Thai's giving Americans real estate advice.

Fun post by an American tourist writer discussing real estate with a Thai business man in Phuket:

"...what's really wrong with the US is that we have no honor. Actually, that's not how he puts it. He says in Thailand the financial and legal consequences of defaulting would be secondary. A defaulting borrower would suffer a serious loss of face and incur negative religious points, or karma. Some real estate investors are still "making merit"--performing redemptive religious acts--for losses following the 1997 crash."

Songkran 2008 videos

A few Songkran 2008 videos that give you a pretty good idea of what it was like, if you were not able to make it:


Khao San Road:





Chaing Mai (?):





Pattaya:





Girls Dancing in Traffic:

Get ready for food inflation

Some stats from a recent article on a growing rice shortage.

• 33% Rise since January in price paid by Philippines for rice from Vietnam
• 3 billion People worldwide who rely on rice as a staple food
• 40% Rise in rice price in Thailand this year
• 19.2% Rise in consumer prices in Vietnam last month, against March 2007
• 8.4% Rise in food prices in the Philippines last month, compared with March 2007
• 854 million Number of people worldwide who are “food insecure”
• 1 billion People globally who survive on less than $1 a day, defined as “absolute poverty”

Is this a joke: "Burma warns of terrorist acts during Water Festival"

The Nation in their wisdom posted this story:

Rangoon - Burma's junta warned of increased terrorist acts during the upcoming Water Festival and the national referendum, claiming two "terrorists" had been arrested last month, state media reports said Saturday.

Burma warning of terrorist attacks, really? The government who used deadly force to beat down monks is giving out terror advice? Really? The Junta who keeps people suppressed is not having problems with terrorism? Really?