Thai protesters enjoy free food, $3 massage

By JOCELYN GECKER – 12 hours ago 

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Once open only to the ruling elite, Thailand's stately Government House has turned into a cross between a refugee camp and a village fairground.

Thousands of anti-government protesters occupying the prime minister's office compound have set up a tent city complete with free food, outdoor showers, entertainment, massages and lots of manicured shrubs for hanging laundry to dry.

The siege, in its 11th day Friday, is aimed at forcing Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign. The demonstrators have not succeeded in kicking him out of office, but they have kept him out his office.

To ease the kinks caused by round-the-clock protesting, massage services are available under the shade of palm trees for $3 an hour.

In a live radio broadcast Thursday, Samak called the situation a national embarrassment and refused to step down — drawing boos and jeers from thousands of protesters fanning themselves on lawn chairs outside his office.

"I am outside and can't work properly," Samak said, his speech broadcast from a sound stage set up on the Government House lawn.

Samak initially based himself at a military headquarters outside Bangkok, but his aides say he has lately worked from an office at the Defense Ministry.

"Is it shameful? Yes, it is," Samak said.

Still, authorities have been reluctant to use force against the crowd for fear they will be denounced for sparking violence with the protesters, who have armed themselves with makeshift weapons and vowed to resist any attempt to remove them.

Also, violence, or the perception that it was imminent, could cause the military to stage a coup with the excuse that it was necessary to restore order, as it did in September 2006. It was demonstrations by the People's Alliance for Democracy, which is leading the current protest, that sparked the instability that led to the coup.

The new demonstration is built on the alliance's belief that Western-style democracy does not work for Thailand. It says the ballot box gives too much weight to the impoverished rural majority allegedly susceptible to vote buying that breeds corruption. It wants Parliament to be revamped so most lawmakers would be appointed rather than elected.

The protest has caused one of the biggest political crises since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. It is the first time in the country's history that civilians have overrun the seat of government.

Built in the early 20th century and modeled after a Venetian palace, the Gothic-style Government House is one of Bangkok's most distinguished buildings.

The alliance's security volunteers sit behind a barbed-wire barricade at the entrance, which is stacked with motorcycle helmets for protection and golf clubs, bamboo rods and rudimentary shields.

"Welcome! Would you like something to eat?" asked Pongping Kumna, a protester manning the free food stand just past the entrance gate. Tables were piled high with donated food, many ordered from popular Bangkok restaurants.

Recent offerings included sauteed chicken with chili and basil, Thai-style noodles from a famous downtown noodle shop, McDonald's hamburgers and, for dessert, chocolate doughnuts and shaved ice with fruit flavoring.

"We have everything we need here. There's no reason to leave," said Pongping, 44, a clothing shop owner from the southern beach town of Krabi who had camped at the compound for nine days.

Protesters, mostly royalists, wealthy and middle-class urban residents and union activists, have tapped into the Government House's electricity system. Extension cords charge mobile phones and power televisions.

The anti-government channel ASTV, owned by protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul, is broadcast round-the-clock on TV sets scattered around the grounds.

Fiery anti-Samak speakers take the stage, alternating with pop singers, like one recently crooning James Taylor songs as the crowd clapped and swayed.

When supplies are needed, protest leaders take the microphone and call for donations from supporters, who have responded by trucking in portable toilets and rudimentary outdoor showers with curtains for privacy.

The stench of urine and garbage is a problem they are trying to address.

Signs taped to the building's ornate facade note: "The Government House is the property of the Thai people. So all Thais should keep it clean."

For medical needs, there are several first-aid stations, which also hand out free shampoo, soap, mouthwash and razors.

Doctors from hospitals and clinics around Thailand have taken leaves to join the protest, said Bangkok ophthalmologist Somporn Reepolmania, pointing out a surgeon, dentist, psychiatrist and anesthesiologist.

"We are protesting against Samak and against the corrupt politics of Thailand," he said. "The government has no morals, no ethics, and the system doesn't work. We have to change it."

Protesters say they are not afraid of conflict. Some have traveled long distances to take part in the demonstrations.

"I flew from Los Angeles to Bangkok to be with (my) people," said United Airlines flight attendant Maree Lertphraewphun, who has lived in the United States for 38 years. She requested vacation to join the protests.

"If I happen to die, I will die with them," she said.

 

Are these protesters really representing the King? If true, then the King should speak and ask Samak to step down. Then, let them vote in a 'clean' government. I wonder whether they are naive or stupid. I gather it's the latter.

 

 

I had planned to visit Thailand this month and had earlier booked my tickets. The stupid demonstration to overthrow the government disrupted my plans. What do these idiots want? They want to scare away investors, bring down the stock market and bring unemployment and misery to the poor people. Who suffers? Only the master minds want power and the wealth that comes with it.

Referendum from the people? They will probably confirm and bring Samak back to power again. Then what, another round of demonstration?

Pissed me off.. Let this country rot..

It's indeed a surprise that he is embarassed over his lack of morals. For a man who has an insatiable greed for wealth, he seem to accept corruption as a way of life back in Thailand. Now, he lives in a society with higher moral and ethical standards, he is embarassed over his past.

Now, Manchester City is stucked with a 'poor' owner with less resources compared to other Premier League clubs, Manchester City is struggling for survival even before the season has started.

For the benefit of Man City Club and fans, he should sell the club.

Greed is not immoral... insatiable greed is not immoral.. corruption is only acceptable in Thailand, not in cultured society in UK.

i have kuku..

John simply enjoyed free sex without the condom. He was stupid for not telling Jane that he will pay for any abortion if required. He can't free rides all the time.

Bob pretends to be a 'dumb' pilot who knows his woman is 'loose' and regrets marrying her when the marriage is on rocks and claims he was cuckold.

I only found out after bank called
HE wanted to upgrade his car, moving on to a newer model which had caught his eye at a road show.
By Desmond Ng


05 August 2008

HE wanted to upgrade his car, moving on to a newer model which had caught his eye at a road show. 

But Mr Lee ST ended up in a car owner's nightmare, saddled with two loans, one missing car and a dealer who seems to have vanished.

His problems started last November, when Mr Lee, a civil servant, agreed to trade in his three-year-old Hyundai Getz for a 1.3-litre Honda Fit, which cost about $60,000.

The Getz is also a 1.3-litre car and had cost him roughly the same amount.

The parallel importer he went to, Car Kingdom, offered him about $30,000 for the Getz, on which he still had an outstanding loan of $41,000.

CHEQUE TO DEALER 

Mr Lee said he handed over the car in March this year, along with a cheque for $11,000 to make up the difference.

He said he made out the cheque to the dealer, who promised to handle all the paperwork.

Mr Lee got his new Fit the same day and never saw his Getz again.

Now, months later, all that is known about the car is that it is still in his name, though it has been shipped to Europe.

Said Mr Lee: 'I took my new car and traded in the old one. I thought everything was settled already.

'There was nothing unusual about the deal until I received a call from my bank in May that I had defaulted on my instalments for the Getz.'

The monthly instalment for his Getz was about $600.

He thought it was probably an administrative oversight and called the dealer, Mr Allan Poh of Car Kingdom.

He said Mr Poh assured him that the issue would be resolved quickly and told him that the car was waiting to be exported.

After a week, Mr Lee said the bank called him again about the payment.

This time, when he tried to call Mr Poh, he could not get through.

And when he went to Car Kingdom's office in Joo Chiat, he was told that the company had ceased operations.

A few weeks later, he received a call from someone who claimed to have exported his Getz.

The man, who wanted to be known only as Jeff, told him that Mr Poh had not de-registered the car.

Mr Lee said he then complained to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) that his car had been exported without being de-registered.

He also made a police report.

The New Paper did a check on LTA's One-Motoring portal, which showed that the Getz was still registered under Mr Lee's name.

Mr Lee said the bank told him that he still has to pay the monthly instalments on the Getz. 

Along with the instalment for the Fit, he now has to pay about $1,300 each month, a financial burden to him, he said.

When The New Paper contacted Jeff, he said he had paid Mr Poh a few thousand dollars for the Getz to be exported to Cyprus.

He said: 'He (Mr Poh) promised that he would do the paperwork and I could go ahead and ship the car overseas first. Usually, the paperwork takes just a day or two.

'But I received a call a few weeks later that the car was stuck on the vessel and couldn't be unloaded because the proper documentation wasn't done.'

He said his customer in Cyprus was asking for the car.

'Now, my logistics costs are even more than what I paid for the car,' he said. 'If I pull back the car, there will be a double charge. So, what can I do?

'I am waiting for the LTA to do something.

'But I am prepared to lose this money already.'

Jeff, who had dealt with Mr Poh in the past, said he had failed to contact him after this incident.

A check with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority showed that one Mr Poh Chee Tiong was listed as the owner of Car Kingdom.

The New Paper visited the company's office in Joo Chiat last week but it had vacated the place.

We also went to Mr Poh's registered home address but were told by neighbours that he had moved out.

He didn't pick up calls made to his handphone.

Car dealers we spoke to suggested that Mr Lee check with LTA if it is possible to de-register his Getz, and get back his paper value of about $25,000.

One of them said Mr Lee should have gone with his dealer to the bank to settle the outstanding loan. If not, he should have written the cheque in favour of the bank.

He said Mr Lee should also have informed the LTA in writing about the sale immediately, giving details.

LTA said a police report has been made by Mr Lee and they are rendering assistance. It declined to comment further.

The police said they're looking into the matter.

Mr Lee said: 'I just want to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.'

Car sales have slowed down. The industry is consolidating. The weaker car distributors are closing down. Car buyers must approach the bigger boys if they want to avoid losing their pants. Parallel importers are generally the weaker ones. There are some parallel importers who have the financial muscle, but would any buyer know who are the better ones.

 

Is this a recognised medical field? Talk to any medical doctor, they will never recommend a chiropractor to you. Are there any insurers prepared to insure them for malpractice? The answer is likely 'no'.

I wonder besides Bob and John, whether there are others.. James, Roger or a Mr Wong?

July 22, 2008  
Coming nearer to residential areas: dorms for foreign workers 
New dormitory sites for foreign workers may be located nearer residential areas as Singapore becomes more built up, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan. 

In his written reply to a question from Sembawang GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak in Parliament on Monday, Mr Mah urged Singaporeans to be more understanding and accommodating as 'foreign workers are here to contribute to our economic growth.' 

'We should accept their presence in our midst,' he added. 

Since February 2007, he said 11 new dormitory sites, providing some 65,000 additional bed spaces, have been released. These will be completed in stages by 2010. 

Among these are vacant government buildings that will be converted into transitional dorms to meet the immediate demand for dormitory facilities in the next one to two years, while more permanent dormitories are being developed. 

For the new permanent dormitories, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) will require tenderers to provide a range of amenities within the sites. 

Apart from adequate living space, they may come with facilities such as mini-marts, barber shop, remittance services, TV room and sports facilities. This will help to make the dormitories more attractive and self-contained, said Mr Mah. 

'Given that Singapore is becoming more built up, it will be an increasing challenge to find suitable sites for foreign workers. Residents may find more foreign workers living in their midst, or dormitory sites located near to their premises,' he said. 

'We hope that Singaporeans will be more understanding and accommodating in this aspect. Foreign workers are here to contribute to our economic growth.' 

Employers and dormitory operators must also play a part in educating the foreign workers on the social norms and way of life in Singapore, and ensuring that the workers are properly housed, added Mr Mah.

I wonder whether Mah Bow Tan would be that gracious when workers' dormitories are built next to his house.

I am annoyed that workers gather to occupy, drink and pee in our HDB void decks or near our residences.

These dormitories do not provide them meeting areas to drink and meet their friends. They don't want fights in their area of monitoring. So, they passed these problems to the residential neighbours and public to monitor.

If Mr Mah is that gracious, have the dormitories built near his home. Let's see whether he feels safe for his daughters.

 

 

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-042.mspx

use the link to access and download the required update.

I had the same problem. Finally, I went to the Microsoft site to manually download the required update.

The Wall Street Journal editorialises on a defamation battle between the litigious Lee Kuan Yew and the opposition
LEE Kuan Yew's Singapore can rightly be proud of many achievements, but full democracy is not one of them. Which makes a recent David v Goliath exchange between one of the country's few opposition politicians and Lee worth noting. The dialogue took place in a courtroom and is therefore privileged - which means we can report on it without risking a lawsuit, which Lee often files against critics. 

The setting was a hearing to assess damages against Chee Soon Juan, head of the Singapore Democratic Party, and his sister and colleague, Chee Siok Chin. In 2006, the Chees lost a defamation suit brought by Lee and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, over an article they published in their party newsletter that was interpreted by the court to imply corruption on the part of the government. 

Chee Soon Juan is no orator but when the subject turned to the moral underpinnings of democracy the debate went game, set and match to Chee. Chee set out his philosophy while questioning Lee: "What I'm interested in is justice, the rule of law, because ultimately it is not about you, Mr Lee. It is not about me. You and I will pass on, but I can tell you, the practice of the rule of law, the entire concept of justice, democracy that is going to last for all eternity." 

Trial transcript that appears on Singaporerebel.blogspot.com 

Chee Siok Chin: Mr Lee, it has been reported that you are paid $3.7 million a year for your role as Prime Minister. Can you confirm that to this court? 

Lee's counsel Davinder Singh: Objection. 

Judge Belinda Ang: Sustained. 

Chee: Do you know, Mr Lee, that you are the highest paid Prime Minister in the world, six times more than George Bush. Your salary is equivalent to eight leaders in the European countries, do you know that? 

Singh: Objection, your honour. 

Chee: Do you know that you are in the Guinness Book (of World) Records for the highest-paid prime minister? 

Singh: Objection, your honour. 

Chee: Mr Lee, you had said that as Prime Minister, you lead your government based on honesty, integrity, meritocracy and competence. Am I right? 

Lee Hsien Loong: Yes. 

Chee: Do you believe that cabinet ministers in Singapore, including yourself, have obtained their positions through meritocracy and competence? 

Lee: We strive our best to reach the ideal. 

Chee: Do you believe that you were appointed Prime Minister on your own merit? 

Lee: Yes 

Chee: Do you think that if your father had not been the former prime minister of Singapore you would still be the Prime Minister of Singapore today? 

Lee: It is hypothetical question but I would say yes. 

Chee: Well, it's very good to see the leader of the country so confident. Reassuring, really. 

Chee: Is it not true that your father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was the prime minister of Singapore, he's now the Minister Mentor. You are the current Prime Minister and your wife Madam Ho Ching is the CEO of Temasek Holdings, is that true? 

Singh: Objection, your honour. 

Judge: Sustained. 

Chee: Mr Lee, Mr Francis Seow had said the ministers in Singapore, and that includes you, are not worth a cent that they are paid. Do you agree? 

Singh: I object, your honour, Mr Francis Seow doesn't have the guts to turn up in court himself so he shouldn't use the - 

Chee: Let us not take pot-shots - 

Judge: Sustained. 

Chee: Do you sleep at night, Mr Lee? 

Singh: Objection, your honour. 

(Pause) 

Chee: Do you know that as the leader of the country that your Government deprives Singaporeans of much-needed welfare for the poor, the elderly and the infirm, that HDB (Housing and Development Board) prices are artificially inflated, and that many of us are not able to draw on our CPF (Central Provident Fund) savings even though we have tens of thousands of dollars in there and all this time, when Singaporeans are left rather ignored - 

Singh: Objection, your honour. 

Chee: By the Government - 

Judge: Sustained. 

Chee: While you live your life as a millionaire minister? 

Singh: Objection, your honour. This is a classic example of the abuse that I had referred to earlier for the purpose of making all sorts of wild, unsubstantiated, and speculative allegations. 

Footnote: Chee Siok Chin served a 10-day sentence at the Changi Women's Prison for contempt of court for her cross-examination.

I don't recall reading this line of questioning in our Straits Times.

 

 

He uses dud cheques to scam bank of $2.1million
YOU could say he was a bank robber with a difference.
By Andre Yeo


30 July 2008

YOU could say he was a bank robber with a difference. 

Instead of a gun, he hit banks with just a simple plan. And it made him $2.1 million richer - until the law caught up with him.

Quah Lai Meng, 33, was working in a handphone shop when he noticed what he thought was a chink in the armour of the banking industry - the cashline facility.

Through this facility, banks provide ready cash to consumers who then repay the amount with interest.

In November 2007, Quah forged an application form for a DBS Cashline facility using the particulars of his friend, Luah Kian Hing. Luah has been charged and his case is pending.

DBS issued a credit card and cashline cheque book in Luah's name but sent them to Quah's address.

The credit limit was $5,000.

Quah, who has only PSLE qualifications, then executed his plan to defraud DBS, according to court documents.

Quah, who is single and was engaged to be married, withdrew the maximum $5,000 from the DBS Cashline account.

LIMIT REACHED 

He knew that before he could make more withdrawals, he had to make repayments into the account since the credit limit had been reached.

He prepared several cheques, which belonged to some friends, to make payments into the account.

Court documents did not identify these friends nor explain the role they played in this scam.

These dud cheques belonged to accounts that had no money. His plan was to dupe DBS into thinking he had already settled his outstanding debts.

Quah knew it would take one to two days for the bank to realise this.

On 27 Dec 2007, he deposited a UOB cheque for $46,700 into the DBS Cashline account. Two days later, he went to the POSB branch at Hougang Central and withdrew $3,000.

It was easy money for him and he did it again on 9 Jan this year.

He deposited an OCBC cheque for $570,000 into the DBS Cashline account.

The next day, he got his sister-in-law, Lim Wee Ching, to withdraw $128,000 from the POSB branch at Hougang Central. He then got her to keep the money for him.

On another occasion, Quah got his brother, Lai Huat, to keep $200,000 for him. He had got the money as a result of cheating DBS.

Quah struck again on 15 Jan, at the POSB branch at Funan DigitaLife Mall. He left the branch with $240,000 in cash.

DBS finally got wind of what he was up to and lodged a police report.

NABBED 

On 22 Jan, Quah was arrested at Ang Mo Kio Central.

Between 10 Dec 2007 and 22 Jan, he had cheated DBS of a total of $2.13m.

Quah faced 46 charges of cheating, forgery, transferring benefits of criminal conduct, and possession of four Erimin 5 tablets, a controlled drug. Two charges come under the Customs Act of buying 13 cartons of cigarettes with unpaid duty worth almost $1,000.

The prosecution proceeded with 13charges while the rest were taken into consideration.

In the Subordinate Courts last Friday , Quah was convicted after pleading guilty to all charges.

In mitigation, his lawyer Ms Gloria James said there was no elaborate plan by her client to cheat the banks.

Quah had readily admitted that he had taken advantage of an 'inherent flaw in the banking system'.

In a handwritten note to the court, he said he had no plans to commit the crime until he tried his luck to see if the cheques would clear.

He said it was a gamble and added: 'I just kept rolling on it until the sums grew and I was eventually caught.

'I did this out of greed...'

About $1.6m has been recovered.

Ms James said Quah spent $80,000 of the $500,000 that has not been recovered.

His next court appearance will be on 15 Aug when corrective training and preventive detention reports will be submitted.

Police investigations are ongoing.

DBS pride itself to be bureaucratic and stringent in its processes. Yet, it allowed the borrower to exceed his $5,000 exposure limit and allowed cheque books be sent to an address not found in borrower's record.

Can depositors be assured their cash savings are well taken care as well?

 

 

Woman sues real dad for child support
Woman involved with two men at same time gets pregnant 
One of the men believes child is his and marries woman 
Marriage collapses when hubby learns he's not child's dad
SHE was seeing two men when she became pregnant.
By Karen Wong


27 July 2008

SHE was seeing two men when she became pregnant. 

One of the men, thinking the child was his, proposed to her and married her.

But when he found out the baby was not his, he annulled the marriage.

Jane (not her real name) then sued her other lover for child maintenance.

The parties involved cannot be named under the law to protect her child's identity.

The case went before the Family Court earlier this year, where the details of Jane's relationships came under the spotlight.

The defendant, John (not his real name), 28, chose not to take the stand, but his case was that he did not sleep with Jane, 29, and that the child was not his.

In her judgment published this week, District Judge Jocelyn Ong said she did not condone Jane's past behaviour in sleeping with two men during the same period.

But she found that Jane was honest and sincere in court, having observed her on the stand.

Therefore, she ordered John to pay maintenance to Jane for the baby.

The amount of maintenance is to be fixed in another court hearing.

During the two-day trial, the court was told that Jane had a boyfriend, Bob, 33, in 2001.

A few months later, she got to know John and they started having sex.

In February 2002, Jane went to Brisbane, Australia, further her studies.

She kept in touch with Bob and John through regular phone calls, text messages and e-mails.

When she returned at the end of 2003, she continued her relationships with the two men.

It is not known if they knew of eachother.

She said she was closer to John as Bob, a pilot, was often not in Singapore.

HOLIDAY WITH JOHN 

Jane went with John on holiday to Sydney in May 2005.

The following month, she discovered that she was pregnant.

The baby was born about eight months later.

Bob was with her during the pregnancy test. Thinking the child was his, he immediately proposed to her.

Jane said she went ahead with the wedding as it seemed the 'only solution' for her at the time.

John had told her earlier that he was not ready for marriage.

Cross-examined in court, Jane said: 'I married (Bob) because he was the one who was with me when the doctor did atest.

'The test was positive and (Bob) immediately proposed. And at that time, probably it was out of convenience... and it seemed the easiest way out.'

MARRIED BOB FOR SECURITY 

When asked if she had married Bob for financial security, she replied: 'Partly'.

When the baby girl was born in January 2006, her blood type aroused Bob's suspicions about her paternity.

The following month, he did a DNA test and found that the baby was not his. So he took steps to annul the marriage.

They went their separate ways in June 2006.

The following year, Jane, represented by lawyer Krishnan Nadarajan, went to the Family Court, seeking child maintenance from John.

She said it was not easy to be a single parent and she wasn't able to support the child.

'So all I ask is for her biological father to help me with just a few hundred dollars a month. That's all... so that my child can have a more secure future,' she said.

Besides, she added, she wants the child to know who her father is.

She submitted photos of her and John on holiday, which indicated that they had an intimate relationship.

APPEAL 

John, represented by lawyer Irving Choh, argued that under the law, the child is presumed to be Bob's, as Jane had been married to him at the time of the birth.

He also argued that there was no way to rule out the possibility that Jane had more than two sex partners at thetime.

But Judge Ong dismissed his arguments and allowed Jane's claim.

John is appealing against the judgment.

 

Most men only want the sex. When it's time to choose a bride, one would choose a prim and proper girl. A man may not choose a bride with loose morals even though his own morals are questionable. It's a pity the child ended up without a father.

"every year the immigration people keep pressuring me to convert to Singapore citizen and every year i ask them to suck my balls

guess i am the one with balls"

" actually i got a full expense scholarship into NUS, now serving my 3yr bond. got PR status upon grad

immigration always come kpkb to me every year asking me to convert to citizen. got 1 time they threaten to revoke my PR

i said thank you very much cos if they revoke my PR, I can jump my 3 yr bond. in the end they no balls to revoke my PR status"

"I know, I know, should have gone to Europe, UK, Australia or Canada to study but my parents afraid of bad influence from western culture - eg guns, drugs, sex but the thing is that i got plenty of sex in singapore also though i find singapore females abit tiao keh - most got some form of princess mentality even though they are nothing"

It saddens me to know my tax dollars are wasted on such a person. I begin to wonder whether how many more ungrateful foreign students are wasting away my tax dollars. I hope the relevant authorities are revamping their selection process that invest in such loss-making 'assets'.

My tax dollars could have been better spent on Singaporeans instead.

 

 

 

I never wanted to be mistress
YES, I believed my son should have got $300,000. His father had told me so.
20 July 2008

YES, I believed my son should have got $300,000. His father had told me so.

This is what Teo Sew Eng told The New Paper after her sentencing on Wednesday.

'When Anthony was dying from cancer, he told me he had set aside $300,000 so I could raise Louis till he turned 21,' she said.

She said she was shocked when Mrs Dorothy Chen told her that only $100,000 was left for Louis.

Teo denied consulting a medium to ascertain the value of the inheritance.

She said: 'I told Dorothy that $100,000 wasn't enough to raise Louis and I asked if Anthony had left any more money for Louis. She said there was none, so I thought she had cheated Louis.'

Teo also refuted most of Mr Chen's allegations about her affair with Mr Hong.

She claimed Mr Chen's marriage was on the rocks when she met him in 1988. Subsequently, they began cohabiting and even went on trips to Australia together.

Teo insisted she had ended the affair after Mr Hong did not keep his promise to marry her.

She said: 'I wanted proper status, especially when I became pregnant. I can accept people calling me an unwed mother but I can't accept being labelled as the other woman.

'I guess love is blind. I believed Anthony when he told me to be patient and wait for him to divorce his wife.'

She said Mr Hong accompanied her for pre-natal check-ups and was with her when she gave birth in Thomson Medical Centre in October 1990.

Mr Hong also chose the boy's name.

By the time the boy was two months old, there was still no sign that marriage was on the cards.

When she questioned Mr Hong, he supposedly gave excuses that his wife was seriously ill. Suspicious, Teo decided to visit his family.

She recalled: 'I saw the family coming home in Anthony's car after having dinner outside. They looked so happy together. I felt deceived so I decided to leave Anthony.'

But Teo claimed she was cordial to Mr Hong when he visited her to give her maintenance money for Louis.

She said: 'I'm a Catholic and I've never burnt any incense or joss sticks. Whatever happened, Anthony was still my son's father so I never stopped him from visiting us.

'In any case, how much can $1,500 buy? It wasn't enough as I had to hire a maid and pay for my son's expenses.

'The money he gave me can never make up for the pain and suffering I went through.'

As father and son had acknowledged each other, Teo was disappointed when Louis' name was omitted from Mr Hong's obituary.

She said: 'I remember seeing the obituary and telling Louis his dad had died. My son was so forlorn as he scrutinised the obituary and realised his name was excluded.'

Now she hopes that Louis will complete his diploma course at the Singapore Institute of Management.

She said: 'What has happened has already happened. I have already pleaded guilty and I just hope to move on from here.'

When one choose to be a mistress and bear his child, please makes sure he is truly wealthy. If he can only afford to give $100K as inheritance and $1,500 monthly maintenance when he was alive, he's no rich man. He was only a middle income earner with cravings for extra-marital sex.

When the dam burst, the only one who truly suffer is the boy.

 

 

We need heroes who are upright. Father Kang, Ming Yi and others have failed to control their greed. There must be others who have resisted greed like Mother Teresa. When they shot the photo of the NKF's current CEO's 'austere' room, I found the remark comical. Whatever comments the reporter wrote about her being thrifty is no longer convincing when I saw the size of her office room.

We need heroes like Mother Teresa to debunk these failures.

COLIN WONG & CO. 
1ST FLOOR JALAN SUSUR
BATU 21, TAMAN NAM
TAK 80000 KUALA LUMPUR
MALAYSIA
 
Good Day,
  
I am Barrister Colin Wong , an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine, who hereinafter shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related condition on the 11 November 2001. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the Gulf Air Flight Crashes in Persian Gulf Near Bahrain Aired August 23, 2000 - 2:50 p.m. ET as reported on:http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html 
 
I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at EIGHTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS. ($18,200.000.00 USD).
is lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.
 
My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. 
 
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from many breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology.
I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response. Please contact me at once to indicate your interest.  
 
Email barr_colin_wong69@live.com 
 
Best regards,

This email has been sent to me several times. I wonder how many would be taken in by this scam?

 

July 2, 2008

Swimmers' uphill task

Singapore team are in Sydney to bid for Beijing qualification with 'novice' coach
By Jeanette Wang 
IT IS perhaps the biggest meet of their careers. 

This week's swim competition in Sydney will be the last chance for Marcus Cheah and Nicholas Tan to qualify for August's Beijing Games. 

But the swim for these Olympic hopefuls will be an upstream one, as they will have to produce their best times without their regular coach. 

For Jack Simon, 70, who coached them, served his last day as head coach of The Grassroots Aquatic Club on Monday. 

In a seemingly desperate move, the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) appointed 21-year-old national swimmer Leonard Tan to replace Simon late last week. 

Simon has 46 years' coaching experience, including 25 with the United States national team. 

Tan, who has less than three months' coaching experience as Simon's assistant, will oversee the team at the Telstra Grand Prix 2 event from July 4-6. 

Said Nicholas, 18, who is just 0.08 second off the men's 100m butterfly Olympic B qualifying mark (54.71s): 'I'm not as comfortable as I would be if I had an experienced coach going with me.' 

Nicholas and Tan were teammates at last year's South-east Asia Games. 

Nicholas' mother Eunice said: 'The kids have trained so hard. Nicholas is so close to qualifying. It will be a shame if he doesn't make it because his regular coach is not with him.' 

Yesterday morning, led by Tan, the Simon-coached trio of Cheah, Nicholas and Quah Ting Wen, 15, and Russell Ong, 18, left for Sydney. 

'Imagine the intensity the boys are going to feel,' said Ting Wen's mother Anne, whose daughter is the only one among the four who has qualified for the Olympics. 

Jeffrey Leow, the SSA's president, believes that Tan is the best person to be with the swimmers on the trip. 

'He has had the most direct access and familiarity with Marcus, Nicholas and Ting Wen,' said Leow. 

'Other than Jack, Leonard knows their past two months of workouts best.' 

Temporary help, though, will be available in Sydney in the form of renowned Australian coaches Michael Bohl and Ken Wood. 

The SSA, with help from the Singapore Sports Council, has arranged for Bohl, who coaches 200m individual medley world record-holder Stephanie Rice, to help Tan out at the meet. 

John Dempsey, the former head coach of the now-defunct SSA Centre of Excellence (COE), has persuaded his friend Wood to assist the swimmers at the meet, after Cheah, Ting Wen and Nicholas, in desperation, called Dempsey for help. 

'Leonard is a lovely man and one of my former swimmers, but he's a novice coach,' said Dempsey over the phone from Hong Kong, where he is now a club coach. 

'I have a long history with the trio and feel obligated to help them out. Ken Wood has graciously agreed to assist them as much as he can.' 

Wood will be in Sydney with his Brisbane club swimmers, including 200m butterfly world record-holder Jessicah Schipper and Australian 10km and 1,500m champion Melissa Gorman. 

Dempsey has briefed Wood on the trio's performances and training and racing routines. 

Simon's departure marks the second time in three months that the trio have been left in the lurch. 

Dempsey left in March, just before the four-year-old COE at Toa Payoh closed. 

Some observers felt the Australian had been asked to leave as he was not part of the SSA's plans. 

Dempsey felt it was unfortunate that the trio's preparations have been less than perfect. 

'But I'm confident they'll do the best they can,' he said. 

jwang@sph.com.sg

 

 

I see an incompetent administrator failing badly in his implementation in revamping the organisation structure. Losing 2 expensive and experienced coaches in a short span of time while the swimmers are preparing for their Olympics year is the best example showing how a weak administrator should be. Decentralization training for a small pool of talented swimmers in a small country, would seem illogical to a layman. To set several decentralised training swim centres, an extravagant financial consultant would need to raise the operating expenses to engage a team of experienced coaches. But, he could only afford 1 expensive coach so far. Sometimes, a practical and experienced administrator is what the association needs, not people with impractical dreams.

SINGAPORE: An ex-inmate is seeking compensation of at least S$100,000 from the government for the extra strokes of the cane he received while he was in prison. 

Dickson Tan was sentenced in February last year to a total of nine months' jail and five strokes of cane for four counts of loan-shark activities. 

Tan was given eight strokes of the cane instead of the actual five. 

The government acknowledged the error and expressed regret, but at issue then was the amount of compensation Tan should get. 

Three rounds of discussions with the Attorney-General's Chambers failed to produce an agreement. 

Tan's family indicated before these mediation talks that they would settle if an offer of $300,000 was made. 

So, Tan has taken the case to court. 

Tan's lawyer, Mr Joseph Chen, told 938LIVE that they are writing in to ask for a court-based mediation, where a High Court Judge will decide on the issues involving the case. 

Additions were also made during a short hearing. The additions relate to the questions and comments raised during Parliament on the case sometime back. 

Citing Tan's financial difficulties, Mr Chen said his client hopes this matter will be resolved as soon as possible. 

The lawyer said the S$100,000 in compensation asked is based on a medical report that he will be unemployable for about five years. 

In the report, Mr Chen explained that Tan currently suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder that can develop into schizophrenia. If the case goes to trial, they will be asking for punitive damages. 

The extra strokes he received was due to an error made by the court clerk while transcribing the sentence meted out on to the warrant of commitment. 

The warrant is to notify the Prisons Department of the sentence that had been meted out to the prisoner. - 938LIVE.

 

I would want to be compensated when people don't listen and insist on giving me a red hot ass. Sorry ain't enough. $100K ain't much with rising inflation and job ain't readily available for an ex-convict. 3 strokes for $100K, that works out to be $33K a stroke.

 

 

I supposed many are excited over the new movie - The Happening by M Shayamalam. For those who have watched it, they would likely disappointed with the outcome. I was definitely disappointed. Take care of the environment or the environment will defend itself against us humans. That's the gist of the storyline.

I noted that some telcos allow subscribers access to internet surfing on their mobile in certain price plans. But, Singtel does not offer such 'free mobile surfing' at all. They still seem incongruent units within the big telco where singnet and mobile phone are separate animals competing for their respective goals.

Buy from an established and expensive retailer, one expects certain standards. Otherwise, why bother. I certainly do not expect such experiences for such prices...

He works in a Police Department as a forensic 'blood splatterer'. In Season 1, they were trying to catch the Ice Truck serial killer, who turns out to be Dexter's brother and Dexter's foster sister's fiance. In Season 2, the noose become tighter as the police close in on the hunt for 'bayshore butcher' which is Dexter.

Watch it..

I have been watching this TV series - Dexter. I am intrigue by the series. The hero is a serial killer, who feeds his urge by killing murderers. The writers try to justify that it's OK and even turned him into a hero in Season 2. His personality is also evolving as the series continue. There is much sex and nudity as well. I doubt Starhub or Mediacorp will buy this serial for our market. By the time it gets through our censorship board, nothing can be screened.