BradinAsia

I very much sympathize with the OP. I had exactly the same problem.

For several weeks I also looked for good pencils in Chiang Mai.

Recently, I managed to buy a box of good pencils which are already

sharpened. If you ask the clerk politely they would surely allow you to

try them, that is, just to see how they write.

Problem is -- I don't recall where I bought them. Maybe Office Mate.

I no longer have the box, so the only information I can provide is that

the pencils are assorted colors -- red/gold, green/gold, and blue/gold

-- and are imprinted as follows:

Best Quality NANMEE NM- 5500 HB

Hope this helps.

I cant imagine letting someone do what they want with my wife. Is it driven by poverty, lack of morals and ethics or does poverty produce a lack of morals and ethics?

I assume the "poverty and lack of morals" you speak of are the qualities of the farang who let's someone do what they want with his wife.

If you're an honest guy, please let the gentlemen know what their wives are doing when abroad.Guess you'd be more than happy, when somebody would "open your eyes."

It's pretty much common here. I'd guess 80% of Thai women are doing the same shit.And you won't loose face telling it through let's say your wife.-

Or is this just more balderdash rubbish from a wannabe TV expert?

Do 80% of the women in your home country backdoor on their husbands?

If you have the 6th sense to "divine" that 80% of Thai women are doing this

you should be making billions on the stock market.

Maybe you should learn how to write.

It seems to me that these two guys got drunk, caused trouble and paid for it dearly. Case closed.

Pretty much sums up what I wrote. They got what they deserved. The rest of us are all happy.

Next week it will be a couple of Englishmen, Swedes, Americans, Italians, Russians etc. getting into trouble and all the heroes on this thread who have been bagging the two Aussies (and Australians in general) will be

attacking whoever appears next. Whatever floats ya boat.

You didn't see me write anything about their nationality. I only said they got what they deserved.

Now you seem to be agreeing with me.

"Don't know how it works where you come from, but this is exactly how it works in the U.S.

-- and everyone understands that. It's called being a responsible person and not drinking

more than you can handle."

Are you trying to tell me that the US is populated by responsible people who never drink more than they can handle ? Wow ! Those movies, tv shows, documentaries, newspapers, magazines and first hand reports have been lying to me all this time.

Maybe you should learn to read.

@mikemac...

"Isn't it ironic that all these businesses selling booze will beg (advertise) for customers to come and drink their booze and then when they get too drunk and rowdy they'll throw them out on the street like trash or even "punish" them first - their best customers."

What's ironic about that?

Don't know how it works where you come from, but this is exactly how it works in the U.S.

-- and everyone understands that. It's called being a responsible person and not drinking

more than you can handle.

Immature teenage boys with poor judgment and no drinking experience often get falling-down

drunk and make a total fool of themselves. Men usually outgrow that kind of immature behavior.

Some never do.

At the end of the day, you're just a hard head who believes it's ok for violent mobs to dish out street justice to anyone they think deserves it.

A mob attack can be deadly, but that's ok with you. It's ok to kick the shit out of people and break legs.

In my world there's no excuse for a mob assault. That's not the way justice is served.

Those kids were lucky to escape with their lives. It doesn't always end so well.

Fortunately, in both our respective countries, this kind of violence is frowned upon by most people and there's laws against it.

You defend the uncivilized hoodlum perpetrators as if they really deserved your sympathy.

I condemn them and say they got exactly what they deserved.

We will never agree. Next...

@ tropo , I am surprised you even responded to that "ludicrous" comment from BradinAsia. He seems to know a lot about what happened that night, perhaps he was there. Likes the term "drunken scumbags" as well, takes one to know one.

I am beginning to think these guys found a bottle of Bundy rum that night and the rest is history.

You still making excuses for these immature low-life drunks? If you don't like

the names I called them, feel free to add your own favorite names.

Just leave out the "nice guy" stuff, ok?

@mikemac...

"Isn't it ironic that all these businesses selling booze will beg (advertise) for customers to come and drink their booze and then when they get too drunk and rowdy they'll throw them out on the street like trash or even "punish" them first - their best customers."

What's ironic about that?

Don't know how it works where you come from, but this is exactly how it works in the U.S.

-- and everyone understands that. It's called being a responsible person and not drinking

more than you can handle.

Immature teenage boys with poor judgment and no drinking experience often get falling-down

drunk and make a total fool of themselves. Men usually outgrow that kind of immature behavior.

Some never do.

You seem to be overlooking a few things.

1. The drunken scumbags were the perpetrators here.

2. The drunken scumbags got exactly what they deserved.

3. Defending the drunken scumbags is a bit ludicrous, mate.

You're the one being ludicrous here, mate....

I've overlooked nothing. Assuming the report was 100% accurate and they are guilty as reported, they did not deserve a deadly attack from a mob. They "deserved" to be restrained and arrested - that's it.

My point was about the assault on them being deadly. Yes, they did survive but it could have resulted in death.

You will not likely find many folks would agree with your overly forgiving view of a couple worthless hoodlums.

The assault on them was very appropriate. Sometimes "instant karma" is so sweet.

@Harry...

So when they crack a bottle across your face you won't retaliate with force because of the gender gap. Wait until you find out that there aren't soft female bottles.

If you hang out in places where a lady is apt to crack a bottle across your face, I would suggest it's time for a serious reevaluation of your quality of life.

The present discussion concerns bars where prostitutes can be purchased and where violent altercations are a relatively frequent occurrence. Ethical guidelines you bring to the debate need to be relevant to that environment.

How I might spend my time is irrelevant.

May be irrelevant to this discussion, but not irrelevant to your mentality. Also, there is nothing in the OP about a bargirl smashing a bottle across anybody's face. Who died and appointed you the policeman of this discussion... get a life, mate.

@Harry...

So when they crack a bottle across your face you won't retaliate with force because of the gender gap. Wait until you find out that there aren't soft female bottles.

If you hang out in places where a lady is apt to crack a bottle across your face, I would suggest it's time for a serious reevaluation of your quality of life.

We are not in Australia , we are actually in Thailand. And if you were to keep up with Thai news, you would know that in fact street justice is handed out here on a fairly regular basis.

Your actual location is irrelevant to my post. Many readers here don't live in Thailand.

You call it street justice, do you? It's more than that. It's deadly assault in many cases. It's not justice, but the release of pent up hatred. This is when Thailand can become a very dangerous place to live. It's better to understand what it is rather than make excuses for it.

Deadly assault? Please. Kind o' making too big a thing out of it IMO.

I wasn't referring to this single incident specifically. I've seen, for example, Thais (security?) kicking the shit out of Farang in Walking Street... a whole group of them. When you kick people in the head it is considered deadly assault.

Now you're suggesting that breaking a person's leg in this assault is not a big deal. I don't know what part of his leg was broken, but do you realise that a broken femur can be a very serious, life threatening injury? If the main artery is severed a person can die from internal bleeding. I know a thing or two about this as it happened to me once. There was so much internal bleeding my leg had to remain in traction for a week before they could operate.

Serious skull fractures are also likely if a person's head is being battered, as can be seen on one of the Aussie victims. This can also result in death.

Yes, deadly force was applied in this incident. When a mob of angry people attack, it is a very serious, deadly situation.

You seem to be overlooking a few things.

1. The drunken scumbags were the perpetrators here.

2. The drunken scumbags got exactly what they deserved.

3. Defending the drunken scumbags is a bit ludicrous, mate.

I didn't expect to be advised about the maintenance and upkeep ... all I asked was what would it cost to Tax & 3rd party Insure and what options there ...

I am happy you seem so concerned to consider me stupid but I have always maintained and worked on my own vehicles for 50 years since I started driving ... we do that in the country in Oz ...

Let me bother about the choice of vehicle and what it needs for moth-balling it for 11 months ......

Or if anyone knows where I can hire a car for 6 weeks that would be comparable ..... I think not ...

Please just give me a ball-park figure as to what the cost of Tax & Insurance would be on say a 2.5ltr diesel ???

Assuming 2 door pickup more than 10 years old, tax 900bht, gov. min. insurance 900bht.

Double those for any type of 4 door.

Thank you for that info as it is what I need to know.

And to all the others thank you as well as I have learned a lot from you all. 5

If you indeed have 50 years experience maintaining cars, you surely know

the worst thing you can do to a vehicle is let it sit for long periods.

In case you don't know, even if you could adequate mothballing the vehicle

for long-term in a humid tropical climate, the annual cost of the required moth-

balling and de-mothballing could easily equal the cost of 6 weeks car rental.

A bit of politeness and common sense are both in order here.

Thanks ....

Maybe looking at a 2.5 diesel ...

3rd party sounds OK but what about the cost of TAX ?

I see renting as throwing money away ... ... I don't think I could rent a car for 6 weeks for less than a years Tax and Insurance?

Family using the car is OUT of the question as the whole exercise is to get as independent as possible because I keep finding hands in my pocket that are not mine every time I turn around.

If renting a car a few weeks is throwing money away, buying one

to use for a few weeks each year is much more of a waste.

IMO this is a one sided article and I can't see how you can know with much certainty they deserved the beating.

Drunk holiday makers on Bangla Rd - which aren't?

Used ashtray as weapon - Why? What was the lead up? I don't know. Do you know?

Bar girl slapped. Why? Just slapped a random girl? Of course not. What did she do and why isn't that reported?

Did the journalist ask for their side?

If I was placing bets I'd side against them but I'm far from knowing.

Based on what is known from the report, it seems that you are far too forgiving of these animals.

Is there ever any justification for a tourist to slap a bar girl?

Yes, definitely, I think there can be.

What do you think? Can you not think of a circumstance which would justify the slapping of a bargirl?

Where I come from a real man does not slap ladies or children.

Do do so makes a wannabe man a cowardly bully...

IMO this is a one sided article and I can't see how you can know with much certainty they deserved the beating.

Drunk holiday makers on Bangla Rd - which aren't?

Used ashtray as weapon - Why? What was the lead up? I don't know. Do you know?

Bar girl slapped. Why? Just slapped a random girl? Of course not. What did she do and why isn't that reported?

Did the journalist ask for their side?

If I was placing bets I'd side against them but I'm far from knowing.

Based on what is known from the report, it seems that you are far too forgiving of these animals.

Is there ever any justification for a tourist to slap a bar girl? They clearly got what they deserved.

We should all be pleased with the outcome, I'd say.

Wonder why Yanks are such whiners ?

Confirmation of income letter from the UK embassy in BKK 2070 TBT

Western Embassy service charges are based on what it costs to provide the service.

Maybe the Yanks here would prefer that more tax was paid by workers in the good ol US of A so they can have a free service provided in BKK !

You are joking, right?

Two minutes for $150. And it's based on what it costs to provide the service?

I'd be da_mn happy if it was based on the cost to provide the service.

@Eesat

How do you pay a bill that they can't deliver to you,you fool?

Can you not read or understand plain English?

The fool is you, pal.

Lots of people do it every month. I've done it numerous times.

Take a copy of your old bill, go the the payment window, tell

them you didn't receive your bill but would like to pay it.

Like I say, it's not rocket science.

So which is easier,letting the owner's Father pay it and paying him back with the rent,or running around Bangkok because some muppet can't deliver your bill?

You really are that stupid,aren't you?Incredible!

Your response is unfathomable. Maybe even stupid... (???)

Whether you receive an electric bill or not, it is very easy to pay it.

No need to run around anywhere. Give yourself a break. You seem

to have high blood pressure over this issue already.

Yep, really gives us Aussie's a bad name. Such a shame. Usually it is the kids coming over for their first or second trip to Thailand, getting drunk and thinking they are better than everyone else. Happens all too much in Phuket which makes me avoid it and hit Pattaya instead for a break - and that is saying something!!!!!

Certainly, no nationality has a monopoly on a**holes. There are plenty everywhere, in any and all countries.

Having said that, this story renews my faith in the idea of instant karma. It makes me very happy to see that

these hoons received swift and just retribution at the hands of their own peers in a bar.

Another couple of <deleted> giving us all a bad name, someone should invent an idiot detector to stop these fools leaving Oz

I'm quite sure the problem is with every nationality, when they left Oz I am sure they were very nice people, the drink affects people in different ways! Hope they realize what they did and realize there life could have been at risk!!

Amazing how folks talk so bad about Thais when they display despicable behavior, but

when an Aussie is a totally offensive a**hole we say they are probably "nice guys" who

just happened to have too much to drink.

Ludicrous!

A hoodlum jerk is a hoodlum jerk. We don't need to make excuses for them.

One very good reason why I and many others give Patong a wide berth!!

I find it very odd you neglected to mention the 2 Aussie hoodlums got exactly what they deserved.

Went to Vientiane last month on visa run. No fun.

Vientiane has changed a lot since I was last there (2002). On this trip it was often

very difficult to find a tuk-tuk. Then they'd invariably insist on the equivalent of 200-

300 baht for a short 5-minute trip. Ended up walking a lot just to avoid the scam.

Important tip: Don't go to the Thai Embassy, they no longer do visa work there,

despite all the folks online talking about visiting the thai Embassy in Vientiane.

My unpleasant experience this time: getting up early morning, taking a 70,000 kip

(270 baht) short tuk-tuk ride to Thai Embassy -- finding it's the wrong place, then

get another tuk-tuk -- another 270 baht for a short trip to the Thai Consulate.

By the time you pay a small fortune for the tuk-tuks and then stand in line for an

hour -- you can only be thankful that there are other options (KL, etc).

Don't plan to visit Vientiane again anytime soon, if ever.

If you do go to Vientiane, would definitely recommend avoiding Pyongyang Korean

Restaurant. Horrible service, unfriendly, worst food imaginable, and very expensive.

@Eesat

How do you pay a bill that they can't deliver to you,you fool?
Can you not read or understand plain English?

The fool is you, pal.

Lots of people do it every month. I've done it numerous times.

Take a copy of your old bill, go the the payment window, tell

them you didn't receive your bill but would like to pay it.

Like I say, it's not rocket science.

I would say:

a) 100K is possible.

200K would make life bearable.

c) 300K up is good.

Under 100K you will be just living a miserable existence and not be able to save, you family will need to go without any niceties in life.

Plain stupid... your post would mean that 99% of all Thai families live a "miserable existence"....

+1

Also would mean that about 75% of the expats living here are also miserable.

If someone think they are capable of selling something, they should before starting their business think very careful through their plan. Can anybody get hurt, can anybody die because of my business practice ? If they did not think about the consequences before they started the business, they should take the full responsibility of their actions. The electric company killed this two innocent childs.

No they didn't. By that logic GM, Ford, Toyota etc. have killed millions of people. What a stupid post.

What a stupid reply. You have obviously never been in the west. In the civilized world you have to foresee what your actions will do.

Don't folks from the civilized world also need a bit of common sense?

If the electric company had to keep the power on for everyone who can't pay their bills, they'd be swamped with non-payers. Then, the company would either go broke or have to triple the cost of electric for all the other folks who could afford to pay.