A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[sleaguepunter]

First stop in Hong Kong after check in hotel is usually this

paiseh... where is this shop?

i going hk later in the month and will be staying near jordan mtr. anything or anywhere to do or go before hotel check in at 2pm? i taking midnight flight.

 

[sleaguepunter]

Som tam or me? :p

very interesting.

look like very good time to go thailand as it not crowded.

 

[yinyang]

very interesting. look like very good time to go thailand as it not crowded.

1 less competition from johnny, as he probably pass this with his suspicion on her gender :p

More reason to go, with junta buying our WC telly rights. Populist effort?

Junta to splurge on football festival
Council steps in after NBTC loses court case
Bangkok Post Published: 12/06/2014 at 06:04 AM
Newspaper section: News

Football fans are likely to be able to watch all 64 World Cup matches on free-to-air TV after the military junta intervened in a dispute over broadcast rights.

TV sales are up as always, but seem likely to surge on Thursday, as ecstatic football fans find that taxpayers are funding a hasty military junta order to show all 64 matches from Brazil, beginning at 3am Friday, Thailand time.

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) signalled Wednesday it wanted the public to be able to watch the games for free under its policy to "return happiness" to the country.

The junta's move came after the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) lost its court case to RS Plc, the broadcast rights holder for the World Cup. The telecom regulator was pushing to have all matches broadcast on free-to-air channels.

The NBTC said it would use funds from the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research Development Fund for the Public Interest (BTFP) to subsidise the cost of broadcasting.

Representatives from the NBTC and RS met late Wednesday evening to discuss the details. NCPO spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said the army-owned TV Channel 5 was also ready to broadcast World Cup matches in compliance with the junta's policy.

She said the channel would hold a press conference on the matter at the TV station in Sanam Pao Thursday, hours before the tournament's kickoff. Representatives from the Football Association of Thailand, sponsors, RS, Channel 5 and NCPO would attend the event, she said.

The live broadcast of World Cup matches is in line with the NCPO's policy to "return happiness to the public", she said.

Army deputy chief-of-staff Chatudom Titthaisiri, who is also director of Channel 5, said the station was ready to broadcast the matches in high definition.
Of the 64 World Cup matches, 22 will be broadcast on two free channels — Channel 7 and Channel 8 — as originally planned by RS. Channel 5, under the new arrangement, says it will broadcast at least 38 of the remaining matches, but hopes to show the full 42.

A source at the NBTC said RS had asked for 700 million baht in compensation for lost business opportunities, but the regulator told the company to clarify how it had arrived at the figure.

NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said NBTC chairman Thares Punsri was instructed by the junta to find ways to air all 64 World Cup matches on free TV channels after the Supreme Administrative Court ruled in favour of RS.

"We plan to use BTFP funds to compensate RS's losses, including for the 300,000 set-top boxes it is selling to viewers," he said.
RS was aiming to generate 650 million baht from the tournament, of which 80% was to come from advertising and 20% from sub-licensing revenue. Income from set-top box sales also provided extra revenue.

The entertainment company was told by the NBTC to estimate how much it would lose. It must declare its costs and revenue as well as business plans it made with partners, including sub-licensing contracts, advertising and set-top box sales.

Mr Takorn said the broadcasting subsidy and compensation to RS met the BTFP’s objective, which aims to provide basic broadcasting services to all Thai people, particularly the disabled, elderly and disadvantaged. The BTFP is also designed to help protect consumer rights.

The BTFP currently has around 22 billion baht in total funds, of which 11 billion baht came from digital TV auctions, 8 billion baht from the 2% annual fees collected from telecom and broadcasting operators, and 3 billion baht carried over from a previous fund.

Mr Takorn said the NBTC and RS will finalise all issues concerned in broadcasting the football games by noon Thurday. The first World Cup football match kicks off 15 hours later, at 3am on Friday Thailand time.

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled Wednesday that RS did not have to air all 64 football matches on free TV channels as demanded by the NBTC.
It said the regulator had no right to implement the "must-have" rule with the 2014 Fifa World Cup, because RS secured the broadcast rights in 2005, well before the regulation was issued in December 2011.

Judge Prawit Boontiam said the NBTC should have issued provisions or other measures to compensate or mitigate the damage to the company.
The measure may have included financial support, but the NBTC did not appear to take this into account when implementing the rule, he said.
The court, however, stated the must-have rule can remain in effect for other cases, according to the Broadcasting Act and Frequency Allocation Act.
According to Mr Prawit, the rule is still necessary to protect the interests of the public.

Some of the World Cup memorabilia seems certain to last for no more than a few days at most, but vendors like this one at a BTS station are doing roaring business as football fans line up for almost anything Brazil related in the last hours before the 2014 tournament kicks off. (Photo by Krit Phromsakla Na Sakolnakorn)
Some football fans suggested the NBTC should have joined RS in bidding for the broadcasting rights in the first place, or the state should have bid for the rights and broadcast every match on free TV like in the past.

"It's unfair for the state to spend taxpayer money to please a certain group of people. Those who wish to watch [every World Cup match] should pay for their enjoyment," said Narong Norpun, a 44-year-old office worker.

State funds should be spent for the majority of the people in the country, he said, adding that it was unfair for the NBTC to attempt to force RS into broadcasting every match live on free TV.

However, business entrepreneur Ekkaphong Hemhongsa, 31, praised the NBTC's effort to protect the public interest. Despite his passion for football, he said the verdict was fair enough for RS, which had already paid a fortune to acquire the rights to broadcast the World Cup.

 

[johnny333]

Welcome Johnny welcome

Need a break from "you die your business" and join the "Happiness" campaign the generals are pushing in LOS

 

[Gostan]

Som tam or me? :p

May I know which part of Thailand is this stall located? I think the salad looks good.

 

[yinyang]

which part of Thailand is this stall located? I think the salad looks good.

Search me. Such stalls abound everywhere in LOS. Or you more keen on the lady, over salad? Also plenty too.:p

 

[tonychat]

Search me. Such stalls abound everywhere in LOS. Or you more keen on the lady, over salad? Also plenty too.:p

He prefers breast-lad.

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

paiseh... where is this shop?

i going hk later in the month and will be staying near jordan mtr. anything or anywhere to do or go before hotel check in at 2pm? i taking midnight flight.

Around Jordan area is also the Temple Street area so its full of makan. I normally here on business so not sure what really to do around here except for eating and walking in Temple Street at night. There is also a street "wet market" near Shanghai Road which I love to walk around to see the daily life of Hongkongers, very interesting. The wonton noodle restaurant address can be found here http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...eviews-Mak_Man_Kee_Noodle_Shop-Hong_Kong.html

 

[Froggy]

Good morning, going to Wanchai for meeting but must stop by somewhere for breakfast first

This is what greets guests in the lift every morning in the hotel


The lobby


The hotel


Jordan Road in the morning


Breakfast time


The restaurant


Lor Mai Gai and Siew Mai and tea




Total HG$51 or around S$8.50 (The lor-mai-gai and siew mai is HK$24 each or $$4)

 

[Froggy]

Two shops away fro the Mak Mun noodle shop is the Mak's Noodle Shop (heard they are bros) - you could actually see the Mak Mun shop in this photo



Went there last night

Wonton Noodle


水饺汤


This is probably more famous among foreigners but Hongkongers will prefer the Mak Mun. I personally go witht he locals as Mak Mun's soup is tastier and the wonton is nicer too and bigger.

This shop Mak's noodle shop has got 3 other branches while for Mak Mun this is the only shop.

 

[tonychat]

Good morning, going to Wanchai for meeting but must stop by somewhere for breakfast first

The lobby

This is the Ang-Moh-are-the-best lobby.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Around Jordan area is also the Temple Street area so its full of makan. I normally here on business so not sure what really to do around here except for eating and walking in Temple Street at night. There is also a street "wet market" near Shanghai Road which I love to walk around to see the daily life of Hongkongers, very interesting. The wonton noodle restaurant address can be found here http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...eviews-Mak_Man_Kee_Noodle_Shop-Hong_Kong.html

i recently watched young and dangerous reloaded. Very lousy movie and none of them can compare to the original characters. All of them just lack the "sey" Both the good and the bad guys. Chan ho nam doesn't even stand out from the rest. In the original series you could see he was the leader in the reloaded movie he just looks gay.

Did you see any gu wang zhais around aka HK ah bengs.

 

[Froggy]

i recently watched young and dangerous reloaded. Very lousy movie and none of them can compare to the original characters. All of them just lack the "sey" Both the good and the bad guys. Chan ho nam doesn't even stand out from the rest. In the original series you could see he was the leader in the reloaded movie he just looks gay.

Did you see any gu wang zhais around aka HK ah bengs.

I saw many ah beng in night markets selling stuffs.

 

[Froggy]

Typical Hong Kong breakfast

Porridge, fried noodles, carrot cake, chee cheong fun, yiu-tiao


Chee cheong fan wrapping yew char kway


Carrot cake

 

[Froggy]

Hongkongers lover their old style street food that they call dai-pai-tong (大排档) which can still be found in many places but mostly in shops like our coffeeshops. 東寶小館 is like a 大排档 with a twist, its aircon but the food is very creative like restaurant style. It's been around for more than 10 years and popular among both locals and expats

Address: 99 Java Rd, Hong Kong

Phone:+852 2880 5224
MTR Station: Northpoint
Operating: 6pm to 2am







[video=youtube;BZA8nRd3R58]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZA8nRd3R58[/video]

Bringal and meu-cai


Harbin Beer


Steamed Matis Prawn


Signature dish - fried chicken


Vege with soup


Pork rib


Seabass Thai Style




Rice in lotus leaf cooked with roast duck sauce

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Apple hong sinkie mediacock actress from mudland with taksin.

I wonder how did she meet him and was it at an event but from the picture it seems like she saw him on the street

 

[Froggy]

Found a pretty good Teochew restaurant at Harbour City (海港城), ChefMaster Chiuchow Restaurant, was there for lunch today.

Nice pickle


Cold crab


Fish maw soup


Braised goose


Boiled yellow chicken


Oyster boiled rice


Braised mixed vege


Or-nee

 

[Froggy]

TG's Hong Kong lounge is probably their best outside Bangkok. Not just the food variety but also the comfort and nice design

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Do they accept chinese yuan or HK dollar?