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[ScottWoz]

I read an article over a bowl of noodles earlier about the crazy yellow shirt shortage in Thailand at present. Locals have been paying their respects to the king by wearing yellow shirts, in celebration of his 60th anniversary of throne sitting.

Customers are getting enraged with the suppliers hiking prices and the complaints have been sufficient enough to prompt the authorities to pose a 7 year jail ban for excessive profit-making.

I'm almost positive I threw out a yellow shirt the other day..

[Paul]

Ha ha - don't believe everything you read over a bowl of noodles.

The yellow shirt thing is amazing though. Since about half way through last year people started wearing yellow shirts as a way to show their love for the King. Since then about of half of every Thai person I see wears a yellow shirt. Every day for almost a year it has been yellow shirts everywhere. It is amazing. (I have about 4 myself - I do very much love the King - he has been great for Thailand)

The prices of yellow shirts has gone up and down but if you look around you can always find some good ones being sold for about US$5. Thailand is pretty free - so if some people want to buy expensive ones they can, and if another shop wants to undercut them and sell them cheaper - they can. I don't think the government needs to get involved with such petty issues.

Customers getting enraged??? Ha ha - this is Thailand - people enraged???? I don't think so. To show anger is a sign of weakness here. It is normal to be calm and to smile. If something is too expensive, then don't buy it. But there is plenty of cheap yellow shirts around.

Threw out your yellow shirt??? NO!!!!!

Ha ha - Hope you are well and enjoying your travels. Are you stil traveling?

[Paul]

Some news for digesting over tomorrow's noodles.

A Swiss man pleaded guilty today on 5 charges of insulting the Thai monarchy. He faces 75 years in jail.

There are better ways to eat Thai food everyday, but at least that might show how seriously Thais love and respect this King. Here, it is totally inpolite and unacceptable for people to be rude to the King.

[allthai]

I read an article over a bowl of noodles earlier about the crazy yellow shirt shortage in Thailand at present. Locals have been paying their respects to the king by wearing yellow shirts, in celebration of his 60th anniversary of throne sitting.

Customers are getting enraged with the suppliers hiking prices and the complaints have been sufficient enough to prompt the authorities to pose a 7 year jail ban for excessive profit-making.

I'm almost positive I threw out a yellow shirt the other day..

The yellow shirts are not just plain. There are 3 different types. One has the King's crest, another with I Love the King in Thai with a red heart and a third Long live the King in Thai with a red heart.

Here is Chiang Mai there is not a shopping Mall, vendor's area or street that doesn't have the shirts for sale. You can get them for as little as 199 Thai baht and up depending on the quality of the shirt. The most famous being the polo style.

The Queen also has a shirt which is blue with her emblem.

My wife, Ning has 4 different styles and I have 2. The shirts should be worn on Monday. The blue or Queen's shirts are worn on Friday, which we also have.

Here are lots of photos of the shirts.

Randy and Ning

[ScottWoz]

Good to see you pop up so instantly Paul, I expected no less..

Me? Of course, and loving every minute. I fly to Melbourne in six days - getting closer to SEA by the minute. Now if you can time another of your treks just right ...

Hope all's well over there mate..

[Paul]

Good to see you pop up so instantly Paul, I expected no less..

Me? Of course, and loving every minute. I fly to Melbourne in six days - getting closer to SEA by the minute. Now if you can time another of your treks just right ...

Hope all's well over there mate..

My own little adventure is coming up soon. We are off to walk the Annapurna circuit in April.

If you get to South East Asia (Thailand in particular) sometime after that, you never know, maybe can catch up - although why you'd want to meet me???????

Melbourne - I should be able to provide advice on where you should go as that is where I am from but????? I dunno. I've never really thought of Melbourne in terms of tourism. You can bounce some ideas past me though if you want

[whereshegoes]

Thanks for sharing the photos Randy and Ning! Always good to get a visual.

[ScottWoz]

If you get to South East Asia (Thailand in particular) sometime after that, you never know, maybe can catch up - although why you'd want to meet me???????

Why you? I told you, I need a yellow shirt..

Thanks for the info offer by the way..

[Paul]

OK, I reckon I can help you find a yellow shirt or two (thousand) around here.

[Paul]

Incidentally that Swiss guy got sentenced a couple of days ago. He got about 5 - 10 years in gaol (jail).

[ScottWoz]

He did? That's amazing. Do they standard issue yellow shirts in gaol?

[Paul]

No I think as part of the punishment you don't get to wear yellow shirts.

But the Royal family do visit the prisoners and set up projects to help educate and train them and prepare them for a better life outside.


The incidence of people re-offending after being in a Thai gaol is pretty low.
The incidence of obesity in Thai gaols are pretty low also.

Wonder if the two points are related?

[Paul]

We took our yellow shirts and a Thai flag and a Yellow King's flag for a walk in Nepal. We are back now.