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"The Rounds" Saturday, August 30, 2003
Mekhong Kurt * * * * * * * * * * New Photo of Mekhong Kurt As you see from the photo above, I've rather dramatically changed my appearance. The graying goatee went many weeks ago when I tried to trim it for the first time in several years and I kept messing it up. It finally was under an inch long, so I muttered to myself, "To heck with it!" and scraped the rest of it off. Then, just about 10 days ago I woke up with my hair tangled one time too many, so I went to my friend Khun Ampa who's the only Thai lady I know who both knows how to cut hair superbly *and* isn't afraid of working with my hair! I still feel half-naked, even about the vanished beard, but it helps that people say I look much younger than I did before. And in this warm, wet climate, I *am* far more comfortable with the close-cropped hair cut and no beard. * * * * * * * * * * Publishing Schedule Well, I'm WAAAAAAY late again getting this up, but at least it's for a good reason. The Bangkok Expats' Association is turning out to be a huge success, and as acting president, I've been spending a LOT of time on it. The biggest news in this regard is that we are most fortunate to have obtained the services of KHUN AOM as Vice-President of Public Relations. She is quite talented, and about to obtain a degree from Assumption University in Japanese Business. She is fluent in English, and even better in Japanese -- a number of native speakers of Japanese have told me were they to be speaking with her on the telephone and not know she is in fact Thai they would assume her to *be* Japanese, her Japanese language skills are so good. The One and Only Amazing Thailand Prime Minister PM Thaksin Shinawatra has done it again, issuing 2 executive decrees. Under Thai law, an executive decree goes through a rudimentary parliamentary review -- but the contents of the decrees cannot be changed during that review. All parliament can do is to approve or disapprove. Executive decrees under present law are a step below dictatorial edicts. But not a very big step. * * * * * * * * * * Implications of Domestic Political Immortality . . . It's one thing to be important in the local Grand Scheme of Things; it's something else altogether different to have pretentions of mattering on the world stage. But I guess to have a tiny group clapping near at hand drowns out the clucks of mockery from further afield. But who pays the penalty for delusions of grandeur? -- certainly not the people who live that delusory dream, not in Thailand: it is the honest, decent, everyday Thai person who is left holding the bag. (08/08/2003) * * * * * * * * * * Bangkok Expats' Association Meeting The next meeting of The Bangkok Expats' Association is this coming Sunday, August 17th, 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M. at The Office Bar & Grill just off Sukhumvit Soi 33 (details and directions below). Another point that has arisen, both at meetings and in several online discussion boards, is the suitability of the current venue for an association open to all -- including ladies and children. The venue is, after all, a bar. Given that the association started up with nothing more than an idea and a zero bank balance, naturally when the owners of The Office Bar & Grill offered their place free of charge, the offer was seized. But given that we've had *no* families attending and only 3-4 ladies who haven't returned, we're supposing it's okay to continue there for the time being, at least. We're racking our brains -- and open to suggestions. The BEA's e-mail is bangkokexpatsassociation@thai.com. We hope to see one and all there this coming Sunday! The
Office Bar & Grill Sundays (through August) 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Tuesdays (through August) 5:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. To get to The Office Bar & Grill, turn into Sukhumvit Soi 33 from Sukhumvit Road and go about 200 meters up the soi. At the second turn-in on your right, you can see signs for the bar; go in there at you'll find The Office on your left at the back. There is some parking space as well. Coming from the other direction, you'll come most of the length of the soi before seeing the turn-in on your left; it's immediately before Degas Club, which also has a large, easily seen sign. * * * * * * * * * * New Entertainment in Washington Square Starting Friday of next week (August 15th), New Square One Pub in Washington Square will be featuring live musical entertainment every Friday 2:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M. The headline performer is Venus, about whom I've written in the past. She is truly a gifted singer, as is attested to by her past venues, which have included such venues as The Banyan Tree, Sukhumvit Soi 33 Novotel, Radio City, The Office Bar & Grill, and the Amari Atrium. Venus is a petite lady with a huge voice -- she can *really* belt out her songs. And her voice is simply splendid. She sings a wide range of covers of English hits, and can of course sing Thai songs. Venus will be performing during the first set, from 2:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. The second set (4:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M.) will offer musical variety. Khun Chum, who formerly sang professionally in a local karaoke, will be singing some Thai favorites. I heard her for the first time recently, and she is very, very good. Besides having the chance to hear Chum, people in attendance who want to get up and sing a song themselves will be welcome to do so. Throughout both sets the music will be provided by Khun Daa, a superb keyboard player, and guitarist Khun Ging. Free light snacks will be on offer for the first performances. There is no cover charge or other admission fee. To reach New Square One Pub, turn into Sukhumvit Soi 22 from Sukhumvit Road and go about 150 meters. On your right you will see the Regency Park Hotel; an entrance to Washington Square is directly opposite. Turn in there; New Square One Pub is the first bar on your right, located about 10-12 meters inside the Square. Better come early -- Venus is well-known around Bangkok, and I suspect as word gets out that she's performing there will be a full house rather quickly! The waitresses will be clad in attractive uniforms; the owners have bought several different sets, and are thinking of having the ladies wear either the tiger ones or the leopard ones; all of the uniforms are nice. (Yes, I've seen them all!) * * * * * * * * * * Self-Censorship
by Television In an article in the August 7th edition of The Bangkok Post headlined "Govt wants sex, violence off TV", Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Kreu-ngarm is reported to have said that while the government will not issue governmental measures to address the issue, it is expected television producers will exercise self-censorship of sex, violence, etc. On the other hand, the same story reports that the Public Relations Department has a panel looking into the matter, and, reportedly the Deputy Prime Minister also said, "From now on, producers may have a hard time getting new contracts if we see them present something not nice on TV.'' To see the story on the same matter in The Nation, see "Mixed views on TV restrictions." I rarely watch *any* television, but I do have to say to small bits of Thai soap operas, some Thai-language news broadcasts, etc. appear to me as a bit over the top. In that sense, I understand the government's concern. On the other hand, the above quote of what Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Kreu-ngarm said suggests the government is indeed prepared to use administrative (and perfectly legal, I would guess) means at its disposal to get its way. While any government's efforts to improve the quality of television programming can be founded on sound moral principles and the best of intentions, to censor, whether directly or indirectly, is always worrisome, given that there are always some who try to use such censorship activities to forward their own selfish agenda. I do not in any way mean to imply that Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Kreu-ngarm or anyone else in government expressing concern is among that group, only to suggest that eventually such people could work their way into decision-making positions *could* be such people. I hope Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Kreu-ngarm and everyone else involved will be on guard against that possibility as they strive to raise the standard of Thai television programming. As is true in my own homeland, the U.S.A., it seems to me parents everywhere could be more active than many are in monitoring and controlling what their children watch. Raising children is primarily the responsibility of parents, not governments. * * * * * * * * * * Controversial Increases in Visa Fees The recently announced pending increases in the fees for all categories of visas for anyone wishing to visit or live in Thailand are generating a tremendous amount of discussion. While I personally would just as soon the fees not go up, given that it has been something on the order of 15 or 16 years since those fees were raised, it does seem hard to argue that to have increases is unreasonable. Perhaps it might have been easier for those in deep shock over the steep increases had the government phased in the increases in steps over a period of time until the target price was reached. It also is difficult to argue when we consider the difficulties Thai citizen's often encounter visiting other countries, the Western ones in particular. The American embassy here -- and as an American taxpayer I feel I darned sure have a right to talk about this -- is infamous for the sometimes arbitrary and even downright rude treatment of visa applicants. Perhaps the worst part of it is the refusal by the visa officer to offer even a hint regarding why the applicant has been rejected, thereby denying that applicant the knowledge needed to know if he or she can change his/her situation to be one acceptable to visa officers -- or not. Were I such an applicant, I don't think I could avoid suspecting that the U.S. government just wanted me to apply again and again and again -- adding US$100 to American governmental coffers each time I applied, given that the application fee is non-refundable. Seems to me the US$100 ought to buy an explanation when a visa is not forthcoming. On the other hand, someone told me the other day -- though I haven't researched it so don't know if it's true -- that the fee for applying for a 10-day extension of a 30-day visa granted upon arrival will increase from the current 500 baht to 1,900 baht, and a four-fold increase to not far below US$50 does seem a bit excessive. It makes me wonder if this increase is meant to lessen the number of the budget tourists, and, if so, if such a goal makes economic sense. The new fees go into effect August 26, 2003, according to notices I saw in the Immigration Bureau when I was there August 6th. I read somewhere that beginning sometime next year the requirements for visas and visa extensions are going to be tightened, and that alarms me personally far more than the increases in the associated fees. The bar for a retirement visa is so high, financially, that I simply can't afford to apply for one, though I otherwise qualify. I just hope that at that time, when I will have lived here for a full decade, I don't find myself kicked out! By the way, for anyone based here who travels in and out of the country often enough to do so with no more than the 30-day visa on arrival (and the associated 10-day extension) should know that a source in the Immigration Bureau told me just the other night that there is a shift in attitude in the Bureau regarding seeing a whole string of back-to-back such visas and extensions, and the shift is *not* in favor of such a situation. I asked him if the attitudinal shift applies to other types of visas, including longer tourist visas, and he said it does not apply to those -- at least not yet. You can get good information, if unofficial, at www.Thaivisa.com, about any and every thing to do with visas. One foreign writer of a letter to the editor made the point that anyone who cannot afford the increases likely can't afford to be here anyway -- whether as a tourist, businessman, or retiree. Good point. * * * * * * * * * * Khlong (Canal) Saen Saep Bio-Cleanup Planned Media reports say that various authorities are working on trying to clean up one of the city's major khlongs, Khlong Saen Saep, through the use of EM lquid (effective micro-organism). EM lquid can reportedly be used on a regular basis to help eliminate foul odors and to reduce sediment in waterways, something the khlong desperately needs, and which would be a blessing for residents living directly beside or very near the canal, as well as for the thousands of people who travel by motorized long-tail taxi boats that ply the khlong. The reports go on to say that of the total sewage dumped into waterways daily, only 60% is treated first, the other 40% entirely untreated. The aim is to have this project successfully up and working in time for His Majesty the King's birthday this year -- a wonderful birthday gift for a King who has exerted much effort over his decades on the throne towards ecological issues. His Majesty's birthday is December 5th. This is the kind of story one *likes* to read -- it is a worthy project to clean up Khlong Saen Saep. * * * * * * * * * * A Reminder of
Other Regular Events in the I've written about the weekly events at The Moonshine (Queen's Park Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 22), Silver Dollar (Washington Square, Sukhumvit Road and Sukhumvit Soi 22), and the Texas Lone Staar (also in Washington Square), but they bear mentioning again. Every Sunday The Moonshine has free food and live music from 2:00 P.M. on until early evening (but you better get there early if you want to eat). Also every Sunday, Silver Dollar has free food at 2:30 P.M. Every Saturday, the Texas Lone Staar has a free late lunch at 3:00 P.M. In all 3 venues it's the case that a set amount of food is prepared, and once it's gone, well, it's gone. Further, the proprietors of course expect one to buy at least one drink; they are running charity organizations! And they certainly hope you make their establishments one of your regular stops. I frequent all 3, and like them a lot. Drop by to see them. * * * * * * * * * * Financial Services Improving -- Generally People not familiar with Bangkok may be concerned about the availability of financial services in the city -- but they can pretty much put their fears to rest. Bangkok has *many* banks, both domestic and foreign, all offering the full range of normal banking services. ATM's, once a scarcity even just a few short years ago, now can be found just about everywhere, and not just at bank branches, but in department stores, cinemas, shopping malls, even free-standing ones along the sidewalks. And mini-banks have sprung up all over the city which offer a limited range of banking services such as acceptance of loan repayments -- these mini-banks, sometimes free-standing kiosks, sometimes small outlets in, for example, shopping malls, have a major attraction: their hours are, to the best of my knowledge, invariably much longer than the hours of regular banks, all of which are open Monday through Friday from 9:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M. -- a real pain in the neck for people working a normal business day and unable to get out of the office during regular banking hours. About 7 years ago, Western Union money transfer services where available, but only in Bangkok, and only in a few department stores -- 5 or 6 outlets, as I recall. Today they abound all over the city; all those I've seen have been either in department stores or in banks. When you need a money transfer in a great hurry, I don't see how you can beat Western Union, though you do pay rather dearly for the service and the exchange rates offered are poor -- the price of emergency convenience, and well worth it, in my opinion. There *are* regulations and restrictions for foreigners regarding opening accounts, purchasing financial instruments, taking out loans, etc. etc. etc., and while that can be problematic for someone living here or regularly coming here for personal and/or business reasons, it shouldn't be a problem for tourists. There remains one major problem for anyone having a significant amount of money by electronic fund transfer from a bank abroad to a bank situated inside Thailand: the banks here still will "sit" on your money, denying it has come, when in fact it *is* here -- the bank is simply using *your* money to make interest. And that's not an idle statement: my very first such transfer -- which was for a measly US$300, took 42 DAYS to "arrive." And even then the only reason I got it was because when I went in and asked if the money had come only to be told it hadn't, I slapped down the fax my bank in the States had sent me, a fax that was a copy of the U.S. bank's computer screen showing the codes that the money was *in* the local bank in under 3 MINUTES after it had been sent -- and the U.S. clerk had taken the time to circle and explain in simple English what each code was. I got my money immediately, from a big group of people who all had deep red faces -- red from embarrassment, not from anger. I have a friend here who for his business purposes regularly has as much as around US$20,000-30,000 transferred in from outside Thailand; he has resigned himself to having to transfer it a week or 10 days before he actually needs it, simply because that time brackets the average time it takes for the local bank to admit his money is here. To be fair: I personally have had smaller sums arrive in as little as 5 hours -- can't complain about that. But the gauntlet has ranged from that 5 hours to the 42 days I mentioned above, even though I sure don't deal in the high-dollar stratosphere (to me) my friend does. * * * * * * * * * * An Excellent Tailor I have a friend whose wife works as a tailor out of her home. I recently had her make me 5 pairs of pants -- and was I ever pleased with the results. Especially since those results cost me maybe half -- maybe that much -- of what I would have paid, on average, in a regular shop. I've seen a lot of her other handiwork as well, and she's good. Anyone interested send an e-mail to jalandodd@yahoo.com and write "Tailor" in the subject line or call 09-492-0661. And no, I most certainly do NOT get a commission out of it -- they're close personal friends of mine! * * * * * * * * * * Massage King Scandal Continues This whole situation is still fluid, though it continues to be a fairly major news story. It has become almost impossible to keep up with the rapidly developing twists and turns in the case or with the flying accusations and counter-accusations. About all bemused onlookers can reasonably suppose might be the case is that the old adage of "where there's smoke, there's fire" might apply in this case. * * * * * * * * * * E-mail Change Notification Sign-up Sign-up here for e-mail notification when I add or change something on the site. Just go to the sign-up page. * * * * * * * * * * Travelers' Tales Got a "Traveler's Tale"? -- send me a line! MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com * * * * * * * * * * Link Exchange If anyone reading this has a website and would like to place a link there for BangkokAtoZ.com, you can copy-and-paste the banner and text link below into your site; they are live links to this site's homepage:
I'll appreciate an e-mail telling me the URL of where you placed it. If you want me to put a link on BangkokAtoZ.com for your site, do tell me where you have placed our link, and I'll give you a link in a comparable position, of the same nature (i.e., banner-for-banner, text-for-text). * * * * * * * * * * Until next time -- Sawasdee khrap! Mekhong Kurt
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