On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:00:44 +0700, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:04:13 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

Hi Bruce,
Did you try Chulia Street?
On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:30:38 +0700, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:

The last time I was in Penang and talked to a chemical shop there the
owner said "I'll keep selling TBT as long as the Malaysian Navy uses
TBT based anti fouling".. So you are probably correct. unfortunately I
can't buy it.

Yup, that's the guy - known as the "Chemical man".

Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)

Yes, Mr Ong of Langtrau Traders.

Now in his 80's and speaking perfect Oxford English (though I wouldn't
expect that you as an American would appreciate well spoken English),
he has had a very interesting life. His father died when he was 9
leaving his mother to scrape a living for the family unassisted. When
the Japanese occupied Malaya, they set up a medical school at Melaka
and he was chosen to attend. After his 3rd year the British returned
and the school was closed down, thus terminating his medical studies.
Returning to Penang his Doctor friends suggested that, as drugs and
medical supplies were hard to get hold of, he should think of buying
them in Singapore on the black market and smuggling them back to
Penang (the best city in the universe where the most beautiful women
are just that - women) where they would buy them off him.

Subsequently he somehow obtained a military uniform and a weekly pass
(forged or otherwise acquired) and made the weekly round trip by
train. At the time Singapore was a military area and was no go to just
anybody. He went on to found the largest chemical company in Malaysia
and when he reached his 60's retired, handed it over to his sons and
started selling all kinds of chemical supplies from that shop house.

He is an easy person to make any excuse to sit and have a cup of tea
with and just ask questions. The prices of his TBT and other useful
boaties' chemicals is ridiculously low.

I was planning to leave Curacao today bound for Panama and have only
just found out that there is at least an 8 week delay for transiting
the canal. Only 3 yachts are allowed transit each way on 3 days per
week. This delay means that I would have to go hell for leather to
reach your end of the world before the cyclone season starts in
November - and with La Nina.... I am thinking of heading home for a
few months. Damn!!

Asalaam
Peter