Bicycle ride during Songkran 2016

I took my bicycle out to the street during the first day of Songkran here in Samrong Nuea.

10 reasons why I am blogging less about Thailand

I am blogging since at least 15 years I think. I was always a writer and journalist. Blogging gave me the freedom to write whatever I want. Not just to speak out, but just write about any topic I want and can. Because, I can. It is my server, my blog, my home. No editor in chief, no publisher, just me and my readers. Ok the latter aren't that many, but hey, at least some.
Since I moved to Asia, blogposts for my German blog faded. More and more I was shifting to my Blogs about my life in Asia. That was 9 years ago. My problem is: I don't know what to say anymore. All of the countries I lived in Asia so far have no or very restricted freedom of speech. So nothing political, in Thailand not even some complains about customer service – you can get sued for defamation (and many companies just love to do this).

Market in Samrong Nuea

Another food blog? No. Another secret places in Bangkok? No. More stories about my life? Not really, but some, just to keep friends up to date.

But keeping in touch with friends isn't working with blogs anymore. We have Facebook and Instagram. No need to write 6000 words about my trip to Hua Hin. Nobody wants to read this anyway.

So, just to feed the search engines, ten reasons why I am blogging less:

1. Most about Thailand as a tourist destination is written already, from diving spots to coffeshops
2. Most about Thailands culture is also written
3. I can't really write about politics in Thailand
4. I am not experienced enough to make a proper analysis about Thailands society
5.  A picture says more than thousand words (what is the excuse of the lazy guys, of course)
6. My daily life here isn't that exciting, since I don't party all night
7. I am not getting paid for it
8. But I can get paid for other articles on other platforms
9. That's why I just ignore the numbers here and end with the fact
10. that lists are just a dumb way to attract readers :-)

So, expect more pictures with some notes in the future. There are still great bloggers here, Karsten Aichholz is a great source for living in Bangkok, www.ajarn.com is a must for teachers, and Richard Barrow is still mandatory for expats.

Living under the bridge

Living under the bridge. The mother (not in the picture) speaks actually broken English. The kids don't go to school. They take care of the few chicken, but some where eaten by a snake, they mother told me. She slurred a bit, not sure if a drunk, but was very nice. Grandma and what seems to be her husband are in control, they send the girls out to me the second they spotted me. I was asking if I can take a picture, and they saw it as a business opportunity. I paid in chicken sausages.

Where to repair your Macbook in Bangkok

My Macbook Pro recently got sick aka the graphic chip isn't working properly anymore, and I was hoping to get it fixed somewhere in Bangkok. First I went to my nearest shop at Paradise Park, where iStudio has a service center. It turned out they may have to replace the board and it will take about 4 weeks and costs at least 18.000 baht.

Then Apple decided to offer a free repair for a certain video issue with Macbook Pros and I thought my laptop has this issue. So I went to iStudio Paragon and they sent me to MCC at Siam Discovery at the 5th floor.

The shop is small and a bit hidden, BUT: They do a great service. They were totally aware of the video issue and the offer from Apple, but had to - as required by Apple - run a diagnostics test first - which my MBP passed. So it seems to be a different problem.

Beside this, they seem to really know what they are talking about, some speak good English and if you need any repair with your Mac, this is one of the places to go.

For some reason they can only service iPhones under warranty if they are bought through the Apple online store, I guess there might be some issue with providers.

Adopt a special dog in Thailand: Tong Tang needs a home

One of my neighbors takes care of stray dogs around Ekkamai, and one dog needs a home now since he lost one of his front legs. The hospital in Ekkamai had to cut the front left leg off, but it seems to heal well. The problem is that Tong Tangs future is not so bright: He may end up in a shelter with hundreds of other dogs.

 

I do have a three leg dog as well, and it doesn't make much of a difference, only she gets quickly tired , so if you are a lazy dogwalker, that might be an advantage.




If you are interested, please contact Khun Chompoo, 0876983098, or mookaow@yahoo.com

Those Thai middle class people ....

We live in a decent, for Thai standards even fancy Moo Ban aka compound. There is a swimming pool, a park where kids can play, and 24 hour security. Most of the 150 houses are owned and occupied by Thai people, foreigners here are only a few. The houses are stand alone houses, not townhouses. The kind of house you see at shopping malls as a model in glas boxes, with car port and garden. It is nice here.

Most Thai families have at least one car, two is average. They should have a decent job and therefor some education. The latter is the problem.

Education is not what you learn in school. In school you get knowledge (if it is a good school). Education is a sum of tradition, manner, ethics, knowledge and experience. And something in this mix seems to wrong in Thais middle class, if my fellow neighbors are a representation of it (what I believe).

Whenever we leave Bangkok we are surprised that people outside the capital speak better English than the average Bangkokian. At least they try to communicate. In our Mooban, from our experience even at the village party last year, 80 percent do not speak English. And that includes the kids and teens (some parents do actually better).

The people here have few interactions with each other. Some of the old ladies talk to each other, some mother with kids meet at the playground. But that's pretty much it. They driving the cars at maximum speed through the small roads, let the dogs shit where ever they can without cleaning up or running them with out leashes. There is a comitee that is responsible for the community, but they see to be quite lame. They recently fired the gardeners - without having a replacement. Now gras is growing everywhere.

I predicted that in 2 years we will have the first shops open here - what is of course a violation of the contract. But who cares? Accepting rules seems to be not part of the education, and planning ahead also not.

Today, I walked my dogs when in one of the side streets suddenly a Pomeranian  came running towards us. I have 5 street dogs, they are quite friendly, but they will freak out a  bit when a barking toy dogs comes at them. Since I saw him coming I moved ahead and avoided a confrontation. On the way back, I was thinking: I bet the owner, who saw us before, isn't thinking it through that we will actually come back (although it is obvious, we have to pass to get to our house). So of course the little dog was without a leash (see above "rules) and went straight to my pack.

I do have my dogs quite under control, so they went just a bit nuts and barked and the owner (or his son) came and picked the dog up (as he learned from a soap opera, I guess). It was pretty obvious that he didn't even understand what was wrong (common knowledge here would be that it was my fault, because a) I am a foreigner, b) I have many dogs and c) they are street dogs). No excuse by the owner, of course.

But this shows the basic problems I experienced a lot here, in particular with some middle class people: Not much thinking through, no ability of planning ahead, total lack of sense for a community, no interaction with anyone outside the family, no language skills.

The middle class is what build America. It is the backbone of the German economy. It is the fundament of most industrialised and developed countries.  You need a solid and stable middle class for consumption, but also for invention and development.

And when you see the changes of the current curriculum,  it doesn't seem to get better. I am just feeling bad for the many smart and nice people who may not have access to higher education or position where they can make a change. The majority of Thai people has to suffer, and the rulers trying hard to brainwash them even more than before.

(I may be wrong with this. It is based on my observations and experience, but not by scientific research. Feel free to correct me).

Bad wine, good roads and great local food in Khao Yai

Last week we took two days off and went to Khao Yai for a bike trip. Khao Yai is about 2 hours from Bangkok, has a huge National Park and is also famous for it's wineries, dairy farms and cool weather in the winter. We booked the tour with Spiceroads, a well known company offering all kind of bicycle tours in Thailand. We did one already in Chiang Mai with them and enjoyed it a lot.

We got picked up at 7.30 am at Ploenchit, and although we booked a group tour it was only us. It took 2 hours to go by minivan (unfortunately no seat belts provided) to go to the drop off point at a temple. From there, we wen up and down hill, usually on small and empty street, sometimes on dirt roads. Spiceroads provided us really good equipment, brand new Trek mountain bikes with sophisticated brakes and helmets. No complains.


The ride itself was about 30 kilometer for the first day - way more than advertised in the program. Also, it was advertised as "This tour has been designed for the discerning traveler; someone that enjoys the countryside, likes to ride a bike and has a penchant for good wine and good food. It is also a really good tour for families."

You actually need a good condition, mainly because of the heat. Although we thought it might be cooler already, it was quite hot. That doesn't make it easier to climb the hills. They weren't steep, but it was enough for my wife to call the van quite a few times. I can't imagine doing this with children.

We then made a stop at PBValley, the oldest winery in Khao Yai. They are open for tourists, but that doesn't mean they provide a good service. The restaurant is old, the set menu was awful (western food), and the they didn't even tell us what kind of wine they were serving. 

We then made a tour through the vineyard and the production facility. That was well done, well organised and well explained. The wine tasting was a disappointing: only three wines (red, white and rose), and the cheapest ones. No wonder the taste was not up to any standard you expect for wine. They sell this crap for 600 baht, and that is cheating. They got awards for some wines they sell for 1500 baht, but you can't try it and we didn't take the risk to buy it.

Biking in Khao Yai is a real pleasure. Despite the hot weather, we had a lot of fun, passing by dairy farms, small villages, riding along Marigold flower fields and Tapioka farms. Our overnight stop was the Cabbage and Condoms resort. It has seen it best days, we were the only guests, but the room was clean, the food was really good and they have a nice pool. 

The second day starts with a steep ride uphill, we opted for the van to have enough energy for the remaining 20 kilometer. We stopped again at a small winery, where the wine wasn't good, but they make nice juice and candies from the grapes. And they were really nice people to chat with (there is a white Buddha statue behind, you can climb up 1000 steps to enjoy the view. We did that 12 years ago, so we had a good excuse).

From there we went back to Bangkok, arriving before the rush hour and were dropped off at a BTS station. Yo, our Spice roads guide, did a really good job, explained a lot, took care of us all the time, was watching traffic and pointing out every pothole that was in front of us. No complains at all. Virot, the driver, is a bit old style: slightly to fast and risky, but a nice and very polite guy too.


The downside is that the tour is quite expensive: 9000 Baht is a lot, even with guide, transport and accommodation provided. But you basically pay for the guides knowledge of a nice track. 

The obsession with brands in Thailand

When I did PR back in Germany, one of our products was helping companies in re-branding and brand development. One reason why it was so important was that it gives the company an identity from what it can develop further. It was to a large extend an internal process rather than just marketing.


It turns out those who did this well get most pieces of the cake, in particular in Asia. Thailand seems to be obsessed with brands. People waiting hours in line to get donuts or popcorn (even when the streets outside are filled with protesters), and spending fortunes in fashion brand products. You will quite often see a writing like "Famous brand from USA" even if its not.

One thing that is quite obvious is the bag issue, in particular with females. Usually the handbag isn't big enough to carry everything (although most men would be surprised about that), but there is always something needs to be carried extra: Shoes, a shirt, lunch boxes.

Walking around with a plastic bags carrying those seems to be a No-No. It has to be a Harrods bag or some fashion designer brands. It can be even a paper bag if it has the appropriate branding. The cheapest, yet accepted form is a paper Starbucks bag, although people will less look down on you if you have the fabric one (the latter requires you making a purchase of at least 30 USD I think. But hey, you get a bag). I was told once that Starbucks tumblers and cups are selling like sliced bread in Thailand.

Of course this is all show off. The urban middle class needs to make a difference between the environment they live in (many in not so well designed apartments or in the same room in the family house since they were born). Public appearance and private matters are totally different. And it is always a surprise to see the same people in their well selected office outfit and wearing a sleeping dress style outfit at home.

Adopt a Thai street dog, and stop buying "toy" dogs

One of the interesting issues in Thailand is the discrepancy between what is always described as Thainess or core Thai values and what is reality. Starting by Buddhism, what is in practise largely animistic practise, over to Thai food that is a mix of regional and even oversea contents (Papaya and Chili are from South-America) to ethics: Money and consumption is as important as appearance and status here, and status symbols are iphones, cars and sadly toy dogs.

In our compound we have a lot of toy dog owners. I call them toy dog because they are treated as toys, not as animals. Sadly, the owners call them toy dog as well, because they actually think they are toys. With very few exceptions they don't go out for a dog walk, many are not even allowed to leave the house. Contact with others dogs? Nope. The get immediately lifted up when we arrive with our friendly pack of street dogs.

The way you treat dogs and pet animals in general shows a lot about the state of development of a society and how civilised people actually are. At Paradise Park, the same Soi Dog Foundation that is looking for homes for  dogs from the dog meat trade, will support an exihibition of animals like owls and wild cats in a shopping mall.  It shows that even charities like the Soi Dog Foundation forget their own standards when it comes to money.

Defining yourself by status symbols is silly and shows your lack of self confidence, but that is your problem as long as it doesn't harm anyone (although annoying people with showing off is kind of harm as well). But don't use animals for your selfish purpose.

Thai street dogs are smarter than most Pomeranians, Chiwawas and Pugs, more healthy and genetically better equipped. Owning a street dog shows that you are smart, self confident, intelligent, caring and taking responsibility.

(I know that in the West people own toy dogs as well, and I condemn that. But I live in Thailand, and the majority of dog owners are Thai here, of course).

/rant

Electronic tracking devices and wristbands for tourists

From Reuters:

Thailand's tourism minister said on Tuesday that identification wristbands would be distributed to tourists following the murder of two British backpackers earlier this month that has raised fresh concerns over tourist safety.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists that get lost or into trouble.
"When tourists check-in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their I.D. and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in so that if they're out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted," Kobkarn told Reuters.
"The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail."

In other words: We don't want tourists in Thailand anymore. It makes too much work. Read the rest of the story following the link above. It even gets better.

Innovation, Design and a bit more from Thailand

When we lived in Laos we were hungry for design and often went to Thailand since this was the place to go for good and modern design in South-East-Asia. It certainly influences neighbouring countries. At the recent Thailand and Innovation and Design Expo at QSCC you got an idea about contemporary Thai design. And I like to talk  about design first, because the innovation part was not always so convincing.

The event is organised by the Department of International Trade promotion and the Ministry of Commerce, and as expected only few we met spoke English. Even the event flyer is mainly in Thai, and I witnessed two potential buyers struggling to communicate with the Thai seller.

But if there is a will there is a way, so we had a good time and got most of the information we were asking for. When it comes to furniture you can get really good stuff here, well manufactured, using best wood, and with creative designs.

 

Something are innovation and design, but still well done. One is a pet coffin, and the other thing is a rescue hood, that has two bottles with breathable air attached. Something anyone living in a condo should have.

Also quite nice was a toy kit that is kind like lego, just made out of plastic straps that can be put together using screws. You can even create moving 3 D objects with it. Well done and it looked like good quality too.

Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a research project that aims to improve toilets. Students in the NATS project did actually a lot of research with wastewater management and invented three solutions for homes. The most sophisticated one separates the liquides from the non-liquid parts, disinfects them by using bacterias and even getting some cooking gas out of it. 

And then you could see some fails. One is a water faucet that will automatically recognise that you want get water out of the tab. I may have misunderstood the invention, but it looked quite, lets say, weird.

The next pictures shows a robot that is made to get autistic people into communication. It basically replaces the human factors and counts on curiosity of the patients to explore the thing. Personally I though a bit more thinking about the guys design would have done no harm.

And finally just some more pictures:

How to make a DIY snake catching stick

A few weeks ago we had a Python in our compound and me and the guards were not able to catch it without hurting the animal. The main reason was inappropriate equipment. The little grabber I used in Laos for much smaller snake was just to weak for a 1,5 Meter Python.


You may have seen those snake sticks in TV, formed like a hook. The presenter carefully lifts the snake with it and shows it to the camera. while this is possible, it is only for professionals. So I constructed something that gives you more distance, about 2 meter.

What you need is:
 2 meter pvc tube, 15mm diameter, 1.5 mm thick
2 caps fitting to the tube
5-6 meter strong rope.
That should costs not more than 5 USD.






Next step is drilling holes in the caps. The hole needs to be big enough to get the rope through, and you need two holes per cap. Pull the rope through the hole and the tube, through the next cap and back. This way you get a sling at one end and the lose ends on the other. Make sure you knot the loose ends properly, because once you caught the snake, you don't want the rope pulled through again. This devise should also work for other animals like monitor lizards. I am still waiting for the next snake, but tried it with my dogs and it works. Be careful with the sling, just make it tight enough to get hold of the animal without asphyxiating it.

 

 

 

Craftsmanship fair: modern design of the young Thai generation

For some reasons expats seem to prefer to go to new restaurant openings and roof top bars more than to more local events, because I haven't seen too many foreigners at BIG or the recent craftsmanship fair ay BITEC. With this blogpost I hope to help increasing the number at least for the next event: The Thailand Innovation and Design Expo 2014, 18.-21. September, Queen Sirikit Convention Center

So what are those fairs about? Mainly designer stuff from young Thais who are entrepreneurs, business people, artists. They produce organic salad, wooden beds or small houses. Below you will find a selection of exhibits I have seen at the recent fair at BITEC (that's a convention center that is actually accessable by BTS, via Bagna station). One product I like is De La Lita, a salad dressing. Well designed, fresh made, incredible delicious. They do everything right regarding marketing and distribution: A Facebook page www.facebook.com/DeLaLita.recipes, a website www.delalita.com and you can buy the products at Tops, Villa Market and Gourmet Market. Try the basilica dressing, its awesome.

Something very different and on a larger scale is Homes at Home. They are selling houses - made of wood, rather small, but also inexpensive. Sunshine 9, the big one, costs 30.000 USD. It is build in a few days, out of wood from New Zealand. They claims it is termite safe. You can see their products at www.facebook.com/homesathome.fanpage

Since we all want to be more independent mushboom might be a solution for growing your own mushrooms. It comes in a kit in a paperbox, more information on https://www.facebook.com/mushboomkit


Amantee makes finest french style bread, only the shop is quite in the middle of nowhere in 10120 Chongnonsee - Yannawa. Their webiste shows some products. We tried the fig bread and can only recommend it.

Some more impressions below.