Regular features from May 2002 77th Issue

Dear Sir,
As a regular reader of the Observer I wish to express my appreciation for all the information provided, and the excellent work carried out by the publishing team.
In the various letters published there has at times been complaints concerning services available in Hua Hin and Cha Am, mostly by short time visitors. However, in this instance as a resident of Cha Am, may I through the Observer send a compliment for an excellent service provided at the small post office located on Ruamchit Beach Road, Cha Am.
The welcome, all assistance in transactions, quick and efficient service, provided by the post master is no doubt a credit to the Thai postal department. A service, I may add, is not readily available at other post offices within this area.
Yours sincerely
Bill Rooney
Cha Am
"Thank you for your kind words, we will pass on your letter to the Cha Am post master, I'm sure he will also be pleased with your thoughts."

Dear Editor,
I have a question that maybe you could answer concerning property ownership by foreigners in Thailand.
A couple of months ago there was an article in the Bangkok Post which stated that the law had changed allowing foreigners to own land.
Since then I have asked many people if this is true, and have had many different answers.
I'm sure there are many people considering living in Hua Hin who would like to know if they can actually own property and land here, or do they still have to start a company to own land?
Yours faithfully
Kenny Walker

This is still a tricky question, foreigners can in some instances own land, however anyone considering land or home purchase should consult a reputable lawyer before making any decision

Keep the resort clean
We also received a letter from two concerned regular visitors to the region, who asked that their letter and names were not published, however, they made such a valid point we feel that it is worth a mention. The pictures they took showed the beach with rubbish and horse droppings scattered all along the front.
Even after the excellent efforts of the staff and students at Webster University the beach needs continuing efforts by us all to keep it clean.
Please take your rubbish home with you, don't just drop it where you sit and bury it in the sand. Some people have received nasty cuts due to broken bottles partly buried in the sand.
The local council have provided bins all around the town which are regularly emptied, but on the beach a little more effort is required to dispose of waste.
We can all help to keep the area's beaches beautiful.

This month we'll bring you a few more essential phrases and words to make your stay here less frustrating and a little more 'sanuk'. If you missed last months introduction to the Thai language you can find it HERE. Numbers are an essential part of any language you are learning:

0 suun ศุนย์ - 60 hok-sip หกสิบ
1 nung หนึ่ง - 70 jed-sip เจ็ดสิบ
2 song สอง - 80 bpaad-sip แปดสิบ
3 sarm สาม - 90 gaao-sip เก้าสิบ
4 see สี่ - 100 nung roi หนึ่งร้อย
5 haa ห้า - 200 song roi สองร้อย
6 hok หก - 300 sarm roi สามร้อย
7 jed เจ็ด - 1,000 nung pun หนึ่งพัน
8 bpaad แปด - 2,000 song pun สองพัน
9 gaao เก้า - 3,000 sarm pun สามพัน
10 sip สิบ - 10,000 nung meun หนึ่งหมื่น
11 sip-et สิบเอ็ด - 100,000 nung saen หนึ่งแสน
12 sip-song สิบสอง - 1,000,000 nung laan หนึ่งล้าน
13 sip-sarm สิบสาม
20 yee-sip ยี่สิบ - 1.4 nung jud see หนึ่งจุดสี่
21 yee-sip-et ยี่สิบเอ็ด - 3.7 sarm jud jed สามจุดเจ็ด
22 yee-sip-song ยี่สิบสอง - 4/230 see tup song sarm suun สี่ทับสองสามศุนย์
30 sarm-sip สามสิบ - 1st tee nung ที่หนึ่ง
40 see-sip สี่สิบ - 2nd tee song ที่สอง
50 haa-sip ห้าสิบ - 3rd tee sarm ที่สาม

A bit of numerical terminology:
number - ber, lek tee - เบอร์ , เลขที่
telephone number - ber torasup (ber tor for short) - เบอร์โทรศัพท์ (เบอร์โทร)
count - nup - นับ
amount - jumnuan - จำนวน
how much - tao rai - เท่าไร
how many ... - gee ... - กี่...

Here are a few basic verbs to get you started with:
To go - bpai - ไป
To write - keeun - เขียน
To come - mah - มา
To run - wing - วิ่ง
To do - tum - ทำ
To speak - pood - พูด
To be (able) - bpen - เป็น
To eat - taan (polite) gin - ทาน , กิน
To walk - dern - เดิน
To drink - deum - ดื่ม
To read - arn - อ่าน
To have - mee - มี

There are no tense changes in Thai verbs, to create tense use the following words:
will do (future) - ja - จะ (pom ja bpai - I will go , khun ja tum arai - what will you do?)
have done (past) - laew - แล้ว (chun gin laew - I have eaten , kao bpai laew - he has been (gone))

Next month will be more verbs, a bit more on tenses and some directions. If you have any language questions, would like translations, or are interested in learning to read and write Thai email me

Wild Life Rescue One Year Celebration

The Wildlife Rescue Center is almost one year old. On the first of May we will celebrate this turbulent first year at the center with the release of 4 gibbons on two new islands of the three that are currently under construction at the lake. These three new lakes are constructed with the help of 7 volunteers during the month of April from 7 different countries. The money for these islands was raised from/by volunteers, Mr. and Mrs. Roslev from Denmark and Bente van Alphen an ex-volunteer from Holland. The first of May has been chosen as the date for the release as this is the date we started clearing the land for constructing of the first buildings and cages last year. Since this start almost 100 wild animals have found a new or temporary home at the center.
New arrival at the center
"Gem" is a 10 year old male stump tail macaque that was brought in a few days ago by a villager that kept him as a pet for almost ten years. Gem is very aggressive and hostile against people and was put in the stump tail group on the very first day at the center. He is currently trying to find his place in the group, and carefully roams around the cage. He has a good appetite and seems quite healthy. We'll keep you updated about his progress in the group.
Langurs and gibbons on the island
Since a few weeks Mr. and Mrs. Lipz two Spectacled Langurs have been released on the big island. Both have adapted very well to the huge new natural surroundings. On the first few days they needed to get used living with 4 adult gibbons sharing this forest island. Besides a few chasings on the first day they seem to get along just fine. Both species use the same feeding-points although the langurs seem to have first choice.
Mieuw update
Mieuw our young Bengal Tiger is getting close to complete recovery. In the last weeks Mieuw has been walking around without falling down and even ran 500 meters without any problems at all. Edwin is hardly able to control him during his walk-around at the center and lake. Mieuw will hopefully get a bigger enclosure soon, as he needs more space. The owner of another tiger has asked us to take in his "pet-" tiger too, but we cannot place one more at the moment due to space problems.
Floating market and photo-monkeys
More and more tourists have been complaining about the "photo" monkeys and gibbons at the floating market, Pattaya and Phuket. Tourists are asked to make pictures with wild animals against payment a lucrative business. The use and ownership of these monkeys is illegal by Thai law and a complaint has been made to the authorities. We have offered to provide shelter to these animals if/when confiscated.
Volunteer news
We had in the last 2 months several volunteers at the center helping out. We hereby wish to thank Heidi Nore, Kristen Anderson, Marieke Tijs, Sophie Pons, Sylvana de Liefde, Carina Bang and Amy Corrigan for their help at the center. Amy Corrigan, a zoologist from the U.K. will be returning later this month to help us out further professionally as a member of our staff at the center.
More news can be found on our web-site:
www.cha-am.org/wft
Any comments can be made to us at
animalrescue@cha-am.org

 
Martin (white shirt) celebrates his birthday, third time was it? All smiles for Mags on her birthday at "The Ship"

Birthday, wedding and re-opening party, all in one for Kevin and Noi

Watch out Frank, Ian's got all he needs to make his birthday go with a bang!

"Skandi" connection at the opening party of Sawan

Another birthday for Pi Dam (far right) celebrating at New Friendship with family

Good luck in your new home to Liza, Amy and Frank

Great day at the beach BBQ at Kabantamor

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