Joining Press Tour of Water Resource Department

On September 22nd-23rd, I had a chance to join the press tour organized by the Department of Water Recource. Pee Mor Suvit persuaded me, and Pee Prasit, his friend. We firstly went by plane to Surattanee Airport and then by the microbuses to Ranong to look at one project, Klong Bang Rint Dam before getting to the Hotel. The next day we directed to Pang nga and Phuket with the same buses. We stopped to observe 2 sites, one was the Village tab water supply at the Tsuenamee Victims Village at Ban Thoongrak, Kuraburi District, Pang nga, and two, the Ton chor fa dam for storing water at ban Bangnian, Koukkak subdistrict, Takuapa, Pang nga. When we left the hotel in the morning on the way to the Pang nga [Ban Thoongrak] we dropped by the natural hot-spring which was very well known in Ranong for the sight seeing. In the evening, we flew from Phuket back to Bangkok.


With the hand bag and a camera from home, we started the impressive journey with joys.


We were requested to hang a name tag for two days to know each other and to be identified as a member of the group. On the back of name tag was the short schedule of the programme


Pee Prasit and Pee Mor Suvit who persuaded me to join the group. They were almost 80 years old but still be very active. They said that if we had more working activities, lives would be fresh like them. We sometimes did not need the cash income, but we got some fun to know more people and worlds, let's get out and go.


At Klong Bang Rint Dam, it was also the fishery day. The tradition which they celebrated the day was dropping fishes in the bags into the canal. When the fishes were in natural feeding for a while, these would be one of the food source for the villagers.


People were crowded with the fishes dropping into the water. Thai people believe that, to release fishes to natural water as well as freeing lives, is a kind of merit. They will be happy to help animal lives.


Klong Bang Rint Dam, one of the Department of Water Resource Project. This reservoir was for human consumption and a part of water contributed to the farms. People were happy with these water and they must organize the maintenance programme for the dam lasting forever.



Mr Director General of the Water Resource Department [Dr. Siripong] Mr Governor of Ranong province and their adminstrative staff.


The dam which was the pride of the people around there. Water was always the first priority for the essential factors of living. No water, no food, no home, no clothes, and no drugs.


The future of these village. The children must be taught how to maintain the nature and acknowledging all factors to help them full healthy alive such as water and food.


The village guard volunteer. They were proud of the job with the strongly look uniform. It was good to help the community.


These people were my old day pride. They were my colleagues while I was working for the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Chinavorn, Ministry Delegate had been the filed crop specialist under my leadership before , and the lady was the Cooperatives Audit Director in this Province, by which I used to lead at Ministry level the Audit Programme for a while. I was so glad to see all of them again here. Thanks a lot everyone for coming to greet me.


In the morning next day, before going to Pang nga, we stopped at Ranong famous hotspring. I came here everytime coming to Ranong. I used to come jogging in the morning when I lived at the hotel near by. Saying that, I used to impress Ranong as a still very natural province. The atmosphere were among trees, water and hot spring.


Luck seekers. They were finding some tin mineral in the sand flowing from the upstream water. They told us they could find some everyday and the mineral particles could be sold in the market. There were some tin mines in Ranong, Pang nga Chumporn and Phuket 50-60 years before


Place to have a rest. This happy family came for a picnic very early. I guess they were ordering papaya salad [somtam] from some where. A man walking in the picture must be carrying some food for them.


Administrative team of Department of water Resource who came with us to show our news reporters that how happy the people were from their effective projects.


Now, we arrived at the Tsunami Rescued Village. The condition of the houses looked good. The houses were built by the Red Cross with a sum of people donation all over the world and a part of government support.


The sanitary conditions looked the best comparing to some communities in the cities. People must be happy to live here.


Department of Water Resource helped to set up the sanitary water for the home consumption. There were 2 reservoirs and the system to treat water and supply water. Villagers appreciated this project. From a grey cloudy day, bright sky came afterward.


How are you? Are you happy with the projects? They said that they heard of the government was locating the new sea bank reservation in this area. They might not be allowed to do fishing then. Fishing is their way of lives.


Other dam at Tonchongfa Bangniang Village. It was the additional dam from the previous village dam making by the forest reservation agency. This stream was for the fire protection, feeding the forest area, consumption, fishery and decorating the natural condition for sight seeing.


Beautiful view! This was the area for tourists and villagers to come. Dam helped the nature look was more beautiful.


Water above the cement dam built by the Department of Water Resource. Calm and cool. If we wish to be healthy and long live, we should live in this condition in daily life. Look! "catch the fish in the stream, it's fun"


This showed the steps of dam. This was the three levels one making of wood or materials in this forest. The dam may last within ten years and need to be rebuilt again


The down stream from the dam. It looked beautiful too. We could sit some where here and rest our minds with the flowing water. This water flowing will never return like our lives must get older everyday and never turn back


The hard working news reporters. They must seek for a lot of information to report the good things to the public. This few days, I was one of them, just being an observer. There was no media for me to report through.


Pee Maitree Limpichart and Pee Manoo Chanyong. Famous writers. I have read and addicted to their stories and articles for very long. Just to know them in this trip. Need not to say, I therefore was glad to join the trip with all nice and well behaved reporters.

Thanks Mr Director General of the Department of water Resource whom I have known for long before and his all staff for allowing me to join the group and serving me as same as all reporters in the group. I have learnt a lot and been happy to meet new friends. Thanks Pee Mor Suvit to create this idea to let me go and organize everything for me too. Chavalvut.

MINI CARS, Great things start Mini.

Long time ago, since World War II, people got to know about the cars and they become a part of our lives. Beside, some people have cars for collection and enjoy it.


This picture was taken in Pai Maehongson. It was a symbol of car in the past, World War II?




Sir Alec Issiginis. A Man behind a revolution. His first sketch of the car was on a napkin. He has carved his name in motoring history and transformed the way the world feels about cars. A man with a vision, he embarked on the mission to create a car that drives like a dream. And he did with the Mini. The rest is history.
[From DOMINI ION, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS MINI MOTORING. ION at ION Orchard Singapore. 4-13 SEP 2009]


In Thailand, MINI was popular and I have known about it since I was young. I remember it was called Austin Mini and there were Minis popularly on the road in Bangkok at those time. Then, I almost forgot it since it started to disappear for sometime. But recently MINI has come back again, I have seen them on the road not long before. I guess people have MINI for their collection too, and I noticed that the MINI lovers were formed as a group to meet and go out camping as showing in the picture


This picture was taken at Hot Spring Camping Site, Pai District, Maehongson. I heard that the price of a MINI was very expensive. Probably a million. This might be for the collection.


MINI displayed in front of ION Department Store, Orchard Road. As the story of Sir Alec Issiginis was mentioned above.


Beautiful words for Mini, from 1950-1990, they are " A sensation from the fifties, experience it once more." " Fall in love all over again with the little miracle of the 60's" " Come discover this baby in it's 70s glory" "Simply electrifying in the 80s. Now see it to believe it." " Set your eyes on another flying machine of the 90s."


Witness a legend reborn in the 21st century. This picture was taken from the Motor Shows, March 28th 2009. It was beautiful by my eyes


One Mini was parked in front of a hospital in Bangkok. Look proud as being a Mini


Splendid! Who the owner of the car was, he/she must have good taste.


This was not Mini, it was from the Motor shows too. It is my dream to own a beautiful car like this in the picture if next life is true.


This was even my impossible dream in this life. It was a beautiful and expensive car


Come back to the real life. This car was parked in front of my house a few week ago. A family still use it in daily lives


Mini is only in my interest. I really like to look at it. But, my day in day out activities deal with a big baby in the picture. HILUX VIGO now is everything for me. A poor car lover. Chavalvut

Going with Waste Water Authority

It was my first time to join the reporters to see the government project. It was good to get information and got to know more people in different careers.


Discussing between the reporters and the officers



On September 16th, I went to Om Noi Nakornpratom to look at the Om Noi waste water management pogramme with the news-reporters. I was persuaded by Pee Mor Suvit, my senior friend who is a doctor and is my university friend's brother. He now is a reproter for Dailynews.


Getting on the chopper for the bird eyes view looking. The water was quite darker looked in the target area




The Director General of the Waste Water Management Authority is Mr Tanong Tantiteeravit and his deputy for operation is Mr Suparat Itthipol who travelled with us from Bangkok.


Thajeen River look clean but we should take a sample to have a lab test





Finding that the waste water management programme of Om Noi Municipality with the budget around 2,900 million baht was approved by the cabinet almost 10 years ago but government have not been able to allocate money for this programme so far. As a matter of fact, in this community, there are manufactures about 70 and local households about 30 percents. As an industry community, waste water from this area will therefore be more serious than others. If these impurity water flow to either river or public reservoirs, they may effect to other communities and/or going to the environment, the heavy metal such as lead or cadmium can be absorbed by the animals and plants and then to the citizens as a food chain connection .


Grand ma who live by this river which is a part of her life




This programme aims at conducting the effective elimination of waste water by developing the water treatment and drainage system. When the system is effective, the member of the community have to pay monthly fee for the returning of government fund and the rest may be for the maintaining the system. The measurement of waste water are "Dissolved Oxygen"[ DO ] which normally it's value is 7 but here, the value is lower than 2. For "Biochemical Qxygen Demand"[BOD] should be less than 20


Mr. Director General and Pee Mor Suvit




The Waste Water Management Authority may re-submit this programme to the cabinet by the Board of Management through the headquater Ministry.


Lunch by the river after working. Mr. Deputy DG is in the middle of the picture.

Singapore, a place we should spend a holiday

PICTURES ARE SHOWN IN THE RIGHT COLUMN FROM "GOING TO SINGAPORE FOR THE WEEK END" TO "LEAVING FOR HOME. PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT CHANGI AIRPORT" PLEASE LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES TOO

Last week[September, 7-11th], my oldest son went to do some activities in Singapore and asked me and Tid, his mother, if we were interested to join him on the week end. We therefore went there between September 11-13th by which my son extended his staying over the weekend too.

We left home 5am by a taxi to Suwannapoom Airport for the 8.00am TG flight to Singapore. Before boarding, we had fish ball noodle as breakfast at the restuarant in the departure lounge. The flying time was about 2 hours, we then arrived in Singapore about 11.00am. [Singapore time was 1 hour earlier than Thailand] We took the airport shuttle mini bus to Elizabeth Far East Hotel as we had made the reservation before. My son came to join us at the hotel afterward.

In our first day afternoon, we went to Esplanade where there were big buildings and the coast area, the place for a walk and rest. One side of the coast was the large open space and other side was the Merlion Statue with spring water. people went there for sight seeing and taking pictures. The big open ground was the area for outdoor performance and taking rest.

Then, we went to the east coast where there were many sea food restuarants on the bank. We selected one for an early dinner. We ordered 4 in the menu[ fried vegetable, crabs, fish and rice]. They costed us over than Singapore $ 100. From there, we head back to Orchard Road for a little walk. I and Tid walked through the Lucky Plaza which we came here for the electronic goods before and wanted to bring back memory and then we went back to the hotel which was behind the Orchard Road.

Orchard road was the road where people came for a walk until the night time by which the big department stores situated. The very big ones were Takashimaya and NGEE CITY. Others were Centre Point, ION, Lucky Plaza, Paragon, etc. There were some bars, restuarants on the roadside where people came for drinks, snacks, and food. Besides, there were the public chairs on the walking path and the garbage bins where the smokers liked to stand there for smoking.

The second day, at 9.00am, we went to have breakfast at food court, Lucky Plaza. We had fish porridges. Then we bought the tourist cards for the buses and underground trains. It costed us $8 a card per day and extra $10 for each card deposit. With the cards, we went every where we liked. Firstly, we went to Jurong Bird Park. We stayed there until the evening. There were various birds and bird shows. The area was very big and the birds were kept with the natural environment. There was a big water fall there too. We came here about 15 years before but could not remember anything as impressive as we had here this day. At lunch time, we had burgers for food.

We left Jurong Bird Park in the evening, went to Harbour Front for the sight seeing and then headed straight to China Town to find some food for dinner. China Town including People's Park was tremendous and colourful decorated. There was a wide open ground area with well decorated for sitting on the flyover above the road similar to one in Hongkong. On the road at night were decorated with bright lights and colourful flags. There was one road which open restuarants lined on the sides and the tables lined in the middle of the road. This road was for eating not for driving. We ate some Thai style food here. The taste was OK for us. Then we bought some fruits and took a bus back to Orchard Road to the hotel. After eating fruit in our room, I and Tid came out to take a walk on the Orchard Road again. That night would be our last night in Singapore.

The third day which was the last day, we went to have breakfast at Lucky Plaza again. This time, we selected different kinds of food. I had hot sea food noodle. Then, we went to Habour Front to take the cable car to Santosa Island. I would like to admired Singapore to make Santosa as an impressive place to visit. There was a high tower on the hill, which was equal to about 50 storey building, for bird eyes view. The statue of Merlion was down hill, as getting down there by some long eacalators. There was a free ride bus around the island which parked at the beach area where people came for sun bathe and swimming. There were many open restuarants and souvenir stores at the beach too. The area, road and walking path around the island were well planned for the beautiful scenery, clean, nature friendly and practicality. Asked me if I would like to visit here again, I would say yes. For me, there was no place like that any where. We got back to the hotel around 4.30pm took a taxi to the airport and waited for the 8.45pm TG back to Suwannapoom. We took a taxi from Suwannapoom back home.

This was one of my impressive trip for the weekend resting. Actually, we have been to Singapore before, for me I have been there many times for working or attending meeting, but this time I had a complete holiday. Just taking time and staying as long as we like. No hurry, no rain, and no obligation to do anything. As a matter of fact, I think, Singapore is a good place for living. But the living cost is so expensive for us. This was why we made a very short time there. Chavalvut

Lonely days

Sometimes, I stayed home alone and felt lonely. After watching TV. and accessed to internet one day, I walked outside to the front door. Seeing a little boy crying in front of my house, I asked him what the matter was, why he was crying. He said he saw his father worked with the hammer, and he hit his hand with badly pain. I asked surprisingly that why this matter made him cry, he said at first he laughed.

Now, comes to the late rainy season. The cool season will start in early November. This time, it rains in Bangkok every day. Unfortunately, when I stay in door, the sky is clear but when I want to go for a walk, it is raining so often. God doesn't want me to take a walk.

Chinese day [Sat jeen] has just passed. Chinese worshipped the ancestor's spirits by offering the food for lunch that they burnt the joss sticks and made a wish for them comming to eat. It was the tradition. A lot of people believe that the spirit's way of living are the same with us particularly eating. Many Asian Nation Citizens act the same by offering food for the spirits. Some Thai people are even believe that when we give food to the monks, then pray along with flowing water and throw to the big trees. This method, the spirits will get the food. They therefore prepare food which the spirit like for the monks.

As knowing that, if there is a spirit, the spirit has no organ, no growth, and no digestion. The spirit can not eat. But the poor people, hunger need food. If we offer food to the poor or the hunger, our ancestors, if they know, they will be happy and admire us.

I don't know much about the spirits. But when I was young, I did believe in ghost. General children all over the world do the same. In case, if there are some ancestor spirits follow us in this world, we should do the good thing such as generous, kind, honest, positive thinking, and make everyone love. This way, I believe, our ancestor spirits will be happy for us.

I have got some coupons of Central Department Store for a gift in last new year. I intend to buy a camera and take some pictures for this blog. Please wait and follow this blog when you have time. Only problem is not being able to go any where because it is costly for the retiree with small pension to go out everyday. I intend to take my old pictures to have them close up at home.

A small child in front of my house was crying again. I asked him why. He said this time it was not his father but his mother, she told him to borrow money from me and he resisted. Now, I, kept away from the child, better got back inside and tried to enjoy TV film instead. Chavalvut.