Family Money: Horses for Courses

By Leslie Wright

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a young career lady wanting to make an appointment to discuss investing a modest amount of capital.

When we met, she started off by telling me that she had been a regular reader of this column for over a year.

After putting my boosted ego back in its box, we went on to discuss her situation and identified that her primary ‘need’ was building a personal pension fund.

She thought that her modest amount of capital would make a good start, and that her excess income over expenditure could be invested into some sort of savings plan to build up further capital.

"What a wise young lady," I thought. "I wish everyone were as sensible!"

After all, the majority of the people I’ve met professionally over the years have not made adequate provision for ensuring a comfortable retirement, and most had not given much thought to starting any sort of retirement plan until well into their thirties - if then.

Also, they tend to put aside what they can easily afford rather than the amount that is really needed to build enough capital to retire on comfortably.

I imagined I was going to have an easy time talking with her, as she already understood the benefits of early retirement planning.

A devoted reader

She’s read my Jim & Jane article, showing that the earlier you start building capital from regular savings, the greater the long-term benefits.

She’d read the one about how younger people will almost certainly not be able to rely on state pension schemes to provide them adequate retirement benefits.

She’d even read the one about Neil having started up a savings plan at a "comfortably affordable" level that would be woefully inadequate to build enough capital to provide for a comfortable retirement, and needing to save more than double what he currently was putting aside to maintain his lifestyle after retirement.

She understood the erosionary effects of inflation, and the opportunity she had to make her disposable income work for her by starting young.

A clear thinker

She had clear thoughts on her future plans (she intended to get married in 4 years time, and have one child three years later - although the husband & father had not yet been identified), and would probably remain in Asia for the rest of her life.

I pointed out that under this scenario, she would almost certainly need to take a break from her career plans while having the baby, so would need an element of flexibility in her long-term savings plans.

After all the common sense and mature understanding shown earlier, I expected her simply to agree with this suggestion, which I thought was obvious.

She started to look doubtful, and I got the distinct impression from her responses that she hadn’t considered the implications to her career of the latter stages of pregnancy and the early months of child-rearing.

No-one knows how their circumstances may change over the next decade - let alone in the course of the 30 years this young lady had until her planned retirement age of 60.

Building flexibility into a long-term savings plan is, in my view, almost essential, and had been addressed in yet another of my articles which she said she’d read.

This shouldn’t have been a major issue, since most long-term savings plans nowadays allow for changing circumstances by permitting you to increase or decrease your contributions, or even suspend them altogether for a time and start up again later.

It’s part of my job to take this and several other factors into consideration when recommending one or another type of savings plan to a potential client.

What is appropriate for one particular client’s set of circumstances and investment goals may be totally different from another’s.

Understanding strategy

We then went on to discuss the investment strategy for both the initial lump sum and the regular savings plan.

Since she had evidently read all my articles, I thought she’d be familiar with the principle of unit-cost averaging which applies to regular savings (but not to lump sums), and understand how this combined with the three strategic stages of a savings plan (also discussed in yet another article) can produce a better overall return.

Put simply, one takes on a more aggressive portfolio at the start of a savings plan than one’s risk-aversion profile would normally indicate, and in the later stages of the plan this is ‘switched’ to a more conservative portfolio to protect amassed capital against market downturns.

She’s read that one, she said, and understood the principle.

"So apart from flexibility," I asked, "What other criteria do you consider important with regard to this investment plan?"

Many potential clients don’t have clear ideas on what is or should be considered important when it comes to deciding what features of investment vehicles are necessary or appropriate to their needs, so I always ask.

I expected her to list the ‘usual’ ones like performance, security, and ongoing advice, and maybe one or two others.

But I was amazed at the answer she gave: "Not equities," she said.

This answer would have been perfectly normal from an aging investor looking to place a substantial lump sum to provide a pension for his remaining twilight years, but who did not want to risk his capital. But it was most unexpected from a young career-oriented person who was considering starting up a long-term savings plan with a 30-year window of opportunity.

"Why not equities?" I asked calmly.
"I don’t think they’re good investments," she replied.
"In what way?" I asked.
"They’re volatile," she stated.

Quite true. But I started to wonder just what level of understanding she had of my articles, wherein I’ve pointed out many times the fact that equities, while volatile in the short term, outperform bonds which outperform cash in the longer term.

In fact, the only way to beat inflation over the long term (bearing in mind that the current levels of inflation worldwide are at historically extremely low levels) is by including a strategically balanced mix of equities in a portfolio, as well as bonds, currencies and cash.

And the principle of unit-cost averaging clearly demonstrates how a volatile portfolio absorbing regular amounts of savings can produce a much better result over the long term than a staid & steady portfolio.

And anyway, as pointed out in one of my recent articles, when selecting the components of an indirect investment portfolio (one that invests through collective investment instruments like unit trusts & mutual funds), one has a high degree of flexibility as to which particular markets you wish to invest in - or not invest in - at any given time, with the ability to change the geographical distribution according to changing market conditions both easily, swiftly, and cheaply.

I asked my potential client if she’d read this particular article and understood this point.

Even if she’d read it, she clearly hadn’t understood it.

What, when & where

I then pointed out that I would be doing her a disservice if I didn’t recommend what in my view was an appropriate tactical portfolio at the start of a long-term investment strategy.

Taking on an inherent degree of risk at the start of a 30-year savings plan was in fact a good thing, and not something to be at all concerned about, provided one entered into such a commitment with the intention of carrying it through to maturity.

Inevitably this meant incorporating an element of equities if one expected to achieve more than very modest growth and beat inflation.

The question is not just what proportion of one’s portfolio should be allocated to equities (and bonds and cash), but in which geographical and sectoral allocation - which means which countries or spheres of activity (such as technology, telecommunications, financial or industrials) one chooses to invest in.

These, fairly obviously, are the ones which are expected to do well in the coming few months - bearing in mind that whatever funds one selects can be ‘switched’ to others at any time as market conditions indicate.

So selecting a set of funds - the ‘horses’ to pull your investment cart - is not a one-time decision.

When your ‘horses’ are looking a bit tired, you simply exchange them for fresh ones.

The replacements may perhaps have been looking very tired last year, but might have had time to recover their strength and vitality, and may well be the best performers in the coming 6-12 months, thus doing an excellent job of pulling your cart along for a while before they need to be replaced by yet others, as conditions change yet again.

The question is, how to pick your ‘horses’.

Picking winners

Most average investors tend to look at the past year’s performance figures, and pick the best performers.

Even some financial advisors tend to follow the same route when making recommendations to clients.

That may be the easy route to follow, but not necessarily the soundest one.

Anyone can look back at last year’s winners, and evaluate the best performing funds over the past 12 months.

But to predict which countries or sectors are going to do well in the coming 6-12 months is by no means easy, and cannot be determined by a quick glance at the newspapers or the evening news (on any channel).

My firm receives regularly-updated forecasts from 30 major international institutions’ professional investment management groups, and although their very jobs and future income depend on getting it right more often than they get it wrong, even they rarely agree with each other all of the time.

It’s then a matter of sorting the wheat from the chaff and forming a consensus view of where to recommend placing client’s assets for the next few months.

These recommendations have to be formulated very much according to the risk-aversion profile of the particular client, and whether we’re considering a lump-sum investment or a regular savings plan; and if the latter, how long is the window of opportunity.

It’s a matter of horses for courses.

Professional duty

Quite often this process entails explaining and clarifying various points which in my view are fundamental if the client is going to have any real hope of achieving his or her financial goals & objectives.

This of course involves my firm’s business and investment philosophy, which may well differ from a potential client’s viewpoint.

If a client has strong opinions on any particular aspect of investing, it is not my function to get into a confrontational discussion about it. We each have the choice of walking away.

However, my sense of professional integrity does not permit me to follow the easy path of simply saying "Yes" to all items on a client’s wish-list, which may - as in the case in point - be based on one or more fundamental misunderstandings.

In such cases, I see it as part of my professional duty not just to recommend an appropriate investment vehicle which matches a particular client’s needs, but to help that client achieve a good basic understanding of investment strategy and economic theory.

The client will then go away with a clearer grasp not only of how the recommended investment vehicle (the ‘cart’) works, but also a good appreciation of how the ‘horses’ which will pull the cart are teamed together, and what sort of horses we should be selecting for this particular stretch of road.

This is not because I particularly enjoy educating clients nor to show off my knowledge of the subject. On the contrary, the extra time spent at the start makes my job far easier down the road, and in the long run will take up less time having to go over old ground and explain things which should have been clearly understood at the beginning - before taking on that client with the inherent commitment of looking after him or her for several years to come.

Call it teaching some horse-sense, if you like.

If you have any comments or queries on this article, or about other topics concerning investment matters, write to Leslie Wright, c/o Family Money, Pattaya Mail, or fax him directly on (038) 232522 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Further details and back articles can be accessed on his firm’s website on www.west minsterthailand.com.

Leslie Wright is Managing Director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd., a firm of independent financial advisors providing advice to expatriate residents of the Eastern Seaboard on personal financial planning and international investments.

The computer doctor

By Richard Bunch

From Con Molam, Pattaya: I have a small problem, which I have unfortunately created myself. I had been experiencing several problems with my Windows 98 installation, I think having installed and de-installed many programs over a period of time. After much heart searching, I decided to take the ‘bull by the horns’ and reformat my hard disk, re-installing Windows 98 and the programs that I wanted.

I backed up all my data first and went ahead, all went remarkably smoothly and after a minor glitch with the sound card everything worked OK except the modem. This is an external modem, which was installed by a company in Pantip who I know have gone out of business, hence my problem. I have the driver sick that came with it but each time I try to install it, the system cannot find filexfer.cnt and without this the installation has to be cancelled. What is this file and where can I find it please?

Computer Doctor replies: The good news is this is easily remedied. I am assuming your modem is Voice View capable, the file in question enables file transfers to run concurrently with a voice conversation. It is not part of Windows but the files you require are available from Microsoft’s web site, in the form of a self extracting .exe called vvsetup.exe. The exact URL is http://support.microsoft.com/download/support/mslfiles/vvsetup.exe. Once you have obtained this file, run the .exe which will install the files in c:\vvsetup, after this you can install your modem and when the message requesting filexfer.cnt is displayed, browse to c:\vvsetup. This should solve your problem.

From Jim Watson, Sattahip: I have an old Everex tape backup drive that I use for backing up my data. It has served me well over the years but I suspect it is coming to the end of its useful life. I can no longer buy the tapes it requires and the software I use is DOS based. I guess I’m resigned to buying something more modern. What would you recommend?

Computer Doctor replies: I think you are correct in thinking your existing system has passed its use by date. With regards to the options now available, these depend to a certain extent on your budget. For preference, I would recommend a CD writer, an external one if possible as the heat they generate is best kept outside of the tower as the processors like the cool! If your budget doesn’t extend this far then a zip drive would be the answer. With both of these the media are significantly more compact and they are less susceptible to damage.

The comments contained within this column are not necessarily the views of the author or Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. Letters may be edited.

Send your questions or comments to the Pattaya Mail at 370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, 20260 or Fax to 038 427 596 or E-mail to [email protected].

Richard Bunch is Managing Director of Action Computer Technologies, providing total Information Technology solutions to clients on the Eastern Seaboard.

Successfully Yours: Bancha Mungchana

by Mirin MacCarthy

Bancha Mungchana is the President Elect of the Jomtien-Pattaya Rotary Club and it is easy to see why. He is a likeable, friendly, charming Thai who is modest and disarming about his achievements and those of his several business operations.

In addition to being an estimator for the Electricity Authority, he owns Star Real Estate, and is Managing Director of Pattana Electric Company (PEC), which provides different types of electrical supply, installation and maintenance services.

Bancha was born in Nonthaburi, west of Bangkok, thirty-seven years ago and life could have taken on different directions for him. He has one sister but his father died when he was six years old and his mother was left to take care of the family. However, it was his grandmother who stepped in to fill the void caused by his father’s death. "It was good luck I had strong grandparents," he said. "My grandfather taught the local villagers how to pump water around the paddy fields and my grandmother owned land which she leased to other people for rice farming."

"I was fifteen when my grandmother was eighty. She didn’t want me to be an employee for anyone. She wanted me to have the farms and start my own business, but I was too young. I said I wanted to start up by myself."

So when he was eighteen Bancha went to Bangkok and studied at the Thai Electricity Authority College for three years. The die was cast - accepting the inevitable, his grandmother sold the land and built a crematorium for the local temple.

Bancha came to Pattaya after his college because during his training he had spent some time in Phuket and decided, "I love the sea so much."

Initially he worked as a safety inspector for the Thai Electricity Authority. "We were called the Mafia office because we cut people’s power off. Now I am an estimator and it helps in the office because I can talk to the clients in English."

Bancha is still unattached but he misses his English girlfriend and how his house used to be full of animals when she was staying with him. She used to teach him English and after they separated he "Felt something was missing, so I joined the Jaycees originally, but I felt more welcomed in Rotary." The welcome is still there having been nominated President Elect and will take over the mantle after June. He appears a little overawed by this. "I’d like all the members to know I’m new and everyone not to expect too much or ask me questions I can’t answer," he said with a grin.

He "inherited" the Star Real Estate business from an Australian friend he shared an office with ten years ago. When his friend moved, Bancha took care of the business, learning as he went. "I did not sleep for a month, but I made money on the first sale and that carried me through, though now it is not so easy." Today he has two girls running the office and hires more casuals when he has a big project.

Five years ago Bancha started his own business, heeding his grandmother’s advice at last. He started up PEC with a Korean friend although the partnership lasted only a few months. But Bancha and PEC struggled on alone and is now succeeding.

Bancha also has ambitious future plans. "I would like to have my own big foundation to help people who have been involved in electrical accidents."

His short-term plans are no less ambitious. "I have been involved for a few years in research to legally supply power at reduced costs." To that end he is going to produce the equivalent of the British "Power Boss", using microprocessor technology to provide the cheaper power. He hopes that this will be successful for his budding PEC business.

However, success to Bancha personally, simply revolves around trust. "It makes me proud to have people trust me. Without trust, no-one wants to be involved with you." It seems as though through Rotary, Bancha has been awarded that community respect and trust already.

Snap Shots: f 8 and be there!

by Harry Flashman

The title of this week’s column used to be known as the photojournalists creed. In other words, when you are pictorially reporting, the actual exposure settings do not count for much - it’s the "being there" that is important. A blurry picture of some earth shattering event is better than no picture at all!

This was brought home to me the other day when I stumbled across a bushfire on the way home. Grabbing the camera out of the bag it was a case of rush up, point and shoot. Worry about the exposure details and focus later.

A good camera bag is worth its weight in gold!

So what has all this got to do with you? Well, I would like to think that you will be ready to shoot some event of incredible importance when you stumble across it. Imagine you are the only person there. How much are those images going to be worth? Heaps!

All it takes is for you to be there with your camera - at the ready. This sounds very simple, but in actual fact is not all that easy. The first item to remember is the camera itself. Carrying one around all the time can be a bit of a bind, and cameras and cars do not mix. In our climate, the temperatures inside the glove box of a closed parked car can easily reach 50 degrees Celsius. At 50 degrees, the thermosetting plastic that makes up most camera bodies turns into toffee. If that does not happen, then if nothing else you will fry the film and change the colour balance. In other words, you would be most unwise to throw the camera in the glove box and hope that you will be able to use it when you stumble across WW III and are the first on the scene.

What you need is a decent camera bag. Now by "decent" I do not mean the leather or plastic "glove" type that came with the camera, laughingly called a "camera case". The camera bag you need to carry in the car should firstly offer protection against heat and secondly, effectively cushion the delicate camera against knocks and bumps. This camera bag should have space to store another roll of film and additionally keep some filters. If you have an SLR system, then there should also be space for one or two other lenses.

Over the years, Harry Flashman has tried several types of camera bags/cases/boxes. Undoubtedly, the most practical has turned out to be the soft, padded bag with moveable divisions inside it. The padding seems to work as an insulator as well as bump protection, and it is amazing just what you can pack into the side and front pockets. My own personal camera bag has to carry 3 SLR bodies, 2 motor drives, 3 lenses, 3 filters, 1 flashgun, 3 rolls of film, the camera manual, a notebook and pen, several other odds and ends, a bottle opener and a bag of silica gel drying agent.

Now if you do travel a lot, make sure the bag you will carry on board the plane will fit under the seat, or in the overhead locker. There is nothing worse than being told that your camera bag with its expensive gear inside is too large and will have to go in the hold! And you will never see it again.

By the way, if your loaded camera bag is overweight (as has happened to me at Heathrow where they weigh your carry on luggage), all you do is sling the cameras around your neck, stuff any other heavy stuff in your pockets and then weigh in! Simple!

Modern Medicine: Throbbing Painful Thumb!

by Dr Iain Corness

How many of you have accidentally hit your thumb with a hammer? Or caught a finger in the car door? Or dropped a brick on your big toe? Just about all of us.

The clinical progression of the injury goes as follows - firstly severe pain at the site of the injury. This slowly settles but then returns as a dull throb a couple of hours later. The next stage is spreading bruising blackness under the nail and intense throbbing pain. The final stage is hot screaming pain, a very swollen throbbing digit and a completely black nail. By this stage you have either gone mad or have already rushed off to the casualty department for help.

However, there is a very simple home based treatment for your swollen painful thumb that will produce instantaneous relief. The equipment necessary is found in every household and the skills required are minimal. (You will not be taught how to become a famous surgeon by correspondence in these pages!)

The ends of all your digits are covered by a protective nail and that hard shell actually causes a lot of the problem. The initial blow ruptures blood vessels which begin to leak. That blood then gets trapped between the nail bed tissue and the nail itself and the pressure begins to split the nail away from the nail bed. Nail beds are exceptionally tender areas - this is why it is so painful.

The answer is to relieve the pressure by letting the blood escape through the nail. How? By drilling a hole, that’s how!

Now before you get out the electric drill, we are going to do this much more simply and painlessly. The equipment required is one paper clip, one pair of pliers, and a cigarette lighter. That is all.

Open out the end of the paper clip so that you have a 2 cm free end. Hold the rest of the clip in the pliers with your right hand, hold the lit cigarette lighter in your left hand and heat the free tip of the clip to red heat. Put the affected digit on a flat surface and gently dab the red hot end of the clip on to the middle of the nail. After two or three re-heats the clip will suddenly melt right through the nail and dark red blood will come out, relieving the pressure and the pain.

Is it painful to do this operation? Actually, no. The nail has no pain endings (or otherwise it would hurt to cut your nails wouldn’t it?). Just be gentle, especially when you are almost through the nail. The hole will ooze for some hours, so a strategic band-aid should be applied. However, your patient will thank you for the instant pain relief when you’ve drilled that escape hole! Happy surgery!

Dear Hillary,

I am a Californian guy living in Map Ta Phut and I have been very happy with my beautiful Thai girlfriend who has been living with me for just over a year. As a teacher I don’t make a fortune but there is enough for the two of us to get by. The problem began two months ago when my girlfriend Noi asked to borrow U.S.$2,000 from me to send to her younger sister upcountry who is pregnant and unmarried. Although that amount is substantial to me I agreed to lend it to her provided she would pay me back. Noi has a good job as a waitress and she agreed to pay me back. When I asked when that would be she replied in Thai, "Chart na don by by." As I will need this money soon for a visa run and rent payments I have begun to ask her to pay me back. However, whenever I mention the subject and ask her when she will repay me she simply smiles and repeats, "Chart na don by by." What am I to do?

Bothered

Dear Bothered,

Yes you are indeed bothered and bewildered. How long did you say you have been in this country? You seem to be ignorant of the basic rules of survival that all farangs learn hopefully sooner rather than later. Just for the record I will give you a quick run down so that life here will run more smoothly for you in future.

Hillary’s Three Commandments For Survival in Thailand

1. Never advance any money over $5 to anyone and always consider this a donation.

2. Never buy or lend jewelry, motorcycles, or valuables to any friends or relatives.

3. Don’t even think about buying anything in another person’s name, never, ever!

This is not to imply that Thais are dishonest, they are not. They simply have a different way of looking at things especially fortune and farangs. Many Thais are born with the unfailing conviction that every farang is a source of money tree and it is their duty in life to shake the branches and harvest the fruit.

When you have committed these three commandments to memory, then rush out and buy a Thai phrase book, and you will discover that "Chart na don by by," means "Sometime in the next lifetime late in the afternoon". So you see little Noi is not refusing to repay you, (although she probably considers she has already, you are privy to her beautiful body aren’t you?), she is merely keeping her options open. Hillary suggests you kiss goodbye to the $2,000 and start learning Thai.

Dear Hillary,

I notice that many Thai people walk around with a five Baht piece stuck in their ear. Can you tell me why they do this?

Ear Today

Dear Ear Today,

Here is your answer since you’ll be gone tomorrow. It is so that if they lose their clothes in a card game, they will have enough money for the Baht bus home.

GRAPEVINE

Dining Out: Marco Polo - a culinary expedition!

by Miss Terry Diner

The Marco Polo restaurant in the Montien Hotel has the reputation as being possibly the best Chinese restaurant in Pattaya. With that sort of rap it was time the Dining Out Team paid them a visit.

The Marco Polo’s Chinese chef, Khun Khajorn Rangpitakun (AKA Leng Yu Kuang), was on hand to guide us through the meal along with Khun Santana Sukhabut, the Executive Assistant Manager and our old friend, the Montien’s hard working P.R. lady, Khun Pornpimon Geybui.

Our party was given one of the three private rooms. Two of these seat ten people and one can take thirty if you have a large group.

In common with many Chinese restaurants the menu was enormous, but the Marco Polo has two menus. The first is for the Dim Sum lunches. I was informed that in true Chinese tradition, these steamed and deep fried delicacies are eaten for lunch only. (For those who would try lunch there are 26 choices ranging in price between 40 - 65 Baht.)

However, we were there for dinner and the 100 item dinner choices are very comprehensive. In addition, many of the items can be had in small, medium or large servings.

Marco Polo Peking Duck.

For starters we had some cold chicken fillet in Chinese wine, shrimp spring rolls Hong Kong style, a sweet and sour deep fried pork and fried shark’s fin with crabmeat and scrambled eggs. With each one there were the different sauces as the accompaniment which the attentive waiters indicated for the unsure diners (us!).

The sweet and sour was more sweet and "sharp" and quite unlike the standard sweet and sour concept. It was also sensational, voted one of the best dishes of the evening. The shrimp rolls were also very different, soft and "fluffy" as opposed to the next course that was the more usual deep fried Chinese spring rolls. The shark’s fin was wrapped in lettuce (similar in concept to Sang Choi Bao) with its own special sauce as well.

By this stage we were looking at one another and wondering just what sort of cuisine it was that we used to call "Chinese food". The Cantonese dishes we were enjoying were just so delicately flavoursome and exhibiting none of the bland "greasiness" so often presented as Chinese.

The next round was soup and K. Khajorn presented us with an amazing choice (sorry about "that" word) ranging from spinach and crabmeat, to Szechuan, Marco Polo seafood soup, black mushroom with bamboo pith and finally shark’s fin soup. My favourite was definitely the spinach and crabmeat. A luminescent green soup with a superb taste. This dish really brought home to me just how different these Chinese dishes really were. On its own I detest spinach! Yet, K. Khajorn’s spinach soup was the best soup I’ve ever tasted!

The munching marathon was not over - the Marco Polo Peking Duck was the next offering. This dish takes six hours in preparation and is roasted in a special Chinese oven. For those who have not tried this menu item, it is carved at the table and the crispy skin combined with shallot and cucumber with a black bean sauce and rolled up in a flour pancake. Again a magnificent flavoured dish.

And still they came... Fried and steamed snow fish in ginger, shrimp in a mayonnaise sauce and sea asparagus with oyster sauce and mushrooms. By this stage I threw away my notebook and allowed myself to be overcome by gluttony. What can you write when everything was just simply sensational?

We finished with crispy Chinese pancake with jujube paste - a plum filling that is not too sweet and again a different dessert. The finale was fortune "straws". Mine said, "If you are lucky you will get home without bursting!"

So is it the best Chinese restaurant in Pattaya? I have not eaten at better. It is world standard. Not cheap, but the best never is. Get a group together and have a "special" evening there. You will not be disappointed.

Animal Crackers: Monkeys

by Mirin MacCarthy

What is more fun than a barrel full of monkeys? A whole forest full! Monkeys are intelligent, familiar animals that sometimes look and act like humans. They are highly social and belong in groups in the wild. It is simply inhumane to keep them as pets. In captivity they can live up to forty-five years and as adults they become potentially dangerous and savage.

Fingers and toes

Most Old World monkeys (that is, ones from Africa, Asia and Europe) have opposable thumbs like humans so they can pick up plants and eat with one hand. Even better they can pick up things with their feet, too.

Gibbons

Two species of monkeys that live here in South East Asia are the gibbons and the macaques. Gibbons are found in the forests and are highly adapted to treetop life. With their long arms they swing through the trees Tarzan-like with great speed and agility. They live in permanent families of male, female and their young and they are very territorial, protective and argumentative.

Macaques

Macaques live in larger groups of six to fifty in a strong hierarchy. They are very social, spending lots of time grooming each other and picking through each other’s hair. Macaques are intelligent, large and can be dangerous. There is a world of difference between a cute tiny baby and a fierce adult. Unlike most other tree top lovers, some macaques spend much of their time on the ground.

Hanuman the Magic Monkey

Hindus in India consider all monkeys to be holy, and langur monkeys live on the grounds of Indian temples. One kind of langur, the Hanuman langur, is named for the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman. According to mythology, Hanuman came to the aid of a King to rescue his Queen. So to Hindus all monkeys are symbols of devotion. Hanuman has also been adopted into Thai mythology.

Exploitation

More than 100 species of tropical monkeys are endangered or threatened. Many are poached from the wild for the (illegal) tourist or pet trade. Take a stroll down Walking Street here some night and see tourists handing over 100 Baht to be photographed with the "cute cuddly creatures". Most are unaware that these monkeys are drugged out with amphetamines to keep them awake at night as well as Valium to stop them biting.

See them in the wild

If you want to see them in the wild without bars, there is a community of wild monkeys that inhabits the hill and Chinese shrine at the north end of Ban Saen Beach. (About forty-five minutes drive from Pattaya, six km past Chonburi.) You can stop right beside them, however, be careful as they sometimes bite. Many carry the rabies virus.

The best place for monkeys is in the wild where they belong. Do not support the illegal trade.

Auto Mania: Good Tucker

By Dr. Iain Corness

Autotrivia Quiz

Once again I got so caught up in word-smithing last week that I ran out of room for the quiz. If nothing else it saved me a beer. Some of you guys are getting just too good. Quite a few correct answers for last week’s quiz but first in with the goods on the American car with the Cyclops eye that turned with the wheels was our old friend Bruno Buergi from Switzerland. It was, of course, the Tucker, a brilliantly designed motor car from America. Its passing is much mourned by enthusiasts all over the world.

Bruno also mentioned that Citroen in France had a fling with swivelling headlights as well. It was interesting to know that the works rally drivers all disconnected the swivel on the Monte Carlo Rally because when you go into an opposite lock slide the headlights then point away from the corner! Another good example of an idea that looked good on paper, but lousy in reality!

Must mention that Peter Cabrey, a regular correspondent from Hawaii, was "nearest the pin" on the top speed of the Honda NSX question. 162 MPH said Peter. I reckon it was 165 MPH, but, at that speed, who cares. Well done both Bruno and Peter and I’ll send you both a packet of hops and sugar and you can add water and brew your own beer.

Let’s stay with Citroen for this week’s question. What was so radical about the braking system on the DS 19 and how did it stop when it didn’t have a brake pedal?

Alfa Romeo.

Citroen, of course, is a very quirky manufacturer. If there is a difficult way of doing things, Citroen will find it. Remember the 15 series with the gear lever that came out of the dashboard? Remember the GS series with the inboard front disc brakes that wore out every 6000 miles and took half a day to replace? Who could forget Citroen? If any of you have wonderful Citroen experiences to relate contact me on the quiz fax number (038) 427 596 or email me on [email protected].

More on the motor show

Last week I waxed on lyrical about some of the oddities in the Bangkok International Motor Show. One marque I missed was Alfa Romeo who had a lovely 161 2 door coupe on the stand. In Alfa red of course and a very modern and exciting shape. The choice of tin wheels with plastic dress covers was a bit of a let-down however.

Hearkening back to my comments on the dolly birds on each stand let me assure you that I am all in favour of dolly birds - in their place. At the presentation of a new car I would be much more impressed with a real automotive engineer who could tell me why this Mk 99 was such an improvement over the Mk 98 model. I think it’s called being "believable". Perhaps one day a bold and radical car manufacturer might even try it. In the meantime we will continue to have girls with sparkling teeth and sparkling costumes mouthing into radio mikes, but please, Mr. Ford, no more silver jodhpurs, OK?

Some of the manufacturers were being a little hopeful, presenting "new" cars but very outdated models. Holden was amongst these, and while the Calais is still a nice car, the VP on show is three models ago. Hyundai should smarten their act up too, the range being very drab and unexciting. The Tiburon could be a good thing if they dressed it up well, put a good set of mags on it, wide boots and wild paint. Try it and people will buy it, Mr. Hyundai.

Good Tucker

Since we mentioned the Tucker, let’s look a little further at this legendary motor car. The history and specifications of the Tucker 48 (or Tucker Torpedo as it was initially called) are very interesting.

Called in its advertising blurb as the first "new" car in 50 years it was the brain child of Preston Thomas Tucker (1903-1956). Tucker was a great fan of motor racing and a most inventive mind. He hung around Indy and worked with the race car designer and engineer Harry Miller, another individualist.

The Tucker 48 was designed in Michigan, but built in Chicago in a vast factory that is now the site of the "Ford City Mall" on Cicero Avenue. (Now that’s REAL trivia, for you!) The styling was done by Alex S. Tremulis and honestly, while "futuristic", it could never be called a classic beauty (in the style of a 540 K Benz, for example).

The car was put together by chief mechanic John Eddie Offutt, who had worked with Tucker and Harry Miller at Indy. See how "racing improves the breed" as somebody used to say in their advertising?

The specifications included an H-6 engine (horizontally opposed), ohv, 335 ci (4.50 x 3.50 in. bore x stroke), 7.0:1 compression ratio, developing 166 bhp with 372 lbs/ft torque. The cars were not small with a 128" wheelbase, 219" overall length, 60" high, 79" wide and weighed a whopping 4,200 pounds.

Despite the weight, they were no slouches, doing 0-60 MPH in 10 seconds and had a reported top speed of 120 MPH. Only 51 were built, but 47 still survive today, now 51 years later. Not a bad effort! By the way, they cost $2450 then and the last one sold for over a quarter of a million dollars at Auction in 1996. That’s certainly a hedge against inflation!

One of the quiz entrants, who only signed the fax as "Thomas", mentioned that a film was made about Tucker and his cars. There certainly was, Thomas. It was called "Tucker, the Man and His Dream" and was produced by Francis Ford Coppola and released in 1988.

A little more info for the Tucker buffs out there - he also designed a gun turret used in WWII, but his armoured personnel carrier was rejected by the U.S. Government because it went too fast!

Fitness Tips: Carbohydrate intake during exercise

G’day Pattaya. Fitness Tips this week sees the return to the intake issue. What can we safely put into our bodies to help us perform better and enjoy our exercise more?

Carbohydrate intake is one of the most important factors to consider when maximising exercise performance. Both recreational and elite athletes can boost the intensity and duration of their workouts by consuming adequate carbohydrate during exercise.

Why is carbohydrate so important for exercise performance?

As exercise intensity increases, the need for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) also increases. The breakdown of ATP provides the energy for muscular contraction and both fat and carbohydrate can be used to produce large amounts of ATP. The difference is that carbohydrate can produce ATP six times more quickly than fat, so the body relies more heavily on carbohydrate as an energy source as exercise intensity increases. The downside is that the body’s carbohydrate stores (glycogen) are relatively small and they can quickly become depleted. This increased usage of a limited energy source eventually results in a drop in exercise intensity, which is known to marathon runners as "hitting the wall".

Consuming carbohydrate during exercise

- has been shown to improve exercise performance by supplementing the body’s normal stores of Glycogen. Initial studies investigating the effect of carbohydrate on exercise performance focused on exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes. This was because the benefit of carbohydrate consumption was expected to be greater when the body’s glycogen stores were significantly depleted. From these studies, it became evident that consuming carbohydrate during continuous endurance activity could prolong time to fatigue and increase the intensity with which subjects could work during the later stages of exercise.

Recent research-on intermittent exercise and exercise lasting around one hour has indicated that carbohydrate can improve performance during activities that would not be expected to deplete glycogen stores or reduce blood glucose levels. This has challenged exercise scientists to review their assumptions on how carbohydrate improves exercise performance. The reason for these results is not clearly defined, and further investigation is required to asses possible explanations for these performance improvements, such as decreased drive from the central nervous system, or even reduced glycogen use in type 2 (fast twitch) muscle fibers.

In Summary, even though the mechanisms for performance improvements are still unclear, recent results provide new lines of thought when seeking to improve training strategies. One exciting aspect of the results regarding intermittent exercise is the interesting possibility that arises for very high intensity activities like weight training, where training adaptations have been largely sought in the areas of the training regimen itself or between training sessions.

Please keep in mind that Carbohydrate will satisfy hunger feelings quite literally hours before Fat and it is used by the body long before fat will ever be as an energy source.

So, meals high in carbohydrate not only will help you with your exercise program, be it long distance, lasting an hour or intermittent, they will also help you to satisfy hunger sooner. Thus ensuring you do not consume as much fat and that makes keeping ourselves in shape easier on our systems.

The best sources of carbohydrate are Breads and Cereals, Pasta, Rice and Potatoes.

Next week in fitness tips I’ll answer the question: "When are you burning Fat"?

Until then,
Carpe’ diem

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