LALes

30 year old building in Jomtien built like a brick sh*thouse!! I would never live in a new building here. If I recall correctly, the price of concrete tripled about 2009. Anything built since then, I wouldn't trust. We've had to fight management tooth and nail to get things done but we've managed to get the elevators and the pool renovated. Next up, a new paint job. We pay extra assessments for these projects but boy, that is money well spent.

I always do the scouting thing whenever I go into a restaurant, coffee place, etc. I won't sit down in a place with rude nitwits. Of course, you could sit down feeling comfortable in your analysis of the situation and here comes a jackass and he plants himself right near you.

I'm beginning to start pining for Prayut.

The only item that needed to be discussed is how much should the brown envelope contain if some dirtbag bar owner not in an "entrrtainment zone" wants to stay open til 4am. Seems like the only purpose of this whole exercise.

Kunming to Singapore. Hmmm. Singapore is 77% ethnic Chinese but will they really be happy to see theiir loong lost cousins on short notice.

I wonder if this will even make a dent in the number of them hanging around Soi 13 every night. They could round up all of these creeps in one swoop if they wanted to. So, if you still see these creeps on Sukhomvit, all this means was that a brown envelope was not forthcoming.

The Royal Canadian Mounties ALWAYS get their man!

Is this the public's version of transfered to an inactive post?

You'll never hear surf music again. Got some wonderful, hand painted on silk scenes from the Dream in Guangzhou in 91.

I hear there are a few old, Roman, slave galleys available at a good price.

Why do they even bother with these ridiculous dog and pony shows.

Jomtien doesn't need Chinese in winter to pack it out. Its the same snowbirds year after year after year that does it.

From June 1 to September 27, I could count the days of rain on one hand. Can you say, "drought?"

It doesn't matter if the Chinese economy goes up or down by small percentage numbers, they are still, by far, the biggest segment of the tourist industry. China would have to implode into stark chaos before they would lose that status.

Teflon Thailand is right. Nothing in the past 30 years has put a dent in the numbers except Covid. Coups, island murders, fugitive PMs, you name it. The worse these people behave, the more tourists will show up. Don't believe me? Wait a month or so before all the snowbirds start rolling in for the usual high season chaos.

After reading this, it begs the question, who holds the record for the longest overstay? Amazing what you can accomplish if you keep a low profile.

How come when 120,000 Chinese enter Thailand its seen as the second coming but 10,000 Israelis show up and they are "grappling" to deal with the "problem"?

Which is why I finally made a will in Thailand so hopefully, my "estate" will be disposed of in the manner I choose.

You're spot on with your assessments. It does get worse every year and it starts earlier, too. It used to be just January and February but now, it starts around Christmas and goes thru March. A good air purifier is a NECESSITY to live through a Bangkok winter. I've been monitoring the air in BKK for over 10 years, when the Bangkok Post would give a lone figure of air quality (Din Daeng) in their weather box. The numbers get worse every year and the season lasts longer. Those 2013 Din Daeng figures are mild by comparison. Is that due to more burning? Probably. Don't think its any better in Pattaya during the winter months. The north winds blow the sh*t all over the lower portions of Thailand. You have to go far in the south (Phuket) to get out of the range of the pollution, and even they can get a nasty dose once in a while. All that being said, the summer months are heaven, with almost no bad days from May to November. I saw a lot of great days with clear, blue skies in BKK this summer. THe numbers on the Air Visual app will back that up.

Central/Robinson's Department Stores have all the major Thai brands in men's shirts. In BKK, go to the old Tokyu Department Store adjacent to MBK for better deals on closeouts from said brands. 3rd floor.

I had enough of slob roomates in my 20s and determined to live alone after that. Never married either. Had a few regular girlfriends here and there but they also had their own places. I've been able to avoid serious drama in my life and have traveled the world solo. I have friends in Thailand I meet for dinners to get in the necessary social interaction but I consider myself a loner at heart and wouldn't have it any other way.

Met a Filipina nurse in the elevator of Chungking Mansions back in 2000. We carried on a torrid affair on and off for two years, whenever I would come thru HK on my way to or from BKK. Although the handover was in 1997, HK retained a lot of its vibrancy for a few years. By 2001, though, the bloom was definitely off the rose.

Food in South America blows. Chile has good, cheap, Haas avocados in abundance. They even put them in hot dogs. Place is a dead ringer for California. Vina Del Mar looks like Santa Monica and Valparaiso looks like San Francisco. No real falang community, however.

What Big Joke really says is "The joke's on you!"

The master plan is to widen the whole stretch of jomtien beach. The sand dredging boat is still out in the bay bringing in more sand.