Shabu in The Philippines

Yahoo News Philippines carries this shocking story about speed use in The Philippines.

EDITORIAL - 5th in the world
Here is another dubious distinction for the Philippines: from 1998 to 2007, the country ranked fifth in the world in the amount of shabu confiscated, according to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. The UNODC, in its 2009 World Drug Report, noted that in this area, the Philippines ranked only behind China and the United States, which have considerably larger populations, and Thailand and Taiwan.

The positive point here is that shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, is being seized by authorities. But this does not dispel the fact that shabu is being manufactured in large quantities in this country, which has become a major shabu exporter and transshipment point for the international drug trafficking industry. The UNODC report noted that Philippine-made shabu is shipped to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US. “Manufacture often occurs in industrial-sized laboratories operated by transnational organized crime with most chemists being foreign nationals,” the report said.

Anti-narcotics units conduct regular raids on such laboratories nationwide. So why does the illegal industry continue to flourish? Shabu trafficking is hugely profitable, and manufacturers have the means to buy protection from law enforcement agencies. How many of the actual operators of shabu laboratories have been arrested in raids? Only janitors and security guards are the ones usually caught, indicating that the operators are tipped off by their protectors.

The rare times that drug dealers themselves are arrested and prosecuted, they can buy their freedom through corrupt jail guards, prosecutors, judges and immigration officers. Their release is also facilitated by the technical lapses committed by anti-narcotics agents who are poorly trained in conducting legitimate raids, searches, seizures and arrests. Such lapses can be used as a valid excuse for the dismissal of cases by corrupt prosecutors or judges.

All these problems can be addressed, given the political will and resources. But these problems have been around for many years, and the illegal drug trade continues to thrive despite the fact that the Philippines has some of the toughest drug laws in the world. Fighting the drug menace takes more than piling up confiscated evidence. More importantly, drug traffickers must be caught, prosecuted and punished. - (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Shanghai Building Collapse

Good grief!

Korean Shopping Center is World's Largest

Step aside, Macy's of NYC. The world's biggest shopping center is now located in Busan, South Korea. And I still call it Pusan.

Chosun English has the news.

Shinsegae Centum City in Busan's Haeundae will be registered as the world's largest department store in the Guinness Book of Records. The shopping mall holds a ceremony Friday to receive the official recognition as the world's largest mall from Guinness World Records. Before the Busan mall, Macy's in New York had been the world's largest.

A Shinsegae press release said according to the measurement by Guinness World Records, the floor size of the mall is 293,905 sq. m, 95,405 sq. m larger than Macy's. The mall applied for a new world record after receiving an official certificate as Korea's largest department store through on-site measurement by the Korea Record Institute, an agent for Guinness.

Koreans arrive in the Philippines

Business Mirror gets into some very sensitive issues: Koreans are an increasing presence in the Philippines, and not everybody is happy.

WHENEVER you see and hear them conversing in a public place, it’s easy to mistake them for the Japanese. Although they are just as boisterously loud as the Japanese (when talking to one another), the difference is their skin is generally paler. I know a few who are now sporting a healthy tan like a status symbol; a tan they no doubt acquired by luxuriously drenching themselves in the fairway sun of our fantastic golf courses.

Their guttural accent and the syllables of their words make them sound like Japanese. This is the unmistakable mark of a people whose country had endured almost four decades of Japanese occupation.

The people I refer to, of course, are none other than the South Koreans, whose now-divided country was under Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945.

I feel compelled to draw attention to these visitors, whose presence as tourists and investors in this country would normally be welcome—and even encouraged—for obvious economic reasons.

But lately, I’m afraid, the relationship between Koreans and Filipinos has begun to sour. Have you noticed how they have swelled in numbers lately, especially in the urban centers of Luzon and the Visayas? Why is it that I am getting this feeling that we have been invaded?

In places where they have established their beachheads (if there is indeed, an invasion), the South Korean is definitely the most ubiquitous among visiting foreign nationals.

In Metro Manila, they have added their loud voices to the usual din in such public places as malls and theaters, casinos, restaurants and bars, and other popular entertainment havens. In fact, many of them already own and run the bars, poker clubs and restaurants all over Metro Manila.

Even in the local private schools, there is a noticeable increase in the swarm of South Korean students enrolled at every level from grade school to tertiary. The number of South Korean enrollees in our private schools has exponentially grown, according to the Bureau of Private Schools. This tells us that more and more Koreans have made themselves at home in this country full of smiling, hospitable folk.

The local folk in Eastern and Central Visayas can’t help but notice that more and more South Koreans have begun to settle down and get into all sorts of small businesses right in their turf.

I have yet to find out if the bureau is keeping track of them. We know that as a matter of policy, the government encourages the entry of tourists and foreign investors. But the sheer number of South Koreans coming, I’m afraid, is beginning to spawn a host of problems.

Filipinos who come in contact with them all over the country are beginning to question their motives and resent their presence. I know for a fact that as proprietors of restaurants, bars or poker clubs, they have often been denounced for their shabby treatment of their workers

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AIDs in Phuket

Warning: Phuket is not the place for unprotected sex. Phuket Gazette reports. Also, Michael Jackson dies of cardiac arrest at the UCLA Medical Center.

Phuket has the second-highest per capita HIV infection rate in Thailand, the director of the Phuket Public Health Office said yesterday. Dr Pongsawas Ratanasang said Phuket’s infection rate was second only to Ranong during the two-year period from May 31, 2007 to May 31, 2009.

In the longer term, the total number of reported HIV infection cases at public and private hospitals in Phuket between May 31, 1989 and May 31 this year is 6,397, with 1,740 deaths, Dr Pongsawas said. Cases among men have outnumbered cases among women by a factor of 2:1, he added.

Two-thirds of the cases were among people aged 25-39 years. Within this range, 30-34 year olds accounted for 26.0% of the total, followed by 25-29 year olds (22.2%) and 35-39 year olds (18.2%). The range 0-4 years accounted for just 2.2% of the total.

By occupation, the largest number of cases were reported among casual laborers, followed by domestic workers, the unemployed, retail vendors, company workers, manual laborers and fishermen, respectively. Dr Wiwat Sitomnoch, deputy director of the Phuket Public Health Office, said teenagers are at high-risk of contracting HIV/Aids because many fail to use condoms during sex.

Women who sell sex but work in venues without compulsory testing for sexually transmitted diseases are another high-risk group, he said. “To fight HIV in Phuket, all related agencies have to co-ordinate, especially with regard to educating the public about the disease and how to protect themselves from being infected,” he said.

Dr Pongsawas noted that the high official infection rate is very likely skewed due to demographic factors and the way infection rates are tallied: as the number of new cases of infection divided by the official population of the province.

Phuket’s official population is around 315,000, but the true figure has been estimated as high as at least double that due to the number of unregistered residents on the island. The true rate of infection is therefore likely to be lower than the official figure, although many HIV cases go unreported.

Nat Geo on Preah Viharn

Holy batshit! How could Nat Geo be so out of touch with reality. Here's their latest blurb about Preah Viharn. Sheesh.

Guarded by giant seven-headed serpent gods high on an obscure mountain, in backcountry disputed by Thailand and Cambodia, is an ancient sacred site that's not on the regular tourist map.

Surrounded by landmines and bunkers from the Khmer Rouge era, and still caught up in today's border disputes, Preah Vihear, or "Holy Monastery," is a mysterious place few westerners have been able to visit.

Jon Ortner, photographer and author of the book "Angkor, Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire," shares his first encounters and impressions of the thousand-year-old sanctuary in this essay of words and photos composed especially for NatGeo News Watch

Nat Geo Link "Intelligent Travel"

More Scams at Phuket Airport

Rip offs, rip offs, rip offs. Thailand is filled with rip offs, starting from the moment you arrive at the Swampie Airport and perhaps connect down to Phuket. When will the Thai government do something about these rip offs? Don't hold your breath.

Parking your car at Phuket airport can be a rip-off

I am writing to you to express my anger and disappointment with services at the Phuket International Airport. I am a frequent traveller from Bangkok to Phuket, and most of the time I use the same flight schedule and park my car at the airport.

Last Saturday, however, things were extremely bad again!

The incident happened at approximately 11.45pm. As usual, I had parked my car for two days at the airport and expected to pay Bt400 in parking fees as I had done in the past. However, this time, I was initially asked to pay Bt800, but they agreed to accept Bt600 after I argued that I had only ever paid Bt400 for the exact length of time before. The parking attendants can't be trusted as they charge different fees almost daily for the exact parking period. I know, because I tested this twice.

I also know that the Airports of Thailand will try to argue with me on this, but I have done my homework and know what I am talking about. Despite asking for a receipt that states the time the car came in and left the airport parking lot, I was only given pink pre-printed bill that could not be used to prove anything to anyone.

I have tried to several times to file a complaint with the AOT, but have received no answers. Any explanation or moves to eradicate this practice of over-charging people would be appreciated.

Sailboat Beached in Maya Bay at Ko Phi Phi

I mean, uh doh, whoever is sailing this doomed boat should either give up the bottle or retire from making a fool of himself. Phuket Gazette has the silly story of the day.

Despite salvage efforts, a 77-foot Phuket-based sailboat that ran aground off Phi Phi Island late last week remains stuck in the shallow waters of Maya Bay. The Chrysalis-T remains precariously balanced just off the shoreline in the well-known tourist hot-spot in Krabi, where the 2000 Hollywood film The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was filmed.

The English owner of the French custom-made vessel told the Gazette he was “very busy trying to get the boat out” of its current position. A source told the Gazette the salvage effort could take up to two weeks. There are two options to leverage the yacht free, he explained. “One option is to wait for the highest tide possible, tie lines to the yacht and use a tug boat to move it from its position.”

“The other option is to once again wait for the highest tide of the month, position airbags underneath the boat, and then as the tide comes in, float the boat above the waterline. Then a tugboat can be used to get the boat free,” the source said.

Initial reports indicate there is no extensive damage to the yacht’s hull, but closer inspection will be necessary if and when the vessel can be dislodged and put in dry dock at its home port, the Boat Lagoon, in Phuket. On the day of the grounding the yacht owner’s family were aboard, but the owner was not. All made it out of the vessel safely.

The family were taking a few days holiday sightseeing and sailing around Phang Nga Bay when their fun came to a grinding halt. Severe weather, crew error, or both may have been contributing causes, the source said. The boat arrived in Phuket in late 2008, after five years as a luxury charter vessel in the Caribbean.

The grounding is the last high-profile sailboat grounding in local waters since the 38-foot sailboat Sultan beached at the south end of Patong Beach during a storm in June 2007 and became an instant tourist attraction. After several attempts, Sultan was finally re-floated eleven days later during the monthly high tide.

Song for Persia

A beautiful song about Persia.

JibJab on Obama

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

JibJab continues the satire, though it's difficult to make much fun of the young Obama presidency. Still, they try. The JibJab Blog has details on the creation of this video spoof.

Twitter Origins in Graphic Form

Twitter history in graphic form. Manolith has this excellent image.

Fab Bollywood Song and Dance

The fabulous Bollywood song and dance routine starts after about one minute.

Flash Mob in Antwerp

Doe a deer, a female deer....

Boston Globe Big Picture

The Boston Globe Big Picture continues to amaze with a wonderful collection of photos of the protests in Iran. This is the third time they have covered these events.

In the ten days since Iran's disputed presidential election, street demonstrations have taken place every day. Iranian citizens, supporters of opposition candidates, continue to take to the streets and document what they encounter there, despite explicit government bans, the danger of arrest (many hundreds placed in custody), or possible physical harm (at least 19 deaths so far). Iranian officials maintain their stance that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the undisputed winner, and have increased restrictions and pressure on opposition members, protesters, foreign media and communication networks as they work to regain control. President Barack Obama recently stated that the government of Iran should "recognize that the world is watching." Many of the photographs here were taken and transmitted at great risk in the past week, in the hopes that others would be able to see and bear witness. [ previously on Big Picture: 1, 2, 3 ] (38 photos total)

Kitty Torture via Helicopter

Neda Agha Soltan

Killed in the Tehran protests and symbol of the resistance to rigged votes. Wikipedia page.

Muay Thai Corruption in Thailand and the Foreign Factor

All is not well in the world of Muay Thai in Thailand. The Thai boxers are prone to taking bribes for a fall, and the tremendous increase in foreign fighters means no gambler knows the odds, so bets are off. And the foreign fighters won't take a fall, so the honesty element messes up the system. The Bangkok Post Investigations has the details.

Match-fixing, doping fighters and bribing officials are nothing new in a sport of blood, sweat and dreams that at its lowest point in the 1980s witnessed shootings and grenade attacks at boxing venues, including the country's most famous one, Lumpini stadium.

But the sport that Pak describes as part of Thailand's cultural heritage ("as soon as we can walk we punch or kick a bag") is in danger of being swamped by foreign fighters and promoters who don't necessarily associate muay Thai with betting.

Pak, who runs the Rompo Gym, used to train local fighters, but over the past five years has switched to foreigners. He has about 100 listed fighters, with 35-40 boxers from countries as diverse as Canada, France, Holland, Russia and Slovakia training every day. Pak has unearthed some exceptional foreign talent, including the present World Professional Muaythai Federation (WPMF) heavyweight champion Ramazan "The Punisher" Ramazanov.

While locally muay Thai may be beholden to bookmakers, advertisers, promoters and sponsors, the majority of foreigners are in it for the love of the sport and the legitimate purses they can win in lucrative overseas competitions.

"Some Thai boxers can be still corrupted, which is rare for foreigners," says Pak, who estimates half a billion baht a month is wagered on the sport.

The veteran trainer says there is little betting when two foreigners are in the ring.

"The Thai people like to see them fight. But when two foreigners box in Lumpini stadium, for example, there's very little betting at all because the punters don't know much about their background, boxing form or even fight record. However, when a foreigner fights a Thai they will bet again."

Ramazanov agrees there is corruption in the sport involving "some Thais", but says when it comes to foreigners, "we will fight to win, not to lose. No one has ever come to ask me to lose".

Australian Patrick Cusick, the secretary-general of the World Boxing Council (WBC) Muaythai organisation, says there is only as much corruption in muay Thai as any other sport which has betting.

"In a sport with big betting, like horse racing, there's always some corruption going on," says Mr Cusick, who has been involved with muay Thai for 39 years and has played a key role in promoting the sport overseas.

"I would expect that this would be normal in any sport, but in terms of the quality of fighters that I have came across - and I have spoken to many boxing camps - they train hard and want to win.

"It is not correct to say that Thai boxers are corrupted and foreigners aren't. It is up to an individual. I think that muay Thai is most probably a lot cleaner than is has ever been."RINGSIDE Entering the dilapidated Lumpini stadium on Rama 4 Road is like walking onto a B-grade 1970s movie set. The arena was opened on Dec 8, 1956, and according to regular fight fans, the facilities - or lack there of - haven't changed much since. There's no air-conditioning, with only a few large fans to cool the hot and uncomfortable arena, which was crammed with several thousand people on a recent Friday night when Spectrum visited.

The electronic scoreboard doesn't offer much information on the fight and the English announcements are hard to understand because the sound system is hard to hear. Security is tight. Everyone entering the stadium has to walk through a metal detector, and the strong presence of policemen, military police wearing their distinctive helmets and other security personnel tends to intimidate rather than reassure. But it's a far cry from the stadium's heyday.

"The number of spectators at Lumpini stadium has decreased over the past 30 years from 7,000-8,000 to 2000-2,500 nowadays," Pak says. "People used to come from Chiang Mai, Phuket and other places by bus or by plane down to Bangkok to witness some big matches, but because of technological advances like television and computers they stay at home to see the match and bet at the same time."

Bouts at Lumpini are held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The ticket prices vary, but usually average 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 baht for ringside. The majority of the ringside seats are occupied by foreigners, quite a few of them who are in training and here to observe and learn.

Most of the Thais in the crowd are there for one reason only. Legal betting, in designated areas of the arena, is done by hand signals between punters and bookies, with fingers pointing in various directions, much like a busy stock exchange trading floor. Shouts of "20,000! 40,000!" rise above the din. As the matches progress through the five rounds the betting increases. By the fifth round you can hardly hear yourself think as the punters scream to lay off bets.

Some bookmakers talk into two or three mobile phones at the same time as the matches are underway.

Meditation Retreat North of Chiang Mai

Visitors who speak some Thai and wish to attend an annual meditation retreat some 90 minutes north of Chiang Mai would probably enjoy the home of Lek, whose lovely abode sits under the gaze of Chiang Dao, Thailand's second highest mountain. No contact information is provided in the article below, but I'm sure that intrigued meditation fans should be able to figure it out.

I have a friend by the name of Lek in Northern Thailand who hosts a meditation retreat on her large sprawling estate in Chiang Dao, a small rural community located about 75 minutes north of Chiang Mai, a major tourist hub. With the majestic Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s 2nd highest peak, rising high above the landscape, it is an absolutely idyllic setting.

Up to 40 people – mostly friends and family – attend the meditation retreat, which is held at least once a year. There is a dedicated area on her compound – separate from the main house – where people camp out in tents underneath simple palm thatched lean-toos. Tents are provided to campers as a courtesy of Khun Lek. Clustered together in the camping area are a number of gazebos and platforms which are used by the campers for their group meditation sessions. Scheduled twice a day (at 4:00PM and 8:00PM), these meditation sessions are supervised by her younger brother, an ordained Buddhist monk.

Lek’s Meditation Retreat is not a social affair – the focus is on meditation and spiritual purification. Typically people will eat, sleep and talk less. Breakfast and lunch are ordered from a nearby food shop for about $2.00USD per person, although many of the campers will bring some food and cook together. Most of them will skip dinner and just have some hot cocoa and fruit. Although, Khun Lek does not charge participants any monies, they are welcome to make donations to help subsidize the electricity and water bill.

After about a week or so at Khun Lek’s, the meditation retreat goes mobile – the group will travel around Northern Thailand and Issan by car(s) for about 1-2 months, visiting many places and setting up camp at any number of National Parks. Sounds like fun if you’re seriously into Meditation, Buddhism and Nature! Since Khun Lek and her people speak minimal English, outsiders (hence the tourist crowd) do not attend her meditation retreat as they would feel a little awkward.

For tourists who’d like to escape from the rigors of the daily grind and chant their way to nirvana, you might want to check out the Middle Way Meditation Retreat in Thailand, one of the top international retreats in the world. Located near Phu Ruea National Park in the Northeastern (Issan) province of Loei, this retreat is farang friendly and has more in the way of creature comforts and amenities then Lek’s place in Chiang Dao. For a one-week all-inclusive package, the rate is $156 per person. While I have never been there myself, there was a very good article about this retreat in the June Edition of Conde Nast Traveler. Sounds good to me!

Calyso Island Tours

Indonesia Hearts and Minds

Part One begins with a look back at the Bali bombings, then an interview with Bashir and revealing look at his radical school near Solo, finally a short interview with Sydney Jones.



Part Two starts with coverage of a charismatic young Muslim preacher named Jeffries (?) who is interviewed in a taxi, then a modern, liberal Muslim wedding, followed by an interview with Nassir Abbas, a former fighter from Afghanistan who now works for the government to reform JI members, then a visit to a bookstore filled with radical literature, and finally, a meal with Ali, a committed JI member.



Part Three starts with a look at Suharto and the riots of 1997, Sidney Jones again, music from the modern pop Islamic band Gigi, a visit to a drug addiction treatment center based on Islam and herbal concoctions, and a look at one of Indonesia's most powerful Islamic groups, NU, martial arts included.



Part Four concludes with a East Java village, home to two of the Bali bombers (Muklas and Amrozi), a look at their gravesites and short clips of their funerals, Bugis religious rituals which combine Islam and animism (Bissu), plus transvestite priests, and a positive end that concludes the Indonesian Islam is tolerant and the radical will not rise.

Twitter Guidelines for Journalists

I just started a Twitter account a few days ago (yes, it's friskodude), so all this twitter stuff is new to me. Basically, I'm now trying to figure out who to follow, and how I want to make my Twitter experience different from this blog or my Facebook account. So this PBS MediaShift post offers some suggestions, which might also be helpful to you. Here's a summary of their tips:

Top 20 Take Away Tips for Tweeting Journos

1) Think before you tweet -- you can't delete an indiscreet tweet! (Well, you can, but it will survive in Twitter search for three months and it's likely live on as cached copy somewhere.)
2) Think carefully about what you're re-tweeting and acknowledge if it's unsubstantiated.
3) Be an active twit: tweet daily if you want your followers to stick.
4) Determine your Twitter identity.
5) Be human; be honest; be open; be active.
6) Don't lock your account if you want to use Twitter for reporting purposes -- this fosters distrust.
7) Twitter is a community, not just a one-way conversation or broadcast channel -- actively engage.
8) Check if your employer has a social media policy.
9) Be cautious when tweeting about your employer/workplace/colleagues.
10) Be a judicious follower -- don't be stingy but avoid following everyone as your list grows to avoid tweet bombardment.
11) If you quote a tweet, attribute it.
12) Expect your competitors to steal your leads if you tweet about them.
13) Don't tweet while angry or drunk.
14) Avoid racist, sexist, bigoted and otherwise offensive tweets and never abuse a follower.
15) Scrutinize crowdsourced stories closely.
16) Find people to follow. Foster followers by pilfering the lists of other twits.
17) Twitter is a 'time vampire' (via @anne_brand) -- you don't need to keep track of all tweets, so dip in and out through the day.
18) Prevent information overload by using an application such as Tweetdeck.
19) Add applications to your Internet-enabled mobile device to allow live-tweeting on the road.
20) Add value to your tweets with links, Twitpic and other applications for audio and video.

King Bhumibol -- World's Richest Monarch

Forbes lists the world's richest monarchs, and Bhumibol of Thailand once again tops the list, just as he did last year.

No. 1 on our list, for the second year in a row, is Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He is worth $30 billion, $5 billion less than last year, as a result of double-digit declines in real estate and stocks owned via the Crown Property Bureau, the state investment vehicle of which he is a trustee. Rising political tensions have also destabilized the country, dampening even the important tourism sector.

Fonzi at Thailand Jumped the Shark adds his, er, unique perspective.

The irony of the hypocritical royalists is that they will say publically to the foreign press that CPB and its assets don't belong to the monarchy, yet at the same time these same people would never in a million years challenge the notion that the assets don't belong to the monarchy and advocate state confiscation of the wealth in support of the people.

For example, you will never hear a royalist go up to HMTK and say we are going to use CPB assets to build schools or hospitals, because for all intents and purposes it is the king's money and he can do with it whatever he pleases. The choices of what to do with the money are ultimately up to the king, not to the people and their representatives.

And there is not one person who would challenge the notion that the king can do whatever he wants with the assets.

Personally, I don't care one way or the other. But let us cut through the bull.

The royalist propagandists hate stories like this because for the last 60 years they have been promoting the idea that the king is poor. That is the only reason they go into hysterics over this story

.

Political Prisoners in Thailand has this to add:

Forbes reports: “No. 1 on our list, for the second year in a row, is Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He is worth $30 billion, $5 billion less than last year, as a result of double-digit declines in real estate and stocks owned via the Crown Property Bureau, the state investment vehicle of which he is a trustee. Rising political tensions have also destabilized the country, dampening even the important tourism sector.”

No doubt the statement that the Crown Property Bureau is a “state investment vehicle of which he [the king] is a trustee” is pandering to the mock outrage last year when the Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to claim that the Bureau was somehow a state entity and for the people of Thailand rather than the monarchy itself. These flunkies also challenged the methodology, but had no evidence for their claims in this area.

Claiming that the Crown Property Bureau is a state investment vehicle is an absolute falsehood in law and in practice. Not even the Bureau itself has previously made such a claim at their website, but maybe they’ll soon update it to reflect this bit of propaganda.

As debates at Bangkok Pundit and New Mandala show, the Bureau is essentially under the control of the crown. And, as one correspondent to the latter points out, this is legally the case. Also at New Mandala, another correspondent rightly points out that the listing of wealth for the Thai monarchy is undoubtedly understated as the Forbes figure does not include personal wealth and holdings or the extensive holdings of the Chai Pattana Foundation. Neither of these has ever been adequately reported.

Part of the political struggle over the past 5-6 years in Thailand has been about protecting and enhancing the monarchy’s great wealth and the influence that flows from that. Clearly, if one asks who rules Thailand economically and politically, one needs to begin with the palace.

Yacht Launch FAIL

via videosift.com

Something encouraging for Father's Day.

Thailand: Asia's Biggest Source of Illegal Ivory

Thailand is Asia's biggest source of illegal ivory, and the Thai government seems to be making little effort to stop this international outrage, which continues to decimate the elephant populations in Africa and Asia. And this in a country that supposedly reveres the elephant. Hah!

Bangkok still harbours the largest illegal ivory market in Asia despite efforts to stamp out its reputation as an illegal wildlife trade hub, says a study by the Britain-based wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC. The network found more than 70% of souvenir shops in Thailand have ivory items for sale.

There are now more retail outlets involved in the illegal ivory trade than in the previous survey in 2001, but the business is being conducted in a more secret manner. TRAFFIC also documented more than 26,000 ivory items on sale in Thailand.

There are many workshops where ivory is turned into jewellery, belt buckles, knife handles and other products. These workshops include three in Bangkok, eight in Uthai Thani, and one each in Chainat and Nakhon Sawan provinces, the network says in its study report released yesterday. Most of the raw material used at these workshops came from Africa, it said.

Thailand has been identified by the Elephant Trade Information System as one of the world's top five countries implicated in the illicit ivory trade. However, the country has shown little sign of earnestly trying to address the problem, said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa.

Since 2004, the Thai authority has recorded only two cases of confiscated ivory, which amounted to 1.2 tonnes in total, he said. ''Thailand needs to reassess its policy for controlling its local ivory markets as currently it is not implementing international requirements to the ongoing detriment of both African and Asian elephant populations,'' Mr Milliken said.

Kesemson Chinnavaso, chief of the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said the shortage of staff and lack of skill to tell genuine ivory apart from other raw materials were to blame for the authority's lack of success in cracking down on the illegal ivory trade. However, the department was trying its best to curb the illicit business by setting up a committee to deal with the problem, he said.

Bangkok Post

Breakfast Bargains in England

No jokes about humongous British breakfasts; after all, I'm an American and we're probably responsible for the worldwide gluttony. Still, this is an amazing breakfast bargain at just 10 English pounds (US$16.50). No estimate on total calories. Sharenator has the details.

Mario's Cafe in Westhoughton do a big breakfast for £10! Eat it all in 20 mins without a drink to wash it down with and you get it free!

It's 10 eggs, 10 bacon, 10 sausage, 10 toast, 5 black puddings, tomatoes, beans and mushrooms.

For anyone fancying the challenge, the address is:
67 Market St
Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3AG

Among the responses to the article, this even more far out menu challenge:

I had something similar last week. It was called the mega monster mixed meat grill and i ate it. It consisted of 3 steaks, 3 lamb chops, 3 pork chops, 3 gammon steaks, 3 sausages, 3 burgers, 3 rashers of bacon, salad and a plate of chips. There was no time limit though and you could have a drink. I was only the third person to ever do it. For anyone interested it was at the Golden Lion pub in Todmorden Lancashire. I'm coming for Mario's challenge and i'll eat it. But not in 20 mins though.

Amazing Bat Trick

This guy just has too much time on his hands.

A Requiem for Travel Guidebooks

Are the days of travel guidebooks over? Probably not yet, as some travelers still want the assurances and advice of a guidebook, but the internet is making deep inroads and printed travel guidebooks are quickly becoming an anachronism. I had never heard of Gary Arndt before today, but he's a retired American who made his money in computer work and online gaming, and then quit the job and started an around the world trip about 18 months ago. He's got a decent website about his travels, and fortunately he's also a decent writer. Here's his take on the death of travel guidebooks at Everything Everywhere.

You don’t need a guidebook to travel, and getting information online is better, cheaper, and more convenient than what you will find in a book.

Here is why:

Timeliness

I have used one guidebook on my trip. Prior to leaving, I purchased the Moon’s Guide to the South Pacific. The author, David Stanley, is probably one of the foremost authorities on travel in the South Pacific. He’s been traveling the region for decades and knows the area very well. I subscribe to his website to get news of the region.

Nonetheless, for reasons which were totally beyond his control, much of the information in the book regarding flights was out of date. Pacific Blue had canceled their flights to Tonga. Air Nauru no longer existed. Several other transportation issues made me have to change my plans based on information I got online or on the ground. The problem wasn’t with the author, it was with the medium. He is very diligent about providing updates to airlines on his website, but that same information might take years to make it to print.

The publication cycle for guidebooks means that the moment a new guidebook hits the shelf, the information is probably a year out of date. The schedule for putting out new editions can range from 1-5 years and for little visited places, perhaps even longer.

Sites such as Hostelworld.com will have much more timely information. You can usually find reviews from people who have stayed at the hostel within the last two weeks.

Transportation schedules are the things most likely to change. You can find up to date train information at Seat61.com. You can find up to date flight information at any number of flight sites like Expedia, Orbitz or Kayak. You can get bus schedules from most places you stay. I know here in SE Asia, bus schedules are easy to find at any hotel or hostel, and they will have the latest information.

Most places you will have an entire industry built around tourism. Most guidebook authors get their information about attractions by picking up brochures, and you can do the exact same thing when you are there. If attractions have been closed for any reason, you can more readily find that out online than in a guidebook.

Quality

To address the quality of the information you get from a guidebook, I will not even address the controversy surrounding guidebook author Thomas Kohnstamm and the allegations of fraud (because there really was no fraud). It isn’t necessary.

Leif’s main contention is that you don’t know what your source is online, but you do in a guidebook. I contend the exact opposite. I have no idea who most guidebook authors are and I have no idea what went into the research of the guidebook. I’m sure most guidebook authors are honest, but I’m equally sure that some aren’t. They might have fudged some information or taken freebies from hotel/restaurant owners. I have no way of knowing.

There is huge demand to be a guidebook writer, because of the glamor associated with travel writing. Most guidebook authors are paid very little, and are required to cover a lot of places in a short period of time. I met one guy who was working on the Australia book for Let’ Go. We were both in Coober Peady, SA. He was there for a day, and I was there for four days. We both had access to the same information. He was gathering up everything he could before he had to take off and go to the next place. I probably experienced more of Coober Peady, but I wasn’t trying to catalog as much information as I could.

Guidebooks are not reviews. Guidebook authors do not visit the vast majority of restaurants, hotels, and attractions they write about. They can’t tell if you if a place is good, just that it exists and contact info. If you want reviews of place, you have to go online. Do I trust the collective wisdom of hundreds and thousands of people, or a single person? I’ll take the mob. If a hotel is consistently getting rated poorly online, that is level of information you’ll never get from a book.

The mob also does a good job with sites like Wikitravel. I have personally updated some of the entries on the Solomon Island and East Timor, which I found to be out of date. You have no way of knowing that I was the person providing the information of course. Can wikis have incorrect information? Yes. So far, however, I’ve found them to be reliable. (Prediction, Lonely Planet or someone else will eventually use these user created information banks to gather information and publish books using this content, bypassing individual authors completely. This will totally remove biggest cost associated with information gathering.)

Most importantly, it really isn’t that hard to get information once you are at a location. The more popular the place is, the easier it is to get information. In somewhere like Bali, you will have people falling all over themselves give you brochures, which is the exact same information which goes into a guidebook.

Twitter Overload at The Bangkok Post

I opened a Twitter account just a few days ago, so I'm still learning about tweets and Twitter protocol. One of the worst things anyone can do is flood Twitter with an inordinate number of tweets, driving everybody crazy and causing most subscribers to drop their subscription to your Twitter account. Apparently, The Bangkok Post has lost its mind and sends out hundreds of daily tweets, as retold in this hilarious post by The Bangkok Bugle. Thanks, dude, for the warning!

The Bangkok Post is annoying and losing many of its followers on Twitter. In the past 36 hours it has lost more than 120 'followers' due to what is dubbed flooding - sending our numerous Twitter updates (tweets) in a short space of time. This morning alone @Bangkok_Post has published several hundred updates, some of which are duplicated. Some of the comments from followers include:

Pattaya Tourism Woes

Everyone knows this is the slow tourist season in Thailand, but how slow is it in Pattaya? You'd expect tourism to be down perhaps 50 percent, but a local resident who goes by the name of "Pattaya Ghost" recently took a stroll down Walking Street and snapped a few photos of the deserted bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. The photos are shocking, and obviously proof that this is a slow season beyond belief.

As a follow-on to Banglamung’s recent diatribe, I obtained a 24-hour pass from the missus and ventured out to Walking Street Tuesday. It wasn’t my intention to be a documentarian of the woes and lows and Pattaya in the Age of Piggy Flu, but the sights were pretty shocking. So, as I stumbled my way from north to south, I snapped a few photos between 10 p.m. and midnight with my trusty N82 so definitively answer the question, “Just how slow is Pattaya.” The answer lies below.

f one wants to gauge the impact of the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in Pattaya and Thailand, simply visit the muay thai boxing exhibition ring downstairs from Peppermint and outside Dollhouse. At 10 p.m., these seats would normally be full of Chinese and Korean package tourists. But after three Taiwanese returned home last week with swine flu after touring Pattaya, other tours canceled. The boxer simply stood there for a few minutes, figuring he’s not going to fight if no one’s going to watch.

The Pattaya Ghost Photos on The Farang Speaks 2 Much

Interview with the Founder of Thai Visa

By far, the largest and most popular English language forum in Thailand is ThaiVisa (or Thai Visa), founded by a Swede named George some seven years ago. It's a fantastic resource, and many of the links you find on this blog were discovered on this forum. FrogBlog Thaidings recently conducted a fascinating interview with George (no last name is given), complete with graphs and maps that reveal all kinds of insight into this superb forum.

FrogBlog: In a way it’s a lose-lose situation for the moderators. Too much interference and they are accused of being heavy-handed, of having a ‘God complex’. Too little, and people complain that new members posting in good faith are being scared off, that posters are showing a lack of respect for Thailand. One of the more frequent moans is about moderation policy and censorship. So what would you say to those who complain about so-called moderator overkill, draconian measures, when the topics stray into 'sensitive' areas (and I'm not referring to lese majeste issues, take topics such as bar girls, or naming and shaming, for example). Can you sum up your views, and TV policy, in this respect?

George: If someone has been wrongly treated by a mod or admin on the forum, just drop me a line and we will investigate it. We have been advised by our lawyers to be very careful about commenting on certain issues, and we practise some "self censorship": in these areas. We have high ranking officials who read our forum, and the laws about libel and defamation are harsh.

It is important to realize that in Thailand nothing detrimental to any business or individual is permissible because of Thailand's strong laws against negative comments about individuals, businesses or officials. Defamation is both a civil and criminal offence in Thailand.

The final judgement can be ANY amount which the court approves, including jail time. It is in line with the perceived amount that the defamatory statements have cost the business. So, if the business claims you have cost them 2 million baht in lost business and reputation, they can then claim this in a civil suit.

Thailand is VERY active now in bringing defamation cases to the courts. With the constant battle between the governments & groups, the courts are establishing precedents that MAY NOT be in line with Western standards of free speech. These precedents WILL be applied to EVERYONE in Thailand.

Also, foreigners are just starting to realize this type of ‘strict’ law applies. We are beginning to see more and more defamation suits being brought from foreigners – and they are winning.

There is a standard of good taste that needs to be maintained. Some of the posts on Thaivisa.com definitely cross the line. It is one thing to make observations and report in a balanced fashion - but BASHING a business or “singling out” a business person is a definite no-no. All too often I see forum boards being used as a battle ground between businesses/individuals – either spamming or trashing. We have been advised to tighten our grip on this type of posting. Eventually someone is going to get pissed off enough to file a lawsuit.

This is a dilemma for us at Thaivisa, and we need to protect our members and the website from lawsuits. Please follow the forum rules is all we ask for.

NYT on Budget Travel Websites

Matt Gross at the NYT writes a great column called "The Frugal Traveler," and this week he covers many travel websites centered on finding the best airfare, plus a few other subjects. Plenty of great links in the original article.

Travel Web Sites: A Click-On Showdown
Matt Gross for The New York Times

Last month, I outlined my methods for planning frugal trips, from setting up Google News alerts to reading local novels set in my destination. Many readers wrote in with tips of their own, including Web sites I’d never heard of or had yet to try. So I put them to the test.

Up first, the battle of the booking sites. Reader Haskel suggested Mobissimo.com, whose fares, he wrote, “are very often cheaper than those on Kayak. It is a must-stop Web site for me.” Whitney, meanwhile, suggested Vayama.com, writing, “it has negotiated deals for international flights, plus the ease of use of the site is wonderful.” Mark considers SideStep.com “awesome,” while Michael Madison calls Dohop.com “a must-go site.”

The search engine Bing.com. I’d heard of these before, but I figured I’d pit them against one another — along with Bing.com, the recently relaunched, somewhat travel-focused search engine from Microsoft. The challenge: My next big trip, from New York City to Vancouver in early August. Whose algorithms would reign supreme?

Let’s start with the losers. In this admittedly unscientific survey, Mobissimo came in dead last, putting me on a nonstop Cathay Pacific flight for $503.17. That’s a whopping 17 cents more expensive than the same flight at Vayama. Sidestep, Kayak.com (my usual go-to booking site) and ITAsoftware.com (a wonky but flexible site) all found the same nonstop on Cathay Pacific, but for a little bit less, $491.

Frugal Traveler at NYT

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Tourism Thailand Going Down the Tubes

Thai News Agency offers this desperate appeal, without a single solid and sensible solution to the problem.

Battered tourism sector seeks urgent government help

BANGKOK: -- Amid a sharp drop in tourist arrivals to Thailand, the country’s tourism agencies were alarmed and strongly urging the government to provide urgent measures to rescue the beleaguered industry. Tosaporn Thepbutr, deputy-chairman of Committee on Tourism and Sports, said the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA) and Thailand-Japan Tourism Promotion Association on Tuesday submitted a complaint letter to the committee.

They charged that although the government had announced tourism as a national priority, to date no concrete measures have been implemented by concerned-agencies to boost the country’s tourism industry. So the premier himself should intervene to resolve the problems.

Thailand’s tourist arrivals sharply drop to a critical level, Mr. Tosaporn said, in June alone, the number of tourist arrivals has dropped from 165,000 in the same period of 2008, to 27,000 in 2009 due to the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, or 33.45 per cent year-on-year.

Mr. Tosaporn said that with the falling number of tourist arrivals from almost every nation, except from Iran and Hong Kong, the earlier estimated arrival levels of 11 million tourists projected by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be unlikely to achieve the target.

"The causes of the sharp drop in tourist arrivals are attributed to the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in November and December, and recent domestic political turmoil, combined with the current outbreak of the H1N1 flu,” Mr. Tosaporn said.

Got it Mr. Tosaporn.

Abhisit and the Nurse

Is Abhisit about to get a blowjob by this nurse, in public? I'm sure he can do better than this creaking, small woman, who is actually just measuring his waistline and giving him a general checkup. He passed with flying colors, and is obviously in much better physical condition that almost all of the other politicians in Thailand.

Al Jazerra Video on Iran's Political Struggles

The best videos about the current political situation in Iran don't come from the New York Times or The BBC, but rather Al Jazerra. This one tells you about the current top level struggles going on between various factions, and it sounds well balanced to me. More Americans should listen and watch Al Jazerra.

I'm not sure why this video has such a strange shape, but this seems to happen often with Blogger and is one of biggest shortcomings.To get the proper video, click here.

Top Gear Extreme Road Test: Ford Fiesta vs. Corvette

The BBC show Top Gear takes an awfully lime green Ford Fiesta and pits it against a Corvette in an "extreme road test," that includes two hilarious situations: a crazy race through a shopping mall in SW London, and storming the beaches with the Royal Marines. Guess which one wins?

Singapore Military Spending is 4th in the World Relative to Population

Double click the image to enlarge enough to read the small type.

I'm an American and so no unsurprised to see that the U.S. is first in military spending relative to total population. Also not surprised to see that many Middle Eastern oil pots waste their national funds on military junk. Those oil rich boys just love their toys and perhaps they have an abnormal fear of Israel. After all, there was that six day war.

But why in the world is Singapore ranked fourth? Do they fear an invasion from Malaysia or Indonesia? What an unnecessary waste of taxpayers funds. The Economist explains the basics, but I don't think anyone could explain the horrendous amount of funds being spent by Singapore on their military.

GLOBAL military expenditure rose by 4% in 2008 to a record $1.46 trillion, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Israel spends most on defence relative to its population, shelling out over $2,300 a person, over $300 more than America. Small and rich countries, and notably Gulf states, feature prominently by this measure. Saudi Arabia ranks ninth in absolute spending, but sixth by population. China has increased spending by 10% to $85 billion to become the world's second largest spender. But it is still dwarfed by America, whose outlay of $607 billion is higher than that of the next 14 biggest spenders combined.

Giant Gundam Robot Invades Tokyo

It just looks like a large transformer robot to me, so maybe this is the original guy. Pink Tenacle has more photos, while Weird Asia News provides the following summary:

Gundam are various types of mecha, or giant robots, that are featured in TV shows, manga, novels, and video games since 1979, when Japan’s Sunrise Studios introduced Mobile Suit Gundam, the very first of its kind. Huge and bristling with mechanical muscle, the typical Gundam is controlled by a human pilot from a cockpit usually located in the torso.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Gundam’s arrival on the sci-fi anime scene, toymaker Bandai has constructed a full-scale reproduction in Tokyo’s Odaiba Shiokaze park, where it will be officially unveiled on July 11th.

College Dorm Light Show in Poland

A dorm for computer students at a university in Poland has been putting on an amazing light show for an obviously appreciative crowd. Amazing stuff!

Night Street Racing in Shanghai; Twin Drifters in Zhejang

Oh those wild and crazy kids in their wild and crazy cars.

Si Fi Movie Timelist

I'm a big sifi movie fan, and almost embarassed to admit that I've seen every movie on this list. You can get a larger, more readable graphic image by quickly clicking it twice.

When Cats Get High on Catnip

Looks like the typical stoned behavior of cats to me.

SFO to SE Asia Deals on Singapore Air

This Singapore Air Website has some outstanding deals from San Francisco to many, many places in Asia. Bangkok is just $679 and that includes all taxes. You can also play with the site to find fare deals from Los Angeles, Houston, and New York. The formatting got messed up when I did a copy and paste, but everything will look fine at the original website.

Origin Destination
All Origin... Houston Los Angeles New York (JFK) San Francisco All Destination... Adelaide Ahmedabad Bali Bangkok Banglore Brisbane Brunei Chennai Coimbatore Colombo Delhi Dhaka Frankfurt Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Hyderabad Jakarta Karachi Kathmandu Kochi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Lahore Manila Melbourne Moscow Mumbai Penang Perth Seoul Singapore Sydney Tokyo Trivandrum Go


Origin Destination Price Travel Class Mileage Accruable Remarks

San Francisco Hong Kong US$579 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Seoul US$579 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Singapore US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Bangkok US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Bali US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Brunei US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Hanoi US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Ho Chi Minh City US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Jakarta US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Kuala Lumpur US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Manila US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Penang US$679 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Ahmedabad US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Banglore US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Coimbatore US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Chennai US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Colombo US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Dhaka US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Hyderabad US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Kathmandu US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Karachi US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Kolkata US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Kochi US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Lahore US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Mumbai US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Delhi US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Trivandrum US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Adelaide US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Brisbane US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Melbourne US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Sydney US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

San Francisco Perth US$879 Economy No Book by 6/28

Britney Spears to Visit Ko Samui, Thailand

Britney Spears and her entire entourage will be visiting Ko Samui in Thailand after her completion of her "comeback tour" of Europe, and before they all continue on to Australia and parts of Asia. She's also bringing along her former husband, who mostly works on the tour to babysit their two children.

Britney Spears is reportedly planning to hire an entire resort in Thailand in order to relax following the European leg of her world tour. According to The Sun, the 'Womanizer' star has agreed to pay around £180,000 to exclusively rent the Sila Evason hotel in Koh Samui for a week.

It is thought that she will treat her backing dancers and most important staff to an all-expenses paid vacation to celebrate the success of her 'Circus' show in Europe.

Spears's ex-husband Kevin Federline, who has been accompanying their two sons during her recent jaunt in London, has also been invited with his girlfriend Victoria Prince.

Digital Spy

Bangkok Highway Police Scams

The Thai Visa Forum has an excellent discussion of what to do if you're stopped by the cops for either real or imaginary moving violations. Read the whole thing to get some great escape ideas.

I've been driving between Pattaya and Bangkok for years on the motorway without problems. I'm a cautious driver, and always drive slowly and carefully.

Two months ago I became aware of numerous motorcycle Highway Police waiting at the Bang Na toll plaza (direction to Pattaya). They are on foot and randomly stop a large number of cars usually including me. I'm never at fault of any kind, and indeed the first they see me is when I'm actually stopped picking up the toll card.

The routine is always the same. They signal me to stop, come up and demand my license (I have a Thai one). Then they make up some sort of offense ("You took the card too fast", "You started too fast after you got the card", You were approaching the toll booth too fast"). Then they tell me that I'll have to drive to some far-away police station in 2 days to pay the fine and retrieve my license. Of course, I offer to pay the fine immediately, and they demand 500 THB. It's always settled at 200 THB, and I go on my way with my license.

I realize every expat sometimes has this experience, however the frequency of it happening has increased at a astonishing rate. And it's ALWAYS the same toll plaza, and the same officers. I feel that Thai government officials and high ranking police are not aware of this "feasting" on our wallets by a group of dishonest police in the same place day-after-day. Has anyone had the same experience at the Bang Na toll plaza heading towards Pattaya? (It's on the elevated motorway in Bangkok where you pick up a toll card, not pay).

I've had positive experiences with the police in Thailand the past 5 years, and find them to be generally good natured and helpful. It's a shame that this pack of greedy Motorcycle Highway Police are soo agressive.

Can someone help alert the authorities?

Swine Flu in Thailand

The escalating number of swine flu cases in Thailand is now starting to have a major impact on tourism. What else could possibly go wrong in that country? Andaman Times has a really frighteing story.

The number of swine flu cases in Thailand has almost quadrupled since Wednesday to 106. Schools have been ordered closed in Bangkok and entertainment venues have been asked to close in Pattaya and Phuket.

Thailand’s confirmed cases of the H1N1 swine-flu virus jumped to 106 yesterday, a five-fold leap in three days, health officials said.

“Altogether 106 swine flu cases were confirmed today,” Thai Health Minister Wittaya Kaewparadai said.

“All of them are now being placed in special wards to prevent the virus from spreading,” the minister told news reports on Saturday.

Entertainment establishments on Phuket were asked during a meeting Saturday to close their businesses for five days so that the owner would have enough time to clean and spray their places, according to the Thai News Agency.

The request was made after an employee of one entertainment centre was found to have contracted the virus, becoming the first case to have been reported in Phuket.

Blood tests on 26 employees of Phuket nightlife and other entertainment venues on the island believed to have come into close contact with Hong Kong tourists who returned home recently and were diagnosed with the virus, will be known later.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials on Saturday began cleaning and fumigating all 435 schools under the agency’s administration in the Thai capital.

The number of confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) virus victims in Thailand on Saturday rose by 17, bringing the total victims to 106, as experts admit that it is now difficult to control the virus from spreading in the country.

Tiananmen Remembered, 20 Years Later

The Boston Globe's Big Picture has a fantastic series of Tiananmen photos from 20 years ago, and updated images from a few days ago in Hong Kong.

Yesterday, June 4th, 2009, marked the 20th anniversary of the military crackdown on student protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Beginning in April of 1989, thousands of students and other citizens started gathering in groups large and small, protesting many issues, centered on a desire for freedom and democratic reform. By mid-May of 1989, hundreds of thousands of protesters occupied the square, staging hunger strikes, and asking for dialogue. Chinese authorities responded with a declaration of martial law, and sent soldiers and tanks from the People's Liberation Army, preparing to disperse the crowds. Late on June 3rd, 1989, the tanks and armored personnel carriers rolled into the square, killing and wounding many, mostly civilians - estimates vary widely, from several hundred to several thousand dead. The first 17 photos below were taken in 1989, the rest are from this year, as people remember the events, the ideals, and the fallout from that fateful day. (32 photos total)

Chengdu Bus Fire

EastSouthNorthWest has a chronological series of photos of the horrendous bus fire in Chengdu, along with the story from Xinhua. Warning: some very graphic photos of victims at the end of the post.

CHENGDU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a bus blaze on Friday morning in the city of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province rose from 22 to 25, said the provincial work safety supervision bureau.

Another 78 people where injured, of whom 11 were seriously injured, and five are in critical conditions, said the bureau. All the injured were sent to the Chengdu No.2 People's Hospital and the Chengdu Army General Hospital.

The accident took place at 8 a.m. when the No.9 bus, with license plate of Chuan A 49567 was on its way from Tianhui Township to downtown Chengdu, and caught fire under the Chuanshan Viaduct, said Mao Zhixiong, spokesman with the Chengdu city government, at the scene. Sichuan governor Jiang Jufeng came to the scene to direct rescue work.

Witness said it took only a few minutes for the bus to catch fire, and the body of the burnt bus was dragged off the scene, which was only a few meters from the bus station. "The bus driver escaped the fire and took part in the rescue," said a vendor near the bus station. More than 10 people escaped from the bus. "The bus was not a new one and the temperature in Chengdu is not high," said a police officer, adding that the rescue work had ended.

Traffic police told Xinhua that it was not clear whether the accident was caused by self-ignition, and they are waiting for further technical check-ups. Xinhua's reporter, who saw the scene, said it was cordoned off and there was much evidence of blood. An inspection team, made up of officials with the governments of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City, will examine fire and safety facilities at bus and coach stops in Chengdu from 3 p.m. Friday

.

Thai Xenophobic Nonsense from Land Dept.

Lumphini Park 2007
Lumphini Park 1990

Thailand seems at war with foreigners who wish to live in the Kingdom with their Thai wives. And it seems like Malaysia is now the enlightened country with regards to their treatment of farangs. Here's a letter from the Bangkok Post.

Xenophobic nonsense from the Land Dept

Really amazing battle talk from our Land Department Director-General Anuwat Meteewiboonwat, who says that houses can be confiscated if the funds used to buy them came from a foreign spouse.

Logical, isn't it? Because that's like sleeping with the enemy; we must protect ourselves at all times! I'm saying ''we'' because that's how I consider my status after 15 years living, working and paying tax in this country.

Also, after 15 years I am well aware that every once in a while somebody crawls out from under a stone to start yelling xenophobic nonsense. Normally nothing bad happens, which is why nobody needs to get really nervous about the noise from Mr Anuwat.

But considering the public relations impact or the current economic status of Thailand, perhaps Mr Anuwat should take notice of the statements coming from the Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Ng Yen Yen.

Miss Ng Yen Yen was last week on a promotional visit to Holland, where she told the following things to the press. ''I understand that people in Holland get about 950 euros in pension every month. With that kind of money you can live very comfortably in Malaysia. No more Spain or Italy, because we in Malaysia have made things very easy for you and we offer anybody older than 50 years a 10-year visa. Also, in the olden days you could not own more than 70% real estate; now we've changed that to 100%.''

Does Mr Anuwat hear who's talking? This is coming from a neighbouring country just next door. Perhaps Mr Anuwat should issue a new statement, saying things were misunderstood by the press and that he was talking theoretically and was in no way trying to be threatening. Maybe then the damage can be controlled and everybody's life can continue happily _ the Thai lives and the ''we'' lives.

Bangkok Post

Up in Smoke

Why do governments around the world keep burning up drugs? So that everyone can stand downwind and get a final blast? Shanghaiist was there to inhale the fumes.

To commemorate the 170th anniversary of the Humen Opium Destruction, Beijing police yesterday destroyed 393 kg of banned substances seized in China from 2006 through 2008 - and that's only half of the stash that's been collected.

The burning took place in a northwestern surburban area outside of Beijing, where police officers threw the illegal substances into an industrial furnace. And it must have been one trippy bonfire - UPI report that the drugs seized included "4.4 tons of heroin, 6.2 tons of "ice," 1 million "ecstasy" pills, 5.3 tons of ketamine, 2.2 tons of marijuana, 1.4 tons of opium and almost a ton of cocaine." We hope no one got too close - that sounds like it would give people a killer contact high.

The Humen Opium Destruction is recognized as China's first battle against drugs, when Lin Zexu, a senior official of the Qing Dynasty, ordered the burning of 1,000 tons of opium brought into China by foreign dealers in Humen, Guangdong Province in 1839.

Drug trafficking has been a rampant problem for China, with international drug traffickers penetrating the Beijing drug scene by taking to unconventional methods. What's more, the number of drug addicts has been on the rise in Shanghai, despite the Anti-Drug Law that was passed on June 1 last year. Zhou Weihang, the director of Shanghai's anti-drug office reports that the number of drug users in the city is increasing at a rate of 20 percent annually

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Java Arts Exhibit in Phnom Penh

After the museums and bars, why not spend some time looking at art? Jinja at Webbed Feet has the details.

This new work by Sokuntevy reveal’s the artist’s desires and longing for family life as she struggles with her identity as a young Cambodian woman in the 21st century.

Those of you concerned about the environmental devastation that is Indonesia should visit Jakartass for a great summary and links to the groups fighting to save what's left of Indonesia's wildlife and environment. Thanks, dude, you are fighting the good fight.

On an overcrowded and overheated Earth, humanity, albeit with much handwringing, continues to squabble over scarce and rapidly diminishing resources, goaded by politicians in thrall to businessfolk who take orders from the gods created by their own delusions.

That is surely the only way sane folk can interpret deforestation, the rapid depletion of non-renewable minerals and energy resources, impoverished tenant farmers growing cash crops for export rather than food for their families, the manufacture and worldwide distribution of non-essential knick-knacks and the obsession with celebrities with inconsequential lifestyles dressed in tawdry fashions.

This post, which I first posted a few years back, is intended as a year round links resource for all those Indonesians and friends of Indonesia wishing to protect, preserve and enhance our bit of Planet Earth for future generations of all species.

Any errors or omissions are a result of inevitable changes in circumstances and poor telecommunications rather than deliberate choices. Please email me with any errors and details of those Indonesian organisations you feel I should have excluded, or included - preferably those with an internet presence.

Spike in Hong Kong

My favorite blogger in Hong Kong is Spike. He talks about his life, his problems, his challenges, and his love of obscure music, which I also love. He has a RSS feed, and if you are interested in his observations, then add his site. Always great stuff.

Of course June 4th isn't just my mom's birthday, it's also the 20th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square, as noted here and in thousands of other places. And it seems that the turnout for the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park tonight tied the record set by the first vigil back in 1990, with at least 150,000 people showing up. Donald Tsang speaks for all Hong Kong. It. Is. To. Laugh. I wonder - maybe Tsang is a closet advocacy for democracy after all and he knew if he said something really stupid and offensive, it would result in a record turnout like this?

Also in the news, I see that David Carradine was found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, aged 72. The star of the Kung Fu TV series, Death Race 2000 and Tarantino's Kill Bill was in Thailand working on a film. Thai police say that a hotel maid told them that she found him on a chair in a closet with a rope around his neck and "other parts of his body."

Blues great Koko Taylor died this week as well, aged 80. She had a million-selling single back in 1965 with Wang Dang Doodle, a song that she thought was silly, but it proved the foundation for a 40 year career. I saw her live once at the Bottom Line in New York City in the 70s. Can't recall who she was opening for, but I confess that I had no idea who she was before she came out on stage. With that voice and stage presence, I've been a fan ever since. Here she is back in 1967 singing Wang Dang Doodle, with the great Little Walter blowing the harp.

Dinosaurs in Singapore?

Dinosaurs in Singapore? I'd make a joke about the government, but this one is for kids.

Ko Lanta Guide

Chris Mitchell at Travel Happy offers a great roundup on advice and links to the southern Thailand beach island of Ko Lanta.

Looking for a laid back island in Thailand where there's unspoilt beaches, not too many people but still decent hotels and restaurants? Take a look at the Koh Lanta Beach Guide on AmazingLanta.com


If you're looking for a detailed guide about what you can find on each of Koh Lanta's beaches, check out the sterling work done by my friend Rob on AmazingLanta.com. Each of the major beaches on Koh Lanta has its own page, complete with Google Map showing the location of major hotels and restaurants and other attractions. If you click on the icons, you'll get a pop-up balloon with pictures, a brief description and a link to more info if you're interested.

There's also pictures and videos showing off each of the Koh Lanta beaches themselves and some of the hotels on it (the ones that would let Rob in to shoot some footage!) so you can get a proper look at what the hotel rooms really look like. There's also a short list of recommended hotels too, where you can read reviews written by guests who've previously stayed there.

The most popular beaches on Koh Lanta are Klong Dao Beach and Long Beach, mainly because they are nearest to the port of Sala Dan in the north where most travelers arrive on the island. Long Beach is still my personal favourite beach on Lanta - despite the ongoing development there, it still remains unspoilt and has a great collection of bars and restaurants after dark. Kawkwang Beach and Relax Bay are at either end of Long Beach and have their own character too.

What Killed David Carradine?

Read the Comments Here for some theories on what killed David Carradine.

The Nation Kung Fu and Kill Bill star David Carradine has been found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, police say. The star of the television series Kung Fu and two hit Kill Bill movies was found hanged in a closet on Wednesday, officers said. Police believed he committed suicide. The crew of a film he was making noted his absence when they went to dine out at a restaurant on Sathorn Road on June 3. It was a hotel maid who opened his suite on Thursday at 10 am to find Carradine. Aside from Quentin Tarantino's two Kill Bill films Carradine was perhaps best known for his role as the fugitive Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s TV drama Kung Fu. Carradine was recently seen as a martial arts guru in Big Stan and in Crank: High Voltage.

bbc.com David Carradine has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room, BBC correspondent Jonathan Head has reported. The 72-year-old was in Thailand filming his latest film Stretch, according to his personal manager Chuck Binder. Mr Binder said the news was ''shocking,'' adding: ''He was full of life, always wanting to work . . . a great person.''

abclocal.go.com Reports say Kung Fu and Kill Bill star David Carradine has been found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok. Carradine, 73, was there to shoot a new movie, his agent said. His agent confirmed his death this morning, saying the actor had been in great spirits. He said he believed Carradine died of natural causes. Over the years, he appeared in over 200 motion pictures and television dramas, and numerous plays. He was also a producer, director, writer, and composer for the screen as well. He was born John Arthur Carradine, the eldest son of actor John Carradine.

foxnews.xom Developing Story: Carradine's manager told FOX News that it is believed the actor died of natural causes. Carradine, 73, was staying in Bangkok while shooting a movie. The film crew became aware of his absence when they went to dine out at a restaurant yesterday. When a producer went to his room, he discovered that the actor had died.

webpronews.com Chris Crum writes: I have not seen any official confirmation of this news yet, only what I have seen on Twitter from the past minute, but a few of Twitterers so far are saying that Kung Fu and Kill Bill star David Carradine has been found dead. According to the Breaking News Wire, it was an apparent suicide. David Carradine dead? David Cararadine Again, this information is unconfirmed, and there have certainly been plenty of hoaxes and bad information reported via Twitter in the past, but we'll see as the story unfolds.Also look to FamousDeadDB for additional info on the matter (unless of course he is found to be alive and well).If the news is true it is a sad day, and we'd like to express our sympathies to David's loved ones. He was a fine actor, who was way underused. Update: As the Tweets roll in, the story seems to suggest that it was a suicide in a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. The words ''natural causes'' have also been thrown around.

Associated Press A spokesman for the US Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old lead actor. He said Carradine died either later Wednesday or early Thursday, but he could not reveal further details out of consideration for his family. The Web site of the newspaper The Nation, citing unnamed police sources, said Carradine was found Thursday hanged in his luxury hotel room, and is believed to have committed suicide.

Thailand Jumped the Shark has some sensible advice for family members who need to know:

This probably will be just one of many mysterious deaths/murders that the police, Thai media and foreign embassies cover up every year--unless that pesky foreign media gets involved. And you know how much the powers at be in Thailand hate that foreign media that dares to ask the questions the Thai media refuses to ask and answer. The Nation has already declared no foul play. How convenient for them. Because, you see, The Nation would never actually investigate what happened for themselves. Whatever the police tell them to think is good enough. Who needs to investigate anything when you got a police colonel's quote?

If there are any friends or family of David Carradine who somehow make it to this blog, whatever you do, don't ever trust the Thai police or the Thai media to get to the bottom of the truth. I wouldn't trust the US embassy staff either. Ask them how many foreigners mysteriously die every year that the Thai media covers up and the Thai police call suicide-- even though people have died under circumstances that would contradict the evidence of suicide. Get your own forensic expert to Bangkok as soon as possible to examine the body. And, whatever you do, don't trust what you read in the Bangkok Post or The Nation as the truth.

Mango Weekly on Working from Home

After Dark Magazine

Very funny post from Mango Weekly. He starts out with some sensible advice on phone numbers when working from home, then on to the bar scene in Bangkok. Very witty stuff.

I tend to work at home quite a bit here in Bangkok. I live in a quiet apartment with my own DSL line so it makes for a fairly efficient and productive work environment. To pull long stretches though it helps having various delivery services available at my fingertips.

I can dial 1112 and within 30 minutes I will have a large thin and crispy, double cheese, italian sausage, piping hot pizza burning the roof of my mouth. I’m also lucky to have a friend at Big Pizza (026631330) where they will pick up items from 7-11 or elsewhere if I need them. For just about everything else that normally gets delivered I can go up to ChefsXP.com or Food by Phone and receive delivery from dozens of restaurants along with other items from supermarkets, liquor and convenience stores. For 24/7, and if I’m really really desperate, there’s McDonald’s at 1711 (not advised though as eating McDonald’s so late and then going to sleep can lead to disastrous effects the next day, it should really be illegal).

These are all pretty standard services that certainly make working at home more comfortable. There are times though when the work might get boring or stressful and comfort food just doesn’t fit the bill. Luckily, when you’ve been living here for a while and are pretty active in the scene, it’s pretty easy to accumulate a list of trusted performers eager to…well…fit the bill. Delivery times can vary based on if you use thai time or real time but you can usually have a piping hot thai girl at your doorstep within an hour, ready for action.

New Microsoft Search Engine "Bing"

Bing is great for previewing videos without needing to actually visit the website. Go to www.bing.com and then click "videos" then type in a search item such as "thailand." That's how I found the above tsunami video. Unfortunately, the videos are not listed in any chronological order, but at least the source is mentioned. If you're looking for porn, first go to preferences and disable the safe search, then back to videos and enter your search item. Once again, you can preview the video by just placing your cursor over the thumbnail video.

Tank Man Stories

In celebration of the Chinese government shutting down damn near every possible source of stories about Tiananmen (Blogger, Hotmail, YouTube, Twitter, etc.), the
New York Times presents a fascinating account of the photographers of the infamous "Tank Man." Great stuff.

Many readers of “Tank Man of Tiananmen” have mentioned a video of the same incident. Arthur Edelstein provided a link to the footage on YouTube.

Few images are more recognizable or more evocative. Known simply as “tank man,” it is one of the most famous photographs in recent history.

Twenty years ago, on June 5, 1989, following weeks of huge protests in Beijing and a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, a lone man stepped in front of a column of tanks rumbling past Tiananmen Square. The moment instantly became a symbol of the protests as well as a symbol against oppression worldwide — an anonymous act of defiance seared into our collective consciousnesses.

“It all started with a man in a white shirt who walked into the street and raised his right hand no higher than a New Yorker hailing a taxi,” James Barron wrote the following day in The New York Times. The picture appeared on the front page of this newspaper as well as in countless other publications around the world.

To this day, the identity and fate of the man in the picture remains unclear. A riveting documentary, “The Tank Man,” by PBS Frontline in 2006 explored his fate. Yet still no one knows for certain who he is or what exactly happened to him. The image is largely blocked on the Internet in China. Despite its iconic status and historical significance elsewhere, most young people there do not recognize the photograph.

There was not just one “tank man” photo. Four photographers captured the encounter that day from the Beijing Hotel, overlooking Changan Avenue (the Avenue of Eternal Peace), their lives forever linked by a single moment in time. They shared their recollections with The Times through e-mail.

Ship Navigation with Google Earth

Of course, you can use Flight Simulator to get an idea about flying planes, but what if you want to navigate a cargo ship into the world's major ports? Here's a nifty video that shows you the ropes.

Alligator Smashing Watermelons

This is why you don't want to go swimming in the swamps of Florida.

Giant Feral Pig Aussie Style

I haven't done a giant feral pig story in a while, so here's a dated by fascinating story from the land of Oz, where everything grows a little larger than usual.

THIS giant feral pig was shot on a Pilbara cattle station after it was spotted eating a dead cow.

The picture has been circulating on the internet alongside claims the boar was killed at various locations across Australia. It was written off as a hoax by many, including WA's Department of Environment and Conservation, and sparked much debate when published on website PerthNow. But The Sunday Times has confirmed that the pig was shot on a Pilbara cattle station near Newman, 1200km northeast of Perth.

Sources close to the family of the man in the photo have confirmed he is Pilbara pastoralist John Anick and the picture was taken on his property three years ago. The family refused to talk about the giant boar, for fear that illegal pig hunters would flock to the area. The source said the 220kg beast was eating a cow when it was first seen by workers mustering cattle in a helicopter. Mr Anick saw it again on a trip to check windmills on the property and shot it.

``I can vouch 100 per cent, I don't even have to say 90 per cent, that it (the photo) was taken in the Pilbara and it is who I said it is,'' the source said. This reader comment was left on the PerthNow report this week: ``Information I have on this photo is that it was shot by John Anick ... During muster a helicopter spotted it and when told John drove out and shot it! Many sausages were made and eaten, so I'm told!''

DEC spokesman Nigel Higgs said the picture was a fake. ``There are some pigs at De Grey River, east of Port Hedland, and some domestic pigs gone wild near Savory Creek, 200km east of Newman, but they are small and pink,'' he said. Another source working in Perth claimed to have scanned the original photograph into a computer.

Perth Now

100 Best Movie Lines in 200 Seconds

How many of these movies have you seen? Me, most of them.

North Korea Google Map Project

North Korea may have appointed a new great leader (honorific title to be determined later), but of more immediate fascination is the new Google Map with lables to help you understand the secrecy of the hermit kingdom.

North Korea has a reputation as one of the most secretive, authoritarian, repressive countries in the world. But that doesn't stop Curtis Melvin, a PhD student at George Mason University, from trying to shine some light into the country's dark corners.

Using knowledge gleaned from his own trips to North Korea, as well as tips from many others who have visited, Curtis and his crew of civilian spies have managed to plot into Google Maps previously unknown sites in North Korea such as secret prison camps, vast burial mounds, and missile storage facilities. His interactive project, called "North Korea Uncovered," has literally thousands of entries and is the most exhaustive map of North Korea to date.

The Wall Street Journal recently had a front-page article about Curtis' project called "Gulags, Nukes and a Water Slide: Citizen Spies Lift North Korea's Veil." "Mr. Melvin and his correspondents have plotted out what they say is much of the country's transportation network and electrical grid, and many of its military bases," according to the article. "They've spotted what they believe are mass graves created in the 1995-98 famine that killed an estimated two million people. The vast complexes of Mr. Kim and other North Korean leaders are visible, with palatial homes, pools, even a water slide."

The fascinating map is available for download here. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow recently chatted with Curtis about the project here. Gadling's own first-person coverage of the secretive country, "Infiltrating North Korea," is here.

Gadling

Manohara and the Prince of Kelantan

Oh, those wild and crazy princes of Malaysia.

'I Was Drugged and Abused’

Safe again on Indonesian soil, teenage model Manohara Odelia Pinot outlined a horrific story of sexual abuse, confinement and torture at the hands of her Malaysian prince husband after returning to Jakarta on Sunday, following a dramatic weekend escape from him in Singapore.

The photogenic 17-year-old said that Singapore police helped her leave her husband Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry, a prince of Malaysia’s Kelantan State, at a hotel there. They were in the city state with Fakhry’s father, Sultan Ismail Petra Shah II, who is undergoing medical treatment.

“I am still traumatized by all that happened and it has left an impact on me,” she told a press conference after flying back to Jakarta with her mother Daisy Fajarina, sister Dewi Sri Asih and a staff member of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.

The plight of Manohara and her fairy-tale marriage that turned into a nightmare began with disturbing news reports in April that she had apparently been kidnapped by Fakhry and his family while in Saudi Arabia in February and taken by private jet back to Malaysia. The media coverage included complaints Manohara made to her mother last year of sexual abuse, and became an international incident after the Malaysian government and Kelantan royal family refused to respond to inquiries.

During a mid-day press conference, and later in an interview with TV One, Manohara confirmed the stories of abuse. “Sexual abuse and sexual harassment were like a daily routine for me, and he did that every time I did not want to have sexual intercourse,” she said. “I could never think a normal man could do such things.”

Manohara was only 16 at the time of her wedding and her American father, Reiner Pinot Noack, was said to have disapproved of the marriage. The seemingly blissful life of a Malaysian princess soon became a living hell, Manohara said, as she was constantly guarded and spent most of her time in her bedroom in the palace. “Every time I went out for events, they forced me to smile and would torture me if I did not do what they said,” she said.

Manohara said she tried to escape, but was caught by royal family staff and injected with drugs that made her vomit blood. “I was injected twice,” she said.

When confirming a reporter’s question about whether her husband had cut her nipples, she was reluctant to give details. “Yes it is true. Some parts of my body were cut by a razor,” Manohara said.

She said she was in Singapore as Fakhry’s father had suffered a heart attack and needed treatment. While staying at the Royal Plaza Hotel, Manohara secretly called the Singapore police on Saturday night requesting help.

Police responded and confronted the royal family, telling them they couldn’t prevent Manohara from leaving, according to Teuku Faizasyah, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta. He said police then called the US and Indonesian embassies for assistance.

“After Manohara was secured by the Singaporean police, our embassy staff in Singapore processed all her documents at the hotel within only four hours from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Sunday so she could go back to Indonesia immediately,” Teuku said.

Manohara confirmed that the police had helped her escape.

“The police told Fakhry that he would be held in jail if he did not let me go. No one could force me against my will in Singapore and I knew I had a chance to escape here,” she said, adding that she wanted a divorce and would file a police report against her estranged husband.

The Jakarta Globe

More Kawah Ijen Volcano Photos

I don't understand this coincidence, but a few days after the New York Times ran a short photo essay on the sulphur workers at Kawah Ijen in East Java, The Big Picture at the Boston Globe runs a series on exactly the same subject. Strange.

In East Java, Indonesia lies Kawah Ijen volcano, 2,600 meters tall (8,660ft), topped with a large caldera and a 200-meter-deep lake of sulfuric acid. The quietly active volcano emits gases through fumaroles inside the crater, and local miners have tapped those gases to earn a living. Stone and ceramic pipes cap the fumaroles, and inside, the sulfur condenses into a molten red liquid, dripping back down and solidifying into pure sulfur. Miners hack chunks off with steel bars, braving extremely dangerous gases and liquids with minimal protection, then load up as much as they can carry for the several kilometers to the weighing station. Loads can weigh from 45 to 90kg (100 - 200 lbs), and a single miner might make as many as two or three trips in a day. At the end of a long day, miners take home approximately Rp50,000 ($5.00 u.s.). The sulfur is then used for vulcanizing rubber, bleaching sugar and other industrial processes nearby.

Touring Northern Thailand by Harley Davidson

Teak Door features an outstanding story with excellent photos of a recent Harley tour around northern Thailand, starting from Chiang Mai and then looping around the region. A must read for motorcycle lovers and anyone who wants to see what's out there on the road.

Richco Harley Tours is here. Direct link for instant access.

From Mid Feb though last Sunday (may 24) I've spent fourteen days (or so) on the road in Northern Thailand on a few different Harley Davidsons. Although we only covered about 2500 miles (4000 kilometers) we spent most of that time on twisted mountain roads, Steep switch back descents and narrow village back roads. I have over 3300 photographs from these rides to go through and I've gone through them twice for different reasons. Don't worry, I'll not post them all.

All our rides started off at Richy's shop, RichCo Motorsports at about 9:00 AM. Anyone that knows me will tell you this is not anywhere near my normal wakgn hours. I do make exceptions for special occasions. I usually get there early for the coffee and rolls. Richy has started up a Harley Davidson Rentals business and provides tours on Harley Davidsons in Thailand with late model Fatboys and Dyna Glides. I was elected as photographer and scribe. I also got to test out the fleet and find a ride I wouldn't mind owning as soon as I can get the house done.

Our first ride started out with four riders one passenger and a chase truck. Four Americans, one Canadian and an Ozzie. The route was From Chiang Mai up 107 to Chiang Dao, this is short run perfect for getting in sync with folks you've never rode with. We end up at the cave there, I've been a few times and Cave bore me. The ladies selling herbs are fun to banter with while others go into the caves

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The New Yorker on the Amazing Run at Pixar

The New Yorker points out that Pixar has enjoyed an amazing run of sucesses with their recent animated features. I watched Ratatouille and Wall E last week on Starz cable, and both were fantastic

The recent animated features by the Pixar division of Disney—“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL-E,” and now “Up”—have amounted to a run of creative success that has few parallels in American popular culture. Yes, there was the classic Disney group of animated features, released between 1937 and 1942, which included “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi,” and “Dumbo.” Children still love them, though this aging child doesn’t, really.

The old Disney dispensation went roughly as follows: The material was largely based on fairy tales, with princes and queens and wicked stepmothers. Animals with long eyelashes engaged in gentle woodland conversation. There was much anthropomorphic charm, much sweet melodiousness, and, running through the sugar, a vinegary taste of fear, separation, punishment. The entire Bruno Bettelheim catalogue of psychological terrors churned below the surface. By now (for me, at least), the cloyingness, with its malevolent undertones, seems too calculated and heavy-spirited. But the recent Pixar films are something else.

These movies are fashioned as much for adults as for kids. Set in the modern world, they are built around an exhilarating drive for achievement. A family of libertarian superheroes refuses to accept enforced mediocrity (“The Incredibles”). A talented rat wants to practice the art of cooking (“Ratatouille”). A robot saves the aesthetic remnants of a civilization ruined by excess and pollution (“WALL-E”). Some of the characters are isolated; they are all intelligent and strongly motivated. We’ve gone from psychological fable to moral fable, from fate to something like self-willed, even civic, passion.

When in Bali, Don't Drink the Arak

Bali has a booze problem. There's a shortage of wine and booze on the island, thanks to a monopoly which can't figure out how to get legal spirits in the hotels and restaurants. This problem has led to many Balinese and tourists resorting to the moonshine known as arak, which has now killed over 20 citizens. Until the government solves this problem, don't drink the arak.

Alcohol poisoning in Bali is being blamed for the death of 20 people and the hospitalization of scores of others. Authorities first became aware of a problem following a party on Saturday, May 23, 2009, at which a punch made of Pepsi Blue, fruit juice and two bottles of locally produced arak api were consumed. Shortly after consuming the beverage used to celebrate a friend's birthday, partygoers became highly intoxicated and nauseous, with several losing consciousness. The victims where rushed to the Denpasar Sanglah General Hospital where an initial 12 young people died from what medical authorities cite as a high concentration of alcohol and ethanol.

The mixture of alcohol and ethanol combine to form a highly toxic substance akin to formaldehyde, a toxic chemical used to preserve human corpses.

Among those still hospitalized from consuming the liquid are a number of your people listed in critical condition and some who have suffered blindness and kidney failure.

Police have traced some of the lethal arak to a local producer, closed the production facility and apprehended the owner and workers of the distillery for further interrogation. Police have also launched crackdowns on street side warungs where home-made arak is known to be sold.

On Saturday, May 30, 2009, the circle of those killed by the contaminated arak grew by two, bring the total deaths to 20. Among the latest victims is a 59-year-old Englishman, Alan Colin and a 31 year old Indonesian, Bernadus Darmawan, both of Canngu. Both men became ill after drinking arak and died a short time later.

According to the Bali Post the continuing stream of people hospitalized with alcohol poisoning have refused to cooperate with police in telling where they purchased the illegal beverage. Meanwhile, families of the dead victims have refused to allow autopsies to be performed which might provide more information to the authorities investigating the case.

The inability to isolated a single brand of affected arak has caused some health workers to urge absolute avoidance from consuming any of the popular drink, readily available on the island including its sale even at Bali's airport and all local supermarkets.

Bali Discovery

Hong Kong's Symphony of Light

The world's largest light show lasts 15 minutes. The video clip above mostly shows the general skyline, but the most interesting parts are the light shows of individual buidlings, especially the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, plus the Bank of China.

Bonus: Shanghai Neon



Oobject has more neon, including an absolutely awful example from Soi Cowboy. Come on guys, somebody needs to film a great video of the Cowboy neon, then send it along to Oobject. I'm sure somebody out there in Bangkok is up for the job.