simon43

I went 'on holiday' to Blackpool early last year, but it didn't seem to be full of British tourists. All I saw were Turkish barber shops.....

Tipping was never a thing in the UK, except for a small tip for the barber and taxi driver. So no, I haven't changed my habits since leaving the UK 22 years ago. I tip the barber and I tip the taxi/motodip driver - that's it 🙂

Yes, but 'he wanted nothing to do with it.." is simply untrue. He wants everything that a Royal title can provide. If he wants rid of the Royal Family, then he should renounce all his titles and simply be known as Mr Harry Doormat, (US resident).

Please delete your photos of Lat Krabang beach! Otherwise, you may alert the authorities who will come and cut down all those nice trees... 🙂

I teach (online) a number of different Russian, Ukrainian and Belarus young students, whose families have fled their respective countries because of the war. Some live now in the UK and various mainland countries, and their families have no intention of returning back to their home country.

No one should write using that Modern style. That is simply a simplified font that is often used for advert signs.... good to know how to read, but not to be written!

Of course they pour chemicals into it. The pH value must be kept at the correct value to inhibit the growth of algae and chemicals (eg chlorine) must be used to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Leave the pool without chemicals and it will turn green.....

I guess that small islands in the Maldives also have no electricity supply, other than solar or diesel generators. If they can manage to install/operate desalination plants, then why not Thailand?

I think the new owners should issue shares in the business to any loyal forum members of more than 20 years standing... 🙂

I would day that most people's claimed IQ has jumped by 100 points! According to Dr Google, Albert Einstein had an IQ of about 160, Isaac Newton had an IQ of between 170-190. So it seems that some of our forum members are very, very clever indeed.....

Jeez, I used to get all those symptoms after a romantic night with my ex... 🙂

I'm happy to see him looking well and enjoying Songkran 🙂

Perhaps he sleeps standing on his head?

Very much off-topic, but I found a method to avoid getting soaked when riding my motorcycle. When riding back from the supermarket this morning in Luang Prabang, I saw a boy with a large bucket of ice-cold water, ready to soak me (the only traffic in the road). As I got closer and made eye-contact with him, I shouted in Lao "Look out! Elephant!!", whilst pointing behind him furiously. He spun round, completely missed the opportunity to soak me and I arrived home dry and happy 🙂

So? The OP didn't ask your opinion about religion - your post adds zero to this thread. I am not the slightest bit religious, but I don't condemn others who are religious or have differing views from me. OP, I do not have any facts to answer your question, since my knowledge of these churches is very small.

Since (AFAIK), the use of Starlink is not authorised in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos (ie - no ground station connection into the telecoms system), I don't see how this could work. Starlink has to up/downlink the data to a ground station within the footprint of its signal, and since it's in a LEO (low-earth-orbit), about 400km above the Earth, that means a ground station in either Laos, Thailand or Myanmar. But what do I know? 🙂

Wow! This topic has demonstrated to me just how many forum members are one short of a pot noodle! 🙂 Nice day here in north Laos, far, far away from all the Western 'nutters' 🙂

Let's wait for further details before we make assumptions. Witnesses should be able to say whether he was shouting 'Allah' etc.

I just checked the hard cash in my pocket. About 2 million in new bank notes 🙂 Oh wait a moment! I'm in Laos and that's Lao kip, so about 50 quid..... 🙂

[quote] ... they seem to be watching us like hawks at the moment, looking for any excuse to catch us out.. ... [/quote] Nope - they are watching YOU. Every other Westerner is getting on with their life and don't seem to have the bizarre problems that you raise in your many posts 🙂

IMHO, the OP has a death wish......

Do you live in Burma? 🙂

I'm very happy living in north Laos. But there are 2 important issues: - I have 'weak lungs' and the annual burning season here is not enjoyable - I'm coughing up litres of sticky phlegm and my nose runs like a very leaky tap! Face-masks help, as do some medications, but my health outcome in the long-term is probably not rosy if I continue to live with such polluted air. - Next year my UK pension will start, but since I live in Laos, this will be frozen, and this could become a financial issue for me in later years. This is why I am considering making a permanent move to somewhere in The Philippines before my UK pension starts. This would avoid administration issues with the UK pensions office, should I move from Laos to The Philippines after my pension starts. (Of course, PI does not freeze UK pensions). Really, it's my own health issues that concern me, and the AQI numbers for PI seem to be way lower than Laos or north Thailand. (South Thailand has cleaner air, but I do not have 800,000 baht for a retirement visa and I do not trust to 'fiddle' this visa by using an agent). Would PI be a sensible option? Here are my requirements: - low risk of major earthquakes (my knowledge of tectonic plates suggests that the west side of PI is not prone to major earthquakes, since the plate boundaries are on the east side). - low risk of major typhoons (again, my knowledge of cyclones suggests that the west side has calmer weather) I would want to live in a safe rural/semi-rural location, renting a house and garden (not a condo), perhaps near a beach. I do not need the company of other Westerners, nor nightlife, nor the fair sex, (meaning I don't want to live in the equivalent of Pattaya). I'm good at learning languages, so an English-speaking environment is not required. Can someone with knowledge of The Philippines suggest some small towns to visit? I need to get my skates on if I want to move before June 25 (my retirement date). Thanks!

Yonks ago I did actually study for an MA in Thai at Chulalongkorn University. I sat the course but never took the final exams, because a large 'exam fee' was required and I was only learning for fun. But my knowledge of Thai enabled me to interact with the local Thais in where I lived, with useful phrases such as: - Conversing with my mad #2: "You are completely mad, please do not throw another plate" - Conversing with the local police guy: "I agree with you. She is totally mad - please arrest her next time" - With the local pharmacy: "Do you have any stronger medication? The previous medicine did not affect her" and finally with the local travel agent: "Get me the next flight to Burma, but tell her that I have moved to Cambodia if she asks" My use of Burmese and Lao is generally much more mundane phrases!

Lol, my parents took me out of the government primary school in the early 1960s and put me in a private prep school after we started having morning assembly in (probably) Hindi - the Urdu-speakers arrived a few years later...