catweazle

These fake fortune tellers (and I haven't met one single person yet that truly could predict the future, even though I believed very much in fortune telling in the past) should all be made legally responsible for the damage they cause with their poking around in the dark... One of these idiots causing mass panic and slumps in business/tourist revenue due to his/her "warning" but with no disaster actually happening, should pay for the losses. We'll then see how many of them still dare to make any of those "the world as we know it is coming to an end" statements. There will be none!

I almost got killed in the 2004 Tsunami, lost home and both parents, friends and neighbors, and (apart from the expert who got booted for stating that there is a big possibility for a Tsunami on Thailand's Westcoast many years before 2004) no fortune teller ever mentioned any tsunami back then. After 2004 all of a sudden, several of those "Wannabe Nostradami" came out the closet and predicted tsunamis all over the place - if all predictions would have become reality, there would have been over 20 subsequent tsunamis by now. Beware of the false prophets! Best throw them in a dungeon and let them lay the Tarot to the sewer rats!

I want to state up front that I do not believe in fortune tellers, but in December 2004 an Irish woman that I know told me not to travel to Asia that Christmas because something really bad was going to happen, she didn't know what or where, just that something really bad was going to happen in Asia

Asia is very big... If let's say in Moscow a big shopping center would have burned down on Christmas 2004 due to electrical failure, with 120 shoppers incl. children dying, or if a plane heaed for India would have crashed killing 230, she would have been correct as well.

Perhaps she could try to claim the 1m USD given by this foundation to anyone who can show "under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power." here:

http://www.skepdic.com/randi.html

No one has claimed the price so far...

I myself have had and still have premonition dreams, knew the gender of two of my four kids before the ultrasound check, dreamt of a car accident I was involved in 14 days before it happened with my squashed car looking exactly like in the dream, but I would not really dare to go on stage and make predicitons to the whole world because now I believe I am a prophet. There certainly are things out there that can't be rationally explained, but believe me that 99% of so-called fortune tellers are crooks! Anyone who gives his "visions" to people free of charge, might be one of those remaining 1%, anyone who makes predictions to get rich, is a crook. End of story.

I was on a dive boat in Florida a couple years ago and two of the divers had rebreathers. With all the extra tools and gear they took along to keep the units working it ended up taking most of the storage space under the seats while the rest of us had to store gear elsewhere. They even had a wheelbarrow they brought with them to lug all the gear from their van to the boat. Open circuit scuba gear is relatively simple and generally fool proof. Rebreathers seem a lot more complex and, as noted above, many good, experienced divers have died due to their own negligence or an equipment problem.

There has been a lot of debate in the scuba press in the US about rebreathers and whether they are the wave of the future for recreational divers. Cost alone will exclude many divers who are casual about the sport and the risk factor seems to be too high for the general population of divers to make the switch.

At least that is how I see it.

Movsrus rounds it all out perfectly! Already back in '97 just before I left Phuket's dive industry for good (talking about perfect timing!), everyone thought rebreathers gonna have similar impact to the dive industry like the moon landing had on the whole world... Today it's 2014, some 18 years later - and what has changed? You see many rebreather divers on boats? I don't. You hear of liveaboard operators changing their system to 100% rebreather diving? I don't. Fact is, that the wheel can't be reinvented. Scuba regulators of today - apart from minor changes to the piston, design, etc. - still function as the ones back in '91 when I started diving and back then those were very much identical to the first mass-produced regs. Why? Because this invention already was close to perfection as it was - no need to reinvent the wheel. No need to put yourself and others into danger to see some fish and coral. Only a system, that works like fish gills for humans (some prank websites are out there looking like the real thing), could replace SCUBA. The only thing I find could and should change are the tanks - it should by now already be possible to mass produce smaller and much more lightweight tanks that hold the same amount of air as an aluminum 12l one. But apart from this, I think not much will change in the scuba industry in the coming ten years. Except perhaps that the oceans by then are dead due to our greed and ignorance...

Yupp, back in the 1999 I did the rebreather diver course in Kata. At that time I had about 2.600 dives under my belt and was a PADI master instructor, thus a lot of experience scuba diving with compressed air... To cut a long story short - I hated the rebrather dives!!! It was very strange to not being able to control buoyancy by breathing, and no breathing resistance (unlike a ragulator) made the whole thing feel very awkward. After four dives, I still hated it and looking at the rebreather equipment (like something my grandpa could have made in his garage), the hundreds of possibilities for disaster the handling and equipment provides, along with the eerie feeling under water made me never look at rebreathers ever again.

I not hate, but very much dislike them. Rebreather diving makes sense only if you would be allowed to dive on your own or as a rebreather team of two in an area where you have a lot of sharks and other big fish that otherwise might be scared away by the bubble sound. Photographs and videos without bubbles an experienced diver can also take with air. Thailand has very little big fish action and almost no sharks are left. Dive sites and regulations on daytrippers and livaboards along with their schedules leave no time for very deep or very long dives - in short: Rebreather diving is overhyped and makes sense only for highly professional film makers (i.e. NatGeo, etc.) and offshore pros. Don't buy a rebreather and have fun air or Nitrox diving! Keep breathing!

Mentioned should be that I am not active in the dive industry anymore, but still enjoy fun diving. I have now approx. 3.500 dives done and still love air and Nitrox. Be aware of posts here regarding your inquiry made by people still in the industry since they might have intentions to either sell you something you don't need or talk you into one of their courses. Cui bono?

...and no fingerpointing what a disappointing thread

Throw the book at him. After he serves his time here, deport him to Russia...

...and you are? ...

God given right enforced - B-R-A-V-O !!!

So happy to see that finally it is being cracked down on the folks who truly deserve it: Tuk Tuk, mini van, and taxi mafia. Perhaps Thailand gets that big long overdue cleanup after all. Nice to see that finally hotel owners make a stand, growing some spine...

There is a cool app or something named "google"...

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/natural-ways-lower-cholesterol

"Supplies, supplies!"

Sounds like mineral depletion of some kind (magnesium, etc.) or might be signs of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

This link might help: http://www.health24.com/Medical/Leg/Leg-problems/Tired-heavy-legs-may-indicate-CVI-20120721

Sounds like mineral depletion of some kind or might be signs of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

This link might help: http://www.health24.com/Medical/Leg/Leg-problems/Tired-heavy-legs-may-indicate-CVI-20120721

This is frightening... I felt so far that correct steps have been taken all the way since the coup, but threatening illegal workers to the point where they panic is not the answer. General Prayuth should put into account that a ) the majority of Thai people simply does not want to work anymore (as if work would ever have been their favourite muse...) and b ) these "illegal" workers have helped the country to stay afloat while being paid and handled like slaves. Why not implement proper foreign labour laws and regulations that would allow both, the employer AND the labourer to stand on a legal foundation with both happy to pay taxes as they are now able to do it all by the book instead of pushing both into oblivion?

Come on all the Daily Mail readers on TV... Where are you?

We don't need the Daily Mail to tell us that 20 or more pedophiles have been caught in Pattaya in the last 12 months; the evidence is out there for all to see.

Fact is, Pattaya is a haven for pedophiles. Get your head out of the sand.

Fact is, Pattaya is also a haven for quasi-pedophiles and crypto-pedophiles. Guys screwing girls technically "adult" but looking only 14-15. Often the first to post on TV: hang all pedos.

So what's your solution then, given that Thai girls and women in general look much younger than they are until they reach let's say 40? Burn and hang anyone who walks with a girlfriend that looks younger than your missus, perhaps erect concentration camps for them...?... while the rest - just to be safe - switches to grannies and necrophilia?

I'm absolutely against offenses and cruelty of any kind against minors, and I believe the majority of people are, but your generalisations and assumptions in your two meager sentences make me sick!

The russian guy will most certainly receive what he deserves, what is good - job well done by the police, so what's the point? Pattaya bashing due to too much time on your hands? It's better to shut up if there's nothing essential to say.

Looks like no other topic bonds average T.V. members stronger than pedophilia... Here ya go:

Most of these volunteer cops have serious inferiority complex issues. I know one of them personally. He's not a volunteer because he wants to change the world to the better or actually help people, naa - he there for the badge, uniform, walkie-talkie, and his baton, believing that surrounded by all that foliage he would change all of a sudden from the spineless loser he is to a person others would admire and look up to. Problem is, that most still see and hear what a pathetic tosser he is as soon as they have looked into his eyes and spoken a few words with him...

I strongly suggest to every person who reads this to stand their ground and not back down whenever confronted with one of those wannabe sherrifs, especially if you haven't done anything wrong like the OP in this thread.

They are NOT policemen and have NO AUTHORITY whatsoever to arrest, question, or give orders to people. All they are allowed to and needed for is translation services to defuse situations with foreign parties involved that otherwise might turn sour due to language barriers and to assist real police officers when asked to.

"Thailand. I just don’t know whether I should laugh or cry."

Laugh... and start a diet for Pete's sake!

You are completely correct 101%, I hope for all those that have never visited this country they never read your threads.

Come to that have you ever actually been here?

For starters, perhaps Sandman could sign up for some English and grammar lessons. Would help him to understand the text on all those travel books correctly...

Dunno, but I could recommend to you a place where you can have only eight fingernails manicured instead of all ten...

Now I get it - it's a trick question!!! The answer is: Thai men !!!

"a Thai" refers to a single woman, right? But the majority of Thai men need at least two or three wifes to feel like a "real man", don't they?

Did I win a Blue Peter Badge?

Which nationality find it harder to settle down with a Thai?

I'd guess that Amazon Pygmies and Eskimos are the winners of this (troll) poll

Hi Puukao, thanks for asking such a rather personal personal question, respectively stepping into the line of fire here at TV with your concern. I am sure you will (as almost anyone who dares to ask a question here) be subject to much ridicule as well, but rotten apples are to be found in any forum, right?

I'm 49 and can chatter until the cows come home when drunk (happens perhaps 3 times per year on b-day parties, new year, whatever), and have to do a lot of one-on-one communication with clients due to my job. Luckily, my area of interest is widely spread, so I can basically click with almost anyone, except when they are complete #$$holes... This all said, I can tell you that you are not alone! I figured that most conversation and socialising with a larger circle of "friends" (blessed is the one who finds >one< real friend in life) is pointless. Very often, after a nice night out, where everyone "loves" each other so much and plans to do this and that in the future together, blabla - everything is forgotten the next day and life troddles on as usual... I rather spend time with my wife and kids and if I feel like it, a tiny circle of 3 or so highly valued friends. As much as I liked socialising in earlier days, as much do I appreciate my peace and quiet nowadays. I think it comes with age... You get a bit more wiser and you choose more carefully how your valuable time is spent instead of wasting it with nonsense babble and boozing.

Hope this helps. Hang in there, pal !

How many more times this controversial topic will be discussed?

One can whine about this as long and hard as he wants, but it won't change a thing. I - with Thai/western kids, Thai wife, work permit, proper one year visa, Thai driving license - enter most venues and national parks for Thai prices. If the park rangers or venue owners wouldn't accept it, I bite my teeth together and tell myself that they don't know any better. I learned that if you take it personal, you do more damage to yourself than good by spoiling an anotherwise happy and sunny day at the waterfall or the lake with your family by whining and complaining over a meager 180 Baht or so that you have to pay on top. This all said - if you as an expat here have no proper long term visa, no Thai proper driving license, no proper work permit, etc. you basically are a simple tourist and should be regarded to as such and pay accordingly.

That's all I have to say to this.