simon43

Everyone else.... I tip barbers because it's ingrained into my brain - my mum always gave me an extra sixpence to give to the local barber back in the UK. I tip motodop riders because their charge is so low anyway. Oh, when in Pattaya I always pay 20 baht for the baht bus because the 10 baht charge is just ridiculously small.

RIP Somewhat off-topic, (the only related part is to do with Burma...), years ago when I worked in Yangon, I rented an apartment in a very old tenement building. The shower consisted of a water pipe coming out of the wall and supplying dirty brown, smelly cold water. I hated taking showers! One day I decided to see why the water was so dirty. I asked my neighbour who told me that the water was pumped from the river at the end of the road. What a filthy river. Then I had a worrying thought. "Where do our toilets empty into?" I asked my neighbour. "Why, into that river" was his reply......

Here in Luang Prabang the motorcycle hire shops are only allowed to rent smaller motorbikes or electric bikes to tourists. The Snoopy bikes with sidecars are very popular with Chinese tourists who seem unable to balance on 2 wheels... 🙂

When I lived in north Phuket, I lived a few hundred meters away from Thai ex #3 and also a few hundred meters in the other direction from Thai ex #2. Both had small hotels (10 rooms) that I built for them and I lived in my own little guesthouse in the middle. This worked out fine (for me), because I was able to pop over to see each ex, do any repairs etc that were needed and so on. The fly in the ointment was that these 2 exes hated each other!! - a lot of jealousy between them. I ended up as 'piggy in the middle' 🙂

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......