Gaybutton

Friday, October 10 Opening Rates: US Dollar: 34.23 Euro: 46.32 British Pound: 58.14 Australian Dollar: 22.69 Canadian Dollar: 29.425 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.17 Euro: 46.25 British Pound: 57.725 Australian Dollar: 22.4725 Canadian Dollar: 29.3325 Since there has not been highly significant exchange rate changes since the surge that got me to start this thread, after I report today's closing rates, this is where I'm going to discontinue reporting the rates. If I see the rates making significant movement, I'll start the daily reports again, but on a new thread. In the meantime, I get my information from the Bank of Ayudhya web site. I find that site to be the most generally accurate regarding the rates you actually receive when exchanging money in Thailand and they report updated rates several times each day. I advise you to use the rates Bank of Ayudhya reports rather than other web sites. Many web sites report the offshore, or some other type of exchange rate, and often people end up with an unpleasant surprise when they exchange money or pull money at an ATM if they were relying on those rate reports. Those of you who wish to keep up with the current rates can do so at: http://www.krungsri.com/eng/exchange01.aspx

At the time the official line was saying 40. Whether that's still what they want is anybody's guess now. For several months, long before all of the political hysteria began, the prediction was the exchange rate would be 35 to the US dollar by the end of the year. Given the average movement since the crisis began, it could still happen that way. Again, your guess is as good as anybody's. There's no telling what's going to end up happening, but I would have no objection at all if it gets into the 40's again. I predicted a baht crash two years ago. I hasn't happened and in all honesty I don't know what's keeping it from crashing. As I've said many times, I know virtually nothing about economics, but I do know what makes sense to me. The fact that the baht is still holding relatively strong despite everything that has happened over the past couple years goes beyond my understanding. I still think the baht will crash. I just hope the US dollar doesn't crash right along with it.

If I am in town I'm always available to help people new to Pattaya get started. On Wednesdays, if you're here in time, a group of us go for dinner at the Olé restaurant at 7pm, and it's very close to Two Guys. It's very easy walking distance. I'll be happy to pick you up at Two Guys if you wish to join us, although I'm having some car trouble. If the car ends up in the shop, we'll see that you get there. If you can make it, we'll all be happy to help you. Several people who have lived in Pattaya for years will be there and we'll be able to help you with everything you want to know. If you're interested, send an Email to me at gaybutton@gmail.com and I'll reply with my phone number.

Web Surfers Face Dangerous New Threat: 'Clickjacking' Frederick Lane, newsfactor.com Internet and Web browser security experts are sounding the alarm about a new type of malicious attack called "clickjacking," a technique that can be used to dupe Web surfers into revealing confidential information while clicking on seemingly innocuous Web pages. Among other things, a clickjacking attack can be used to take control of a computer's Webcam and microphone without the knowledge of the user. Clickjacking has been identified as a vulnerability for the Adobe Flash player, as well as for every major browser, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari and even the newly released Google Chrome. "It is a very serious problem," said Giorgio Maone, the author of a widely praised free Firefox extension called NoScript, which blocks potentially malicious scripts from running in the Firefox browser. "Clickjacking is a very simple attack to build, and now that the details are out, any script kid can try it successfully," Maone warned. "There's no estimate to the number of trap sites, and it's unlikely that we will see any credible report about the number of sites using this technique, because there are literally infinite ways to implement such an attack, therefore no signature-based scanning can detect it automatically." Unauthorized Access to Information The growing severity of the clickjacking problem was identified by Robert Hansen, CEO of SecTheory, and Jeremiah Grossman, CTO of WhiteHat Security. The two were scheduled to speak publicly about their discovery last month at the Open Web Application Security Project NYC AppSec conference in New York, but postponed their talk in order to give Adobe and browser companies a chance to come up with a solution. Reacting quickly to the announcement, Adobe released a security advisory Tuesday, describing the threat as "critical" and instructing users on how to turn off Flash access to cameras and microphones. "We have just posted a Security Advisory for Flash Player," wrote David Lenoe, Adobe's security program manager, on the Adobe security blog, "in response to recently published reports of a 'clickjacking' issue in multiple Web browsers that could allow an attacker to lure a Web browser user into unknowingly clicking on a link or dialog. This potential 'clickjacking' browser issue affects Adobe Flash Player's microphone and camera access dialog." Lenoe said a patch for Flash would be ready by the end of October. Unfortunately, as Hansen and other researchers have pointed out repeatedly, Flash clickjacking is only one of the variants of this problem. In a lengthy blog posting about the issue, Hansen said that "there are multiple variants of clickjacking. Some of it requires cross-domain access, some don't. Some overlay entire pages over a page, some use iframes to get you to click on one spot. Some require JavaScript, some don't. Some variants use CSRF to preload data in forms, some don't. Clickjacking does not cover any one of these use cases, but rather all of them." A Structural Problem of the Web Hansen warned that it will be challenging to come up with a comprehensive solution to prevent the clickjack threat because of the nature of the code that underlies the Internet. Maone agreed. "This problem comes from features which are integral to the modern Web as we know it," he said, "and especially from the ability of Web pages to embed arbitrary content from different sites, or to host little applications (applets) through plug-ins like Adobe Flash, Java or Microsoft Silverlight." Maone predicted that a general browser fix won't be developed any time soon, since the real solution lies in developing a general consensus about changing existing Web standards in the various Internet standardization groups. ____________________ You'll find the information for the Flash Player workaround here: http://www.adobe.com/support/security/advi.../apsa08-08.html

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ THAI Plans More Cutbacks BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA Thai Airways International is moving to cut back flights, especially on regional routes, in line with the sharp drop in passenger demand due to the political turmoil and the global financial crisis. ''The situation has deteriorated from bad to worse, well beyond our expectation. [it] is becoming more critical for us to reassess our frequencies,'' executive vice-president Pandit Chanapai said. The extent of the cuts has yet to be worked out and THAI may take steps such as merging flights to suit passenger numbers to contain losses, he said. THAI's cabin factor in September dropped more than it expected and the deepening political strife is making conditions worse. The airline filled just 70% of its seats in the third quarter. Countries in Asia are far more sensitive to bad news than the long-haul market from which THAI saw smaller declines.''What is terrible about the current political crisis is in its open-ended nature. Unlike 9/11, Sars and the tsunami, we don't when it will end,'' Mr Pandit said. For the first half of this year, THAI posted a loss of 7.04 billion baht.

Thursday, October 9 Opening Rates: US Dollar: 34.27 Euro: 46.50 British Pound: 58.79 Australian Dollar: 22.70 Canadian Dollar: 30.265 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.13 Euro: 46.865 British Pound: 59.155 Australian Dollar: 23.7575 Canadian Dollar: 30.305

In that price range I recommend either: Two Guys Guesthouse: http://www.twoguysguesthouse.com -or- Howard's: http://www.howards-pattaya.net Both are wonderful and are within very easy walking distance of Sunee Plaza. I think the taxi from the airport to Pattaya is 1400 baht, but it may be a little more now. Someone else will have to confirm the price. However, a much less expensive way to do it is to take the airport bus to Pattaya. If you arrive at the airport before 5:00pm, go down to the bottom level. As you are facing the exit doors, turn left and go to the end of the corridor. That's where you'll find the bus. You'll easily spot the desk where you buy your ticket. The fare is 110 baht. If the bus is not getting ready to leave immediately, the clerk who sells the bus ticket will direct you to their waiting area and you'll be called when they're ready for passengers to board the bus. There are two stops in Pattaya. Stay on the bus until you reach the second stop, which is also the last stop. You'll be at the beach. There may be some baht buses waiting when you exit the airport bus, but if not just walk down to the beach road, less than one block, and you'll easily spot the baht buses. Flag down an empty one and hire it to take you to whichever of the two guesthouses you choose. Cross over to the beach side of the road. On that side the buses are going the correct direction to your guesthouse. The ride shouldn't cost more than 150 baht. I think the last of those buses leaves the airport at 5:00pm, but it can't hurt to go to the bus location and make sure I'm right about that. As a matter of fact, I'd appreciate it if you would jot down the schedule and post it here, if you can. If you miss the last of those buses, all is not lost. There are also the inter-city buses that go to the main bus terminals. The bus from Pattaya to the airport schedule is as follows: 6:00 AM 9:00 AM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 10:00 PM I would imagine there is a reciprocal schedule from the Airport to Pattaya. The cost is a little over 100 baht. You'll arrive at Pattaya's main bus terminal, where there will be baht buses waiting for you to hire. Again, the cost from the bus terminal to your guesthouse shouldn't exceed 150 to 250 baht, depending on your negotiating skills with the baht bus driver. If you arrive at the airport after all the bus operating hours are over, then you either have to take a taxi to Pattaya or you can opt to stay in Bangkok overnight and take a bus or taxi to Pattaya the next morning. When you contact the guesthouse to make your reservation, have the desk staff wherever you're staying also talk to the guesthouse. Have them write down the address for you, in Thai, to show the baht bus driver or airport taxi driver when you arrive. Often hotels ask for your flight number when booking a reservation by phone, so if you already have a plane ticket, have it handy when you call to make your booking.

If this was a movie it would be a comedy. It would probably flop because nobody would believe it. It would be too farcical, beyond credibility. The garbage that Hollywood turns out these days would be more believable. You think watching the Obama-McCain, Biden-Palin debates and insult contests is fun? You ought to see what's going on right here in Thailand. It's insane. I've had weird nightmares that made more sense. And yet, it's true! It's like something right out of the Marx Brothers. The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Chaos Inside Parliament as Senators Jeer, Power is Cut Somchai Reads Policy Despite Opposition MONGKOL BANGPRAPA AND AEKARACH SATTABURUTH Quarrels dominated yesterday's House session as Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat struggled to finish his policy statement in parliament amid clashes between the People's Alliance for Democracy and anti-riot police outside. As soon as parliament convened, Mr Somchai hurriedly started reading the government policy. However, appointed senator Prasong Nurak immediately objected and strongly advised the prime minister to postpone the announcement while violence was continuing. Bangkok senator Rosana Tositrakul then stood up and furiously demanded that Mr Somchai resign. She said the government could not stay in office after turning a blind eye to the clashes which left scores of unarmed protesters injured. She criticised the prime minister for using parliament in a "self-serving manner". The government no longer had the legitimacy to govern the country from the moment it ordered police to take such harsh action against the people, she said. Some government MPs then surrounded and scolded Mrs Rosana. Others intervened and broke up the confrontation, while Mr Somchai continued to read the policy statement without interruption until the end. The prime minister then went behind the podium and sat with his daughter Chinnicha, a Chiang Mai MP. MPs from the ruling People Power party (PPP) then severely criticised Mrs Rosana and Mr Prasong for complaining against Mr Somchai without first seeking approval to speak from the parliament president. PPP MP Chaowarin Latthasaksiri had earlier approached Mrs Rosana and accused her of breaching parliamentary regulations by bringing her non-MP husband into the chamber. Other government MPs then booed her husband, Santisuk Sophonsiri, while he was escorted out of the chamber, and ignored Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej's request to keep order. Mrs Rosana explained later that her husband came in as he was afraid she might be hurt when he saw her being surrounded by MPs. Coalition MPs took turns to back the government policies and denounce the PAD protest. The conclusion of the statement was taken to officially represent the start of the formal functioning of the new government. Parliament President Chai Chidchob ended yesterday's session at about 1pm when parliament was plunged into darkness. PAD supporters had reportedly cut off the power supply. Mr Somchai, his daughter, his secretary Chusak Sirinil and other aides sneaked out of parliament by using a ladder to cross over the fence into neighbouring Vimanmek Mansion even before Mr Chai could order the session to close. Other House members could not follow the prime minister as officials of the Bureau of the Royal Household supervising the Mansion did not allow them to do so. They were left stuck inside as supplies of food and beverages began to run low.

Why the hell they don't throw every one of those pieces of shit into jail goes beyond me! _____ AIG Execs' Retreat after Bailout Angers Lawmakers By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Tue Oct 7 Days after it got a federal bailout, American International Group Inc. spent $440,000 on a posh California retreat for its executives, complete with spa treatments, banquets and golf outings, according to lawmakers investigating the company's meltdown. AIG sent its executives to the coastal St. Regis resort south of Los Angeles even as the company tapped into an $85 billion loan from the government it needed to stave off bankruptcy. The resort tab included $23,380 worth of spa treatments for AIG employees, according to invoices the resort turned over to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The retreat didn't include anyone from the financial products division that nearly drove AIG under, but lawmakers still were enraged over thousands of dollars spent on outing for executives of AIG's main U.S. life insurance subsidiary. "Average Americans are suffering economically. They're losing their jobs, their homes and their health insurance," the committee's chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., scolded the company during a lengthy opening statement at a hearing Tuesday. "Yet less than one week after the taxpayers rescued AIG, company executives could be found wining and dining at one of the most exclusive resorts in the nation." Former AIG CEO Robert Willumstad, who lost his job a day after the Federal Reserve put up the $85 billion on Sept. 16, said he was not familiar with the conference and would not have gone along with it. "It seems very inappropriate," Willumstad said in response to questioning from Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. "Those executives should be fired," Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said at a debate with Sen. John McCain on Tuesday, referring to the retreat participants. Obama also said AIG should give the Treasury $440,000 to cover the costs of the retreat. But Eric Dinallo, superintendent of the New York State Insurance Department, said he could see the value of such a retreat under the circumstances. "Having been at large global companies and knowing what condition AIG was in ... the absolute worst thing that could have happened" would have been for employees and underwriters in its life insurance subsidiary to flee the company. "I do agree there is some profligate spending there, but the concept of bringing all the major employees together ... to ensure that the $85 billion could be as greatly as possible paid back would have been not a crazy corporate decision," Dinallo told the House committee. The hearing disclosed that AIG executives hid the full range of its risky financial products from auditors as losses mounted, according to documents released by the committee, which is examining the chain of events that forced the government to bail out the conglomerate. The panel sharply criticized AIG's former top executives, who cast blame on each other for the company's financial woes. "You have cost my constituents and the taxpayers of this country $85 billion and run into the ground one of the most respected insurance companies in the history of our country," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. "You were just gambling billions, possibly trillions of dollars." AIG, crippled by huge losses linked to mortgage defaults, was forced last month to accept the $85 billion government loan that gives the U.S. the right to an 80 percent stake in the company. Waxman unveiled documents showing AIG executives hid the full extent of the firm's risky financial products from auditors, both outside and inside the firm, as losses mounted. For instance, federal regulators at the Office of Thrift Supervision warned in March that "corporate oversight of AIG Financial Products ... lack critical elements of independence." At the same time, PricewaterhouseCoopers confidentially warned the company that the "root cause" of its mounting problems was denying internal overseers in charge of limiting AIG's exposure access to what was going on in its highly leveraged financial products branch. Waxman also released testimony from former AIG auditor Joseph St. Denis, who resigned after being blocked from giving his input on how the firm estimated its liabilities. Three former AIG executives were summoned to appear before the hearing. One of them, Maurice "Hank" Greenberg — who ran AIG for 38 years until 2005 — canceled his appearance citing illness but submitted prepared testimony. In it, he blamed the company's financial woes on his successors, former CEOs Martin Sullivan and Willumstad. "When I left AIG, the company operated in 130 countries and employed approximately 92,000 people," Greenberg said. "Today, the company we built up over almost four decades has been virtually destroyed." Sullivan and Willumstad, in turn, cast much of the blame on accounting rules that forced AIG to take tens of billions of dollars in losses stemming from exposure to toxic mortgage-related securities. Lawmakers also upbraided Sullivan, who ran the firm from 2005 until June of this year, for urging AIG's board of directors to waive pay guidelines to win a $5 million bonus for 2007 — even as the company lost $5 billion in the 4th quarter of that year. Sullivan countered that he was mainly concerned with helping other senior executives.

I received the following Email today: _____ THE WHITE NIGHT IS OPENING FOR BREAKFAST!! Almost unbelievably it's time to start gearing up for the coming high season. At the White Night this means that our buffet menu's will be expanded, the vegetarian selections will be increased and as from Wednesday 22nd October we will be open for dinner seven nights a week. Also in an entirely new development and in response to many requests The White Night will be open for Breakfast from 9 am. every day except Monday's. We will be offering a comprehensive range of breakfast's to suite everyone's budget and dietary preferences from a simple boiled egg, to an extra large full English fry up. All washed down with copious quantities of good quality orange juice and our terrific freshly ground coffee, and all served to your table, not self service buffet. You will all be very welcome to call in for a very leisurely breakfast and take a free refill of coffee while you read a complimentary Newspaper. Relax on our Soi side terrace for an "al fresco" breakfast and watch Sunee Plaza slowly come to life, or enjoy our air conditioned dining room with a little bit of gentle music, the choice is yours. The ever popular White Night bonus card will also apply to breakfasts. You can even earn points on breakfasts and take a free dinner if you like, or even the other way round if you prefer. It's up to you, as they say here in Thailand.

You're quite welcome. If you make it to Pattaya during this trip or any other, please feel free to contact me and I'll be glad to take you around personally or at least meet you for a drink or dinner or whatever. As for the exchange rates, you can also look them up yourself at: http://www.krungsri.com/eng/exchange01.aspx That's where I get the rates from. I use the Bank of Ayudhya's web site because they publish the actual rate you receive rather than strictly the bank and offshore rates. They also publish updates several times each day, while most banks that publish the exchange rates at all do so once a day and that's it I'm planning to keep this thread going until the end of next week. If the rates remain relatively status quo, I'm going to stop posting the rates until such time as more major changes occur. If the rates are in motion at the end of next week I'll continue posting, but I'll start a new thread. This one is getting kind of long.

Wednesday, October 8 Opening Rates: US Dollar: 34.36 Euro: 46.64 British Pound: 60.325 Australian Dollar: 24.2225 Canadian Dollar: 30.9625 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.35 Euro: 46.67 British Pound: 59.895 Australian Dollar: 22.6625 Canadian Dollar: 30.825

Are there alternatives to baht bus transportation in Phuket, such as motorbike taxis? If so, do you know what kinds of prices they charge? I haven't been to Phuket in nearly four years and I don't remember. We rented a motorbike and that was our sole means of transportation while we were there. If you drive a motorbike, apparently you can actually rent a motorbike for an entire day for close to the same price price you pay, one-way, for a baht bus there. We paid 200 baht per day for renting a motorbike (fuel was our own responsibility). Of course, if you rent a motorbike, now you have to know, or at least be able to figure out, how to get to where you're trying to go and you risk the consequences if an accident occurs. By the way, if you do rent a motorbike, whether in Phuket, Pattaya, or wherever in Thailand, be sure you are carrying at least an International Driving Permit, specified for motorbikes. The police do often stop motorbike drivers to check their paperwork, and in Thailand the police do not need any form of 'probable cause' to stop you. In Thailand the police are permitted to stop motorists at random, without any particular reason. If the police are looking to collect fines, there's little you can do. If you haven't violated any laws or regulations, sometimes it seems as if the police just make up their own and, rest assured, you violated something.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Two Dead, Many Hurt A man was killed on Tuesday in a mysterious explosion in a Jeep Cherokee, and a woman died of unexplained chest injuries. A man carrying a small bomb in his pocket and a policeman skewered by an iron flag pole were among the most seriously injured. By Post Reporters A man and a woman were killed and 358 other people injured during violent clashes between police and supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday, according to the Public Health Ministry. The injured were being treated at BMA Medical College and the Vajira, Central, Chulalongkorn, King Mongkut, Siriraj, Ramathibodi, Rajavithi and Police hospitals. Ten were in serious condition with six having lost limbs. A military forensic source said a man who lost a leg had it blown off by a ping-pong bomb in his pocket. Deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Jakthip Chaijinda said the loss of limbs was unlikely to have been caused by police tear gas canisters, but rather by explosive devices. The first death yesterday was a man whose dismembered body was found thrown from a white Jeep Cherokee that had exploded. The jeep had been parked in front of the Chart Thai party headquarters on Sukhothai road, Dusit police said. Ramathibodi hospital's forensic department identified the victim as a man aged 40 to 50, department chief, Pol Gen Wicharn Priewnim said. Chairat Ngamjit, a PAD supporter from Nakhon Ratchasima, told police the jeep belonged to his son and he had driven it to the rally with his wife. He did not know the dead man. The second death involved a woman in her 20s, identified as Angkhana Radappanyawut. She was pronounced dead at Ramathibodi hospital after sustaining serious chest injuries, according to hospital officials. Assoc Prof Dr Than Supattharaphan, the hospital director, said most of the 74 people at Ramathibodi hospital were being treated for exposure to tear gas. Among the wounded police officers, two were stabbed. One, Pol Snr Sgt-Maj Thaweep Klanniam, was struck with the sharpened end of a flag pole in the torso. The pole severed his lung. Four other police officers were shot by PAD supporters, deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay Nimmano said. One was shot in his chest, one in the collarbone, one in the neck and the other in his right hand. They were rushed to Vajira and Chulalongkorn hospitals. Another policeman suffered broken legs after being hit by a car driven by a PAD supporter. The sixth clash since yesterday morning erupted last night at the Metropolitan Police headquarters. The confrontation started at 10.20pm when PAD demonstrators threw bottles into the police compound, prompting the police to retaliate by firing tear gas into the crowd.

I'm no economics expert by any means, but one thing I've noticed over the years is that exchange rate responses to various situations are never immediate. For example, today I noticed that most major currencies actually dropped slightly during the day against the baht. I'm guessing that is a response to the European "no bailout." I'm also guessing it will take a few days before an exchange rate response to the chaos in Bangkok manifests itself. That makes sense to me. Now all it has to do is make sense to what actually ends up happening.

I'm sure the media in most countries is making it look like the entire country of Thailand is embroiled in violent civil war, especially now that the military has become involved. Relax. Nothing could be further from the truth. In Pattaya, just like the coup, you wouldn't know anything is going on at all if it wasn't for TV and the newspapers. Absolutely nothing has changed at all. Even in Bangkok, except for the small area where all this is taking place (and it's nowhere near the gay venue areas), you still wouldn't know anything is going on. Maybe trying to find boys around Saranrom Park might not exactly be a great idea at the moment, but other than that, Bangkok is fine. In other words, if you have been considering canceling travel plans due to all this nonsense, there is no reason to do so. Everything here is just fine. As a matter of fact, for those of us who are here it's actually better. Plenty of boys, but far fewer farang than usual competing for them. If you were here, the last thing you would have to worry about would be the prospect of another farang getting to the boy you like before you do. Because of this mess, in vulgar terms, you now have the pick of the litter. Also, those of us who are here are enjoying our currencies finally gaining a little strength against the baht and the longer the lunacy goes on, the better the exchange rate is likely to get. Life goes on, folks, even when the government is in utter chaos. It's your decision, of course, but unless martial law or something is declared throughout Thailand, I see no reason at all to even think about canceling your travel plans. The chances of you encountering any of the chaos are virtually nil.

I would think that all the political turmoil, especially now that it has escalated into violence, is going to have a strong effect, especially if the military ends up intervening.

Maybe I've seen too many movies or have watched one too many conspiracy theory programs on television, but I smell a rat with this resignation. First, this attack comes from the police, supposedly a tear gas attack, that results in people being killed and maimed, followed by the doctors who treated the victims saying there is no way these injuries came solely from a tear gas attack. A few hours later the Prime Minister actually has to climb over a fence to escape from the Parliament building. Then, only a few hours later comes the news that Chavalit is resigning because he's taking the responsibility for the attack. So far, there has been nothing to indicate that he's the one who even ordered the attack in the first place. I have yet to find one word in the media about who actually gave the orders to launch the attack, but you can bet it wasn't Corporal Pipsqueak. It had to be someone very high up in the ranks. Who? Why? Maybe I'm way off base here, but I can't help but have things like 'scapegoat' and 'sacrificial lamb' cross my mind.

This is late breaking news. I imagine more details will be available later. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Deputy PM Chavalit Resigns Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh tendered his resignation on Tuesday to take responsibility on police's use of forces and tear gas on anti-government protesters. Gen Chavalit is deputy prime minister in charge of security. Police fired tear gas and used forces to disperse the protesters who blocked and surrounded the Parliament on Tuesday morning. They wanted to block access of Members of Parliament to the Parliament to attend policy debate of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawats' government.

Having lived in Thailand as long as I have, I have long gotten beyond comparing the way things work, including how much things cost, to the way things are and prices in other countries. To me, what a taxi fare would be in a country other than Thailand is irrelevant. To me, the relevant comparison would be comparing taxi fares in Pattaya to fares in other Thai cities. I don't use the taxis in Pattaya, but I do use them in Bangkok. In my opinion, that's the truly relevant comparison. So, here's what I know from personal experience: A metered taxi ride from either the Malaysia Hotel or the Pinnacle Hotel to Silom is 45 baht. A metered taxi ride from Saphan Kwai or Chatuchak to Silom or the Pinnacle or Malaysia Hotel runs from 125 to 155 baht. I'm not sure about this one, but I believe a metered taxi ride from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Silom is about 400 baht. I've never done that, so someone who has will need to either confirm that or correct me. When I compare those prices to a taxi ride from The Avenue to View Talay Condo 2, and the asking price for a non-metered fare is 250 baht, perhaps I'm wrong, but it sure seems to me that unscrupulous taxi drivers in Pattaya are trying rip-off customers. If the taxi fare from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya is still 1400 baht, then the fare comes out to about 14 baht per mile. The taxi fare from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport is 800 baht, which works out to about 8 baht per mile. The fare from The Avenue to View Talay Condo 2, at 250 baht, works out to about 62 baht per mile. I think the math speaks for itself. Another comparison: If I simply hop on a baht bus, that same ride costs 10 baht. If I hire a baht bus, that same ride is negotiable, but would cost no more than 100 to 150 baht. The taxis run on LP gas. The baht buses run on Diesel, which is much more expensive. I may be wrong, but as far as I can tell the Pattaya taxis are trying to charge at the very least triple the comparative price of anywhere else in all of Thailand. If that's truly justifiable, then it's the latest item on my "I Don't Get It" list.

Several stories are being reported now, too many for me to cut and paste them all here. Instead I am referring you to the online media to see for yourselves. http://www.nationmultimedia.com (Opening page has slide show of this morning's tear gas attack) http://www.bangkokpost.com http://enews.mcot.net Obviously there will even more news of this type by evening. Obviously, this is going to have a much more detrimental effect on Thailand's tourism and economy. So far the US embassy has not published any travel advisories (that's the only embassy web site I checked), but I expect a warning to be issued if this keeps up.

Here is a report from AP: _____ BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Police fired tear gas Tuesday at several thousand demonstrators attempting to block access by lawmakers to Parliament, heating up a political crisis that has gripped the country for six weeks. Reporters at the scene heard sounds of gunfire, but police Maj. Gen. Viboon Bangthamai said that only tear gas was being used against the crowd in Bangkok. Sixty-five people were injured, including two seriously, said Petpong Kumtonkitjakarn of the Erawan Medical Center. "One of them lost his leg, another was hit with shrapnel in the chest," he said. The morning clashes came just hours before Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who was sworn in September 25, was scheduled to deliver his government's policy statement to lawmakers. Anti-government protesters who have occupied the grounds of the prime minister's office for six weeks had marched Monday night to the streets outside Parliament, vowing to block lawmakers from entering the building. After the morning clashes, thousands of protesters regrouped in front of Parliament where speakers addressed the crowd from a makeshift stage. "Fight with us in protecting this country! Stay with us here until we have our victory," a speaker told the cheering crowd. The action by the People's Alliance for Democracy -- which is seeking the government's resignation and a major overhaul of the electoral system -- came in response to the recent arrests of two of its leaders, and seemed intended to spark a confrontation to revive its flagging movement. The alliance says Somchai is a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006 by military leaders who accused him of corruption and who now resides in exile. Somchai is a brother-in-law of Thaksin. When protesters originally took over the grounds of Government House on August 26, their intention was to oust then Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej -- whom they also accused of being a puppet of Thaksin. However, they later said they also opposed his successor, Somchai. Samak was dismissed from office on September 9 by a court decision that found him guilty on a conflict of interest charge. He had accepted pay for hosting a TV show while in office. At the nearby Government House, protest leaders called for supporters to join their ranks. "Brothers and sisters, please come out and help us," said Somsak Kosaisuk, one of nine protest leaders. "We were protesting peacefully. I urge you to come out to join us in our fight against this illegitimate government." "We will not stop," Somsak said. "We will fight until we have our victory!" The alliance claims Thailand's rural majority -- who gave landslide election victories to the current government -- is too poorly educated to responsibly choose their representatives and says they are susceptible to vote buying. The protest group wants the country to abandon the system of one-man, one-vote, and instead have a mixed system in which some representatives are chosen by certain professions and social groups. They have not explained how exactly such a system would work or what would make it less susceptible to manipulation.

I agree with lvdkeyes on this one. You can take a taxi-meter from Pattaya to the airport for a standard price of 800 baht, a distance of about 100 miles. 250 baht for a ride of about 4 miles seems a little steep to me, especially when the metered price would be about 50 baht. I would have no objection to negotiated prices if reasonable, fair prices were being charged, but I sympathize with the passenger as much as I do with the taxi driver. Certainly I understand that fuel prices are quite high these days, although the taxis use LP gas at a far lower price, but I don't see charging rip-off fares as either reasonable or fair.

Tuesday, October 7 Opening Rates: US Dollar: 34.39 Euro: 46.305 British Pound: 59.805 Australian Dollar: 24.5525 Canadian Dollar: 31.0725 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.28 Euro: 46.465 British Pound: 59.65 Australian Dollar: 24.5225 Canadian Dollar: 30.96

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Police Break up Parliament's Blockade with Tear Gases By The Nation Dozens of protesters injured; one lost leg, one reporter injured; opposition may boycott policy debate Police fire dozens of tear gases at protesters, who staged a blockade outside Parliament at 6:20 am, injuring dozens of demonstrators. A protester lost his leg because of the explosion of the tear gases during the disperse and one reporter was injured. The firing of tear gases managed to open an access to Parliament at the gate on Phichai Road. Leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy urged the protesters to remain protesting there. Police took about 20 minutes to break open the blockade at the gate on Phichai Road. TV scenes showed police in gas protecting masks pushing protesters back from the gate. Many protesters were seen washing their face with water and many injured protesters were seen carried away by their peers. The PAD leaders inside Government House urged the protesters there to move reinforce the protesters at Parliament. Pipop Thongchai, a PAD leader, condemned police's use of force against the protesters. Sathit Wongnongtoey, chief opposition whip, said the Democrat Party leaders would hold an urgent meeting to discuss the situation and opposition may boycott the protest. Sathit said the use of force against protesters prompted the opposition to doubt the government's reconciliatory policy. He said he wondered why police fired tear gars into the people. "You can see on TVs that tears gases even cut off tree branches, let a lone the protester's leg," Sathit said. ____________________ The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ PAD Siege Broken Riot police launched a surprise tear-gas raid Tuesday morning to break up a siege and tear down barricades at parliament erected up overnight by supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). At around 6.20am, the PAD protesters retreated as unarmed police with shields and face masks moved through the barbed-wire barricades on Sukhothai and Rachavithi roads and tore them down. Several people, including a local radio news reporter, were injured but it was not clear how their wounds occurred. One man appeared to have been hit by a tear-gas grenade as it exploded, tearing off part of his leg. "I don't think there are many injuries," said Pol Maj Gen Viboon Bangthamai, who was at the scene. Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat ordered police to clear the way into parliament for the scheduled policy debate on Tuesday morning. He had called an urgent cabinet meeting late Monday night after PAD human shields ringed parliament to prevent the meeting. Several people were carried from the protest by fellow demonstrators after the short tear-gas attack, but it was not clear if there were any casualties when police moved in to clear the human blockade of parliament. About five companies of police massed in riot formation marched up to parliament shortly after sunrise at 6am. Officers armed with grenade launchers immediately began firing tear gas canisters at the barricades. Most of the gas grenades burst in piles of tyres placed by the demonstrators as part of their barricade. With the CS gas still heavy in the air and wafting over the area, police moved in to tear down the steel gates and barbed wire that had been strung by the PAD. Most of the policemen had no protection against the gas, and covered their faces with handkerchiefs. The PAD crowds pulled back from the area as police moved in to open roads and remove the protesters' barricades. PAD supporters screamed at police through the loudspeaker system as officers moved in, but the actual PAD core leaders were not seen. PAD founder and leader Sondhi Limthongkul could be heard deploring the "police attack on children in our midst" but he also did not come to the foreground of the action.