5 minute protest against climate change, France lights out...

The protest planned for Feb 1st against climate change is starting to gain momentum, and a lot of criticism. In case you've not heard, this is an idea whereby people in France will shut off all power for five minutes on Feb 1st in order to draw attention to the enormous waste of power that occurs every day. For more information have a look at this Campaign against Climate Change website, here.

I'm not sure if this is aimed at people outside France or if it's just the French who are taking part. Any more information would be most welcome. I can't imagine it will make a huge physical difference but with enough people taking part the message should get across nicely. I read somewhere that all the power going off for a short period of time and then starting again will actually cause a greater use of power. Interesting point but I hope it's not true. Maybe a ten minute break will be better.

5 minute protest against climate change, France lights out...

Ohhhhh Thailand, what ARE you doing??

What's that about people in glass houses? Thais have been protesting outside the Singaporean embassy once again. Of course, none of the millions of idiotic problems in Thailand are anything to do with Thais it's all those bloody foreigners poking their noses in all the time.

Hundreds of misguided Thais have been burning an effigy of a Singaporean minister outside the embassy. There was a great quote from one of the Thai leaders: "We are here to announce how stupid the Singapore government is..." and this coming from Thailand. Really, it beggars belief.

This is partly because Taksin was allowed to excericise his right to freedom of speech in Singapore (something sadly denied anyone in Thailand) and largely because someone none Thai must be to blame for all ills in Thailand and this time, yep, it's going to be Singapore. Old man Taksin was giving interviews in Japan afterwards but of course we won't be seeing any protests outside the Japanese embassy. CNN interviewed Taksin (American) and he's employed America's top political PR firm to help his charm offensive but there is no way any Thai will be allowed to protest outside the US embassy (many Thais have said to me that they consider themselves American really and that the cultures are just the same and that America is all Thais spiritual home - REALLY? And this from educated Thais I might add).

Maybe Singaporeans should boycott Thailand for tourism, and Singaporean businesses start to look for other locations for their investments. They could send the huge army of domestic and sex workers from Thailand back home too. But of course Singapore wouldn't do that because Singapore is a good country with a relatively open system of democracy that doesn't act like some spoilt child throwing it's toys out of the pram when it can't get it's own way.

The runway at Suwarnabhumi airport that is cracking up and causing such chaos is the fault of corruption, apparently. Of course it was never going to be the fault of anyone in particular, just corruption. Better not to actually name anyone but blame the faceless corruption. Rather than continually accepting corruption as endemic why not face up to the fact that the culture in Thailand breeds corruption, and actually promotes it. The Thai culture is in definite need of a huge overhaul if corruption is to be stamped out. It's bloody everywhere.

Arghhh, return is close now and I'm getting twitchy. The wife is almost certainly up for a shift back here now so, before she changes her mind, I might start getting the wheels in motion for a move in the summer. It doesn't have to be the UK of course, I'm up for any country that isn't racist, is run by a democratically elected government and where the government doesn't go around slaughtering people as it pleases.

It's a shame and I hate feeling this way but the longer I stay I think the more I will become bitter and resentful of everything Thai, and I don't want that. I also don't want to get bogged down in Thailand and eventually find myself in a position where I simply can't afford to return to my country. I think it is definitely possible to make it in Thailand, as a foreigner, but you have to kiss an enormous amount of arse and be prepared to bend over and take it royally, which I am not. I'm not very good at turning a blind eye and not very good at ignoring things. And I hate feeling that I need to toady to something that I don't believe in in order to survive.

I promise I will cut these rants out soon but I feel a hell of a lot better for getting it off my chest.

Ohhhhh Thailand, what ARE you doing??

Protectionist Thailand and demanding daughters...

Just been reading about Thailand in the online Bangkok Post. As the UK pound reaches almost $2 it would seem that it is, by Thai standards anyway, time to take protectionist steps against any further rise in value of the pound and the ensuing detoriation in our exports. However, we are a forward thinking, free wheeling and open democratic economy that seems to embrace both capitalism and globalization completely. So we won't be taking any such steps. Just a shame a few other nations aren't the same.

As steps to create my new business venture take shape I have decided to scrap the name. This has sent me crashing back to square one and desperately scratching around for a new name and identity for this new venture. Bugger!

I'm struggling at the moment. I really need to get work done. I have a backlog of work to do but I also have a demanding daughter who wants attention. I have a policy of not wanting to turn my daughter away. Result: when I'm trying to work and she comes and pesters me I stop working. I just can't get anything done. It's not that she wants attention for attention's sake. She comes to me with writing exrecise books and wants me to see her writing, or with her books and wants to show me her reading or for me to read to her, or for both of us to paint! And on and on... I can't bring myslef to ignore her and so my work suffers. Once again, bugger!

Anyway, there is a little girl stood next to me telling me she has a cold and wants me to help her paint. It's Sunday. She wins again.

Protectionist Thailand and demanding daughters...

Quitting smoking...

A old friend of mine has just given up smoking. It's quite funny watching him squirm and suffer. I know how he feels, been there, done that. Nicotine is one powerful drug. I gave up meat and I sometimes go for long periods without alcohol, neither of which bothers me. But cigarettes? I don't think I will ever be completely free from that deep desire to light-up once again.

Being back here in the UK the pressure to smoke is greater. In Thailand steps have already been taken to stamp out smoking. Disgusting pictures on packets, ban on advertising, and cigarettes have to be hidden at the point of sale. In shops and petrol stations you don't actually see cigarettes, they are hidden and a sign will be visible stating that cigarettes are available. This is a great help when trying to stop smoking: out of sight, out of mind. In a matter of months smoking will be banned in all public places in England, including pubs and bars, so it should be a lot easier.

I know that smoking is bad for the health. It can cause disease, pain and death, it makes your breath and clothes stink, and, in the UK, it's bloody expensive. Despite that I'd mud wrestle my own gran for a smoke just now and hope someone can come up with a way to smoke without all the nasty side-effects soon.

Looks like the beaches of Devon are finally cleared, except the empty containers. After the MSC Napoli container ship managed to beach itself and start shedding containers locals spent the last week "salvaging" booty. People have been walking away from the beach with new BMW motorbikes, a Mercedes, barrels of wine and just about everything you can think of, even a tractor. Authorities seem to think it will take about five months to remove the remaining containers from the ship.

Looks like Wales again tomorrow.

Quitting smoking...

Suwarnabhumi airport not safe, cracks on the runway...

Well, am I the only one who is concerned about the appalling lack of safety in Thailand. The new Suwarnabhumi airport has not even been granted a safety certificate but still the airport remains open. The taxiways and runways have hundreds of cracks and holes but no sign of closure or flight cancellation. For the authorities in Thailand to admit to any errors they must be very bad, as normally a tight lip approach would be adopted.

I'm flying into the god-forsaken place next week with my daughter and to be honest I'm not overly keen on the idea of having my life at the mercy of a bunch of people who clearly value cash above the safety and lives of people. If it was any other country the airport would be closed for the problems to be addressed, but not in Thailand.

Once again they show a complete disregard for human life. They were warned a few hours before the tsunami but chose to ignore the warning in case a few tourists got frightened and they lost some money. Not the best decision really. Lets hope they are not doing a similar thing here.

If a plane should crash at the airport because of the runway cracks, it will have to blamed on someone else. Couldn't possibly be a Thai problem. Suwarnabhumi airport is clearly not safe, along with many things in Thailand. I just hope that this is a problem that is solved quickly (and correctly) before lives are lost.

As regards the Taksin v military junta debacle I've heard a rumour, from a reliable source, that Taksin and his family will not be charged with anything. Should be interesting if this is true.

Suwarnabhumi airport not safe, cracks on the runway...

Climate change action on Feb 1st...

I found this here:

Urgent: action against climate change On February 1st you can participate in the worldwide greatest action against climate change!!! Various environmental organizations are asking the peoples of this planet to hold 5 minutes of “silence”:Everyone should turn off all lights, electricity etc. between 7:55 until 8 p.m. to bring attention to other inhabitants, the media and politicians about the daily waste of energy.An act which takes only 5 minutes, which costs nothing, but shows the governments that climate change should be on the top agenda of world politics.Why this date?On February 1st the United Nations is publicizing the newest results and knowledge base on climate change. SO…….TURN OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty cool idea, I wonder how many people will be taking part.

Climate change action on Feb 1st...

Childhood friendship, winter and foie gras..

Wales for a few days. Winter is here in true form. It's bloody cold!! Up in the Welsh mountains there was a light dusting of snow which didn't seem to be in a hurry to melt even during the bright winter sun.

The daughter got to be with her oldest chum. He's three months older than her and they've been mates since she was a week or two old. I've known his dad since I was about eight years old. Even with the distance between them and only being able to meet a few times a year they seem to have a bond. They say childhood friends are the best, I wonder if this is a friendship that will last to adulthood. I think seeing him again has made the daughter want to come back here to live. Two against one now so wifey is in a minority.

India is set to become the fifth biggest economy in the world shortly, and second biggest by the middle of the century. Good for Indians sure but not so good for the environment. Just imagine if everyone in China and India wants a car and the fuel to go with it. How does the song go? There may be trouble ahead..

York is in the news for two reasons today. First off, scientists have discovered that many Yorkshire men have DNA that comes from West Africans. Secondly, a York councillor (Labour, I'm sad to say) has started a motion to get foie gras banned in York. Gold bless the man - Paul Blanchard is his name. It's banned in Chicago, Israel and Argentina apparently. Torturing an animal to "make it taste nicer" is surely nothing short of barbaric and sick.

Both geese and ducks are literally force-fed in order to swell the liver which then gives the smooth foie gras pate. In order to get the price down this is now done mechanically, even more in-humane. How can this be right?

Trying to settle on a logo design for the new venture. Never thought it could be this hard. It's proving to be a real stumbling block. To top that I'm getting second thoughts about the name I've registered. Arghhh!

Childhood friendship, winter and foie gras..

The trouble with Thailand.....

Winter seems to have arrived here in the UK, though the temperatures are still a few degrees above what the average is for this time of year. Wife has been and now returned to Thailand.

The more I read about Thailand and the current round of trouble and bullshit the more I don't want to be there.

People have been arrested for the new year bombings but whether they are the right people is anyone's guess.

The military government, of which I was originally in favour of, are starting to go the way of previous Thai dictatorships. The press is under greater control than when Taksin was there, they are getting all huffy every time Taksin goes anywhere or talks to anyone. They've "threatened" Japan about doing any interviews with him. It would be interesting to know exactly what they could threaten Japan with, as Japan seems to hold all the cards in the Jap/Thai relationship. Odd that CNN have interviewed him but they haven't "threatened" the US as yet. And they're taking what can only be described as a xenophobic approach to foreign and domestic policy.

A Japanese criminal on the run has been hiding in Thailand since June last year, with the Japs requesting his arrest since then. Strangely nothing happened until Taksin hit Japanese soil and mysteriously the Thai authorities happened upon this guy and offered him to Japan. Odd that.

Thais have been protesting outside the Singaporean Embassy shouting such things as "Singapore money out of Thailand". That's nice. When Thailand precipitated the crash of 1997 they were begging for foreign money but now they're doing well foreigners get the bird. All because Singapore wouldn't follow some military dictatorship's orders.

Will Taksin ever be in court? Will he ever be found guilty? Will the families of the murdered masses of Thailand ever find justice? The answer is surely a resounding NO. Thais in power are immune from criticism and certainly aren't likely to find themselves in the dock, much less a jail. Taksin's maid will probably get most of the stick and be found guilty of some wrongdoing and punished instead of the Shinawatras.

Oddly enough if he isn't found guilty of something then the present dictatorship will be completely illegitimate. But then who is going to say anything too loud about that? Don't forget, it is considered un-Thai to criticise your own kind. What goes on in Thailand is obviously correct because the clever people in charge say it is so the masses follow like sheep and blame foreign influence and misunderstanding of the "Thai way".

It looks like we have agreement (from the wife) on a return to Europe within the coming year, or early next year. Yipp-e-dee! The clock is ticking. I do like Thailand, just not the culture and the older my daughter gets the more I would like here not to be educated in Thailand and not to become "too Thai" in her thinking. Also, the longer I go without working the poorer I will become. I've enjoyed my time looking after my daughter but I need to be working.

On top of that it feels strange raising my daughter in a country where her father will always be an "alien" and discriminated against. More than anything that is something that I will always find hard to come to terms with.

Arghh, that's better!!

The trouble with Thailand.....

Thailand gets another bonus...

There is a company in Thailand that is getting a wonderful bonus courtesy of the gullible British taxpayer and idiocy of the British government. Every year the government creates a great deal of pollution through, often needles, trips abroad by ministers and their tag-alongs. Concerned about the environment they are now doing something about it.

Sound good so far? Rather than simply cutting down on overseas travel and making use of video conferencing or even compensating for the effects here in the UK they have decided the best thing to do is help Thailand. Beggars belief.

Siam Products in Kelasin produces starch from cassava, giving a by product of rotting vegetable matter. Until now they have adopted the traditional Thai approach to waste: sling it outside and let it stink. However, now British taxpayers' money, to the tune of nearly US$0.5million, will be used to control this waste and create methane that will be used to provide energy for the factory. That's nice.

So to make the idiots in British government feel good about themselves and less guilty about their excessive travel they take taxpayers' money and help a company producing starch control it's waste and get free electricity. Warms the heart. Maybe if they were giving the electricity to needy people it would be easier to stomach but giving it to the company so they can be more efficient and make a bigger profit is just dumb.

I don't understand why they couldn't offset their pollution in the UK rather than a country governed by a nationalist military government with a xenophobic foreign and national policy that makes absolutely no effort to reduce carbon dioxide itself. Thailand is not a third world country and is not poor so why should it benefit from over-taxed Brits? Shocking!

This is the same country that is just about to relieve companies such as BAT (British American Tobacco) of most of their stock and make them Thai entities - because Thailand does not want foreign companies in Thailand (except when the economy desperately needs them).

OK, rant over.

Thailand gets another bonus...

England - land of the speed cam..


There was a time that the most prominent sight along England's highways and byways was the weird and wonderful display of pub and inn signs, something of a fascination to visiting Americans. Times have changed and know what you see every few hundred yards is this:




The British police's obsession with collecting money from motorists straying over the, sometimes ridiculously low, speed limits has got out of control. It's understandable in built-up areas and especially around schools and colleges but on the open road and on motorways?

This sign above is for the fixed cameras but there is also the "arrive alive" version which is basically a cop hiding in a hedge, behind an unmarked car or even in the back of a van with the dreaded camera. I was caught once doing 32mph in a 30mph zone, literally a couple of feet from the national speed limit zone. The camera had been placed to catch cars as they were increasing speed into the national speed zone. Is that fair?

I generally try to stick to the limits but sometimes you stray, especially if the road permits and the vehicle can do it. Yesterday I was driving to London. I was in a new BMW and following a Discovery, which I was keeping up with. Before long I realised I was doing 110mph (180kmh) and the Disco was showing no signs of slowing. I immediately dropped back down to the speed limit and off raced the Disco. Apart from being amazed at the speed of the Discovery I was surprised at how easy it was to reach such a speed on an A road. I just hope that there were no cameras on that particular stretch of road.

England - land of the speed cam..

The latest email scam..from Taksin?

I found this in my email this morning. Remarkable how quickly these email scammers work. at least it shows they keep up to date with current affairs. Though, not too up to date as the Taksins are no longer in the UK.

ATTN:
DEAR KHUN

PLEASE HANDLE IT' SECRETMY NAME IS MRS.NOI TAKSIN SHINAWAT THE WIFE OF FORMER PRIMINISTER OF THAILAND.WHO HAVE JUST BIENG OVERTHROWN ON POWER BY THE THAILAND MILITARY GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW WE ARE ON EXILE CURRENTLY IN LONDON, WITH MY HUSBAND. I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST ME INVEST I' HAVE THIS HUG OF MONEY IN MY CUSTODY WHICH I WANT YOU TO INVEST IT' FORME WITHOUT MY HUSBAND CONCERNCE WITH A TOTAL SUM OF USD$21,000.000 [TWENTY ONE MILLION DOLLARS].CONVERTED TO THAILAND CURRENCY IS TOTAL SUM OF?840,000.000 [EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY MILLION BATH]. AS A POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY INVESTOR. PLEASE NOTE THIS DEAL MOST BE SEAL BETWEEN TWO OF US NO ONE WILL HEAR ABOUT EVEN MY HUSBAND DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT' IS A SECRET.SECONDLY AS A POTENTIALOF YOUR COUNTRY,WHICH GUARRANTEES US GOOD RETURNS AND HUMAN SECURITY AS A RESULT OF THE SOURCE OF THE FUND,I HEREBY BELIEVING THAT YOUR ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROFITABLE TO BOTH OF US.I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINESS TO CARRY OUT THIS TRANSATIONS THE GRATIFICATION REMARK I DETERMINDED AS I SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU.I HAVE MAPED OUT 10%,FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND 5% FOR EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE ON THE PROCESS OF SAFEGUIDIND ME AND THE MONEYWITH OUT EXPOSING ME I WAITE FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY. SO THAT I CAN UP-DATE YOU WITH INFORMATION AND FEEL FREE TO ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION
CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE MAILYOURS
SINCERELY
MAIL:noi@she.com
MRS.NOI TAKSIN SHINAWAT.

The latest email scam..from Taksin?

Winter cold and security at Suwarnabhumi Airport...

Well, it was going to happen, I've got the obligatory winter cold. The throat feels thick, sinuses blocked and feverish feeling all over. There's a lot of it about this time of year so I'd have been more surprised not to get some symptoms.

Looks like today is going to be good. Cold, but clear blue sky and sun shining bright. Trying hard to work but with the daughter not at school it is proving difficult. The wife's now in the UK, attending some kind of course in London so we'll be collecting her on Friday. Having flown in with Thai Airways she reports that they have increased their security in a big way. All luggage scanned twice and she was forced to unwrap some presents she was carrying so security staff could look.

She doesn't look very Thai, she's half Chinese, and the security staff assumed she was Chinese and couldn't speak Thai. They weren't very polite and were going to give her a hard time until she announced that she was Thai and then it was easier. Seems Thai security at Suwarnabhumi is only seriously suspicious of non-Thais. Strange attitude as terrorist activity in Thailand comes from Thais and not foreigners.

Winter cold and security at Suwarnabhumi Airport...

Nice day for divorce...

According to the press today is the busiest time for divorce lawyers and this week the busiest week. It seems that couples get Christmas over with, get the kids back to school and then make their way to the solicitor's office and try to put an end to their marriage. Nice.

Adultery, lack of sex and boredom are the main reasons for the post-Christmas split. The holiday pushes them together and is enough to tip the balance. One quarter of people say they split because of infidelity and the biggest complaint from the men is a lack of sex and boredom. I guess there is a collective rubbing of hands from lawyers all over the country.

Generally the number of divorces are down in England and Wales. It seems sad that the biggest problem within marriage, according to the surveys, is sex; either lack of it or extra marital flings. You'd have thought that both would be possible to overcome rather than rushing to the lawyer wanting a divorce. Research shows that if a marriage lasts for ten years then it will more than likely run the course. Seven years is the hot zone for getting the split. I'm on six years so I guess it's itchy feet time next year.

I'm no fan of divorce. My folks got divorced twice. Yep, twice, just for good measure. But saying that I think it is better to have the option available rather than living a life of misery. Places like Thailand are proud of their low divorce rate (traditionally) but then you need to look further than the figures. I know people in Thailand who have been married for fifty years and they hate the sight of their spouses. They stay together because of tradition and because it's not considered "Thai" to get divorced. Though that is now changing. Traditionally the Thai man was allowed to have more than one wife and it is common for Thai men, even now, to have a mistress or two (mia noi: little wife). Presumably this cuts out the lack of sex and boredom that British men face. Maybe there's something we can learn there (lol).

Nice day for divorce...

Wales, wet and windy...

Bangkok clip here.

Wales was good. Wet, cloudy and cold but the trip went well. Daughter played with her friends for several hours and a great deal of fun was had.

Never get any feeling of nostalgia for Wales. Whenever I go back there I just get a feeling of wanting to get away straight away. Something very depressing about North Wales. Except the countryside. Physically it is a beautiful part of the country, despite all the slate and pebble dash. Driving across a narrow mountain road (the friends live literally on the top of a mountain) the sky, as always, was a wonderful sight. You can't beat the top of a Welsh mountain for star gazing.

Almost managed a full day of work at the computer. There have been interruptions but the addition of the daughter's cousin has meant that she doesn't need to bother me for attention this afternoon. Usually I try to work and she comes and asks me to play, read, go for a walk etc and I want to work. In the end she wins. I feel guilty about ignoring her. I think maybe my insomnia is a sub-conscious way to get some private time. I wake up late evening and then find myself working until 3am. Unfortunately this is not the most productive time for work and concentration is difficult. And the daughter is usually wandering into my room early morning to drag me out of bed.

Sounds like the trouble in Thailand is continuing. The blame game is being played to the full now with all sides venomously denying any involvement in the recent bombings. The wife tells me that there are security checks at shopping malls. Fast food delivery is the real winner apparently as people are preferring to stay in and order food rather than risk the perceived threat.

One weather forecast has predicted a "beast of a storm" heading our way. That's nice.

Wales, wet and windy...

Thai bombs and politics..

Bangkok clip here.

Looks like even more confusion in Thailand. Rumours of a counter coup by the military that gave us the first coup. It seems that whenever there is trouble in Thailand a good old fashioned coup is the answer we're looking for. General Sonthi has denied these rumours and confirmed that there won't be any couping in the coming days.

Rumours of bombs and mayhem this weekend are causing concern amongst Bangkok's residents. I'm not there at the moment but there is a definite feeling, from what I've read, that no one really knows what is going on and the truth is unlikely to emerge anytime soon.

Got to take a trip to Wales again tomorrow. Should be fun, almost guaranteed to be raining and miserable weather as soon as we cross the border. Wales is a beautiful place in the summer but bleak in the winter.

Everywhere is still quiet here. It seems that most of the country decided to take this week as holiday rather than go back to work for a few days after the new year celebrations. Seems that many are abroad too.

Thai bombs and politics..

Letter from ..... England

Living in Thailand it is easy to forget just how green the world is becoming. Environmental issues are second to profit and status in Thailand, largely.

Back in Thailand the most noticeable vehicle on the roads is the double cab pick-up with it's luxury interior and 3.0 litre plus engine. Just what is needed on Bangkok's congested streets. Here, however, things are different. Sure there are 4x4s a plenty and we Brits gave the world the Land Rover and Range Rover but the trend is on the change. There's noticeably more small cars on the road. Economical "mini" cars are becoming a greater part of the vehicular landscape. Good.

The trains system here is bursting at the seams with increased traffic as people are starting to favour public transport over the car. The price of a train ride is not cheap and is set to rise further. Some people think this is actually government policy to deter people from using the train system which is desperately in need of enlargement to cater for an increase in traffic. Typical of this particular government and their brand of un-preparedness and hypocrisy.

Up in Scotland the biggest growth industry is power. Not the North Sea oil that has powered their, and our, economy since the late seventies but wind power. Wind farms are popping up all over Scotland and it is well above all targets for projected renewable power generation set by the government.

Even McDonalds here have started to stock organic products, including fruit, milk and veg, and encourages recycling. Recycling bins are now common everywhere and just about everyone I know recycles, even my dinosaur of a mother has started separating the tin from the plastic.

There really does seem to be a green revolution going on here which is even stretching into the tourist sector of the economy. Ethical and green holidays are becoming fashionable. Budget airlines (excuse me whilst I wash my mouth out) are losing their appeal as the more enviro-friendly and sedate method of rail travel is becoming once again fashionable. The European rail-card is (euro-rail) once again going to be the choice for gap year students and even small families. Apparently people are fed-up with the endless queues involved in budget travel and also feel guilty about paying bugger all in order to travel short distances which result in large-scale pollution.

It looks like the UK is fast on the right track to becoming a very green place to be and is getting those co2 emissions down to an acceptable level.

Coincidentally my new business venture has a green flavour to it. Hopefully it will have little or no environmental impact at all. Difficult as it may sound this is looking like being achievable. More on this project as it begins to take shape.

Letter from ..... England

Chaos in Bangkok...

Sounds like today has brought a great deal of chaos to the streets of Bangkok. Reports of suspicious packages and hoax calls concerning bombs have been coming in fast and furious and resulted in schools being closed across the capital. Sounds like a mix of psychological warfare and panic is causing a great deal trouble for Bangkokians.

Wind blowing, black clouds and rain here. Looks like rain but so far not too much.

No time, will write again later.

Chaos in Bangkok...

Brutality in Thailand - Tak Bai

Thailand is a nice country and has a lot going for it but there is an ugly side to the culture. I've lived in Thailand, on and off, for some years, about seven I think. I keep up with current events and I have regularly been dismayed by some of the shit that goes on in Thailand. We were living in the UK when the Tak Bai "incident" took place but we read about it on the BBC. However, until tonight I'd never seen footage of the incident.

Spare 6 minutes to look at this. You will be shocked. I'm not easily shocked. I've witnessed violence in life and witnessed more than one death in my time but I was shocked by this footage. I know that the separatists in the south are brutal and barbaric in their methods and have committed hideous and foul crimes but they are the bad guys, aren't they? They are the terrorists in the equation, aren't they? This clip shows the actions of the Thai police and army when faced with unarmed, restrained and outnumbered opposition. This is clearly bully-boy actions by cowardly people who the Thai people trust to uphold justice and the letter of the law.

Maybe I'm getting old but I can't see how this behaviour can possibly help anyone or the situation. And if this is what they behave like in front of the cameras then it's anyone's guess what happens behind the scenes. I'm sure these guys felt really brave and courageous at the end of business that day and probably all got some kind of kick out of it but in no way can this possibly help anyone.

Brutality in Thailand - Tak Bai

New year here, too much food and Thai politics and bombs..

Site here. Latest clip here.

That's it, all over now. All festivities have come to an end, food eaten and drink consumed and all in copious quantities and now it's heads down for a new year. England is now cold and wet, the trees are without leaves, well most of them, and there's no sign of snow. Just rain. By tomorrow most will be back to work and everything back to normal.

Managed to make up for the disastrous Christmas lunch in Bangkok by eating way too much yesterday. First vegetarian Christmas and I can't say I've really missed the meat. Thank god that wine is vegetarian.

Looks like the smoke and mirrors of Thai politics is in full swing. The bombs were Muslim separatists, no, they were the actions of pro-Taksin groups, no, they were the military government pretending to be pro-Taksinites, no, they were the pro-Taksinites pretending to be the military government pretending to be pro-Taksinites, and on and on and on... As usual those with power, money and egos argue and bicker and the ordinary Thai gets shat on from a great height and the country suffers yet more damage to its reputation. Some are reporting that there's the possibility of a month of bombing ahead. Personally I can't see that being the case but I think the government is going to get some serious competition in the coming months. Why is General Suchinda on my mind a lot at the moment? Ever had de-ja vu? Matt has been posting photos and thoughts here.

My insomnia has got worse since being back here. I get a low early evening and usually manage to nod off for literally a few minutes and then I'm up until the wee small hours. Just can't seem to close off at the end of the day. I've had this for some time now, years in fact. Not a big problem just means that I get really tired bouts about once a week. Bed at four and up at six is the usual routine and sometimes go straight through just to get really tired for the following night.

New year here, too much food and Thai politics and bombs..

Thai bombs, bigger Europe and a Bangkok video...

Happy new year to you all. Seems things are not looking good in Bangkok during my absence, not that there's a connection. Several bombs have gone off leaving two people dead and dozens injured. No one has put their hands up yet so I guess we can assume it is an internal political thing. More death at the hands of Thai politics. What next?

Already there's conflicting reports about casualties. I've read blogs that suggest that there were no Brits hurt and only one death but world media seems to report that there were two dead and several Brits injured, one having lost a leg. Confusing.

So, a nice start to the new year. Over here in the UK we are braced for an invasion of Romanians and Bulgarians looking to get rich quick as those two countries have just become the new members of the EU. Welcome all. Should be interesting to who was right about the numbers involved.

Here's a short clip I threw together showing clips of people and streets scenes in Bangkok. Sorry about the quality, my first attempt. Enjoy:

Thai bombs, bigger Europe and a Bangkok video...

Happy New Year To All Readers!

All The Best For The Coming Year

And Many Thanks!!