My Thai Friend

Thailands Hill Tribes-Taking a Trek to See Them

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:46:00 +0000

Holidays to Thailand are full of different opportunities. Whether you fancy lazing on a beach, visiting historic sites and temples or spotting wildlife in the countries numerous national parks then you can do it in Thailand. Adventure holidays are also very popular including things like white water rafting and trekking.

Trekking in Northern Thailand through the hill tribe lands is very popular. The hill tribes are fascinating and friendly people who each wear a distinct tribal costume. The seven main groups of hill tribe people are the Karen (the largest), Lisu, Hmong, Lahu, Yao, Lawa and Akha. Several of the groups are still nomadic and certainly don't pay to much attention to the border between modern day Thailand and Myanmar. Some of their origins can be traced to India and China. Each group has their own language and customs. To visit them and see their way of life is a truly unique experience and one that I think you should consider on any holiday you might take in Thailand.

Treks usually start from Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai and most companies offering such adventures rate the physical effort as moderately difficult and the possible culture shock as moderate. In the latter case I assume they mean showering in cold water in a mud hut and squatting over a hole in the ground for your toilet. Hill tribe treks are usually 3 days and 2 nights but you can go for longer. Independent travel is not encouraged.

Well from my own experiences I would say that the trek is only more difficult on the first day when you climb up towards the area of the hill tribe villages, part of this, on my trek was through jungle, so despite the physical effort it was quite exciting. Since you are expected in most cases to carry your own pack (porters are available from the different villages), I would suggest you travel light with just two sets of clothing , one to wear in the day and one to sleep in. OK you might hum a bit towards the end of the trek, but everyone is the same so you don't notice!

Since you are going to get wet it makes sense to ensure you keep your sleeping clothes in a waterproof container. Putting on damp or wet clothing in the morning is no great hardship but not having something dry to sleep in is. Incidentally it can be quite cold in the evenings so a lightweight fleece is a good travelling companion. Sturdy walking boots are a must but can be hired in Thailand, incidentally the Thais have a novel way of cleaning them for you at the end of your trek- but I will let you discover that for yourself.

During my hill tribe trek we stayed in two different villages one Karen and one Akha. We were welcomed in both villages. At the Karen village the people dressed in traditional dress and put on a mini craft market so we could buy home made trinkets while in the Akha village local children dressed in traditional costume and danced for us before we hit the hard wooden floor of the sleeping hut.

Living conditions on the trek were basic, communal huts, with no electricity, were used for sleeping. The toilet was a thatched hut with a hole in the ground, by the way take your own toilet paper or do your ablutions hill tribe style. Well you know what your left hand is for don't you?

There are many hill tribe support groups and an excellent hill tribe museum and shop next to the Cabbages and Condoms restaurant in Chiang Rai. I love the tag line for the C&C restaurant it reads "our food is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy." In the museum you can buy hill tribe products, the money going back to the people who made the products to help them improve their lives.

Real Time Stats Blogger in Draft Dashboard

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:35:00 +0000

A quick heads up for all you Blogger users. Google has just introduced real time stats for your blog that you can access from your Blogger in Draft dashboard. If you fire up Blogger in Draft(link at bottom of normal dashboard) you will find an extra tab under each of your sites.

Click on the stats tab and you will find a whole host of data about your blog that you would normally only find on Google Analytics. one thing I like is the way it displays page views of individual posts, so you can see what's popular at any given time.

OK its not as comprehensive as GA, but in all honesty its pretty good and the great thing is that its in real time which is not the case in GA. For the average blogger its a quick way of checking how things are going with a post especially if it gets a Digg or is re-tweeted.

The facility is provided free and there is no sign up or code to add to your blog template, which can't be bad.

Now to give it a test with this post....lets see whose awake.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

June in Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:02:00 +0000

June in Thailand has been very dry with only a small amount of rain being recorded on two days. Daytime temperatures have however been slightly cooler as the SW Monsoon tries to kick in. A general lack of rain throughout the country has once again been the topic of much discussion and drought conditions apply in the majority of provinces including where I live in Prachup Khiri Khan.

June is also the month when I need to renew my retirement extension to my O visa and this was duly completed on the 9th June. With the GBP continuing to be weak against the Baht I was worried that I wouldn't hit the income target for this procedure at Immigration, but thankfully this proved untrue and as I pen this post I note that it(GBP) is attracting about the same value as at the start of last month despite the fact that Sterling has strengthened slightly.

A trip to the local dentist was also called for due to a tooth abscess, both of which are now gone and I also got my teeth cleaned and polished. All my dental care in June cost just 1000Baht(£20).

We haven't hit the road much in the last month but we did have a very pleasant day at Wannerkorn Marine Park with a super lunch at the food centre and a trip to partake in a Chofah ceremony at Wat Dan Singkhon. The latter of these events was very interesting and my post and photographs are worth taking a look at if you have time to visit The Temples of Thailand.

My new computer also arrived in June and I am very pleased with my Lenovo ThinkCentre, I just need time to learn all the new features! My best laugh of the month has to be the party I attended at my neighbours house which left me reflecting if I was indeed waiting for Godot.

So that's it for June in Thailand, remember its the first of the month today, so don't forget to say "White Rabbits."

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Brown Girl in the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 03:15:00 +0000

Last year I wrote a post, White Skin, Whiter Skin-A Thai Obsession. In the article I took an outsiders perspective on what seemed to me a Thai obsession with having a white skin.

Here's an extract from what I wrote:

"Now I can't even attempt to provide an answer as to why Thai culture values a white face higher than a dark one although one possible answer is that dark skin equals an outdoor labouring background and low social standing while a white skin or a whiter skin suggests a higher status. You only have to look at the skin tones of Thai TV stars to see that there might be some credence in this argument."

Here's part of a comment from one of my readers:

".......I taught at a local high school for a year and I saw it with my own eyes as to the different treatment given, between light and dark skinned kids and all the hi-so people, even in a village will not send their kids to school with the dark skinned kids, they all go to private schools where the dark skinned ones are weeded out , believe it are not."

So why do I mention this clearly(in Western eyes) racist attitude displayed by many Thai people yet again. Well it started yesterday when Duen collected Doy from school. As usual Duen was gossiping but also watching and listening to the kids.

A girl friend of Doy said to Doy, "Do you like that boy?"

Doy, "yes he is my friend."

Girl now speaking to the boy, "do you like Doy?"

Boy, "no she is not beautiful she has brown skin."

OK they are kids of 7 years old and I know kids can be hurtful. But surely they are not capable of independent racist comments like this. It has to be learned behaviour surely?

In my opinion part of the answer probably lies in the fact that the boy is fairly light skinned and has Chinese Thai parents. Prachuap Khiri Khan has many such families that control the local businesses. The ruling elite of Thailand are mostly from Chinese descendants which makes me smile slightly since they are clearly not the indigenous folk of Thailand.

Now neither Doy or Duen were offended by the boys comments which I suppose just goes to show you that you have to know your place in Thailand and if you have brown skin its near the bottom of the pile.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Welcome to the OK Karaoke

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:36:00 +0000

Welcome to the OK Karaoke. I am sure anyone who has visited Thailand or actually lives here will know that the Thais love loud music and I mean ear bursting loud. Whether its in the go-go bars of Pattaya, a night club in Bangkok or even a concert in the local temple grounds, there is no happy medium, its either deafening or off!

Karaoke clubs/bars are also popular, where loud music is combined with Thai crooners belting out their version of popular songs, often in their version of English as well.

Now when I first moved here I was very much aware of the noise issue in Thailand so I made sure there wasn't a bar within two miles of my home. Since there is no real planning regulation in Thailand this is of course no guarantee that a bar won't suddenly appear in your next door neighbours front garden, especially if they know the right people and pay the going rate of bribe to the village headman.

I was therefore not totally surprised when the local mini mart at the end of the lane decided to diversify and install a bar come karaoke at the back of the shop facing up the lane towards my home(the blue bungalow in the photo).

As you can also see from the photographs its not a plush affair but what it lacks in decor it makes up for with speaker wattage believe me.

So on a bad night OK Karaoke finishes at 2am, then my Thai neighbour Annan playing his early morning wake up call to try and drown out the village loudspeaker system spreading the latest gossip at around 5.30am.

Hopefully old age will overtake me soon and I will be stone deaf.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Thai News Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:09:00 +0000

Scanning the local press this morning I found a couple of Thai news bites that I thought might interest you. One involves that favourite of Thai pastimes i.e. surveys, while the second takes a look at the recent appointment of a Thai diplomat as the President of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

Last year I reported that Thailand was conducting a penis size survey in a post entitled Penis Survey-Size Really Does Matter in Thailand. Well you will be pleased to know that the folk at the Disease Control Department are at it again having just announced the results of an online survey recently conducted in which the average girth of a Thai penis came out at 52mm.

Now before you rush off to the bathroom to check out how you measure up I should add that the results of the survey are being used to make condoms better fitting and more attractive to young people. The age of the respondents in the survey ranged from 13-35 yrs old. Now when I was a mere lad and such matters were discussed it would be fair to say that one might be led to extravagating somewhat. Which therefore makes me wonder if the average 52mm should be less.

Anyway in case you want to check things out and are unsure of metric measurements 52mm is just over 2". Remember its girth not length! Finally here is some advice given by Dr Somyos Kittimankhong at the DCD, "Loose condoms discourage use as they disrupt sexual pleasure." A point to remember next time you complain Thai condoms are too small perhaps.

My second news bite is somewhat less funny since it involves human rights. A subject that often finds Thailand in the news for all the wrong reasons. Having recently been admitted to the Human Rights Council it is interesting to note that the Thai Ambassador to the UN in Geneva has just been appointed to be President of the council.

I wonder how he will explain all the folk who are still locked up after the red protest in Bangkok to his new colleagues since it seems to me that exercising their human rights got many of them locked up in the first place.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

A Visitor, a Birthday and a Celebration.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:09:00 +0000

Its been a busy week here in Thailand with a visitor, a birthday and a celebration at a local Wat to attend. Add to that the extra work involved in installing my new Lenovo computer and transferring data and I don't seem to have had a lot of time for blogging.

Given that I haven't posted many photo's here recently I thought I'd share a collage today that covers some of the things I mentioned above along with a few of my tongue in cheek(sarcastic) observations.

Our visitor this week was Pen(top photo), Duen's young sister, who is always tapping me up for money and likes to visit us since she knows she will be well fed and watered. Given that I had recently lent her some money to pay a debt I was quite surprised when she arrived clutching the latest all singing and dancing Nokia phone(5000 Baht+), figure that one out.

She also brought along Bam, who is Doy's cousin and another sisters son. Bam announced his arrival by puking allover the living room floor after he wolfed down some food like he hadn't had a meal for a week. Having recovered from his ordeal he then proceeded to test out my new settee to see if it was as well sprung as the other one by performing some gymnastics. The next two days were somewhat of a game of cat and mouse between myself and Bam as he attempted to find new locations to puke whenever he had scoffed some food.

Pen, his aunt, seemed oblivious to his antics and slept most of the time, although she did put in appearances for eating and watching Thai soaps which just happened to coincide with World Cup matches.

Fortunately on Saturday I managed to drag them all out to Wat Dan Singkhon for a chofah ceremony, the bottom left photo shows the chofah, in case you wondered. Anyway I really enjoyed the ceremony and got some great photos which you can look at on my Temples of Thailand blog where you will also find an account of the event.

Eventually on Sunday afternoon Pen and Bam departed for Samut Sakhon and with my wallet still intact we all settled down for some relaxation. A little later we had another visitor in the form of the local roti vendor, who as you can see was welcomed by Doy. OK I had a roti too and I wasn't sick, thank Buddha Bam had left before the salesman arrived!

Finally today is the first birthday on my neighbours son, pictured here with his Grandma, the photograph was taken last year not long after he was born , thought I might give it to him when he's a bit older and got a girlfriend.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Lenovo ThinkCentre-My New Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:09:00 +0000

Let me introduce you to my new computer. Its a Lenovo A70z ThinkCentre, which is what they call an all in one computer. Everything apart from the keyboard and mouse are contained behind the 19" screen which stands on the desk.

My HP Compaq Presario has served me well over the last four years but like many things in the world of ICT it is technically very out of date. Its never let me down and continues to work really well but it has its limitations, mainly caused by lack of RAM. Unfortunately the RAM used is DDR and more or less obsolete so upgrading is an expensive option if you can find the components.

I spent a long time researching different models, both desktop and laptop/notebook before I decided on the Lenovo ThinkCentre. In fact it was my research that led me to discover the all in one computer.

Since I live in Thailand, where computers are generally more expensive than the UK or US, I decided I wanted something that was going to fit my requirements or even exceed them for the considerable amount of Baht I was going to invest. I also wanted a machine designed to run Windows 7 Professional, that had plenty of RAM with the option of expanding it later and was more than capable of handling my photographic processing needs. Finally I wanted something that came out tops in reviews regarding reliablity and value for money.

Lenovo (formerly IBM) have an excellent reputation for their products and although the Thinkcentre A70z is primarily designed for small businesses, the spec offered on this machine was just what I am looking for. Running a 2.75 gigabyte Intel processor with 2GB of RAM expandable to 4GB it is an extremely versitile machine. Although there is no seperate graphics card, photograph rendering seems fine and it manages PhotoShop easily.

Boot up and shut down are extremely quick no doubt aided to some extent by Windows 7.

Having been a long time fan of Windows XP I can honestly say that the new Microsoft operating system certainly has me sold, it quite intuative, but perhaps thats because I was an XP man!

My biggest problem at the moment is finding the time to explore the computer and operating system further since I have a lot of material to transfer from my old machine, which also needs some work doing on it so MTF can use it for her university work.

If I had to score the Lenovo A70z out of 10 now, then it already gets a 9, since the only thing I think is poor is that the package came with a wired keyboard and mouse, so you have wires from the front of the desktop. Guess I might have to invest in a wireless setup, but purely from an asthetic point of view.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Thai Lottery-A Winning Combination

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:24:00 +0000

You will of course be aware, if you read my blog, of my loss of face with the locals here, when I ignored the rumours that were circulating locally about an impending earthquake and tsunami. Well OK I did a bit more than ignore them, but come on I am not Thai am I and my neighbours are unlikely to read my blog are they?

Anyway I had better explain in case you wonder what I am on about this morning you might also need to checks out my recent posts on Crazy Thai Rumours.

In a nutshell my neighbours predicted that there was to be a major earthquake and tsunami on the 12th June. Something I found hard to believe since rumours in Thailand are more popular than sticky rice. Whatever, this prediction turned out to be true but thank goodness there was no tsunami. There was however not just one but two earthquakes recorded in the region on the 12th June, the predicted doomsday.

The earthquakes, one in the Indian Ocean measured between 7-7.3 on the Richter Scale, depending which source you view and one centred around the Kanchanaburi area of Thailand measured 3.7 on the same scale. The former did indeed trigger a tsunami warning.

Having lived in Thailand for a while now(seems like a lifetime) and having an analytical brain, some might disagree here and call me a dreamer, I decided that the combination of numbers in the earthquakes magnitude seemed to indicate something. Perhaps a lucky number was being flagged up seeing as the Thai Lottery was due to be drawn on the 16th. Well it seemed a lot more scientific than staring at a piece of wood or rubbing an artifact to get a lottery prediction. Anyway I needed something to regain my loss of face.

With this in mind and knowing my partner cannot resist the temptation of the illegal lottery operated in the village I casually suggested that 7 and 3 might be a good combination, for the last two numbers if she happened to be buying a ticket. If you win this nets you a cool 1000Baht for a 20 Baht stake with the local bookies runner.

Knowing full well she would buy a ticket I sat back and waited for Duen to finish the school run. I checked the lottery results online before she got home and found to my surprise that 73 was indeed the two figure payout.

"Did you check the lottery results," I enquired when she arrived home. "Yes me not win," she responded somewhat deflated.

"Are you SURE, check your tickets?" "No me not win, here you look."

Sure enough she hadn't won but she had used 37 for a number of bets!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Comments Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:13:00 +0000

While it is fair to say that good content is a sure fire way to get readers to your blog, it is equally fair to say, in my opinion, that having a healthy dialogue with those readers through your comments system is also important.

Blog templates, whatever platform you are using will have some sort of comments system enabled. It might be through a plug-in or third party host but it will be there at the foot of the post you are reading.

During an average day I visit, read(when I know there is new content) and comment on quite a lot of blogs. My feed reader lets me know about the new stuff, but what about the posts I have already read and commented on. Especially where there are a lot of comments and a debate about the post is developing? I want to be part of that debate if I have something to say.

Now I could revisit each blog to see how things are developing, but its very time consuming and since content is king, I would rather spend that time developing my own stuff. Now fortunately most, but not all, blogs I visit have a comment system enabled that allows me to subscribe to that thread by email . Great, the system sends me an email every time a new comment appears and I can jump in and add my six penneth if appropriate.

I have personally adopted the Disqus comment system on my blogs and several fellow bloggers use this or the Comment Luv system on their web pages, both systems have there faults but generally speaking they far outweigh the generic comments systems employed on Typepad and Blogger for example.

One big difference is the ability of generic systems to enable follow up comments by email.

Now you can do it on Blogger based blogs, it was added back in 2007, so its been around for a while but sadly, in my opinion, there is a big hole in the system. Let me explain, take a look at the footer for the comments box pictured below, which is what you most probably will see if you try to comment on a Blogger blog(depends on Blogger Settings).

You will see that providing I use my Google ID(checked)then the facility for receiving follow up comments by email is enabled if I check that box too. However the system falls down if I want to comment and use any of the three other options shown, for example the Name/Url option that provides a link (possibly DoFollow) to my blog. Here is an example:

Notice how the email option has gone? Incidentally research tells me this is an anti-spam feature Google(Blogger) included.

OK you Blogger users, take a moment to think about this, ever wonder why folk don't come back with another comment on that post? Well this might well be your answer. Perhaps its time to explore an alternative system?

This issue is not however just related to Blogger blogs. Indeed some of my favourite reads that get loads of comments do not offer the facility to subscribe to the comments on that post by email. Now in these cases I usually revisit the blogs, but I might forget and therefore miss an important point! I have a feeling the blogs to which I refer are Typepad based but one may be a Wordpress themed.

A really good example of a Thai blog where the comments system works really well, including follow up emails, is Thailand Land of Smiles, where Comment Luv is used on a Wordpress blog. Just check out the amount of comments, follow up comments and the email subscription facility along with the back links. Of course remember content is king and Talen has plenty of good quality stuff on offer that attracts the comments in the first place.

Finally, on this rather long post, a word about Disqus. The system is not perfect, there are some issues with dialogue boxes staying open when you do certain things with a comment, but the comment management and layout are very good. Not one spam comment so far.

To take advantage of additional back links from my blogs and other Disqus powered blogs you really should register (not use guest) with Disqus. You do not need to install the system on your blog, but once registered you will feature in the Top Commenter's widget on my blog and thus get an additional back link.

If you really value comments and in my opinion you should if you want to develop your community, then you need to think seriously about installing a system like Comment Luv or Disqus(there are others too), if nothing else, properly enabled these systems provide both link backs and the facility to receive email updates on comments that are post related. Of course they actually offer a lot more like nested comments and threads. Which in turn means easy to follow dialogue and perhaps some more return visitors. Can't be bad can it?

Over to you......comments please and if you want to subscribe to follow up emails on this post make sure you click the subscribe by email link. Now remember I mentioned Disqus glitches, well if you try to follow this post by email the dialogue box might stay open, this might not be Disqus at fault but the new template. Anyway, just refresh the page if you want to do something else before leaving.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Crazy Thai Rumours Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:02:00 +0000

You may recall that on Thursday I related a tale about a rumour that was being spread locally about an impending earthquake and tsunami, I called it Crazy Thai Rumours.

Well it seems the story is now making national and international headlines with the Thai Meteorological Department(TMD) stepping in and denying that any such information comes from official sources. Blaming instead the Internet and the likes of yours truly for writing articles about the rumours. Unfortunately the TMD is wrong about where the rumours started since they were actually broadcast nationally on TV and radio.

In a country where the average citizen relies heavily on predictions to bring them good luck, be it from a fortune telling monk, a sign on some artifact or indeed the number of times a Tokay gecko calls, it really does beggar belief that none of the fortune hunters following such predication's, ever sit down and try and figure out why the source of their information is not a self made millionaire.

But of course the fortune seekers don't do this and Thailand and its citizens continue with the hokum, making them a very susceptible audience when some nut goes on TV or radio and forecasts the end of days. Now while it might be argued that lottery prediction and speculation might be harmless fun, it can hardly be said that doom mongering is. Indeed there is a report that some villagers in coastal areas who heard the prediction have already fled to high ground given their experiences in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Now it is of course not beyond the bounds of possibility that there will not be an earthquake under the ocean somewhere tomorrow, indeed the area to he West of Indonesia is a prime candidate (source of 2004 tsunami) which of course devastated parts of Thailand. But predicting such events is by no means an exact science(or indeed a science) and the odds against such an event must be millions to one. Which are about the same odds you might have of winning if you follow the local Buddhist monks predictions for the lottery results.

One final thought before I head for the hills, I wonder if the source of the rumour has been buying up surplus GT 200 explosive detectors from the Thai army and putting them to a different use. Who know perhaps they can predict earthquakes better than detecting explosive substances.

Ever wonder why Thailand bought them(GT200) in the first place, there are of course lots of rumours circulating as to why!

UPDATE 13/06/10: Well if I had a hat I would have to eat it. There was an earthquake in the Indian Ocean yesterday and a tsunami warning issued! Read the report here.

14/06/10: Another earthquake reported today at Kanchanaburi(River Kwai) only 3.7 magnitude, wonder if it woke Malcolm? No reports of tidal wave on the river.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Crazy Thai Rumours!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:33:00 +0000

Just before I visited Thai Immigration yesterday, Duen, who had been chatting to the neighbours, came into the house, she was quite excited.

"Quick, you look on Internet have big storm, Tsunami come Sunday" I went through the usual routine, question, answer, clarify. Eventually I thought I understood, "who told you about this?" I asked wondering who was her source, but already knowing full well it would be Ge-ep's rumour mongering mother who would probably qualify as top village gossip in any country. Duen confirmed my thoughts and added that Yai had seen the news on the TV weather report.

Now given that Yai can neither read or write Thai, I wondered if she had been watching an international section of the news about the recent tornadoes in the USA and mistaken the Mid-West for Khlong Wan.

Anyway in order to pacify MTF I did a quick trawl of the Internet weather sites that all reported normal seasonal weather for the PKK area for the week ahead. Duen seemed satisfied with this so we got on with the business of visiting immigration.

Later after we got back Duen said she was going out as Yai wanted to visit their farm at Dan Singkhon and needed a lift. They don't have a truck so occasionally we do help out with transport, although the family do have two motorcycles. I bit my tongue, we had been to Dan Singkhon two hours earlier, why didn't she come then! " Drive carefully and watch out for Tsunamis, "I added sarcastically for Duen's consumption as they left.

Later when Duen returned I casually asked her why they had been to the farm. "Me help she to clean house." "You mean the farm house(which is unoccupied)?" "Yes, she get it ready for us to go to on Sunday when Tsunami come." "Take children there."

"Bloody hell are you all crazy?" I exploded, "there's no storm forecast and Tsunamis usually follow earthquakes." "For God's sake give it a rest and tell Yai she is talking rubbish," I added barely able to contain myself.

A little later Yai came round to see Duen, offering some money for diesel, I refused and gave her a big smile. Which leaves me thinking what a big hypocrite I am!

Now I wonder should we head for high ground on Sunday?

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Retirement Extention Thai O Visa

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:32:00 +0000

As I have posted a couple of times this week I seem to have had a few days watching paint dry in various Thai establishments. Today has been no exception to this pattern as this morning I visited Thai Immigration at Dan Singkhon to renew the retirement extension on my Thai O Visa.

I was the only customer, but somehow the IO managed to make the process last for about an hour, giving me ample opportunity to pursue some more wall watching. To make matters worse her maths and the correct interpretation of the Immigration rules seemed a little off. Anyway a bit of patience and having MTF with me helped and the important thing for me is that I have now permission to stay in the Kingdom for another year.

It therefore would seem appropriate to refresh the information that is available here on this site about the process of obtaining a Visa extension in the Kingdom based on retirement. People wishing to apply in the Kingdom should therefore obtain an O visa before travelling although it is possible to convert a tourist visa(not visa on arrival).

My original O visa was issued back in 2007 at the Thai consulate in Hull, UK. It was a multi entry visa and cost £100. This type of visa covers various circumstances which include retiring to Thailand and visiting friends and family there. The O visa allows you to stay 90 days before you must exit and re-enter the country to get another 90 day stamp. Since I live in Prachuap Khiri Khan I used to travel via Bangkok to Cambodia to complete this process. OK if you fancy a few days in BKK but quite inconvenient really.

In order to circumvent this process you can apply for a years extension to your O visa at your local immigration office . For a retirement extension you need to be over 50 years of age, retired from work and have an income or savings that total 800,000 Baht per year. In August 2008 I applied for my first such retirement extension. I have continued to follow this route in 2009 and 2010.

Thai immigration rules for a retirement extension are straight forward enough, they are as follows:

1. The applicant must be 50+, this means after your fiftieth birthday.

2. You must have 800,000Baht (£17,000) in a Thai bank account, on the first application money must have been in the bank for two months but it is three months on subsequent renewals OR

3. An income into Thailand of 65,000 Baht(£1382) a month OR

4. A combination of 2 and 3 above, there is no need for the money to have been seasoned for 2 or 3 months in a Thai bank for this route.

In order to prove the above to Thai Immigration you will need the following:

Method 1-A letter from your bank confirming your account and a statement covering the last 2 or 3 months depending whether its your first application or not.

Method 2- A letter from your embassy confirming your yearly income-they will want to see proof if you are British, I believe the US embassy is different. The UK embassy letter costs around £50.

Method 3- The evidence from method 1 and method 2.

Other documents you need to present to the IO are as follows:

1. Completed form TM 7, can be obtained from immigration or downloaded from their web site. If downloaded the print must be double sided. The rear of the form requires a current photograph attaching (4 x 6 cm)-make sure you are appropriately dressed in photograph!

2. Copies of the main page of your passport, original O visa, TM 6 departure card and the page that was stamped when you last entered Thailand.

3. Fee of 1900 Baht.

Also take(not officially required) your bank book, house document if you have a yellow book and a map showing where you live. You may well not be asked for them, but if you are you are ready! Each Thai immigration office tends to have a different take on the rules.

A couple of things to note:

1. If you wish to exit Thailand during the period of your extension you MUST obtain a re-entry permit (form TM 8) from your LOCAL immigration office before travelling. Its 1000Baht for single re-entry and 3900Baht for multi re-entry permit. Failure to do so invalidates your extension and unless you have a valid multi-entry visa you will need to get a new visa and start the process again. Even with a valid multi-entry visa(you can enter country for 90 days)you will need to redo the retirement application again.

2. Although you do not have to exit Thailand every 90 days on a retirement extension you MUST report your address to your LOCAL IO in this time frame using form TM 47. This can be in person or by post(not recommended).

3. When you visit Thai immigration, be polite, dress smartly and keep your cool. If you do not speak Thai fluently take a Thai speaker with you. Many officers speak some English, but its not guaranteed.

Finally to round things off back to this morning. The IO was pleasant enough, but I soon figured out that she could not understand how my income and bank balance combined to clear the income threshold. In truth I think she probably didn't understand the rules fully, but I noticed she checked the Police Order that is applicable so that was good. It also helped that MTF was well briefed on the subject by me so could explain in Thai that I was using the combined method. Remembering my own advice I kept my cool and we figured it out together so I got my extension.

I mention this because it is a classic example of how different offices and indeed different officers interpret the rules or are unsure of them.

Pleased with the outcome I must have been feeling quite elated as I left the office because I told the officer to put my 100 Baht change in the coffee fund which earned me half a wai and a smile!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Like Watching Paint Dry in a Thai Bank

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:50:00 +0000

Its that time of the year where I need to renew my retirement extension to my O visa so I can remain in Thailand for another year without the need to exit the country every 3 months(visa run). I've done it two times already so I know the score, mind you thinking about it that's a bold statement, given the whims of Thai Immigration.

Anyway because I think I know the score I have been getting the relevant documents ready for my annual pilgrimage just up the road to the Dan Singkhon immigration post. I finally got my letter back from the British Embassy in Bangkok on Saturday, this confirms the amount of pension I receive each month, cost me £53 this year(2510 Baht) which equates to quite a few more G & T's for the jolly old consulate staff than it did last year!

Whatever, I need the letter so its no good moaning, but because my pension is not the equivalent of the 800,000 Baht a year anymore,the figure set by Thai Immigration as a qualification for semi permanent residence , I also need to show a deposit in a Thai bank to bridge the gap. So this morning along with MTF(she likes banks) I headed down town to the main Bangkok Bank branch office to get a letter from them and a bank statement.

Being Monday morning things were buzzing when we arrived at 9.30am, so we headed over to sit near the desk and wait our turn to see the dear old lady who does this sort of admin task. I noted she had three customers sitting in front of her as I arrived so we parked on some vacant chairs to wait our turn.

Of course a casual observer looking at the three folk sitting in front of the bank clerk would of course assume they were together, yes probably in the West this would be the case, but remember this is Thailand, where such things as queues are not high on peoples priority list. Nor for that matter is privacy, putting it kindly folk often like to be nosey. So I sat and observed, trying to figure out if there were three individuals waiting to be served in front of me or some combination of that number.

My mathematical calculations were soon halted when a young man sauntered up, ignored the vacant chairs near us and proceeded to peer over the heads of the seated customers, his right arm casually resting on the back of a very old lady who was on the right of the group. I started to recalculate my equation as he casually twirled his car keys before engaging the old girl in chat. Clearly he was with her, but what about the other two? Eventually he spoke to them all, so they were all together, not long to wait then I figured.

Time passed, my mind wandered, fuelled by the fact that the old lady when asked to sign documents applied an inky fingerprint instead of signing, a task which required the steadying hand of one of the party each time she was required to perform the task. Papers came and went, I counted twenty rubber stamps and 6 fingerprints. I let my imagination go into overdrive, perhaps the couple were in the process of defrauding an old lady, who could clearly not read or write. Perhaps the young man was an accomplice intent on gaining access to her fortune.

A sharp jab in the ribs brought me back to my senses, "why you stare at wall?" MTF inquired. How could I explain I wondered. " I was just watching the paint dry," I responded, thinking that she wouldn't understand my idiomatic reference to my boredom and would just let it go.Well I could hardly try and explain what I had been thinking, could I?

Soon (45minutes had now passed) the party left. It was our turn, I ordered my letter and bank statement avoiding looking at the wall for too long least MTF spotted me. Leaving the bank with my Thai partner I noticed the group that had been in front of us, "I wonder what they were doing," I casually enquired. "Oh old lady loose book bank, they get her a new one."

OK Sherlock, time to head home I think!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Thai People Are Really Quite Shy?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 03:27:00 +0000

Generally speaking, despite what you might think given the bar scene in Thailand, Thai people are really quite shy especially about sex and the like. This equally applies to adolescent Thais and open displays of affection are rarely seen. No holding hands, certainly no kissing or any of the other things that you might well see displayed between youngsters on the streets of any town or village in the UK or USA.

This of course doesn't mean that young Thai people feel any different to their Western counterparts, its just that they don't show it in public or even around the family.

I was therefore quite surprised the other evening to spot a very young couple meeting each other on the lane that runs up to the farm near my home. Perhaps they were 14 maybe 15 years old, whatever, but it was certainly clear to an experienced eye that they had one thing on their mind and it wasn't searching for frogs in the coconut grove.

Eventually they moved off each on their own motorcycle and I lost interest returning to my cold beer with thoughts of my youth in England suddenly flashing through my mind for some reason. Eventually I went inside and thought no more about the couple or my misspent youth for that matter.

Enjoying a very pleasant early evening shower I was suddenly aware of MTF calling excitedly.

"Quick me want..........." She struggled to find the right English word. I suggested a few to try and help, "money?" "Doy?" "to use the hongnam?" All suggested in vain. "No me want oculas." "You want what?" Me somewhat miffed at having had to abandon my ablutions. "Quick you come bring oculas," she repeated adding that Ge-ep wanted them(whatever they were).

Fearing that the Indochinese Spitting Cobra had returned I prepared myself for battle, now where did I leave my dark glasses? Anyway at this point Doy pipes up "Aunty Duen want to look at bird"(spoken in a mixture of Thai and English). Ah the penny drops, she wants my binoculars. She did, I confirmed. Grabbing them from me she headed outside to leave me hurriedly dressing since I wanted to see what she and Ge-ep needed my binos for. Given that they both know my passion for birding perhaps it was a rare sighting I reasoned.

When I got outside I found a small group of neighbours all eagerly pointing towards some disused buildings near the temple. Silently thanking God that I had not run outside in my towel I enquired what all the fuss was about.

"Look over there." MTF said pointing towards the old buildings as Ge-ep tried to focus the binoculars and scan the area. Well it was dusk and I couldn't see anything, save for a couple of motorcycles and two young people. Once again the penny finally dropped, my neighbours were eagerly watching the young couple I had spotted earlier, who it seemed, were now getting somewhat more affectionate in their actions.

I laughed until I almost cried, I had to go inside, my shy Thai neighbours were actually voyeurs!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Unseen Thailand- A Secret Railway?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:45:00 +0000

I first came across the railway by accident when visiting Duen's family in Samut Sakhon, we were shopping in the main market there when I found some railway tracks running through it. Thinking it was an old disused line I was even more surprised to see a diesel rail car type train arrive amidst all the market stalls. I had inadvertently discovered part of a commuter railway line that I now know runs from Bangkok to Mahachai and onward to Samut Songkhram.

Now the Samut Sakhon terminal is adjacent to the Tha Chin River that runs through the town, there is no bridge for the railway to continue, so when I first discovered the railway I did not realise you could continue your journey westward. It was only later on another visit to Samut Sakhon that I discovered railway tracks on the opposite banks of the Tha Chin River on the Tha Chalom pinninsula. Later I discovered two stations, initially Tha Chalom and later the terminus at Ban Laem which is on the West bank of the river. I also found that a ferry connected the rail terminals on each side of the river.

Despite a lot of local research in Samut Sakhon with my Thai family and friends I could not find out much historical information about the lines. Indeed you won't find the schedule for the railway if you look on the State Railway of Thailand timetables . It was only after many hours searching the Internet that I discovered a few accounts in English about the railway. This is a particularly good one entitled the Mae Klong Mahachai Railway.

To date I have not travelled the line but on my next trip to Samut Sakhon I intend to take the train from Ban Laem to Samut Songkhram(Mae Klong). I also want to take the camera down to the Samut Sakhon end of the line from Bangkok and try and photograph the arrival or departure of a train.

So if you are a rail enthusiast like myself, or indeed someone who just wants to do something different, then this little unseen Thailand gem might just be for you since both Samut Sakhon and Samut Songhram are well worth a visit.

By the way if you look on the map you will find the trains from Bangkok do not leave the main railway station (Hualampong) but instead leave from the little known Wongwain Yai Station in the Thonburi area of the city.

PS: Another useful link Mae Klong Mahachai Railway supplied by Andy at Changwat, Amphoe Tambon.

Update 10/06/10: I recently found this weekend trip on the Mae Klong Mahachai Railway advertised on TAT News.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

View Bangkok to Samut Songkhram-Thailand's Secret Railway in a larger map

Waiting for Godot?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:49:00 +0000

I was sitting in the office yesterday playing around with my blogs design when my Thai friend announced that we would be eating at our neighbours house in the evening since they had invited us over. She decided she was going to make some salads to take along and I suggested that I supply a few bottles of beer to help wash down the food.

Well Duen spent a good portion of the afternoon preparing food, the spicy salad she promised and also a fish and some squid to grill, we got some beer from the mini-mart and by 6.30pm everything was ready. Food and drink was passed over the garden wall and we all settled down outside the neighbours home to enjoy the food, with some free entertainment as we watched the lightening illuminating the clouds in the distance over Prachuap.

As I sat there I noticed that the only food on the table was what Duen had supplied. Strange I thought, whatever, perhaps our neighbour wanted to show appreciation for my partners effort by letting everyone try this food first. Well everyone tucked in, we were joined by Annan, another neighbour, who can smell free food and drink from a mile away, so the food and drinks we had bought soon disappeared.

Still not full I waited in anticipation for the gastronomic delights our neighbour had created, time passed we chatted(I mostly listened), still no more food. I even nipped home to raid my beer store so the men could have a drink. The conversation swung this way and that, tittle tattle, gossip, if you know Thais you will know exactly what I mean! I drifted off into my own thoughts watching the lightening, but with half an ear cocked for certain Thai words I know.

"Farang," a trigger word, I listened more closely, they were talking about the other foreigners who owned bungalows on the complex, absentee dwellers, who arrive for a month or two each year. "Luang Mike," another trigger since local folk call me Uncle Mike, which is actually a quite respectful way for Thais to refer to you. They were talking about me, but I didn't understand the context, some more Thai I picked up " sabai sabai," laid back is probably the best interpretation of this. Duen said something and everyone laughed. I smiled, well you don't want to offend folks do you?

Intrigued, I waited for my opportunity, then asked Duen what they had been talking about. "They say you very relaxed, not do anything, sit all day." "Well I am retired," I countered somewhat defensively, what do they expect I wondered silently, I'm in my sixties, I've worked all my life and now its time to enjoy some relaxation. Anyway I cleaned the hongnam(bathroom) today, fixed a leaking pipe in the garden and went to the shop to buy the beer you lot are drinking!

"OK what did you say that made everyone laugh?" I asked, expecting a reply that mirrored their views on my somewhat laid back life style.

"I tell them you waiting for God."

With these words ringing in my ears there was suddenly more lightening, closer this time, then a loud crack of thunder.

Waiting for God? Not me, I'm just waiting for some more food!

PS. The food never arrived, so in effect we cooked our food which we then shared with our neighbours at their house-figure that one out!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

May in Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:47:00 +0000

May in Thailand is certainly going to be a month I will remember for a long time. Street battles in Bangkok leading to the end of the occupation of the central shopping area by the red shirts will certainly see to that. However the month has also been memorable for more positive reasons too.

The drought has finally broken and we have actually had rain on four days this month, the wind is starting to settle from the SW so the monsoon is on the way, not that that means too much rain here in Prachuap Khiri Khan. It has however led to a drop in daytime temperatures which hit over 40C at the start of the month.

Sadly that was also the time that we took a road trip to Samut Sakhon for the ordination of a Buddhist monk, as one of Duens cousins joined the order for a short period. We also visited Samut Songkhram, to see Amphawa floating market and take a trip on the Mae Klong River, temple spotting. Everyone really enjoyed the trip but wished it had been at a cooler time of the year. In fact it was quite funny at times, given the English habit of always discussing the weather, to find my Thai hosts and guests doing just the same!

On the blogging front I have managed to redesign MTF using the new Blogger template designer available in Blogger in Draft, incorporating Disqus comments and finally after some deliberation adding a header(feedback please). I have also added a page element to my Temples of Thailand blog that covers the ordination of a Thai Buddhist monk in some depth with lots of photographs that support the text.

Meanwhile on the home front Doy started Pratum 1, the first year of her middle school education. She loves her new uniform and the 20 odd books that we had to purchase for this years programme. She was even excited when I bought here a brief case to carry everything in!

Looking forward to June my thoughts are now on renewing my retirement extension to my O visa for another year. I have been a little concerned on this front given that the Pound Sterling has lost a lot of exchange value against the Thai Baht. But as things stand at the moment I can still hit the income requirement for this type of extended stay in Thailand.

Other plans for this month include redesigning my photo blog, getting some quotes for a sala Thai (covered seating area) in the garden and visiting some local temples. I also want to revisit Huay Yang Waterfall national park to see what the butterflies are like this year.

Finally if you read this blog when you get up today don't forget to say white rabbits. Hope you have a lucky and enjoyable month too.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Thailand Health Care-Visiting the Dentist

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sun, 30 May 2010 05:05:00 +0000

Dental care in Thailand is not free unless you are Thai and attend a dental clinic at a hospital, even then you may well be charged for any medication you need. So when I developed a toothache a couple of days ago I decided to head into town to find a private dental clinic. Now Prachuap is definitely not Bangkok or even Hua Hin when it comes to some services and even with my local friends help I only located two dental practices in town.

The first one I visited had two gormless girls sat behind a desk who totally blanked me when I asked them in Thai to see the dentist. MTF came to my rescue, but was equally unimpressed when they casually mentioned we would be third in line when the dentist eventually turned up, the time of which they didn't know either! We left and went elsewhere.

At the second practice we found a busy waiting room, helpful staff but no chance of seeing the dentist until Sunday(today), be here early were the receptionists parting words!

Well we got there early this morning, waiting about two hours before I was seen by a very competent dentist who took an x-ray of my mouth before pronouncing the tooth would have to go. Blood pressure checked(I noted it was high), some Novocaine in my mouth and I wished goodbye to the offending tooth. Not the quickest and cleanest extraction I have ever had but importantly for me it was painless.

Having exited the surgery, I was presented with my bill, 500 Baht(£10-12), which included the x-ray and a small after care pack. Not bad really compared with the UK and remember it is Sunday today too! My new dentist only speaks a little English but I found out he lives in Bangkok and runs the surgery in Prachuap for four days each week.

I have booked an appointment to get my teeth cleaned in a week or so and this procedure also costs 500 Baht. I also noted that a filling costs the same price!

You can of course pay a lot more for dental work in Thailand, especially in tourist areas at swanky private clinics (I paid 1500 Baht for a clean and polish in Phuket at such a place). There are also lots of cosmetic dental practices around, that specialise in tooth implants and the like. Indeed there is plenty of medical tourism that is associated with dental work.

I was quite surprised that Prachuap only has two private dental practices, with the one I used only open part time. While I consider the cost very reasonable, I guess for a lot of hard working local people this is not the case so perhaps there is not the business available for more practices and perhaps most of the locals head off to the hospital.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Related Posts:

Thailand Health Care-Visiting the Doctor

Cost of Living Thailand May 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 27 May 2010 03:17:00 +0000

In my last cost of living review for Thailand in February 2010 I concentrated on financial matters with references to the Thai political situation and the forthcoming British General Election. In conclusion I even forecast that the Baht would strengthen against the GBP and that we could well see 45 Baht to the GBP.

Well the political situation really kicked off here as you know and of course we now have a coalition government in the UK. Sadly my prediction about the Baht/Pound exchange rate came true when we hit 45 Baht earlier this month although it has recovered a little as I write this post.

All this has left me looking closely at finances and ways to get the best Baht rate for my pensions. Following some advice from one of my commenter's I have started to explore buying forward Thai Baht contracts through one of the plethora of foreign exchange companies that you can find on the Internet. So I thought I might share my thoughts and experiences to date on this aspect of moving money to Thailand.

The idea is fairly simple in that once you have set up an account you look to trade your GBP for Baht at some point in the future(max 1 year), you agree a rate(if you like what they offer), pay around 10% of the transaction cost upfront and they pay the final 90% when the deal matures.

I said its fairly simple (to set up the account) but of course the skill is going for the right rate and locking into it. Now if someone offered me 50 Baht per GBP for payment in December, right now, I would take that offer.
Why? Because I can't see the GBP strengthening against the USD much in that time and with the Baht tracking the USD the same probably applies to Baht/GBP. Not that I think anyone is going to offer me 50 Baht forward contract for December but I just used that figure as an example.

So why go to all the trouble of shopping around for a FX forward contract? Well there are a couple of reasons, the first is that my bank in the UK, HSBC, charges me £25 a month to transfer my pensions in sterling to my Bangkok bank account. I have no doubt also that BKK Bank also shave off a small percentage with the exchange rates they apply, although they say there are no charges and you certainly get a better rate transferring Sterling to Thailand. My second reason for looking at forward contracts is because at the moment I make regular transfers on set dates and I have no control over what rate I get.

I figure that by keeping my sterling(less 10%) in my UK bank for 6 months I save at least £125 plus I can keep it in an interest bearing account that pays more than the paltry sum BKK Bank offer me. Incidentally they also charge me for saving with them!

I have also considered just leaving my money in my UK bank account(not buying a forward contract) and hitting the FX when rates look good. A flexible approach but who knows what the rate will be in December.

Its funny actually because I read a blog the other day about FX transfers where the writer was going on about using Atm's and taking the charges they hit you with. Not sure its a good idea myself but worth doing a cost analysis on none the less.

What ever method I use I think I will use up my reserves in my Thai bank account since they sit there year in year out earning very little interest. By the way I also discovered that one trader I spoke to with do FX transfers from the UK for £7 although the exchange rate they offered was a little under the average rate.

Now all I need is a crystal ball or perhaps I can go and see the monk who tells fortunes!

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Template Change

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:08:00 +0000

I have been a bit quiet on the blogging front just lately for a couple of reasons. Firstly after the civil unrest here, the constant updates to news and the doom and gloom being spread by all and sundry I don't really feel like blogging about Thailand. Call it a reflective period.

However I have also been busy playing around with the blog and the new template designer from Blogger in Draft. Add to this integrating a new comments system in to MTF as well.

I can't say its all been plain sailing but if you are reading this post then I guess you can see the sum total of about 2 days work. Things are still not quite right, colours, fonts etc but the framework is there, now I just need to learn about CSS style sheets!!

I have tested the new template in the IE 8, FireFox and Chrome browsers and find that you get slightly different results in IE, in fact that's why I removed the header image as it wasn't displaying in that browser (known issue).

Because the blog skin is transparent you might find navigation with your mouse a little lumpy, apparently this has more to do with the computer you are using to view the blog than the actual background image concept. My laptop which is fairly old and low in RAM still copes OK though, just a bit jerky when I scroll down the page.

Anyway that's what I have been up to (plus a bit of bird watching).......what about you?

PS. any suggestions/feedback is warmly welcomed.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Test Post-Disqus Comment system

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sun, 23 May 2010 05:27:00 +0000

This is a test post to try and check if Disqus comment system is working on My Thai Friend. Please Ignore. Or if you are feeling in the mood you could of course leave a comment! I shall be writing a full post about the system later.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Quiz Time Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Sat, 22 May 2010 06:02:00 +0000

With all the doom and gloom of the last few weeks I think its time to brighten things up. So here are some colourful photographs to form the questions for a new Thailand Quiz. Try and answer the following:

1. What are these objects, where would you find them and what are their purpose?

2. What is in the plastic bowls, where would you find them and what purpose do the CONTENTS serve?

3. What is the name of this Thai Orchid, its named after a creature?

4. Who is this figure from Thai history? What empire did he command?

If you are struggling with numbers one and three you could find the answers on two of my other blogs.

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Thailand Crisis-Responsible Use of Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:18:00 +0000

I thought it might be a good idea this morning to take a look at the responsible use of social media during times of crisis and particularly the current Thailand crisis. Therefore this article is based on some of my experiences here in Thailand during the last couple of months of the red occupation of downtown Bangkok.

Since I live some distance from Bangkok during this period I have relied on various social media to fill the gap between mainstream news programmes on the TV and what was happening live on the ground. I have particularly used the following media, Twitter, You Tube and a local expat forum. Generally speaking these media outlets have served their purpose and helped me become better informed.

However I find it quite alarming, particularly during the last few days, that the social media I mention has become little more than a rumour mill and in some cases a source of disinformation. I should also add that in some cases it has become a channel for insensitive and illegal(in Thailand) commentary which in one case led a top news media outlet based in the USA to publish(and subsequently withdraw) a video by a female correspondent that would certainly have led to charges being brought in Thailand.

Hundreds of pseudo journalists and photo journalists have hit the streets of Bangkok and the provinces in the last few weeks. Quite what the motive of some of these people is is open to speculation. I wonder is it to fuel the public thirst for information or is it more to do with fuelling their own ego's as they clamour for even more followers or hits.

Recent videos published by foreigners showing two foreigners engaged in what the Thai government would deem to be terrorist activity, beggars belief. Bad as it is that such individuals engage in these activities it is even worse in my opinion that the "cameraman" then publishes their footage for the whole world to see, which of course includes the citizens of Thailand, many of whom speak and understand English perfectly well. (Edit:one video now removed from You Tube see this article in Times Online regarding person featured).

Despite the State media censorship that does occur in Thailand generally speaking information has flowed quite freely, perhaps this is a view some Thais and foreigners would dispute, but for me as an expat living here I have few complaints in this direction. Personally I see the government action regarding media as reasonable and given the circumstances, fairly balanced and responsible.

Perhaps it is now time, particularly given the delicate nature of the current peace, for everyone concerned to take stock. Consider what purpose you are serving, who might benefit from your sensational photographs or video or even an insensitive comment you are about to make. Thailand has a lot of rebuilding to do, you can help in this process by being responsible for your own actions and not inflaming an already tense situation.

To the real journalists(both freelance and professional) out there, a big thank you. I know many of you put your life on the line to bring us the news and scenes as they unfolded, long may you continue. To the others I would say, give it up, go home and let the Thai people sort things out, it is after all their country and you are guests here.

OK thats my feelings-what about you?

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed

Postscript Bangkok

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Rose) — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:57:00 +0000

Yesterday was I think the saddest I have ever been in my two and a half years as an expat resident of Thailand. Watching the scene unfold in Bangkok and some of the Northern provinces left me wondering how life here can ever return to the way I first remember it.

Ever since I first arrived here to live, there has been political instability, even demonstrations and of course there was the ill thought out airport occupation. Go back a little further and the pattern repeats itself, but most expats, myself included, knew about this before we came here and accepted it as a normal part of life in the Land of Smiles. Even the original peaceful occupation of the centre of Bangkok by the so called red shirts became just another part of the rich tapestry that is Thai politics.

Slowly but surely over the last two months this has changed, small incidents at first, military intervention, deaths and mayhem on the streets of the Thai capital followed. Political solutions were sought, a glimmer of hope appeared only to be extinguished by more bloodshed and violence.

The centre of Bangkok was paralysed, mob rule took over, foreign embassies closed their doors, the protesters dug in, reinforced barricades and vowed never to leave.

Finally unable to find a political solution the Thai government acted decisively, the previous inept military operation was replaced by a well co-ordinated push from the soldiers. APC's were used to remove bamboo and tyres and the fortress in the commercial heart of Bangkok fell. To their credit most of the red protest leaders realising the game was up surrendered to the police, they say to stop further bloodshed. Arrest warrants are in place for the other leaders including the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, charging them with terrorism.

Unfortunately what then unfolded and is still continuing as I pen this post, is that a mob went on the rampage in the capital, burning buildings and looting. Whether the mob is from the red shirt camp, simply common criminals or indeed a combination of the two taking advantage of the situation is open to speculation.

Several provinces to the North and North East of Bangkok are also reporting copy cat acts to those unfolding in the capital.

Last night saw a curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces as the authorities attempted to isolate the law breakers and take decisive action against them. A TV blackout was imposed from 6pm last night with all the Thai channels following a government programme. To their credit the Thai government have done their best to keep the public informed by this medium although reporting is very limited and some might say somewhat biased. Limited announcements in English have also been included.

Quite where Thailand goes now is to some extent any ones guess. My thoughts are that there seem to be several possible outcomes.

1. the anti-government movement grows, and civil war develops in the provinces and the government is toppled, possibly leading to a military coup.

2. the government continues and there are isolated outbreaks of violence around the country and political dialogue starts in preparation for a general election.

3. the status quo is immediately restored and life goes back to normal.

4. the PM resigns along with his government and calls an immediate election.

I just hope that all the Thai people think carefully about what they really want for their country. Because in my opinion yesterday and the events leading up to it also offer an opportunity for people to really come together and address the issues that have lead to the country to the brink of meltdown.

So to any Thai person, whatever your political allegiance, I would say, take a close look at the smouldering ruins in Bangkok and some of the provinces and ask yourself is this what you really want?

If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to my RSS feed