millwall_fan

We are hoping to go to Southern Vietnam next week. Vung Tau has a reasonable beach, reasonable air quality and very reasonable prices!

3 hours ago, Henrik Andersen said:

Why not confront the man and call police 

This pedophile belong in prison 

Although this guy is clearly sick, I'm not sure that pedophile is the right terminology. That looks more like a university uniform to me. 

8 hours ago, varun said:

Not really, they're just greedy.

All standardized English proficiency tests (TOEFL / IELTS / TESOL) have always been cash cows.

I don't think Isaan bumpkin spouses migrating to the UK are being singled out.

The test-prep and standardized testing market (esp. for English proficiency) is a well-oiled machine that is recession-proof.

 

OK, your cynicism takes a different line to mine!  

If you learn a foreign language you dont forget it after a couple of years! You may get a little rusty but its always with you. Unless you catch amnesia you dont forget language you acquire.  In point of fact though, I was referring to the costs involved: the trip to Bangkok and I believe the 8,000 Baht cost.

6 hours ago, rasg said:

According to the following link it only lasts 2 years. If you use an A1 pass for a settlement visa you can also use it for the first FLR assuming you get married in the UK.  The new rules that were introduced last year mean you need A2 for the second FLR if you get married in the  UK. If you get married in Thailand A1, is needed for the settlement visa and A2 for FLR (one period).

 

It looks like she will have to take it again. At £150 a pop UKVI do very well out of it.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-o-approved-english-language-tests

 

VFS is the place to submit the visa application itself but all supporting documents have to be sent to Sheffield. If you take a language test you no longer even need to submit a certificate as UKVI access it online.

That is unbelievably unfair,-- if you have an English language certificate, yo don't forget that English in 2 years! This is just another ploy to stop legitimate migration by the spouses of legitimate British citizens. 

This is all typical of the arrogance of the rich, the elite and the junta: In Singapore when the government wanted hawkers off the streets they built Hawkers Centres in every neighbourhood and provided decent quality fair rent stalls for the traders.  Here the rich charge sky high rents for the buildings they own that place them WAY outside the rate the traders can afford, leaving them no alternative but to take to the pavements. 

This is all part of General Prayuth's oft stated policy to 'Bring Happiness Back to the Elite'. He has been remarkably successful on that score during his 4 years of power stolen at the end of a gun barrel. Sad for the ordinary Thais. 

Thin pickings for Sunday lunch compared with a few years ago. I'm looking to go out for a Western lunch tomorrow. Doesn't have to be Roast Beef but most of the French places seem to close on a Sunday. Yummy is too far out of town. any recommendations for Western places in town?

How can readers 'judge for themselves when the magazine is unavailable?

Prawit is technically correct in that the junta didn't actually ban this edition of Time, but the distributors Asia Books and Kikonuya were simply too scared to import it.

On 6/6/2018 at 9:12 AM, CanterbrigianBangkoker said:

I speak Thai well enough to understand what was being said, and pleeeeease 'nuances'! In Thailand!? hahaha, that's a good one. So, is it safe to say you'll have the mourners crack out the slide-whistles at your or your loved ones' funerals, then? You listened to your wife (who is obviously Thai) about this matter, that was your first mistake! ???

Listening to my (Thai) wife has kept our marriage going strong for 16 years. After all that time I may still only have a rudimentary understanding of the nuances (I still use that word) of the Thai thought process.  You, however, clearly have none. 

On 6/6/2018 at 9:16 AM, scottiejohn said:

 

Are you sure they were "farmer's daughters" and not the framers themselves!

The girls who were performing back then are probably the mothers of those performing nowadays! Mind you after a few beers it wouldn't really matter if it was still the mothers!! 

When I last went to Spotlight which is about 15 years ago, the gals were mostly chunky farmers  daughters from Phayao!

1 hour ago, idman said:

Maddog will close and move to a new location.  The English owner is planning on re-opening and is actively looking for a suitable location.  The only remaining question is the actual date the current location will close its door.  Spotlight is still the best Go Go bar in Chiang Mai, even at the new location.  The layout is OK but is a far cryfrom the original site.  Not to my liking as the oval shape bar is not at the new location.  The talent level however is still the same, top shelf stuff.

So it looks like my informant was kind of correct but somewhat premature! 

When you say Spotlight is still the best Go-Go bar in Chiang Mai......isn't it the only Go-Go bar in Chiang Mai? Know ye of any others? 

4 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Really?  even after an extensive Google search (Googled the phrase, Dads Army, Pvt Walker).  I can't find it so it can't be very well known and certainly not in common use. Anyway thanks for the enlightenment (sort of).

 

 

BobBKK 'You stupid boy!'

Seriously: I've got every episode downloaded, but I confess I can't remember which episode it was......another excuse to start watching them all again! It would have been a reaction by Walker to one of Corporal Jones' reminiscences about the Battle of Omdurman or long forgotten battle!

Thanks for that sanemax! My apologies for the false alarm, TV people! Great news though. Mad Dogs has provided decent food and beer since I first came to Thailand back in 1900 and frozen stiff.

I have just heard form a normally reputable source that Mad Dogs bar by the moat has closed down as the landlord has sold the building without telling Nick. If true this would be a very sad end to one of Chiang Mai's longest standing Farang bars. I really hope this news is incorrect. Can anyone confirm or deny it?

The price has risen because the cask wine producers were exploiting a loophole in the law that taxed 'fruit wines' lower than regular wines. So by adding fruit ( or possibly just sticking a label on the bottle saying 'fruit wine') they paid less duty and so could charged less. our puritanical military dictators just closed that loophole meaning all wine is now taxed at the punitive rate of 450% which is scandalous.

19 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Anyone feel like reporting on their restaurant dinner?

Thoroughly enjoyed Christmas Dinner at Anantara. Great buffet food: in addition to a full turkey dinner with lots of trimmings, they had some nice seafood; Thai, Chinese, Indian and Peruvian (yes, Peruvian) choices. They also had cold meats - prosciutto, ham etc and some excellent cheeses. More cakes and chocolate than you could poke a stick at. All washed down with as much Prosecco, half decent Chilean white, very approachable Chilean red, chocolate Martinis as you could drink. A shot of Vodka was offered to accompany the salmon. Santa came along with a couple of very pretty helpers with legs up to their armpits and there were some very nice Christmas carols and songs performed by children from Dara Academy. There was room for my 10 year old and his mate to run around when they got bored and a very pleasant setting by the river. All this cost a hefty 3,531Baht (3,000++) per head (half price for kids), but in my view it was well worth it!

Not much difference, Bob. To operate in Thailand most firms have to set up a Thai subsidiary with a couple of already wealthy Chinese Thais on the board raking in fat salaries for doing nothing more than legitimising it by giving it the appearance of it being a Thai company. It's the mechanism that allows them to operate domestic flights in Thailand and international flights emanating from Thailand. 

As for your flights- Thai Viet Jet and Viet Jet dont seem to offer through ticketing, so you'd have to get a ticket from CNX to BKK (that's Swampy remember, not Don Mueang). and then separately from BKK to SGN. From SGN you could fly to Dalat or Cam Ranh on a third separate ticket. Alternatively you could fly directly from BKK to Dalat and then take  bus to Nha Trang.