Asiancoop.com

Sawadee Khrap

We just got back from our trip to explore some of the Fang District area.  Located North of Chiang Mai on the way to Chiang Rai passing Chiang Dao, Chai Pra Kan, Fang, Mai Ai, and up to Thaton village.  We didn’t get all the way to Chiang Rai.  I am now processing almost 400 pics we got on the way and will post them next few posts to cover each area.

Some basic observations I have found : 

• Lipton tea must have a monopoly on tea in Thailand – Few have other brands and almost non have herbal teas  – all have Lipton ???? 

• All windows, doors are mounted in backwards in Thailand – must be a country code ????  every Inn, Hotel, Condo, etc is built this way – strange – is that a result of G I’s being here. 

• At the Hotel we stayed at there were only 8 channels of TV and 5 of them were “Christian – Sow the Seed” revival programs from the US deep South. – You can’t outrun the Christians – not when they need money. 

Well in the next few posts I will have pictures – Temples, magnificent vista views, hot springs, massive bee hives, local tribal boys swimming, and other points of interest – stayed tuned. 

Sawadee Khrap

Last Thursday Tasanai and I went to a friends birthday party – and low-n-behold it is now appearing in Chiang Mai Mail.   Tasanai was sitting right next to us but didn’t get in the shot.  Here is the photo.  About the center of the page , I am with David (owner of the Club9) – Kevin (birthday boy) and David (another friend).  We had a great time at the party and the Club itself.  I didn’t take my camera so I don’t have any more to show – sorry

I was going to put a post about the bar as soon as I received some photos they have to show it off.  But they haven’t sent them yet, and this article beat them to it.  

As soon as I get the photos from the Club, I’ll post an article about it.  Latest gay bar to open in Chiang Mai – unique and  setup to cater to more relaxed, refined gatherings – If your looking for fast, noisy, lots of ‘shall we say’   – available boys – I’ll also post where they can be found too.

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Trusting you had a safe and happy 4^th.   Tasanai and I went down to the US Consultant Office in Chiang Mai this afternoon to go to the 4^th Celebration there.  Apparently I did not register Tasanai (non-US) soon enough so we were, or I should day Tasanai was, refused entry at the door.  Now ain’t that some shit.  So we both left.

Sorry I don’t have any shots of the fireworks but I was somewhat pissed and didn’t feel like celebrating.  Actually fuck-um.  The gal in charge of the Consultant has made the party shorter this year than before – down to 4 hours, 4PM to 8PM and at 8 the fireworks – as I write now – much smaller. I’d say no more than a 2 min show – WoW, Is that the best the Americans can show to celebrate their Country’s Birthday. She has really cut back on the doings – so much so that several of the US restaurant owners who brought their food to sell last year said the hell with it – too short to make it worth while.  It appears to this observer that she is trying to discourage the event – maybe too much of a possibility for criticism while she is in charge.  Only she knows – seems strange to me that the Embassy doesn’t really have a real blow-out for us.

Anyway – hope you had a good one, I do miss the firework displays – last one I went to was in San Jose, and it was great.  Love to see some pictures that you have taken – email them to me and I will put them in the Blog.

Ciao

This flag image was a animated GIf – but apparently it doesn’t work here. – same as the celebration. Figures !!!

Sawadee Khrap

At least Tasanai is, his business is really growing – Went to Fang to do a 2 day shooting for the Spirit transfer to Lampang and last night he got a call to do a 1 day shoot in Lampang on Sunday.  So he’ll go from Fang to Lampang and not get home till Sunday night.

I just spent the whole day looking for video tutorials for Sony Vegas.  Got some nice ones and learned some very nice new tricks – I’ll show them to Tas and see what he can use.  Should make his videos really unique.

Just heard a very loud thunder clap – the storm is getting closer now  – mild rain most of the early afternoon, but the black clouds are coming in now – so I have to cut this short while I still have power to post.  

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Had a friend come over last night and brought some photos on a small USB mini-drive and card-reader.  Plugged it in and immediatly BOClean detected a virus (trojan) trying to install itself in the system – stopped it cold and offered to put it in a virus vault (it could not heal it – it was a self-contained DLL and so could not be healed).  I went on to examine the photos without problems and then did a complete deep scan of all drives and system – no infection.  Great little FREE program, save my ass.   THANKS BOCean.

I also was told of a neat little program to run  – The Revo Uninstaller  This is a great program, much better than the Add/Remove Programs that comes with Windows – and it’s FREE too.

• Revo Uninstaller is completely free – no charge, no adware, no spyware;
• You can uninstall your application easily and correctly;
• You can view all details of a certain application installed on your computer;
• You can use an innovative “Hunter mode” to uninstall, kill and delete applications;
• You can use a “Drag and Drop” mode to uninstall, kill and delete applications;
• You can view and manage applications loaded when Windows startup;
• You can clean any junk, temporary and unnecessary files from your drives;
• You can have fast access to the most useful Windows build-in tools;
• You can erase all your history in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Netscape browsers;
• You can erase recent document history in Microsoft Office products since version 2000;
• You can erase most important traces you had left while you had been working with Windows;
• You can permanently delete all your already deleted files so they become unrecoverable by any software;
• You can securely delete any existing file or folder so it become unrecoverable by any software

Neat Uhhhhh  —– get your copy.

Try them out –

Sawadee Khrap

Sometime back I posted about my trip with a couple of friends to the dam and about the beautiful waterfall at Bua Tong.   Here’s a article from CityLife about the place too.

We didn’t get a lot of photos at that time – I will the next time we go and make it more informative.

Tasanai just left for Fang, a small Northern subdistrict of Chiang Mai Province, to video record a ceremony to bring an ancestor spirit from a old Lanna momument to Lampang – We are not sure exactly how it will go but I will post some shots when he gets back in a couple of days.

I’m off for a massage – catch you later

Ciao

Here’s some info on the present Political scene.

And covered in more debth in the Bangkok Post   and they have a great speech by Interm Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont  titled One Law for All

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

WOW!!!  it’s been a week since I posted – my how time flys and I don’t remember getting a lot done.

Went to my first Expat Club meeting yesterday and signed up – great meeting, about 80 people there and the guest speaker was the lady who runs the American Consulate here in Chiang Mai.  Very interesting.  Met the guys who coordinators for a computer and photography group – I will start going to these and see if I can make new friends with a common interest. 

We, Tas and I, are really starting to expand our knowledge in Photoshop and Sony Vegas for DVD’s.  The last several months were spent in trying to learn the basics and now I think we can start to put this knowledge to work.  And I meet several people at the Expats meeting that sell their photos and artwork  – hopefully I can get some hints from them too.

Tas just went off to school – he started a catch up class to bring him where he can start going to University and complete his schooling – just to make sure he has something to fall back on.  But I believe that when the family and he learn how to run their own businesses, they will be secure in the future.

I’m trying out some new software – BOClean – anti-malware, anti-trojan program that has been touted as a great one – loaded OK and seems to work but hasn’t caught any unwanted action so far.

I guess only time will tell.  I now run ZoneAlarm Firewall Suite, and AVG anti-virus software  – systems been clean so far– Knock on wood.   If you’d like to check your system try Shields Up     AND OF COURSE THEY ALL OFFER A FREE VERSION.

I have also been asking for comments and thought I post the resutls – so far there has been 47 real comments and 1311 spam (which were deleted) comments caught by the program – great spam protection – but I still want to get YOUR comments.

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Just checking in – it’s been a while since I posted.

Thai politics are going as normal – possibility for a great government is there, I hope they get it accomplished.  Even Chiang Mai is setting up programs to fight corruption – this is from Chiangmai Mail.   I just hope they don’t do too good of a job and cause the rest of the world to want to live here.   It’s getting crowded already and prices are climbing – lets put a cap on inflation –

I now know what they always were worried about having a fixed income —– Thank God, Tasanai, can bring in the extra money we need now to compensate for the lost value in the dollar, ( that hurts )  and help defray the cost of our trips.

Tasanai has started school, we are setting up his younger brother to continue school, and we are teaching his family how to increase their income using the computer and printer we gave them.  Better to show them how than to give money.  I know they will do well and probably have more than they ever expected or thought they could do.

I am starting a ACIM Sunday meeting and I also plan on joining the local Expats Club – they have interest groups such as computers, photography. 

Sooooooooooooooooo   that’s about it for now – pictures later (got some great things for photoshop)

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Well, we are waiting to see what will be the decision of the Court and what Thailand’s future may hold.  In 2 1/2 hr from now the Court will announce it’s decision.  I intend to stay close to the house and wait and see.  What a important time to be here and see where the country is going  – will they uphold Democracy and start to find ways to clear out the old-corruption, or will business just go on as usual. ——

Here are some good references to check out if you are interested.

Bangkok Post

The Nation

I think there will be a lot of coverage on CNN and BBC too.

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Thanks everyone for leaving your comments – I get a report of links to the website and where they are from, so far I have had hits from about every country out there but few comments.  I really appreciate them and it is they that keep me running the blog each day.

I also see that several people have been regulars at the ACIM category and daily Lessons —– It would be neat if comments were added as to what affect you think each lesson has in your life.  Making the connection alive. 

Thanks again for everyone who commented – Please don’t stop.

Frank