marginline

Don't be so smug .It could happen to any one of you here .The circumstances would just be a little different .I for one don't want to laugh at his plight ,if true .

It's a hard crowd Thaifan2, that's very true but Mr. Pike's story does seem to be full of inconsistencies. IMHO I think Maigo6 has a pretty good take on probably what in fact happened.

In my opinion, the story is more like this............................

Farang comes to Pattaya for a holiday with a pocketful of money as he has a good income back home.

He is treated to the rock star lifestlye that money can bring in Pattaya. He meets a young women in a bar who treats him like a King.

He goes back to UK, can't handle the fact that there he is just another insignifigant middle aged guy, decides to sell everything up and move to Pattaya thinking he can live the playboy lifestyle forever.

His UK family or friends, see the error in his way of thinking and try to persuade him not to sell everything and leave, but he is adamant and tells them that " Thailand is paradise ", they argue over it, he tells them that they can live the same old crappy lifestyle in UK if they want to, but he is going, and if they don't like it, go <deleted>.

He thought he would never ever go back to the UK so took a few bank loans and cheated the credit card companies as well, after all, the great guys he had met in the bars who live in Pattaya had told him it's easy.

So off he goes, sold everything, left his job, fell out with Family, owes Banks and Credit Card companies money................................. it's called burning ones bridges.

Arrives in Thailand, lives like a Millionaire for a while doing anything he wants, soon the money is going fast, decides he had better buy a bar to continue his lifestyle, he can even drink at cost price, he buys a bar from a friendly Farang who tells him the Bar is doing really well, the bar fails and he loses a lot more money, the Farang he bought it from left Thailand to go back to his own country and get a job.

Meets another Thai girl in a Bar, decides he had better treat her good as he don't wanna screw up this time.....Offers to buy a small store and add it to the house he has offered to build, of course it's all in her name.

He loses again, hits the bottle really hard, hardly eats, sits in some crappy fan room in Soi Buakow, Pattaya, drinking Mekong Whisky and water till his sweat soaked body falls asleep in a drunken stupor, then he can't afford to pay the rent, all the really great guys he had met that were his drinking buddies in the Bars of Pattaya don't wanna know him no more cos he is broke, he is slowly dying.

He feels suicidal, he has lost everything, why did he ever leave the UK, why did he ever fall out with his Family and choose Thailand instead ?

Some old drunken Farang who lives in the small Fan room next to him tells him what to do to get out of Thailand.....................

Voila...we have this story. Now people feel sorry for him, his family will probably take him back, even the British Embassy were good with him, he's the victim right....hey, maybe he can even sell his story to a Sunday paper.

The money from the Sunday paper, get a job again with someone else who feels sorry for him, it won't be long before he can go back to Thailand, next time he will do it all different though..................

yeah right.

due to the number of complaints they must receive about there staff, it would not surprise me at all if there was a new team in place. Just remember you think you have been unfairly treated or a member of staff is rude to you, ask for an appraisal form, fill it in and hand it in, i am led to believe any staff member receives a certain amount of complaints and they are shipped out.

Great tip darkside, Thank you very much!

Geeze, what a terrible, TERRIBLE thing to happen in both reports. I only hope karma will rear its head on those who stole from your loved ones.

Ohhh i get it ! your a troll!

Using the 119 pound passport fee as a spring board for Brit and Expat bashing, well done.

Even on a very basic salary as an American you have to be sending more than 119 pound (~$210) back to the States in taxes each year?

(Let alone 10 years of taxes seeing as the 119 quid passport does last for 10 years)

So being American costs you significantly more than being British.

-----------------------------

What are some of you reading about paying taxes to the US?

If you live outside the US and earn money outside the US you DON'T pay ANY taxes on the first $85,000 earned per year. So if some of you are paying taxes on your Thai salary, you must be making a hel_l of a lot more money than I was???

And no, I don't work menial jobs in the US. I have a Masters Degree in Engineering - my job offer back in Texas is almost $90,000 a year.

I've been a US citizen for more than 10 years. My salary has always been higher than any salary I could make in the UK. Every time I go back to the UK, people look poor and underpaid.

Well, the Brits over here in Thailand pretty much look the same way. Every Brit I've worked with at schools in Thailand has looked unkempt, shabby and unbathed. It's always made me ashamed to be British lumped in with that manky looking lot :-(

Even with a Masters Degree in Education here, the schools are lacking. My last school was a mid-tier International School - still poor standard compared to schools in Western countries and still dealing with much of the Thai mentality and lack of common sense.

I've been here 6 years and finally realized that the only guys who stay in Thailand long-term (with VERY few exceptions) are the ones who either couldn't get a job anywhere else or are too lazy to work.

I don't see the appeal of wasting the rest of my life just to sit in a country drinking cheap beer (not THAT cheap compared to the US) and nailing Thai girls - especially when most of 'em only want your money and laugh at you behind your back. What a life, eh?

No thanks - States bound and looking forward to it.

Y'all keep paying your exorbitant fees for your British passport, from a government that's charging you to breath - Me, I'll keep my US one, thanks!

Hey kudos to you Dave for outing this Brit-bashing hater .

FWIW I so enjoyed what he wrote I really hope he'll bless us some more with his true feelings next time (c'mon, don't hold back) about the British and Thais in general. Also I pray on such occasion he'll expand a little more so that we (the unworthy, neigh the "poor", "unbathed" beer chugging masses) can learn from a vastly superior acumen his opinion on other topics, such as politics and/or religion perhaps? It's riveting stuff gordonbennett...please; I bait my breath in anticipation of imbibing your next over generalized instalment.

A truly wonderous thing is atmospherics.

Indeed! Let's give a big round of applause to gravity.

This might explain what's going on funfun; please click here.

AND THERES ME THINKING ID JUST INVENTED A NEW SUN!, WELL AT LEAST ILL HAVE TO CELIBRATE NOW WITH A BEER!

Hey...I'll join you. Cheers!

I came to Thailand in 2004 & fell in love with the laidback life style. After 11 years in Hawaii I got used to beaches & heat,so Thailand was a great place to be.

Beardog

Hey Beardog, I lived in Honolulu for a 3-year stretch in the mid-90s and loved every minute of it. Where did you live? I remember it being US$800 per month to rent a studio (on Kuhio & Uluniu) there - so hate to think how much it would cost now...assuming of course I ever decided to go back.

I grew up there and go back often. Friends I know are paying double that and complain all the time about the cost of living.

Wow! Incredibly expensive!!

While I say that I "loved every minute of it", I remember having to work two jobs; Assistant Manager at an outlet store in Waikele and do bookkeeping at nights for a local hotel chain in order to make ends meet. Thank God (or do I thank Al Gore) for the Internet then that has allowed me to come to LOS and make my living online!

You know I couldn't imagine paying US$1,600 per month for a studio now that I'm paying US$275 for a 4-bedroomed house here.

Mahalo to you then villagefarang and Aloha!

I came to Thailand in 2004 & fell in love with the laidback life style. After 11 years in Hawaii I got used to beaches & heat,so Thailand was a great place to be.

Beardog

Hey Beardog, I lived in Honolulu for a 3-year stretch in the mid-90s and loved every minute of it. Where did you live? I remember it being US$800 per month to rent a studio (on Kuhio & Uluniu) there - so hate to think how much it would cost now...assuming of course I ever decided to go back.

This might explain what's going on funfun; please click here.

Just to add to Mahout Angrit's useful reply, when arriving in Hat Yai bus/outstation coach terminal, take a tut-tut to the town centre where there are plenty of travel agents who will sell you an air-con coach ticket to KL (~400B). Coach services to KL are available for travel in the morning at regular intervals, the most convenient one leaves around 10 am Thai time. That will reach KL Puduraya bus terminal at around 6:30pm Malaysian time which is just nice for dinner before you check into your accomodation.

I really appreciate the additional advice Bukuteh.

I came because of the weather and the fact I met my current partner here (in 2003) whilst holidaying from Los Angeles, where I was living at the time.

Thank heavens for this forum!

Having somewhere to read and voice opinions, get feedback and support, has been great help to me.

Thank you for the comments regarding this, for even if I unfortunatley do not get my card back, Im sure i have an alternative way to get access to my money. The support does help take the sting out of it.

Will let you know the outcome.

Yes eek, "Thank heavens" indeed!

In my almost 3-years here I've had three BankThai ATM cards swallowed-up but unlike you on the first occasion, which ALSO docked 2,000 baht from my account (thank you Thai Military Bank for that), you at least had the foresight I didn't by having a 'Plan B'; I refer of course to your Bangkok Bank account. FWIW...I can't even begin to imagine the inconvenience of coming to LOS with only a credit/debit card issued by a foreign bank and then losing that!

Good Luck to you then and like many of the posters here, I too hope you get your card back soon.

Cool Mahout Angit Thanks for that!

Would you suggest I go visit any travel agent? Or do you (or anyone else please) have any personal recommendations at all?

Thinking about how wonderful Thai food tastes here in LOS (compared to a large number of supposed Thai restaurants in the UK or US), can someone tell me please whether there are any herbs and spices that are unique to Thailand that may account for this?

I'm in no hurry and as I've never seen that much of the Thai countryside I was wondering, does anyone know if there is such a beast as a scheduled road connection to Kuala Lumpur from Bangkok (and return) everyday please? Thanks a lot for any advice!

There's a link to it on their website. It's from RM9.99 a night upwards (+RM12.99 for 12 hours aircon) - so if it's tolerable it might be good for KL visa runs, especially if booked far enough ahead to get the lowest rate...

One caveat onebir and I know you can check by visiting Tune Hotels' web site but I think you have to book giving yourself plenty of time (at least 30-days minimum) in order to get their very best rates.

Also (by playing around with Tune Hotels' web site) I've noticed that it seems cheaper booking direct with them, rather than making the reservation through AirAsia's web site. Just an observation.

Gee marginline, what a short memory you have, since it was YOU that took this thread off-topic with your anti-American rant at Today, 2007-05-30 13:50:13.

At least I remained true by comparing aspects of LOS vs. Malaysia; oh and I repeat I hope your Brit-bashing session was a cathartic exercise for you.

No you did not. You used this thread as an excuse for American bashing when there was not even an obtuse connection with America to either Thailand or Mayaysia. It is simply cause and effect. If you start making obnoxious comments, someone will likey retaliate. Now you are whining about it.

"Whining?" "Mayaysia?" :D Chill-out dude before you burst a blood vessel.

I don't think dissolution of TRT will have much effect, as has been stated they can start up a new party even using the TRT name (Thai Rak Thai 2?).

The bigger effect will likely come from the banning of the 111 senior members from politics for 5 years. This takes a large slice of the political machinery out of service so just how democratic will the next election result be?

One party state? Well it seems to work for Singapore and I often wonder is democracy the right form of government for Asians?

Indeed Sir you've nailed it...just how democratic will the next election result be?

[Gee marginline, what a short memory you have, since it was YOU that took this thread off-topic with your anti-American rant at Today, 2007-05-30 13:50:13.

Not exactly what I would call a rant, but then I'm not sensitive

Thank you solent01!

Gee marginline, what a short memory you have, since it was YOU that took this thread off-topic with your anti-American rant at Today, 2007-05-30 13:50:13.

At least I remained true by comparing aspects of LOS vs. Malaysia; oh and I repeat I hope your Brit-bashing session was a cathartic exercise for you.

Since you are one of the legions of anit-American Britons in Thailand and on this board, I'll point out that one difference is that Thailand escaped British colonization (subjugation), allthough Britons do appear to make up the vast majority of resident expats in Thailand.

Hmm...wonder if the local anti-farang sentiment has anything to do with so many of the World's Worst Tourists having overpopulated Thailand?

Britons Behaving Badly: just like you are in this post.

FWIW I’m not “one of a legion” of anything meibanfa and who cares that in 2007 Thailand “escaped British colonization (subjugation)” in the 19th century – while your lot were ceding land (from France, Britain and Mexico) and generally having a very uncivil civil war? What relevance does your off-topic rant have to do with sukanyacondo's post please?

Also let me correct your “World's Worst Tourists” off-topic rant. FWIW you appear to be displaying a remarkable economy of facts because the poll you’re making such a ‘clever, clever’ point of ranting about, was actually taken 5-years ago! Please be advised that Expedia, the company that conducted the 2002 and most recent polls surveyed only hoteliers in Europe – so meibanfa in 2007 it’s actually the French who now carry the mantle of 'World's Worst Tourists according to European Hoteliers', followed by India, China, Russia and then the British.

In conclusion I'd like to say that I'm certainly not anti-American and if anything, I hope your off-topic rant will be a cathartic exercise in loosening those whopping great anti-British chips you have perched on your narrow little shoulders. Toodle-loo mate!

One of the differences between Thailand and Malaysia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6703155.stm

Other differences include Malaysia having a higher Human Development Index, a stronger Gross Domestic Product and the fact Malaysia doesn't allegedly facilitate the torture (or is it more politically correct to say "rendition") of prisoners from other countries on the whim of the United States.

Siezes only 1 pornographic VCD? I thought he would have picked up more than one while he was out ... must be planning on only a light weekemd....

No it wasn't that drummer; I hear the vendor had only just sold-out his last batch of gay and paedophile related VCDs - that's why.

In my most humble opinion andrep, I wouldn't buy a bleedin' thing from the Airport when you arrive; not even a can of Pepsi! Respectfully I'd take bluebear's advice and try Pantip Plaza or MBK; you'll be just fine there AND you'll probably be able to receive bona fide warranty from the manufacturer's representative on site!

One final point, don't forget to get your VAT document for your purchase(s) - so you can claim back the 7% tax you paid just as you exit LOS. You'll find a number of VAT refund counters at the Airport on your departure.

That's a very good start; thanks a lot Ollie!