HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Family Money

Snap Shots

Modern Medicine

Women's World

Heart to Heart with Hillary

Grapevine

Shaman's Rattle

Antiques, are they genuine?

Animal Crackers

The computer doctor

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

Roll over Rover

A Slice of Thai History

The Message In The Moon

Coins of the Realm

Family Money: And so, the end is near

By Leslie Wright,
Managing director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd.

Just before Christmas, an unexpected event brought home to me the importance of estate planning - making sure that one has prepared for one’s passing.

The event was not, as you might think, the death of a loved one or close family friend. It was being told by my doctor that I have terminal lung cancer. Statistically, I was told, I had a life expectancy of 9-13 months - a 50% chance of not living beyond this year, in other words.

My initial reaction was shock. Then disbelief: no-one on either side of my family had ever had cancer. Historically my family was long-lived, and I had fully expected to have at least another 20 years of active life ahead of me.

But I had two choices: accept the diagnosis of arguably the best cancer hospital in Thailand, or fly elsewhere for a second opinion. There seemed little point to the latter, as the test results were quite clear and unequivocal. Starting remedial treatment immediately seemed the most practical course of action, so I was admitted to Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok for an initial course of radiation and chemotherapy.

It seems that while there have been many improvements over the past 20 years in treating various forms of cancer, small-cell carcinoma is one on which there has been little progress in treatment - only improvements in reducing the unpleasant side-effects (which in reality are direct effects) of the chemotherapy treatment.

My next thoughts were how much was this course of treatment going to cost me? Because I had (unwisely in hindsight) allowed my healthcare insurance to lapse. How could a professional financial adviser do such a silly thing? Simple. When I founded Westminster I took out the usual international healthcare insurance. Then, as I did not travel outside Thailand, I transferred to a local healthcare policy which was much cheaper, but excluded all pre-existing conditions, which I would therefore have to pay for.

Also, this policy restricted me to named hospitals - specifically only one in the Pattaya area. That was okay at first, but I lost faith in that hospital after a series of minor incidents followed by a more significant problem with the doctor who was due to perform some surgery on me led me to transfer allegiance some two years ago to Pattaya International Hospital, where I have been consistently delighted with the efficiency and (most importantly) professional treatment I have received there ever since. Only trouble is, they don’t accept local healthcare insurance, so I have had to pay from my own pocket for all treatments received there.

Although I have my staff covered by a group healthcare policy, there seemed little point in paying for a policy I couldn’t use at my hospital of choice. So at renewal time I let my old policy lapse, not imagining that I would some three months later need it for very significant future bills at a Bangkok hospital that would have been covered. Now the course of treatment I have to undergo to try to put the cancer into temporary remission is going to cost me around a million baht, which even I can ill afford!

My thoughts then turned to my future. Three months earlier I had committed to a building project to construct a custom-designed new office building for Westminster, and my “dream” home, on 12 rai of land near Ban Salay (legally owned through a company - yes, I do mostly follow my own advice!) What to do about that? As 50% of the cost had already been paid, there was no point in stopping the project: it would have to be completed, and a buyer found, preferably before my demise. (So if any reader wants to own a beautiful estate with stunning views, at a special price, please contact me.)

Then what to do about my company? A company continues regardless of the death of one of its shareholders. But when that shareholder is the pivot around which the company operates, things are rather different.

The expatriate consultants that work with me would be able to manage the firm without me, but regrettably are not in a position to buy out the company. So I would have to find a potential buyer who would maintain the professional standards I’d set for the firm, ensure continuity of service to our clients, and have the ready wherewithal to pay me what we agree the company’s worth. Not such an easy problem to solve. But at least I still have some time to find a suitable prospect in the international arena.

But there again, what I might consider a reasonable price, or the minimum I would consider accepting for the company, might be quite different from what some international brokerage firm might be willing to pay, even for what is an established concern and, in effect, a turnkey operation.

And whether they’d want to include the purchase of the newly-built offices in the deal, or prefer to rent more cost-effective office space downtown somewhere, is another factor to be determined. Planning, planning and more planning - the first principle of management.

The next thing to do was let all my clients know the situation, which I did, offering them the option to transfer to another brokerage in light of my changed circumstances.

I was deeply touched and very gratified by the overwhelmingly positive response I have had from clients, many of whom have sent me notes, cards, letters or emails of sympathy and support, and all of whom (with only one exception ) have elected to remain with the firm. In the case of our discretionary clients, they have all stated their wish for me to continue to manage their portfolios for as long as I am able.

This expression of confidence has been truly touching, and I am honoured by the continued responsibility given me by my firm’s clients, which I shall do my best to live up to (and no pun was intended there) until suitable alternative arrangements have been made.

(To be continued next week)

Snap Shot: Video for rank amateurs

by Harry Flashman

Harry Flashman does not claim to be an expert in shooting video, but there are certain aspects that are true for all types of photography. And while Harry does not claim to be ‘expert’ he has written and directed a few TV commercials.

Just as still photographers have photographs in books and magazines to study, the video photographer has a very ready source of informative examples to scrutinize. This is called the TV set! Once you have decided that you are going to record moving pictures, sit down in front of the goggle box and see how the pros do it. Start to critically look at technique. Where was the camera relative to the subject? Did they “zoom” in or was it one far shot and another close up to follow? How many times did the cameraman actually use the inbuilt zoom?

One of the ways you can pick the first time video user is the camera operator spends much time taking shots of still subjects. Having not made the mental adjustment from still photography, many minutes are taken up with video of Aunt Maude standing by the front door of the hotel we stayed at in Brussels. That, Mr. cameraman, was a ‘still’ shot. With video, you film Aunt Maude checking out at the cashier’s desk, picking up her bags and walking towards the exit. Then you rush outside and the next footage is Aunt Maude coming out of the hotel and hailing a taxi.

Do you see one very, very important fact? Still photography freezes a moment in time, while video photography tells a moving picture story. Try not to shoot ‘stills’ with a video camera and your videos will start to look professional immediately. Like all aspects of good camera-work, you have to think about the end product before you begin to shoot. For the still photographer it is a case of looking at the background and then working out the best combination of shutter speed and aperture. For the video photographer it is a case of working out the story line and then how to shoot the various elements in the story.

One of the common problems for both the video and the still photographer is low light levels. Filming while the light is too low produces poor and muddy video because the camera has to do all sorts of electronic whizz-bangery to artificially increase the apparent light levels. This function is generally called Automatic Gain Control and while you can continue to shoot, the end result is very ‘grainy’ video.

Another of the common problems with both types of camera work is ‘camera shake’. For a still shot you get a ‘soft’ and blurred image. For a video shoot you get drunken backgrounds, jumping foregrounds and seasick viewers. Now the still photographer can avoid this problem by the use of both hands and a tripod as well if necessary, and guess what, the video cameraman should do the same. Ever seen a pro video shoot? The camera is mounted on a ‘dolly’, a tripod on wheels and moved around. Ever watched a news video cameraman? He has the camera mounted securely on his shoulder and uses two hands to hold it there. Yet how many times do you see the one handed video approach? Lots!

Focussing. Now there’s a common problem with still cameras with Auto-Focus (AF), and 99% of video cameras are AF too. The magic eye in the camera focuses on a spot in the middle of the screen. If you are filming a couple in front of the Taj Mahal, if the magic dot is not on one of the people, they will end up out of focus and the Taj perfectly sharp. This is where you may need to use manual over-ride.

Application of these simple aspects of video photography will give you (and those who watch your videos with you) a much better end product, and a much more satisfying one for yourself to produce.

Modern Medicine: Irritable Bowel Syndrome can really make you cranky!

by Dr Iain Corness, Consultant

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a pesky condition that affects around 30% of the population. In America IBS is the cause of around 3,000,000 visits to the doctor in any one year. It is classified as a “functional” disorder because we are unable to show some nice physical features in the bowel or some fancy definitive test to make the diagnosis easy. It’s just the “functioning” that is awry.

Does this then mean that IBS is all in your head? Not at all - it’s all in your bowel, that anaconda-like tube that connects your stomach with your anus. In medical terms, IBS is a disturbance of the gastrointestinal motility and is characterized by abdominal pain (as opposed to ‘abominable’ pain) and variation of the ‘normal’ bowel habit.

IBS is very often misdiagnosed and can be incorrectly called colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon or irritable bowel disease. IBS is not a disease - it is a condition, a syndrome.

To understand IBS, you have to understand what your bowel is all about. Firstly, it is a water absorber. Have you ever stopped to wonder how you can pour so much fluid down your throat but still get semi-solid poo? The bowel takes the water out. What else does the bowel do? Well it gets rid of your semi-solid poo by rhythmically contracting and pushing the faeces along till it eventually pops out into the pan. This takes time, several hours, in fact.

What happens with IBS is that the bowel becomes too sensitive and triggers such as specific foods or alcohol stimulate the bowel to start contracting too fast or out of synchronization. The end result of this is the classic bunch of symptoms suffered by IBS patients. The first is pain and abdominal distension. The belly becomes painful and swollen. The pain can be anywhere, but generally lower down and can be quite acute. It is generally relieved by passing wind (flatus) or actually having a bowel movement.

The second symptom is the bowel movement itself. If the contractions (called “peristalis”) all go in the right direction, but too fast, then the patient gets diarrhoea (because the poo hasn’t been in the gut long enough to get enough water removed from it). However, if the contractions are going backwards and forwards, the poo remains too long in the gut and you get constipation! Those are the main presenting symptoms. Others such as blood in the motion, fever, vomiting bile and persistent pain would make the diagnosis of IBS incorrect.

The common triggers for IBS include fatty foods, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, beans and broccoli. However, just because Aunt Maude gets IBS from broccoli doesn’t mean to say that everyone does. It is an individual thing. As some wag jokingly said, “You are unique - just like everyone else!”

So what can be done? Well, firstly avoid those triggers that you know produce the symptoms. Some people even keep a food diary to see if they can pinpoint the offending food items. Look at lifestyle factors that may be involved too. People who are highly stressed will benefit from taking stock of their ‘real’ situation and reducing their stress levels.

Finally, there are medications that can help, but look at the triggers first.

Women’s World: Russian doll

by Lesley Warner

In Russia the ladies are having a hard time convincing their men that they are more than ‘workhorses’. From the poorest to the wealthiest household, Russian women have always managed the house and cared for the husband and children. Although their duties varied with their social status, historically women’s activities almost never strayed beyond the confines of their home.

Annually on March 8 they have International Women’s Day when millions of Russian men make breakfast, buy flowers and drink champagne toasts to their mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, daughters and female work colleagues. This official Russian holiday, formerly a socialist one, kept going by popular request, is an occasion for men to show appreciation for their womenfolk. Unfortunately, it’s only one day in a year and although women appreciate the attention, for the majority it has never done much to change the hardships of the remaining 364 days of the year.

There’s an old Russian joke that apparently still gets told. A foreigner returns to his own country after visiting Russia and starts telling a friend what he saw. Quote:

“And the most amazing thing is, Russians practice polygamy,” says the traveler.

“I never heard that,” says his friend, “How do you know?”

“Well, when I visited a Russian apartment, I was amazed at how luxurious it was. So I asked the man, ‘Surely you can’t live like this on one salary?’ ‘No,’ said the Russian, ‘My wife works.’ Then I noticed how clean the apartment was. I said to him, ‘But you must have a housekeeper?’ ‘No,’ said the Russian, ‘My wife cleans the house.’ ‘And all these nice things? Surely you have a driver to comb the shops for them?’ ‘My wife does that,’ said the Russian. ‘And this delicious food? You must have a cook.’ ‘My wife does that,’ said the Russian. ‘And such well-behaved children! Surely you have a nanny for them?’ ‘My wife does that,’ said the Russian. Then I figured it out, concludes the traveler, that man had at least five wives!”

In Russia the government upheaval did little to help the women. During Lenin’s first Soviet government some feminists fought for a woman’s right to work outside the home. They thought it would emancipate Russia’s women, giving them more opportunities in the workplace, allowing them to compete for jobs on an equal basis with men. Unfortunately ‘emancipation’ freed them only to add their outside work responsibilities to their full time work in the home.

In some areas of Russia, women make up more than 85% of the unemployed. Nationally, unemployment is three times higher among women than men. Ninety percent of female institute graduates cannot find work.

A cleaner that cleans apartments for foreigners in Moscow can earn twice as much as a woman in the medical professional. This disparity occurs mainly because medicine, education and other traditionally low-paying ‘women’s professions are not easily adaptable to Russia’s new market conditions. There are those women that have fought for their place among their male counterparts but unfortunately not enough.

In these modern times, among the new generation of young businessmen involved in Russia’s economic growth they often see a stay-at-home wife as a status symbol. This time of growth will also hopefully see a change for the younger generation of women, allowing them to fight for their place in the new economy.

Unfortunately there appears to be a lot of domestic violence in Russia for which there is no assistance for the women sufferers. In most cases, police refer to domestic violence as a family matter. If a woman is beaten by her husband and calls the police they do not want to be involved. There are no reliable statistics; the only data collected on violence against women is by private hotlines that have now opened in many Russian cities.

In Russia the ladies say they are still fighting for the basic rights that women in America and many other European Countries take for granted.

Many Russian women are extremely pessimistic about the political changes, not only for their own generation but also for their daughters’ generation.

It is estimated that there are over two thousand women’s organizations currently active in Russia, so who knows what the future holds for them. Let’s hope it’s a positive one.

Heart to Heart with Hillary

Dear Hillary,

I read with complete disbelief the letter from J. Sixpack (Pattaya Mail Vol X, No. 7) in which he tears into the lovely ladies of Pattaya. I dislike his use of the word “prostitute” to describe people who with limited education, try to maximize their earning potential. These ladies sacrifice a lot to give their families a better life than they would otherwise have. Could it be that when you treat other people like dirt, those people then treat you like dirt (you only get what you give) and if he was a better person he would have been treated with more respect by the ladies he has known in the past?

My own experience is that you can meet and fall in love with a lady from a Pattaya bar. You can also be treated like a king and rest easy with the feeling that you have found a long term partner. I have been with my Thai wife now for some years and have been incredibly happy.

J. Sixpack places Falang women on a pedestal by saying that they would expect to work for their keep. My own experience of a former Falang wife was that she gave up work once we were married and never expected to have to work again. She took more money from me in a month than my Thai partner has taken in two years and when we split up, she took everything else. I will take my chances with a Pattaya bar girl any day over a Falang lady.

Satisfied Sam.

Dear Satisfied Sam,

As you have correctly pointed out there is an inherent danger when you place anyone on a pedestal - someone might just press the “flush” button, which was something Hillary wanted to do when I read J. Sixpack’s letter originally. There are good and bad in all societies and there is nothing to be gained by attacking any one group, which in the case of the bar girls in Pattaya is a group that cannot respond to these attacks. I am glad you have presented another side to the picture.

Dear Hillary,

What is this “Sixpack” person on about? (Pattaya Mail Vol X No. 7) Some people might just like to come and live in a country where the women appreciate what you are doing for them and their families. We are not talking about living in America, England or Europe. He can have all the rampant feminist ball crushing women he wants. This is Thailand, and if he does not like the way the society here works, then he should go back to where he came from and its Amazonian women. We certainly don’t need him here. Keep up the good work, Hillary. Treat the girls right and you’ll be treated right, that’s my experience for what it’s worth.

“12 Pack”

Dear 12 Pack,

Like Satisfied Sam, I am so glad that you ex-pats are ready to jump to the defence of the local ladies. As I wrote before in my reply to the grouchy Mr. Sixpack, there’s no real reason why an ex-pat should not find a good partner here in Pattaya. However, like all things in life, it is a case of “Caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware, my Petal, if you are not a Latin scholar). Most of the “horror” stories you hear around the seedy bars are tales of tourists and their long time girlfriend of up to several days, in some cases. Hillary has said it before, and obviously must say it again - you would not decide on your life’s partner in your own home towns after a few days of chatting up in a bar. Go through the same time of getting to know the person as you would at home. In those cases where the tourists get “ripped off,” I am sorry, but they should shoulder a degree of blame too. You do not get refunds on the Stock Exchange after inappropriate investments. Why should you complain if you invest inappropriately on the life’s partner market? Does this make sense? Hillary is also pleased to see that a 12 Pack is not the same as two sixpacks!

Dear Hillary,

I have a simple request. Where should I go for a simple (man’s) haircut, short back and sides? As I am over 70 years old I do not need anything flash or high fashion. I do not want a manicure, pedicure and back massage at the same time. Just a trim and the back of my neck shaved. Where, Hillary, where?

Hirsute Harold

Dear Hirsute Harold,

What a predicament? And how lucky you are to still have hair at 70, my Petal. Mind you, I don’t know where you have been going to get offered all these additional services! Of course, it is a bit different from my going down the road for a quick shampoo and set. All that I can suggest is that when you see some chap with the sort of haircut you are looking for, then stop him and ask where he gets his done. Men’s barbers aren’t Hillary’s hangouts. Please note that is “barbers” not “bar beers”.

Grapevine

Shaman’s Rattle: Coincidence is no random event!

by Marion

Just what is amazing coincidence? Is it pure chance, synchronicity, morphic resonance, merely intuitive decision and prediction, pure mathematics and clustering effects; alternatively precognition, and miracles, magic or mystic experience?

From the outset let me state again, ‘Coincidence is no random event’. I believe that coincidence can be and is organised by thought, or ‘psychokinesis’ for those who need to label all processes.

Before delving further let us look at the dictionary definition of Chance as “something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause.” However, as they say in the classics, “Doggy doo is always there to be stepped in.” This position is acceptable to fatalists, but I prefer to keep my shoes clean!

“The Coincidence File” by Ken Anderson suggests, “The essence of a coincidence is its non causal nature and a certain degree of spontaneity. It is New Age Guru speak to say we can create our own coincidences. It is a contradiction in terms.” Are the New Age guru’s merely ‘chancing their arms?’

Mention Synchronicity and everyone presents Jung’s theory, as though he had the last word on the subject, and perhaps he had. For the Jungians, Synchronicity is a coincidence of events that seem to be meaningfully related. Others, such as Diaconis & Mosteller in the Journal of American Statistical Association have said, “A coincidence may be defined as a surprising occurrence of events, perceived as meaningfully related with no apparent causal connection.” The key word here is “apparent”, as I firmly believe that ‘thought processes’, ‘the energy of focussed attention’ or ‘affirmation with belief’ is the causal connection behind coincidence.

Look again at Jung’s theory as, “Coincidence involving two significant events meeting unexpectedly, each with their own separate non-related cause. A phenomenon that is bound up with the collective unconscious.” I believe the collective unconscious does indeed exist as a phenomenon, intentionally activated and thought driven. (More on this next issue.)

Morphic Resonance or the Collective Memory is ignored by popular dictionaries; however, academic researchers Combs and Holland see a linkage between morphic fields and synchronicity, citing that two or more scientists may make very similar and independent discoveries at almost the same time. They give as an excellent example the calculus developed by Sir Isaac Newton in England and almost simultaneously in Germany by philosopher, scientist and mathematician G.W. Leibniz. Newton knew nothing of Leibniz work. ‘Morphic resonance’ as a phenomenon I believe exists and is activated by the energy of sustained focussed attention. Try focussing on that for a little while!

Another conundrum. How is it that some are able to predict accurately, whereas others are unable to predict the sunrise in the morning! Perhaps are some of us in touch with our psychic energy and able to use it to predict with accuracy? Do the others have their head in the sand?

A popular description of Intuition is quick and ready insight, or cognition, without evident rational thought and inference. The key phrase is without ‘evident rational thought and inference.’ Could intuition rather be the accessing of ESP, psychic ability, or just plain old ordinary ability to read body language and interpret oracles, dreams, signs or the writing on the wall?

We all think we know what mathematics is, yet try to define it! To me pure maths is not just the science of numbers, I believe mathematics is central to the web of life and means more than relativity. The equation is infinite and not just E = MC2.

Perhaps we should also look at magic. Even the dictionary reluctantly admits “Magic is the use of means (as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over events.” Now, if we believe magic is sympathetic and positive and can be readily accessed are we getting close to various phenomena as the power of prayer?

So now let me put forward the hypothesis: “Seemingly random coincidence can be and is designed by thought.” This theory holds similar but not identical positions to Jung’s theory of synchronicity and the collective unconscious, morphic resonance and collective memory, and the power of prayer, although it is synonymous with the deliberate working of magic. Is this a coincidence? Can we really have power over random events?

Next week I will give some readers comments and experiences. You too are invited to state your position. Send in your comments to the Shamans Rattle column, email [email protected]

Antique, are they genuine? Glass maker’s marks

by Apichart Panyadee

Glass is marked less frequently than pottery and porcelain simply because any letter would detract from the appearance, especially of clear glass. The most famous glass mark is the applied raven’s head seal of George Ravenscroft, which was used literally as a seal of approval for his new lead glass line.

An example from the 1934 Hill-Ouston catalogue which showed a range of “bubbly” glassware with enough of an air of ‘old country’ glass to be passed off as an early 19th century Nailsea or Wrockwardine. The supplier is unknown.

In the 18th century factory marks on genuine articles are non-existent. However, often engravers’ and enamellers’ signatures do appear. They are usually of well known and ‘expensive’ names such as William Beilby and Isaac Jacobs. In the 19th century trademarks became more common. As these marks are studied and recorded they can be of great assistance with accurate dating, particularly where company records still exist.

The diamond registry mark of the Patent Office (and after 1883 the Registered Number) is used to provide a key to the date of registration and the name of the manufacturer. On pressed glass the diamond mark is not always an infallible guide because there are known discrepancies between marked pieces and the lists at the Patent Office. Although the diamond is mostly seen on pressed glass, it can also appear as an engraved mark. By the 20th century trademarks had become much more common. Some of the best work done in this field of research is by Cyril Manley, who has listed his findings in this book “Decorative Victorian Glass”. Dr Helga Hilschenz in Das Glas des Jugendstil provides similar lists of Continental marks and signatures.

The obvious place to look is on the underside of the foot, but it is worth examining every inch of the glass in case they have been placed in some hidden corner. On cut glass the foot may be so ornate that the mark may be placed at the top of the stem of a wineglass or at the base of a jog’s handle. Badge marks applied with acid or sandblast is often so faint as to make them almost invisible. Wear and tear on the foot can erase all or part of a mark whether it is painted, engraved or etched.

Any signed or marked glass is worth collecting even if initially there is no information about the maker. That information probably does exist somewhere and by locating it a glass that seemed of no importance may acquire added significance both in historical and financial terms.

Patent Office registry marks are often known as “kite marks”. Kite marks can also be found on ceramics, furniture, metal-work, and so forth. These marks show the period and indicate when the design was first registered. The system was introduced in 1842 and until 1867 kite marks were arranged by year, month, and day. In 1868 the system changed and until 1883 the information was moved around into a different order. This is, however, a viable dating system even though there are some errors to be found.

Animal Crackers: Readers Story - Albatross

by Max Wood

I write to share with readers my experience of the magnificent bird the Albatross. I am a retired seaman and spent many a year sailing the world as a ship’s boatswain. Watching a recent documentary on Macquarie Island and the tragically dwindling nests of the Albatross there brings back memories.

I, like many a sailor before me, became overawed by this magnificent bird when sailing the southern oceans. We even caught a few Albatross’ on the sailing ships but of course released them again.

These are birds of the Antarctic and never fly North of the tropic of Capricorn. The Wandering Albatross is the largest sea bird in existence with an average 9ft wingspan, which can be up to 12ft; that’s an awesome 4 meters.

Seafarers have a superstitious affinity with these great birds; it is believed that they are “old salts” who have been reincarnated to wander the oceans for eternity.

Working high up a mast on the end of a yardarm isolated in the expanse of the southern ocean, it was an uncanny experience to eyeball one of these creatures. They glide in to hang there in space for quite a time watching you within touching distance. Some say they are old mates or boatswains watching to see that your job is done in a proper ship-shape way.

Albatross are faithful birds and only mate once a year with one regular partner. Turns are taken sitting on the nest whilst one forages for food over thousands of square miles of ocean. Their nests are on small islands and outcrops in the Antarctic oceans. The female keeps south when foraging but the male goes north into the fishing grounds of the “long liners”. Unfortunately these fishing trawlers stream behind them a million hooks on lines 14 to 20 kilometres long.

Usually it is the male Albatross, which sees the hooked fish and goes for them, only to be caught on a hook as well. Statistics give an approximate casualty rate estimated at between 35,000 - 70,000 drowned each year. Worse, for every albatross drowned 2 more perish slowly, the mate and the hungry chick starving back at the nest waiting for food that never arrives.

This destruction will certainly wipe out the species in just a few more fishing seasons if it is allowed to continue. One more tragedy caused by the voracious appetites of men determined to consume all the diminishing resources of fish left in the seas.

Australian CSIRO technicians have perfected a device to stop this senseless slaughter of the Albatross. The hook line of the ‘long liner’s’ is fed through a metal tube that descends three metres down into the ocean. This then trails the lines below the surface so the fish are no longer visible to the Albatross in flight. This device costs $13,000 for a trawler to fit and use. Agreement has been reached with our trawlers and Australian Fisheries to make this devise compulsory. The Australian government, however, cannot force the Japanese, Taiwanese or Korean trawlers to use the device. Unfortunately they are the main culprits with the largest fleets and the least regard of protection of any species (as past experience has demonstrated both with whaling and dolphin snaring skein nets). Therefore we must all pressure the government to take the necessary international action to force compliance before these legendry birds are lost to the world forever.

All reader’s short animal tales are gratefully received. E-mail to [email protected]

The Computer Doctor

by Richard Bunch

From Paranoid, Pattaya: I have recently bought myself a PC, this is running Windows XP Professional, my previous PC was running Windows 98, and the difference is both very noticeable and welcomed by this user. Although I live alone and don’t do anything illegal, I regard what I do as my own business and used a program called Evidence Eliminator on my 98 system. I now find that it doesn’t work properly on Windows XP. In any event, I found it cumbersome, slow and often quirky to use, is there anything I can use on my XP system, my main concern is that files deleted are deleted.

Computer Doctor replies: Actually Windows XP has an in-built feature which I think will fit the bill, this is Cipher. This is a tool that can be used by users who have Administrative privileges, it can be used to encrypt and decrypt data on drives that use the NTFS file system and to view the encryption status of files and folders from a command prompt and more importantly for you, ‘wipe’ deleted files. The basis is, no matter what operating system you are using, when you delete files or folders, the data is not initially removed from the hard disk, but the space on the disk that was occupied by the deleted data is “deallocated.” This means that this deallocated space is available for use when new data is written to the disk. The exposure is therefore until the space is overwritten; when it is possible to recover the deleted data by using a low-level disk editor or data-recovery software.

When creating files in plain text and later encrypting them, Encrypting File System (EFS) makes a temporary backup copy of the file. Then if an error occurs during the encryption process, the data is not lost. It is important to remember that although after a successful encryption, the backup copy is deleted, as with other deleted files, the data is not completely removed until it has been overwritten.

The Cipher.exe utility that is included with Windows XP provides the ability to overwrite deleted data.

Using the Cipher tool is easy but it’s worth remembering that when encrypting files, it cannot handle compressed files/folders and read only files/folders. Also, although I have only talked about NTFS file system this is because the tool will not work with FAT32 file systems. To overwrite deleted data on a volume by using Cipher.exe, use the /w switch with the cipher command. Firstly close ALL programs then from the Run box, type cmd, then press ENTER. From the Command Prompt, type cipher /w driveletter /foldername then Enter (the foldername is optional).

Bear in mind that if there is a large amount of ‘deallocated’ space this process can take a long time.

Prior to using the Cipher tool, it may be desirable to clear the Internet history, this can be done from Control Panel then Internet Options, look for the section headed Temporary Internet Files, you will see options to Delete Cookies, Delete Files and Settings, use as you feel appropriate.

Send your questions or comments to the Pattaya Mail at 370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, 20260 or fax to 038 427 596 or e-mail to [email protected]

The views and comments expressed within this column are not necessarily those of the writer or Pattaya Mail Publishing.

Richard Bunch is managing director of Action Computer Technologies Co., Ltd. For further information, please telephone 0 1782 4829, fax 0 3871 6816, e-mail: [email protected] or see the firm’s website www.act.co.th

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

Fun City and the handicapped

Don’t’ you just love it? The latest news in town is what was referred to as a “noble idea” to turn Pattaya into a “user-friendly city” for handicapped tourists and retirees from the USA and Europe. The only other place that I can think of less likely to be a favorite with handicapped people from rich democracies would be the streets of Kabul at the present moment, or the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Give me a break.

I have all my appendages, and my eyesight is still good enough to see the motorcycles racing down a one-way street in the wrong direction. My hearing is probably permanently damaged from the karaoke bars that blare music all night long when the more sedate are trying to sleep. But I can still hear the squalling of those awful pickup trucks that crawl down Jomtien Beach Road advertising local carnivals in some half empty field behind a row of shop houses. My legs aren’t as strong and firm as they were when I was running five miles every morning. However, I can still use a Thai squat-toilet without falling into my own excrement.

Only Buddha knows how long I will keep my adequate balance, or stay out of a wheelchair, or how long my reflexes will stay fast enough to swerve around drunks crossing the street against traffic. I can still duck in time to avoid knocking myself unconscious when traipsing up and down the stairs of the local driver’s license office in Banglamung (or the many Thai shops and restaurants who serve customers on upper floors). Once confined to a wheelchair, it won’t be easy to avoid the broken sidewalks of Pattaya. Navigating around the potholes in our roads (which are big enough to swallow a water buffalo) is not going to be much of a delight to rich handicapped tourists and potential residents from abroad.

I realize the plan includes the handicapped amongst the Thai population in our area as well. But of course, they are long suffering Thais, who were brought up in a culture of forgiveness and have been putting up with Thai-style inconvenience for their whole lives. The idea of OTHER people with physical handicaps leaving perfectly modern and comfortable countries from around the world, and CHOOSING to live in Pattaya and its environs because our local community leaders want to bring in more foreign currency, is beyond even my wild imagination.

It could happen. I won’t bet on it, but we now have telephones that work on occasion, which I thought I’d never see. We have satellite and cable television which works nearly all of the time, even though the programming is mostly cartoons. Some of the channels are even in English! Hope springs eternal and I am always the optimist.

However, curiosity is killing me. Where will all of these physically challenged foreigners live and play? Will we create an “island” in the city which will be specifically designed and built for them to dwell, eat, roam and shop? Will it be a little like Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco, but without the lovely scenery and fresh air (or the bars and sharks)?

Surely when all these special people flock to Pattaya after they hear how user-friendly we are, we will not dare to turn them loose into the city at large. So will we build them a high-class ghetto which is a microcosm of Thailand like Mini-Siam (with larger and more modern buildings with handrails in the toilets)? What happens if some of them escape?

Westerners are not like Thais. Many of them have minds of their own and don’t conform as willingly. Some of those slightly damaged human beings might get curious and want to see what Pattaya is so famous for; our numerous red-light districts. All those gorgeous and willing bargirls could make a handicapped gentleman feel whole again in no time at all.

If our region is to be user friendly that means the whole city will have to change. We can’t get the 101 businesses on Walking Street to collect their garbage and put it in the free bins the city has distributed. How can we get the vendors off the sidewalks so that wheelchairs can pass?

The traffic police cannot enforce the madness that rules the region now, nor will they ever. Even if we had the political will from the authorities, the driving conditions in the city have deteriorated so badly that even law abiding drivers are forced to break rules just to get around. How are they going to get Thais to stop for people in walkers crossing in a crosswalk? People in their physical prime are run over by maniacal motorcyclists every day.

Will the city install brail touch-pads at the traffic lights? Half the time the city’s traffic lights don’t work and the cops are directing the flow. Perhaps we can station a multi-lingual policeman at every light to walk the blind across to safety. We can sew handles on the waistband of their uniforms.

Surely there can be some realistic changes made in specific environments such as new apartment buildings, expensive hotels, and one or two government offices such as City Hall has already done. But like one swallow does not make a summer, a few wheelchair ramps and larger elevators in a 5-star hotel do not make a city friendly to those who are physically handicapped.

Roll over Rover: Speaking to your dog

by C. Schloemer

We speak in human languages, whether in Thai, English, French, Mandarin, etc. and need to understand that dogs speak in what may be termed “Doglish”. Since we are striving to understand them, we must become fluent in their native tongue. Words don’t actually count anymore at this stage. Now it is eye contact, body language and tone that we must concentrate on.

Eye contact

Can your dog get you to look at him on cue? This can be accomplished with a bark, paw scratch, head rub, whine, stare, rolling over on his back and a dozen other clever attention getters. Now the owner must ask if he or she can get their pooch to look them in the eye on command. Is the owner always left calling the dog’s name and asking him to “come” while he races away? If this is true, then the dog has its owner trained and not the other way around. It’s embarrassing and frustrating to be shouting yourself hoarse as your neighbors and friends watch your canine buddy race out the garden gate, or romp down the street and you stand there screeching for him to come back. Probably every dog owner has had this experience, so one of the first goals will be to shift the equation and get those dreamy dog’s eyes focused on you!

Body language

Do you bend over a lot when correcting or commanding your dog? Does he ignore you or cringe and run for cover? What owners must understand is that when they bend over, the dog interprets this posture as playful and may either become more playful or roll over and become submissive. Depending on the situation and the individual animal, the dog may also interpret body language of bending over him as threatening, so it may ignore the owner, or even become agitated. You don’t want your dog to have any of these reactions because they are too intense. When communicating, assume what dog trainers refer to as the Peacock Position. Stand tall, throw your shoulders back, and communicate with gentle but firm authority.

Relax

A tense posture communicates confusion or excitement to your dog. For example, let us say you meet someone on the street and your dog braces for the bounce. Your tension would communicate a mutual anticipation. Instead, remind yourself to relax so that you can to prepare for a quick correction.

Get ahead

If your dog is in front of you, guess who is not in charge? That’s right; you have already lost your leadership. To communicate direction or disapproval, you must position yourself in front of your dog. That way you maintain eye contact and reestablish your control. The idea is very simple; the leader always leads.

Stay centered

Suppose that your dog barks wildly at the door and you, disturbed from a quiet nap or are cooking in the kitchen, jump up and start yelling. Since a yell (to a dog) counts as a ‘human bark’ in dogland, your dog will naturally feel reinforced for her alerting instincts. Bark, yell, bark, yell; this pattern is self-reinforcing. When your dog gets nervous, you must stay centered and calm. Soon you will learn how to correct your dog with authority, not reinforcement.

A Slice of Thai History: Pone Kingpetch: Thailand’s first world boxing champion

Part One 1936-1960

by Duncan Stearn

In a career which spanned 11 years, Pone Kingpetch entered the square ring to fight professionally just 34 times, yet compiled an outstanding record in the Flyweight division and in the process became the first world boxing champion to come out of Thailand.

Born Mana Sridokbuab on February 12, 1936 in Hua Hin, he was one of nine children. He became a professional boxer in 1955 after just three amateur bouts, contesting his first fight in the Flyweight division (under 51-kilograms; 112-pounds) on February 10, just two days before his 19th birthday. He lost a six-round decision to Suwan Napapol.

It was hardly an auspicious debut for the 153cm tall (five foot, six and a half inches) youngster. For a flyweight he was quite tall and Pone Kingpetch quickly learned to use his height and reach advantage to telling effect against his shorter opponents.

He won his second bout by a knockout in the second round and then went the distance in notching three more wins.

In 1956, he scored two early wins before being knocked out by Kunio Vithichai in the ninth round in a Bangkok match that took place on May 10. Vithichai had been behind throughout the fight, being held at bay by Pone Kingpetch’s smooth jabs and straight right hands, but in the ninth he managed to connect with a cracking left hook.

Kingpetch learnt from his mistakes in that fight and two months later knocked out Vithichai in six rounds.

He finished the year with three more wins, the last being a 10-round decision over Vithichai in their third and final meeting.

In 1957, Kingpetch fought just three times, winning the Oriental Flyweight Championship with a 12-round decision over Filipino Danny Kid in Bangkok in January, before losing a 12-round bout against Lee Espinosa when attempting to wrest the Oriental Bantamweight crown in July. This move up in weight was clearly ill advised and Kingpetch quickly abandoned the experiment and dropped back to his natural flyweight.

In September he successfully defended his Oriental Flyweight title against the Japanese boxer Hitoshi Misako, again winning on points over 12 rounds.

1958 saw him enter the ring four times for four victories, only one of them coming by the short route, and all of them against Thai journeyman opponents.

February 17, 1959 proved to be the only time Pone Kingpetch used his ring skills that year. The Oriental Flyweight champion was waiting for a world title shot but had to be satisfied with a 10-round decision over Mexican veteran Manuel Armenteros.

To supplement his greatly diminished ring income, Pone worked in a pharmaceutical laboratory.

His chance to box for the world title finally came in April 1960. Pone Kingpetch began the year with a four-round knockout prior to entering the ring in Bangkok against the legendary Argentinian Pascual Perez to fight for the World Flyweight Championship.

Perez had been world champion for the previous five years, successfully defending his crown in 17 contests. A crowd of more than 30,000 packed the Bangkok arena to see Perez and Kingpetch engage in a spirited tussle.

Kingpetch used his massive reach advantage to keep Perez away and, after 15 tumultuous rounds, it was the Thai challenger who emerged victorious from a split decision.

The Message In The Moon: Sun in Cancer/Moon in Aquarius

The Zealot

by Anchalee Kaewmanee

In this combination, Cancer’s depth and sensitivity is focused on exploiting new frontiers. There is a strong sense of individualism found in this sign. But the kind and generous heart has a strong humanitarian bent. Ideally this can be a combination of the concerned and devoted politician, humanitarian or scientist. But it can also produce the eccentric, crank and fanatic. That offbeat and unusual imagination of these natives sets them apart from their fellow Cancerians. There is nothing very cautious about them, since they are the first to try something new and exotic. Independent in thought and spirit, their deep inner restlessness pushes them on - either to lasting accomplishment or senseless rebellion. It is not easy to hold back a native of this combination when they have their sights fixed on a dream.

Endowed with a keen sense of perception, they also have quick minds. They learn easily, assimilate information and regurgitate it back out in form that can be wonderfully inventive. The Cancer-Aquarius has always got an opinion or a ready answer, and this may be why others find this sign somewhat arrogant and presumptuous. These individuals are always one or two jumps head of everyone else. Because of this they can become impatient with those who fail to see things their way, or who cannot grasp the truth the Cancer-Aquarius has just miraculously uncovered. This impatience and intellectual snobbery can be their downfall. Determined to pursue their own unique path toward wisdom, truth and fulfillment, their total indifference to the opinions of others may cause them to lose out on much of what life has to offer. They must learn to tolerate different points of view and those who are not quite as quick witted.

Mental confusion haunts many natives born into this combo. In the classroom, at work, or in conversation, their minds tend to drift way into daydreams. Starry-eyed, they dream about some new idea or uncompleted project when they should be paying attention. Their curiosity is endless and finding something to do which is engrossing enough to hold their attention for a while is difficult. Their attention span can be short. Only once it is harnessed and channeled will they have the determination to set goals and reach them.

As with all Moon in Aquarius natives, this combination probably feels a strong sense of mission. In youth they often see themselves as something of a white knight, righting wrongs and helping others through their virtue and understanding. Reality and the eventual recognition that they do have limitations after all, can either foster a more realistic perspective or lead to a sense of disillusionment and even bitterness. This is when they often become cynics. It is possible for a disgruntled Cancer-Aquarius to immerse himself or herself in some fringe group that promises nirvana. Fanaticism or passionate dedication to a cause or ideology may be a tempting last resort for disenchanted natives of this Sun-Moon sign.

Fortunately, most natives born into this combination do find their mission in life. With their scientific bent and wild imagination, they are very likely to pursue a technical or scientific career. On the other hand, that strong social conscience could lead them into a political or legal endeavor where they can utilize all of their talents.

The Cancer-Aquarius treats those he or she loves as comrades and will expect equality in romance. Tolerant, trusting and generous, this sign makes a caring partner. But let’s face it; these individuals are not very easy to live with. Of all the Cancer combinations, this one is best known for irritation, moodiness and unpredictable temper tantrums. That low threshold for patience is well defined and anyone who has witnessed an unexpected fit of fury from one of these people will not be in a rush to provoke another. When they feel they have had enough, they do not hold back. It would be wise advice for this combination to acquire more tolerance, especially with loved ones.

Coins of the Realm: Singapore Coin Auction

by Jan Olav Aamlid
President - House of the Golden Coin (http://www.thaicoins.com)

The biggest of these bullet coins is a four baht in gold estimated at US$6,000 to 8,000 but expected to sell for several times this amount.

On the 14th of March the Singapore Coin Auction takes place at the Marina Mandarin Hotel.

Some of the highlights in the sale are Thai material, so collectors and dealers in this field are expected.

Bullet coins were the most common form of money in Thailand for more than 600 years and could be spent until 28th of October 1904. If someone happened to find some bullet coins after this date the bullet coins could be spent for paying taxes or they could even be exchanged for flat coins for another year, but probably the best thing would have been to keep them for the next generations.

Thailand was the only country using bullet coins as a form of payment, and today these coins are objects collectors from all over the world are looking for.

In the Singapore coin auction, a four baht bullet coin in gold is being offered. The coin was struck during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV) who reigned from 1851 till 1868. In my close to twenty years of collecting Thai coins I have never seen this coin for sale in the market; not even seen it in any collection. The price for the offered four baht bullet has been estimated at US$6,000 to 8,000, but I belive that collectors are willing to pay several times the high estimate to acquire such a rarity.

The four baht bullet coin in gold weighs 60.65 grams, and gold coins this old and with this weight are rarely offered in the market. A ducat weighs about 3.5 grams so this coin would be more than a 17-ducat coin. 10-ducat coins are from time to time offered in the market at very high prices, but higher denominations are very rarely seen.

Another rarity in the sale is the two baht bullet coin in gold. To my knowledge two baht bullet gold coins have been turned over only three times during the last twenty years. One was sold for about 120,000 baht, and several years later, after the Thai coin market turned “hot”, the same coin was sold for more than 1,250,000 baht. About a year before this sale took place another two baht bullet coin was sold in the same “hot” market for more than 2,000,000 baht.

The price for the two baht bullet coin is estimated at US$4,000 to 5,000, about 175,000 to 220,000 baht. I have no doubt that the coin will sell for several times the estimated price, but I do not believe it will match the top price paid before the World Bank got involved in the Thai economy.

The smallest gold bullet coin being offered in this sale is a 1/16th baht, weighing less than a gram, 0.81. The estimation is US$150 to 200. The same estimation is also given for the 1/8th baht bullet in gold. The 1/4 bullet coin in gold is estimated at US$400 to 500, while the 1/2 baht is estimated at US$800 to 1,200.

The one baht bullet coin in gold is estimated at US$3,000 to 4,000. The estimations for the one baht and the lower denominations seem more in accordance with the market, even a little high for the 1/4-and 1/2 baht.

All the bullet coins in gold do have a nice toning which is appreciated by collectors. It would be a shame to break up such a nice set, and it would not surprise me if someone would try to buy all seven coins.

Next time I will present some of the other Thai coins and even medals and banknotes offered in this important sale.