pizzachang

Interesting. We never used these types of aids. Just as a reference, an ammonia leak would have to be extremely small to be able to use such an item, since the ammonia is under a lot of pressure, and if it's out of control by valves, you'd need protection to get close. I can certainly see the use, in a remote, field condition situation, as in a tiny leak in a large tank. Thanks for the conversation

I'll try and respond in order. It is quite possible that the valve couldn't be closed (various reasons, including corroded parts inside or simply to much escaping gas) Remember, it's under pressure to keep it liquid. To my knowledge, limited to my years of service ending in 2008, there is no "leak stopper" or sealer. Maybe there is now, I haven't kept up. #2 Ammonia likely was already fully expended from the system in the Thailand leak - up to the next closed valve. In the case of say, a 100 lb. refill tank (looks like a big lpg tank but beefier) a faulty valve or unscrewing past a certain point will be a big surprise to the tech. Once I had an assistant who did exactly that on a routine replenish to our holding tank, and the 100 lbs of instantly converting liquid to gas, emptied in about 3 or 4 seconds. I had time to stop him from trying to rethread the valve - even with heavy rubber gloves, he would have had frostbite or worse. This much ammonia dispersed quickly, but the surrounding businesses complained a lot. By the time the complaints reached the city's manager, even the smell was gone. Remember, 5ppm can be detected but it's not really a danger - think of household ammonia sold in the US ( I never see it in Thailand) The fire was out of control in our situation before the f.d. arrived and the decision was made by them & plant managers to let it finish but contain it to the building. The bad part was the various materials other than ammonia that burned, insulations, paint, oils, and lots of paper/plastic packaging supplies. But the ammonia was long dispersed. #3 Location of sensors, their maintenance would be the factor here. The sensors we used had a industry setting 25 ppm, set in potential leak areas at around 6 feet. They require periodic maintenance to do their job. I'd guess that the leak (Thailand) was small enough to be contained and don't know if the particular location of the leak could have been tied to any automatic shut-off. Usually these sensors are tied to a sound warning for the particular area; then any responder had to have the proper gear to enter the area; first to assess the location, turn off adjacent valves or see the situation is serious enough to allow the expulsion to finish and then fix the problems. Remember, NH3 dissipates very quickly and containing an active leak depends on different factors - of responders, equipment quickly available and the actual amount of NH3 that is involved. A train tank car is much different than a small ice plant's storage or refill vessels. Here's some photos of the one I witnessed. As you can see, the location was about as good as they get for quick dispersion of the ammonia.

The most common reason for larger leaks. We used a check system and even had actual key locks for valves that were normally closed and a tag when you removed the lock to use the valve. Ammonia does have to be added to the systems periodically, because ammonia does leak, even through the tiniest of openings - the good thing is you can smell a leak at 5ppm and that is when action needs to be taken.

Well, as I said maintenance is the key in systems like this. Interesting enough "oil" is essential in maintaining the integrity of piping and valves. I witnessed an explosion of the ammonia tank at a fish processor in Alaska - across the street from our ice plant - 4000 lbs of liquid ammonia. The resulted cloud dispersed relatively quickly because of the location in a bay, but the fire took some time to extinguish. This accident started with an rusty valve in a supposedly unused section of piping. The engineer (a very competent tech that I knew personally) had his mask and an assistant, and were aware of all the possibilities; the threads at the valve broke (corroded from the inside - ammonia is corrosive - much less so if there's enough oil in the system.) and they ran outside and then attempted to turn off another valve that "could" supply that piping, but too late. Neither were injured but did get some serious inhalation - ammonia turn chemically into sulfuric acid when it contacts the moisture in your lungs. We used sulfur "sticks" to locate small leaks and those are terrible to inhale too, but the masks work very well. So, in a guess, a leak unattended, a rusty pipe corroded inside and looking perfectly normal outside, or just not double-checking a refill procedure could have caused this one. The storage tanks are usually regulated and inspected but do require safety valve replacement by time in service, at least in the US.

It disperses quickly. One of the cheapest, and very efficient refrigerants. Ice plants use it because it's inexpensive and highly detectable. One thimble-full of liquid ammonia will empty very large room quickly, as humans will not tolerate concentrations above 100 parts per million. 50ppm is the international exposure level over an 8 hour period (work shift) Humans can detect 5ppm by smell. As long as maintenance is done on valves, piping and compressors, ammonia is safe enough, compared to undetectable refrigerants. Maintenance is the key [my experience in ice plant maintenance, repair and rebuilding Vilter compressors]

Mine says FTT on every deposit to Bangkok Bank NY - Bangkok Bank here in Chiang Mai prints the 12 month print out (usually takes two weeks or less) But I've noticed that the last 1 year renewal of NON-O, that the officer just looked at the summary from Bangkok Bank (required document) and simply added the print-out to the "finished stack". Maybe someone else looks at it later, during the "consideration period"?

I just did mine myself using the US Embassy "new" policy. More trouble than the previous renewal procedure 10 years ago. However, the Letter is a required document at Chiang Mai. Reading the instructions for "transfer of visa stamp", a verification from the Embassy is required. Since the US Embassy no longer issues such letters (along with many other services) you can download a form letter from them, stating as much. This was accepted by Thai Immigration and actually getting the que number to the "transfer visa" window, took about 3 hours total, including 30 minutes wait at the window counter.

Would Thai citizens be paying "taxes' on their "pension income"? Somehow, this is more confusing than I thought. Pension funds are not "earned income", in any sense. If a pensioner was "earning" interest on funds brought into Thailand, I could see a case being made to tack on taxes, but otherwise... nope.

Adding that this question is about transfer of visa stamp to new passport.

"Letter from the embassy to the Immigration Office asking for cooperation; " How to get this document from US Consulate Chiang Mai? The US website give no clue - just says "go to Thai Immigration to transfer stamp"

Well, the propaganda key here is "CNN" - antisemitic for years and no friend to Israel. IMO, the Israelis did not "bring this upon themselves". In 1993, the nation of Israel traded their land (Gaza) for peace with the PLO, a terrorist organization, first headed by the terrorist Yasser Arafat. Israel never received the "peace" part of the Accords. So now, repossession of the "land is the most reasonable option. Pundits can sit in Ivory Towers and claim that Israel should "do this or that", but it's really just virtue signaling. Using this kind of logic - here's what we would conclude: "tit for tat" - so how many babies would the Palestinians allow to be beheaded of their own? "Measured response" as the Ivory Tower apologists for Hamas suggest is foolish. Pearl Harbor bombing by Japan... everything would be "equitable", if we had just bombed a Japanese harbor? War is horrific, so if one wants to avoid consequences, don't start one.

I'm wondering, why 10,000 tourists of any nationalities welcome in Thailand, need to be "grappled with"? Are more Immigration Officers needed at the international airport entry points?

Yes, you're correct. This refers to people who regularly pay income taxes in Thailand. I imagine, it is Thai citizens, who earn money abroad and pay their taxes. A retired citizen from another country (not a Thai or a Thai passport holder) is not a "tax resident".

Actually, making a eunuch of him would not impair anything except his ability to impregnate female. Removing the testicles pre- puberty would lessen the "urge" but not remove it. Now, removing the penis would have the effect you're describing. Unfortunately, sick individuals that do this kind of stuff, could just start killing.... you never really know.

So is 'twerking' illegal in Thailand?