4amExpat.com

Author: 4amExpat

  • SET at new high, amid political uncertantity

    The country has it’s problems, but it seems more an more investors are becoming thick skinned when it comes to political turmoil. Story: This week, foreigners have helped push Thailand’s stock exchange to its highest level since the financial crisis that began here a decade ago, with net foreign buying on Monday and Tuesday of […]

  • Thai economy improving?

    I have to say, I am a bit surprised with all the political turmoil, the Thai economy is still going well: Bangkok Post “Kasikornbank president Prasarn Trairattanaworarkul said his bank had now revised this year’s exports growth to around 14-15 per cent from the 10-12 per cent forecast earlier. The better-than-expected export growth will help […]

  • Bangkok Networking Calendar

    Nice events calender for Bangkok. From thebrandmade.com

  • YouTube coming back?

    From MCOT : TNA English News :: “The junta’s decree, known as Order No. 5, which has banned political websites, will be lifted by the Surayud cabinet this week in order to make the people feel better now that the political situation has improved and a general election is to be held, he said.”

  • Check out this about to be banned in Thailand blog

    Trying to kill yourself? If this is your arm, seems like you might be a failure. This blog (nsfw), which won’t be visable in Thailand for much longer, seems to capture the depravity that is the seedy underbelly of Bangkok. A testiment to the life one can get caught up in if you are not […]

  • 50,000 sites were banned

    From The Nation As far as the Internet is concerned, the government has transformed Thailand into a repressive regime on a par with Burma, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Iran, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. As of last week, at least 50,000 sites were banned, including commentaries, anti-monarchy sites, anti-government sites and sexually explicit […]

  • Busted for selling Viagra

    I love these pics of police busts. This 40 year old Hungarian national busted in Pattaya for selling Viagra. All kinds of goodies here at Pattaya City News. Look at these REAL headlines: Drunk and Broken hearted Thai lady arrested for her own good Drunk, Condom-Wearing Motorcyclist Killed after Night out in Karaoke Bar – […]

  • “YouTube is not a very essential Web site, Is it?”

    Great story on the Minister that Banned YouTube – Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom. Check out these great excerpts: …Sitthichai persisted in detailing the euthanasia device, prefaced with an observation: “There are a hundred small ways to finally exit your life.” Sitthichai calculated that the best way to do the job was a simple machine that pumps carbon […]

  • SMS used as Propaganda

    Forbes says… Thailand’s military junta has resorted to sending text messages to mobile phones in the kingdom to try to persuade people not to join protest rallies, a spokesman said. ‘Thai people should adhere to the king’s speech, be calm … reasonable and respect the laws,’ said one message signed by the Council for National […]

  • Where are the pirate copies of The Legend of King Naresuan?

    Want to see Spiderman 3? Online or on the streets of Bangkok it’s no problem to find a copy. Looking for a pirate copy of ‘The Legend of King Naresuan‘? It seems you won’t find it. Why? It seems that it’s tabu to pirate copies of a movie about a Thai King in Thailand. According […]

  • “I Want My YouTube” T-Shirt

    Even though there’s nothing new under the sun, it’s time to let your friends, family, and government know how you feel with this throwback “I Want My YouTube” T-shirt. Perfectly appropriate for the current political climate. Especially one where THE MAN is trying to block your MTV YouTube fix.

  • Rising Awareness of Thailand Net Censorship

    From Bangkok Post: “‘A major complaint about Thaksin [Shinawatra] was his muzzling of the media and willingness to limit free speech,’ said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. ‘The military-backed government promised a quick return to democracy, but it’s now attacking freedom of expression and political pluralism in ways that Thaksin never dared.’ […]

  • 99 Elephants

    These guys know how to protest: Authorities are preparing to stop 99 elephants and thousands of villagers from entering Thailand’s capital to protest the possible dissolution of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s political party, the military said on Wednesday. “The authorities are trying to convince the elephant owners not to bring their animals to Bangkok. […]

  • Bangkok Drag Avenue

    I had a chance to check out Bangkok Drag Avenue up in Patum Thani (near Alpine golf course). A fun way to spend a Saturday evening. They have a quarter mile track where all classes of car can race side by side. I saw times range from 9-14 seconds. You need a car to go […]

  • Earthquake felt in Bangkok

    This earthquake has just been felt in Bangkok. Update: Media coverage.

  • What’s the deal with those big ass Thai amulet necklaces?

    Glad you asked! Those are Jatukarm Ramathep amulets. Who is Jatukarm Ramathep? Well, according to this recent Editoral, entitled, “The facts behind the Jatukam Ramathep talisman nonsense” in The Nation: As a result they have confused the two guardian deities, Khattugama and Ramadeva, and conflated and corrupted their names, producing Jatukam Ramathep, a single deity […]

  • Idle threats make big news on Slashdot

    Well, whose ever bright idea it was to publish a story that Thailand was planning to sue YouTube got that whole mess Slashdotted. Comment from the site: when you attempt to censor something, anything, you just give whatever it is free advertising i’m glad the thais love their king. but if they are secure in […]

  • Bomb blast in Thai capital wounds 1

    Does this even deserve to make headlines in this day and age? :Bomb blast in Thai capital wounds 1 – USATODAY.com: “Bomb blast in Thai capital wounds 1” In any given day, people are dying from bombs ever, so is “slightly injuring a 22-year-old man” worthy of a USA Today headline?

  • USA for innovation – what’s it all about?

    This quote from Salon.com: USA for Innovation is a non-profit advocacy group whose primary purpose is to lobby for maximum strength intellectual property protection for American corporations. Its founder and executive director is Ken Adelman, a current member of the Defense Policy Board and long time Don Rumsfeld crony. USA for Innovation’s beef has to […]

  • 2Bangkok.com turns 8 years old.

    Congratulations to 2Bangkok.com. After 8 years of coding away, they have finally found themselves a the forefront of news gathering blogs in Thailand. They started back when mWeb (still using blinking text guys?) and eThailand.com (nice front page SQL error) were throwing money around in the dot com bubble. Hey 2Bangkok – these stats should […]

  • Why is this song banned in Thailand?

    In checking the latest list of Banned sites in Thailand: they seemed to blocking this video: Maybe cause it’s referred to as the suicide song? Or Diamanda Galas did something wrong? The weird thing is that it’s just this version. The Sarah McLachlan version didn’t seem to attract the same attention. First time I’d heard […]

  • The King’s new B737

    link

  • 11 High Resolution Bangkok Panorama Photos

    Click on any image to get the full high resolution image. All are between 2,000 and 19,904 pixels wide. From Flickr. More Bangkok panorama photos…

  • 12.5% more expats, more condos

    From thailand-property-guide.com – the number of expatriates in Bangkok with work permits grew to 67,412 in 2006, a 12.5% increase year on year according to statistics by the Alien Occupational Control division of the Department of Employment. Last year there was only a limited amount of new supply in apartments, and there were only about […]

  • I’am watana. I fuck you.

    Passed along by a friend: So, I get into my apartment last night and there’s a piece of paper laying on my floor that someone shoved under the door – see below. The guy who wrote the note, Watana, is the building manager and he’s kind of a wishy-washy little idiot. Apperently after a party, […]

  • Still blocked, still unacceptable

    A good article about the continued censorship of YouTube (Taksin’s mouthpiece) by the Thai Juanta (unelected government). The YouTube block remains. But of far more concern to Thais who want to see a return to democracy is the regime’s blocking or intimidation of Thailand-based Web sites that provide a forum for political discussion. The YouTube […]

  • Songkran dancers busted

    In the breaking news of the day, more “coyote dancers” got busted! “Police broke up the show “after a good citizen” reported that the girls were dancing while wearing few clothes, and in an arousing manner. “ With bombs going off a shopping malls, it’s good to know that ‘good citizens are on guard for […]

  • YouTube still blocked

    It seems the Thai Government is trying to figure out how to block single videos, rather than the whole site. “I don’t want to hear a lecture on free speech … I am a proponent of free speech but this is just culturally insensitive and offensive,” he said, adding that he would not block access […]

  • Thailand Blocks YouTube again!

    They did it before.. now they are doing it again…. This time at least the whole world knows about it. This blogger has to say it is not without reason. Google, do the right thing and take down the offending video! Thailand, do the right thing and don’t block a whole website cause of one […]

  • Pattaya motorbike crash

    Pattaya motorbike lesson #1: Never hold your can of beer and drive a motorbike at the same time.

  • Bangkok Poetry Night – Friday 27

    If you like poetry readings, and you are stuck in Bangkok, email Malcolm at: bangkokpoetry at yahoo.com. The next one is Friday, April 27th at 9pm.

  • Swiss man given 10 year visa (prison stay required)

    Oliver Rudolf Jufer, 57, who had pleaded guilty to five counts of lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy, had faced a maximum sentence of 75 years in prison. TIME Jufer was caught by surveillance cameras on Dec. 5 spray-painting black paint over five outdoor posters of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the northern city of Chiang […]

  • Muay Thai Cat?

  • Don Muang Re – Opens

    Don Muang is open and will now serve around 140 flights a day. These flights will fly from the old airport. Nok Air (Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Krabi, Loei, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Trang, Udon Thani) One-Two-Go (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, Phuket, Surat Thani) Thai Airways International (Chiang Mai, […]

  • Bored? Check out these 44 girls…

    It’s that time of year again… yes… the contest you’ve been waiting for.. Miss Thailand UNIVERSE! Check out the 44 contestents. And for more juicy gossip, this blog will give you the real scoop.“One brave girl by the name of Ginggarn (number 34 contestant) jumped off from the boat…after she splashed down confidently, she squealed […]

  • Don Muang to open with Nok Air, One-to-Go and Thai Domestic

    The Nation: Flights out of Don Muang Airport will have four digits starting with 1 – TG 1xxx, such as TG 1203 – and those operating out of Suvarnabhumi Airport will have three digits.THAI will also subsidise parking fees for passengers using the check-in terminal at Lat Phrao subway station. Passengers will pay Bt60 a […]

  • Wanna blow 10k usd on one meal? Read on…

    Wealthy foodies can mark their calendars for Dec. 12, 2008, when top chefs from around the world will be flown to Egypt to cook a dinner in front of the ancient Pyramids of Giza, organizer Deepak Ohri said Monday. The price for dining beside the pyramids has not yet been set, but it will cost […]

  • JI Net offers VOIP via ATA for your hard phone.

    JI Net‘s VOIP promotion states calls as cheap as 1 baht, but The Nation says 2 baht/ min. Either way, what you need is a ATA (analog telephone converter) to plug in your home hard phone into. (can use your home cordless if you still have one.)JI net is selling it for 2,795 THB. Then […]

  • Singapore – Best place in the world for Asians to live

    According to ECA International in their recent survey:Most favorable places: Singapore, Singapore Japan, Kobe Japan, Tokyo Japan, Osaka Hong Kong, Hong Kong Macau, Macau Taiwan, Taipei Thailand, Bangkok Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Georgetown Least favorable places: Karachi (shithole), Pyongyang(dump), Islamabad(wasteland), Dhaka(desolate) and Dili(pile o’bile). Within Asia, Wuhan and Xi’an have shown the biggest improvement in […]

  • Funny Bangkok Insurance Commercial

    bangkok insuranceUploaded by toshi

  • Thai student makes edible body parts

    How’s this for a bakery idea? For when you are hungry like a cannibal. As an undergraduate art student, Kittiwat started painting portraits. He then moved to mixed media and finally dough – a natural medium for him since his family runs a bakery. Along with edible human heads crafted from dough, chocolate, raisins and […]

  • Fact and Thai Censorship

    If you are Thai and interested in keeping your blog, maybe you should visit the Freedom Against Censorship Thailand site and see what you can do. FACT recommends that a privacy provision be added to the newConstitution that prohibits retaining logged data of any individual’sInternet activity. Section 39, Freedom of Expression, allows all persons in […]

  • Best places to eat in Bangkok

    A while ago, I was keeping a list of the best places to eat in Bangkok on my phone so that if someone was to ask, “Hey, where should be go?” I would have a menu of choices. I think it’s a pretty good list, but feel free to add to it. Here is that […]

  • YouTube unblocked

    From Bangkok Post… Authorities in Thailand temporarily blocked video sharing service YouTube on Friday and Saturday, though it remains unclear who did the blocking and why. On Friday people trying to watch videos at http://www.youtube.com were instead greeted with an error page. By Saturday morning, rather than the error page, the site was redirected to […]

  • Thailand blocks YouTube?

    Using True service and typing in www.youtube.com you are now greeted by a page telling you… no more YouTube. Censorship in Thailand has reached a new low…Not to worry, here are 9 other video sharing sites to upload your videos to. Check their reviews here: 1) Blip.tv2) VideoEgg3) Dailymotion4) YouTube 5) Veoh6) Google Video7) Grouper8) […]

  • Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula quits (Yeah!!)

    This is the guy who started:…the Finance Ministry’s tough capital inflow control measures implemented in a bid to stem the appreciation of the baht, which led to a 15 per cent crash in the stock market crash in December.And to top that..Next came the government’s proposed changes to the Foreign Business Act, a move many […]

  • StopDrink = StopThink

    Songkran Phakchokdi, manager of the StopDrink Network wants to raise the Thai drinking age to 20, and totally ban alcohol advertising.  In other news, he is launching a program for teens, that calls them them to enjoy Government sponsored activities only.  He is calling the program, StopThink.

  • A Thai breast massage?

  • Guy sums up a backpacker tour of Thailand in 2:44. (video)

  • Tata Young speaks of CD pirates

    Even thought I support Tata Young, (even though her last cd was a poor effort) I do wish she would understand that ‘the album’ is dead, we don’t buy CDs anymore. From Reuters: “I wish I sold more albums and not pirated CDs,” the 26-year-old, who is often seen as Asia’s answer to Britney Spears, […]

  • Tale of 2 Airports

    Seems to be a lot of airport indecision, but I vote for staying at the new airport. The old communist era airport is fine for domestic budget flights, but Thai and all international fights should stay at the new Airport. It’s so nice driving into the new airport knowing you won’t have to worry about […]

  • Bombs in Bangkok

    The best thing we can do about the bombs in Bangkok is ignore them. Media coverage is what bombers crave. Let this die, stop blogging about it, stop talking about it. Ignore it, move on with life.

  • Weather report: Cool

    The best week of the year to be in Thailand has arrived. Take advantage of the cool weather you lucky ones!! The only gripe I have.. is where are the Beer Gardens??

  • Those Swiss bastards

    It’s about time the Swiss take some heat for something. Enough of the anti-American attitudes, it’s these Swiss guys are the REAL problem: “…they certainly were not amused to find portraits of the king defaced with black spray paint in six villages in Chiang Mai on Tuesday. The culprit turned out to be a Swiss […]

  • Tsunami: The Aftermath (HBO)

    HBO will start showing it’s film Dec 10th, Tsunami: The Aftermath this Sunday. (if not here in thailand, there is always the torrents) Part 2 is shown on Dec 17th. Starring Tim Roth, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Hugh Bonneville, Samrit Machielsen, and Toni Collette. This made-for-HBO miniseries drama follows fictional characters in Thailand after the […]

  • Thailand thru the eyes of Slashdot

    If you are a tech guy or gal, you read Slashdot. Period. But after the recent statements by the new Thai IT Minister which made the Slashdot front page and alienated open source developers world wide, I was curious to see how the Slashdot community views Thailand, so had a look at the biggest stories […]

  • Best internet shop in Thailand

    If you want to see the new new, come have a look at the true urban park at Siam Paragon 3rd floor. Wow. As a tech guy, I was in heaven. All kinds of neat tech like custom ipod tables with personal sound domes, 30″ lcd displays, and a few dual moniter set ups, and […]

  • Latest on Bangkok mass transit expansion

    For an overview of future expansion check the Wikipedia page. The routes to built are: … the Blue Line (Bang Sue-Tha Phra-Bang Khae and Hua Lamphong-Tha Phra with a length of 27km and a cost of Bt52 billion); the Red Line (Rangsit-Bang Sue-Taling Chan, 41km, Bt53 billion); the (Bang Yai-Bang Sue, 23km, Bt29 billion); the […]

  • Like skinny, beautiful Thai women?

    If you do, than Vicha Poolvaraluck is enemy #1. He plans to open between 50 and 60 new McDonalds outlets in the next five years. Hey Vicha, if I want to see fat people, I will got to America! But wait, how clever you are, you also own California WOW. How’s this for a businss […]

  • Stickman Site Down

    The popular Stickman’s Guide to Bangkok site is down. Bangkok‘s most notorious troll John Galt is claiming credit. Let’s hope Stickman takes this time off to make huge strides in readability.

  • Thai Gold Shop Robbery – thief gets hammered!

    powered by performancing firefox

  • 30 baht health care not cheap enough

    Taksin lowers the price of health care to 30 baht, and so the new governent goes and makes it free? “We’d lost touch with many patients, not because they didn’t payattention to their health, but because they could not afford to pay thetravel costs or even the Bt30 fee,” she explained. powered by performancing firefox

  • Take the Mental Health Department inspired survey

    In the spirtit of the Mental Health Department survey, this site will do it’s own survery. Of course the results won’t be official untill late 2007. Congratulations to Maha Sarakham for being the most happy place in Thailand. Wow, that makes me happy just to say it. powered by performancing firefox

  • What would happen if Taksin flew to Thailand?

    “It wouldn’t be allowed to land.” – Sonthi (from the Nation story) So what should he do? “He should use the phone if there’s something urgent.” So it looks like the Taksin corruption inquiry isn’t going so well.  The post-coup investigation so far has uncovered no solid links between the overthrown leader and major corruption […]

  • Anyone want to move to Cambodia?

    An nice overall summary of the new visa rules and where they fit into the big picture for Thailand, from Asian Sentinel. Just how many people live and work here using 30-day stamps is hard to say, but with at least a dozen agencies now operating daily visa run tours, plus those taking public or […]

  • Adding a Thai Bank to a Thai Paypal account

    Just noticed Thai banks can now be added to your Thai Paypal account (mine is in USD). This means it’s pretty easy for anyone in the world to pay you via Paypal, and pick it up with your local Thai ATM card.If your account is a Thailand Paypal, you will have the choice for a […]

  • Cheers Beer- Funny Commercial

  • Send me your Engrish photos!!

    I love Engrish. As an Expat, it makes your eyes squint like visual sour candy. You see a nice piece of Engrish and feel like you landed on another planet. I know Engrish.com does an exelent job, but I’d love to see Engrish you found in Thailand. If you have some please send it to […]

  • Impressions of Suvarnabhumi (Su wan a poom)

    First, let me start with the bad things. The name. Compare the way a Westerner would read it, to the way it’s said. “Su varn a buh umi” vs “Su wan a poom” . From now on, this blog’s offical spelling of the new Bangkok International Airport is – Suwanapoom. Suwanapoom International Airport, Bangkok. Has […]

  • Ong Bak Full Movie – Google Video

    Just found the full lenght Ong Bak Movie right in Google Video. Cool. Watch it at work.

  • Lingerie workers rally at US embassy (why?)

    Please help me understand what the USA has to do with this: Labour union leaders of a Thailand-based lingerie factory on Saturday insisted they would defy martial law and stage a protest outside the US embassy in Bangkok this weekend to pressure company owners into paying severance pay to 1,400 laid-off workers. Union chairwoman Duangjai […]

  • Tata Young – El Nin Yo. Umm.. cause she’s Thai…

  • Funny Thai Commercial

  • Surayud Chulanont – Temp Prime Minister of Thailand

    Promise kept, and Thailand gets back to normal, but I guess not everyone is happy: In one of the few signs of public opposition to the coup, a taxi daubed with slogans saying “Destroying the country” and “Die for the country” rammed a tank in Bangkok on Saturday.The taxi was badly damaged and the driver […]

  • Spitting Chinese not welcomed here!

    The Nation has a survey of Thai’s and their view on tourists. Hightlights: … 28 per cent naming mainland Chinese as the least polite visitors, followed by tourists from India (20 per cent) and the Middle East (19 per cent). …When asked which tourist behaviour they find impolite, 29 per cent said damaging the local […]

  • Website: Council for Democratic Reform

    The Council for Democratic Reform website is up. Looks like they specalize in Coup’s. Maybe you can hire them for your party. And check out the Ban on Eavesdropping. Could this be directed at loyalists in a special room somewhere inside an AIS building listening to certain converstaion? Hmm… In cases where the violator is […]

  • Award: first news source to use “Coup” and “Go-Go dancers” in the same headline

    The headline writers at International Herald Tribune go for senationalist gold with the headline: “Thai soldiers take a break from the coup to watch go-go dancers ” – to bad it wasn’t really go-go dancing, and just a sad excuse for a headline. Hey IHT… THIS… is go-go dancing. More from Bangkok Pundit. Photos here […]

  • Test: Chinese, Japanese or Korean?

    Take the test at AllLookTheSame.com. I got a 10 of 18 right btw, and the average is 6.

  • Why the Coup happend

    This story (also here) in The Nation by Thanong Khanthong offers the best insight I have read so far into the Coup. If true Sonthi Boonyaratglin could go down as one of the great Thai heros. Taksin had planed to use a bloody protest as pretext to declaring a state of emergency… an intelligence report […]

  • Some Coup action shots

    Check out the Coup in action. Some good action shots from a good friend of mine: “My first Coup!” “B2 ready for action” Motherfuck!n’ Tanks on a Motherfuck!n’ Street! The business end of the Coup More photos Coup Photos. Thanks John!

  • Fisrt bad news of the Coup – elections in one year?

    Thailand’s new military ruler, winning crucial royal backing for his bloodless coup, announced Wednesday that he would not call elections for another year. – Washington Post

  • Bangkok Post front page Sept. 20, 2006

  • Thai property sizes: 1 Acre = 2.5 Rai

    Been looking for this for a while (thanks 1Rai) – Thai land sizes: 1 Rai = 4 Ngan = 1600 Square Meters1 Ngan = 100 Talang Wah = 400 SqM1 Talang Wah = 4 SqM Common Western Conversions:1 Acre = 2.5 Rai1 Hectare = 6.25 Rai

  • Huston Cron Editorial – Wrong

    Huston Cron:” Thailand would be better off with a deeply flawed leader ultimately accountable to the electorate than what it has now: a military dictator who has revoked the constitution.” You forget he is the richest man in Thailand. The only other two forces that could possible oppose him are the military and the King. […]

  • Coup D’Tetat in Thailand – see ya Taxsin

    This could be both good and bad. Hopefully the Baht will loose some strength against the dollar, and make a bit of a buying opportunity. Also lets hope this finally means a return to fair closing times, and if we are lucky… a repeal on the this visa situation. Troops loyal to army chief Gen […]

  • Welcome to 4amexpat.com

    Going to talk about tech, about privacy, about living in Asia and about making it all work.