"The Rounds" August 5, 2005

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Negotiators for Thailand and Japan have reached a so-called "free trade" agreement, as has been widely reported in the news media.

What's most interesting to me about the agreement, set to come into effect in September, 2006, is that in some ways it's anything but free.

For example, while an agreement was reached for Thailand to lower its import tariff on imported luxury cars with motors 3,000 cc or larger in size by 2009 from the current 80% to 60%, Thailand's team said the Kingdom can't meet the Japanese demand the tariff be dropped within 7 years.

As for cars with motors smaller than 3,000 cc, the negotiators agreed only to defer further discussion for 5 years.

I though "free trade" meant exactly that -- free trade, trade uninhibited by, especially, onerous import duties. A reduction from 80% to 60% hardly sounds "uninhibiting" to me, that's for sure.

On the other hand, the negotiators' agreement to cut import duties on automotive parts by 2013 does fit the description.

I've never understood the logic of government policy-makers who argue for free trade out of one side of their mouths but for protection of domestic interests out of the other side. My own home country, the U.S., is a perfect example in many ways.

Agricultural products are a particularly sensitive negotiating point for my government, which is quite beholden to the agricultural lobby. And that lobby's idea of "free trade" in agricultural products is, in essence, to keep prohibitive tariffs on imports and for other countries to drop their tariffs on U.S. agricultural products completely, right now, thank you very much. In other words, "Free for our farmers and to heck with yours."

Not being an economist, I guess I should admit that I may be simply missing the plot, but I don't think so. "Free" equals "zero" even in my basic mathematical understanding; anything above zero is not free.

Still, it's progress, and substantial progress at that. And I do appreciate a developing economy such as Thailand's can't compete head-to-head with the mature economy of one of the region's economic gorillas, as Japan's is.

And the agreed reduction on luxury cars does mean a significant reduction in costs to anyone in the market for such vehicles, especially companies looking to buy in quantity.

The well-liked Welshman, Hedley, is ending his second stint as manager of this Washington Square institution come tomorrow as I write.

Hedley is a delightful person uniformly popular with the regulars at the Lone Staar; he's just plain nice.

Although he's in his 60's, Hedley made his very first trip here about a year-and-a-half ago, at which time he ended up in his maiden stint as manager at the bar. Personal business required him to return to Wales -- but not before he met and married a really nice Thai lady (not a bar girl, by the way).

He came back this year only on a holiday, but when the former temporary manager, Old Thai Hand Charlie Brown, abruptly left the post, Hedley agreed to step into the breech. His wife is, after all, working during their holiday here, leaving him at loose ends, and the job gave him a bit of spending money, something pleasant to occupy his time, and a free room for him and his wife.

We'll be seeing Hedley again, seeing him sooner rather than later if he has his way. He hopes to wind up affairs back in Wales on this trip then to retire here for good, he and his wife building a house upcountry in Isaan. He especially wants to get back as soon as possible because getting a visa to Great Britain for his wife has proven not merely problematic but out-and-out impossible.

"English" Paul, a younger man [than me, anyway], who has experience running bars, will be stepping in to run the place upon Hedley's departure.

Late News: Hedley did indeed make his departure today (Wednesday) as planned to catch his 12:55 P.M. flight back to the Center of Empire. He should be about 2½ hours winging his way westwards as I write.

It was absolutely packed, packed to the point many people had to stand (though I lucked out and was able to snare a seat just as I walked in each of the 2 times I went into the bar).

In fact, it was so crowded I didn't get to meet any of the people I had hoped to meet, but that's okay; the large crowd means the party was quite successful.

The venue itself is interesting. The bar itself is rather large, and part of the entertainment complex in the same building is apparently under the same ownership. There's a large pool hall with nice-looking tables, and on the roof there's an open-air terrace where I and my 2 friends sat for awhile, and that was very pleasant.

A word about Sin City for those to whom such things matter: one of my friends commented that while he saw nothing overt, he had a sense perhaps the place was gay-oriented. I, too, saw nothing at all overt, though after he made his remark, I did notice there were a number of very attractive ladies sitting at the bar opposite us -- and no man was talking to any of them. The next day I was talking with a friend who hadn't gone to the party (he didn't know about it), but I mentioned what my friend had said, and he said he was somewhat familiar with the club and knew it to be gay-friendly -- not gay, but open to all. That said, if this sort of thing isn't important to you, I can say the club is quite nice.

I would like to go back to the pool hall and try the tables there, for sure. [Tuesday, August 2, 2005]

I'm on the mailing list of a kind gentleman who makes it his business to stay on top of computer news as far as viruses, worms, Trojans, and important software information is concerned.

Just saw an e-mail from him regarding the Windows XP Operating Systems, both the Home and Professional versions, and since buying legitimate software in Thailand is an onerous task (to say the least), I thought it merited passing along in it's entirety. Here it is:

Microsoft, claiming that about 33% of all operating systems in use are fake, has finally decided to clamp down on users of pirated Windows XP.

This started the other day, and means that any Windows XP users who does not set their PC for automatic updates will have to go through the following steps:

1. When you try to update, Windows Update will insist that you go through the check for "Genuine Windows". If you do not pass the test (meaning that you have an illegal version of Windows XP) , you will no longer be able to get updates for your operating system......UNLESS you set updates to automatic.
To do this, go to Start | Control Panel | Automatic Updates and you will see the setting page for Windows Updates. [Note: the e-mail has a picture of that window, but I can't copy it for the life of me.]

If you are using an illegal copy of Windows, you can select any of the first 3 options and you will be able to get critical and security updates, but NOT other updates.

Microsoft is not being kind by allowing critical and security updates. It is merely being sensible because critical and security updates prevent the spread of viruses and other malware.

Customers who discover that their copy of Windows is pirated have two options.

They can get a free version of Windows if they fill out a counterfeit report identifying the source of the software, providing proof of purchase and returning the counterfeit CD. (This means reporting your dealer....)

The second option is to not fill in all the information and pay a reduced price for the genuine version. I'm not sure how this applies in Thailand.

By the way, there is no indication that the Microsoft Operating System "cops" will come after you if you are using counterfeit software....at least not at this time.

The retail licensed version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 runs about US$299 or about B12,000.
http://www.thaipro.com/shop/2u-microsoft%20windows%20xp%20professional%20pre%20sp2-B00005MOTH.htm
Windows XP Home version runs about US$95.00 or B4,000.
http://www.thaipro.com/shop/2u-microsoft%20windows%20xp%20home%20upgrade%20with%20service-B0002423YK.htm

If you are going to switch from pirate to genuine software, do some homework first to make sure that the dealer is authorized by Microsoft, or you might end up with another pirate version.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4717417.stm

I know it's irritating to have to go through this, but in fairness to Microsoft, piracy is rampant. Microsoft's pricing is an entirely different issue, granted -- but it is a different one. Here the concern is whether you're able to get updates other than the most critical ones.

Although I bought this computer at an authorized dealer for the manufacturer, I'm going to run XP Updates just to be sure it came with a legitimate copy Of Windows XP Home edition, as the sales clerk claimed and the user's manual state. If you're unsure of the provenance of your XP software, it might be a good idea for you to do the same. [Wednesday, August 3, 2005]

I had occasion to go shopping for a cake today (see next story) and after trying the one behind Villa Market and Fuji Supermarket with no success, I started walking down the sub-soi Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 towards the main road, and spotted this bakery. Went in there, and sure enough, they had cakes ready-to-go, so I bought 2.

As the name implies, the target market is Japanese -- in fact, many of the shops along this leg of the soi cater to the Japanese market, not a bad idea given that lots Japanese nationals live in this area.

I also expected to walk away empty-handed, assuming the prices would also be a la Land of the rising Sun's, but I was very pleasantly surprised: I was able to buy 2 cakes for only 770 baht (about US$18.50) *and* have a nice Happy Birthday icing greeting put on a free "plate" of chocolate to adorn the top of one of the cakes. Further, the clerk threw in 4 bundles of birthday candles, also at no extra charge.

I'm not much of a cake eater myself, but people who tried it agreed it was quite fresh and delicious.

If you want to visit the shop, look for Robin Hood Restaurant on the corner of the sub-soi and Sukhumvit Road. Enter the sub-soi and go maybe 50 meters inside and watch for it on your right.

Happy Birthday to Khun Oui of Texas Lone Staar

Had I known that today is Khun Oui's birthday last week instead of only learning about it late yesterday afternoon, I would have written about it in last week's edition of this column so as to invite her many friends to drop around and wish her Many Happy returns.

It won't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Khun Oui was the recipient of the cake's I bought, which pleased her no end.

Yesterday afternoon she told me today is her birthday -- never mind how old she is, though she has no problem with her age -- then plaintively asked, rhetorically, "Who'll buy a cake for me?"

Naturally, I told her I would. She has been very good to me for over a decade, so I was more than pleased to help her celebrate her birthday.

She organized a nice Thai-food buffet for everyone, most of which I sampled within the past hour, and boy oh boy, was it ever tasty. Despite the late notice, there was a decent crowd to wish her Happy Birthday, I'm pleased to report.

I'm already needling her about next year, when she will turn one of those ages ending in a zero -- a decade-marker! Guess I'll have to fetch the lass THREE cakes for that one!!! ;-) [Wednesday, August 3, 2005]

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More Computer Stuff

Those of you with people in Thailand but you're abroad, or vice versa, you may want to look into downloading the rapidly-improving (according to reports) Skype software that allows you to call computer-to-computer for free, something akin to the voice chat capabilities of Yahoo's and MSN's instant chat. Like those programs, the people you want to call via computer have to have Skype installed on their computers as well.

I've not used Skype, though I have used both the instant chat program's voice service, which I found satisfactory.

But Skype offers a capability the others don't: the ability to call a regular phone, whether it be a hand phone or a hard-wired one, at a fraction of the cost of calling over regular phone services. though calling hand phones is more expensive than calling hard-wired ones. One more proviso: where you are doesn't matter -- it's where the person is you're calling that sets the rate. As the company's website says, sitting in London calling your friend in London costs exactly the same as if you are sitting in Beijing and calling that same friend. Therefore, in the former case you want to check Skype's rates versus those of the local phone company where you are. (The link is to the U.S. dollar rates page; while rates are available in a variety of currencies, the Thai baht isn't one of them).

Let's say you want to call someone in Thailand; rates to a land line are 13.5 cents/minute, while calls to hand phones here are 13.6 cents/minute -- well under 6 baht/minute in both instances. Calling, say, the U.S., the costs are bit more complicated, as there are 4 rates: the contiguous continental U.S. states (i.e., "The Lower 48"), Alaska, Hawaii, and toll-free numbers. Those rates are, respectively, 2.5, 3.1, 2.8, and ZERO cents/minute. In baht, those rates are about 1.3 baht/minute for a call to Alaska -- and drop from there. The Communications Authority of Thailand has a rate to the U.S. over the Internet for just 7 baht per minute, but in price terms, Skype clearly wins. All these prices include taxes.

So, what's the catch? None really; having a broadband connection is to your advantage, as using a dial-up modem one can lead to breaking up of the signal a little according to several people with whom I've spoken who use the service extensively. But those same people say that when the connection is clean, the sound quality even on a dial-up connection is as good as just about anybody needs.

There's more, something that will be of definite interest to anyone receiving business calls from various Skype areas, which are many, but don't include every single country and territory on the face of the planet -- not yet anyway. The service is at the testing stage, but already you can have up to 10 numbers in the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Poland and Sweden. Let's say your company here in Thailand has a major part of its customer base in Hong Kong. If you have a Skype number there, your customers can make a regular land line local call to it -- and you will receive it, even if you happen to be in, say the U.S. if you're online. What happens if you're not online? -- no problem; the service comes with Voice Mail. A businessman I know here but whose customers are almost exclusively from the U.S. has a Skype number in Dallas, Texas -- and that's the number he gives his customers.

You can even make a conference call!

Because I haven't installed the software yet and because I haven't signed up for this service (something I plan to rectify, you can rest assured!), I can't access the rates page for this part of Skype's offerings. If memory serves me, the man who told me said he pays something on the order of US$40-50/month -- and I think he said that included a Dallas-based toll-free number. Be that as it may, for a business that's got to be great news, because I know I've got the essence of it right, if not necessarily the particulars.

Here's one more proviso which probably won't matter to the majority of users, but for those to whom it does it is extremely critical: the service CANNOT be used to call public emergency telephones numbers such as 911 in the U.S., 112 in many other places, and some other series in yet other places.

Businesses here in Thailand are laboring all sorts of competitive pressures, some companies said to be having a hard time at keeping things going. If international phone calling is a substantial part of those companies' overhead, this sort of service has got to be great news.

Hey, the basic computer-to-computer capability is free, and it can't hurt to check it out if you have people you need or want to call and aren't a gazillionaire. Microphones and speakers are cheap, so even if you have a dinosaur of a computer that came with neither -- many do these days -- spend a few baht (or dollars, pounds, lira, euros, whatever) and get wired for sound! According to something I read online just yesterday, an astounding 141 million folks have already done so -- and the software has been available only about a year. Yes, one, single, solitary year. That means an average of a megalopolis of upwards of 12 million people per month have been downloading it! [Thursday, August 4, 2005]

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ICE Revisited

I recently wrote about the initiative of an emergency services employee in East Anglia in Britain who asked people to put the word "ICE" --meaning "In Case of Emergency" -- before the names of contacts in the mobile phones' phonebooks so emergency personnel would know whom to contact in the event you were hurt, sick and unable to communicate, or killed.

The initiative received global media attention, and I joined the choir urging people to do exactly as requested.

A few days ago a kind reader forwarded an e-mail to me a few days ago that said this was a hoax that exposed one's mobile phone to people who could hijack your number to use to send spam telephone text messages -- at exorbitant rates to places right around the globe, sticking you with a huge telephone bill.

I really don't like getting caught out of school, even if the misinformation I provide is harmless and cost-free to those I've so misinformed. Being a cynical, suspicious sort of guy, getting caught out doesn't happen to me often, but even once in a great while is infinitely too many for me. And were I ever to disseminate downright harmful information to even a single person, I would feel terrible and responsible, even were I to have no legal responsibility.

Appreciative of my reader's kindness in calling the matter to my attention, I went to DefCon 4, meaning I launched into an exhaustive research effort to get to the bottom of the matter, fully prepared to retract the recommendation if appropriate, mea culpas at hand.

In an odd twist in the already-twisted minds of that set of folks who delight in lies; spreading worms, Trojans, and viruses; defrauding the innocent of money; etc. my research concluded when I found that the original ICE call is legitimate -- it's the warning letter itself that is a hoax. A harmless one apparently, but irksome as the dickens.

Here are links to the sources that led me to reach this conclusion. The first 2 are highly-respected (and always, reliable in my experience over the years) debunking websites, and the last is to the emergency service involved, which says the e-mail is a hoax:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/i/ice.htm

http://www.eastanglianambulance.com/content/ice/default.asp

That said, I want to stress that much as I *wish* I were in a position to provide an iron-clad guarantee on matters such as this, I am, quite simply, not so able. I myself no longer have any second thoughts about having joined the campaign, but I recognize that one's hand phone is often of critical importance (I live by mine!), so I do encourage you to consider the reader report, look at the websites above, make your own enquiries, then reach your own decision.

I also want to stress how deeply I appreciate the reader sending me the heads-up in the first place. On more than one occasion a reader has pulled my bacon out of the fire when I've strayed into the field of errors, and to be corrected is something I both need and appreciate -- appreciate more than you can know. A fair number of people read this column and more explore the website, and credibility is about all I have to keep you coming back for more information. Blow that, and I would blow the site!

So, if you ever catch me out of school, PLEASE don't hesitate to send me an e-mail slapping me up aside my head and telling me to re-join the factual world! [Thursday, August 4, 2005].

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Thai Airlines Said Set to Charge Foreigners More Than Thais

Yesterday's Business Section of The Nation had an interesting -- and disturbing -- article headlined "LATE NEWS: Thai Airways."

The headline isn't alarming, of course. But the news the story contained is.

The report says the airline plans to raise fares -- for foreigners -- on a domestic route by nearly 50% in the near future.

I've long been an advocate of reciprocal rules, regulations, and laws, and also a believer that a country can do pretty much as it wishes, within limits.

That is, I wouldn't wish to see my Ambassador protest; Thailand can do as it wishes in this regard -- as can my country, by the way.

So, my proposal to my own national government is, simply, to enact legislation not merely enabling but outright requiring air carriers there to impose proportional 2-tier prices on them for citizens of Thailand. Want to go up on me approaching 50% more per flight? -- fine. Explain to your nationals why they have to pay upwards of 50% more than I do on my own country's carriers.

Fair enough, right? No interference in each other's internal affairs, only changing our own to reflect yours.

I do mean it when I say Thailand can decide this sort of thing without me wishing my government to give the government here the slightest headache. But I do also expect authorities at the airline to accept that my country's airlines can do as they wish as well, including imposing reciprocal fares. The difference there is that price discrimination is a serious violation of national law as matters now stand, so the central authorities would have to provide enabling legislation to allow them to do so. [Thursday, August 4, 2005]

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Christopher G. Moore's latest Bangkok-based novel is now available, and should spark considerable reader interest.

The edition is a deluxe one Chris wanted to have available of the trade paperback edition, which will hit bookstores in October. This edition may well become a collector's item, especially if this novel proves to be Chris's breakout work; it already has drawn the attention of a major literary agent in New York City, one of the world's great centers of publishing.

The book is, as I said, hardback (finely crafted at that). Each copy is numbered and signed by Chris personally. Best of all for those lucky enough to get it on time, there are only 125 copies -- so if Gambling on Magic *does* turn out to be his breakout work, the value of the limited-edition, numbered, and autographed deluxe edition will surely increase. This edition is priced at US49.95 plus shipping and handling. Chris's web page about the novel (click the link above) lists the S&H cost as US$5.00. That covers EMS (Expedited Mail Service) for buyers in Thailand and Priority Mail in the U.S. See the web site for further information.

I had hoped to have finished reading the book by today, but haven't. About all I can say now is that the prose captivated me right from the first paragraph; Chris has a great talent for memorable phrasing.

There's an excellent summary of the novel on Chris's website, so read that -- and likely be hooked! [Friday, August 5, 2005]

It's about 8:00 A.M. Friday, August 5th as I write, and I just received a group e-mail from the American Citizen Services Unit here in Bangkok passing on information from Washington that the U.S. government remains concerned about the possibility of terrorist attacks on American and American interest in many parts of the world, including Asia -- though Thailand is *not* specifically mentioned (and no other Southeast Asian nation is, either).

There is no specific warning, though Osama bin Laden's organization al-Qaida and its affiliates are mentioned in particular. So are the recent London bombings and last year Madrid bombings, with an emphasis in the e-mail on public transport systems.

Americans should register with our embassy here, even if your stay is temporary, such as for a holiday or business. Citizens of other countries should check with their respective embassies (or consulates) to register, if that service is available, and ask their own governments' assessments of any risk to their nationals.

But even citizens of countries who haven't come under the hateful gaze of terrorists would be well-advised to use a bit of ordinary caution in these times. After all, bombers of the London underground weren't concerned with the specific nationalities of their victims, obviously. And we all remember that in the World Trade Center attacks a number of Muslims who were citizens of various nations in the Islamic world were killed and injured.

Americans can call the American Citizen Services Unit 24/7 (for emergencies only outside office hours) at 02-205-4049. You also can register with the embassy online and sign up for e-mail notifications from the ACS Unit; both are free. The e-mail address of the unit is acsbkk@state.gov. You might want to bookmark the website since it has many useful links, including for Thai nationals seeking visa information.. [Friday, August 5, 2005]

Next Friday is a major public holiday in the form of Her Majesty the Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara's 73rd birthday.

Long very active in promoting the welfare of Thai people, Her Majesty is deeply loved and respected, as are her husband, the ruling monarch, His Majesty the King Rama 9, and as, indeed are all the Royal Family.

There will be celebrations all around the Kingdom not only Her Majesty's birthday, but also the national Mother's Day, which is celebrated the same day (as Father's Day is celebrated on His Majesty's birthday).

The day is a public holiday, meaning public offices and banks will be closed. I was surprised at the last Buddhist 2-day closing last month to later learn that some banks stayed open, but I wouldn't count on that being true for Her Majesty's birthday, given the reverence accorded her.

As for places selling alcohol, that's always been rather hazy to me. I suppose officially they may be required to close or perhaps allowed to open but not to serve alcoholic beverages.

I'm sure everyone joins me in wishing Her Majesty the Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara an early Happy Birthday and wishes for many more to come! [Friday, August 5, 2005]

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