dick turpin

"Viktor Bout has been in Thai custody since March 2008."

Probably the safest place for him

Talking with a pattaya based thai construction guy the other day said he has three

falangs pull out of housing projects in the last couple of months because of the

political uncertainty...some herren folk take this all too seriously.

Methinks more likely teeruk has run off with the deposit.

"Can we be assured zat our sunbeds are secure?"

"Funny...I always thought I was a citizen of the UK"

Well you never were a citizen.... only a subject. Part of the price we Brits pay for never having had a revolution....well not recently anyway

Thank you Citizen Robespierre....

Funny...I always thought I was a citizen of the UK, now according to dear

Quinton we are all "customers", nice one.

.....which is why my Toyoto Vigo pick-up comes fully-equipped with a large

machete under the driver's seat

As a general piece of advice, absolutely no need to use an agent.

Got married last november, took letter of affirmation to Brit embassy, after that

walked across the street to get a copy translated, picked up embassy letter next

day and took to translation service for them to compare were same same and paid

about 300 baht.Then hopped in taxi straight to MFA, where it took all of 15 minutes

to hand in documents, which were forwarded three days later.

No problem with local amphur when registering marriage, but suggest you take

a good thai speaker to speed things up.

If you are getting married at local amphur then they will issue new ID at same time,

also update tabian baan. Easy exercise to get new passport at Chaeng Wattana.

Advantages ? For starters you will not get such a dirty look when checking in with

your "wife" at a Thai hotel. Less hassle from immigration when travelling to other

countries.

My wife could not wait to change her name to Mrs Falang, particularly for when she

checked into the 5-star hotel she used to work in Bangkok - a real "look at me now"

moment.

Thanks guys - that clears that matteer up

OK it is a non immigrant 'O' multiple entry visa expiring feb 18, now

extended to Mar 31, which from you commets means I do not have

to make application for extension based on retirement until month

before Mar 31 - Yes?

About to roll my one year non 'O' tourist visa over to first time

retirement visa. Non 'O' visa expires Feb 18, but

recently re-entered kingdom and given a further 90 day extension

thru to March 31st. Question: Which date do I work to for making application

for retirement visa Feb 18 or March 31?

I think in thailand a speeding train refers to one which is actually in motion - the same

logic of course being applied by the traffic cops when issuing speeding tickets.

Found this an interesting response in the UK

LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - More than half of Britons being offered vaccination against pandemic H1N1 flu are turning it down because they fear side-effects or think the virus is too mild to bother, a survey of doctors showed on Wednesday.

Many of the 107 family doctors polled by Britain's Pulse magazine said there was widespread resistance from patients and on average only 46 percent of those offered the vaccination agree to have it.

Doctors reported particular difficulties in persuading pregnant women to be vaccinated against the virus, according to Pulse, a trade newspaper for doctors.

"In all the pregnant women we've offered it to, I think only about one in 20 has agreed," Dr Chris Udenze, a family doctor based in Nottingham, central England, said in the survey.

Scepticism has been growing in Britain and other European countries about health authorities' handling of the H1N1 pandemic because the number of people infected has been lower than originally feared.

Britain began a vaccination programme on Oct. 21 for high-risk hospital patients, front-line healthcare workers, children in seasonal flu risk groups, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.

British health authorities have twice revised down their worst-case scenarios for H1N1 flu, which was declared a pandemic in June and has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide, according to latest data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Original estimates that as many as 65,000 could die from H1N1 in Britain have now been cut to a prediction of around 1,000 deaths -- way below the average annual toll of 4,000 to 8,000 deaths from seasonal winter flu.

Richard Hoey, Pulse's editor, said his survey showed that many patients, and a substantial number of doctors were "unconvinced there is sufficient evidence that swine flu vaccination is safe and necessary".

A spokesman for the government's health department said it was "too early to speculate on uptake rates" for H1N1 vaccines but that doctors were working hard to reach as many patients as possible with their initial supplies.

"We recommend that people in the at risk groups accept the offer of vaccination," he said. "People in the risk groups are more likely to be severely ill if they catch swine flu, and the vaccine provides the best protection against the disease." (Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

Heading to the local amphur for marriage what docs do I need to provide

and what does she need to provide.

Have freedom to marry affirmation from embassy, translated and legalised

Do we need to take witnesses with us

ta

Live down the road at muak lek - best bet after you come off the main highway

is to head into pak chong, when you are on the main drag look out for the hospital

on your left hand side, then suggest you ask from there

I think we need to talk about "horses for courses" here. Have just sold my Toyota Aygo in the UK

and bought a Toyota Vigo truck in Thailand, a great little car, but would not feel safe doing battle

on the LOS highways to hel_l.

Thanks guys - would include a short vacation, but

the mrs does not want to travel outside thailand in

case she get the moo fever - shame all that shopping

money saved.

Am I missing a point here - coming up to my first 90 day visa run

rather than a van ride out of pattaya can I not just jump on an

air asia flight to kuala lumpur for the day 3,000 baht - job done

Thanks guys - thought that was the case, but GF as usual thought differently.

My GF is about to apply for second visitor visa to UK - wants to travel in july

- can she ask for visa start date to be delayed until nearer that time. Reason

for early application is that I have recently visited with all the support info.

Heading up country to roi et in couple of weeks

time can anyone update me on current temperatures

and mosquito situation.

makes me laugh when they talk about white sands being over-developed

Did my first trip there last year and found it to be just the right balance of

endless beach by day and lively enough by night with the shoreline bars

and eateries.

Told my thai GF we were goin to koh chang for a few days, she thought

about it for a moment and then asked:"They have 7-Eleven on koh Chang?

Still another seven hours of 2007 to go in europe just

wondering how 2008 was shaping up so far in thailand, or

is it a little to early to ask.

Check out asiarooms.com and you will find reviews for nova lodge.

Nova has been my home for number of years - yes it is showing its age

- it is after all pattaya's first hotel from way back in the 60s.

As some of the reviewers point out some of the rooms are a little tatty,

but this is largely because major renovation has been held up by ongoing

discussions on renewing the lease on the land on which the property stands.

Otherwise it is a great location for the beach - notwithstanding the death leap

across Beach Road - and has one of the biggest swimming pools in pattaya,

which tends to get infested with the kraut creature early in the day, but is

perfect for a late afternoon sundowner.

Note that asiarooms got a rate of 896bht thru to Oct on standard rooms, but

would suggest a superior room which have been refurbished to a reasonable

standard - best to book a standard with asiarooms and then negotiate an upgrade

when you check in -works out cheaper.

Anyone heard anything about an OZ guy apparently murdering his Thai GF

on Sunday at the plaza hotel silom and then doing himself in