US but they seem to possess this ability to operate at the extremes of human tolerance. Often they demonstrate great acts of kindness or on the other hand acts of selfishness and a total disrespect for anyone else.

Take this morning for instance, Saturday, no school and a planned lay in before a trip to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park for a bit of wildlife watching. So I was less than impressed when at 5.30 am I was blasted awake by loud music from just down the road. Clearly Annan was up early and wanted everyone else to be the same. Well not wishing to disappoint him I grumpily got up, made a cup of tea and headed out onto the veranda to watch the sun rise.

While I sat there contemplating my life in the tropics my next door neighbour, her mother and a friend returned home, clearly having taken advantage of Annan's early morning wake up call, to visit their animals on the farm.

We exchanged a few words before the air was filled not with loud music but the sound of an animal crying in apparent pain. Alerted by the sound Ge-eps mother uttered those words I least like in Thai after farang, ngoo(sounds a bit like new)she repeated, which means snake! She then made a hand gesture in the shape of a Cobra!!

Now I actually have a different attitude to snakes after a couple of years here, now its more a case of live and let live unless its in the house or trying to dispatch me. However what happened next was pure poetry. Quick as a flash the old girl was over the garden wall (the gate was locked) searching the garden. I for my part continued to sip my tea, since there was no sign of anything untoward, only to be joined by Duen, the rest of my neighbours and an assortment of soi dogs, since my partner had now opened the gate.

The wounded animal sound continued and seemed to be emanating from the side of the pond. Equally quickly mother grabbed a sharp stick prodded at the side of the pond and announced that the ngoo was no more. Now I like a bit of evidence to convince me but all I have found so far is a few bit of mangled frog or is it snake?

By this time the music had stopped, Annan had gone out and everyone retired to their respective homes, perhaps to try and catch up their sleep. Me I just stayed up, which is why I am penning this post at 7.30am!

Thai neighbours? Don't you just love them?

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