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July to August 2004

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February and March 2004

News

The Guardian - UK

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Bangkok Post

Asia Travel

Circle of Asia a useful commercial site

Tales of Asia perspective and commentary on Cambodia and Thailand and other Asian travels

Visit Laos a useful guide on getting to and traveling in Laos.

Smart Travel Asia useful tips and destination guides

Aviation

Amadeus (airline schedules)

Airline meals - see it before you eat it !

Airliners - aviation forum, trip reports and pix archive

Hong Kong Blogs

A Big White Guy in Hong Kong - self explanatory

The Gweilo Diaries

Ordinary Gweilo

Hemlock's Diary. And people think I am opinionated - try this!

SimonWorld - Hong Kong commentary and great links to other Asian blogs

In Singapore -

Mr Brown - colourful commentary from Singapore

China sites

LivinginChina.com

Bangkok info sites

2bangkok.com

thailand.com

learningthai.com

sawadee.com

bangkokmouth

Thailand Info

CIA FactBook - Thailand

Fun things

Penguin baseball

The Author

Robert Scott lives and works in Asia; born in England I have since lived in Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore. I now work mainly in Bangkok.

If you want to know more you only need to ask! ask.

The 80 or so deaths of protesters at Tak Bai has barely stirred a murmur in Bangkok. Asked what they think of this appalling, inhumane and unnecessary slaughter there is a widespread smile and shrug of the shoulders.

I commented to a colleague that if you take the foreigners out of Bangkok there will be no one here left with a conscience.

Interestingly the Nation has picked up this theme. In today's leader headlined "Has Thailand lost its conscience" the writer states:

"Most conspicuous has been the absence of any public outrage over the brutal treatment of the Tak Bai protesters. Only a handful of human rights activists have made any noise. In a predominantly Buddhist country that ascribes to such noble values as compassion, respect for the sanctity of life and tolerance, the silence of the voice of conscience is deafening" 

24 October 2004

There can be few places in the world where the newspaper weather forecast says cool in the morning with mist - when the minimum temperature is a muggy 25C rising to 32C. The Bangkok Post enjoys an unusual definition of cool weather. Today is glorious. Warm, blue unpolluted skies. So why am I in the office !?

22 October 2004

The latest sport from Denmark is the overhead golf driver toss.

We are on the second hole at Royal Hua Hin. Sven (Danish not Swedish; one likes pastries the other likes meatballs) launches into his drive on the tee.

Expecting to see his ball sail down the fairway (actually with Sven it was less sail down the fairway; more like tack down the fairway) we all follow the ball.

Alas, Sven has launched his driver back over his left shoulder.

The tee backs onto long grass, a ditch, trees and scrub. We looked but could not find the driver.

And on all future holes we made sure to stand well in front of the great Dane rather than behind him.

The sour note came when a local Thai - maybe 30 years old, came up to us on the 12th hole and offered Sven his errant driver back; but wanted a Baht 3,000 (US$75) reward.

Sven said no way and offered less. But the guy would not budge on price. The offending driver had apparently been found outside the club perimeter behind the second tea. Baht 1,000 would have been expensive but fair. Baht 3,000 was extortion and I hope the guy knows where he can try to put the club since he still has it.

That left (and presumably would leave !!) a very sour taste.

19 October 2004

On Saturday July 13, 1985, 70 of the world's biggest rock and pop acts performed at Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia in aid of famine relief in Ethiopia. The project raised in excess of $140m, enough to save one to two million lives.

The UK's Guardian newspaper relives Live Aid here. It was the ultimate pop goodwill concert. An event that brought out the best of everyone. The US, embarrassed that they did not think of it first, caught up quickly.

Almost 20 years later - Live Aid - the DVD - is released on video on November 8th. Proceeds go to charity. But it as soon as you can.

I was working in Chicago. Pathetically the US TV networks did not carry the concert live. And it was hard to get the energy and sense of occasion from TV. Pity about "We are the World." Because "Do they know its Christmas" was a much better song !

Feed the World - as relevant today as 20 years ago.

15 October 2004

The new Aussie ambassador to Thailand will be Bill Paterson. Is there any chance that he is related to Sir Les Patterson; Dame Edna would be pleased.

14 October 2004

Cheap shot from John Kerry in today's third and final debate. He encroached on the privacy of the Cheney family; and he did so without thought or consideration. It was tastelessly done.

11 October 2004

Christopher Reeve died yesterday.

He was a wonderful spokesman for people with disabilities; and a wonderful example of how to deal with adversity; never giving up; and a wonderful example of someone who could find strength and support from the people he loved.

I hope he can now fly again........

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There is no internet access at work today while the server is being taken apart. It is remarkable how dependent we have all become to this conduit to the outside world; no email; no update news. After only half a day offline I am already feeling frustrated !

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Golfed yesterday at Bangphra - a nice old parkland course that fits into its hilly and wooded surroundings.

6 October 2004

Am in one of my quiet phases but did not want my dear reader to think that I have fallen off the planet.

I was in Singapore on Monday night - just an overnight trip. I flew on Tiger Airways - the newest of the new LCCs flying around Asia. At the grand sum of S$109 including all taxes this is a travel bargain.

The bargains may not last long unless they can get a serious number of passengers on their planes. The return flight on Tues night was maybe 15% full.

I always get depressed in Singapore. Maybe there are too many mixed up memories.

This is the same Singapore that was recently described by the Taiwanese foreign minister, Mark Chen, as being the size of a "piece of snot" (a bogey).

The Taiwanese are particularly upset that their erstwhile ally has taken a much stronger pro-Beijing, one-China line in recent months. The Singaporean FM described the bogey comments as 'extreme' and 'painful'.

Sensitive bunnies - all of them !

29 September 2004

Who writes his script - 18 year old Wayne Rooney - on his debut for Manchester United and making his European Cup debut, scores a hatrick!

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Tony Blair was on top form at yesterday's keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference. He does speak well; he is engaging and he sounds sincere and plausible.

But he is flawed goods. Iraq has damaged him and will continue to do so. He asks for trust but no one should ever forget that he lied to the people.

His alliance with Bush was wrong; he could have been a great prime minister. But his legacy will always be Iraq.

This is the same Tony Blair who said: "There are literally thousands of sites. I have no doubt that they will find the clearest possible evidence of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction"
June 4 2003, House of Commons

I went to see "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" yesterday.

It is an intelligent and thoughtful movie. And encouraging proof that Hollywood is far more than over-hyped big budget blockbusters. This is wordy and clever. Maybe a little too self absorbed to be completely engaging it is still thought provoking.

We sometimes love people that are not good for us. That is at the heart of this movie. We also often want to forget parts or all of a relationship. But we cannot and we probably should not. Instead we remember the good and learn from the hurt.

And life goes on...it may not be perfect but it is all that we have.

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This week down on the groundfloor of Chateau Potash in Bangkok there are two very attractive, tall, underfed, promotion ladies wearing fetching black outfits on behalf of Johnnie Walker.

Their big promotional banners declare "Journey of Taste" which is not English and for which their promotions agency should be abused.

What I do not understand is why it is necessary to promote whiskey consumption any further in this country. It is already the drink of choice and appears to be regularly consumed at all hours and before any sort of meaningful activity; including (unfortunately) driving.

22 September 2004

Good news as I get older: Walking regularly at age 70 and beyond can help keep the mind sharp and ward off Alzheimer's disease according to research suggesting that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain.

I guess the only problem would be if you forget where you are going !

In more good news for older people, another study suggests that the benefits of a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, olive oil and fruits and vegetables extend into old age, increasing longevity even in men and women in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Preferably this is washed down with large amounts of wine while sitting under the sun by a little cliff top villa overlooking a sparkling blue ocean.

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Blair, Bush and Howard all have to go. Failure to accept fault or censure is simply not acceptable in vibrant democracies. So the responsibility is now with the voters. We deserve better.

20 September 2004

The YouEssEh wives are also known as 'The Stepford Wives."  You have to see the movie..........Is it compulsory for US golfers to have blonde wives and girlfriends with great dentists?

A friend looked at the YouEssEh golf outfits on Thursday and said they are horrible. Lots of red, white and blue hoops and grey trousers. They made everyone on the team look 20 pounds heavier!

And they kept wearing similar outfits all week.

The Europeans dressed to impress; they were relaxed with the crowd all week; they smiled and signed autographs. They won many admirers.

Darren Clarke's 17th hole chip was sensational. A dreadful lie and fast downhill. But in the end it was great to see that he and Davis Love III halfed their match. They are good friends and it showed.

There were few YouEssEh supporters there at the end to witness the European celebrations! It was so fitting that Monty's fabulous two -put on the 18th hole ensured the win for Europe. He led the team from the first hole in the first match on the first day.

The Europeans have now won 4 of the last 5 matches; maybe it is time for the USA team to add the rest of the Americas; Canada, Mexico and South America!!

In the meantime the Americans will go home in their private planes and limos to their sponsors cheques. 

19 September 2004

Golf at Panya Park today - an ugly 15 points on the front nine and a better 21 on the back nine. 27 points from nine pars and only 9 points on the other nine holes ! What did I say last week about consistency !

Why is it that the land who invented team building cannot build a golf team ? The YouEssEh is a nation of individualists.

18 September 2004

The Ryder Cup is great drama - pity it is ruined by dopey people chanting USA, USA, YoEssEh and "Get in the Hole." Why on earth they shout that for the drive on a Par 5 hole is a mystery?

The Europeans all look like they actually like playing golf with each other. They look like they are out golfing with their chums. The Americans all look like they would rather be somewhere else.

17 September 2004

Wet and grey in Bangkok. The sort of day when you turn up the air conditioning; rent a couple of old persuaders episodes and imagine that it is a November day in England!

Still no arrest in the Kanchanaburi shootings. Why is that not a surprise.

12 September 2004

Two games of golf at the weekend. Wish I could get some consistency !

10 September 2004

The Eagles are now so old that they must surely be known as the Bald Eagles.

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The shooting by a serving police officer of two British packpackers is not going to help sell Thailand's tourism industry.

Vanessa Arscott, 23, appears to have been murdered as she tried to stop a gunman who shot her boyfriend Adam Lloyd, 25, in the popular tourist area of Kanchanaburi.

Police are now hunting a police sergeant believed to be the killer after the couple, from Devon, were said to have met their deaths following a row in a restaurant owned by the policeman.

There are quite simply too many guns in Thailand and too few controls over their use.

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Tomorrow will be the third anniversary of the terror attacks in New York and Washington. In the middle of a close election campaign let us hope that both the Bush and Kerry factions will turn down the rhetoric for a day and allow people pay respect to those who died that day.

Tomorrow would be a good day for all parties to call a truce in the war on terror and commit to a world at peace. Fat chance.

8 September 2004

The Eagles are coming to Bangkok in mid October - the cheapest ticket is US$50; the most expensive is over US$200. This is to sit in a massive warehouse with horrible acoustics that is way up in the north of the city and accessible only via a three hour traffic jam. All that effort to watch a museum piece.

Desperado - why don't you come to your senses - for the same money you can buy up to 100 pirate copies of their greatest hits cd's and sing along at home

6 September 2004

On a personal level this is one of the saddest days. 12 years ago I embarked on an adventure; it had its risks and there was an emotional cost associated with it. But It was everything I wanted and at the time I felt happier than ever before; that life was taking me where I wanted to go.

Then 10 years ago I left Canada for Hong Kong. The adventure continued. But was damaged by work and a my own failure to recognise that I was losing sight of the dream.

Through that ten years there were some wonderful times and some that if I could undo them I would.

But it is too late now. There are times when I feel very exposed and very alone. I cannot write it all down here. I have lost too much and gained too little.

I will try and be optimistic. I will try and do what is right. And I am sorry for today and for everything that brought us here; we should never have come to this point.

4 September 2004

I am quietly comfortable on Dragonair's lunchtime Airbus 321 from Beijing to Hong Kong thinking about the last four days in Beijing. Hard to know where to start. The city has changed dramatically in the two years since I was last there and the changes all appear to be for the good.

The differences between Thailand and China, between Bangkok and Beijing are frankly alarming. Things get done in Beijing. A one hour meeting is all business and lasts exactly one hour. There is an agenda, there is a beginning, a middle and an end. There is commitment as to what needs to be done next.

And there are some very impressive people.

They also have a great deal of cash to spend from the high growth Chinese economy and massive export surpluses from the manufacturing sector.

China also remains a counterfeiting hub. Golf is the latest craze. Before I even started to bargain I was offered a set of new Ping G2s, 3 iron to sand wedge, 3 metal woods, a putter and a golf bag for less than US$200. They felt and looked OK.

Now given that the "real" Ping irons cost near on US$1,000 just for the irons (3 to PW) you can see just how cheap it is to manufacture a set of clubs!