Tim in Thailand

Phuket News ++: February 2010

Catch a pig and take it home? I did not find a lot about this practice.

Chang Beer supports the Patong Beach Party (February 13th) - i do not think that they will get as much press as Leo beer did with their calendar of pretty ladies. Photobucket have removed some pictures of the ladies (why only some?) so i say "Roll on YouTube" where you can see the girls on video.

Thaksin and GT 200 are the stories at the moment

The Government are going to smash out Piracy - this is a photograph which I have seen before and what happens?

Phuket Old Town Festival - fingers crossed I can get to this. I did - see my visit

Chalong Temple Fair - not sure I can make this one but Jamie did

More accidents in Phuket - don't think that i will get a motorbike

Ouch - a motorbike accident and the pilot loses his leg, the passerby speaks to his fiancee about the accident and then takes the phone - this is Phuket.

Valium - the kid thought that they were legal.

The Telephone number Patong Hospital has been wrong for 5 months - it rings but nobody answers.

The Plastic Bag scheme to charge the user 2 baht for a plastic bag (starting February the 14th) in Phuket is not supported by a major retailer 7-Eleven. Did the organisers not contact them before they printed the posters and the PR?

GT 200 - and other fairytales

GT200

Wednesday 17th

- (scientific testing shows that) - performs worse than a roll of dice. Prime minister Abhisit scraps any further orders. BUT sniffer dogs cannot be used because of 'cultural concerns'.

Thursday 18th

- soldiers stop using them in the South - resorting to putting chopsticks into petrol tanks. The price for each GT200 was from 550,000 to 1.2 million baht - depending on which card was fitted. The GT 200 is made by a British company - ComsTrac.

Friday 19th

- Headline - 'Army stands by GT200'. The GT 200 is made by Global Technical Ltd and supplied by Avia Satcom - Prime minister Abhist will find them accountable - good luck, to open a can of worms involving so many people.

- Opinion & Analysis - interesting reading - the military refuses to accept the results for fear of 'losing face'.

Saturday 20th

- GT 200 does not work AND neither does 'sky dragon' - article from the Bangkok Post

Thursday 25th

- The army is looking at Alpha 6 - also made by ComsTrac and powered by static electricity

Wikipedia deleted their link

Then I read about a number of more devices which are made to detect.......

There is an interesting blog about this that I have found

Then I read about

Read a lot about Pa Cheng and her miraculous medical cures - AND THEN about when her miracle cures didn't work.

Did you know that there are 27 airports in Thailand - "ministers sought budgets to build airports in their provinces as a display of their power and their charisma - Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Roi Et, Loei, Kamphaeng Phet ........

Then there is the Ratchasima College that their nursing students could not get jobs because the Thailand Nursing Council indicated that their degree was not to the standards needed.

The list is quite clearly endless.

Phuket News ++: January 2010

Benjamas Blossom Festival 22-24 January - could find nothing about this.

Bomb Detector Scandal - Opinion in the Bangkok Post. I am amazed (well no I am not).

The Thai governmnet spent 500,000,000 baht on a piece of equipment that has never been tried and tested scientifically AND the designer - who must be smiling - will not help at all to explain how this bomb finding piece of equipment works!

Naomi Campbell comes to Phuket and does not stay at my hotel but with a plethora of boats - but she does go to Kajoksee and has a party after dinner....... Kajoksee review.

This was also printed Japan holds the World Record for the Worlds biggest orgy - 250 couples! It is available on a DVD....

Air Asia have incredible deals for flights in Thailand at the moment.

Chang Mai Flower Festival - 5 - 7 February - hoping to visit Chang Mai for this.....

Phuket 1st Raw Food Festival with Ani at Mom Tri's Villa Royale (my Honeymoon was at this property).

We did not receive a copy of this paper at the hotel AND I have only left this week to have a game of golf this week so I have not read it - there is an on-line edition but the copy that I can read whilst eating or drinking wins........

Obsessions.....

I have had my best month ever for visitors to my blog.

What won it first for the readers was the blog of Leo Beer Calendar painted ladies. This was swiftly followed by the success of the blog of the Lady Boy questions.

Then I was sent another link a blog of sexy Thai girls.

Are all the people who read my blog looking for these pictures - I wonder whether advertising would earn me some money?

Phuket News: 27 Dec - Dec 8th Jan

Hiring a jet ski in Phuket? The Governor of Phuket has agreed guidelines for the use of the machines.... watch this space.....

Looking for how to find Liquid Gold off Phuket - thought that was taxis, road accidents, jet ski prangs, selling land, road fines that was this - Why are the PTT getting involved?

A homeless couple from Sweden face deportation; they have got no money, overstayed their visit (they should have left on the 19th of January) ..... how much will they be charged for overstaying their visa?

A letter from Mr Cook in the Phuket Gazette indicating that we should all have to take the British Driving Test - but this is Thailand......... there are ways of passing the exam but not getting in a vehicle.........

Lots of discussion about taxis at Phuket Airport - there are guides to this. But I was surprised to find that you could not share a metered taxi from the airport unless you had the same destination.

Arguments about plastic bags in Phuket..... not sure. I do agree with the comment that the writer uses all their plastic bags as refuse bags...........

Interesting article about Teiki whio lives in Phuket and does amazing surf tricks - never been to a school - a bit late for me to live that life.

Read a letter that indicated that American Fried Rice has nothing to do with American Fried Rice - but it does according to Wikipedia.

Chai Prakan Tulip Blooming Festival - Chiang Mai - I missed all this with the chaos

Visit Chiang Mai - Bor Sang Umbrella and Sankampaeng Handicraft Festival - 15-17 Jan -

The Thai Government wants to drops the online Lottery system. Initiated by Mr Thaksin to curb the illegal underground lottery industry but now Mr Abhisit said that he was not convinced......... Who is going to compensate Loxley GTech.............

Now there will be a 'discussion' over the compensation - Loxley GTech are not going to sue - because of the contract details...........

RIP - A Thai boy drowns on our little beach in Phuket..

A Partial Eclipse in Phuket

A partial solar eclipse on Friday was visible today in Phuket.

The eclipse started at about 1:50 and 50% of the sun (the maximum) was covered at about 3:30.

Our engineering department welcomed the staff to have a look through their welding masks. The staff all had a look with great interest and humor and then we invited the guests – with even greater interest, not what they had read about in their guide books

We tried to take photographs of the eclipse but to no avail and no thanks to all that studying I did……… should have stayed in the Scouts.

Jamie managed to get his pinhole camera to work - to comment on his photo please visit here (it is his photo below).

Excess Baggage Charges a mystery

I am always asked how much is the excess baggage charges and

I always reply that "it is best to be polite".

Then I read the Bangkok Post about a Thai gentleman who had taken well over his limit.........

This gentleman has since resigned from Thai airways! What actually happened we may never know - but it is reported that he had some 30 pieces of luggage totalling 398kg......

UPDATE: he is fined 200,000 Baht

I do know that on Thai Airways a fee of 300 Baht per kg is normally applied once a person exceeds the 50kg limit for first class passengers.

Then I am sent a link to this Times On-Line article - the mystery still remains - but my father always told me to dress well and be polite when I flew and I would hazard a guess that this is still true.

Then I am sent this

"Personally I think people should be charged based on the weight of themselves and their luggage.

I know that’ll never fly, but lighter people with lighter luggage = less fuel cost." Comments

And this guide to avoid carry on baggage fees - there are more on this consumer site

The Guardian in the UK were able to produce this report for a small selection of airlines. Are there any reports for all? Comments

UNITED STATES policies
Then I see this a report about a market increase. This report is about the United States and how airlines charge simply for checking in luggage at the airport (and more for the second one - are you allowed 2 sets of checked on baggage per person?). NOTE. if you all check in as individuals does this mean that you only ever pay the first charge? Please comment. I have found a wonderful website which does detail charges for American Airlines.

Best Christmas Present

The winning Christmas present 2009

The dolls house

Phuket Water Park - coming soon...............

Phuket Water Park - What an example of ........ living in Phuket - does anybody really know what is happening?

I think that I will ask the staff - they seem to know............

But what have i read - Phuket Wan.com (Dec 16 2009) - this is their photograph and text.

"The 500 million baht Splash Jungle, which covers 14 rai and includes an array of waterslides, seven mini-parks, a wave pool and a meandering lazy river of 345 metres, was due to open on December 20, with the West Sands Resort."

West Sands is the company building the accommodation - but they are not answering their phone.

So what were we told there would be? - one answer - West Sand's answer - an older answer - another answer - but what do we have today?

Please email me with any more news.

Visa Runs in Phuket

The information regarding this is regularly changing. You MUST always check any information.

Currently (6.1.2010);
extend your visa by using overland / boat you will be given 15 days on your visa.
extend your visa by using aeroplane you will be given 30 days on your visa.

One company which a guest used recently was Eve and they were very happy

2010 - What will it bring us?

We certainly had an entertaining Christmas this year -

here is a snippet of what happened where I work.

Thank you to everybody - does anybody have any thoughts about
how Father Christmas will visit us next year?

Happy New Year

Phuket News: 12 Dec - Dec 26

Pet Festival of Thailand - SuanSampan, Nakhon Pathom 18-20 December.

What is this?

Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair 2009

Loyalty will light up the Sky

Stopping plastic bags in Phuket - watch this space - February 14th 2010.....................

Australians caught shoplifting at Phuket airport.........

Point - if you shoplift at night the penalty is greater than if it is during the day - does anyone know when day becomes night - just in case?

Patong Aqua Zone - not visited yet - now I would like a web cam to view this!

Aqua Zone is near to the Patong Garden Bay Garden Resort

Bangtao Night fishing games

Simone - Soi Bangla Ladyboy

Do you recognise them?

Have you met them?

Lisa Andrews is looking for them

"Saatchi Showdown"

December 27th - Local Life Festival in Phuket

happy air flying from PHUKET to HATYAI.

PMBC - Rehabilitation of Coral Reefs in Thailand

PMBC - Baby Dolphin dies

PMBC - False Killer Whales (old news)

Getting a taxi in Phuket?

It is expensive to hire a taxi in Phuket, there are metered taxis but they are only available from the airport?

Click here for a blog discussion regarding this situation.

Tantalizing Thai Beer Calendar

Not quite about Phuket but an entertaining story none the less - only in Thailand. A Company that brews beer in Thailand produce a calendar of Thai women with painted outfits on.
The staff member who distributed the poster has since resigned..... BUT ........

If you would like to see what all the commotion is please watch this video