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Dangerous swimming pools

Most swimming pools at schools, hotels, fun parks, condominiums and malls are substandard and put users’ health at risk, warned the Department of Health’s director general.

A survey found that more than 85 per cent had residual chlorine with a pH value lower than 5.5, compared to the required value of between 6.5 and 7.5, Narongsak Angkhasuwapala said Tuesday.

He urged pool owners to regularly check water quality and update results so that people know pools are well maintained.

The survey was conducted in 2004 and 2005 at 476 swimming pools in Bangkok and nearby provinces.

Narongsak warned that some pools used chlorine with too much acidity, causing dental erosion among swimmers.

He said another report by his office in 2003 found that 31 per cent of 139 swimming pools in 15 provinces had residual chlorine with a pH value lower than 5.5.

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Signatures collected to oust Public Health minister

The Consumer Foundation will submit 20,000 signatures collected from members of public across the country to ask the Upper House to impeach the Public Health Minister, Chaiya Sasomsap

The foundation’s manager, Saree Ongsomwang said Chaiya was accused of losing the country Bt2.4 million by revising the compulsory license for four cancer drugs in March.

His announcement caused the drug company that manufactures Clopidogrel used to treat heart disease to delay export of its first batch of the drug to Thailand.

Chaiya had violated the Constitution because he had revised the compulsory licensing of the four drugs before the government stated its policy to Parliament. He also transferred the top health official involved in the compulsory licensing without reason.

Saree said Chaiya’s behaviour was an obstacle for the health system and health promotion for Thai people and this was the reason why the consumer network will submit the petition to the president of the Senate on May 15th

“We hope that the 20,000 signatures can impeach him and will be a good opportunity for the Prime Minister to consider a Cabinet reshuffle,” she said.

“If Chaiya is transferred to another ministerial position our petition to Upper House will be ineffective. We are not worried because some of the accusations are still effective, particularly the damage that he has done to the country and we could then submit our petition to the National Counter Corruption Commission ” she added.

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Royal ploughing ceremony predicts abundant food, average water

Thailand’s traditional soothsayers predicted an abundance of food production during the coming year, and an average supply of water — with plentiful rice yields — in the royal ploughing ceremony, marking the beginning of the planting season on Friday.

The ceremony was presided over by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn; Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, Royal Consort to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn; and Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Charanthada Kannasuta, who served in the Brahman ceremony from ancient India as the Lord of the Plough, was offered three pieces of folded cloth of different lengths and he selected one of medium length. Based on his selection, average water supply, with plentiful food and rice were predicted.

The sacred oxen ate rice and grass and the Brahmin seers said there would be abundance of food and average water.

The royal ploughing ceremony is a Brahmanic rite, in which sacred oxen plough a furrow at the ceremonial ground of Sanam Luang. Four consecrated ladies carry gold and silver baskets filled with rice seed, which they scatter into the newly-ploughed furrow. Walking alongside the plough are Brahmans who are chanting and blowing conch shells.

The ceremony has been performed in Thailand since the Sukhothai period, some 700 years ago.

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TAT sharpens focus on promoting the Northeast

KHON KAEN: — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing to declare 2008-2010 as the years of tourism for northeastern Thailand to increase overnight stays by visitors in the region.

According to Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat, the TAT is introducing new tourism routes along the Mekong River, dinosaur fossils and cultural tourism in the Northeast, and Khmer and ancient civilisations of the region as part of the promotion plan.

The TAT also plans to hold tourism fairs in Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani.

According to a TAT study, average spending by visitors to northeastern provinces increased slightly over the last seven years from 1,497 baht per trip in 2001 baht to 1,546 baht in 2007.

The rates are still far below the national average of 5,000 baht per trip.

Tourist arrivals to northeastern provinces totalled 16.81 million in 2007 compared with 12.7 million in 2001, with revenue rising to 34.51 billion baht from 20.3 billion during the period.

Spending by Thai and foreign visitors in the region was also found to be not very different, in contrast to the spending structure in the South and North.

Foreign visitors to the Northeast spent an average of 1,931 baht per trip, with Thais spending 1,528 baht. In the South, average per capita spending of foreign visitors was 16,225 baht per trip, with Thais spending 4,025 baht.

Foreign visitors to the North spent 7,571 baht per trip and Thais 3,263 baht.

Mr Weerasak said the region itself needed improved facilities and tourism spots in order to attract visitors to take more overnight stays.

Sirirat Denvorapongsasuk, managing director of the Ubon Buri Hotel & Resort, said tourists mostly opted to use the northeastern provinces as the gateway to visit Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

She said the government should also help support the meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition (Mice) industry, since the major cities in the region could accommodate meetings of more than 1,000 seats.

Suthat Praesurin, vice-chairman of the Tourism Association of Udon Thai province, said the government should persuade more low-cost airlines to stop over at northeastern airports to serve visitors travelling to and from neighbouring countries.

He said Airports of Thailand Plc should cut airport service fees to support interested airlines.

The budget carriers Tiger Air and Air Asia had earlier planned to operate flights to Udon Thani, but later changed to Vientiane because Thai airport fees were too high.

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Radar crackdown on expressway speeders
Express warning

Drivers with a need for speed will have to find a new place to zip along at 120 kilometres per hour

Speeders driving at more than 120 kilometres an hour on expressways can expect surprise radar checks and heavy fines.

Driving at 120 exceeds the legal limit of 80kph, says Lt-Colonel Dussadee Sukarasape, a senior traffic policeman attached to an expressway station.

Police have relaxed the universal speed limit of 80 on expressways but are stricter with habitual speeders.

Last year there were 29,548 speeding offences prosecuted. More than 5,000 of these were by women and almost 61,000 were caught on radar checks. The fastest clocked was 272kph.

Motorists caught speeding face a Bt500 fine, deduction of 30 points and a 15-day suspension.

After a long grace period, speed checks are now conducted twice a day, twice a week - at both rush hours and non-rush hours. Mondays and Fridays are the most popular days for speed checks.

Locations and times of these checks are chosen randomly by different police units performing duties on three special toll ways - the first-stage and second-stage expressways, and the Don Muang toll way.

Advance warning

The officer says “speed checks ahead” signs will from now on be erected in advance to warn motorists. Vehicles detected with radar will be issued tickets at tollgates ahead. Violators are required to pay fines within seven days. They can seek picture evidence at police stations the day after.

Dussadee says a new type of radar, although not as sophisticated as those used by the Highway Police, also record pictures along with speed records. “With the previous type we used, traffic policemen had to write down licence plate details and descriptions of violators’ cars by hand,” he adds.

Buses and lorries with six wheels cannot drive faster than 80 kilometres on expressways and toll ways.

Sakdichote Mangsachart, 32, says he watches out for speed checks whenever he uses toll ways after being fined Bt400 for driving at 136kph - a speed he used to travel at regularly until the surprise

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Public Health offices in 8 provinces alerted to cope with tropical cyclone Nargis

Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsup Friday issued an urgent order to the public health offices in eight provinces to be on alert on the around-the-clock basis to provide help to people if natural disasters happen because of the influence of tropical cyclone Nargis.

The eight provinces are Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Tak, Sukhothai, Khamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani and Kanchanaburi.

The Meteorological Department announced Friday that as of 10 am Friday, Nargis was centred in the middle Bay of Bengal at latitude 15.9 degree north and longitude 93.0 degree east or about 350 kilometers west of Rangoon with maximum sustained wind of 140 kilometers per hour.

The department warned that the influence of the storm would cause heavy rains in many northern and central provinces.

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Massive increase in Air fares from May 9

We have just received our new price sheets effective 09 May from Eva Air, and they are applying what can only be described as irresponsible increases to all their air fares from next Friday.

Example of round trip fares:

Low season London economy was around THB 33,000 and will go to THB 42,500

Low season Amsterdam was around THB 28,000 and will go to THB 34,500

Low season USA was around THB 30,000 and will go to THB 37,000

To add insult to injury they have also introduced a weekend surcharge on the USA! Needless to say the Elite Class fares also go up.

We have no idea how they can justify this, considering that the Baht has strengthened against all currencies the Taiwanese must be doing very nicely thank you from sales In Thailand but there is nothing anyone can do about it except fly on other airlines!

Anyone who is holding a booking that has not yet been ticketed needs to complete the transaction by the end of 8th May

news bulletin from thaivisa.com

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70% of Thai women cannot achieve orgasm

A recent global sex survey found that 70 per cent of Thai women cannot achieve orgasm.

Others reach orgasm through masturbation or having sex with another woman, while 79 per cent of Thai men climax during sex, according to research by condom manufacturer Durex.

The survey was conducted in 26 countries and questioned 26,000 respondents about their sexual behaviour and attitudes.

It revealed that 54 per cent of Thai couples cannot reach orgasm, while Italians, Spanish, Mexicans and South Africans are the most likely to climax almost every time, at 66 per cent. Only 24 per cent of Chinese couples achieve orgasm and the Japanese recorded 27 per cent.

Sexologist Dr Pansak Sugkrakroek says most Thai women cannot reach orgasm because their partners do not know how to help them.

“They just care about themselves,” he says. “Making love is a kind of art that they have to learn so that they can help their partners.”

Pansak says some couples end relationships because they cannot help each other to reach orgasm.

Taking more time can have a significant impact on the quality of orgasms. Those Thais fully satisfied with the intensity of their orgasms spend on average 3.9 more minutes on foreplay than those who are not, he adds.

“Even though orgasms are not the be all and end all of sex, regularly achieving them improves emotional and overall wellbeing, as well as a bond with a partner. It can also help to reduce life’s stresses. Ideally, people should try to have orgasms regularly,” he says.

However, he suggests women should not fake orgasms because it could lead to conflict if partners discover the woman is not being sincere.

He advises couples to learn how to improve their relationship rather than focus on orgasms.

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Two Thais arrested for stealing and using foreign tourists’ credit cards

Two young men have been arrested for stealing and using credit cards of foreign tourists, a senior tourist police officer said Saturday.

Pol Col Samran Yindee-arom told a press conference that Wansawang Puawongpaet, 19, and a 15-year-old boy were arrested Friday afternoon in a Lotus Superstore in Bangkok’s Bang Plad district while using stolen credit cards to buy phones.

Police found Bayerscne LandesBank Visa card and Nippon Shinpan Visa card with them as well a Deutsche Bank debit card on them.

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The mystery of Thai actor Christopher Benjakul’s missing Olympic torch has been solved after he claimed that it was “snatched away” during the 19 Apr relay.Olympic Committee of Thailand (OCT) president Yutthasak Sasiprapa said it was all a misunderstanding. Once the actor had passed on the flame during the relay, volunteers had kept Benjakul’s torch in the coach carrying the torchbearers who had completed their stage.

Yutthasak said another torch, which was also ‘missing’ had been found. It had been kept in a safe place by staff of Samsung, the event’s main sponsor.

However, a city sanitation worker found an unclaimed Olympic torch, the 81st, in front of the OCT headquarters on 21 Apr. It had not been lit.

Eighty torchbearers took part in the 10.5km route in Bangkok

“I think the BOCOG (Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee) might have had some reserve torches for the Bangkok Leg,” Yutthasak said, adding that if no one can prove they are the owner, they will keep the torch in the OCT museum.

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