Jasun

Diva - was cabaret club on soi 11. 

Interested to see if they'll be shutting their own very lucrative soi 23 establishment just up the road from SWU...

There are loads of mango types, 4 or 5 popular in Thailand. I love the ones sold by the street fruit vendors, right at that point when they are just ripening up - still green with a tinge of yellow, just before they get too sweet.

It is recommended to spend at least 2 days in BKK or Pattaya before you get married. Preferably without your fiance.

Looking forward to the PR shot of the Rohingyas with their hair tied up in yellow ribbons.

Looking at the photo, we can only be thankful it wasn't a game of strip poker.

In any case, they sell playing cards at every 7-11 and Family Mart across the country. What's the big deal?

We were doing the rounds of BKK schools recently, more for EP and international options, but came across a good Thai kindy down around Suk soi 60, called Baan Waan (sweet home). They have a facebook page. Don't get it confused with Baan Rak, which is a Waldorf-style kindy in the same area.

These pre wedding pics are big deal for the Chinese, the people this will really hurt are the local hotels and wedding organisers. But something tells me they're the ones making the complaints.

1am enforced closing of Spicey Nightclub isn't going to affect tourism.

An election might be happening after all.

They can move the DVD and wooden frog sellers along, but the food vendors have a place.

George Orwell couldn't write this stuff.

A popularity contest to determine that holding a popularity contest would be wrong.

"It will take some time to say whether the tourist is actually Chinese," Chuan said. "But judging from his style, he was kicking his feet with so much agility, it was like kung <deleted>."

More fine detective work. Pray this guy isn't brought in for professional testimony if you ever find yourself in court.

Never stayed at the Baan Pictory, but the navy beach at Sattahip is great.

Taking the old train up to Ayuthaya is fun with kids, spending a night or two then coming back on the river. Staying on the khlong at Amphawa in Samut Songkhram also good. Chok Chai farm and few places around Khao Yai also make a fun weekend if you can get out of BKK before the traffic on a friday. Or definitely check our Suan Peung in Ratchaburi for something different.

Every time someone says the BKK property market is over supplied and over priced, it goes up price.

With the exception of education, anything that require paying someone to provide a service or do something for you (build/clean/fix/rub) is way cheaper in Thailand, but often to a lesser quality.

Everything else is pretty much the same.

My electricity, phone, internet and grocery bill are almost identical between Thailand and Australia. Some things a bit more, others a bit less.

If you've got school-aged kids: Bangkok.

If you work (professional): Bangkok.

If you're young and into bars, clubs or bands: Bangkok

If you're a foodie: Bangkok

If you like galleries, exhibitions and other cultural pursuits: Bangkok

If shopping is your thing: Bangkok

Relaxing, retiring, beaches and nature: Anywhere but Bangkok.

Getting into Australia is one thing, getting there and having access to medical care is another.

She can take out private insurance, but won't meet the qualifying period for obstetrics. So you'll have to have the baby under medicare (or pay crazy amounts). But to get access to medicare she'll need a substantiated visa. That requires X-rays for TB etc, and she can't do that (strongly not recommended) while pregnant.

Khao San, Sukhumvit 11 eg Cheap Charlies & Tapas, RCA, networking events such as British Womens' Club, ladies nights just about anywhere that isn't infested with freelancers or BGs.

I had a really bad experience with Ford Servicng in Bangkok, starting with when I put my Ford Escape in for a routine service at the centre on Sukhumvit Soi 62.

I'd never had a problem with the car until the day I picked it up... then, driving home, the gear stick gave way. Turns out that in the process of servicing the car they somehow managed to snap the gear cable (or whatever connects the gear stick the the gearbox) and did not tell me about it out of fear. Instead, they chose to replace the part with a nylon cable tie and sent me on my way.

They ultimately replaced the part at their expense, but it could have caused a major accident.

BIS Phuket

Some real figures from our office, a multinational company located in Bangkok:

The lowest paid employee is a graduate assistant, earning $25K a month (drivers and cleaners are probably on less but they are contractors). The average secretary earns 40-45K per month, while personal assistants are around the 60-70K figure. Everyone else in the building is semi-professional (account managers / designers / producers) and earn between 70-180K per month depending on experience. Senior executives are in the 200-400K range.