Sorry for the lack of an update everyone, been very busy...
Last week and weekend saw some very warm tempertures here in Chiang-Rai and Thailand, however, this week has been very comfortably mild. I would like to shoot some more videos soon for all. The week after will be the notorious yet fun Thai holiday called Songkran. We will shoot what we can since we don't want to destroy our camera! Thanks for visiting and come back real soon!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Electrical Infrastructure Work in Chiang-Rai Thailand
Here is a crude video of Thai Electric technicians climbing up the poles to rearrange the wiring for a new road. There must of been at least 20 on the poles all at the same time down the street! Sorry for the quality of the video...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Google Adsense & Internet Connectivity in developing countries...plus, iPhone clones for sale.
Adsense by google was yanked over the weekend. It's not like it was making tons of money anyways. No wonder quite a few people don't use it. It's cool, will just use someone else. I remember when google was just a tiny little search engine back in its infancy. It sure has turned into a strange creature, just like ebay...
Been having internet connectivity problems due to major construction in my hood. It really is developing around here! Stay tuned for a video documenting the construction of a major artery from the Chiang-Rai airport to the downtown area.
Got really nice iPhone clone phones for sale. $159.99 & $19.99 S&H. Please inquire within. Let's have a great week from Chiang-Rai!
Frankie
Been having internet connectivity problems due to major construction in my hood. It really is developing around here! Stay tuned for a video documenting the construction of a major artery from the Chiang-Rai airport to the downtown area.
Got really nice iPhone clone phones for sale. $159.99 & $19.99 S&H. Please inquire within. Let's have a great week from Chiang-Rai!
Frankie
Friday, March 14, 2008
Gambling in Myanmar!
Yesterday a friend of mine and I went to Tachilek Myanmar to check out some shopping and a casino!
As you can see our attempts to document this visit on video was hindered by the hotel's security. Later on in the day, by coincidence, I was perusing the Bangkok Post newspaper's web-site to come across this article on gambling in Thailand.
In case the link is disabled, here is the text from the the last story in the article:
====
-Follow the money-
Kiatchai: Owns Burmese casino
Politics and casinos are sometimes inseparable.
Every now and then the issue of the legalisation of casinos comes up, as certain political leaders are strongly behind the plan.
The latest leader to raise the point is Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who is pushing for legal gambling venues to be allowed in five major tourist destinations: Pattaya, Phuket, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.
Unsurprisingly, the idea has drawn loud choruses of both praise and criticism.
Like it or not, casinos have sprouted up along our borders with Cambodia, Burma and Laos - and they're doing a roaring trade.
It is also well known that many politicians are involved in the running and setting up of these "foreign" casinos.
Money from these gambling dens supply the Thai politicians who own them directly or via nominees with regular flowing cash.
Money from these casinos act as a major financial source during local and national elections.
One of them is former Udon Thani MP Kiatchai Chaichaowarat, who turned his back on politics after his Thai Rak Thai party was disbanded.
His casino is located in the Burmese border town of Tachilek, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, and in the Golden Triangle near Chiang Saen.
A brother of a key politician of the Chart Thai Party is also linked to a casino on the Burmese side of the Golden Triangle. It is believed he holds a major stake in the place.
A veteran politician now in the senior ranks of Puea Pandin is also said to own at least two casinos in the border town of Poipet in Cambodia, opposite Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.
Current cabinet members have frequently been spotted in casinos they partially own in Burma and Cambodia, particularly so when they were politically unemployed after the 2006 coup.
"The gambling amount is as high as hundreds of millions of baht.
"But the money is not to be seen, it's just written figures," one source said when trying to explain how these games between politicians and businessmen work.
Repayments were apparently made during the December 23 elections.
"Some politicians took their families back and forth to manage casinos in neighbouring countries, amassing wealth during the political break," said the source.
Casino earnings were recently used in a ploy to attack political opponents, said the source.
"Some Thai politicians joined hands with the military, bringing in casino money from the border, pretending it was money for vote-buying during the Dec 23 elections.
They set up arrests, making false accusations against their political opponents in order to discredit them," the source said.
====
So the casino we visited is owned by a major Thai politician. I wonder if not being able to film had something to do with that?
At this time, the new Thai government is seriously considering the legalization of gambling. Which makes sense since since Thais go outside of the country to gamble. They also gamble online and in illegal gambling dens. Let's face it, Thais and Asians in general love to gamble...modern life in general is a gamble.
If you would like further information about the casino in Myanmar, you can obtain more information from their very nice web-site.
Next time, let me shoot a decent video!!
As you can see our attempts to document this visit on video was hindered by the hotel's security. Later on in the day, by coincidence, I was perusing the Bangkok Post newspaper's web-site to come across this article on gambling in Thailand.
In case the link is disabled, here is the text from the the last story in the article:
====
-Follow the money-
Kiatchai: Owns Burmese casino
Politics and casinos are sometimes inseparable.
Every now and then the issue of the legalisation of casinos comes up, as certain political leaders are strongly behind the plan.
The latest leader to raise the point is Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who is pushing for legal gambling venues to be allowed in five major tourist destinations: Pattaya, Phuket, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.
Unsurprisingly, the idea has drawn loud choruses of both praise and criticism.
Like it or not, casinos have sprouted up along our borders with Cambodia, Burma and Laos - and they're doing a roaring trade.
It is also well known that many politicians are involved in the running and setting up of these "foreign" casinos.
Money from these gambling dens supply the Thai politicians who own them directly or via nominees with regular flowing cash.
Money from these casinos act as a major financial source during local and national elections.
One of them is former Udon Thani MP Kiatchai Chaichaowarat, who turned his back on politics after his Thai Rak Thai party was disbanded.
His casino is located in the Burmese border town of Tachilek, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, and in the Golden Triangle near Chiang Saen.
A brother of a key politician of the Chart Thai Party is also linked to a casino on the Burmese side of the Golden Triangle. It is believed he holds a major stake in the place.
A veteran politician now in the senior ranks of Puea Pandin is also said to own at least two casinos in the border town of Poipet in Cambodia, opposite Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.
Current cabinet members have frequently been spotted in casinos they partially own in Burma and Cambodia, particularly so when they were politically unemployed after the 2006 coup.
"The gambling amount is as high as hundreds of millions of baht.
"But the money is not to be seen, it's just written figures," one source said when trying to explain how these games between politicians and businessmen work.
Repayments were apparently made during the December 23 elections.
"Some politicians took their families back and forth to manage casinos in neighbouring countries, amassing wealth during the political break," said the source.
Casino earnings were recently used in a ploy to attack political opponents, said the source.
"Some Thai politicians joined hands with the military, bringing in casino money from the border, pretending it was money for vote-buying during the Dec 23 elections.
They set up arrests, making false accusations against their political opponents in order to discredit them," the source said.
====
So the casino we visited is owned by a major Thai politician. I wonder if not being able to film had something to do with that?
At this time, the new Thai government is seriously considering the legalization of gambling. Which makes sense since since Thais go outside of the country to gamble. They also gamble online and in illegal gambling dens. Let's face it, Thais and Asians in general love to gamble...modern life in general is a gamble.
If you would like further information about the casino in Myanmar, you can obtain more information from their very nice web-site.
Next time, let me shoot a decent video!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Summertime Weather Hits Chiang-Rai!
Today was definitely the hottest day of the year so far. With highs in the high 90s and lows in the 70s, it sure is pleasant...
Still no reply from the Revver.com people about their video approvals for the wedding video I took, and still no luck loading on to the Blogger site. I'll try again...
Still no reply from the Revver.com people about their video approvals for the wedding video I took, and still no luck loading on to the Blogger site. I'll try again...
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
An Apology For Not Posting the Wedding Vid and The Effects of Construction and Progress
We're so sorry about the wedding video everyone, but I tried maybe a half dozen times to blogger.com's server and I'm still waiting on approval on the vid from Revver.com. What is up?! I think it may be my internet...now let's admit that Thailand is not the greatest for internet, however, it's really not that bad. In all frankness, it's actually all the construction for the new downtown to airport bridge and road! All of it is just right next door to where we live and the bridge itself will land next to the house my wife grew up in!!
Now if you think I'm excited about this...well...I am! To an extent..
It's somewhat of a dichotomy as the bridge will bring a significant increase of traffic to my neighborhood. But, an increase in traffic equates to business opportunities...I don't know...I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Stay tuned as I bring you a video of the construction and how they are doing it Northern Thai style!
Now if you think I'm excited about this...well...I am! To an extent..
It's somewhat of a dichotomy as the bridge will bring a significant increase of traffic to my neighborhood. But, an increase in traffic equates to business opportunities...I don't know...I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Stay tuned as I bring you a video of the construction and how they are doing it Northern Thai style!
Monday, March 10, 2008
A Chiang-Rai Wedding Party
Here we attend the wedding party of the wife's High School friend. *Take a look as you can see how they do it here in Northern Thailand. Enjoy!
*Video coming shortly
*Video coming shortly
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