Wino

Not sure if any young Thai person would know the schedule, but those from Isaan would.

The city does things like this to bring in the tourists. If you factor in the money spent on hotels, food, gifts and the like, I should think the city fathers thought it was worthwhile.

I have always heard it is good to drink green tea but this is a new one on me. By Joene Hendry Joene Hendry – NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Elderly men and women who sip on several cups of green tea a day may be less likely to have the blues, hint findings of a study from Japan. Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091218/hl_nm/us_green_tea

They like valentine's day in the Philippines, too.

I don't mind the crowds every once in a while, but find it nice to admire the spectacular fireworks from afar.

What an outrage. The top policeman in the state, is found guilty of molesting a 14 year old girl and receives a $20 fine and six month jail term but is immediately granted bail. NEW DELHI (AFP) – A Kafkaesque tale of crime, suicide and corruption has appalled India over the last week, causing outrage even in a country long accustomed to the transgressions of those in power. The sexual assault of Ruchika Girhotra, 14 at the time of the crime, by a police officer in 1990 has shone a light on an alleged nexus of corruption with tentacles that reach through the police, bureaucracy and political class. What has disgusted observers, and led to a concerted "Justice for Ruchika" campaign, is the alleged scale of the abuse of power that is shaking already rock-bottom confidence in public institutions. "Police have become terrorists of the worst kind but everyone has been collaborating or colluding," Supreme Court lawyer and women's advocate Rani Jethmalani told AFP. "The institutions which are responsible for responding have failed the victim and family, including the judiciary." Nineteen years ago, S.P.S. Rathore, a senior police official in the northern state of Haryana, molested Girhotra after arranging to meet her at the local lawn tennis club, of which he was president. Girhotra, a middle class girl and promising tennis player, dared to lodge a complaint against Rathore, now 67, setting off a chain of events which are only now coming to light. An internal police probe in 1990 into the assault recommended a case be filed but Rathore was promoted and his influence grew further when he was later named as the top police officer for the entire state. Girhotra meanwhile was expelled from her prestigious private school within months of the attack. The expulsion, the family claims, was part of a campaign of intimidation and harassment designed to force the family to drop their complaint and prevent any prosecution of the policeman. Girhotra's brother Ashu was accused of theft and then abused in jail at Rathore's orders, according to the family. Rathore's wife Abha, who is also his legal counsel, has blamed the media for creating "hype" and accused Girhotra's families of "forging the facts," according to the Press Trust of India news agency. Tormented by the stress she believed she had inflicted upon her family, Ruchika finally poisoned herself in 1993 at the age of 17. Her brother was released from jail soon after she died. Nineteen years after the original assault -- a long time even by Indian standards -- a court last week found Rathore guilty of molestation and sentenced him to six months in jail and a 1,000-rupee (20-dollar) fine. Rathore emerged from the courtroom grinning, while Girhotra's supporters were outraged that he had received such a light sentence and was immediately granted bail. They had wanted him charged with abetting the suicide of a minor, which carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life imprisonment. "Any abuse of personal authority must be prevented at any cost," India's anti-corruption watchdog, chief vigilance commissioner Pratyush Sinha, said this week. "This is a very bad example of what somebody can do with the system and get away," Sinha told the CNN-IBN news network. Rathore is alleged to have used his clout as a senior police officer to bribe his way out of multiple investigations. Girhotra's father also alleges that the results of the post mortem examination and inquest were doctored by the police. R. Singh, a former official with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's top police body, told a newspaper that Rathore in 1998 offered him help with building a new house in return for a "favourable report". The family of Girhotra's best friend Aradhna Gupta, who witnessed the assault and has waged the legal battle on her behalf since, also say they were subjected to intimidation aimed at forcing them to back down. Aradhna's father Anand Prakash, an engineer with a state agency, was repeatedly told to drop the case or face consequences. He was eventually fired. Aided by blanket media coverage in India's aggressive newspapers and television channels, a fightback is beginning. Haryana police on Tuesday registered two new cases against Rathore for harassing the Girhotra family and a petition has also been filed against Ruchika's school for throwing her out. Many are now clamouring for a new trial and federal Law Minister Veerappa Moily has said the government is reviewing legislation to fast-track sex assault cases. Politicians who knew of the case against Rathore now stand accused of doing nothing to prevent his rise to the top of the police force. "This particular case is tragically revealing the sickness in the entire system," Pinki Virani, an author and journalist who has written on sexual assault against women, commented to AFP. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091231/wl_sthasia_afp/indiacrimesexcorruptionpolice

Looks like the Hindu priests like to whip those naughty girls, too.

True, problem in Asia with abuse of antibiotics. Doctors in the west tend to over prescribe because people want a pill to make them feel better. Doctors oblige by writing too many scripts.

Nearly nine times over the legal limit. I a surprised she did not die of alcohol poisoning.

Well worth the investment.

A smile, a cool, calm attitude, and patience and respect always works best.

I like finding a good price. For me, overall living is cheaper in Thailand. I like a good value, but not so worried about a few baht here and there.

Is it great minds think alike or fools never differ?

Funny. Thaksin is from the Chiang Mai area and his name means southern. Many people did not like the way he handled the fighting in the south.

Of course, an en suite bathroom with a hot shower is always nice, as well.

Where are the watch groups? The free press? Why aren't the people up in arms? A country donates all the equipment and the Thai government cannot do the upkeep? Tragic.

A comfortable hotel is nice. Who needs to pay $200+ a night at the Ritz-Carlton?

Do you think the hero of the poor, ex-PM Thaskin was named after the king?

Don't worry Nyoen, the posts will add up in no time at all. Good luck.

Those bad girls in India seem to enjoy a good whipping, and according to this article, even the pope does it. Spare the Rod: In September, engaging in a 300-year tradition of the Dussera holiday in India's Tamil Nadu state, Hindu priests ritually whipped 2,000 young women and girls over a five-hour period as penance for a range of sins, from insufficient studying to moral impurity. Said one sobbing yet inspired lash recipient, to an NDTV reporter, "(W)hen we are whipped, we will get rid of our mental and physical ailments and evil spirits." [New Delhi Television, 9-30-09] And in November, Pope John Paul II was revealed to have periodically atoned for sins by privately whipping himself, according to a nun who worked with him and who was cited in the Vatican's ongoing consideration of John Paul II for sainthood. The nun said she heard him distinctly several times from an adjacent room. [Daily Telegraph (London), 11-23-09] http://news.yahoo.com/s/uc/20091220/od_notw/nwx091220xml

I think the countdown to 2010 was a success. I enjoyed seeing the fireworks. PATTAYA’S COUNTDOWN TO 2010 ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD The “Amazing Pattaya, Amazing Countdown Campaign†is underway again for the second year running. The campaign runs in coalition with a government project called; “Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value,†which is attempting to revitalise Thailand’s image and viability as a high class tourist destination. Pattaya, the 21st of December 2009 [PDN]: This year’s countdown campaign is expected to bring over 500,000 tourists to Fun City in order to enjoy the festive celebrations that Christmas and New Year have to offer. The campaign hopes to raise in excess of 500 million baht for the city and its residents. As a result of the successful event from last year, where the “Pattaya Countdown 2009†brought over 400,000 visitors to the city, leading entertainment organisations such as; GMM Media, TOT, CAT and Thai Beverage Marketing are co-operating together with this years countdown in order to promote the event as one of the best tourism attracts globally. Once again an advertising campaign with world media corporation CNN has started in the attempts to get more international tourism into the country, especially from Europe and America. The entertainment will be similar to last year, with live music by a variety of international and Thai pop/rock stars, including; So Cool, Paradox, Tik Chiro, Black Head, Slot Machine, Instinct, Boy Peace Maker, Buddha Bless, Playground, Pancake and all the stars from popular TV show, “The Star.†There will also be a food exhibition and Thai cultural show. The New Years Eve celebrations will feature a magnificent fireworks display that will be broadcast live on satellite and cable television from 10:30pm. The campaign will be a 7 day and night event starting from Friday the 25th of December until Thursday the 31st of December, when the New Year is commenced. For more info contact: Pattaya TAT: 038-428-750, 038-427-667 Pattaya City: 038-253-100 http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000011508

This is a good one. The Burlington Liars Club bestowed its highest award Wednesday for this line: "I just realized how bad the economy really is. I recently bought a new toaster oven and as a complimentary gift, I was given a bank." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_odd_top_liar

Phuket and the surrounding areas are beautiful. Too bad the transportation situation is not better. Rent a car or motorbike and enjoy the island.

It is a miracle this woman is still alive. With a blood alcohol level of .708, she is lucky to be walking around. RAPID CITY, S.D. – South Dakota authorities say a woman found passed out in a stolen delivery van earlier this month registered a blood alcohol content of .708 — nearly nine times the legal limit and a possible record for the state. Meade County State's Attorney Jesse Sondreal said Wednesday that 45-year-old Marguerite Engle was found slumped over the van's steering wheel along a highway on Dec. 1. He says the highest blood alcohol content state chemists he spoke with could recall was a .56. The state's legal limit is .08. Authorities say Engle missed an initial court hearing Dec. 15, but that they found her Monday in another stolen vehicle, and that she had been drinking. She was being held on two counts of driving under the influence. It wasn't immediately clear if she was facing other charges. Her attorney declined comment. http://news.yahoo.co...rd_intoxication

The faithful will say it is divine intervention. At 82, it is a miracle the pope did not break a hip.