Photos of Thailand

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

You're right both of you, it's part of the charm!

(S2, talking about hitting one of those poles, I'll post a pic in the 'safety in Thailand thread soon...)...

In the meantime, here's another smile...



(Click on pic for full size original.....)

Nice kitty, NICE kitty! [The monk had best keep that kitten well fed or he might be the next]

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by King Silk

There is almost no such thing as a 'Earth' wire here!
Bloke up the road was electrocuted last week in the shower!

My Thai Aunt had a new building built. They actually wired the light switch inside the shower cubicle - she was electricuted trying to swtch the light off after a shower!

A lot of modern houses now have the 3 point plugs with earth (city). I use electrical gang planks with trips in them (3 point), and plug everything into them. The Earth may not go anywhere, but it will still trip the fuse/switch in the gang plank.

As to the pylon, there are a lot of insulator blocks there, so I wouldn't guarantee they are mostly telephone wires! Trouble is, whilst carefully ducking under these wires (often only 6 foot from the floor!), you don't notice the broken manhole cover...

[frogblogger]

Originally Posted by KhwaamLap

As to the pylon, there are a lot of insulator blocks there, so I wouldn't guarantee they are mostly telephone wires! Trouble is, whilst carefully ducking under these wires (often only 6 foot from the floor!), you don't notice the broken manhole cover...

Or these ... for two years or more the foundations and sockets for street lighting in central Chiang Mai have been waiting for stage two... the posts themselves...


(Click for bigger pic)

... and ever since, unsuspecting tourists have been tripping over them ... because they can’t see where they are going because there’s no street lighting

[King Silk]

IMO this sort of thing is absolutely disgraceful! Like the bluddy great holes in Pattayas roads!

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by King Silk

IMO this sort of thing is absolutely disgraceful! Like the bluddy great holes in Pattayas roads!

King Silk,

I've got to agree, that's a pretty poor advertisement as to the quality of the government of Thailand.

It's been my observation in traveling the globe for over 50 years that the best governments also provide the best infrastructure such as roads, airports etc. and those that don't have roads that are disintegrating and lousy infrastructure. Those lousy governments have different agendas and not to provide for their citizens. A good example of good government? Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and what little I was of El Salvador and Uruguay. Some of the worst besides the USofA? Thailand, Philippines and Costa Rica to name just a few. This has nothing to do with how nice the people are - just how lousy the governments are in those places. :/

[Hephesus]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

Or these ... for two years or more the foundations and sockets for street lighting in central Chiang Mai have been waiting for stage two... the posts themselves...


(Click for bigger pic)

... and ever since, unsuspecting tourists have been tripping over them ... because they can’t see where they are going because there’s no street lighting

This photo is not peculiar to Thailand, it is a very common site here in Crete

[frogblogger]

I have great memories of Crete. Stayed in Ammoudara a few times, and with a cousin who'd married a Cretan and lived in a tiny fishing village on the coast opposite to Aghios Nikkolaidos (sp?). Bet it's not a tiny fishing village now, nearly 30 years on. At the time she was the only foreigner there - remember driving along about a 10k dirt track to get to the village.

Liked to drive inland, find some remote village in the hills... whereupon Cretan women would coming rushing out of the inevitable home with a battered Coca Cola sign outside, and persuade you to stop for something to eat. Their curiosity always got me - they would think nothing of going through your gear, wife's handbag etc, and examining its contents, while you sat eating some delicious dishes without a clue how much it would cost (very little at all in the 70s/80s).

[Hephesus]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

I have great memories of Crete. Stayed in Ammoudara a few times, and with a cousin who'd married a Cretan and lived in a tiny fishing village on the coast opposite to Aghios Nikkolaidos (sp?). Bet it's not a tiny fishing village now, nearly 30 years on. At the time she was the only foreigner there - remember driving along about a 10k dirt track to get to the village.

Liked to drive inland, find some remote village in the hills... whereupon Cretan women would coming rushing out of the inevitable home with a battered Coca Cola sign outside, and persuade you to stop for something to eat. Their curiosity always got me - they would think nothing of going through your gear, wife's handbag etc, and examining its contents, while you sat eating some delicious dishes without a clue how much it would cost (very little at all in the 70s/80s).

You speak of the the crete and cretans I once knew and loved, sadly it has all changed now into a money grabbing selfish society, where greed rules and the tourist is the best target, just another reason for my leaving and coming there. I hear all what you say about the rip off there but it has a flare to it that has been lost here.

[frogblogger]

Originally Posted by Hephesus

You speak of the the crete and cretans I once knew and loved, sadly it has all changed now into a money grabbing selfish society, where greed rules and the tourist is the best target, just another reason for my leaving and coming there. I hear all what you say about the rip off there but it has a flare to it that has been lost here.

I agree, it was one of the reasons why I wanted to leave France, it was getting too much like the UK and the US in the 'look after Number One" stakes.

And don't be too concerned with the comments about being ripped off, the alleged anti-farang attitude. Most people who complain about that have either had some bad experiences, or live in a part of LoS where tourists are considered fair game and a cynical attitude has crept in.

If you know what you are doing and are not naive enough to be taken for a ride, and avoid the more commercial parts of Thailand, then you're spot on about the flare - that's what I love about the place. I've had no problems since arriving, over two years to last December, that I couldn't either handle or easily see coming.

[Hephesus]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

I agree, it was one of the reasons why I wanted to leave France, it was getting too much like the UK and the US in the 'look after Number One" stakes.

And don't be too concerned with the comments about being ripped off, the alleged anti-farang attitude. Most people who complain about that have either had some bad experiences, or live in a part of LoS where tourists are considered fair game and a cynical attitude has crept in.

If you know what you are doing and are not naive enough to be taken for a ride, and avoid the more commercial parts of Thailand, then you're spot on about the flare - that's what I love about the place. I've had no problems since arriving, over two years to last December, that I couldn't either handle or easily see coming.

I think then, that for those of us that have lived abroard there will be no great suprises. I just long to get back to some old values that all western goverments eem to think it so good to take away from the children, like repect for teachers and the police. I have 2 grandchijdren that took their mother to a social services committee for not letterg them have a menu for evening dinner, and they won, they then decided to live with their grandmother and that ***** (my ex) won the cout roder to look after them. Stupid children their mother is a very good mum and they are missing out. My G/F there still respects her [parents and traditions but tell me it is now changeing there.