sakaew

As always ,Heng is spot on. He's a winner.

His advice is invariably short, sharp...and to the point.

And unlike all the rest of we armchair experts...he KNOW how the average thai thinks.

His advice--maybe a small restaurant or similar--would admirably fill the bill...with little downside.

I started my sister-in-law in a restaurant in the village.

She had no experience at all...but I was impressed by two things.

a... She is still with the same husband, after 20 years. No small feat, since 6 of her brothers and sisters have split from the original partners.

b....Her and her husband , by working their guts out working on sugar cane, cassava, corn etc etc...have managed to build a modest concrete block house.

It struck me that there is a stability PLUS a capability to avoid wasting money...which boded well for the future.

In 18 months, she has steadily built up her business, and has sent her son to Technical High School....the first kid in the family not to bust his back growing rice.

Some CAN succeed....It's tempting to "help" someone get started in business.

Farmers, admirable though they may be, are usually FAR from being businessmen...or having the slightest idae of what business is really all about.

Helping someone to succeed is a good feeling. Helping them to fail..........

No wonder

Now Joh is not around to keep the natives in their place...mayhem rules.

Now...Fremantle Dockers would NEVER do that

They're perfect gentlemen

Good point about the non-match of beneficiaries name and account number.

TIT

Makes yer really confident in the Thai banking system.

To the doubters, whose life map is based on cynicism and an unquenchable urge NOT to budge from a fixed position...I can understand your attitude.

A few years ago, I'd have been dubious too.

YES..he was a VERY relieved guy, when she showed up at the bank.

He was half expecting she would do a runner.

For the record..he flicked her 20,000 baht.

( His mate spake thus "You wuz mad to give her all that money--20,000 baht.

I'd have give her no more than 3,000."

Holy shit..is he a ###### or what?

The money was legally HERS.

My mate would have had zero claim to it, in all probability.

It takes all sorts...... )

I want to meet this rare creature..in ANY country, she is a remarkable , admirable HONEST woman.

Now and again..there comes along a true story--a welcome change from the dramatic "she done me wrong"-- rubbish which convinces me miracles DO happen.

Living opposite me in Pattaya is a very decent, sensible English guy.

Last week, he rang his daughter in England, and instructed her to send 30,000 English pounds to his Thai bank account. Around 2 and a bit million baht.

The daughter found the account number near the phone--where my friend said it would be, and duly sent the boodle to his Thai bank.

After about 6 days, he got a bit nervous, and rang his daughter to ask why she hadn't sent the money

"Dad, I sent it the day you called", she said

Rigorous enquiries, interspersed with panic ..revealed that my friend had forgotten that, next to HIS account number..was the account number of a previous girlfriend, who works in a bar.

YES...you guessed it..the money went to HER account...2,000,000 lovely baht

He went to the bar to see her, explained what had happened...and...and...and

...she met him at the bank the next morning at 10.30..and transferred his money to his account.

We are in general, utterly convinced that bargirls are money hunger shitbags.

Well..think again

There is goodies..and there is baddies

I was taken aback some years ago...to see two ratbags riding on a small motorcycle with--incredibly--a twin tub washing machine perched sideways between them

Only in Thailand............

You might be interested (Intrigued?) to know that Freud insisted that we feel "Love at first sight"...because we are looking for a Mother replacement..and the lady we've just seen triggers multiple memories of Ma.

Ask her if her name is Elektra.

I'm indebted to Drummer..who in reply to a comment from me that 499,999 baht seemed like an odd amount...pointed out that the same figure repeated--in this case 99999--is super lucky.

There's a wealth of useful info on on this forum.

Especially from the Aussies !

A couple of years ago, I was a volunteer English teacher at the Disabled School in Pattaya Klang. One Sunday, I threw half a dozen of my students into my pickup, and asked them where they wanted to eat lunch. Much to my surprise, they opted for Middle Eastern food. None of them had ever tried it before, but I'd been revving them up about being adventurous with new food.

I pulled up outside one of the Restaurants in Second Road, and as I was wrestling the wheelchairs out of the pickup, two swathy buggars materialised from the restaurant. They sized up the situation..and proceeded to take over. They lifted all the students into wheelchairs, and happily pushed them into the Restaurant. Tables were pushed together, chairs moved. Nothing was too much trouble.They explained the dishes to the kids--in English. They packed all the kids back into the pickup, when it was time to go.They were GREAT. They treated those kids impeccably...NO..they treated the kids with kindness, respect and love.

Ever since that day, I've wondered how many rabid anti-Arab falang among us have any idea, that like falang...all Men of Middle Eastern Appearance..are not the same.

Open yer eyes boys, and while yer at it...open yer hearts.

The amount demanded--499,999-- is odd to say the least.

Why not 500,000 baht.

It sounds as if she's needling you

Good on yer Syd

Good effort

It's right up there with the all time greats

.."I Was a Teenage Werewolf", and "I Was Abducted by Aliens"

Keep up the good work

If you are really serious about studying English...there are many falang who will be happy to help you

Some of us are already volunteer English teachers

But we cannot guess WHO wants to study

Ask for help..many times, you will get help

Long doo, long doo

Brian

G'Day WCR...what's all this about nationwide breakdown?

Didn't know Thai had such an animal

Jeez Patricktan...GREAT atavar

One of the best I've seen...along with Boo's dancing lady..and Udon't cat with a melon on it's head

I've seen those seats in a baby shop called Brown Farm

It seems to cater to falang, Japanese.etc

There's a branch in Pacific Fair shopping centre in Sriracha...and another in North Pattaya Road in Pattaya.

I'd imagine it is a chain...very likely there's more in BKK

You may like to try getting their number by calling 1113..Directory Assistance

If you don't have any luck with 1113...try 1188

Good luck

As an aside...I've also seen them in Cash Converters..a secondhand shop..also in Pattaya, but I'd expect ..in a lot of other places too

AND..someone told me you can buy them in Department stores..Robinson, Central for instance

Good Luck

I went into a phone shop in Pattaya Tai the other day to buy a new 1 2 Call sim

The guy asked for my Passport.

I told him I only had my Thai Driver's License.

He accepted that as sufficient proof of ID..and filled out the appropriate form.

It's a pain in the bum to muck about with a passport (Lazy buggar)

I guess it may depend on who has read the Govt requirement for registering..and indeed..what the requirement is

Hi all,

        Can somebody tell me an address where I can purchase "Dry Ice" in Pattaya.

        Thanks, Wee Jimmy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's an English sign "Dry Ice"..on Sukhumvit..left side going towards Sattahip.

About 50 metres before Tepprasit...

LOTUS is on the opposite side of the road

Thanks Udon..nice to see some kind hearted souls on TV.

I have never thought of registering...but thanks to your info...I'll do it right now

Brian

Thyaipauly is talking common sense too.

Given your level of suspicion...you GOTTA know.

Your doubt will eat a big hole in your guts otherwise.

I had forgotten about the experience of a friend's wife...it may be worth sharing.

She bypassed a load of Wats close to their village...to go to some old monk famed in his area for being able to solve problems.,..somer 15 km away

She later stayed at that wat...but I've got no doubt she was as crazy after her stint...as she was before.

ALSO...not all wats run meditation courses..or so I am told.

In some areas...one big wat will run those programmes..and anyone from the surrounding area will rock up and participate.

Probably a function of insufficient starters for every wat to do their own.

The point is...make certain you know precisely WHICH Wat your inamorata is at.

And as we all know ..there ain't no alternative to going there yourself...or getting a trusted lieutenant to go.

I've just asked my long haired advisor about HER temple.

She doesn't know the name of the temple in the village where she lived for more than 20 years...and her father is buried there !!

And she also doesn't know the name of the temple in the village we've lived in for more than 3 years.

I guess there is no NEED to know.

When the village folk talk about "the temple"...there is only temple likely to be the topic of the conversation.

She also says it's perfectly normal for a woman to become "mare she" ( female monk) for a month or two.

No need to shave her hair..and it's considered to be an extremely worthwhile thing for ANY Thai--man or woman--to do.

She also said she'd like to do that herself someday.

We all have the potential for the conditioned response of believing she MIGHT be doing us in.

In your case..the overwhelming preponderance of probability given the circumstances..is that she is doing exactly what she says she is doing..and would expect admiration and respect from you.

The uncommon common sense observations from someone who pointed out that bargirling is not high on the list of most girl's desirable life choices...is spot on.

You've been good to her...you are good together...why would she blow it all??

You're a lucky buggar to have such a sensible woman.

If only Khun Taksin could read this forum.

He would realise what a wonderful advantage it is for ALL khon Thai.. to be able to harness the wonderful input from we falang..to stimulate Thai business.

I had one myself..

It follows an Australian employment creation idea from the 70s.

That one went over like a lead baloon...but this one can't possibly fail.

We need to buy a fleet --around 500 should do--of 60 foot semi trailers.

We'd put a metre of cowshit, good soil etc in the bottom of the trailler, into which we'd plant a variety of exotic tropical fruit. Peaches, apricots..that kind of thing. We'd then drive to every corner of Thailand, selling pick-your-own fresh fruit.

As a dynamite business idea..it'd have to be a sure-fire winner.

I guess a logical extension would be to have another fleet of trucks , slaughtering exotic animals for the locals.

Thais are remowned for their adventurous approach to different foods.

Kangaroo, emu, wilderbeeste, bison...the possibilities are limitless.

To go back to basics.....it seems to me that the wife verbally rejected her husband..and instead identified herself as a Thai..and HIM as a falang...by her choice of words.

She did not want to be identified as the wife of a falang.

Why she would want to consciously move away from him with a comment absolutely guaranteed to upset all but the most intellectually challenged...I don't know.

And it's not my place to comment on that.

But IF they were fighting.....we all know that many people can say anything in the heat of the moment....regardless of whether or not we really mean it.

Hurting and wounding seems to be de rigeur in many of these situations.

More's the pity.

And I wouldn't be the first person to suggest that we don't always make clear WHAT is upsetting us, before we let go with both barrels.

Women can be very difficult.

Men too.

Thank God for katoeys (???)

Some good suggestions here.

Thanks.

BUT...I need to carry some large, heavy suitcases...which rules out public transport.

My pick-up is in Sakaew....so renting from Don Muang is not an option.

Taxi--or some kind of Hire Car is the way to go, I think

I need to go from Don Muang to Sakaew, in about 2 weeks time.

It's about a 3 hour trip.

Does anyone have any idea how much it is likely to cost?

Can anyone recommend a reliable guy with a car?

Thanks

Everyone knows how hard it is to find a good housekeeper...And that applies everywhere.

I've asked my friend's wives..and none of them know anyone who might be both suitable and interested.

There seems to be no Thai Newspsper in Pattaya and few Thais read The Pattaya Mail.

Any suggestions?

ALSO...what is the going rate for a live-in Housekeeper?.

Am I better to the have a live-in?

Or someone who rocks up say, three days a week?.