Karen child refugee school in Ban Ti is nearing completion
The construction of the school for Karen child refugees from Burma, a stone's throw from the border west of Kanchanaburi, has been delayed in recent months by the heavy wet monsoon. Now that this is a bit over, work has quickly resumed. The official opening will almost certainly take place in January next year. With thanks to Lionsclub IJsselmonde in Rotterdam and the Dutch Association Thailand Hua Hin and Cha am. However, there is still a shortfall of 600 euros.
Lizzy receives her Dutch passport for the third time
Time flies, but the validity of the Dutch passport has nothing to do with that. While adults only have to make the trip to Canossa once every ten years, for children under 18 the validity of the precious document ends after five years. That's how I knew the last time I was on Soi Tonson in Bangkok was five years ago. It seemed like an eternity.
Nearly 70 guests gathered at restaurant Chef Cha on Friday evening for Hans Goudriaan's lecture on the new tax treaty between the Netherlands and Thailand, organized by the Dutch Hua Hin-Cha am Association. That treaty will enter into force in the foreseeable future.
New tax treaty as of 1 January 2024 at the earliest
Extensive correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the new tax treaty between the Netherlands and Thailand shows that this treaty can enter into force on 1 January 2024 at the earliest.
Impressive farewell to a dear grandmother
Still sleepy, my wife received a phone call on Friday morning that her mother had died unexpectedly that night. Her primal scream must have been heard streets away. Khun Yai (grandmother) lives in a remote area of the village of Sam Ngao, known for the Bumibol dam), almost 700 kilometers away from our hometown of Hua Hin.
Chiang Mai, Rose of the North
Thais call Chiang Mai the 'Rose of the North' for a reason. This second city in Thailand has much cooler winters than the rest of the kingdom and is an attractive destination in many areas.
For now my belly full of Schiphol
For now, I'm fed up with Schiphol. Shuffling for four hours in an endless queue towards the plane and, to make matters worse, running for ten minutes not to miss the plane, has gone down the wrong way with me. Man, what a mess. But yes, I had to go back to our house in Hua Hin with daughter Lizzy.
There seems to be no escape from…
Last Friday I took daughter Lizzy sick from school. In the evening she had a fever of 39,5 degrees, but the next morning she felt fine again. I myself visited the evening drink of the Dutch association in Hua Hin on Friday evening, drank only two beers and was in bed at 10 o'clock. On Sunday the misery started with an uneasy feeling, some coughing, but otherwise nothing wrong. There was nothing wrong with my wife at that time. An atk test showed all three of us positive for Covid.
To know is to eat
What is a Thai without food and drink? A Thai's mood drops with his blood sugar. That may be one of the reasons we can fill our stomachs just about anywhere in this country.
Why not visit Amphawa Floating Market?
It is not the most obvious excursion from Hua Hin, but because a number of ladies from our circle of acquaintances insisted that the Amphawa floating market was worth a long detour, the alarm went off on Sunday morning at six o'clock.
Agenda: Drinks evening N/A Hua Hin/Cha-am with emphasis on Bumrungrad Hospital on May 27
The cocktail evening on Friday 27 May at Chef Cha will this time be devoted to the best hospital in Thailand, the Bumrungrad in Bangkok.
Bamboo School: lifesaver for Burmese children
What should become of you if you were taken out of a toilet bowl as a newborn baby? What your mother put you in because you were a child of another father? Where do you go when your father, a Karen from Burma, has been shot and your mother has left you somewhere? Is there still hope if you weigh only 900 grams at birth, without medical care? For very young children who no longer have a father or mother?
Kanchanaburi is only 125 kilometers from Bangkok. But what a difference. The city is located at the confluence of the rivers Kwae Noi and Mae Khlong. From here to the border with Burma lies the largest jungle area that Thailand still knows. Of course you must have seen the Bridge over the River Kwai.
The heavily clouded sky on the war cemeteries in Kanchanaburi on 4 May was an excellent match for the commemoration of the fallen in the Second World War. On that occasion, about forty Dutch people expressed their appreciation for the fact that thousands in Thailand also gave their lives. Dutch, Australians, English (just to name a few countries) and many, many Asians. They are usually paid less attention at commemorations.
Luc Toscani in Hua Hin 91 years: a life like a boy's book
When he reached 65, Luc Toscani thought: maybe I won't live to be older than 70, so let's not celebrate life too frugally and use up my savings… 26 years later we are sitting in his bungalow in the center of Hua Hin. “I never thought I would get this old. I now live on my pension and my AOW, but I am still better off than many of my contemporaries.
Phuket, the great famous
Phuket is the 'Jewel of the South'. It has everything the spoiled holidaymaker could wish for: an international airport, attractive and affordable hotels, beautiful beaches, impressive cliffs, many shops, the most diverse restaurants and an extensive nightlife.
Wednesday 27 April is an excellent date to celebrate, also because it is the Dutch king's birthday. It's also an excellent time to get rid of some unnecessary stuff.