I'm very busy nowadays. Mostly its toys, food, water, Garfield and Barbie Movies. But dressing up and Jumping and Sliding are big parts of my day!
I am going to go and live in France. Said to me: "So I will be a French Girl!"

Went to the market.
Elodie: " Daddy I need money"
Daddy: "Magic word?"
Elodie: "Please!"
Gave her 10p.
Elodie: "Tua (the little girl she calls her big sister-aged 5) needs money too"
Daddy: "OK"
Elodie: (Grabbing and stuffing further 10p into pocket) "Don't worry Tua, Elodie will look after it for you..."

I dress for breakfast



Then there are bricks



playdough



and photographs to be dealt with

Never mind the drought, which is getting serious ..This is we are really worried about:
Events

I think this:
Biological Engineering
is one of the most amazing things I have read in many a year!

And my friend said to me:

And he is Thai

“We have talked much about this. I still have no real purchase on the issue!"

"Are you saying that it is OK for you to come here, that you can live here, and be happy as a foreigner ‘abroad’; whereas you are, also, saying it is difficult if not impossible for my sister to go to your country and live, work and be happy?”

Well

That raises a Q.

What is it..if anything. .that makes it possible to leave your home and go and live anywhere else?

Maybe one should distinguish between going 29 miles away, 200 and to ‘London’ to ‘Europe’ let alone to far flung parts of the earth.

And then the process in reverse. If Europeans had not ‘arrived’ in Australia, S and N America, Africa etc.....…who from those places would be thinking......…Oh! I’ll just nip over to Germany and make a life?.....…then what happens?. Americans welcome everyone because they think,.... do they?, they will contribute to the future of the ‘Nation’....…Western Europeans get panicked and think they are being over-run by Albanians, Ukrainians, Ethiopian, Romanians, Gypsies etc. etc.

Chinese never worried. Enough of usT...But not enough that we think we shouldn't miscegenate with Tibetans etc......Thais? well what is there to say?

I am thinking…I will be happy to be ‘home’ Where is that? . Elodie knows nothing…she is 3 years old...…what does K think….What would it feel like to be born in Norwich and have a ‘dream’: to go to Thailand/China/’Japan.. wherever…and have a husband, a life, a child….because to have it was MUCH better than Norwich....….better by what criteria….??

Hurting of heads!!

JUST FOR FUN:
You could write something like this about UK, USA, Australia or wherever…couldn’t you?
Do it?
News. News. This year’s/Next Year’s. Maybe!!…..When it all gets too much…......
must be the heat!

1. Shin Corp( That is The Prime Ministers Phone Company) confirms all new Mobile Phone Contracts and Sim Top Ups require ID in form of Thai ID Card. No Passports or Foreign ID permitted….reason Terrorism in Yala
2. Only 30 day Visas will be issued in future. Extensions for further 30 days will cost B5000. Maximum Stay under any circumstance 90 Days. Reason. Go away.
3. All foreigners (farang) from non-ASEAN countries can apply for 90 day visas if employed by organisation with headquarters/registered office etc outside Thailand. ASEAN nationals: talk to us, fees not excessive…Reason. Foreign capital and investment we love.
4. All contracts with EFL schools are for maximum of one term. Reason. We know about what EFL Teachers are up to in Thailand.
5. Minors ie-18years. Living in Thailand with non-Thai fathers are required to renounce any dual citizenship. Reason . Luk Khreung (Half Thai children) are not Thai
6. Sale of Beer and other Intoxicating liquor only permitted 17.00-19.00. Reason. Lord Buddha…and also tax increased by 300%. Yum. Already only available 11.00-14.00 and 17.00-23.00…remember that in the UK?!
7. Tax on Signs in English increased to 1000B per square centimetre. Reason. Thais do not need to read English/French/German etc.
8. All missionaries of all denominations to return to their countries. Reason. Enough ‘Dividing of the Thai people’
9. All persons residing within Thailand to be accorded Thai citizenship provided they promise to vote TRT (PM’s Party) at next election. Reason. Good source of vote fodder.
10. War declared. Thai forces attack Malaysia. Reason. Assisting Muslims in South.
11. Malaysia forces return fire. Did not need Reason
12. Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat (Thai Southern Provinces) become Thailand’s Northern Ireland. Reason. Provinces should never have been ceded to Thailand in first place. Defence…protection of integrity of Thai State. Cause: Ethnic and Religious minority marginalized and impoverished by Thai colonialism and neglect.
13. 2 Year drought wrecks rice harvest, Reason Theft of timber and other resources by high-ranking Thais. Talking of rice..Thai Jasmine Rice is discovered in 9thCentury tombs in Peru therefore proving: a Thais discovered S.America. Therefore All S. Americans are Thai (but of course Luk Khreung)
14. Myanmar declares war on Thailand. Reason. Thais renege on contracts to sell and distribute amphetamines etc.produced by companies of Wealthy Thais in Myanmar.
15. Thailand becomes 10th biggest Economy in the world. Reason. Profits of Noodle sellers and other street stalls; also we discovered how to TAX them. Also profits of Shin Corp Casinos. Failed to tax those.
16. Bird flu decimates Thai population. Reason. Not politically helpful to police and control ‘Wet Markets’. Also ’Might discourage tourism.’ However coach tours of Bangkapi Wet Market suspended for now.
17. Thailand wins Football World Cup 2006. Reason. Suddenly discovered 11 players in Premier League and Bundesliga are entitled to Thai citizenship by maternity. Not all called Tiger either. (For this purpose NOT Luk Khreungs)
18. CP foods (huge Thai multinational food etc.Company) assures consumers there have NEVER been any outbreaks of avian flu in CP plants, or premises of suppliers, in any country, anywhere, ever, never.
19. Tourism to Thailand down. Reason. Worldwide reporting: 600 Foreigners prevented from travelling on Thai Ferry with capacity for 100. Foreigners say: Where’s the buzz?
20. Foreigner deported for declaring he loves his Thai wife and children and is very happy, in spite of everything…. (cos better than elsewhere)… living in Thailand. Reason. Don’t want your sort. Never mind you inject B150,000 a month into Thai Economy! You are Not Thai. And Farang says: Who’s that? Chinese Thais, Khmer Thais, Lao Thais, Sipsong Panna Thais, Mon Thais, Muslim Thais, Hill Tribe Thais…or just those who have bought the subscription?…..No Farang Thais ha? Ho Ho…More??

What would you make of this in a European Newspaper!!?

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2005/03/09/national/index.php?news=national_16666378.html
interestingly cannot mark this!..might disappear....quote in full....


DISASTER PROBE : Tsunami report won?t see light of day: Smith_*

*Published on March 09, 2005*

/Need to protect Kingdom against foreign lawsuits, says investigation
chief; conclusions may never be put on paper/

The public will not hear if the Meteorological Department failed in its
duty to warn people that December?s devastating tsunami was heading
towards Thailand, the chief of the investigation into the disaster said
yesterday.

What?s more, Smith Tham-masaroj said a report into the

incident might never be written. Smith said he would conceal a tsunami
report from the public

out of patriotism in order to protect national interests, as some 60
foreign relatives of Western tourists killed by the massive waves in
southern Thailand might use the information in their lawsuit against the
government.

?I will not and I cannot reveal it - and the report may never be
published... No way, because it has become a lawsuit issue and could
cause much damage,? he said.

He added that billions of baht could be lost if the Meteorological
Department was found guilty of failing to warn the public and tourists
in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

Last month, 19 relatives from Austria and Germany filed a lawsuit in New
York against the government for failing to provide a timely tsunami
warning. ?They won?t have the information to sue us,? Smith said.

Earlier yesterday, he told an audience of about 1,000 in a speech on
lessons from the tsunami that he believed many lives would have been
spared by the Meteorological Department listening to only 10 per cent of
his suggestions concerning the possibility of a tsunami hitting the
Andaman coast in southern Thailand.

By heeding his advice, he said the department would have had one hour
and 15 minutes to act before the tsunami hit. ?I don?t know how to
punish him,?

said Smith, referring to the then director-general of the Meteorological
Department, Suparerk Tansriratwong.

?Did he know about [the impending tsunami]? I can?t tell you the result,
because 60 foreigners are eyeing to sue [the government].

?That?s why I can?t close the case, and I don?t know when I can close
it.? Smith acknowledged that the government might be in a Catch-22
situation, because if it claimed the department did not know the tsunami
was headed for Thailand, it could be grounds for a dereliction-of-duty
lawsuit.

If it were found that officials

knew the tsuna-mi was on its way but did not warn the public, it would
also lead to a lawsuit, he said.

?Either way, they can sue us. And these farangs [Westerners] love to
sue,? he said.

One day after the tsunami struck, one of the four officers in charged of
the Meteorological Department told The Nation that senior officials had toyed with
the idea of issuing a warning the morning of the tsunami.

They decided not to because they feared such a warning would have
negative repercussions on the tourism industry in the event a tsunami
did not occur, the official said.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

I am quite well,thank you.
In fact enough of this girlie stuff, well apart from Barbie Videos...Prince and pauper?? Nutcracker? !!
I have discovered Thomas The Tank Engine and Ultraman


I think we have passed into:
“ Coming back”, mode

However that has raised some old interests.
We have been reduced to buying tickets from Malaysian Travel Agents to come back. This raises its own problems as we have to get to KL.
However there they seem to have understood the basic principle….I want to know if, at the price you quote, there actually ARE seats….Only recently have Travelbag discovered this important idea…and only after they were bought up. Why do most Travel Agents want to quote you a price and then tell you…sorry, full…? Thais still not got it!!

And most travel agents still cannot get their heads around the fact that you might not care which day you travel, as long as you can get on a plane..Why cann they not look at what to me is a simple request…If I cannot travel on April 1, which is the first day when seats are available….oooh..going to the moon?

Meanwhile on Thai matters!!


Thai Smiles
I don’t see much talk about this famous topic
How many Thai Smiles could you count if you could count Thai Smiles?

For a start, today, I have had or seen some of these smiles:

1 Please do not ask me this question
2.Welcome to Seven
3.Wait
4.Wait. Thai person needs something more than you. From both person ignoring queue at copy shop and cowed copyist!
5.Do you want me to go and buy you some more beer?…Better answer:No..No thank you.’.farang smile’.( Have we run out? I’ll be down the offie as soon as I have clothes and can find the key to the bike.?
6.Have you paid the phone bill?. Better have!
7.Why have you still not asked me out? I am beginning to think you are a ++++
8.Please do not ask me this question..a few more times…
9. I don’t know what the +++ I am doing here, better smile. This a very common TV appearance
10.I need some money + a bow! + another bow on receipt.
11. I have been out talking with my friends. Don’t ask. + Chuck under chin
12. Thank you so much for buying bottle whisky and four sodas. How your wife/baby?…ie. We think you are an inebriate westerner…this smile from Chinese shop, of course…followed by Farang smile…” fridge still not cold I see, bad luck!”l “Fai Dap, na?”

and as we just went out to ride the gamut of the night market..21.00
several from boys on bikes swarming the daytime police post, all together!:

13. I don’t know you. You are a farang. I think you are:

a. a shit.
b. someone I might think of robbing
c. a man of whom I am very nervous/jealous; quite like to talk to you
d. person with very pretty wife/daughters, how did you achieve that?…money? grrr!
e. ….never mind, We are Thai….

Very wide smiles……….plus lots of…Hey You…get this most nights…I speak with them..farang poot thai…more smiles, much loss of eye contact….but also never mind, farang motorbike, though 125 Honda does not have twinkly lights on number plate, nor fluorescent brake lights and anyway is silver not current fashion for lemon yellow…..