HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Family Money

Snap Shot

Modern Medicine

Heart to Heart with Hillary

A Slice of Thai History

Bits ‘n’ Bobs

Personal Directions

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

Women’s World

Harvest season - Critical time for winemakers

Family Money: Fixed Interest Securities

By Leslie Wright,
Managing director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd.

Some investors are confused by the term ‘fixed interest security’, imagining this is something like a bank account except that it pays out a regular fixed rate of interest. Well, not quite.

Fixed interest securities are actually debt instruments. Issued for a short, medium or long period, and backed by a government, state, municipality, or corporation, the security of this type of investment depends on the strength and credibility of the backer (who is really the borrower) and that backer’s ability to repay the debt at maturity, and in the meantime, the fixed interest each time this becomes due.

When a government wants to build a new airport, for instance, they ‘float’ an issue of bonds, which effectively are promissory notes to the public, promising to repay the principal after a certain number of years, and to pay a fixed rate of interest in the meantime. This is where the ‘fixed’ element comes in. At regular intervals throughout the term of the bond, a dividend is paid, which is a fixed amount of money, but a fixed percentage only in relation to the original face value of the bond.

When the yield from bonds is better than from cash, people are willing to pay a premium to acquire them. When interest rates are high, bonds are eschewed in favour of cash. Bonds are therefore tradable commodities, and can be held directly or indirectly through a wide range of bond funds.

From the beginning of 2000 until June 30 2002, UK government bonds (which are often called “gilts” because the bond certificate has a gold (or gilt) edge to it produced a return of 15.1% and corporate bonds a return of 18.3%. This compares to a UK equity return of 25.7%. So it is unsurprising if you, along with many other investors, have been taking a close look at fixed income - an asset class generally thought to be safer than equities but providing a higher long-term return than cash.

The main advantage of investing in bonds is that they provide regular income and certainty of cash flow over the short, medium or long-term. If a bond is held to maturity, an investor can lock in a return and will not be exposed to cuts in interest rates, which could affect cash returns. Bonds also allow investors to diversify away from equity markets as the two asset classes respond differently to distinct stages of the business cycle. Also, by paying fixed amounts of interest, or ‘coupons’, bonds are a useful tool for those investors who have regular payments to make, such as school fees.

But there are risks involved. Should the bond not be held to maturity, the sensitive relationship between bond prices and interest rates may lead to a loss in real terms to the investor. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. Credit and default risk - the risk of the bond issuer defaulting on its obligations to make the regular interest payments or repay the principal sum - applies more to corporate bonds, but is still an important consideration. And for those investing in foreign bonds, there is the risk of currency movements.

However, even with all these issues, over the long term the risk of bonds is still lower than equities. Of course, this also means that the potential for long-term returns is also lower. But in the current market, UK gilts are available at attractive yields of around 5%, and relatively safe corporate bonds offer yields as high as 6.5%.

Strong demand, reduced borrowing by governments and stable inflation have impacted yields available from government debt so that they are at lows not seen for over 30 years. In this environment, it is a natural step to consider investment in higher-yielding corporate, or non-government, issues.

When investing in corporate bonds, studying the credit risk becomes a vital factor. The most common reference when assessing this risk is to one of the ratings agencies, usually Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s. Triple A is the highest grade a bond can be given and C is the lowest (“junk”). The term “investment grade” refers to bonds issued with ratings of triple B or above, and those below this grade are referred to as “speculative”. If a bond has a rating of D then it has defaulted.

Although the default rate for investment grade bonds is extremely low, there is a huge gulf between investment grade and sub-investment grade debt in defaults. As a result, most investors limit their exposure to triple B and above. Currently, 10-year BBB debt offers yield premiums over government bonds of around 1.5% a year - an attractive option.

Following shocks to the markets such as the Enron and WorldCom revelations, the corporate bond market is nervous: even single A rated stocks are being treated with caution. But this means corporate bonds have cheapened significantly, so now could be a good time to start adding them to an investment portfolio.

Bear in mind that unlike equities, where profits as well as losses can be high, corporate bonds have an asymmetric risk/reward profile. This means they only produce small, incremental gains over time and it is not possible to make a fortune from investing in corporate bonds as could happen in the equity market.

As with equities, there are two ways of gaining exposure to the fixed income market: buying direct holdings; or via pooled vehicles. The average annual cost of investing in a bond fund will be between 0.5% and 1%; for a similar equity fund this would be between 1% and 1.5%. Direct investment in bonds is an option for large portfolios but requires a large number of holdings to diversify individual issuer risk, particularly for corporate bonds. Pooled funds generally offer the best solution.

So, is now the time to switch from equities to bonds? The exact mix of bonds within a portfolio depends on the requirements of the investor and economic conditions. Presently, bonds appear to be fair value in Europe and moderately expensive in the US. Should the equity markets stabilise and rally, then bonds are likely to be relatively poor performers. However, if equity markets continue to fall then the lack of confidence in equities may mean that bonds will perform very well.

Snap Shot: Take the camera traveling

by Harry Flashman

Most people do remember to throw the camera in the bag when traveling overseas, but do you remember to take it into town? Remember that you are living in a city that tourists save for 11 months just to be able to get here. They find subjects to photograph here and so should you. This week, let’s look at a few specific examples of “how to” when you are looking to record those “once in a lifetime” images.

Every city, town or village anywhere has its parades. And there are plenty of them here. Now, have you ever tried to record the parade? It is actually very difficult. The naked eye sees a long procession of musicians, marchers and the like as they pass by, but the camera sees only one slice of the action about 1/60th of a second long!

There is only one secret word for parades, and that’s Height. You have to get a high viewpoint to successfully record the action, and preferably use a long lens. By shooting down the oncoming procession you will get several squads of musicians, marchers etc all on the one frame of film. By using the telephoto lens you “compress” the action and get more in the one photographic frame. Honestly, if you can’t get up high don’t take parades. You will be disappointed with all ground level shots.

All tourist towns have their nightlife, and we have the odd nocturnal events and places. Lots of lights, neon signs and flood-lit fountains are the norm for this type of photograph. The secret here is a Wide angle lens with an aperture down around f 1.8 and some “fast” film. This is the time to get some 800 ASA film, or 400 ASA at least. The other secret is not to use your flash. Now I fully realize that this is photography after dark, but the whole concept is to let the attractions provide the illumination, rather than blasting it with your flash burst. If you try and take neon light using flash you will totally wash out the neon and again get very disappointing results.

One of the more challenging travel situations is the summer beach holiday. It is very difficult to photograph the beach and not end up with a washed out look in the final photographs. The secret here is a Polarizing filter and the time of day you shoot. This is where the Polarizer works so well, especially with the glare from the sand. The Polarizer will also give you a blue sky to contrast the yellow sand. The time of day is also just as important. Shoot early morning or late afternoon when the sun’s rays are skimming across the beach and the tracks and ridges in the sand will show up as shadows.

Some of you will be exponents of the wilderness type holiday, trekking and camping and taking in the vast grandeur of breathtaking natural wonders. The secret here is a wide angle lens, look for low viewpoints and use slow film, plus a tripod if you can. The idea here is to use the lens at around f16 or f22 to maximize the depth of field. This in turn and the slow film, will require longer exposures - hence the tripod. Shooting in this way will give you maximum detail in the shot, maximum content and visual theatre. Finally, shoot early morning or late afternoon as well to get the dramatic shadow effects and really give the impact to the Grand Canyon!

So you can see, whilst you can get holiday “snaps” with the trusty point and shooter, to really get the really great holiday photographs you will need a choice of lenses, a choice of film and a tripod. You can still get good shots with the cheaper compact cameras, but great shots need great cameras. Like all things in life, you get what you pay for.

Modern Medicine: Implanon - is it for you?

by Dr Iain Corness, Consultant

Well, if you are male, then it certainly is not, because Implanon is a hormonal implant contraceptive for women. Ever since we discovered the Oral Contraceptive Pill (OCP) and the sexual revolution took place, medical science has been looking at the ‘best’ form of contraception.

The Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC) pills have been dramatically altered sine they first came on the market in the 1960’s. The dosages in the hormones used have been whittled down to a fraction of what they were initially. Also the chemical hormones have changed with newer and safer versions being the norm these days.

After the COC’s came the side effect problems, most notable being thrombo-embolic problems - blood clots, especially with cigarette smokers, something that the sexual revolution women grabbed as another social attitudinal ‘forward’ step. This provided a stimulus for women to look for alternative, non-hormonal methods and this spawned the Intra Uterine Devices (IUD’s) and these were going to be the be all and end all of the contraceptive methods. Unfortunately it was not and one particular type (the Dalkon shield) brought the whole IUD movement grinding to a virtual halt.

So it was back to hormones to be used for control and the use of injectable types which gave a long term approach to the contraceptive problem. These appeared to work well, gave you a dimply bottom and a 40% chance of significant weight gain and an 11% chance of nausea, which lasted for the lifetime of the injection - three months!

Now there is Implanon, an implant that goes under the skin and slowly releases ‘etonogestrel’ the latest of the low dose hormones, for the next three years. Yes, three years!

The way that Implanon works is a slow release mechanism in a flexible matrix rod, 40 mm long and only 2 mm in diameter. The release is reasonably constant over the 36 months and appears to be relatively unchanged by other medications, especially antibiotics, always a problem with OCP’s.

The query that many women had was whether the normal hormonal levels would return after using the Implanon implant. Studies now show that normal levels return after only a few days after removal of the implant.

Other queries were as to whether there would be increased menstrual loss with the implant, but studies would show that 82% of women experienced normal or reduced bleeding. Another important factor for many women is the weight gain and with Implanon there appeared to be only a 2.6% increase, which was about the same as women using a non-hormonal method over a three year interval. Other body systems that were apparently unchanged by Implanon included Blood Pressure, bone density, pimples or cholesterol. It also did not change the quality or amount of breast milk in lactating women.

As a method of contraception it has most of the advantages of the other methods with few of the disadvantages and does appear to be a step forward. Not having to remember to take a pill each day would have to be a good start! Failure rate (pregnancy!) appears to be less than that seen after tying the tubes or male vasectomy.

It is not cheap, running out at about 6,000 baht, but for over three years looks like good value!

Heart to Heart with Hillary

Dear Hillary,

At long last I have managed to find a very nice young lady here and when I have finished the contract I am on I will be coming back to Thailand to live. I have set my girl up in a nice apartment, but the only thing I forgot to look at carefully is how to send money to her over there. I hear all kinds of stories about guys sending money by mail, but the envelope either doesn’t make the trip, or it arrives empty. I have already found this out when I tried to send some cash the other month. My girl does not have a credit card, but does have a bank account with a Thai bank. Is there any problem with sending American dollars over to a Thai bank account? I know this is a bit different from the usual questions you get Hillary, but I feel I can trust you.

American in the Sandbox

Dear American in the Sandbox,

Hillary is so pleased you have found the girl of your dreams, even if you are now having nightmares about how to keep her piggy bank filled. Banking in Thailand is no different from banking anywhere else. You arrange transfer and the banks do it between themselves. This does take time, so it is not an “instant” transfer. Next time you are in Thailand, get a credit card for your girl and she can then withdraw directly. Mind you, it will be necessary for you to keep funds in the account she will draw from. Being a ‘canny’ sort, Hillary suggests that this special account be watched carefully - you don’t want to see it cleaned out in the first week! There is another way, and that is by sending Hillary all your money and I will dispense it carefully on your behalf. (There will be a small handling fee, but you would not want Hillary to take on this onerous task gratis, now would you?) However, if you need to have a secure way to send money quickly, then Hillary suggests you look at Western Union, and there is a local branch.

Dear Hillary,

My husband and I have decided to retire in Thailand and we are looking around at where we shall settle at present. We expect to be back after Christmas and we then want to purchase a house (or a large apartment). We have been told that we have to have a work permit before we can own a house, but like I said, we are planning on retiring, not working. Can you advise us, Hillary? We are certainly at sea over this.

Done Workin’

Dear Done Workin’,

Oh how I wish I was done working too! While Thailand is a great place to retire in, there are certain differences in buying real estate here, than there is in your own country. For example, you can own a condominium in your own name here, but not a house. The correct people to advise you are reputable real estate agents and trustworthy lawyers (an oxymoron perhaps). These can be difficult to find, but begin by asking around the various ex-pat clubs and organizations, and you will find there will be recommendations you can follow up. Looking for lawyers and agents who are well established is a good start. Never forget, however, the phrase “Caveat Emptor” (let the buyer beware). It is just as important here as it is in your own country. If not more so.

Dear Hillary,

A 50 year old friend of mine has arrived here from America for a six month stay and I think he has gone troppo already. He has set up house with a girl that he met in a bar one week ago and is paying her 25,000 baht to stay with him in an expensive house. He cannot speak Thai and she cannot speak English, so heaven knows how they communicate. It is a stupid situation. He takes her everywhere with him and everywhere they go he is looking after her every whim but she does not seem to be doing anything for him. My friend is an outgoing guy and this girl just sits there and does nothing. She certainly says nothing to me and does not even talk to him. Should I tell him that he is crazy or should I say nothing and let her fleece him of his money?

A Friend

Dear Friend,

Whilst Hillary can see that you are confused on what to do in this situation, there is really no need to be, Petal. Is your 50 year old friend asking for your guidance? If not, remember that unsolicited advice is rarely appreciated. For him to continue to have this girl as a companion means that they are communicating in some way or other, even if it is in Braille. Since he seems happy, you should be happy for him too. I am sure that he knows this is a six months vacation, so this is a ‘mia chow’ (rented wife) relationship of which both parties know the outcome. If you really want to help your friend, just be there for him at the end, if needed. Neither you nor I can change the course of other people’s destiny, nor should we even attempt to.

A Slice of Thai History: The rise of Ayutthaya Part One 1350-1393

by Duncan Stearn

The Kingdom of Ayutthaya was founded by King Uthong Ramathibodi I, a prince and governor of U-thong (now a district in Suphan Buri), who established an absolute monarchy that was to last from 1350 until 1932.

Ayutthaya was to be the capital of Thailand for a period of 417 years, during which time it was ruled by 33 kings and became one of the major powers on mainland South-East Asia.

Ramathibodi I, while still just a provincial governor who owed allegiance to the kingdom of Sukhothai, had raised an army to retake the strategically important trading ports of Mergui and Tenasserim which had been occupied by the Burmese.

Due to the difficulty of sailing between India and Thailand via the Straits of Malacca, avoiding pirates, rounding the peninsula and then tacking up the Gulf of Thailand to the Chao Phrya River and beyond, Mergui and Tenasserim were vital cogs in the trading wheel between the two countries.

Many Indian and Arab traders (and after them the Europeans) chose to land their products at Mergui and use barges to travel upriver to Tenasserim and then have their good portaged the rest of the way. This method of trading reduced travelling time from up to six months to around four to five weeks.

Ramathibodi’s control of these two ports brought him wealth and with it more power and he used this to occupy the central city of Ayutthaya. This port was located at the confluence of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pasak rivers and immediately Ramathibodi’s position was further strengthened.

Ramathibodi had himself proclaimed king of Ayutthaya in 1350 and consolidated his hold on power by embarking on an expansionist foreign policy, warring with Chiang Mai (also known as Lan Na) and the declining Khmer Empire, invading Cambodia in 1352, as well as accepting the reluctant vassalage of Sukhothai. He is considered the first king of Thailand.

While Ramathibodi I was planting the seeds of future greatness in Ayutthaya, farther to the north another state was being forged from the heat of a series of conquests which set it upon a path that would ultimately lead to a devastating clash with Thailand.

Fa Ngum is considered the founder of Laos as he was responsible for uniting the state of Lan Xang in c.1353 and within three years adding Vientiane, Viengkam and Roi-Et by judicious use of an army said to number 48,000 men and 500 elephants.

Much of what is now modern-day north-eastern and eastern Thailand fell under Fa Ngum’s sway. He was also responsible for the introduction of Theravada Buddhism - preached from Angkor by Khmer Empire missionaries - to his territories.

Ramathibodi I promulgated a series of laws based around the ancient Hindu Laws of Manu. These laws divided citizens into a series of classes with slaves, naturally, at the bottom of the scale. Severe punishment was meted out to slaves who tried to escape. Polygamy was accepted and divorce was made easy. Bribery was punishable from simple dismissal to death while a person found with stolen property had to produce the thief to avoid being punished.

The Ayutthayan invasion of Cambodia succeeded in taking Angkor in 1369, the year Ramathibodi I died. He was succeeded by his son Ramesuan who was seen as unpopular and abdicated in 1370 in favour of his uncle Boromoraja I.

The new monarch continued the expansionist policies of Ramathibodi I, although without much success. He was faced with a conflict against Sukhothai (supported by Chiang Mai) in 1371 and after taking Phitsanulok in 1375 and attacking Kamphaeng Phet in 1376 he subjugated Sukhothai in 1378. An invasion of Chiang Mai was repulsed at the battle of Sen Sanuk and his army was forced out of Angkor in 1375.

Boromoraja I died in 1388 and was succeeded by his 15-year-old son Thonglan, but he was murdered after a reign of just seven days by former monarch Ramesuan.

Ramesuan defeated an attempt by Chiang Mai to help Sukhothai regain its independence and in 1393, following a Cambodian incursion that reached Chantaburi and Chonburi, he invaded Cambodia, returning with 90,000 captives.

Bits ‘n’ Bobs

Personal Directions: Winning your audience

by Christina Dodd, founder and managing director 
of Incorp Training Asssociates

I found myself this week working with a group of bright and young individuals who wanted to improve their presentation skills mainly in the areas of delivery techniques, voice and body language. Bubbling over with enthusiasm but with a severe case of nerves, they each presented a three minute impromptu speech on a light subject of their choice. While watching them for the very first time in order to critique their styles, it reminded me of the time when, as a young girl returning from two years schooling in Malaysia, I had to give my very first speech to a hall filled with three to four hundred students at my high school. I can remember being excited and at the same time extremely nervous but I somehow got through what seemed to be an eternity, and had the students - and teachers - rolling with laughter having related a rather funny episode about snakes hiding in toilet cisterns and maids taking off like lightning down the street!

Being in touch with the audience and being able to hold their interest and gain their support is the reward that all speakers long for. Preparation is crucial as is the material that you are going to present. But don’t think that this is all there is to it. You may have perfected the content and have your introduction, connectives and conclusions all in place; you may be good with visual aids and have no problems whatsoever with a Power Point presentation; you may have the best-looking handouts and giveaways in the business; but unless you can “win your audience” - then all your preparation and technical skills are lost and are only half as effective as they could have been!

Powerful and successful presentations or speeches basically come down to the person doing the presenting or speaking. An audience wants to connect with that person and they won’t connect if you stand there looking and behaving like a piece of stone! An audience wants information, that goes without saying, but it also wants to be entertained. It wants to be treated as something special and it wants to come away at the end of the program with a positive “feel good” attitude - wanting more from you.

So this requires that the presenter has a certain style and delivery technique that will grab the audience’s attention. It requires the presenter to constantly review body language and voice skills to ensure that every presentation wins the audience and that the audience is not having to follow waving arms around the room or to listen to (and consequently nod off to) a boring monotone voice.

Being up there in front of a small or large group of people can be a daunting experience for some. But with coaching and guidance, people can improve upon their skills and become effective speakers and what’s more - end up thoroughly enjoying it. Practice presentations or being “on stage” long enough and you will surprise yourself with the confidence you gain. It will drive you much further and bring onboard all your latent skills and talent.

When I was “growing up” in this industry I had a very tough taskmaster who taught me the fundamentals of gauging an audience, delivery techniques and so on. I thought I knew it all until I met this gentleman who made me start all over again, right from the beginning. I covered in great depth subjects like eye contact, posture, composure, self-control, body movement and body language, breathing and voice. Through studying these subjects it gave me great discipline which I believe is necessary for every speaker or presenter to have in order to present well.

For something as simple as standing in front of a group of people you really have to be aware of what your body is doing because your body language is automatically sending a message to the audience. Some of us have picked up habits in terms of the way we might rest a foot to the side or tend to lean against a table, both implying that the speaker is perhaps tired or not interested and therefore sending a negative message. I didn’t think too much about this until I actually had the opportunity to examine this on videotape and it really can be quite dramatic.

Different poses can create and set different moods. Just by slumping in a chair, instead of sitting with straight shoulders and good posture, tells something about you. The way you place your feet or fold your legs tells the audience something about you. What you do with your hands also sends a message to the audience. Frantic hand waving may be an expression of enthusiasm but it is distracting and shows nervousness and lack of self-control. I remember once having to sit through a seminar where most people in the audience were talking about the hand signals of the instructor and what would appear next instead of the subject of the seminar! The topic at break time was centered around the antics of the speaker and it became quite comical.

Constantly moving around on the stage or rocking left to right for example can set an uneasy feeling with the audience. You may feel at ease but they certainly don’t. They become annoyed and lose focus and concentration. Then you begin to lose them and this is what you don’t want to happen. To keep your audience with you requires absolute control and knowledge of what your body is doing and therefore saying to the audience. As I said last week in “Presentation is Everything”, videotaping is the best way to improving these skills.

The whole tone of a presentation or seminar can be set purely by the way the speaker or presenter enters the room and takes the stage or podium. From the second that happens all eyes and thoughts are directed towards the speaker. The atmosphere becomes charged either negatively or positively as a result of the body language and body movement displayed.

And then there comes the matter of “voice”. Making a dramatic and powerful entrance and having a positive physical presence will fall completely flat if when you begin to speak you have no strength and clarity in your voice and people can’t hear you. The first thing they will do is look at each other with enquiring expressions and if the contrast between what they see and what they hear is so great, they will then begin to lose interest (and most likely begin to laugh). And then you have lost them!

Some speakers need to improve the way they use their voice. Many times there is no consideration given to the importance of breathing and control. Exercises can be done very simply as a matter of routine and they are absolutely vital if you want to maintain healthy voice control. Many times I work without a microphone if the facilities allow it, basically because over the years I have developed the ability to speak without one and at times I find microphones more annoying than helpful. Microphones are of course essential, but every good speaker or presenter should also practice without one to develop their projection skills.

For many years I have always “sung the scales” and done my breathing exercises before attempting any kind of training, be it a half-day program or a three-day seminar. For me it’s a discipline that I follow strictly because I know that it will mean the difference between just performing or performing at my best. And isn’t the best what every audience deserves?

If you are required to speak either for your company, organization or socially on different occasions and need to improve certain skill areas as covered in this article, we are able to provide coaching dependant on your needs. Today’s article has covered the “bare bones” of presentation and speaking. In future articles I will discuss other such areas as humour, use of props, setting the theme and mood and audience interaction.

Should you like to inquire about Incorp’s Presentation Skills and Public Speaking Programs, please email me at [email protected] or contact me directly at Incorp Training Associates in Bangkok. Tel. (0) 2652 1867-8, fax: (0) 26521870. Program details can be found at www.incorptraining.com

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

Yes, Pattaya is a ‘hot-bed’ - but not of political dissent

The safety of tourists in Thailand is a hot issue at the moment. Since the tragic bombing on the island of Bali in Indonesia and other terrorist activities around the world, Thailand is now being painted with a question mark. Although the kingdom does not have a history of belligerent relations with Muslim nations - or any nations, for that matter - travel warnings to this part of the world have been issued by governments and other organizations with the attitude, ‘better safe than sorry’.

Just how many tourists who have planned a holiday in Thailand will actually cancel their journeys for that reason is a hard question to answer. Some will, of course. But frankly, I think that most will not. The majority of people usually make the decision to get on with their lives and go on with their plans. In fact, there is a distinct possibility we could welcome more tourists this year and next because some of the other destinations have lost their appeal, so to speak - too cold, too expensive, not exotic enough; been there, done that.

Is Pattaya a more likely target for mischief than other parts of the kingdom? Not necessarily. Our city’s image is sometimes tawdry, I’ll admit. But we have more the reputation for ‘making love, not war’. Yes, we are a ‘hot-bed’ in some people’s view. But the bed is not heated and fueled through fanatical political and religious rebellion, if you take my meaning.

The rebellion in Pattaya more often takes the shape of flaunting the traffic laws and the 2:00 a.m. closing hours of nightlife establishments. All those police raids we’ve been hearing about do not turn up arsenals of weapons of mass destruction. Confiscated razor blades, gold fish and balloons hardly qualify as ingredients to make explosives.

The affectionate terms ‘Fun City’ and ‘Sex City’ are mild slams aimed at our sexual moral values, not our politics or bigotry.

Even though Pattaya is still pretty much a party town, the local officials are beefing up security and the community is pulling together to make the city safe and enjoyable for visitors. This campaign began long before the notion that we may be a target for terrorists came to the foreground.

Stepped-up safety for tourists makes sense. Reduction of petty crime and more security in hotels and public places only adds to their feeling of well-being. Police officers who are ready to serve visitors who are victims of unpleasant incidents are doing their duty. City authorities are now not only more accessible to the public in general, but want to be more accountable as well. It is more a question of making the whole city more livable to residents and more attractive to tourists than a response to a terrorist threat.

The general public is becoming aware of safety issues and is making an effort to maintain order in Pattaya. That is part of the plan to upgrade a city which was falling into neglect. Tourists who come here are beginning to see the positive changes that have been accomplished in the past few years. We’re even getting good press in some countries. Halleluiah!

The high season is upon us and tourists are pouring in. And they are having the time of their lives. On any given night in South Pattaya, it is hard to find a face like thunder (unless it’s a hapless streetwalker who’s just been busted on Beach Road). Fun City isn’t going to change into an Amish community just because we can’t legally guzzle booze in public places after 2:00 a.m. or a few hundred shills on Pattaya Land 1, 2 and 3 will be asked to make room on the sidewalks for short pedestrians wearing Scout uniforms and caps covered with badges signifying good deeds.

We’re going stay a ‘hot-bed’ of fun in the sun for some time to come. That, after all is what put Pattaya on the tourist map.

Only a very few people have recently asked me if it is safe to visit Thailand. The only advice I could give them is that if they really want to holiday here, come and enjoy themselves. It’s not like they’ve booked flights into Chechnya. Life is too short to sit around and brood about missed opportunities and what might have been. However, privately I felt; if they have to ask, don’t bother.

Women’s World: That sensual feeling

by Lesley Warmer

Any woman will understand the pure sensual pleasure of silk stockings, or even just really fine denier nylon, if she has ever tried them. I could never understand the male attraction to the area of flesh above the stocking, but it does seem to work every time! Personally I don’t find them particularly comfortable to wear but they do make you feel different, somehow more feminine.

Fancy but practical hose.

It is said that the Egyptians wore the first socks - bulky knits with separate big toes. Attila the Hun was known to be fond of wrapping colorful bands of cloth around his legs.

Until the twentieth century, a lady’s legs may have been talked about, but they were never seen. It was the men that showed off their stockings. During the sixteenth century to ‘dandies’, as fashionable young men were known, hosiery was a means of self-expression; they playfully wore layers of brightly colored socks and tights in contrasting checked and striped patterns and were judged on how gracefully they presented a leg.

Who remembers these?

Knitting was well established in the Channel Islands by the time Elizabeth took the throne in 1558. In particular, on the Island of Jersey they had achieved acclaim for their knitted wool hose, called “Jersey stocks.” All over England there were community-knitting centers set up and by the end of Elizabeth’s reign, a great variety of stockings were produced from English wool and they were exported to Germany, France, Italy, Holland, and Spain.

Around 1560 Queen Elizabeth is said to have received the gift of her first pair of silk stockings, and always kept several pairs; she never went back to cloth or woollen stockings (hose as they were known). Her enjoyment of silk was so well known that for New Year 1561, she received at least three pairs of silk stockings as gifts from her commoners.

Ladies were known to wear several pairs of silk stockings, sometimes to keep warm. I would have thought sitting in a drafty castle it was better to be practical than fashionable.

This little ‘snippet’ popped up during my research: Mary Queen of Scots wore a pair of white Jersey hose covered by a pair of blue socks with silver clocks on for her execution on February 8, 1586. As with the heeled shoes in the article I did previously, the poor Queen of Scots appears to have dressed in the height of fashion for the inauspicious occasion of her execution.

Stockings did not change very much during the next few years, with linen, wool and silk continuing to be popular.

In the middle of the 1930’s Dr. Wallace H. Caruthers of the Du Pont Corporation in the U.S, made an important breakthrough with his invention of nylon. This led the commercialization of nylon in 1938 - the beginning of the modern materials revolution. When Du Pont decided to develop nylon they had every intention of using it commercially to compete with natural silk in the women’s hosiery market. This strategy after years of research proved enormously successful.

On May 15, 1940, when the first nylons went on sale at stores throughout the U.S, four million pairs sold out in four days, and they continued to be a success until the outbreak of World War II. Nylon production was commandeered for the war effort and women were reduced to drawing a pencil line with makeup up the back of their legs. This must have been quite an acrobatic feat in itself.

When the War ended in 1945, manufacturers could not get nylons back onto the market quick enough. At one time a popular New York store sold out of it’s entire stock of 50,000 pairs of nylons in six hours. It took manufacturers until 1948 to produce enough nylons to satisfy their eager lady customers.

Harvest season - Critical time for winemakers

by Ranjith Chandrasiri

Winemaking begins in the vineyard, with proper care and attention to the vines during the growing season. Winemakers like to say that the best wines are made in the vineyards, which is one of the reasons the harvest is so critical to the ultimate quality of a wine.

Of all activities associated with wine making, none is more wrapped in romantic imagery than grape picking. A pretty picker (doesn’t she look familiar?) seen at work during Mouton “Vendanges 2002”.

Rain, at least at this time of year, is a four-letter word for winemakers. Once harvest begins, they don’t even like to look up. (They can be superstitious that way.)

Throughout most of Europe, winemakers look for a little helping hand from ‘above’ for a new vintage to be successful. Traditionally, harvest blessings are held at the beginning of the harvest - a symbolic bunch of grapes is blessed before the harvest and a thanksgiving service is held at the conclusion. Benedictions such as below are read at the harvest blessing ceremonies.

“God watereth the hills from above: the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works. He bringeth forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of man: that he may bring food out of the earth; and wine that maketh glad the heart of man.”

At the famous Chโteau Mouton Rothschild in Paulliac, Bordeaux, France, commencement of the 2002 harvest season was marked by the “Vendanges 2002” - a 3-day “Harvest Celebration” attended by friends of Mouton and few invited guests. On a glorious morning in early October, the invitees including my wife Chitra and I gathered at the Mouton headquarters in Paulliac to participate in the 2002 harvest celebration. The day started with us actually picking the grapes at the well-tended Mouton vineyards. It was a unique experience that I will not easily forget.

After a hearty lunch at Refectoire des Vendanges with the rest of the pickers, harvesting continued until late afternoon. The day’s events concluded with a fabulous gala dinner at the chโteau where Mr Xavier de Eizaguirre, the managing director of Chโteau Mouton announced that we had harvested enough grapes to make 5000 bottles of Chโteau Mouton. Not bad for a hard day’s work.

More serious though not necessarily sober events scheduled for the next two days included wine tastings and visit to the wine museum, the Centre Vinicole - the Mouton winery and the wine laboratory.

With first hand experience in picking the grapes (and few bruised fingers and a sore-back), I can fully appreciate what it takes to make a bottle of wine. To begin with, there’s a lot more to picking the grapes than simply getting them off the vine. Whole bunches of grapes are cut off the vine individually with hooked-tip knives and gently placed into a container that can hold 10 to 20 kilos of fruit.

The picker looks for the ripest bunches, leaving any that need more time to mature and eliminating those that are flawed. An experienced picker can harvest up to 2 tons of fruit a day if the crop is heavy and the fruit is at a convenient height. Vines at the Mouton vineyards were traditionally close to the ground, making the task of picking wearisome on the back.

Timing the harvest is critical because the quality of the fruit determines the desired style of the wine. Harvesting has to be done just at the right time when the grapes are ripe - The structural elements of the wine - sugar, acid and tannin - are in balance. This means that the tannins are no longer green or rough, the sugars have climbed, and the acidity has not fallen. Pick your grapes before the sugars have climbed, and the wine will end up lean and overly acidic. Wait too long, and the acids will have plummeted, and you’ll end up with a flabby wine without the structure to balance the fruit.

Though it’s not very romantic, some science goes into analyzing the grapes and determining when the time is right to pick. While part of this work can be done in the vineyard, large wineries employ men and women in white coats working in the laboratories to determine when to give pickers the green light.

Bad things sometimes happen to good grapes and the occasionally nasty whims of Mother Nature can certainly affect how a wine tastes.

Too wet

If there’s one thing that winemakers hate at harvest, it’s a cloudy sky. Too much rain in the spring can be a problem as well. A hard rain while the vines are flowering will knock the blooms off the plant and reduce the size of the crop. And damp conditions during the growing season may lead to mildew and other diseases. A wet growing season or harvest can affect the taste of a wine in subtle or not-so-subtle ways. Overcast means lack of sunlight, which causes grapes to struggle to ripen. Also, grapes actually bloat (and sometimes burst) with water during rainy weather, and without an additional dose of sun and heat, the resulting wines might taste thin and diluted.

Too cold

Temperature has everything to do with how grapes mature, and therefore how a wine tastes. Even warm climates can have unusually cool growing seasons, but whatever the climate, if it’s too cold for too long, grapes suffer. As the grapes ripen, they lose acidity, and the juice from the grapes goes from tart to sweet. Of course, wines needs acid to make them taste vibrant, but if temperatures are too cool for too long, the grapes won’t fully ripen, and the resulting wines will taste aggressively tart or even sour.

Unripe grapes also produce wines with undesirable “green” qualities. Cabernet Sauvignon might smell like bell peppers or Sauvignon Blanc might taste like asparagus.

Too hot

Sure, it takes heat to ripen grapes, but sometimes it gets too hot for grapes to handle. If the growing season is extremely warm, all sorts of problems can occur. The grapes can dry out and become overripe.

Since fermentation involves the conversion of sugar to alcohol, grapes that are overly ripe and high in sugar become wines that have an alcoholic burn and often taste unbalanced and one-dimensionally sweet.

Too much of a good thing

Even a perfect growing season has its pitfalls, such as overproduction. If the weather is favorable and the crop gets too big, the quality of the wine may suffer. So when a crop is too large, growers may trim off extra grape bunches, doing what’s called a “green harvest,” before the grapes ripen.

And the rest ...

Frost is a concern in many regions, particularly if it hits when the vines are budding with new young shoots or later on when the vines are flowering. Frost damage won’t affect the taste of a wine, but it may cut the size of the crop and translate into fewer wines on the shelf for consumers. Growers often go to great lengths to protect the vines from frost damage. Sometimes growers light smudge pots in hopes of blanketing the field with protective smoke and turn on giant fans in the field to keep the frost from settling on the vines. Ironically, if the field is irrigated, one of the best ways to protect a vineyard is to coat it with water, insulating it from damage.

Flooding typically occurs in the winter, when vines are dormant, so they suffer little or no damage. But, as happened this summer, floods occasionally strike in Europe during the growing season, swamping cities and fields. Austria’s wine regions are still drying out and trying to assess the damage. Floods during the growing season leave waterlogged grapes that can burst and spread mildew and other diseases, potentially ruining a crop.

Hail devastated many vineyards in Northern Italy this year, particularly in Valpolicella, Soave and Bardolino. At its worst, hail shreds the leaf canopy (if the leaf loss is severe, the vines can no longer grow properly) and batters and breaks the grapes, damaging and reducing the size of the crop. Hailstorms are often localized, wreaking havoc in one vineyard, while leaving neighboring sites untouched.

While there’s no reason for consumers to have sleepless nights over thunderstorms and heat waves, I hope you can understand the pitfalls and heartaches that sometimes come with harvest for the winemakers and what all that mean to us, as wine drinkers.

Ranjith Chandrasiri is the resident manager of Royal Cliff Grand and the founder the of the Royal Cliff Wine Club, Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Pattaya, Thailand. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]