AOB - Sept and Oct 2006
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An Occasional Blog
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Bangkok Blogs Bangkok Metblogs - city life Thai-blogs.com - rather serious
2bangkok.com
- not really a blog but always up to date
on Bangkok news
Hong Kong Blogs A Big White Guy in Hong Kong - self explanatory Hemlock's Diary. And people think I am opinionated - try this! SimonWorld - Hong Kong commentary and great links to other Asian blogs EastSouthWestNorth - commentary Glutter.org - Greater China democracy news and many great llinks
In China Danwei - media and advertising news from China Shanghai Diaries - self explanatory
In Macau My Olive Tree - Macau blog
In Singapore: Xiaxue - self-confessed mean, bitchy, sex goddess who says "wah" a lot! Mr Brown - colourful commentary from Singapore
Asia Travel Circle of Asia a useful commercial site Tales of Asia perspective and commentary on Cambodia and Thailand and other Asian travels Visit Laos a useful guide on getting to and traveling in Laos. Smart Travel Asia useful tips and destination guides. Maybe too up market.
Aviation Amadeus (airline schedules) Airline meals - see it b4 you eat it !
Airliners
- aviation forum, trip reports and pix
archive
News The Guardian - UK
China sites
Bangkok info sites
Worthy Sites Rconversation - from Rebecca MacKinnon, ex-TV reporter-turned-blogger.
Fun Sites
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Technology Ideas
Author
Robert Scott lives and works in Asia; born in England I have since lived in Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore. I now work mainly in Bangkok.
If you want to know more you only need to ask! ask.
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31 October 2006 Six years ago today Singapore Airlines flight SQ006, daily service from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, crashed on takeoff from Taipei's Chiang Kai Shek International Airport at 23:18 local time. The weather in the area was poor, precipitated by a typhoon,with a temperature of 69°F/21°C, pressure 29.59in./1002 hPa, wind from 020° at 37 knots, gusting to 56 knots, and visibility of 400 meters in heavy rain. Subsequent investigation of the accident confirmed that the flight crew mistakenly attempted takeoff on Runway 05R (9029x150ft), instead of the planned Runway 05L (12008x200ft). NOTAMs showed that, at the time of the accident, Runway 05R was closed for repairs, and that numerous pieces of construction equipment were parked on the runway. Approaching 140 knots, the 747 impacted the construction vehicles, breaking the fuselage into three parts and igniting a large post-crash fire. 83 out of 179 passengers and crew died. RIP. The subsequent investigation led to much finger pointing; and there has certainly been an inprovement in airport warning signage. Like so many airliner accidents it was an accident that should never have happened and it served as something of a wake up call to Singapore Air. 30 October 2006 Time for a colour change. The red was a bit too striking. ************************ Has been a quiet day today. Golf yesterday at Bangsai. It was a lovely sunny day - a little breeze. It is only when you head north of Bangkok that you realise how severe the flooding has been this year and how the floods have affected the lives of the rural people. 28 October 2006 Sorry - did not mean to be so quiet here. Its Saturday evening and it is another night at home. There are too many of these evenings in on my own. Actually I don't mind being at home tonight as I have a huge headache. Maybe too much sun today on the golf course! With the Londoners at Bangpakong today. A bit slow to start but the back 9 was an improvement. It was a lovely sunny day with just enough breeze to cool the air a little. 25 October 2006 I am troubled by three themes today that I need to deal with; purpose, isolation and companionship. I need a purpose; something real and motivating. And I need to find this at a time when I feel more isolated than I have done for a long time. I am spending too much time alone. 25 October 2006 Airports of Thailand President Chotisak Asapaviriya has announced plans to add 200 toilets at BKK's new airport; at present there are only 100 toilets for over 100,000 passengers a day. He also, although this was almost an aside, said that he needed convincing about passenger numbers before committing to a plan to build a new terminal for the LCCs. This is a big step backwards after a previous commitment to rapidly construct a new low cost terminal. So at the moment the LCCs are stuck with a high cost airport, long taxis, remote gates, departure delays and grouchy passengers. A return to Don Muang would make so much sense. 24 October 2006 So the FA seems to think that players biting eachother is OK ! No further action will be taken after Jermaine Defoe decided that he wanted some Argentinean beef on Sunday. It really did not look good on TV. The referee, who was close by, booked both players - and presumably ordered rabies shots for the Argentine. The poor old FA is a bit confused. They persecute players for celebrating with their fans. They gave Joey Barton a bum rap. But biting? Mind you, it has been going on in rugby union for years. ************************** Back in Bangkok. Airport remains frustrating. AoT have taken over the baggage reclaim area with booths selling their monopoly on limousine services. You will be accosted by their staff before your clear customs. And then when you get into the arrivals area you will be grabbed out by all sorts of people trying to get you to take their taxi service. The only taxi service is on the floor below arrivals. Ignore the touts. These people are a plague and they make the arrivals area, which is already cramped, into a real battle. Something must be done. 21 October 2006 China Airlines to Hong Kong on their new A330. The flight was full and would have been unremarkable except for the music that they played as we pulled up to the gate. Loudly the arrival music was Dusty Springfield "I only want to be with you" followed by KC and the Sunshine Band - "Celebration". And the main screen and back seat videos were all showing a huge fireworks celebration. It was as though we had achieved something wonderful ! Which leads me to thinking about good songs for an airplane flight: On boarding: I will survive. Come fly with me. One day I'll fly away. Up, up and away. WInd beneath my wings. On arrival: Bad Day. Take my breath away. Lately. Flying without wings. Others????? 20 October 2006 The next few lines are probably among the reasons that I live alone ! WHO DOES WHAT A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, "You should do it because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee." The husband said, "You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee." Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee." Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me." So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says ......... "HEBREWS" *****
WIFE VS. HUSBAND ****************************** Best question of the last few days was asked at dinner a couple of nights ago - what is the difference between French and Australian wine? Simple - French wine comes from France and Australian wine from Australia. Is there any other explanation? *********************** Funny old game baseball. The National League pennant all came down to the final and seventh game of the series - with the New York Mets form favourites in their Shay Stadium fortress. When the St Loius Cardinals won 3-1 the look of total shock and disbelief around the stadium was remarkable. St Louis now play the Detroit Tigers in a most unlikely World Series. ************************ Anyone else noticed the large number of blue taxis with the "Intelligent Taxi" logo emblazened on the side. Note that this applies to the taxi; not necessarily to the driver. 19 October 2006 Didier Drogba - great goal. And Hilario had the last laugh with a fine clean sheet. Chelsea beating Barcelona. A good result in a really hard week. 17 October 2006 Strange and quite vivid dreams the last two nights. Two nights ago was harmless - I was playing golf in a fourball; and one of the golfers was Michelle Wie....my short game was in better shape than hers! But last night's dream involved a kidnap and a violent shooting. 16 October 2006 Back in Bangkok. Avoid the motorway (Highway 7). Roadworks south and north. 15 October 2006 A weekend in Pattaya which should be fun if I did not feel quite so rotten - a flu bug. So no fun at all. Not sure how I am supposed to rest when they are blasting YMCA by the pool at midday. ********************* Sad listening to the North Korean ambassador to the UN. North Korea wants to engage the USA and deal with the USA independently of dealing with its Asian neighbours. The USA rightly is saying that you have to talk to all of us and not just the USA. The North Koreans argue that additional sanctions will be considered as an act of war. And testing nuclear weapons....... *********************** Sun is shining. Huge, huge storm yesterday. *********************** 13 October 2006 The government has announced the 242 members of the National Assembly; this group is meant to act as the country's parliament and to draft a new charter or constitution. But he cabinet has no power and no authority. They can question the government but cannot initiate or delay policy or vote on government matters. So frankly it is little interest and lacks both legitimacy and transparency. *********************** Dating advice - never bite the hand that feeds you unless you are certain where the next meal is coming from :) ************************ Talking of the October Bangkok Tatler - did they miss the event of last month? Not even a passing acknowledgement of the September Coup or the Shinawatra clan's disappearance from hiso parties...maybe a little coup chic or a celebratory party or two would have made the magazine seem a little less cut off from the real world ! ************************** I almost (repeat almost) feel sorry for Temasek; they bought into Shin Corp at Bht49.25 per share; despite strong Asian markets Shin Corp is now trading at Bht 28.35. Temasel already has a paper loss of some US$800 million. The Singapore tax payer and pension holder might have questions that should be answered. 12 October 2006 So bad it's funny - I have watched the Robinson howler from every angle. Wonderful, unless you are Paul Robinson or his mother. It will be a long winter before England's next game away to Israel; never an easy trip. The press are vitriolic: these quotes are from a variety of tabloids and proper newspapers: If McClaren had asked them to sing Merry Christmas in Urdu, they could hardly have looked more baffled. How much does England mean to the spoilt rich boys who were making up the numbers game last night? Not enough. Not on this evidence. This was McClaren's first big test and he failed miserably. Wrong team, wrong tactics, worng motivation - wrong manager. In some respects, we should be glad that the charade is now over. All this talk about the so-called Golden Generation and how we could have won the last World Cup has been exposed for the bunkum it long was. **************************** The October 2006 TatlerThailand has a list of the 300 expats you need to know in Thailand. I am not on the list. Nor are my friends. This is probably a good sign. ************************* Some great stuff in the UK papers who are slowly realising that maybe Mr. Eriksson was not so bad after all. "Its down to you misses Robinson" - The Sun From the Sun: Robinson insisted: “It was an absolute freak, there was nothing I could do about it. “It was a routine clearance, I went to kick it, there was bobble and suddenly the ball wasn’t there. “There were huge holes in the pitch where the Croatian keeper had been taking his goal-kicks in the first half and the ball bounced over my foot.” Hmmm - in golfing terms - head up ??? And - in case he forgot, Robinson was hopelessly in no mans land for the first goal, a slow looping header from a corner. On his line it would have been the easiest of catches. Robinson has a bad habit of making the simple saves look difficult with a couple of extra roles after each save....that should be his last international game. 11 October 2006 Streuth, England were bad. That's 180 minutes against Macedonia and Croatia without a goal. Rooney and Lampard, two players who are international quality, are both out of sorts. Crouch, Carrick and Parker are simply not an international players. Cole is weighed down by bling and a massive self delusion of his own ability. Wright Phillips has yet to score for Chelsea let alone England. McClaren's only real decision to date as manager has been to ignore Beckham; the one player who could have made something of the Macedonia game and the one player who could create something for Crouch or Rooney. He might have wanted to change the culture of the team; he took away the one person willing to die in an England shirt. Writers complained that Eriksson never showed passion; I have seen more life in a turnip than I see in McClaren. ************************* Poor old England are 0-2 down to Croatia in Zagreb as I write this, with about 20 minutes to go. No more than Croatia deserve. England are very poor. And the second goal was hilarious. A Neville backpass that bounced over goalkeeper Robinson's swinging foot. If that was David James they would have pilloried him in the press. It was Robinson so they will blame the pitch or the groundsman. England are woeful. This wont change under MacLaren. 8 October 2006 Golf yesterday was at Bangsai with the Wanderers. Played the first hole like I was the club pro. And then it was all downhill from there! And four hours just for the second 9 holes was testing everyone's patience. Another acronym = LOFT - lack of f****** talent. **************************** England looked horrible against Macedonia last noght. Macedonia were indeed a hard nut to crack - someone had to say it !!! 5 October 2006 Mood - restless. State of mind - frustrated; in need of a purpose! Weather - wet. Body - tired. Too much thinking time. 3 October 2006 How little we sometimes know those we love. Yesterday the 21st century US gun culture met Pennsylvania's 18th century Amish community. Charles Carl Robert was, said his wife, "loving, supportive, thoughtful." But he was a ticking time bomb, with a 20 year old grudge and with three guns and 600 rounds of ammunition. He executed at least five Amish schoolgirls, as young as six years old. The Amish are some of the United States' most peaceful people, devout Christians who shun violence, reject modern technology and live simple, quiet lives working in the fields. Remember the intrusion of the modern world portrayed in the Harrison Ford/Kelly McGillis movie "Witness." Surely, surely, surely it is time to do something about the USA gun laws. One resident was quoted as saying "We believe this was an act of God and God will help us through this." But this premeditated and horrendous act should never have been possible, or at least this easy. |
29 September 2006 Back in Bangkok; but ask if the passenger experience has been improved by the move to the new Bangkok airport and the answer is, sadly, a resounding No. The terminal is not big enough. Too many planes are parking remotely with passengers bused to the terminal. The meet and greet area after the baggage claim and customs is simply too small. It was incredibly crowded and very hard to move around this evening. And the taxi queue is as bad, if not worse the Don Muang. Compare this to the serenity of arriving in Singapore. They had a great opportunity to create something special in Bangkok. Instead they worried more about how the airport looked than how the passenger would feel as he/she uses it. They went for building awards not passenger convenience. The best solution would be for BKK to have two operational airports. But they were too short sited to see the obvious benefits. In the meantime I think I will stop flying for a while. 28 September 2006 Back at the new BKK airport for a 7.05am Air Asia departure to Singapore. You can read all about it elsewhere on the web site. There are clearly significant post coup cancellations and my international flights in the last week have been no more than half full. This is apparently typical of the last week. ************************ The great irony of the day was that Thaksin was not there to see his airport finally open. It was his leadership that drove the airport to completion and that set an opening date. There have been endless allegations of corruption and in a US$4 billion project someone somewhere must have made a tidy windfall. But the airport was needed. Thaksin saw it as a flagship for his administration; as another symbol of the new, modern, prosperous Thailand, under his leadership. He would have enjoyed a lavish celebration and TV promotion today. Instead we had a very low key, Thaksin-free, opening. ************************* Was this the first airport opening of the digital age. Everyone at the airport had a camera or a camera phone. 27 September 2006 My great plan for this trip was to fly in and out of the old Bangkok airport and then to fly out of the new Bangkok airport tomorrow morning at 7am on the first official day of operation. Dear old Air Asia rather spoiled this plan by moving early. So that my Macau trip departed and returns to the new airport. The best I will be able to do is watch the close down of the old airport on Thai TV later tonight. Before a very early departure again in the morning to the new airport. *********************** The biggest complaint from AA's crew is how hard it is to get a taxi at the new airport. *********************** *********************** From my Macau hotel - "Porker cards" !! Probably not popular during Ramadan !
*********************** A lot of cancellations at Bangkok's hotels. Directly as a result of the Coup. The military are saying business as normal; Bangkok's residents seem to widely welcome the removal of Thaksin. But foreigners are taking a wait and see. One up market serviced apartment had received 163 cancellations by last Sunday. I suspect that the backpackers will still come; it is the business types that will stay away. Investments will be delayed or cancelled. 25 September 2006 Golf at Lam Lukka yesterday. BIrdies on 1 and 7 made for a good front nine but I lost the plot a little as the game went on. My caddie must have been impressed. She gave her phone number to my driver and asked that I book her whenever I go back to Lam Lukka; which is not very often ! ********************* Bumpy, bumpy flight to Macau this morning. A little more height and he might get above this but he seems happier flying through it. It is hard to type ! ********************* We flew out of the new Bangkok Airport. The terminal building is still one very large building site. The official opening is on Thursday when all flights will arrive and depart from the new airport. Will it be ready in time. Don't bet on it. 23 September 2006 An 80 today at Bangpakong Riverside Golf Club in wet and windy weather. If only I could have sunk a few puts it would have been a seriously good score. I was hitting the irons unusually well. Anyway the score was enough to win today's Londoners' event. ********************** Paul Casey - holee in one from a mere 222 yards to close out his afternoon foursome in the Ryder Cup. Very cool. *********************** The big question in Thailand is why the coup leader is still looking so fit and trim. His wife makes an exceedingly good and rich fruit cake. I tried it yesterday. Very good. ************************ A thought from the Independent Newspaper: "The country that was the one oasis of stable democracy in south-east Asia, Washington's main ally in the region, has been transformed into a military dictatorship overnight. And nobody seems to care." 22 September 2006 The 36th Ryder Cup is underway at the K Club in Ireland. I actually don't mind if the USA wins this event; they are the underdogs for once despite in Woods, Mickelson and Furyk having arguably the best three golfers in the world. Some of the Irish press coverage has been disgraceful. Beware of an enraged Tiger. If he leads the USA to victory then all credit to him and the USA team. 21 September 2006 Bizarre quote of the day: "This has been a clean, bloodless coup. I do not believe that there will be any impact on investment." M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula 20 September 2006 Please remember gentle reader - there is no such thing as a good coup. ****************** I wonder if Mrs. Thaksin got a 30 day visa on arrival in Singapore!!! Papers suggest that she "escaped" to Singapore. It is hard o escape with an alleged 60 suitcases. Assume more accurately that she was allowed to go quietly! ****************** I will not defend Thaksin. But I do find it alarming how many people seem to think that a military coup is a good idea. It takes a very long time for a country to establish credibility with the international community, and Thailand had made great strides over the past ten years in doing just that. Yes there are many problems, but to suggest that the a military take-over and that a bunch of promises from generals is the best way to resolve the issue is not right. This has been a military coup. Simple as that. And it is effectively a two fingered salute to the ballot box and democracy. 19 September 2006 This is gossip and hearsay only so I will report it here:
It is alleged that the coup is how the elite in Thailand
has decided to solve the political crisis. There is a consensus about this
coup among those who Just about plausible.....lets just hope it is peaceful in the morning! 18 September 2006 "Dr Who" is on ATV in Hong Kong tonight. Now there is something that you wont see on TV in Bangkok. The Cybermen are back (last seen about 40 years ago); this time we see their creation on a parallel universe. Actually they are basically an early day Borg. And Dr. Who is about to be deleted - and I wont get to see the next episode! ************************ Am feeling incredibly restless. And very uncertain now about what happens in my future. Should I see a fortune teller? It is actually all rather disturbing. I am in what is probably my favourite city. Yet the hotel feels safe and comfortable. And outside seems so much more stressful. But my hotel room is a cell. I feel like I should be in Prison Break. ************************ 16 September 2006 Time, sadly, for Ms. Wie to get more experience playing with the women's golf tours. Her last place finishes in Europe and the USA on the men's tour are close to getting embarrassing and for all her brave words her confidence must be badly dented. 15 September 2006 Dreadful night - I cannot remember ever being that sick in one night. No sleep. And the bathroom was a mess by morning. I will spare you the details. Don't know if it is a bug or food poisoning. But I am not going anywhere today. ************************** Golf yesterday at Kantarat, the golf course at Bangkok's international airport. It is such a fun thing to do. 14 September 2006 Back in Bangkok after a weekend of golf in Pattaya and the big shock this week is the proposed changes to the Thai immigration regulations. This will probably mean that I need to accelerate my future plans. **************************** Wishful thinking department in the media - Condie Rice and Peter MacKay, the Canadian Foreign Minister. Endless talk of sharing cool breezes have made the media very hot! 11 September 2006 The fifth anniversary of 9/11. I have nothing wise or profound to say. Too many people have suffered as a result of the events of that day and the conflict that has been its outcome. The war on terror seems a war without end or without compromise or reconciliation. All I feel, as must so many is a profound sense of sadness. **************************** Golf yesterday was an 82 at Phoenix GC. Played pretty well. It was a good day out and a bit cooler than on Saturday at Easter Star - which is also a nice course to play and a good test in the sea breeze. ***************************** Poor old Watford - lost 0-1 at Bolton to a penalty. But we hit the woodwork three times From the Guardian: "But there is a charm to Watford, stemming from an old-fashioned honesty that defies faint praise, and their remarkably impressive manager, whose conviction is such that, if he asked you to jump in the fire, you would wonder why you had not thought of it earlier. "If we carry on doing that in this league then we'll do very well," he said. "Performances take care of results, not the other way round."" ***************************** I think Monty has called this one exactly right: Ms Wie cannot play in most LPGA events; she is under age. But she has star quality. People pay to watch her and that makes her a sponsor's dream. You get better by competing more and playing more golf. "Colin Montgomerie has backed the European Tour's decision to allow Michelle Wie to compete in last week's European Masters tournament in Crans-sur-Sierre. The 16-year-old Hawaiian exited the competition close to tears after missing the cut by 14 shots, but Montgomerie insists Wie deserved her chance on the big stage. He told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek: "I think she is a star golfer and people want to see her. Call it novelty value or whatever you want but she is a great player. "She is 16 and the reason she is playing is because she is too young to play on the LPGA Tour. She can play next year but she has to try to play in some events right now. "It is just unfortunate for her that she is struggling with her game right now, never mind having to play against the men which is a daunting task at the best of times."" 9 September 2006 Am in Pattaya for there days of golf. We played at Crystal Bay yesterday and at Eastern Star today; the weather is hot and sunny, the company is good and in the main I am hitting the ball well. I even remembered how to chip and putt today. Pattaya is enjoying something of a building boom. It is nice to see some more up market places, condos, restaurants and hotels opening in Pattaya. 7 September 2006 Bargain of the day. Sri Lankan Airways from BKK to Hong Kong return. Fare of Baht 1,800 and taxes of a whopping Baht 4,180 for a total of Baht 5,980. About half the price of Emirates. About one third the price of CX. 6 September 2006 A Wie bit more controversy ! Now she wants to play for the USA in the Ryder Cup; well at least that may give the USA a chance! The US has not won since that infamous victory at Brookline. ********************* I have a cold ! Don't feel like doing anything! ********************* A groveling Dane - "Having had a day to reflect on my comments, I realise I have made a mistake and, as such, have unreservedly apologised to Ian for my comments, which were made in the heat of the moment following the disappointment of not making it on to the European team," said Bjorn. The gbp10,000 fine must hurt a little as well! Proof again - that some things are best thought but unspoken ! *********************** This headline in Pattaya City News is deliberately attention getting !! Large Erections Planned for Pattaya. But the story is bland other than the usual waste of money ! At a meeting held at Pattaya City Hall on Wednesday, the very busy Mayor Niran announced the allocation of 46 million baht of the annual budget to the construction of two large archways on the borders of the city. The giant erections will be similar to but much more grandiose than the archway currently spanning Walking Street and will be festooned with lights so that even in darkness people driving along Sukhumvit highway will know they are entering the outskirts of Pattaya. 5 September 2006 Vijay Singh - leads by 3 shots, shoots a 68 and still loses. Woods was spectacular. Five wins in his last five starts against competitors of that quality. Amazing. A man on a mission. ********************* Boring, boring Bjorn. Grumpy Dane; watched him play in Hong Kong once - giving his Indian golfing partner a really hard time - Westwood has one at the K Club, he has done well in previous Ryder Cups. He is a natural partner for Darren Clark. Bjorn did not qualify automatically; he was one of many hoping for one of two wild cards. 2 September 2006 Back to Bangsai golf course today and I played truly horribly ! I was hurting after stretching a rib muscle while practising last night. That and a very rushed start...and I was feeling very out of sorts. That was confirmed by a 10 (ten !!!) on the second..... 1 September 2006 Another month gone - it maybe time to start job hunting - that should give me plenty to write about. *************************** Was shopping earlier today - why do Thai department stores insist on playing very loud and bad American hip-hop. The trouble is that every other word was a swear word - with the f**k word being the most popular. Now many Thais would not be listening or would not understand the words; but it really is not what I want to listen to in a department store. ****************************
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