Pattaya Today Property Section

Pattaya Today 23 PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY 1/23

Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

Interior Design, Space Planning, Project Management, Exhibition Design

‘Modern Space’ is a consultancy company providing innovative design solutions from the smallest room to a whole office complex or new housing development. You can put your trust in ‘Modern Space’ to deliver to budget and on schedule.

The aim as interior designers is to create unique and timeless spaces.

Irrespective of the current style of a house, or furniture, we develop a design that is unique and tailored to individual requirements.

We can offer an office and retail design service using CAD as space planning specialists. We can offer solutions for all your office and accommodation needs, whether it is space planning, interior design, or maximising your office space. Using

the latest technology we can redesign your office to make it work for you Let us Project Manage your development and we will look after your interests and remove the stress factor involved in a design project We design and produce furniture and decoration in modern style.

3D Concept Models and 2D Space Plan We offer a design service that includes all furniture and fixture, soft furnishings, curtains, cushions and accessories. We can help

with the overall design scheme including room layouts, maximising room functions, colour schemes, mood boards and fabric selection. We undertake projects of all sizes and budgets, from a full interior to a single room.

Peter Rowland met his

Thai wife, Orajin, at a professional designer conference in Milan.

Peter is now concentrating on the physical design and Orahjin on the textiles and soft furnishings.

Peter stresses their aim is basically to create unique designs to fit ‘any’ space, irrespective of the house or furniture. He will work

using the latest technology and brought to “life” in 3D by computer graphics, everything having been accurately measured first.

No projects are too large or too small. ‘Modern Space’ will offer their service for furniture and fittings, soft furnishings, interiors and accessories. Design of room layout, maximizing

with the client to develop a design that is tailor-made to individual requirements.

All projects – whether for home interior or office design - will be planned

room function, colour schemes, mood boards and fabric selection.

Peter, along with a host of other English people, came from England hoping to escape from the hustle and bustle of London only to find himself caught up in the hectic life of Bangkok. He has subsequently moved to Pattaya to a relatively more quiet life while, maintaining his connections with factories and suppliers in Bangkok.

In conjunction with his wife he offers primarily an English/European style design base but they

are quite happy to work in traditional Thai style if that is what the client prefers.

Talk to Peter or Orajin at their shop on Thepprasit Road, or phone 081 564 6104 or Email info@modernspace.com,

Check out their website at www.modern-space.com

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Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009 however, Simons Davies of Private International said “There are fundamental privacy issues.”

Using a mobile phone while in the European Union has become cheaper under a new single tariff for all 27 member states. The maximum charge for making a call drops to 37p per minute and for receiving calls 17p per minute. Sending a text from another country inside the EU costs no more than 10p.

From the 30th all calls must be billed by the second.

Immigrant’s mothers are in the news ONE IN four children in Britain is born to foreign mums, a report claims almost 25% of UK youngsters born in 2008 had mothers from overseas.

The figures also reveal the total number of births in overcrowded Britain was 708,708, the highest since 1972.

The increase will worry Ministers because it threatens to put even more pressure on public services with schools and hospitals already struggling to cope.

Children at British state school speak 64 different languages At Woodside High School in North London, four out of five children do not have English as their ‘home language’. Between them, the 1,000 pupils at the comprehensive speak 64 languages, this includes 17 dialects, and Languages range from Albanian and Arabic to Lithuanian.

Head teacher Joan McVittlie said “The thing about the one-in-seven figure is that you’re going to get tremendous variation across the country. In some schools it could be just one or two pupils. In urban schools like ours, it can be 80 per cent.”

In some areas English is a foreign language to more than 70 per cent of four to 11-year-olds, putting enormous pressure on teaching staff. And there are ten schools without a single pupil who has English as a first language, new figures shows LONDON TUBE stations are upgrading their ticket machines to operate in 17 languages; surely we should be encouraging people to speak English.

Crisis Britain still has eastern appeal THE RECESSION may have sparked an exodus of eastern Europeans but many more are replacing them.

Some 56,000 eastern Europeans left Britain last year, more than double the 2007 tally. But 100,000 arrived from the region over the same period, a net rise of 44,000, Home Office figures show.

Asylum seeker numbers also rose to hit a four-year high, mainly because of Zimbabwean immigrants. However, net immigration from all countries fell from 237,000 in 2007 to 147,000 last year.

The population needs to be controlled said Migration

Watch, however, Minister Woolans said immigration levels were “balancing”.

Britons cutting CO2 emissions NINE out of ten Britons have taken steps to reduce their carbon emissions, according to a Christian Aid poll. Three quarters of consumers have switched to energy efficient light bulbs and 70 percent do not leave electrical items on standby. More than half (57 per cent) no longer heat rooms unnecessarily and 42 per cent tumble dry less.

National lottery operator NATIONAL LOTTERY operator Camelot announced its best sales for 10 years. Sales soared to a record £5.5 billion, a rise of £182.8 million.

Punters spent an extra £71.3 million on Lotto, EuroMillions and Daily Play tickets and £111.5 million on scratch cards and instant win games.

Camelot boss, Dianns Thompson said “Despite challenges in the wider market, we have delivered the best National Lottery sales in a decade.”

Men’s health week MILLIONS of British men are risking their health despite being aware of the dangers they may face. Some 18 million have ignored symptoms of ill health in the past year. Nearly 44 percent don’t check for cancerous signs like lumps and moles, report Friends Provident, in a study to mark the launch of Men’s Health Week.

Over 34 percent admit they don’t know how to check for testicular cancer and only a quarter know the sign of breast and prostate cancer.

However, disregarding aches and pains can lead to worsening conditions and even severe illness, warn health experts.

Directory for mobile phone MOBILE phone numbers will be available on directory inquiries next month. However, the move has sparked fury from privacy groups. 118800.co.uk will charge £1 to connect customers to any of Britain’s 42 million mobiles after getting the numbers from market research companies.

The firm says people will be keen to use the service,

True Stories of Dumb Criminals Watch What You Do With the Goods A postal worker has been charged with stealing gold which he was supposed to deliver. He made the mistake of pawning it at the same pawn shop which had melted it down to send to a business in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The jeweler at the pawn shop recognized it.

The postal worker has been charged with embezzling.

Nice People Swallow It seems a certain crook had the bad habit of spitting tobacco juice. And he didn’t exactly care where he spit.

A keen eyed detective noticed tobacco juice stains on some papers that had been ransacked at an insurance office where a burglary had occurred. Since none of the ladies in the office chewed tobacco, he reasoned the spit belonged to the thief and took a DNA sample. Tobacco spit was also found at five other crime scenes in the area. The DNA in all

of them matched.

The police had a suspect for the robberies and got a warrant to test his DNA. Voila! It matched. They are expecting a conviction.

Short on Cash. Will This Do? A customer at the drive through window of a fast food restaurant apparently didn’t have enough cash on him to pay the bill. He offered to pay for his order with marijuana.

The cashier refused and called the police with a description of the vehicle.

Soon after, a police officer spotted the vehicle and pulled it over. An inspection of the car turned up marijuana. The driver was arrested.

Steal Something Smaller Next Time A 25-year-old man in Utah decided he wanted to get to

Drinking tea can cut heart attack DRINKING three cups of tea a day can ward off heart attacks, a dietician claims. The beverage could even have anti-cancer properties, a review of previous research suggests.

The link between coronary heart disease and tea has been the subject of a large number of studies. Dr.Carrie Buxton , a member of the Tea Advisory Panel, analysed some of these, to establish which effectiveness of naturally occurring compounds called flavonolds can be used to combat heart attacks.

One Finish study found men who drank more than two cup of weak tea a day had a 21 per cent reduced chance of stroke.

French research showed than women who drank more than three cups a day had a 32 per cent lower risk of blocked arteries.

Dr. Ruxton said the research showed at least three cups of tea a day had a 32 per cent lower risk of blocked arteries.

Thinking about work is so tiring MILLIONS of Britons spend their free time worrying about work, a study revealed last week. More than half work at home through the weekend and two-thirds won’t leave without their phone, one in 10 take a laptop on holiday.

The survey, by OnePOLL for the National Trust, also found that 45 per ent return to work exhausted on Mondays. The National Trust is running a campaign to get more people to boost their health by enjoying life outdoors.

‘Unequal’ Britain is carpeted BRITAIN is one of the most unequal societies in the developed world, according to a new travel guide. Banking fat cats have walked away with millions in their pockets, in the recession, while ordinary people have suffered, the ‘Lonely Planet Guide to Britain’ said. However, author David Else added “British folk are extremely resilient.

The recession isn’t going to dampen their spirits”.

A third of Brits are refusing to take all their holidays in case they lose their jobs in the credit crunch. And another 28% worry that too much time off might make them targets for redundancy.

Victoria Sanders, Managing Director of Teletext Holidays, which conducted the poll, said “People are finding it increasingly hard to relax at the moment; with many admitting it’s the most stressed they have ever felt.”

Washington to see his mother for Christmas. Not having a car, he hopped into a $500,000 fire truck, blew the air horn and tried to drive away. The fire fighters ran out to see what was happening. He put up a big fight, but they were finally able to subdue him.

He never made it to Washington for Christmas.

Too Dumb to Be a Thief The police had no trouble finding this thief. When he used a stolen credit card to buy some cigars, he signed his own name on the receipt. Later he tried to buy some merchandise at a store, but the card came up as stolen. When asked for some identification, he presented his own driver’s license.

Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

PATTAYA STYLISH LIVING

The beauty and practicality of wood

Most flooring installed in modern concrete Thai buildings is ceramic tile.

It comes in a multitude of decorator colors and, other than daily moping, is practically maintenance free. You have another choice however. If you are building, buying or already own a home, condo or business property and would like your place to have a different look, hardwood flooring is an excellent choice. In addition to floors it can also make a beautiful accent wall or even a ceiling.

If you choose wood, your main concern when it comes to maintenance is moisture. However, if your wood floor is properly installed you should enjoy a lifetime of good use and exceptional beauty.

To assure there are no moisture problems, from the beginning you should verify that the lumber has been kiln-dried. Never allow the wood to be delivered when it is raining and keep it stored inside in a ventilated area where there is good air circulation.

Caution: Do not try to keep the wood flooring hot and dry. Continual dry heat can over-dry wood flooring which may result in cracking and warping.

If installing wood flooring over a concrete floor the concrete must be dry and cured. New concrete slabs can take weeks to dry out thoroughly.

The surface may look dry but moisture can still be present inside the slab.

In Thailand’s dry winter months the concrete will dry out quicker. If you are installing wood over an old dry ceramic tile floor, chances are the installation will not experience any swelling problems.

If the installation of your wood floor will be on top of elevated floor with an

open airspace underneath it, you will not need a surface vapor barrier. When installing wood flooring over a concrete slab poured over dirt or sand, a vapor barrier between the wood and the substrate is an absolute necessity.

If you have a parquet tile floor installed in a room where the length is more than 1-1/2 times the width it is recommended the wood tiles be in a diagonal pattern rather than square with the walls.

This minimizes expansion under the high humidity conditions of Thailand.

To allow for expansion a 2-1/2 centimeter expansion gap should always be left around all the edges of the floor next to the walls. A baseboard or other molding will cover the gap.

Since parquet floor tiles are often pre-finished at the factory it is tempting to get right on the floor once it is installed. Because the mastic needs time to set it is recommended not to move heavy furniture or allow much traffic on the floor for 24 hours.

If your home will be air-conditioned most of the time when you are living there, have the AC on when the wood flooring is installed and keep it on throughout the sanding and finishing processes.

It is best to keep the air temperature and humidity as near as possible to what it will be when your home is occupied.

There are many types of wood finishes. Polyurethane floor finish is recommended for floors.

You will want to inspect your new floor when the installation is finished. Keep in mind, this is a FLOOR. It is not a fine piece of furniture, so a furniture grade finish cannot be expected.

To be fair to the installer,

it is very important to know the proper way to inspect the floor. Inspect from a standing position. Do not get down on your hands and knees and have your eye level close to the floor. Do not look at the floor into the glare of a window. The harsh reflected light will magnify any irregularities and they should not carry any weight when determining acceptance.

The quality of the finish can be acceptable even if it includes some minor impurities, waves, swirls or sander marks or blemishes, especially around the perimeter and hard to sand places. Areas like closets, corners, and cabinet areas usually will have some of these irregularities.

From a standing position in a normally lit room these irregularities may occasionally be observed but shouldn’t be prominent.

In line after ceramic tile floors, wood flooring is the easiest floor surface to maintain. Minimum care is to vacuum or dust mop weekly. If your floor is waxed an occasional buffing helps remove blemishes. Re-waxing is generally needed only once a year. Be careful, a waxed floor can be slippery.

Waxed surfaces should NEVER be cleaned with water, not even a damp mop. For emergency spills a damp cloth or mop may be used as long as the area

is buffed dry with a dry cloth immediately. Never intentionally put water on a floor. If you wax a polyurethane finished floor it cannot be re-coated with polyurethane unless you re-sand it to bare wood first. Unlike hotels and other commercial high traffic areas, re-coating a floor in a home is rarely needed if ever.

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Keep in mind that luxurious hardwood floors are available in Thailand.

They create a pleasant ambiance to any living space and not only add value to your home, your home will just plain look more expensive and of a higher quality. Wood flooring care is easy, its longevity will outlast the owner and it gives off

a great appearance for excellent value.

Pattaya has contractors with experience in installing wood flooring as well as wood accent walls and ceilings. Set your home or condo apart from the rest with this beautiful building material. It is another way to add value and enjoyment to your wonderful life in Thailand.

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Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

Thai Wife Arranged Murder Of Canadian Husband For Insurance Payout A Canadian oilfield worker, Dale Henry, 48, recuperating at home in Ranong, Southern Thailand, after breaking his leg, was shot in the head in an alleged conspiracy involving his Thai wife, Nee, her Thai lover and a hit-man. Despite Dale’s overwhelming generosity to Nee, buying her land and her family vehicles, she paid a hit-man Bt60,000 to kill her husband for a $1-million life insurance payout. The three alleged conspirators are currently on trial.

Government Vows To Radically Reduce New HIV+ Infections Over 2 Years The government is to make a bold attempt to radically reduce the number of HIV+ infections by 50% and try to limit new infection to 5,016 cases by 2011, according to PM Abhisit, chairing a meeting of the Government Committee on Aids Prevention. They will do this by increasing AIDS awareness campaigns and encouraging condom-use, specifically targeting at-risk groups such as intravenous drug users, sex workers, homosexuals and economic migrants.

Thai Justice Bows to International Pressure The tardy prosecution of a Thai policeman, accused of shooting a second Canadian, Leo Del Pinto, while out walking in Pai, is causing his family extreme heartache.

“People are willing to sweep it under the rug if given the opportunity -- it hurts tourism and the image of country and it’s embarrassing for them,” said Ross Fortune, prospective brother-in-law of Del Pinto. Pressure from a Thai human-rights organization and the Canadian Embassy should expedite matters, however.

New Steps To Curtail Theft From Passengers’ Baggage At Suvarnabhumi Sweeping new security measures will be implemented

by Airports of Thailand (AoT) to curtail theft from passengers’ baggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport. New measures include increasing the number of inspectors, installing 485 new surveillance cameras, insisting luggage handlers wear pocketless uniforms, luminous vests with ID tags and be searched on entry and exit to the luggage-handling area. Staff caught pilfering will be sacked; if offenders from the same contractors are caught three times, the firm will lose its contract.

Website Owner, Posting Obscene Photos With Intent To Disparage Victim, Convicted A message-board website owner, Pongwit Singsun, 23, was charged with violating the Computer-Related Crimes Act, causing damage to another person’s reputation, for posting explicit sex-scene photos on his website for 6 weeks of a young woman in Nakhon Sawan, who afterwards alerted the authorities. Because he showed remorse and pled guilty, Pongwit had his original one-year prison sentence subsequently commuted to two-years’ probation, a fine Bt20,000 and 48-hours’ community service.

New Karaoke Parlour And Internet Cafe Regulations Approved The government is clamping down on karaoke parlours and Internet cafes. Karaoke parlours will have their business licences withdrawn if they provide drinking or singing partners to customers and school students at Internet cafes will be restricted to only 6-hours per day Internet gaming to be further reduced to 3-hours for under-18s. Specific time use will limit windows of opportunity for under-15s from 2-8pm, Mondays to Fridays; 15-18-year-olds can play till 10pm.

Seven New Movie Categories Proposed The government has also proposed seven new film categories from mid-August: ‘Sor’ – ‘promoted’ educational films; ‘Thor’ - films suitable for general audiences; ‘Nor 13+’ – ‘advisory’ - films suitable for audiences over 13; ‘Nor 15+’ - films suitable for those over 15; ‘Nor 18+’ - films suitable for viewers over 18; ‘Chor 20+’ ‘specific’ for films restricted to those over 20. The final rating is for those films banned from being screened.

1000s of Volunteers Join ‘Homes For Needy’ Scheme Thousands of volunteers from all over the world with Habitat for Humanity International, whose mission is to serve and build communities, are to embark on The 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Chiang Mai, later this year. Project volunteers are aiming to build 100 affordable homes for the needy over the period of one week. New homeowners will pay zero% interest and zero-profit mortgages on their newly-built homes.

Expansion Of Don Mueng’s Services The AoT is to develop Don Mueng Airport services to make the airport more cost-effective and generate income.

What is envisaged is the creation of six projects, namely: the maintenance of landing gear and general maintenance of small and medium-sized aircraft; expanding aircraft spare parts supply; building a terminal building for use of passengers of private and chartered planes; simulated flight training, and the creation of an international trade centre.

First Healthcare Casualty of Swine Flu The first case where a doctor is thought to have contracted the type-A (H1N1) virus from a patient has been recorded at Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Medicine. PM Abhisit has given assurances that adequate supplies of antiviral drugs and vaccine are available, with a speeding up of treatment for those infected. The Public Health Ministry is also expanding its rural reach, sending 980,000 health care volunteers to remote villages and communities.

Chronic Disease Sufferers Should Seek Medical Help On Onset Of Flu Symptoms The Public Health Ministry, following the discovery that 24 people with no underlying diseases had died of the swine flu, has advised anyone who suspects they are infected to seek medical aid within two days of developing flu-like symptoms and those with chronic diseases to seek aid immediately they suspect infection. Most of the 81 deaths so far occurred because patients waited six or more days before seeking medical attention, making the antiviral oselatmivir ineffective.

Honda To Export Thai-Made Motorcycles To Japan Honda Motor Co, the world’s top motorcycle maker, is planning to export Thailand-made bikes to Japan, where the Thai-imports will be cheaper to buy. From 2010, Honda will start shipping 250cc engine bikes from Thailand, where Honda produces three times as many motorcycles as in Japan. Honda is also considering producing most of the components for 100-125cc bikes in 3 countries and then shipping them for assembly to Thailand, China and Brazil.

Thaksin Supposedly Wants Reconciliation Thaksin Shinawatra appeared conciliatory in his 60th birthday message posted on the Twitter website. He stated he’d like to see national reconciliation, wished His Majesty the King good health and long life, and thanked over 2,000 well-wishers who had posted messages earlier, one of whom PM Abhisit Vejjajiva stated “If you have the dharma eye, I wish you have a happier life”. Thaksin also offered to help the premier solve national problems.

Brit Honeymooners Escape With Broken Legs From Samui Plane Crash A British newlywed couple, Nick and Claire Harvey, after honeymooning on Krabi, narrowly escaped death in the Nok Air Koh Samui plane crash, positioned right behind the pilot, who died. As the plane careered into the old control tower, the couple sustained broken legs and Nick was pinned to his seat by metal wreckage for nearly an hour, but advised his wife to get out quickly before the plane caught fire.

Government Discourages Pardon Thaksin Campaign The government has strongly advised against popular support for the campaign to seek a royal pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra, warning the Red Shirts – the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) – that the petition would be a divisive instrument. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban apparently stated how concerned he was over the matter of the pardon petition, imploring his compatriots against doing anything to promote disunity or disturb His Majesty the King.

Thailand Scratched From Nehru Cup Thailand missed out on playing in the forthcoming Nehru Cup Football Tournament because organizers say the country only sent an under-19 side to compete, thus reneging on an agreement to send a first-choice side to India. “We told the Thailand’s national federation that we cannot accept a junior team for the tournament meant for national squads. We had to scratch Thailand’s entry as they did not respond favourably,” organizer’s spokesman Alberto Colaco said.

Jemaah Islamiyah Helping Southern Insurgents The Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group is suspected of aiding Islamic militants in South Thailand, specifically in hi-tech bomb making and remote detonation. Training by a key JI member, believed to have been involved in bombing the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Jakarta on July 17, is apparently being given in the use of radio, ‘’dual tone multi-frequency’’ transceiver technology to remotely detonate bombs, perfected in Iraq, which foils authorities’ detection efforts.

Toyota To Produce A Second Hybrid In Thailand Toyota is to produce a second hybrid in Thailand.

Following the recent successful launch of their Toyota Camry Hybrid which has a 2.4-litre petrol engine linked to electric motors, informed sources say the company will produce the hybrid Corolla, most likely with a 1.8litre four-cylinder engine coupled to electric motors as in the Prius. “It won’t necessarily be the next-generation model... it could be the existing one,” revealed the secret source.

Ist Case of Mother-To-Child Transmission of Swine Flu The first recorded case of mother-to-child transmission of type-A (H1N1) influenza occurred at Ratchaburi hospital, where a premature baby girl was found to be infected on delivery. The newborn is in an incubator, being given antiviral drugs. Whilst the baby’s lungs are normal, doctors are concerned the virus may affect her brain. Meanwhile, following delivery, the mother developed complications and was transferred to Chulalongkorn Hospital and is now in a critical condition with severe pneumonia.

Thailand and Cambodia Sign Joint Accord Thailand and Cambodia have just signed a bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons and co-operation in the enforcement of penal sentences during the 6th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Co-operation in Bangkok. The two-day meeting focused on bilateral co-operation in the fields of education, politics, security, economics, society, science and technology and also included the issues of co-operation in other multilateral frameworks, including ASEAN.

Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

B U S I N E S S M AT T E R S

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Is more of the same really the right answer?

by Simon Philbrook MBMG Group ask how did we get into the mess that the world is in to today? And how will we get out again?

Princeton historian, Sean Wilentz, believes that “Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history.”

Tim Price of PFP recently wrote that “Perhaps the biggest danger is to assume in a crisis, that politicians are not in a position to help anybody, other than themselves.”

However bad the last POTUS may have been, it’s doubtful that he caused the current crisis single– handedly. More significantly, it’s even more doubtful that President Obama can do much to solve it. Price believes that in a better world, we should all be taught more at school: “What we know as fractional reserve banking equates to letting banks keep a tiny fraction of their

deposits (their depositors’ money, one should perhaps add) in order to lend out the remainder for profit (theirs, not the depositors’).

Simultaneously, they retain the obligation to redeem all depositors immediately upon demand.” Price then quotes the words of late US economist, Murray Rothbard, Banks are inherently bankrupt because they issue far more warehouse receipts to cash (nowadays in the form of deposits redeemable in cash on demand) than they have cash available. Hence, they are always vulnerable to bank runs. These runs are not like any other business failures, because they simply consist of depositors claiming their own rightful property, which the banks do not have.

Inherent bankruptcy, then, is an essential feature of any fractional reserve banking system.” Or as another economist, Frank Graham wrote over 10 years ago, “the attempt of the banks to realize the inconsistent aims of lending cash and still to represent that cash is available on demand is even more preposterous than eating one’s cake and counting on it for future consumption...a delusion dependent upon

the right not being unduly exercised.”

Almost 50 years ago Rothbard added to the view that bailing out the banking system if and when the system started to fail, would only make matters worse. “Any interference with their comeuppance via bank runs will establish banks as a specifically privileged group, not obligated to pay their debts, which will lead to later inflations, credit expansions and depressions.” The last 50 years have seen various local interventions to failing banks, which have led to an entire flawed system. Further intervention now would, according to Rothbard, only extend and amplify the problems.

“If government wishes to see a depression ended as quickly as possible, and the economy returned to normal prosperity, what course should it adopt? The first and clearest injunction is: don’t interfere with the market’s adjustment process.

The more the government intervenes to delay the market’s adjustment, the longer and more gruelling the depression will be, and the more difficult will be the road to complete recovery.

What’s perfect?

by Mr Pobaan

Your loyal columnist and his constant companion Mrs Pobaan have been enjoying a short break in the beautiful island city of Hong Kong.

Despite the brevity of our stay, the agreeable weather and the many retail diversions on offer, after a day of being a tourist my wife starts to hanker for home.

And she could win medals for hankering. ‘Can we change the flights and go back on Friday?’ she pleads.

‘Well, not without buying new tickets and losing the cost of the old ones.’

‘Let me think about that.’

As it turns out, we stay the full three days, but not without numerous other little reminders from my lady wife that, good as it may be here in Hong Kong, it’s probably better somewhere else.

The light of my life was born in Thailand. It is her home, the residence of her heart and the domicile of her soul. My wife is actively interested in a wide range of

other cultures and countries – even occasionally advancing the notion of visiting them.

After all, our journey to the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong was not arranged without consultation - Mr Pobaan is nothing if not a democrat.

But when she’s away from home, it becomes clear that Mrs Pobaan is attached to Thailand by bungee cords.

The further she goes, the stronger the elastic pulls her home.

All of which raises the question of whether anywhere – Thailand, for example - is the perfect place to live.

We are in a middle-market seafood restaurant in Wan Chai, the Walking Street of Hong Kong, or at least an anaemic simulacrum of it that would satisfy few of Pattaya’s old hands.

‘Of course!’ she says, indignant and surprised by the question.

‘But perfect means that everything is 100% good; nothing about it could be improved. You think

everything’s completely perfect? Surely nowhere can be absolutely perfect, can it?’

‘My country’s perfect.’

Interestingly, or perhaps not very interestingly, a survey by the Economist names Ireland, Switzerland and Norway as the three best countries in which to live. But then they haven’t visited Khao Talo Towers, our modest residence across the Sukhumvit Road.

Despite my wife’s loyalty, there must be something that could be bettered about Thailand, I muse, some small aspect of life here that niggles her, some minor detail that annoys her, something that, had she the power of decree, she would change? I’m aware that I’m on dangerous ground, tiptoeing through a minefield laid on quicksand. If I find what it is, this blemish on the face of perfection, my helpmeet and life companion is unlikely to be receptive to the results of my research, however impartial my methods. I lay the task

Government hampering aggravates and perpetuates the depression. Yet, government depression policy has always aggravated the very evils it has loudly tried to cure. If, in fact, we list logically the various ways that government could hamper market adjustment, we will find that we have precisely listed the favourite “anti-depression” arsenal of government policy.

Thus, here are the ways the adjustment process can be hobbled: 1) Prevent or delay liquidation, lend money to shaky businesses, call on banks to lend further, etc.

2) Inflate further. Further inflation blocks the necessary fall in prices, thus delaying adjustment and prolonging depression. Further credit expansion creates more bad investments, which, in their turn, will have to be liquidated in some later depression. A government “easy-money” policy prevents the markets return to the necessary higher interest rates.

3) Keep wage rates up.

Artificial maintenance of wage rates in a depression insures permanent mass unemployment. Furthermore, in a deflation, when prices are falling, keeping the same

rate of money wages means that real wage rates have been pushed higher. In the face of falling business demand, this greatly aggravates the unemployment problem.

4) Keep prices up. Keeping prices above their free-market levels will create unsalable surpluses and prevent a return to prosperity.

5) Stimulate consumption and discourage saving.

We have seen that more saving and less consumption would speed recovery; more consumption and less saving aggravate the shortage of saved-capital even further.

Any increase of taxes and government spending will discourage saving and investment and stimulate consumption, since government spending is all consumption.

Any increase in the relative size of government in the economy shifts the societal consumption-investment ratio in favour of consumption and prolongs the depression.

6) Subsidize unemployment…”

You don’t have to agree with every one of Rothbard’s claims to accept the general argument. We’re not nearly as eloquent as Rothbard was or Tim Price is, but to our

simple way of looking at things, we don’t see how you can fix a crisis caused by too much debt by adding more debt.

US taxpayer’s money alone that has been committed to the banking crisis now exceeds US $8 trillion – or $25,000 for every man, woman and child in the country. The UK total exceeds £ I trillion – or £ 35,000 per taxpayer.

If you accept that a bad banking system got us into the mess, where we now find ourselves, you might want to at least question whether a prescription for a lot more of the same is any kind of likely cure.

For those wanting more information on this or other financial topics then please contact Simon on simon@ hamptonsthailand.co.th The above data and research was compiled from sources believed to be reliable, however, neither Hamptons International Mortgages (Thailand) Ltd nor its officers can accept any liability for an errors or omissions in the above article nor bear responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article.

aside for a few minutes and concentrate on the subtlety of flavours afforded by our steamed fish which, at a cost of the HK$ equivalent of over 1,500 baht for a single, middle-sized animal, has already identified itself as one of the aspects of visiting HK that makes the experience slightly less than perfect.

‘I know how Thailand could be improved,’ I venture with trepidation, as if I’ve suddenly thought of it.

‘Mmm?’ she says, sucking on an expensive fin.

‘In my view Thai cooking is one of the finest cuisines in the world, if not the finest. Restaurants in Pattaya offer outstandingly tasty food – aroy maak maak – attractively served by charming and professional staff for a reasonable price.’

‘Of course.’

‘But instead of providing napkins (paper would do) to wipe away the odd splash of sauce accidentally deposited at the corner of one’s mouth...’

‘One what?’ ‘...To clean your mouth...’

‘Yes?’ ‘...Most restaurants – even your beloved MK – give you toilet paper. In a plastic

holder. And not luxury strength, bum - friendly, cushioned tissue, but one-ply, disintegrate-on-contact-withsauce, cheap lavvy paper.’

(Let’s imagine how restaurants come by this flimsy material: - Sawasdee, Kuhn Cashand-Carry, krap.

- Sawasdee, Kuhn Restaurant Proprietor, ka.

- I’m looking for paper napkins, krap.

- Have two, ka. The first is a luxury premium napkin, guaranteed to please your customers. They could even blow their noses on it if the tom yam goong is too phet, ka. The second is the Economy-Bogroll, which is really designed to absorb no more than one drop of liquid and to form a small useless ball of wet fibre instantly on use. It’s one baht cheaper per thousand sheets, ka.

- One baht cheaper, you say, krap? OK, I’ll buy a million Economy-Bogroll and save 1,000 baht over the year. I’m sure my customers won’t notice the difference, krap.)

But we digress. Having delivered this volley pretty low over the net, I brace myself for the smash return.

‘So?’ ‘Toilet paper doesn’t do the job. It just breaks up.

Being a napkin is not what it’s for. It’s designed for... well, you know. You have to use so much, restaurants would

be better off just giving you one decent paper napkin. It would be cheaper.’ My case is beginning to sound like desperate pleading.

‘And?’ ‘Well, that’s one way that restaurants, and hence the whole country, could be improved. It would boost the tourist trade. Double it, probably. Possibly add a bit, anyway. We should write to the prime minister and tell him to... well, do something.’

‘This conversation is stupid.’

Cowed by this overpowering logic, I turn my attention to my Hong Kong Chinese meal. The frothy dregs of my beer offer inadequate solace.

For the rest of the evening we discuss other pressing matters, such as the possibility of rain tomorrow. After signalling to a waiter, the bill arrives: the equivalent of 2,500 baht, near enough.

How was your meal? I look at the total. Good, but not perfect.

Kuhn Pobaan’s by-theway How to prevent breakthrough sweating in an equatorial climate? A friend suggests I wear a vest under my shirt. But will this extra layer add to the problem of over-heating or effectively deal with my embarrassment? Please share your sweaty experiences at kuhn.pobaan@gmail.com.

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Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

Pattaya Today7/29 29 PATTAYA TODAY PROPERTY

Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009

Ask Andy

Looking for a solution to problems in or around your house?

Email questions to: andypattayatoday@gmail.com Quick Tip When done sweeping your floors, do you prop your broom against a wall--only to have it slip and fall? An old rubber glove can help keep that broom in place. Just cut off one of the fingers (from the glove) and slide it over the top of the broom handle. Works for mops too.  Light Read Hi Andy, I think you are the most clever person in Thailand after recommending using tennis balls to stop smelly bathroom traps. Now I have a question: Why do my light dimmers always blow when a halogen bulb blows?

Richard Thanks for the kind words, Richard. As to your question, I can’t give you a definitive answer, but there are several points you might consider. First, are you sure the blown bulbs blew out your dimmer switches rather than the other way around? Secondly, many halogen bulbs are not dimmable, which may pose a compatibility problem. Thirdly, I guess it

is possible that the bulb blew, thus creating a spike in the line (but twice is unlikely, as most halogens have a long life). Then again, determine if the dimmer switch carries a high enough wattage for the halogen lamp. If none of those issues apply, it may be that as the bulb filament gets close to burning out, the molten metal drips or sags down into the socket and briefly creates a short circuit. This can smoke the dimmer. You might think about upgrading your dimmer switch; cheaper switches are often more susceptible to transient surges. Better quality dimmers usually have more protection built in to handle these surges.  Crystal Vision This may be a strange question, Andy, but no one else seems able to provide a logical answer.

From time to time the glass on my watch becomes foggy or moist on the inside.

What causes this? More to the point, what can I do about it?

Angie The quick solution, Angie, is to turn the watch

over and wear the glass next to your skin. That should get rid of the condensation.

Moisture forms under the watch crystal when the air inside your watch is a different temperature from the air outside—most noticeably when there is a marked temperature change (such as jumping into a cool pool after sunbathing). If the cloudy crystal is a chronic problem, take the watch to a qualified jeweler for thorough cleaning and drying to ensure the moisture does not damage the mechanisms.  Light on Crime We just moved into a house, Andy, and with crime seemingly on the rise in Pattaya, I am concerned about security. Can you recommend any devices I might install?

Waldo A smart and easy home defense is outdoor lighting.

Install security lights that bathe your home and property at night. Consider motion sensitive lights that are triggered by movement.

As an alternative, you might try photoelectric lights that

turn on when it gets dark and off when the sun rises.

A less expensive option is the use of timers which can be preset. Whatever type you choose, your better-lighted house will be less inviting to burglars.  Save Your Energy Andy, our electric bill at the hotel is over 5000 baht a month. Can you tell me if these electrical things you can buy to plug into the wall to supposedly recapture lost power really work here in Thailand? If they do work, where can I buy a real one and how much money do they save in a month? Love your advice.

Kevin Promoters of power savers promise they will cut your energy bills by about 25 percent each month, Kevin. However, the jury seems to be out on whether such devices are effective.

My research indicates strong arguments on both sides of the question. Were I in your shoes, I would insist on a money-back guaranty that the device you purchase will indeed reduce your energy consumption as promised.

If you get such assurance (in writing), try it out for two or three months and compare your power bills for those months against your power bills for the previous three months AND against the same three months one year ago.

An article in Pattaya Today

(August 1, 2009) announced the availability here of a device made in Laos--the Energy Saver Plus. The “affordable” item claims to reduce your electric bill by up to 40 percent. The manufacturers of the unit will offer you a money back guarantee (in writing), alternatively they will also offer you a FREE INSTALLATION and you simply pay a monthly fee. They have two models of units available, one for the domestic and the other for commercial units. Ring them on 0847 998 796.  Sizzling Sarah I liked your cooking tips a couple weeks ago, Andy, like what to do when you put too much salt in food while cooking. Can you help with my cooking problem?

When frying food in oil, I’m constantly getting burned by the sizzling grease, which also splatters all over my stove and wall. Any suggestions?

Sarah in Sri Racha Glad to help you, Sarah.

To keep the grease from splattering, sprinkle a little salt in your frying pan before you begin cooking.  Wicker Wacky We’ve got some wicker furniture in our patio that is difficult to clean properly, Andy. So we usually just let it sit dusty and dirty. Is there an easy way to clean wicker?

Dale and Clark

Not exactly ‘easy,’ Dale and Clark, but perhaps better. First of all, tip the wicker furniture so that the tighter weave is to the top. That allows moisture to run down to the looser end--which makes it easier to clean. It’s very important to make sure that you keep the weave straight when cleaning, and that you keep the spacing the same.

If not, the wicker will shrink which, in turn, will weaken the piece. The best way to clean wicker is to first vacuum with a dust attachment. That alone will improve its appearance. To clean, make a solution by mixing one tablespoon of ammonia with two liters of water. Put the solution into a bucket and then wash as you go, using the solution sparingly. Do not drench the furniture as this can damage it. Instead, dip a medium-stiff bristle brush and/or toothbrush into the solution, scour the f u r n i t u re — p a r t i c u l a r l y between the weaving, then rinse using a minimum amount of clean water. You can rinse with a hose if you choose to, but follow immediately by drying with paper towels or cloth. If the wicker gets too wet, it is going to get much too limp to use. It’s important that you dry it quickly.

Be careful not to mess up the strand length. If you do, the furniture will dry to improper size and will be distorted.

--Handy Andy

US Personnel help out once again Recently the President of the Pattaya branch of the US Navy League, Peter Thorand, accompanied personnel from the US Marines Experiments Centre, known as ‘Crimson Viper’, to complete works at the Wat Banglamung School, which had earlier been started by members of the visiting USS Crommelin FFG 37.

A team from the Garden Cliff Resort and Spa started early in the morning preparing the paintwork surfaces, before the 25 strong team from the Crimson Viper arrived to

do the hard work. They quickly got stuck in to painting the toilets and other areas in need of a fresh coat of paint.

With such a strong team of workers, it took no time at all to get the jobs

completed, and by 11am, when a catering truck arrived from the Resort with a packed lunch for all the workers, everyone enjoyed a well earned rest.

After lunch the team

travelled to the Banglamung Handicapped Centre and Colonel Wanadee, from the Royal Thai Army, along with the Crimson Viper Team, presented the centre with medical supplies and 300 polo

shirts. One of the girls from the centre then gave a heart-warming speech of thanks to all those responsible for their generosity.

Once again it has been proven that with the

help of visiting service personnel, a great boost can be achieved in helping the less fortunate in our community.

A big ‘Thank-you’ to all those who took part, for jobs very well done.

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Vol. 8 No. 23  16 - 31 August 2009