Friday 30 January 2009

Halal groceries in Bangkok


Halal Australian beef and lamb at Siam Paragon.

I decided to post this as my response to one of the blog visitors, who has just moved to Bangkok from Jakarta. Thank you for visiting and I'm glad that you found it informative.
To start off, halal chicken and beef can be found at almost all big wet markets in Bangkok but dont be surprised as some smaller markets have them, too. Besides the wet market, halal chicken are also available at the Home Fresh Mart (supermaket at the Mall chain stores & Siam Paragon) and TESCO Lotus. The Home Fresh Mart also sells halal processed chicken such as chicken cocktail, salami etc. Please beware when buying from TESCO as not all is Halal. Make sure you check the label before purchasing. Some CP chicken are halal, too, as they come from farms different from the non-halal ones. Halal mutton and lamb are available at Bak Rak Market and in front of Masjid Ban Ooo, behind Shangri-La Hotel, near Saphan Taksin BTS Station.

The French-Thai Butchery has its main store at Sukhumvit Soi 33 (near Villa Market). Besides that it also has its counters at Villa Market all around Bangkok. The French-Thai Butchery supplies halal grade 1 beef. You have the choice to pick any parts of the beef which you like based on the chart provided. Unfortunately, they do not carry lamb.
Halal bread by S.T. Bakery sold at certain 7-Eleven stores.


Halal healthy breakfast cracker is available at Tesco Lotus.


Halal organic cereal bars at Villa Market.



Chicken sold at Home Fresh Mart which is available at Siam Paragon and all The Mall supermarkets.


Allowrie butter and cheese produced in Thailand are halal, but the ones imported from Australia are without the Halal certification. There are a few other brands with the Halal certification. There's even halal mozzarella cheese at Home Fresh Mart.
Caroline mozzarella and samsoe cheese
Halal Mascarpone cheese by Caroline are available at Villa Market.


Soft tofu
Halal ready to cook beef and chicken by Kin Sun: available at the Mall supermarkets


Halal yellow noodles at Top's Market



Halal Australian beef and lamb burgers are available at the Emporium, Sukhumvit Soi 24.

There's a Halal minimart called Halal Express at Minburi, on the way to Nong Chok.
Fresh beef and lamb cuts are available at Sindhorn Steak House minimart on Ramkhamhaeng Road.
Fresh beef, mutton and lamb are available in the morning at Silom Soi 20 Market & in front of Masjid Ban Oou, behind Robinson's Bang Rak.
Ramly burger and chicken sausage are available at Carrefour Rama IV and a Muslim shop adjacent to Fahana Italian Restaurant on Rama IX Road.

p.s.I shall keep updating this post with current info from time to time.

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Farewell to the Prachachuen Residence

Three nights to go before we leave Prachachuen Residence for Metro Park Condo. 8 months here as we've decided to break the contract where the 2 months' deposit will be forfeited. We should have waited till end of May but Keiron just couldnt wait any longer. I'm now in the midst of packing things on my own as he's away at work. 2 more days to get everything packed and off to Metro Park on Saturday morning. It's about half an hour from here if we dont get stuck on Ngam Wong Wan Road.

Just look at my achievent so far...he,he,he....I'm really not good at this....HELLLLLPPPP!!!!

Three suitcases of books and a box of clothes.

Hmmm...I'm gonna miss Prachachuen Residence:

1.the friendly and 'ever willing to help' staff; from the receptionists to the guards: who are very efficient and quick in responding to any reports made;

2.the laundrette lady who assists us most of the time (as we would leave our laundry in the machines and go off and come back three hours later);

3.the convenient store and 7-Eleven which have always been my life saver;

4.the salons: Pad's and Ginza;

5.the markets: Prachaniwet Market, Phong Phet Market, Bon Marche Market;

6.the 'nuat'-cheap massage: at Tesco Phong Phet, Ngam Wong Wan Road, Phong Phet Market, a few around Prachaniwet;

7. Prachaniwet Sports Centre: yoga and aerobic sessions;

8. the Chicken Rice Shop at Kasemrad Hospital;

9. Central Plaza, Chaengwattana;

10. crispy fried chicken at Phong Phet Market;

11. the night market next door which takes place 3 times a week; and last but not least

12. having Din and family as our neighbour.

Tuesday 20 January 2009

Barack Obama's Inauguration Swearing-In Ceremony 2009

The oath of office will be administered to the President-elect and the Vice President-elect on the steps of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC on January 20, 2009 beginning at 11:30 a.m. EST.
The ceremony should last just more than one hour.
The official programme is as follows:

11:30 a.m.: Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks

11:46 a.m.: Oath of Office Administered to Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

11.56 a.m.: Oath of Office Administered to President-elect Barack H. Obama By the Chief Justice
12:01 p.m.: Inaugural Address by the President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama

Saturday 17 January 2009

Frost happens on Phu Hin Rong Kla first time in 2009

Phitsanulok - Frost happened on the tourist-destination Phu Hin Rong Kla Mountaintop early Saturday morning, the first time of this year.Manas Sisua, the spokesman of the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park in Nakhon Thai district, said the entire mountaintop at the level of 1,400 metres above the sea was white with frost.He said some tourists camped out at on the mountaintop Friday and woke up to see the frost.The temperature on the mountaintop was measured at 1 Celsius degree.
The Nation

Halal food in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

This Muslim restaurant is situated on the main road of Kanchanaburi town. Coming from the town centre, it's located next to the Mistshubishi showroom, in between the war cemeteries and the junction to Bridge of River Kwai.


They even have the menu in Malay as many tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore stop by to have their meals when they are in town. There is also a small 'solat' room at the back of the restaurant.

As always, I ordered 'tom yum goong'.


Clockwise: Stir fried beef with basil leaves(phad kaprao bhai neua), deep fried fish with chili sauce (pla thod bhai prik) and ox tail soup(sup hung)
Dont forget to say mai phed if you dont like it spicy, like me.

We found another Muslim kiosk called 'Shah Kebab & Pizza'. From the main road, turn left at the junction going towards the Bridge of River Kwai. Go along the road for about 1.5km and you'll see the kiosk on your right.

Mr. Ahmad, the owner and chef hails from Turkey. He offers shrimp pizza, chicken kebab and turkish ice cream only.

Mr. Ahmad places the pizza in his custom made oven which uses firewood instead of electricity.

Delicious shrimp pizza costs 150 baht. It tastes so good that we'll definitely go back for it if we do go to Kanchanaburi again.

This Turkish ice cream is specially brought it from Turkey. It costs 40baht per scoop.

Mercury on Doi Inthanon drops to 1.5C Friday morning

Chiang Mai - Tourists visiting Doi Inthanon Friday morning was treated with frost, which has been happening for three consecutive days. Kriangsak Thanomphan, chief of Doi Inthanon National Park, said about 3,000 tourists visited the mountaintop Friday morning and were treated with a spectacular scene of white frost.He said the grass minimum temperature on the mount was -3 C degree for three consecutive days in the morning.The normal temperature on Doi Inthanon was measured at 1.5 C Friday morning he said.

The Nation
16 Jan 2009

Tuesday 6 January 2009

Halal steak in Bangkok : Abdul Rahman Steak


The cafe

Tenderloin steak


Sirloin steak
On last sunday, Din brought us to have breakfast at the Yan Hee International Hospital Cafeteria, which is about 10 minutes from our place (near Rama VII bridge). Initially we wanted to have chicken rice at our fav chicken rice shop near Kasemrad Hospital but it was closed. There were 2 muslim vendors at the cafe: one selling western food and various fried rice, while the other selling khao mok khai (Thai briyani ).
We ordered creamy mushroom soup, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak and shrimp fried rice.
If you'd like to try the steak, take the Ratchadapisek Road and drive across the Rama VII Bridge. It's on the left side not far from the junction to Bang O mosque. The address is as follows:

Yanhee International Hospital
454 Charasanitwong Road ,
Bang-O,
Bangkok 10700 Thailand
p.s.: Yan Hee International Hospital is internationally accredited and well known for its innovation in beauty and cosmetic treatment.

Phad kaprao bhai neua - stir fried beef with sweet basil


Ingredients:
1 small bowl of beef: thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic
4 bird's eye chilies (cili padi), add more as prefered -
oyster sauce
fish sauce
black soya sauce
distilled vinegar
palm sugar
pepper
a bunch of sweet basil leaves
Heat oil in pan. Pound together garlic and chilies. Sautee the garlic and chili paste till fragrant.
Add in the sliced beef and add some water to it. Stir till the meat changes colour. Add the other ingredients to taste. Finally, throw in the sweet basil leaves, stir and leave for about 2 minutes. Take pan away from heat and serve immediately with steamed hom mali (jasmine) rice.

Monday 5 January 2009

Courses offered by Medium Books & Consultancy : Feb-March 2008

MEDIUM BOOKS & CONSULTANCY akan menganjurkan kursus-kursus yang berikut:

1. KURSUS PERSEMBAHAN HEBAT POWERPOINT (16-17 Februari 2009) di Pearl Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Sebuah bengkel dua hari untuk pensyarah, kakitangan kerajaan, penyelidik, pengajar, guru-guru dan orang ramai yang mahu menampilkan persembahan Powerpoint yang hebat dan berkesan. Peserta diberikan bimbingan akan pelbagai fitur dalam perisian Powerpoint, termasuklah manipulasi multimedia dalam persembahan. Pembimbing: Haji Syahrul Nizam Junaini daripada Unimas, Sarawak.

2. BENGKEL PUBLIC SPEAKING (23-24 Februari 2009) di Pearl Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Sebuah bengkel dua hari untuk kakitangan kerajaan termasuk pegawai perhubungan awam, pensyarah, pegawai tadbir, dan ahli politik yang mahu memperbaiki kemampuan perucapan awam mereka. Peserta akan didedahkan dengan pelbagai teknik perucapan dan mengenal pasti kelemahan mereka. Pembimbing: Dr Jeniri Amir daripada Unimas, Sarawak.

3. KURSUS PEMANTAPAN BAHASA [EJAAN & KATA] (10-11 Mac 2009) di Pearl Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Sebuah bengkel dua hari untuk pegawai dan pembantu tadbir, setiausaha, pensyarah, guru-guru, editor, wartawan, dan kakitangan kerajaan bagi membantu mereka memantapkan keterampilan bahasa masing-masing. Peserta dibimbing untuk menguasai sistem ejaan dan pembentukan kata serta didedahkan dengan pelbagai kesilapan dalam ejaan dan penggunaan kata. Pembimbing: Prof. Emeritus Dr Nik Safiah Karim dan Prof. Dr Abdul Hamid Mahmood.

4. KURSUS MENULIS SURAT RASMI & MINIT MESYUARAT (12-13 Mac 2009) di Pearl Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Sebuah bengkel intensif dua hari untuk pegawai dan pembantu tadbir, setiausaha, pensyarah, dan kakitangan kerajaan bagi membantu mereka memperbaiki kemahiran dalam menulis surat rasmi dan minit mesyuarat. Peserta dibimbing proses dan prosedur untuk menghasilkan surat rasmi dan minit mesyuarat yang berkesan. Pembimbing: En. Khalid Mazlan daripada Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

5. KURSUS MEMAHAMI MEMAHAMI PENERBITAN (15-19 Mac 2009) di Avillion Legacy, Melaka. Sebuah kursus empat hari dan satu hari lawatan industri untuk staf penerbitan, pensyarah, dan pegawai tadbir bagi mendalami pelbagai aspek dalam penerbitan daripada proses penulisan hinggalah penyuntingan, perekaan, percetakan dan penjualan bahan terbitan. Peserta akan diberi bimbingan untuk memahami pelbagai proses dan tugas dalam penerbitan. Pembimbing terdiri daripada ahli akademik dan pengamal industri penerbitan tempatan.

Untuk makluman lanjut, sila layari laman web http://www.mediumbooks.net/
atau hubungi:

MEDIUM BOOKS & CONSULTANCY
4A, Tkt 1, Jalan 7/1C
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi
SELANGOR
Tel: 03-8925 9085/013-307 7722
Faks: 03-8920 2351
E-mel: mediumbooks@yahoo.com