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Your Health & Happiness:
Spa industry revenue soars
Thailand’s booming spa industry has seen
annual revenues soar to 7 billion baht this year, Public Health Minister
Sudarat Keyuraphan recently stated.
Speaking at an award ceremony on November 5 for 390 spas
and massage parlors which have passed the Ministry of Public Health’s
quality certification program, Sudarat said that the government’s strategy
of transforming Thailand into a regional healthcare hub over the next five
years looked set to pull in at least 100 billion baht for the country next
year.
Although much of this revenue is projected to come from
foreign visitors undergoing medical treatment in Thai hospitals, services,
such as massage and spas are also being used to attract foreign tourists.
Sudarat noted that the global popularity of traditional Thai healthcare
practices was now on the rise, with people across the world increasingly
recognizing the importance of a practice which deals with mind as well as
the body.
While the years 2001-2003 saw Thailand earn 3.6 billion
baht from the spa sector, spas have already earned the nation 7 billion baht
this year, generating employment for around 4,000 Thai nationals.
So important has the spa industry become that it is now
being included in international investment negotiations, with many countries
around the world keen to encourage Thai spa businesses to set up operations.
According to Dr. Rewat Wisarutwet, the director-general
of the Department of Health Service Support, there are currently 1,562
registered spas and massage parlors across Thailand.
Under new regulations, spas and massage parlors are
required to gain government certification, to be renewed annually, and must
be open for constant inspection by state authorities. The Ministry of Public
Health is also working to train spa and massage professionals, and has
already seen 9,188 trainees pass through its skills advancement program.
(TNA)
The Doctor's Consultation:
You know you’re better when you can pass wind
by Dr. Iain Corness
Some of you have expressed interest in what stimulates the
topics outlined here each week. Most come from yourselves (and a sincere
thanks to you, John Langan, for the topic you inspired), but this week’s
topic came from my own experience. Very recent experience!
I was going to head it “You know you’re better when you
can fart,” but knowing how the editor might feel this was in bad taste, I
didn’t. Even though this is more of a bad smell than the other!
I could have called it, “The oyster and my porcelain
friend.” The world is your oyster they say, but for me it was the reverse -
the damned oyster took over my world.
What happened was that my wife brought home a bag of fresh
oysters from the local market. It was no special champagne celebration, but
merely a bargain spotted and capitalized upon. They were lovely, eaten with
some garlic and a very small dob of chilli sauce. Without a drop of alcohol
passing my lips (true!), I retired to bed at 11 p.m. to suddenly wake at
midnight with my mouth awash, tingling in my cheeks and the awful realization
I was going to vomit. With an agility that would have made an Olympic Hop,
Step and Jumper proud, I hurdled the bed, jumped into the toilet and emptied
my stomach in the porcelain bowl.
I returned to bed, to repeat the Olympic performance 20
minutes later, but by now it was bright yellow acrid bile. And again 20
minutes after that, and on and on and on, with more encores than Mick Jagger.
The Olympic athlete at 4 a.m. was dragging a battered belly
from bed to toilet and return. It was time to forget about pride and my proud
boast of being “always well”. I was put in the car and my wife drove me to
the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.
It did not need a brain surgeon to work out that I had a
case of acute food poisoning, and one of those oysters would have been the
culprit. Diagnosis agreed upon, the principal treatment is fluid replacement.
The intravenous drip was soon in place, and some anti-vomiting medication and
anti-spasmodic drugs sent up my IV line.
In a daze I was transferred to a room where the angels in
white were waiting to tuck me in. There was also the usual bed in the room for
relatives of the patient, a concept that is not universal all over the world,
but one that I do strongly believe in. There is nothing more comforting than
to know one’s partner is there, caring and watching over you. Anything to
allay anxiety is good for the speedy recovery of any patient.
By the next morning, Mr. Oyster’s toxins had reached my
lower bowel, and their departure from my gastro-intestinal tract was aided by
rapid peristalsis. This is medical jargon for “the runs” and other
euphemisms for diarrhoea (“diarrhea” if you voted for George Bush).
There are a couple of schools of thought here. The one I
adhere to does not include something to immediately stopper you up, like
Imodium. The body (in this case the bowel) knows what is best and is rapidly
excreting the problem. What is important, however, is electrolyte replacement
therapy (the crystals you dissolve in water) to stop the body becoming
unbalanced in its electrolytic make up.
And as I said at the start of this article - you know
you’re better when you can fart! I’m better!
Agony Column
Dear Hillary,
Why is it that just when you think you are on top of things, whammo, along
comes something to knock you right down again. Everything was going fine,
had a nice girl, money in the bank and whammo. Girl gone, money gone. This
is not the first time it’s happened either. What do I do to stop being
bitten again?
Bitten Bad
Dear Bitten Bad,
All very easily explained, my poor Petal. You have been bitten by, what
Mike Smith in his delightful book Bangkok Angel describes as, the phantom
Bangkok Bum Biter. Everything is going well, but then, as you so nicely
put it - Whammo! What you need to understand is that since this has
happened more than once before, there is a certain lesson you are not
quite getting the grasp of, isn’t there? Since your misfortunes seem to
lie in women and money you have to first be more choosy with your
girlfriends and secondly if your money was in the bank and then it’s
gone - why did you give her the pin number or your ATM card? Or were you
going out with the bank teller?
Dear Hillary,
This is a bit long, so you’ll have to excuse me. I bought a house last
year in a nice village. The people I bought it off were very helpful and
even let me have enough time to get some more money over from England, and
let me stay in the place while I was waiting. They arranged the transfer
and all that sort of thing so I could save money on legals and even said
they would pay the government taxes. I signed all the bits of paper they
gave me and handed over the money at the Lands Office and we shook hands.
I have been living there now for almost a year and along comes this person
who wants to know what I am doing there as he says it is his house. I told
him I had bought it, but he said no, he had bought it and was waving the
deed which he said shows that he is the owner. I cannot find the people
who sold it to me and it seems as though my name was never put on the
deed. I think I have been conned. Do you think I will get my money back?
House Hunter
Dear House Hunter,
Let me ask you one question, Petal. Would you buy a house in England
without getting legal advice to make sure the title was in the name of the
person you were buying it from? Would you not check after the sale
transfer to make sure your name was on the deed? So why do you do the
opposite in this country? If anything it is even more important over here
to get legal advice when you are an expat and (most probably) cannot read
Thai. Go and see a reputable Thai lawyer (not one recommended by the
previous house seller) and find out where you stand. Sorry, right now I
think you’re homeless! Will you get your money back? Ask the lawyer and
also ask him how much it will cost in legal fees to try. Best of luck.
Dear Hillary,
We came to Thailand to retire. My idea was to have the time to do what we
want to do, when we want to do it. I don’t have to get up early to catch
the 7.15 bus to work. I don’t have to watch a clock till it gets to 5
p.m. so I can escape. That was the plan. I now find I have an even bigger
problem. My wife has turned our home into a sort of zoo. I could put up
with this if it didn’t mean that we have to get up at 7.15 every morning
to feed the puppies, or make sure we are home by 5 p.m. to make sure the
squirrel is in its cage. The whole idea of a relaxed time in retirement
has now gone. I have tried talking to her about this, but it falls on deaf
ears, or else she has to run off because the pigeons are laying. What do I
do?
The Zoo Keeper
Dear Zoo Keeper,
You certainly have a problem, Petal. I presume you have been married a
long time, so this behaviour is something new. Did you leave children
behind in your own country and this is perhaps the ‘empty nest’
problem? Whatever the reason, you are going to have to get a time that you
can have a sensible heart-to-heart with her (not with Hillary). Perhaps in
between the pigeons and the rabbits could be a good time. You are going to
have to state your wishes and needs very strongly. This will not be fixed
overnight. Perhaps if the animals escaped it might make it easier. They
were on the streets before, so it should be nothing new. More suitable
pets might also be an idea. Tortoises only need food once a week I
believe. If this doesn’t work and she insists on looking after her pets,
you might have to find a couple of your own. Buffaloes might be a good
start, some of them have very interesting families! Best of luck.
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Camera Class: How to get inspiration - without really trying
by Harry Flashman
Have you seen that advertising hoarding that proclaims
“Inspire the Next”? I really do not know what the message was supposed to
be, but it made me think about photographic inspiration.
Everyone should have a photographer whose work stimulates
them to greater heights. For me, these include Norman Parkinson, Helmut Newton
and Jeff Dunas, but the one photographer who inspires me not only with his
images, but also with his words, is Larry Dale Gordon, whose name has cropped up
in these columns more than once over the years.
Now, when I say that your favourite photographer’s work
should inspire you, that does not mean that you should rush out and slavishly
copy their work. Don’t laugh, I have seen it done so many times in camera club
level photographers who have been most upset when I mark them down for copying,
rather than being creative. How many times have I seen the kitten looking at the
goldfish in the brandy balloon, or the kitten hanging from a tree branch? Too
many!
When I say “inspire” I mean that you look at the work and
say to yourself, “How did he/she do that?” What this means is that you
should look at the end result and work out how you can use that technique to
produce your own shot. This is not copying, this is getting inspiration.
So why does Larry Dale Gordon (LDG) inspire me? There are
many reasons. First off, he is a self trained photographer, who believes that
the way to learn is to do it. Let me quote you from one of his books, “I
learned photography through experience; by putting film through the camera,
peering through the lenses, trial and error, and pondering every facet of light.
It’s the only way. If you think there is another way, or a faster way, write a
book telling how and you will make considerably more money than by being a
photographer.” These are very wise words. Cut them out and stick them on your
bathroom mirror and read them every day!
I’ve tried to see just what it is about LDG’s pictures
that appeal so much to me and I’ve come up with two basic concepts. Simplicity
and Colour.
Look at the photograph I have used to illustrate this
week’s article. A classic sunset shot. The girl in the meditation position.
The unspoiled acres of shifting sand. Unfortunately, Pattaya Mail is a
black and white medium, so just imagine, if you will, what that shot looks like
predominantly orange/red with the black shadows. It is a simple, uncluttered
shot with really only one colour in it. It is classic and timeless and there is
absolutely nothing to detract (or distract) the eye from single figure in the
photograph.
OK, so you still want to get a picture like this one? It has
inspired you enough? Here’s how. Find a sand or gravel pit. There are many
around cement depots, or in an old quarry. Find a homogenous background, one
that does not have houses, cars, trees and the like. But one that will allow you
to see shapes as the sun starts getting lower. We are looking for light and
shadow, just like LDG.
Now is the time for a “tobacco” filter. On the bright
sunny day, with the light behind or to the side of your subject(s) hold this
brown/orange filter over the lens and pop the shutter. The camera will do the
rest. Experiment with different colours to get strangely wonderful or weirdly
dreadful results.
The only point to really remember is to get the light behind
or to the side of the subject. You want the sun’s rays to be close to
horizontal, so it will be late in the afternoon. That is the time for not only
‘warm’ lighting, but lighting that will give strong and long shadows.
Amaze your friends with a dramatic monochromatic shot - and if you don’t
tell them about Larry Dale Gordon, I won’t either!
Money Matters: Oil gushes higher (continued)
 High oil prices and heightened political risk likely to remain a feature – The views of one of our analysts
Alan Hall
MBMG International Ltd.
8 bullet points about the
price of oil
The West is now less dependent on oil as a fuel and
energy source than in the past. Progress has been made in making engines
more energy efficient and much has been achieved in general since the last
major oil crisis in the early Seventies. Alternative energy sources are
being used for power generation and there is now even a re-consideration of
the role of nuclear generation.
The key point that often is overlooked in the oil price
story is that much of the price hike is caused by a jump in real demand,
much of it from newly emerging economies such as China and the Far East.
This is in many ways very positive news for the global economy, as it spells
the end of the dependency for the world growth on the engine of the US
consumer and means that growth can be supported without the need for US
consumers to take on even more debt.
Brent Crude Oil Price per
Barrel ($) - 12 months to 9 August 2004
Source: BBC
Some of this new demand for oil and oil products does
mean that the base price for crude oil may well have risen, since some of
the demand will not be cyclical. The explosive growth in car ownership in
Asia is a case in point. The need for higher levels of power supply will
carry on, with a new higher minimum demand for energy.
What the world has not done is invest in the
infrastructure to produce and refine more oil, having been lulled into a
false sense of security with the low oil prices in the 1990’s. The current
squeeze on oil supply can only get tighter in the longer term if these
emerging economies move rapidly towards similar levels of oil consumption as
we have in the West now. So we could now be facing real problems of
balancing supply and demand.
The inability to supply a sufficient quantity of crude is
constrained by capacity. This has become limited by lack of investment for
most of the last decade. Saddam Hussein spent little on maintenance or
exploration because of the UN sanctions but little has been done in either
respect in many of OPEC’s oil provinces. Now that prices are higher it is
once again cost effective to extract more difficult oil reserves and
expensive maintenance can be afforded.
After some strong political pressure on OPEC members,
when the price of crude was hovering around $40 per barrel, they did agree
to increase production by up to 2.5 million barrels a day. The oil market
fell back on this but the price is still trading away from OPEC’s previous
basket range of prices from US$22 to US$28 per barrel.
There is some concern in investor’s minds as the Saudi
oil minister has recently stated that the US$33+ price area is now
‘fair’, perhaps implying that we will not be returning to the lower
bands anytime soon, if OPEC can control the flows of oil.
One of the overlooked aspects that is perhaps worrying for the longer
term outlook is just how tight capacity has now become in lifting crude oil,
as well as processing and transporting it. Even Saudi Arabia, with its vast
reserves, is close to its limit for lifting now, without some new investment
in infrastructure. Furthermore, there is a need for some new exploration to
ensure replacement rates are continued. The only real underdeveloped oil
province, apart from Iraq, is Russia/Siberia. (Next week: A summary)
The above data and research was compiled from sources believed to be
reliable. However, neither MBMG International Ltd nor its officers can
accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the above article nor
bear any responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any actions
taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article. For more
information please contact Alan Hall on alan@mbmg-international.com
Mrs. DoLittle’s Corner:
A positive outcome for animal welfare
It’s not always easy helping animals. Sometimes it seems
more difficult than helping people.
This is because in most cases, even though many domestic
animals are being physically abused, there are no laws to protect them. In
other cases, even though an action is illegal, witnesses are reluctant to
report it to the authorities for fear of repercussions. Sadly in a lot of
cases, even the police will ignore the law unless there is financial
inducement.
 In
the past, Mrs. DoLittle has had to be very patient dealing with animal abusers.
Fortunately now there is a turning point for animals in Thailand. Not only are
many laws to benefit animals being included into the constitution, but also
some brave souls are out to enforce them. The Green Party in Bangkok promises
to fight for animal rights laws to be incorporated into Thai society. So at
this time it is possible to help animals leave abusive owners with the help of
the courts.
A few months ago a serious case of dog abuse came to our
attention and we were able to save the dogs involved from any further harm by
removing them from their legal owners. When Mrs. DoLittle first saw them, a
Golden Retriever and a St. Bernard, they had been so traumatized that they
refused to eat. It was their fifth day without food. They were so emaciated
they could hardly stand up. They had high fever. Their eyes were swollen from
mosquito bites and shut with puss.
Their condition was appalling. The St. Bernard hardly had
any hair. The Retriever’s face was swollen from being beaten and he had a
huge bald patch covering half of his back and hip. Boiling water being thrown
on him caused this. The bare skin was covered with blisters and sores. Some
were maggot infested.
They both were covered with many scars from knife cuts. The
St. Bernard had been attacked with a machete and had her tail chopped off,
leaving a short stump. She also had a deep cut across her hips, which causes
her to limp. The Retriever had abscesses in both ears. They both had crab lice
from dirty environment and were covered with fleas and ticks. Their bodies were
covered in weeping bleeding sores. They had both demodectic and sarcoptic
mange. They had roundworm and tape worm.
These had been valuable dogs. What owner could possibly let
them get into such a terrible condition? It turned out the dogs had been
purchased to be used for breeding to make their owners rich. However, the
couple who owned them did not get on. They fought violently. The husband vented
his anger and frustration on the dogs. Finally the couple separated, left the
communal home and left the dogs locked up in a cage without food or water.
After three days, the woman called a monk and asked him to
go feed them until it was safe for her to go back to get them. When the monk
saw the state they were in, he took them to the temple. He tried to feed them,
but they would not eat. After two days he came for help and Mrs. DoLittle was
brought to see them.
Always prepared with doggie snacks in my pocket, the dogs
were soon eating pork crackling out of my hand. The monk saw that as a sign
that the dogs should go home with me; however, he was afraid the owner wanted
them back because she had paid a lot of money for them. I told the monk that if
the dogs went with me, it was for good! The monk said I had to save their
lives. They would die if they stayed at the temple. He had no money for drugs
or food for them. He would convince the owner they were better off with me. So
that settled the matter, I had to take them. The dogs were renamed Danny Boy
and Mercy.
Although it will take months to heal their bodies, Mercy
will never fully recover the use of her hind legs. However, their lust for life
recovered amazingly fast. They soon learnt that things were different around
here. They could eat as much as they wanted, sleep in a clean cool place free
from insect bites and even get tucked in on a soft blanket with a chewy bone.
If there’s anything else they need, they can always bark for room service!
Life is not too bad after all.
The moral of this story is: it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks!
Life in the Laugh Lane: My most embarrassing moment in Thailand, so far
by Scott Jones
When I first came to Thailand, I was recovering from a
motorcycle accident. Little ailments like broken neck, fractured pelvis and
destroyed foot the doctors reassembled with metal rods, rubber cement and duct
tape. (The metal is gone but there are still large numb areas I’m sure are
filled with rubber cement.)
 Thai
massage was a mainstay of my healing and after testing an array of
“therapists” I chose a gem named Somsee. (A few of the candidates offered
to massage soft tissue in my pelvic area, but I declined these generous
proposals.)
With her tiny smattering of English and my command of eleven
or twelve Thai words (hello, goodbye, one, two, three, where’s the bathroom,
thank you) we forged a warm and professional relationship during my routine
visits, three or four times a week. After a month of massage and discussions
with the owner about how I could communicate my needs more specifically, he
loaned me a massage manual containing anatomy drawings to which I could refer.
Upon learning from the book that Thai massage has roots in
the yoga practice, I imagined Somsee could massage my back in one of my
favorite relaxed yoga positions, the Child’s Pose. (Imagine you’re in a
temple on your knees, forehead on the ground, arms at your side, praying to the
god of your choice.)
The next session I am dressed in the standard garb they
provide: soft, short-sleeved shirt and gigantic silk pants large enough for
several friends and I to wear at the same time. Near the end of the massage, I
mumble something in pigeon English, bad Thai and probably a few German words
left over from college, while assuming the Child’s Pose and pointing to my
backside.
As I hear a muffled outcry and a loud noise, I realize the
elephant pants have slid down to my knees, and considering I’m not wearing
underwear, the two soft cushions of my pelvic region are butt-naked and waving
in the wind created by the slam of the door and my fleeing therapist. After
shouting “I’m sorry” in every language I know, I hastily dress and
stumble through a red-faced apology in sign language. Embarrassed to the max.
That day I learned the absolute meaning and true origin of the word:
Embarrassed equals I’m bare assed.
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