pastafarian

Just did my first ever application for extension based on marriage and received a visit by three immigration officers soon after. They interviewed my wife and I and also a neighbour, were here for about an hour.

Chirstmas is what it is: a christian celebration. It should be left out of the schools and left to the parents to teach religion to their children, as they wish.

If I had a child, and the school were forcing a gift exchange as a celebration of a christian holiday, christmas, I would move my child to another school.

Christmas can be a religious celebration but it can also be a secular celebration which is what it normally is in Thailand. Christmas originates from the pagan 'Saturnalia' celebrations which was then hijacked by Christians, I'm an Atheist yet still celebrate Christmas.

I've been teaching in Thailand for a fair few years and every school I've worked at has celebrated Christmas, no mention of Jesus or Christianity though which is how it should be. Everyone has a great time with the kids singing and dancing on stage and then they enjoy a party afterwards where they exchange gifts, nothing wrong with it at all!

Actually nitrogen has been available in Thailand for a while now and is available at many tyre dealers such as Cockpit.

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Amazing bike, saw a few at Chiang Rai Circuit recently and very impressed, definitely the right choice!

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The 120 over to Phayao is a stunning road, a definite must-ride when in the north.

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I'm over 800kms but took a gamble and bought without trying them on after reading reviews online and glad I did, perfect fit!

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Rubbersidedown, my SMX-6 were 8000baht (normally 8500baht but discounted as a returning customer) and size 45. Jack speaks very good English and very helpful, he could probably order bigger sizes, worth dropping by. Well worth buying, great protection for a street boot and very comfortable, did I mention they look great too :-)

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What I use and where purchased.

Shoei XR1100 Helmet (Ridersoutlet)

HJC CS-16 (cheap everyday 3* rated helmet from Panda)

RS Taichi mesh jacket with elbow/shoulder/back/chest armor and RS Taichi Riding pants with knee/hip armor (Paddock)

UglyBros jeans with CE certified Powertector knee/hip armor (Panda)

A* SMX-6 Vented boots (Ridersoutlet)

Sidi sport rain boots (Paddock)

Shift ankle boots (Dirtshop)

AGV Sport race gloves (US Import)

Spidi air back protector (Paddock)

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If you want a low-cut boot, you can find the Alpinestars SMX-1 boots shipped to LOS fairly cheaply (they might be available locally at a decent price somewhere)- I have a pair for casual riding- I really like them and they don't stand out so they're fine off the bike, but they do give up some protection to a full boot. For a reasonably-priced full boot that offers a lot of features and safety (though not the most comfort), the new SMX-6 vented boots look like a very good buy.

Recently bought some vented SMX-6 from riders outlet, much more safety features than the SMX-5 they replace and uber comfortable, was really surprised by how they were to walk in and look great too.

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No mention of salary but I'd expect at least 40k per month for 21 classes per week. Pretty sure I saw an ad from the same school offering only 30k not long ago, a friend of mine was earning 30k when he was teaching here 15yrs ago, crazy that some schools are still paying so little!

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Tried numerous helmets recently and finally went for a Shoei XR1100 from ridersoutlet in BKK. Very comfortable, fairly quiet and one of only a few with a 5* safety rating. Cost 18000baht.

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The FZ-09 is a very good budget bike, all reviews have been great, especially when considering the low price...only $7999 in America! But to compare it to a Hypermotard SP is a bit silly, apples and oranges with the SP being a far superior bike. Hope Yamaha Thailand sell it here at a reasonable price, if Suzuki can sell a Japanese made V-Strom for 350k then no reason this couldn't be a similar price.

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A friend showed me the figures of bookings taken during the show earlier and Honda had the most by far, just over 1000 if I remember correctly, followed by Kawasaki with a few hundred. Ducati were quite high on the list as were Benelli and then KTM, Triumph, Keeway etc with MV Agusta bottom with 18.

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Did I just read someone claiming a Honda 500 will cruise comfortably at 180kph with panniers and a pillion?! 555

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Loud exhausts save lives, simple. If they annoy someone for the 20-30secs a bike is within earshot then mai pen rai. Do the same people moaning about bike exhausts also get p1ssed off by tuk-tuks? How about the karaoke parties that go on for endless hours in most neighbourhoods fairly regularly? There are much noisier things than motorbikes here!

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Rubbersidedown, have you considered the naked S1000R which will be out in a few months? MCN just reviewed it on youtube and were raving about it!

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555

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Actually you couldn't be more wrong! I came here 6yrs ago on a 1yr sabbatical with my 'good' job left open for me yet I'm still here and definitely not for the money as I earn about 1/5 of what I did in the UK. I'm not a UK qualified teacher but I've been teaching for 6yrs in Thailand in two different schools and most of the teachers I've met haven't been what you would call qualified either but that doesn't mean we are incapable of teaching.

You are right about one thing though and that is that teaching is a vocation and it is one which I'm good at, there are hundreds of Thai students that have benefitted from my lessons and many more that will continue to do so.

Well you are an exception! Most PGCE qualified teachers I've met are interested in International school jobs only with salaries upwards of 80k per month and I totally understand why. A decent salary with small class sizes and a professionally run school, why would you even consider less than half that salary to teach large classes of unruly kids in a school run by amateurs?!

You've never been in an International school then?
As for the teaching, it's a vocation, not about the money.
If all you care about is the money, you shouldn't be in the teaching profession.

Chiang Rai event is at the old airport Dec 4-7

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The popping is perfectly normal and nothing to be worried about. I've had two slip-ons( Arrow and Leo Vince) and two full systems (Akrapovic and Termignoni) and all backfired even with a power commander on the Arrow and ecu reflash with the Termignoni.

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