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To: Maurice Winn who wrote (33513)	5/11/2003 10:34:39 PM
From: Cogito Ergo Sum	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

I wonder where it all leads. Well I plan on camping a lot this summer despite the rampages of our friend culex and looking at simple things like stars in the night sky and watching my kids marvel wide eyed at bunnies coming up to the camp site... :o) regards Kastel

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (33513)	5/12/2003 1:51:26 AM
From: elmatador	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

<<dream of a computer on every desk and in every home>> Thais offered a million cheap computers <<with Linux not Windows OS>> <<What a contrast! Lula's plan for three meals a day for every Brazilian and Taksin's once computer at every table. <<Taksin will profit? yes, sure! But so will be agribusiness in Brazil on the deal there>> By Amy Kazmin in Bangkok Published: May 9 2003 19:39 \| Last Updated: May 9 2003 19:39 In a high-tech equivalent of promising to put food on every citizen's table, Thailand's government has begun a campaign to bring an affordable computer to 1m Thai households by the end of this year. Nearly 15,000 Thais queued for up to four hours in sweltering heat on Friday outside a Bangkok convention centre to put down Bt1,000 ($23, ?21, £15) towards the purchase of a Bt10,900 desktop computer, or a Bt19,500 notebook computer. Among those sweating it out to book the cut-price machines was Samak Taengnim, a 39-year-old railway mechanic, who has never used a computer in his life, but long aspired to buy one for his 11-year-old son. The shy railway repairman said such a purchase had, until now, been beyond the means of his Bt8,000 monthly salary. But Mr Samak should be able to finance his acquisition with a low-interest loan from state-owned Krung Thai Bank, which had smiling young representatives handing out loan applications inside the hall. "Now, Thaksin [Shinawatra, Thailand's prime minister] is giving a chance to poor people," Mr Samak's friend, Wongthong Sriboonrueng, said, as red-faced government officials used bull-horns to keep the crowd in order. Ronarong Pumpaisal, a sign-board maker, said he lost his first computer shortly after Thailand's economic crisis, when he was unable to keep up the payments, but now felt he needed one both for his son's education and his business. "It's good to have a computer at home," he said, holding his 9-year-old son close to him. "There are so many students in the school, so there is not much chance for him to use a computer." The ultra-cheap computers - just half the price of the least expensive computers normally available in the market - can be ordered at post offices or branches of state banks around Thailand until the end of the month, and will be delivered over the coming months. Thais who buy the machines will take home older-generation technology now being phased out of most new computers. Experts say the use of old stocks of outdated components has kept costs down. The computers will be loaded with free Linux operating systems, rather than costly Microsoft software. But Surapong Suebwonglee, IT minister, said the computers would still be able to access the internet. "People who want a sophisticated machine can buy from many shops in the market," he said. "We would like to help the people who want to have their first computer." Mr Surapong, who took over the IT ministry seven months ago, said he was initially inspired to make computers available for the masses after he read a newspaper article saying that Wal-Mart was selling computers for $199 in the US. He then summoned local computer manufacturers in Thailand to ask why a similar deal could not be made there. "After that I found out that the $199 price of the Wal-Mart did not include the monitor," he said. "But that was the beginning." Thaksin Shinawatra, who ebulliently greeted computer buyers yesterday, said the government wanted to help bridge the gap between "affordability and computer literacy" to help Thailand be more competitive in the future. The premier, of course, has reasons to smile. Shin Corp, the company he founded and which his family still controls, is one of Thailand's biggest internet service providers, likely to get a boost from any growth in internet subscribers.