British Citizens - Register to vote

Every British citizen who has been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years is eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary (general) elections and European Parliamentary elections.

If you were too young to register when you left the UK, you can still register as an overseas voter so long as your parent or guardian was registered to vote in the UK, providing you left the UK no more than 15 years ago.

How can I vote?

Once you’re registered, you’ll need to decide how you want to vote depending on your personal circumstances.

Ballot papers can be sent overseas, but you need to think about whether you have time to receive and return your ballot papers by polling day. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy. 

For more and to register go here

New in Nong Han

So today I stopped off at the new True shop for a coffee.  Well worth it, and it could be a regular event when I visit town.

The new Tesco Lotus express, down the street opens for business on March 1

It's warming up...

The forecast is for a hot weekend with a feel like temperature of 43C, a shade under 110F!!!!!

THAI Airways International and THAI Smile are pushing a “Fantastic Thailand” promotion for travel to selected domestic destinations until the end of March.

To the Northeast: fares sell at Bt1,500 and Bt1,700 to Khon Kaen; Bt1,350 and Bt1,550 Ubon Ratchathani; and Bt1,550 and Bt1,750 Udon Thani.

Passengers can book fares and travel until 31 March this year.

Read more at TTR

Grilled pork may damage your health

Fumes from grilling pork a health risk for cooks and buyers, PCD says

Baht down on political violence and more business news

The baht fell 0.3% to 32.615 per US dollar as of 8.37 am in Bangkok, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It has dropped 4.6% since the protests began on Oct 31.

Read More at Bangkok Post

The Finance Ministry’s new plan to borrow funds to pay rice farmers through an auction of promissory notes worth 100 billion baht this Thursday will likely fail, as open bidding is scheduled on the sameday that caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must answer the charge of dereliction of duty in the rice pledging scheme 

Read More at Bangkok Post

Thailand Post parcel post at 7-Eleven.  up to 49 7-Eleven stores will offer what it calls the Easy Pack service across Greater Bangkok initially. Three delivery packages will be offered for services priced 109, 139 and 199 baht a box.

Read More at Bangkok Post

Domestic car sales hit a 25-month low in January, as the political impasse and late payments to farmers under the rice-pledging scheme weakened potential buyers’ spending.

Read more at Bangkok Post

New warning for Bangkok Residents

The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority has urged Bangkokians to start stockpiling tap water now as higher levels of sea water are likely to affect production in the city's east this week.

More bomb blasts in Bangkok

16 injured in bomb blast near Ratchprasong rally site - Sunday

Updated to 24 including three children

PDRC stage in Trat attacked, one dead

Gunmen shot at the anti-government protest stage in Khao Saming district, Trat province, at 9.30pm on Saturday.

According to the latest unconfirmed report as of 11am on Sunday, one was dead, a five-year-old child, and dozens wounded.

RGD5 Grenades used in Trat attack

The mother said the girl was playing while the mother was helping the girl’s grandmother washing dishes at the grandmother’s noodle stall.

Thai News

Scores of people injured in bomb attack during anti-government rally in Trat

Read more at The Nation

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has not returned home for four days due to security concerns and is believed to be staying at a "safe house" at an unknown location in Bangkok.

Read more at The Nation

Weather bureau warns of 'very hot' summer

Temperatures will drop a few notches before steadily climbing to reach a high of 43 degrees Celsius this summer, the Meteorological Department has warned

Govt cannot disperse protests by PDRC, Civil Court rules

The Civil Court on Wednesday ruled that the government has the authority to impose the emergency decree during a critical situation, but not to the extent of using it to break up the People's Democratic Reform Committee's (PDRC) peaceful and unarmed demonstrations.

Read More at the Bangkok Post

NACC to press charge against Yingluck over rice-pledging scheme

Latest from The Nation

The agency summoned Yingluck to acknowledge the charge on February 27 

15 Weeks - Free eBook

Witty, informative, often deliciously ‘tongue-in-cheek’ and full of typically British humour, 15 Weeks is recommended for travellers, would be ex-pats and those who enjoy light reading and a good laugh. Between Jun and Sep 2008 James King stayed for fifteen weeks on the tropical island of Phuket where he formed his first impressions of Thailand. He began to learn a little of what it would be like to live in Thailand permanently and he diarised his activities, observations and some unusual incidents which took place during his 15 week sojourn. At the time he had no intention of settling in Thailand permanently but did glean valuable information which he has developed in the years since. Although he writes from a male perspective the Author recognises that there are many female ex-pats grappling with the complexities of life in Thailand. So you will find many things that apply equally to women as they do to men. 
Further research, first-hand experience and some rather testing personal struggles have enabled James to write more extensively about Thailand in Volumes 2 and 3 which will be published during 2014.

DOWNLOAD FREE HERE

Customers concerned over rice loans

Customers are stampeding to yank their deposits out of banks perceived as having extended loans to fund the cash-strapped rice pledging scheme.  Read More at the Bangkok Post

Bangkok Crackdown sees several injured

At least two policemen were reportedly shot and injured and a protester was hurt in a clash on Rajdamnoen Road Tuesday morning.

The clash started at 11:20 when police opened fire at the protesters.

Gunfire has been heard sporadically since then with the police starting a tactical retreat at noon..

Read More

Somkiat freed from police's custody by protesters

Read More

GSB stunned by B30bn deposit run

GSB stunned by B30bn deposit run 

The Government Savings Bank (GSB) has decided to suspend further lending to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) after experiencing a 30-billion-baht deposit run amid concerns the loan is being used to pay for the loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme.

Police attempt to reclaim bangkok Rally sites ends in withdrawal

Police retreat from Chaeng Watthana

Riot police began pulling back from the road at 11.30am. They announced that their attempt to clear the site was a symbolic gesture that officials intend to reclaim Chaeng Watthana government complex...

Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order chief Chalerm Yoobamrung said at 10.45am that the CMPO would have launched crackdown on protesters had it not been prohibited from doing so by the prime minister.

Chalerm said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra asked it not to suppres the protesters for fear of bloodshed.

However, Chalerm said CMPO would be able to do something to deal with the People’s Democratic Reform Committee by the afternoon.

The Nation

Police on Friday attempt to reclaim anti-government rally sites, They choose the day when Buddhists celebrate Maka Bucha Day and people worldwide celebrate Valentine's Day.

12.12pm : STR protesters reclaim from police their rally site at Chamai Maruchet Bridge. 11.40am : Police retreat completely from Chaeng Wattana and Misakawan and Makkawan rally sites.

Read More

New Loei-Luang Prabang bus route

The bus departs from Loei Bus Terminal daily at 8am and the return trip from Luang Prabang is at 7am every day

Stay Mindful Tomorrow

Teenagers are being encouraged to stay mindful when expressing their "love" for each other on Valentine’s Day tomorrow.
By being ‘’mindful’’, the monk said young boys and girls should remember that an appropriate expression of intimacy does not necessarily end in sex

Aeon introduce ATM Charge

Aeon have apparently joined the other Thai banks in charging 150Baht for ATM withdrawals using an overseas debit/credit cards... And I was about to go to Udon to make use of their facility

Bus Times - Nakon Phanom to Koummane (Thakhek) Laos

Buses depart from Nakon Phanom bus staion at the following times, the fare is 70Baht:
0800
0930
1030
130
1300
1430
1600
1700



Friendship Bridge III is relatively quiet and immigration on both the Thai and Lao sides quick.  Both times I've been the only person applying for a Visa on Arrival for Laos

Travel Deals with Gulf Based Airlines

Etihad Airways has cut fares in economy and business cabins for travel on selected routes until mid-July.
The promotion sells roundtrip fares, inclusive of taxes and fuel surcharges in economy and business class ex-Bangkok. Examples: to Manchester (Bt32,225 and Bt95,745); London (Bt33,030 and Bt84,840).

READ MORE

Qatar Airways sells discount fares on selected routes in economy class valid to travel until mid-July and until June in business class.
The promotion sells roundtrip fares, inclusive of taxes, fees and surcharges in economy and business class, ex-Bangkok. Examples: to Manchester (Bt31,505 and 95,170) and London (Bt32,120 and Bt84,185).

READ MORE

In The News

Chinese company, Shenzhen Yitoa Intelligent Control Co, has terminated contracts to supply over 800,000 tablets for Prathom 1 students, caretaker Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang said.

The caretaker government has been dealt another blow as China has pulled out of a deal to buy 1.2 million tonnes of Thai rice amid a corruption probe.

Advance voting may not be able to be reorganised for Feb 23 as planned due to complications, the Election Commission says.

The Democrat Party yesterday lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court against Pheu Thai Party, calling for dissolution of the ruling party for pushing the February 2 election to be held despite an Election Commission recommendation to delay the poll.

RICE FARMERS plan to scale up their protests against the government by closing all main roads in the country tomorrow.

Crystal Hill Garden Resort - February Offers

Tesco Express for Nong Han?

Drove down the main street yesterday and it looks like we are getting a Tesco Express from the signboards

It's Hot

Having had unseasonably cold weather for too long, we are now having unseasonably hot.  37C today with highs touching 40C later in the week.  Back to switching the fan on.

At least it should improve occupancy of the Air Con rooms at the resort

British nationals in Bangkok cautioned on election day

British nationals in Bangkok cautioned on election day - More From The Nation