Expats view of current events in Bangkok

Interesting read:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 127308.ece (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7127308.ece)

[Thai Dyed]

Interesting read:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 127308.ece (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7127308.ece)

Isn't it great? At last, a touch of reality to brighten up our otherwise drab and all but surreal lives.

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
[attachment=0:2rbg1usa]Napalm in the morning.jpg[/attachment:2rbg1usa]

[krobbie]

Monday morning 17 May

Napalm is one thing but the acrid stench of burnt tyres in bkk right now... overwhelming.

Will write amore this afternoon when we have surveyed the surrounds.

[Beachlover]

Will write amore this afternoon when we have surveyed the surrounds.

So you'll be reporting from a morgue then lol.

That welsh guy, other than stupid, sounds like my mother.. always sending me to school no matter what!

I mean, there's friggin riots and all you can think of is taking your kid to school?? And then he decided it was not safe and they went to their beach house... well...DUHHHHHHHHH

Smiles, you are more aggressive and frankly stupid than a I thought. And what is disturbing about you is your bias. Apparently you don't even bother reading and using that last neurone left in your skull.

Good idea you cancelled that dumb post, maybe you realized you made a fool of yourself. I'm telling you, stop being a smart ass to me.

For those who can't understand this snotty reply, he posted a reply saying I was stupid for what I said in my most. Then he cancelled it.

[giggsy]

Smiles, you are more aggressive and frankly stupid than a I thought. And what is disturbing about you is your bias. Apparently you don't even bother reading and using that last neurone left in your skull.

Good idea you cancelled that dumb post, maybe you realized you made a fool of yourself. I'm telling you, stop being a smart ass to me.

For those who can't understand this snotty reply, he posted a reply saying I was stupid for what I said in my most. Then he cancelled it.
giggsy wrote:
thenorthguy wrote:
Smiles you obviously make up a large part of that 98% crap.........

northguy.. Smiles is one of the nicer/better posters on here.One weird thing about him though is that he likes to "have a go" at new posters. But if you give it back to him he usually takes it in good heart. Another thing I have noticed about him is that he likes to have a few tantrums about this board/moderators...but woe betide anyone else that does without very good reason.
ditto TotalNewbie

[krobbie]

So this current events in BKK thread is now about Smiles? He can stick up for himself, so leave the man be.

Now back in BKK and cannot small the burning tyres, as I had imagined we might.

All shopping area now closed. Not only Central World (from the beginning of the month) but now also Tokyu and MBK and anywhere around upper Surawongsee, Silom, Sathorn right through to Pratunam (sp?).

A bit of a bummer really as I had anticipated doing some quick shopping for myself. Not likely now as even night market has been abandoned.

There is a BIG sale on at Queen Sirikit Centre for all the stores in Central World, Siam Paragon area to try and divest themselves of some stock. Huge reductions but trying to get to Queen Sirikit Centre in Lumpini Park, that in itself is a bit of a challenge as you need to run the gauntlet or very close to. This is too close for most. Sale has been extended because people are not arriving in the expected droves. The first 2 days it was really busy but then everything went tits-up, with the Red-Shirts revolting (very revolting). We may try and get there anyway.

The protest has now turned into vandalism and looting. The protest has lost any credibility it may have had. There are thousands of tyres stacked up at certain places kept buring day and night with fuel throwing and more tyres. A rubbish truck, some buses and some police and army vehicles have also been set alight.
Cheers
Krobbie

Sirikit Center is in Lupinee Park? They must have moved it since the last time I was there.

Sirikit Center is in Lupinee Park? They must have moved it since the last time I was there.


How can we put this gently........................................

.................................................. .........................they moved it BECAUSE you'd been there.

:occasion9: :occasion9:

Posted by Wasted innovations: This was not the first time that I saw burning tires on the streets of Kathmandu and i know it wont be the last too. I also know I am not the only one to witness this. Burning tires has been like a fashion these days. If you want to make your voice heard, you've got to burn some freaking smelly tires. Needless to say, but this fashion has some serious adverse effects on health. I am not a doctor or an environmentalist, so I am not sure about the exact health hazards that burning tires cause. So I thought of surfing the net searching for Health hazards of Burning tires which i did eventually. And finally, i ended up with this article:

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_430xN.46014428.jpg

"Burning Tires: Health Hazards" by Thakur Amgai.
Source: nepalnews.com (VOL. 24, NO. 10, SEPT 10 - SEPT 16 2004 ( BHADRA 25, 2061 B.S. )).

As thousands of people resort to burning tires and other stuffs during agitations and demonstrations, they are obliviously exposing their body to the risk of getting cancer, experts say. The substances used in the composition of tires as well as those formed and released during the process of burning are very likely to cause cancer. Such substances are called carcinogen.

Tires that are made up of natural and synthetic rubber and petroleum products contain 17 types of heavy metals including bromium, lead, benzene and mercury and many other organic substances. Such metals are not only carcinogens but also lead to many other health hazards like poisoning. When tires are burnt, these metals are released to the atmosphere and can easily enter the human body.

In addition, the burning itself is an undesirable process for environment and public health. As tires are composed of organic materials, the process of burning produces harmful gases like benzene, styrene and 1, 2, 3-butadine.

Not only such harmful gaseous pollutants but very small particulate matters that can enter circulatory system of our body are also released.

According to Bhusan Tuladhar, an environmentalist, while fine particulate matters enter the respiratory tract and invite problems in trachea and lungs, the ultra-fine particles which can include the heavy metals go to the inner lungs and enter the circulatory system. The particles that have entered the circulatory system can go to any part of the body along with the blood and cause various kinds of health hazards. Mercury can cause penetration of tissues leading to the cancer of that part while lead causes lead poisoning.

The gaseous pollutants like dioxins formed and released during the process of burning is a very potent carcinogen. "In addition to the heavy metals, dioxin is produced during the process," said Dr. Toran Sharma, an environmental scientist. "Dioxin is one of the most harmful gases in the world and it is very harmful to public health."

Although a detailed study has not been conducted about the health hazards caused by burning tires in the cities, there have been a lot of complaints of respiratory problems when people are exposed to fumes of burning tires.

The oft-repeated modus operandi during the demonstrations suggests that burning tires has emerged as a major threat to public health. Tires are burnt at almost every intersection frequently to protest various things.

The threat to the public health is aggravated by the place and situation when the tires are burnt. Says Tuladhar, "Not only that the tires are burnt in densely populated area, there are a lot of people demonstrating around places where they are burnt. So, many people are exposed to the pollutants."

Children are more vulnerable to the risk created by burning tires. They breathe faster and take in more air and their lungs and other system is not well developed.

Seemingly the problem created by burning tires is a short-term problem. But it has long-term impacts in the environment and public health. The dust of the debris and burnt materials remain in the streets for days after being burnt and are released to the atmosphere every time a vehicle plies over it. People are re-exposed to such substances and they breathe in the particulate matters when they walk or drive in the streets even days after the burning.

Moreover, when such substances are washed away by rainwater, it also pollutes the water. The heavy metals present in the tires never disappear and it is hazardous to plants and animals in water as well. The water containing such heavy metals is unfit for drinking and cooking. It also disturbs the ecosystem.

http://www.gobroomecounty.com/files/pla ... tSheet.pdf (http://www.gobroomecounty.com/files/planning/_pdf/BackyardBurningFactSheet.pdf)
http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pol ... fage_e.php (http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pollution-pollution/outdoor-exterior/heating-chauffage_e.php)
http://www.awm.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/OBFAQ.aspx
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/ ... ment.waste (http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/may/15/environment.waste)
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/c ... xt=manuals (http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=manuals)
http://www.lungusa.org/associations/sta ... rning.html (http://www.lungusa.org/associations/states/new-york/pressroom/news-releases/2009/ban-on-open-waste-burning.html)