yermanee

I have only one reason to stay here : I'm happy here.

That should be enough.

Yermanee

As you said, apart from the historical bits that are interesting, there's not much else.

It's even a stretch to find a good restaurant as they're all geared up towards tourists with the usual lack of quality food and service.

I'm glad I did it, and if I ever was to go back it would be for a one night stay only i.o. to give my wife some quality time visiting the sites.

Hope to have helped, and wish to clarify this is my personal opinion. Others may think different.

Yermanee

Can't understand why OP would think it has anything to do with one's position in life.

I don't even suggest it has anything to do with position in life, rather the starkly obvious point that expats living different kinds of expat life don't seem to be able to understand each other - what chance them to understand the Thais the have come to live amongst?

Please don't blame me for pointing out was has been reafirmed by the very responses above.

"Position in life" is a seperate subject that I'd not want to post in with so many Brits around, being so very sensitive to the issue as they are.

May I remind you that it's you that started the notion here in this topic that there are different kinds of expats, depending on their status of expat (MNC or not).

And I do think that it has only been reaffirmed that people have different objectives in life.

Some would like to understand the Thais but the majority doesn't, and I do believe that you are one of the latter.

Yermanee

People will always form opinions about others. That's human nature. As to understanding one another it has been proven time and time again that one never knows what another person is thinking, let alone understand his/her motives or what makes them tick.

Can't understand why OP would think it has anything to do with one's position in life.

Yermanee

Well thanks for sharing that. How insightful.

Well give us some of your insightful opinions then.

Can't wait !!!

yermanee

As lomatopo said it all depends on the ticket you booked.

Personally I think your sister got a pretty good deal from Oman Air.

Yermanee

I hope the Walcott subs bench start does not indicate that Wenger cant get to an agreement on his contract. The guy wants to stay reprtedly but he wants more money than tight-arse(nal) are willing to pay.

Good defensive performance agianst a team whose aerial threat has frightened the proverbial out of us in the last few seasons. Vermaelan - as always - towering. Mertesacker is finally looking like a German international centre back. Wilkinson continuing to impress, though he seemed curiously nervous in not running at defenders like he usually does.

Disappointing again not to get three points that were there for the taking, but on reflection continuing to set a base on which to build.

Arsenal has had very little return on having made Walcott a very rich boy.

Anyway good game defensively as you said. The worrying thing for me is that Arteta and Santi don't seem to click. Hope it's early days and that my hunch is wrong. Podolski brings something that Arsenal have been lacking and can't wait for our new look attack to start gelling.

I think we're in for an Arsenal that not only produces flowing football but may surprise a lot of the usual critics.

Oh and can somebody please tell the commentators that we know RVP is no longer with Arsenal and that we don't have to be reminded every few minutes.

Yermanee

Hi Mobi,

Best prices for travel between Bangkok and Europe are to be had about 3 - 2 months before departure.

A good place to keep track of price fluctuations is here : http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and of course here on TV.

Also keep in mind that because of very high UK taxes it might be worthwhile to check flights from Amsterdam and or Brussels.

Even BA is a lot cheaper for AMS/LON/BKK than BKK direct from London.

Anyway good luck finding a good fare.

Yermanee

If you need to cocoon yourself from the "otherness" of living in Thailand it is very easy to do so. Hole up at home, turn on the aircon if need be, cook some Farang food from Tesco, and watch a movie or show on one of the many Farang cable channels.

After a day or two of recluse therapy your batteries will be recharged and you will be ready to head back out into the human circus.

some people are not interested to take part in the human circus and live happily in the recluse of their homes.

Agree.

However Phronesis farang food from Tesco ? No thanks. There are much better choices.

Yermanee

It's NOT a government scam.

It's a measure by the government to try and stop tourists from being scammed by unscrupulous travel agents

Yermanee

Apple pie was great. But mine was covered in vanilla ice cream!

Had mine "flambee " with 20 y. old Calvados. Can't beat that

Sorry Craig couldn't resist.

Yermanee

Yep same here !

Nothing but praise from me. On the other hand it always helps in any country to be polite and courteous to officials.

Something so many nowadays seem to overlook.

Yermanee

^{That is the way it is here...blame the foreigner for everything wrong with this society...I am getting tired of here too...hope to leave soon..}

I may be wrong here, but isn't that exactly what many Brits are claiming in the UK

Yermanee

F.C. Koln - Arsenal 0 - 4.

I'm impressed by the new look Arsenal.Was not impressed by RVP's contributions, nor by his disheveled look. Judging by the amount of gray he's sporting he's not had a good relaxing summer

Now I agree the german side was not at it's best but the new boys nevertheless gave a good show. Oh and Gervino scoring

Wallcot once again showed that running into defenders is what he's best at.

Well done the Arsenal

Yermanee

My son flew BRU-BKK on egyptair a few times until his plane did an aborted landing, scared the hell out of him, exit egyptair

Also think there is a 5 hours layover in one direction.

Last time and next he flies Thai around 750 euro ex BRU for coming november.

I finally booked Etihad business at 85.840 W booking class, not the 99K for my preferred day/timing, leaving BKK at 03.00am, I'll take the last flight out of Udon Thani and hang out somewhere around Swampy. Thus it pays to check different days of the week, different hours of day/night.

It would not surprise me they might publish a cheaper D fare around sept first my bad luck...

I found Qatar for 80.xxx, but not lie flat seats DOH-BRU and losing my gold status with Etihad, equally bad timing.

Qatar economy came in at 31K but with a 9h layover at DOH, 35K to shorten layover to less than 2h.

Sorry for Oman Air, no FRA or CDG hopping for me, therefore also no China Airlines or EVA, they don't have lie flats neither in business class.

Same for Emirates, now flying A380 BKK-DBX-AMS, expensive around 106K.

And BKK-BRU direct with Thai at 108k, no lie flats but good timing. I'll rather save 20k.

Thanks for the info. Have a good trip.

Yermanee

Wow......... better than I expected, especially smoking lounges in both Amsterdam and Cairo.

Thank god for that, would not have liked to be on your blacklist for bad advice. Don't mind it for choice of football teams though.

Thanks a lot for this review, as I said before better to have reviews here, where one can interact with the poster. A lot more informative than Skytrax for example.

Thanks again

Yermanee

People always have to bring out the racist card to explain everything and it gets very old. If the double pricing is a Thai/non-Thai thing, what does that have to do with racism. It's nationalism, isn't it? Or more to the point, grabbing as much as they can from non-residents.

You may not like it, but it's not racism.

Some of us are worried about using the word racism because we relate it in our minds to maybe more extreme stereotypical events but really at the end of the day treating groups people differently because of how they look and attaching a certain stigma to that look (white skin = more money for example) is just racism. In Thailand I agree it is not as extreme and probably not through that much intention, maybe racism through ignorance rather than intention. End of the day most Thais don't even know about the Vietnam war, a war that benefited and shaped Thailand a great deal there after thanks to the Americans bringing industry and tourism. Most couldn't even point out Singapore on a map. So my point is this racism is out of ignorance in my opinion. Is that as bad as intentional....?........not quite as bad but close.

Healthy debate always good for the mind

Well you don't seem to have problems using the racism word. The more you use it the less powerful it becomes.

And what has not being able to point Singapore on a map to do with racism ?

Now tell me honestly what about a group of japanese tourists in the west, London, Paris, Amsterdam. Are they not getting fleeced ?

Is that racism or an easy target ?

Oh and a healthy debate, isn't that opening one's mind to other ideas ?

OK one more time, double pricing is not racism.

Yermanee

I have 4 dogs and 5 cats and they all get along like one big happy family.

I feel for Yermanee because since we have had the cats......no mice or rats (that's good) but they do like to catch squirrels and young birds in nests which I do not like at all. They are efficient predators and unlike dogs....you cannot train a cat.

Trust me, I would also love to have a set-up similar to Yermanee, but I just know one cannot exist with the other.

Coming from Oz where we had lots of beautiful birds, rainbow lorrikeets, rosellas, king parrots etc. I do miss them here in LOS and unfortunately I have a love/hate feeling towards cats.

I like the idea of a motion sensor sprinkler.....but cats are smart and quick......I just don't know what the ideal solution is.

Please let us know if you do find something that works.

Cheers.

I will probably go for the sprinkler system.

I will try to have them ( I need at least 2) fabricated from existing parts here in Thailand. One of my neighbors is a retired electrician and very competent handy man who loves challenges and we just might come up with something effective.

If successful I will post again, promise.

Cheers

Yermanee

Now it's bed time

OK now that we've had some of the jokers.

What about some useful suggestions oh and BTW I have 2 dogs but they are trained not to attack animals and people.

Yermanee

dogs trained not to attack cats?????

That aren't dogs.....

Maybe not, but if you ever watched Cesar Milan's " The Dogwhisperer " you would know that even pit-bulls can be trained to not attack.

But that implies a responsible owner which I gather you are not.

Yermanee

Reports are that the Cazorla deal will be completed after all at 18m quid ish. If I was a Manc id be waxing lyrical, but truth is I can't recall having seen him play, so I'll reserve judgement.

It will be a major plus if the other rumour is true - that Man U, Man C nor Juve are coming up with the personal or club cash, and that vanP has been impressed by Wenger's activities over the summer window so that he is liklely to be motivated if he stays (for at least) one season. 3 players at a combined 40 million ish - most unusual for Arsenal and the Cazorla deal would break our transfer record (though mention of the prior holder - Arshavin at 15m shows that big fees are not necessarily the path to glory).

I'm not counting any chickens in any of this, but fingers crossed.

Today Cazorla confirmed, is travelling with the team to Cologne. Can't wait for the new-look Arsenal.

Oh and BTW I think that VP is regretting his decision, it has backfired massively and believe most of the fans would like him to leave.

Sad really.

Yermanee

That's what I'm intending doing on our next flight to Europe, flying in and out of Amsterdam then booking a return flight to the UK. Even more saving on the APD if you are flying in a premium cabin.

Probably only cost effective if you were planning a side trip to Amsterdam anyway.

If you go down this route you need to ensure they are totally separate bookings, or have a layover in excess of 24, or you are still liable for the APD.

According Smokie47 even BA is cheaper from Amsterdam than from London, and believe it or not via Heathrow.

Maybe worth a check.

Yermanee

Just checked Smokie36's (not 47) claim on Matrix.

BA LHR/BKK 888 Pounds

BA AMS/BKK 544 Pounds that's 344 Pounds difference !!!!!

See details below :

Yermanee

That's what I'm intending doing on our next flight to Europe, flying in and out of Amsterdam then booking a return flight to the UK. Even more saving on the APD if you are flying in a premium cabin.

Probably only cost effective if you were planning a side trip to Amsterdam anyway.

If you go down this route you need to ensure they are totally separate bookings, or have a layover in excess of 24, or you are still liable for the APD.

According Smokie47 even BA is cheaper from Amsterdam than from London, and believe it or not via Heathrow.

Maybe worth a check.

Yermanee

Maybe try departing from Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf etc. to avoid the very high long distance tax from UK airports.

Low cost flights from the UK to any of these should be available abondantly.

Yermanee