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You betcha! The tones and extended vowels are very important. Without using them, quite often nobody knows what the hell you're trying to say. If nothing else, at least try to get a little of the Thai right when you do speak it. People who have lived here for years still insist on mispronouncing "farang." They say "fah-rang", like you rang a bell or, worse still, "fair-ang" with emphasis on the first syllable on top of that. Wrong! It's pronounced "fah-rahng" or "fah-lahng," whichever you prefer (we've been through that debate before), and the emphasis is on the last syllable. I think most of them know that, and yet they still insist on mispronouncing it. Why? Another one is "ya-ba," the illegal methamphetamines. It's pronounced "yah-bah" with emphasis on the last syllable. I can't tell you how many times I keep hearing "yaba" as if Fred Flintstone was saying "yabba-dabba-doo." Is there a chance for these people to learn to speak Thai? Well, being an optimist, I hope so.

I agree with RichLB. Certainly for the average person in Thailand solely for a holiday of a few weeks, learning Thai is not an essential necessity, especially since it is usually easy enough to find Thai people who speak English quite well, but it surely makes life much easier if you are able to communicate beyond the English most bar boys know. Many "farang" who live in Thailand are able to get along quite nicely without leaning any Thai at all, but without an ability to speak the language it definitely limits them. Many see no need to learn to speak Thai, but once you do learn that's when you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

That is probably true. However, even that still is no guarantee. Those of you reading this who remember my web site probably also remember that I always recommended (and still do) Ronda, from Norcross travel in the USA, when making airline reservations for travel to Thailand because she always managed to beat every other price by hundreds of dollars. Do you know how I found Rhonda in the first place? At that time I had a friend from Thailand who was a university student, on a student visa, in the USA. He's the one who first told me about Rhonda. He had been back and forth between Thailand and the USA several times and never had a problem obtaining his student visa. Obviously he was returning to Thailand, but when his visa was about to expire he would have to apply for a new one. One time he went through absolute hell trying to get the visa. Despite all of his documentation and his history of returning to Thailand, there was one time he was denied the visa three times until he was finally able to convince the embassy to grant him a new one. As far as he could tell, there was no particular reason for the denial other than the agent at the embassy arbitrarily denying it. He was finally to get the visa, was able to complete his college degree, and now lives in Bangkok, so the story does have a happy ending, but he came awfully close to being unable to get it. I have a difficult time understanding USA immigration policy. It seems to me that anyone from a Caribbean island country who manages to float in on a log is granted not only entry, but education, housing, and health benefits to go along with it. Meanwhile, people from Thailand whose intent is nothing more than a holiday and plan to return to Thailand have an incredibly difficult time obtaining a visa. That's another one I can add to my "I don't get it" list.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ MTV to Stop Airing on UBC Tonight MTV Asia, a music channel currently aired on UBC Channel 32, will stop airing its programme from 11pm tonight. A source from MTV Asia says that the programme will disappear on UBC Channel 32 from 11pm onwards and the music channel will hold a press conference tomorrow about the end of its broadcast on UBC, the country's only cable TV operator. UBC informs its subscribers on its UBC 32 screen that it has decided to stop airing two music channels, MTV and VH 1. The company said that the move was in accordance with its recent viewer survey. Recently, UBC has added a number of channels including two music channels -True Music and Majung.

In other words, North America and the UK are essentially out of the question. What about Australia? Does anyone know whether a visa to Australia or New Zealand would be particularly difficult?

I only wish a different one from the one you live on, but it didn't work out that way. And no, I'm not kidding. I don't know what leftover turkey and cranberry sauce would have to do with the affair at Niddy's Nook and I do think he would be far better served to postpone for a week. I guess that opinion is just totally outrageous, isn't it?

I never knew about this place until reading the following article. I've probably passed it a million times without ever even noticing it. The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ It

Perhaps Iraq or Afghanistan . . . . Actually, you can take him to most Asian countries solely on his passport. I think Russia and the former USSR countries are also available, but you'll have to check on that. A friend recently took a boyfriend, about the same age, to Austria without too much of a hassle. The UK and USA seem to be the most difficult countries. As far as I know, just about everywhere else is "do-able."

Some phones seem to have that problem and some don't. When you are buying a phone, before you make the actual purchase and before money exchanges hands, ask to test the phone first. If you already have a phone, then the only thing I can think of would be to take it to one of the repair shops in a place like Tuk Com and see if they can either make adjustments or put in different speakers.

Obviously the ad is embellished, but my problem with the event is that it will occur only two days after Thanksgiving. I don't think that's a bright idea. A lot of "farang" are going to attend Thanksgiving dinners, and that's a big dinner. I don't think too many people are going to be ready for another food feast only two days later. You might consider postponing for a week.

I suppose this also applies to the USA, but did you know that even having the visa is still no guarantee that you will be admitted into the country? I had a friend in Brazil who wanted to go to the UK. I have no idea what he went through to obtain his visa, but he did obtain it. Off he went to London. Upon arrival at Heathrow, the customs officials refused to let him enter the country. I never knew the reason. I don't remember if my friend was even told the reason, but he was placed in a holding room at the airport and ended up on the next flight from London back to Brazil. I've heard similar stories over the years. I guess even with the visa, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, you ain't in the country 'till you're in the country.

This question has come up many times before. To put it mildly, you might as well forget it. It isn

Baht Likely to Further Strengthen: KRC BANGKOK, Oct 30 (TNA) The baht is projected to further strengthen due to stronger Chinese yuan, weakening of the US dollar, and the recovery of the Thai economy, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre. The leading think tank reported the baht had appreciated at a higher rate than other regional currencies due mainly to a foreign capital inflow into the country. Although the country

If you don't like the commentary, don't read it. The converters you suggest are misleading. They quote the bank rates. That would be great if that was what you actually receive when you exchange money. It isn't. The rates I quote are what you actually receive. If you want to do it yourself, click here: http://www.krungsri.com/thai/home.aspx

BANGKOK, Oct 29 (TNA) Senior officials of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and related government agencies were scheduled to meet Sunday and assess the current flooding situation in the country as well as floods which could worsen with the approach of Typhoon Cimaron early next month. RID Director-General Samart Chokkanapitak said irrigation officials had been instructed to closely monitor water levels in reservoirs which now are at over 80 per cent capacity in preparation for heavy rains which could come hand-in-hand with the approaching tropical storm. Typhoon Cimaron is reportedly forming now in the Pacific near the Philippines and expected to reach the Vietnamese coast on November 1. The typhoon will possibly impact Thailand afterwards, said Samart. According to Mr. Samart, if Typhoon Cimaron moves to the North, major water retention sites in the region such as the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province and the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit may have to release water within the next few days because they have already reached their maximum level. The water, if released, will further worsen flooding situation in central Thailand. Meanwhile, Suparerk Tansriratanawong, Director-General of the Meteorological Department, said it was still difficult to predict the strength of the new typhoon and more accurate forecasts can only be made after the storm hits the Philippines. (TNA) E-111 [attachmentid=66] [attachmentid=67]

Anyone can get broadband. As for which ISP to use, I'd start with whichever is the least expensive. If you become dissatisfied with their service you can always cancel them and try another service. Your Bangkok apartment probably is already wired for a direct line. Whether it is or not, your building manager or landlord should be able to tell you where to go to initiate the service. I cannot comment on whether TOT or TRUE is the best choice. I know nothing about TRUE. The deposit is minimal, only a couple thousand baht.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ BOT Steps in as Baht Goes Higher Overseas-Investment Rules May be Eased The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is considering easing rules for overseas investment to counter the rising value of the baht as it continues to intervene in the currency, which has shot up to a near seven-year high at Bt36.88 to the US dollar. The strengthening of the baht has been attributed mainly to equity-linked capital inflows. Tarisa Watanagase, BOT governor-designate, admitted yesterday that the central bank had "overseen" the baht's value after the unit appreciated too much, too soon. Too high an appreciation of the baht would negatively affect the economy, she said. The baht opened at Bt36.90-Bt36.94 to the dollar yesterday and shot up to Bt36.88 during the day's trading, before closing at Bt36.89. Dealers said the baht was expected to move in the range of Bt36.50 to Bt37 against the greenback next week. Tarisa said the bank may relax rules on offshore investment for local entities to allow greater baht outflows amid strong capital inflows in the recent weeks. "It could be relaxation on the amount of investment or the conditions of investment. We are looking at the possibilities," Tarisa said. Yesterday, the SET Index closed at 725.77, 0.37 per cent lower than the previous day in line with regional markets and pressure in the energy sector from rising oil prices, dealers said. But the index has risen 6.44 per cent from 681.84 on October 3. However, she said the current baht level was still in line with the movement of regional currencies. This level has still not affected the country's competitiveness, she said. "Today the baht has appreciated significantly. We then had to oversee the baht closely. If it is too strong, it would affect the economy," Tarisa said. The equity-linked capital inflows have caused the baht to rise from Bt37.47 on Tuesday to its near seven-year high on Wednesday and reach a new record on the following days. The capital inflows into Asia are mainly due to the US Federal Reserve decision to maintain its policy rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent early this week. In addition, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's recent debut in the Hong Kong stock exchange, marking the world's largest initial public offering, has also drawn much attention from investors. The stock has been largely oversubscribed. Many believe funds left over from the ICBC subscription have been diverted to other markets in Asia, including Thailand. "We're closely monitoring capital inflows and know well where they are coming from as well as where they are going to. Most of the capital inflows went to the equity market as well as mutual funds. We'll still keep an eye on inflows to prevent them from affecting the baht too much," Tarisa said. Tarisa maintained the rise of the baht is in line with regional currencies. "Our currency is not the strongest," she said. "There are others that are much stronger and moving at a much faster pace. But we're in the strong group mainly due to capital inflows from the US after the Fed maintained its rate unchanged," she said. Somruedi Banchongduang

Now, you wouldn't be trying to place me between a rock and a hard place, would you? I think most people know I have no favorites. I don't operate that way. It's either I delete the posts you think are inappropriate or I'm a pussy? Those are the only options? I hope you won't be too upset if I make my own decisions. So far, the only post I found it necessary to delete on this thread was a post that simply said "Please delete."

Baht Strengthens too Quickly, Says BOT BANGKOK, Oct 27 (TNA) The baht has strengthened too quickly in the past couple of days mainly because there was a short-term foreign capital inflow into the Stock Exchange of Thailand, according to the Bank of Thailand. BOT

The Siam Palm has a web site: http://www.siam-palm.com/index2.html

Play it again, Sam.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Authorities Crack Down on North Korean Asylum Seekers THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA, WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM & MANOP THIP-OSOD Chiang Rai _ Authorities are stepping up border surveillance to prevent North Korean migrants from trying to illegally enter Thailand so they can seek asylum in third countries. The alert comes after growing pressure from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Thailand to deal seriously with illegal entry. More North Korean migrants may be heading to Thailand due to the United Nations sanctions to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, Mae Sai district's customs chief Jetsada Yaisun said. The sanctions were imposed after North Korea declared it had carried out a test of a nuclear device on Oct 9. At least 20 North Koreans who cross the border illegally are captured in Chiang Rai every month, most of them hoping to be granted asylum in South Korea, Pol Col Jetsada said. Immigration police offices in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai, Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong districts will work with relevant state agencies to intercept the migrants. The efforts will focus on the 130km stretch of the Mekong river, the natural border with Laos, in Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong districts, he said. ''Next-door neighbours, particularly Laos and Burma, will be asked to catch asylum seekers when they get to the jump-off points in those countries,'' he said. Charged 150,000 baht per head by Chinese smuggling rings, the North Koreans are ferried on speedboats from China to Laos for a brief rest there. They are eventually taken into Thailand through Chiang Rai. The whole trip from China to Laos takes only five hours, compared to a week on a Chinese cargo ship. In Bangkok, police will today recommend the arraignment of 91 North Koreans caught in an apartment in Pathum Thani on Tuesday on illegal entry charges. Immigration Bureau chief Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said that after legal proceedings, the bureau would transfer the 91 suspects who had sought asylum in South Korea to the care of the UNHCR and the South Korean embassy. Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said he would propose that the government map out long-term solutions to the problem.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Sonthi Told Thaksin He Would Stage a Coup For the First Time, General Reveals the Inside Story of Hhow the Regime was Toppled At last, the story behind that unique part of the "first announcement" by the September 19 coup leaders - "We are sorry for the inconvenience"- can be told. Aside from the need to pacify a stunned public, it owed as much to one of General Sonthi Boonyaratglin's personal habits. "It's in my nature to apologise to people - my tennis partners, even my subordinates - for even tiny little things," the head of the Council for National Security told Nation Group editors in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. The light-hearted revelation led to more serious ones: He drafted most of the coup announcements by himself, starting early in the afternoon of that fateful day. When most drafts were ready, he became worried about their legal aspects and someone recommended Meechai Ruchuphan, who was immediately contacted and picked up from his home that night to help. "It was the first time I talked to him," Sonthi said of the man who was elected president of the interim National Legislative Assembly on the day of the interview. Sonthi said he prepared the drafts himself so that "nobody else would know what we were up to". The coup was plotted and carried out by eight key men, including Sonthi. It was originally intended to take place on September 20 because, with another major anti-Thaksin rally planned for that day, the collaborators could repeat the "Portuguese example", in which military mutiny and anti-government uprising complement each other. But having considered risk factors, the plan was moved up to September 19, when Thaksin was still in New York. According to Sonthi, only four top commanders knew the entire picture of the plan. But the other four executed their jobs well. "Each of us took care of our own piece of the jigsaw, which fell into place nicely at the end," he said. One significant piece of the jigsaw was the role of the Special Forces from Lop Buri who provided the coup leaders with much-needed combat experience, loyalty and allegiance. "Faith and trust among men at arms doesn't come easily. It goes back a long time," he said. His words may have carried a hint of scorn for Thaksin Shinawatra, whose "close ties with Class 10" failed to produce significant resistance to the coup. The provincial troops were told to move into the capital at midnight on September 19, to avoid traffic complications. But at 8pm, even men on the street were talking about an imminent coup. "We couldn't cope with the news leaks, so I decided to move up the schedule," he said. In the early evening, Sonthi was in contact with the national police to ensure major units stayed put and cooperated with the coup leaders. Contrary to what many believed, Sonthi said the coup was not an urgent measure mooted just a couple of days earlier. However, he was adamant the Thaksin camp was also scheming to create violence on September 20, so as to enforce a State of Emergency. "The State of Emergency would have given the government a pretext to remove me because I wouldn't have obeyed any order to use force against Thai people," he said. During the two-hour interview, the CNS chief revealed tales of mistrust between him and the former prime minister. The general disclosed that during their recent visit to Burma, shortly before the coup, he had instructed his men to sneak a gun into the C-130 plane so, if the need arose, he could protect himself. Asked what made him do that and what he thought Thaksin was plotting, Sonthi said: "I don't know. I was just being alert. On the plane, I sat near the entrance to the cockpit, where I could know quickly if something was about to happen. I had been told to wear my uniform but I wore a suit which better covered what I wanted to cover." The level of Thaksin's trust in Sonthi must have been similarly low. After all, according to Sonthi, the ousted prime minister was given clear warnings of what was coming, long before the coup. The CNS head recalled a time when Thaksin was regularly tongue-in-cheek about transferring top commanders to the Prime Minister's Office. It was then that he asked Sonthi: "Will you stage a coup?" Thaksin was taken aback when Sonthi replied: "I will." Sonthi did not elaborate on the exchange, which took place during Thaksin's lunch with armed forces' leaders at Air Force headquarters. But, apparently, Thaksin was less than pleased with reponses from the other top commanders, as well. The embattled prime minister sparked a public controversy afterwards by claiming an "influential figure beyond the scope of the Constitution" was plotting to overthrow him. At the same time, military sources said he had further alienated himself from the armed forces with certain "highly controversial" remarks. Sonthi said it was then that Thaksin asked him again whether he was plotting to overthrow him. "I told him my answer remained the same," Sonthi said.

I have stayed in the Patong Beach Bungalows, pre-tsunami, and loved it. The rooms are very nice and right on the beach. They have an excellent swimming pool too and it is only a few minutes walk to the Paradise Complex, where most of the gay bars are. They are gay-friendly there. The rooms each have a sign on the inside of the door and the sign talks about joiner fees, but I was never asked to pay a joiner fee when I had a 'guest.' Another inexpensive accommodation is the Connect Guesthouse, which is a gay guesthouse. I've stayed there too and was quite satisfied with it. They have everything you need and you can't beat the price. It's located right in the heart of the Paradise Complex. Their web site is: http://www.beachpatong.com/connect