hawker9000

7 hours ago, habanero said:

Geeeee. Lighten up!

Ever seen a dying lung cancer victim with all the tubes sticking out of him?  I have.  More than one, actually.  'Sure wish you could've been there to tell the wife and three kids he was about to leave behind to "lighten up".

Oh, and an edit...   I remember when he first mentioned to me the spot they'd found on his lung.  And I also remember toward the end him telling me in very emotional terms - in tears - how he wished to God he'd never started smoking.

5 hours ago, AliasJohn said:

As you said. I must be just you. I have lived here over ten years and taken countless taxi journeys and may have had one or two that got lost. If you get a taxi from the airport there is a 50 baht surcharge. Try getting a taxi in your country for a 30 km trip for about $12.00. I thing mostly it is a great service.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Well I'll see your 10 and raise you 20 more (ten years, BTW, is nothing!).  I long ago lost count of the number of times I simply could NOT get a taxi that would use the meter, the exception being the airport (where they know you've got their number on a ticket); I once DID have a taxi at the airport who tried his hardest to get me to hand OVER my ticket to him before setting out (I politely but steadfastly refused - driver didn't say another word all the way to my hotel, and I had made sure ahead of time - as I usually do - to not need change...).   Don't even get me started on taxis in Pattaya.   Also FPS don't deflect with lame & irrelevant discussions about how much taxis cost elsewhere; this isn't elsewhere, and if I wanted to be in "elsewhere" I wouldn't be here.  

Some good & honest drivers out there; mostly a problematic service to be avoided as much as possible.

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

I have never been to the states. Not because of any objections, just that work took me to other places, so I am not so well informed as other members here about the life there. However, I see all these mass shootings, and particularly the last sad event in Vegas, and I wonder how an individual can own so many heavy duty firearms. I acknowledge the Constitution referring to the right to bear arms, but surely, that was written in the fledgling years of the country when it was a dangerous and lawless place to be, and defending your family and property was a necessity. Has that situation, and therefore, that part of the constitution been made mute by progress in civilisation ? 

"I have never been to the states. Not because of any objections, just that work took me to other places, so I am not so well informed as other members here about the life there."

And yet you don't hesitate to grace us with your expert opinion that our Constitution is "moot".   Yeah, what a pearl.

I'm always entertained by foreigners lamely attempting to rationalize away the U.S. Constitution, knowing next to nothing about it.  Common Sense 101:  The Constitution is not subject to being rendered "moot" by "progress".  The founders foresaw the need and there IS a constitutional process for amendments, and it's been successfully and frequently used; in fact, 27 times. And actually - there's another way.   A Constitutional convention could be called to redraft the whole thing.  But spoiled petulant loser brat wingnuts determined to have their own way, lawful or not, tremble at the mention of that because they know they simply don't have the public support that would be necessary.   To them, even the most critical founding principles of the republic have value only insomuch as they serve strictly liberal purposes.   So they've pumped the federal courts full of their most intensely wingnut brethren until all the Clinton and Obama appointees have implicitly declared their right, and indeed the "necessity" to "interpret" the Constitution (which is to say, rewrite it according to their own agenda and blatantly to subvert it).  Fortunately, that can now begin to change, beginning with the Supreme Court.

Yes, a wealthy elitist whackjob bought himself a bunch of guns and gunned down 58 innocent people and wounded hundreds more.  FYI, Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people and injured over 600.  Without a gun.  The 9-11 pigs killed 2996 people.  Without a gun.   Three people were killed and 264 (at least) were wounded in the Boston Bombing.  Without a gun.  The U.S. has a gun count estimated at between 270 and 310 million.  Canada, another 10 million.   Heaven knows how many south of the border in the land of the rising cartels - 15 million AT LEAST.   And some lunatics - who furiously argue against the wall that would restrict not only the flow of guns across the border but the flow of illegals that man the gun-using streetgangs (ever heard of MS13?  Eh?  Most members from El Salvador.  Sureños?  Mexican Mafia?) and cartel killers as well - figure that by simply passing a law, that can all go to zero, and nobody will die at the hands of gun-wielding gangs, cartels, and other assorted felons while unable to defend themselves.  Oh yeah baby, where can I sign up for THAT lunatic plan?  We can't win the war on drugs.  We can't win the war on crime. We're not allowed to have a wall.  But oh sure - we could win a war on guns.

And these same wingnuts still can't grasp why Hillary lost...

19 hours ago, transam said:

I like a ciggy the same as I like a beer...I never annoy anyone when having a fag..

I find it funny when non smokers come on here slagging smokers off just because they don't smoke. Yet many of the moaners drive diesel rides, use BBQ's and burn horrendous amounts of cheap fuel on cheap flights which to them is OK..

I don't particularly like looking at obese folk, but l don't tell them this is 2017 and the info is out there to become a normal size do l...

Folk should mind there own business and let folk live their own life..

Your comparisons are absolutely ludicrous (as they always are; REALLY tired stuff).  'Comparing smoking in public to having to look at fat people; and backyard BBQs - ROFLMAO.  Now THAT'S lame!   All the usual rationalizations - never seen the one about fat people before - hilariously irrelevant.  But wait!   If you find it funny now, you're gonna' just love the next round of taxes and restrictions, because they're ALWAYS coming.

It's great that you never annoy anyone with your smoking (if it's true; given the obvious strength of your addiction, there'll be another side to THAT story I expect...).  Unfortunately too many of your brethren never gave a damn and have been content to shed their filth over anyone within range, and actually consider being able to do so a matter of right!  So now you ALL pay the price, as you will continue to do, and the price WILL keep going higher.  You all give politicians something they can actually all agree on.  Bravo.  So I hope you enjoy the boom being lowered an inch at a time as much as I've enjoyed watching it!

18 hours ago, coconuthead said:

Trump's a loser.  Let's hope the American people will get a better leader.

The real losers are those that can look at Kim and at Trump, and mindlessly chant "Trump's a loser".

12 hours ago, masuk said:

Biodegradable bags seems to do the trick.  A few days in the sun and rain, and they start breaking down.

Even the dreaded plastic beans used in packing, are commonly made from corn starch now.   You can't tell the difference until they're wet.

In China there is a charge for each plastic bag, should you forget your shopping bag.

It's all dead easy to get started  -  just need a bit of a nudge.

"In China there is a charge for each plastic bag, should you forget your shopping bag."

California (and a few other states), too.  In some places there's local legislation banning them outright - 'think LA is one.

Yeah, it's taxpayer-financed I guess, but if a smoker has it so bad that he's willing to put himself in a glass jail in order to indulge his addiction, it's something so pathetic I'd want to make sure my kids see so that they know what being a smoker really means.  Having to consign oneself to a little room in front of the crowds like an animal in the zoo does send a message.  It's a 21st century pillory if you ask me.

The trend is obviously strongly against smoking in public.  Taxes and restrictions on smokers go ever upward because the pols grasp instinctively that it's open-season on smokers 24-7-365 with absolutely no downside.   Political catnip.  You really have to be addicted to be willing to submit to a scorn that so effectively unites elected politicians with their usually disgruntled constituents.

Radar guns?   Really??   LOL.  Oh this'll be good.   They'll get confused with portable microwaves....

1 hour ago, Machiavelli said:

There is another thread running now where a Pedo has been caught trying to do a runner. Lol . No awards for guessing where hes from. Listen fella. Every country has its share of local kiddy diddlers. We are talking about transnational pedos. Those are mainly white, European, American and Australian. It's not personal! Google SE Asia pedophiles and it's all over the internet! 

Show us the proof or it's hearsay.  The web is full of it (as well as those who mindlessly repeat it).

Lol.

6 hours ago, GaryB1263 said:

A couple weeks ago there was a man flashing some kind of ID around a Rhom Pho Complex bar. He claimed he was a volunteer cop and he could arrest anyone he wanted.

He could try...

What he probably meant to say was that IF he had a bunch of his Thai buddy cops with him and IF they were bored enough to want to indulge his witlessness, he could MAYBE HAVE somebody arrested if they were doing something terminally stupid and the actual cops found it entertaining to have a farang banging up another farang.

Yes, yes, yes.  I know I know.  There's small print here & there.  I'm talking real world here.  Once upon a time a few years back I had one of these clowns sort of wave me over on WS.  I was minding my own business, completely sober, not a smoker so not dropping butts anywhere, and up to absolutely nothing, so I just pretended I didn't see him and just kept walking.  I caught him turning to follow me but he was out of my field of view and well behind me almost immediately, I didn't look back, and nothing came of it.   His intentions might've been completely harmless or even friendly, but it's been my policy for years to just play by the rules and give police a wide berth, and that includes these volunteer cops (or whatever they are).

India is a good choice.  They have grievances with Chinese encroachment and arrogance almost as deep as anyone else in the region.

...asking the U.N.?
 

'Might as well be firing off a broadcast in ancient Aramaic into deep space.  The Cub Scouts could do more for you.

The EU has certainly done wonders for national unity among its members, hasn't it?

'Never thought the 7-days-in-advance rule was actually written in stone, but I didn't think they would process anywhere near 30days ahead, anywhere.

52 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

EU should mind their own business .

I would put it just a bit differently.  When it comes to this, the EU might as well mind its own business.   fatboy won't even look up from his mudpies.

Relax boys & girls.  Just another Obama appointee, citing the always entertaining 9th U.S. Circuit Court, who'll have to be taken to the woodshed by the newly rationalized SCOTUS.   'Guess it takes time to make all those badly needed and long overdue federal judge appointments.

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yet another reason the electoral college has got to go. He's definitely dissing Cali for political reasons. Without the electoral college he wouldn't. 

Isn't it amazing how some delusions endure, esp. in the wake of an epic stinging political defeat.

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap right now are very cheap. That said, I am not sure we can assume they will be going directly from Bangkok. Even if they are, they may prefer to travel overland to see more of Thailand and Cambodia during the journey.

Understood.  Well, flexibility will have its price unless they want to take a chance on the airline check-in.  If the person at the counter requires the onward ticketing, I guess they could always ask to see a supervisor and explain the part about either taking an overland trip out of Thailand or obtaining the 30d extensions.  Airline check-in is all this really comes down to if I understand correctly.

Psssst.   ED@ThaiRath.???

The world reads social media all the time now.  You can't fool even SOME of the people ALL the time anymore.   If there were such a thing as "digital fish", your article would be the wrapper of choice for them.

Based on what the OP wrote about their plans, I would advise simply formalizing the Angkor visit, make it around the end of their 1st 30 days, and buy the plane tickets to Siem Reap to show at the airline check-in counter.   No extra money or footwork for an SETV, no re-entry permit fees, and probably some discount on the airfare for reserving ahead.  The only fly in the ointment might be where the holidays fall WRT their planned December arrival.

"The referendum was poorly organised, incompetently even. In reality it was too close to call but the winning line of effectively "50% plus 1 vote" was just plain wrong. "

Of course it was, because you disagreed with the outcome.  'Sounding just like the petulant losers on the other side of the pond ever since last November.   Yeah, cry us a river.

14 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

But if I said it (being white) then would it be racist ?

Interestingly, at a workshop held at OSU (Ohio State University) recently, students were taught that ONLY whites CAN even BE racist, AND it's impossible for a white person to be a victim of racism.   The workshop was called "Interrupting Racism: Tips & Tools for White People”.

A college newspaper reported that students were asked to sign - and some signed - "pledges"  “to shut up and listen when people of color tell me how my actions affect them. ”  

Seriously.  Tax dollars spent to indoctrinate students with this obviously and hideously racist, black exceptionalist crap.  But I guess that's why universities need "Student Life Multiculturalism Centers", to help make sure whitey understands his place.  

54 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

No, I don't.  Trade is good. Profit motive is the means by which we can prosper.

 

You need to distinguish between trade and Capitalism, and then again between Capitalism and the utterly shambolic version of it we have today, which in fact is merely socialism for the already obscenely wealthy.

"...merely socialism for the already obscenely wealthy."

Yeah, yeah, yeah.   Right out of that tired old socialist envy-driven script.  Here are 35 people who WEREN'T "already" wealthy... 

https://thoughtcatalog.com/rachel-hodin/2013/10/35-famous-people-who-were-painfully-rejected-before-making-it-big/

Or by "today", do you mean since yesterday?  LOL

(The article is about being rejected before being a big success. I'm not concerned about the rejections, just that they certainly didn't start out at the top of the pecking order.)

9 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

Yes, 37% of the people.

Really.  How does that work?  So after the votes were counted, only 37% of the votes cast were for Brexit?  And yet Brexit won?  How does that work?   Very interesting, and I'm sure you can support that ...

Oh wait, you're not bloviating about people who didn't even feel strongly enough about it to bother to vote one way or the other, are you?  That would be embarrassingly juvenile, so I'm sure that's not what you're saying.  So what ARE you saying exactly?   Enlighten us.