One time zone in RI ?

**Davita** · 11-06-12, 21:27

[QUOTE=mrcibubur;258788]I think it makes business sense for Indonesia to fall in line with Singapore Malaysia and Thailand as regards Time zone, though Papua is a different entity entirely in my opinion and I cannot see how it would be effective or productive there for one time zone.

I think that Thailand is currently in the same time-zone as Sumatra/Java; at least it was on my last visit to Phuket. The Air Asia Pilot even got that wrong when he made the announcement and had to correct himself.

Papua is geographically too far east to be in the same time-zone...geography (Mother Nature) trumps politics and economics.

Finland/Norway, or any extreme Northern country, have almost 6 months of daylight and 6 months of darkness. That is a matter of their geography and no amount of fiddling time can alter 'mother nature'.

Another side effect to time-zoning has to do with depression. Studies have indicated those countries that do not see enough sun have greater suicide rates.

**kingwilly** · 12-06-12, 10:16

[QUOTE=Davita;258801]

Originally Posted by mrcibubur

Studies have indicated those countries that do not see enough sun have greater suicide rates.

I suspect that the amount of sunlight that Indonesia receives will most likely stay the same, so hopefully suicide rates of Indonesians and expats will not significantly change.

**jstar** · 12-06-12, 11:07

Originally Posted by Davita

Another side effect to time-zoning has to do with depression. Studies have indicated those countries that do not see enough sun have greater suicide rates.

But if you look at the stats with Sweden on the first position, it doesn't make sense that Norway, Iceland, Finland and Canada aren't up there as well. So there must be more going on in that 'welfare-state'.

**747-8** · 16-09-12, 19:33

Originally Posted by Injun

Actually if you look at the world time map, it is Singapore that's in the wrong time zone. They choose to align themselves with their very close neighbor --Malaysia-- that unified her time zone. The entire western Malaysia is in the wrong time zone and Singapore just had to follow suit.

I vaguely remember when this happened in the 80's. Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) changed to GMT +8 to be more aligned to East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). Singapore at the time was GMT +7.5 but changed also to GMT +8 to be aligned with Kuala Lumpur and West Malaysia. It was seen as advantageous since Beijing and Hong Kong were also at GMT +8. It would have been a good move for Jakarta to have moved to GMT +8 back then.

China is also another country that just has the one time zone for the whole country. I've been to western China where in Urumqi and Kashgar the time zone here is out of synch with the sun. The sun rises at around 8 am in the morning and offices officially open at 10 am. Some people have resorted to using an unofficial time zone for the western region and often when making appointments, you'd have to specify whether you're referring to Beijing time or Unofficial Urumqi time, which then defeats the purpose of having the one time zone for the country.

**nd_eric_77** · 11-10-12, 17:39

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/1...89103T20121002

I guess time ran out on the time change...

**Nimbus** · 11-10-12, 21:32

Busy pejabats don't have time for this...

**Hombre de Maiz** · 12-10-12, 08:28

Originally Posted by Injun

...but I don't see how an hour back would affect Papua terribly.

Isn't that the attitude that got us (you, really) in trouble in the first place?

**Nimbus** · 12-10-12, 09:49

Originally Posted by Hombre de Maiz

Isn't that the attitude that got us (you, really) in trouble in the first place?

No.

I used to commute weekly across time zone line by 2 hours drive, which means the two places are either almost an hour ahead or an hour behind. Also, the difference between sunrise at summer solstice and on the day before the end of DST is a full two hours.

The drama is real, the suffering is not.

**jellygrapes** · 12-10-12, 12:38

I know this has stalled because of the 90 day decree the article said had to be issued....

My question is: If it is currently 5am-ish when the sun rises in Surabaya (and my 2 small sons), will this make it 6am???? GOD I HOPE SO!!!..... Currently need a "nanna nap" due to early rising!!! lol