homeownership

wth my post did'nt come out, but you need to know that were we to do an experiment in your us home town, throw acid in face of a few randoms and bomb a neighbourhood from the air. We then poll survivors, victims, relatives to see what was more devastating. Something tells me that everyone of those people will say oh the bombing of the neighbourhood was just swell, it was done by government so its ok, who cares they are innocent or not. but thos e nasty people throwing acid in the face of .... was just awful. It seems that despite being out of your country you still beleive the propaganda. You should listen to local radio it has programs just for people like you.

Isnt President Assad a Muslim ? He seems to be doing a lot of killing of the Muslim People, around 100,000 at the last count and more everyday. No one says a word from the Muslim community.

America kills 3 terrorists with a drone and Muslims are declaring Jihad and firing rifles in the air shouting "God is Great".

I am not an advocate or affiliated with any organization. But one thing for sure if we explore the historical facts in the past. War and terrorism started from the British colonial rule. Then it followed to America and its civil war. In today's world of terrorism it against started with the super powers. Just see World War 1 and World War 2 , All that was between the mighty super powers and their allies.

When USSR invaded Afghanistan, it lead to the creation of Al-Qaeda in different regions because there were some Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia reluctantly had to take side of USA. After USSR forces were driven back by Al-Qaeda, USA did not knew that they were taming a wild beast. And American's never knew that what would be the outcome later on. USA supplied Al-Qaeda with weapons, technology and taught them tactics how to conduct guerrilla warfare against a USSR army. Of course with the help of ISI (Pakistan Secret Service). As ISI played a middle man between Al-Qaeda and CIA.

Now let me come back to the topic. We should know that these hackers are merely just a part of nuisance creators. They don't have plans or objectives behind these hacking activities. Just time wasters. Terrorists may not have time to hack a site that may not be of any use to them.

No religion in this world teaches terrorism. And its a fact. However there are certain people who always exploit and defame religion.

Lastly we should make this world a peaceful place to live. Make money and live a good life like me .

War and Terrorism started from British Rule ? Is that supposed to be a statement of fact. Are you saying war or terrorism did not exisit before the British Empire ? Tell me your not that wet behind the ears.

In the UK, France and Holland, there is a lot of talk about muslim women wearing the Niqab or Burkha. It is seen as offensive, because of the lack of facial communications, fear and of course the media have made this a hot topic. So if your a muslim woman wearing the Niqab in these Western Countries it causes offence. It has been put to these woman, that they are welcome to wear these culturally islamic clothes in an islamic country where they would be acceptable.

So ok back to our dilemma in Thailand. The symbol may cause offence to foreigners who see it, because it clearly despite our best efforts is a nazi symbol, no one is disputing this fact. However the fact remains is this, are Thai people offended. After all there are the indigenous population and we are mere settlers and tourists. We may find it offensive or we may accept it is part and parcel of their belief if not a minority of them.

Therefore is we are so offended by this symbol, which despite argument to the contrary can be found on many Buddas, Temples, Visa Stamp and the side of a car. If we are so offended then perhaps that person should go to a place where it would not be seen. Same conclusion as above.

After careful thought he is actually in answer to the OP ignorant, only because he had lots of different versions of the Swastika to choose from and the fact he didn't choose the nazi symbol verbatim means he is not being insensitive.

However he is free to exercise religious freedoms in his own country, which surely we all would like him to do.

It is actually yourself that is showing the ignorance. This symbol has different variations. The one on the side of the car is the following :

This particular version of the Swastika symbolizes Harmony. It is used by Hindus to show their devotion to peace and harmony to all creatures, by devotion to the Hindu God, Lord Ganesha. A growing religion in Thailand.

Its extremely unlikely that this symbol is being used to show their devotion to the nazis. Quite the opposite in fact.

The Swastika has been used thousands of years before Adolf Hitler took it for his political symbolism.

Dont be offended, it is not intended as an offence and they are not showing ignorance because it means a completely different meaning to them, in their own country, that it does to me and you visiting a country thousands of miles away from where it would be deemed offensive.

Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.^[5]

Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify.^[6] Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles,^[7] the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom.^[8] As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions.^[9][10] Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.

Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in the 4th and 5th centuries CE, during the Gupta Period, although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors.^[11] He was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya arose, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity.^[12] The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.

I am well aware of the "age" of the symbol, if you care to read the last few words of my OP it kind of states my point .

I read your OP and to me the symbol as illustrated promotes harmony.

Please forgive my ignorance,

but I was under the impression that the nazis inverted the swastika which changes the meaning, there for not a symbol of harmony.

Yes and therefore not the symbol on the side of the car.

You'd really have to talk to the person who put that on his car to determine the level of their insensitivity and/or ignorance.

I have decided to not confront Thai people on this stuff. It's a growing trend. I do STARE though.

Most of the stuff I am seeing in Pattaya is EXPLICITLY Nazi/Hitler/even racist stuff.

I care to agree with you.

Machines can only dispense 20 bills in one go.if you need 40k, you need to do two transactions

Wrong.. As stated above certain banks allow 30.

Cash machines can dispense 25,000 baht at a time if your card allows this. (25x 1000THB). I have never heard or been given an option to withdraw more. The reason why most cards cannot withdraw more is because 25,000THB is approximately £500 which is the highest amount UK cards can withdraw at anyone time, usually per day. I have never come across a cash card that allows you withdraw more than £500 per day from a machine. They cap the amount in case your card is compromised and the the pin number is known.

Ask yourself, what have you ever heard of anyone taking out £1000 from a cash machine or 50,000THB from a machine, because I haven't and anyone who has must have an offshore card.

The BBC says Thailand is in recession. The then you can believe they are recession, they would not put this on their website without checking their facts and sources, they have been slapped on the wrist far too much for this lately.

My thinking it his, the Thai Government has been subsiding the economy and now they have withdrawn that support, the "real" figures are showing through. I suspect the Thai economy has been in trouble for at least a year, but this has been masked by government stimulus.

The currencies markets have shown the baht slip to over 48.00 baht to the £

The party is over and now that brand new condo seemed such a good idea at the time. Thailand has entered wat is termed as a tail spin recession. This is a recession that gathers pace because of a loss of consumer confidence, as lately experienced in many Western Countries.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23751846 (links)

This is not a racist thread before the band come out to play.

I usually hang out in either Hua Hin or my home in Chiang Mai, but I am currently in Pattaya.

I first came to Pattaya in 2007 and loved it, full of developments and optimism, the financial crash back home in the UK had yet to happen and this place was buzzing.

I returned back here in 2010 and noticed since my previous visit that a lot of Russians were holidaying here and thought why not, this is as good a place to unwind as Odessa.

Now another 3 years later, rhe place has changed a lot. Menus, signs, are now in Russian, sometimes not even in English or Thai.

Every other person you see here is Russian, Russian food, Russian deals on apartments. Russians coming in through the bathroom window. I am seeing Russians everywhere.

This for me thinking, Pattaya started out as a sleep village down the road from the Naval port of Bang Na and GI used it for their R & R time. Later Europeans of all flavours came and used Pattaya for sex tourism.

Now rhe Russians man of which are young couples are coming here to relax, not take part in the sex industry, has Pattaya evolved out of the sleeze game become in maybe another 3 years like Blackpool or Miami Beach.

Just a thought, woud love to know what others thought.

More Daily Mail guff. British police have no jurisdiction outside of Britain/The UK/whatever the Daily Mail really meant. In order to extradite a British citizen from Europe a European Arrest Warrant needs to be issued and acted upon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Arrest_Warrant Good luck with that for somebody fiddling 20 quid a week!

ted

Extradition from a country outside of the EU is even more complicated.

This is just another attempt by the government to put the frighteners on those thinking of voting UKIP in 2015.

The UK and Thailand have an extradition treaty already in place since 2008. if Pension credit was paid, then it would normally have been done under the crime: Fraud by False Reprensentation, which basically means that benefits have been claimed when they shoud have been. This is a crime in both countries and under the terms of the extadition, regardless of the amount involved, the offender may be arrested, detained and extradicted.

This show trial woud serve as a detterant to other would be offenders surely.

Why should a Thai bank accept an IRS refund check?

Why not as long as i clears.

why didn't your wife just ask for you (assuming shes thai)?

Shes English too

ipad playing up sorry for the spelling.

Every time I go down the 181 to Chiang Mai, theres a moped rider or six with a death wish. I hear them in the cafes complng that they were "targeted" by the Police and fined for notvwearing a helmet. Then the next time you the, " no helmet".

I have seen te accidents, how they are covered when dead in any old bit of blanket. Nothing deters them.

At traffic lights they swarm both sides of your car, most of thevtime, they are heading on te hard shoulder for lacknof a better word, narrowly escaping death and even have the audacity to sometimes jumpbtraffic lights by mounting the pavements.

Some really detailed posts here thanks. I am not a biologist but I am good a rading between the lines.

Male mosquitos are not particularly harmful but the female ones give you a nice disease. I drawn no inference between the human species of course.

More mosquito repellant and long shanks (swetty) or not at this time of year.

Like mostof you, I am trapped in Thai living and by this website. I had to swallow some humble palm pie an tone it down a little.

I thought you were leaving with your untold wealth ? What happened lol

How many. Far to mant to mention.

I onice saw a 2 year old standing on a moped doing a "king of the world" titanic stance with his dad was travelling on the 181 highway from Chiang Mai to Doi Suket.

Balanced perfectly until Dad needs to stop of course.

Crazy Thai Drivers and Riders.

Falangs are even worse over here and they should know better.

What a stupid comment.

What has this got to do with Falangs?

How many Falangs have you seen riding a motorbike against the direction of traffic with 3 passangers and not one helmet between them?

I have seen my fair share of Falang riders/drivers who were driving badly but nowhere near as bad as some of the Thai driving that I have seen here.

My housekeeper and very trusted Thai Friend has been telling me of there being two types of mosquito around a the moment. I have been in Hua for months and was used to one of the , the one the size of houseflies. that cause nasty bites and are imnune to every type of repellant.

But here in Chiang Mai there is a much smaller one, whos bite does not hurt. It is spotty aparantly while the others gave stripes, it can bite in the daytime as well as night and carries malaria. People have been hosipitalised because of its deadly cargo. She caught one for me after crushing it today.

It looks like a fruitfly, but is actually a mosquito. Take from this what you will.

The Thai contestant did not show enough trait of megalamania or the personality of squid ink. like the finalist this week.

My monthly outgoings for a comfortable existance in Chiang Mai (cheaper than most cities) is between 50,000 tbh to 65,000 a month, I do eat out a lot, just because cooking here is not pleasant, sweating like a dog every meal time, when there is ample tasty treats to eat everywhere you look.

You can live in less, of course but I didnt move to Thailand to live frugally. I came to live.

Even as the most stubborn of officials you might be able to shrug off the first three or four ambassadors, but when you've had up to twenty of them knocking on your door and all asking the same questions, something has to start ticking over in your head.

I believe theblether has probably hit the nail squarely ... the pointy Chinese rocket up your a$$ is gonna hurt you the most.

Does the rocket come in the form of a string of words like " High Speed Rail Link" if some pain.

get another truemove h sim and go prepaid, repeat if rumbled.

you cannot get a personal ban if they dont have your name.

I thought of this, my only concern was if I pay the monthly fee of 850 baht or so and try to connect, then get banned, it gets expensive.

Worth a try though thanks fo the help.