Regular features from July 2002 79th Issue

I've noticed while crossing Petchkasem road other farangs (mostly tourists) either nervously running across the road while trying to keep an eye out in all directions or striding proudly across only to have to run for cover from oncoming motorbikes.
In answer to last months readers letter by Jon Brigham, asking what the rules are when crossing the road I assume he's referring to the junction where Damnoenkasem Road crosses Petchkasem Road.Observer readers have a look at the map in the magazine and you'll immediately know where I'm talking about,especially if you're staying in one of the resorts to the south of this crossing and like to walk into town.
When you reach this junction take some time to "read" the lights.In my home country we have the "walk" "don't walk" signs that most western countries have but Thailand doesn't so you need to watch the lights.
After a few minutes checking which flows of traffic take it in which turn to exit the junction you should be able to "read" the lights and cross safely, though still checking for that tricky left turn against a red light.I've found this technique rewarding in the long run and well worth a few minutes investment in learning. So Jon and any other visitors to Hua Hin I hope this is of some help during your next stay here.
yours sincerely
Anthony Cheung

Confused when someone points you to the beach when all you wanted to do was post a letter? This month find your way around town with this vocabulary. If you missed last months introduction to the Thai language you can find it here

Places and buildings
place / at tee ที่
temple wat วัด
market dta-laat ตลาด
shop raan ร้าน
restaurant raan ahaan ร้านอาหาร
pharmacy raan kai yah ร้านขายยา
post office bpraisanee ไปรษณีย์
hotel rong raem โรงแรม
school rong rian โรงเรียน
hospital rong payabahn โรงพยาบาล
house bahn บ้าน
bank tanakaan ธนาคาร
police station satanee dtumruat สถานีตำรวจ
railway station satanee rotfai สถานีรถไฟ
airport sanahm bin สนามบิน
beach chayhaad ชายหาด
sea ta-ley ทะเล
intersection see yairk สี่แยก
road (main) thanon ถนน
street (smaller) soi ซอย
country bprathet / meuang ประเทศ / เมือง
province jungwut จังหวัด
district amphoe อำเภอ
sub-district dtumbon ตำบล

car rot / rotyon รถ / รถยนต์
bus rot mae รถเมล์
train rot fai รถไฟ
minivan rot dtoo รถตู้
boat rua เรือ
plane kruang bin เครื่องบิน

To ask directions just put the subject first followed by ‘yoo tee nai’ ie dta-laat yoo tee nai krap/ka (where is the market?) or bpraisanee yoo dtrong nai (which way is the post office?)Next month will be days of the week and months. If you have any language questions or would like translations, send us an email at the Observer.

Dog rescue news

Good news to report this month. All dogs are now well and then along comes a "farang" (a.k.a.: a non Thai), who, having to move out, asks us to keep his 4 dogs for a while. He helped us to build some additional cages.
We are running out of space: 26 dogs! We are looking for a bigger area.
One of our members, Cari Lander transferred USD500 for HHDRC: We'll be able to survive for a while and sterilize new males.
On June 11, a woman announced that, in the school where she was teaching, they poisoned 4 adult females and that their 16 puppies were abandoned! One of our volunteers will go there and give milk to them every day. We'll take this case very seriously.
And on the subject of dogs, we received this lament for a very upset dog owner:
In Memorium: Lola
Lola born 2000 in Hua Hin - Killed 2002 in Hua Hin.
Lola's crime:
She was not able to read, because she was just a little dog.
She was not able to read the prohibition sign, prohibitting to approach the parking lot of a big hotel.
Her violations have been prosecuted by death penalty: To eat poisoned meat.
Executor: People working for a big hotel.
His Majesty loves dogs, Buddhist abbots take care of dogs - foreigners open a rescue centre for dogs.
But: A big hotel kills dogs, kills you, my lovely baby, and many of your friends. Why?
Lola - you died hard in greatest pain. The worldly justice is not siding with you, but: God will never forget and I will never forgive my poor little baby. Lola.

Flight News

With thanks to Alain de Rocker
Oversold flights! What you should know about it.
In this article, we shall cover some of the choices you have when your flight has not enough seats, and too many passengers.Virtually every airline embraces the policy of overselling flights. This means that the airline has sold more seats on the aircraft than it physically has on board. As a passenger, it can be incredibly frustrating to arrive and check in at the airport, only to look at your boarding pass and realize that there is no seat assigned to you. Invariably, this indicates that the flight you have booked on has been oversold. Before resigning yourself to the possibility that you may be watching your flight leave without you on it, let's look at what an oversold flight is, and what this means to you as a passenger.
Airlines oversell flights because there tends to be a certain number of passengers that do not show up for the flights that they are booked on. For some airlines, it is required for every passenger to call and reconfirm that they will travel (usually between 24-72 hours prior to departure), or the airline will cancel the reservation. This is not a common practice for the major airlines, which can absorb a certain amount of lost passenger revenues. The reconfirm-or-have-your-booking-cancelled tends to be the policy for some smaller airlines that may suffer more devastating financial losses if a passenger doesn't show up. Airlines do not disclose the percentage that they oversell flights, and depending on time of year, and where the flight is going to, the percentage that an airline oversells can easily range from 10 to 45 percent!
Flights can be oversold at any time of the year, but this practice is most noticeable around holiday travel periods, when every flight seems to be brimming with passengers. Airlines overbook in order to try and make sure that their flights depart full and maximize profits. The MCO (the miscellaneous charge(s) order) is one of the options that will be offered for passengers volunteering to take a later flight. Even if you have not volunteered to take a later flight but have been bumped off a flight because the airline has oversold it, you are entitled to compensation. For the rest of this article Travel Voucher will be used to represent MCO, because outside of the travel industry, this is how it is most commonly known.
Airlines prefer Travel Vouchers because they are not a payment in cash, it is essentially future credit. Because a Travel Voucher is not cash, the airlines tend to offer greater compensation if you choose this option. For example, an airline may offer $100 cash or a $300 travel voucher. The compensation of course may be richer depending on destination, and how desperately the airline wants to get volunteers. In other words, the airline wants to avoid paying out cash, and although cash compensation is rarely negotiable, the airline may budge on the travel voucher amount if warranted.
Bear in mind that you are never required to volunteer to be bumped off of a flight. The best way to avoid being involuntarily moved to another flight is to prebook seats. It is important to note that not all airlines permit this, and even the ones that do have a threshold set where reservation agents simply can't reserve a seat number for you in advance. The percentage varies, but most airlines that allow for seat reservations cut them off when the flight is between 65 and 85 percent sold. If you are traveling on more than one airline, consult with each airline to see if you can prebook your seats. Even if it is an undesirable seat to you (a middle seat, seats that are rows apart when you are traveling with other people, etc.), at least it is a reservation and they can try to improve it at the airport.
The other way to best avoid being involuntarily moved from your flight is to check in as early as possible. There are some who will say you can get the best seats if you check in at the last minute, that they will bump you up to business class. This may happen in rare instances, but it is not a rule of thumb! Checking in at the last minute for a full flight often means a middle seat in the back row which is far from amusing on a long flight.
The tone of this should not lead you to think that every flight is hugely oversold, and people are being moved from their flights all the time. Certainly oversells occur more frequently at holiday times, but they can occur if other flights have been cancelled or if the aircraft has been downgraded (changing a plane from a larger aircraft to a smaller one). Even if you do volunteer to take a later flight, you may still be taking your original flight because a flight may break open (seats become available because people haven't shown up) minutes to departure.
But if your flight is full, and you don't mind lounging around in an airport, or traveling the next day it can be quite profitable getting bumped! One of my favorite examples of this is a day where I was the agent at the gate for flights to Miami during spring break. There was a family traveling, but they didn't need to be there until two days later. Well the flights were oversold the entire day, but there were four flights to Miami. They volunteered to be bumped, and did so for the first three flights, and took a flight out at 7pm after racking up $900 each in compensation. They were given lots of meal vouchers to pass the time munching away. It was a family of four and I don't know if I have ever seen passengers happier to miss flights than they were, but I am quite sure that they smiled all the way to Miami.

Favourite Holiday Dishes from Tantawan's Kitchen

FRIED BABY CLAMS (Phat Hoi Lai)
Take half kilo of clams (fresh), wash carefully and place in 1 cup of boiling water, stir around for about 1 minute, drain out the water then place clams aside. Heat wok with 1 spoon of oil, add a small amount of garlic. Place clams in the wok with teaspoon of sugar, splash of oyster sauce. 1 dessert spoon of Thai chilli paste and a pinch of salt, stir around with sweet basil, turn off heat.
Serve with rice and a vegetable dish.
Perfect with a cold beer or glass of water.

Congratulations to Alain and Tidarat on their wedding

Big family gathering for K.Nidnoy at the grand opening of Baan Hua Hin

Mark and Paul "out of the Limelight!"

Yah enjoying a "ram wong" at the opening of her bar "Jay"

Congratulations to Paul and Julie on their wedding

 
"let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low, into that kilt your belly won't go"

 
By strange coincinence Gary and Billy celebrate their birthdays on the same day again this year (left). The folks at Jungle Juice about to enjoy Porn's birthday cake.

Features

this month

regulars

stories

sports

golf

funnies

back issues