bangkok19

On 1/18/2024 at 10:08 PM, mokwit said:

Apparently you cant picpocket someone when they are moving. They have to be stationary.

Don't you watch the movies?

It can be done on the move.

I've noticed the very same thing!

Many factors come into it...

I'm over 60 and high frequency hearing loss is now evident. I kept blaming inefficient tweeters in my speakers but it's me.

Also the audio's 'dynamic range' in movies has me reaching for the remote quite often to turn up the volume on the quiet bits, or turn it down on the loud bits.

Many (TV) Sound bars have a feature in their 'settings' called "Audio Compression". If you turn this on, it sucks up the quiet bits, and squashes the loud bits leaving you with a more consistent level volume.

You'll notice you can hear TV Commercials pretty clear because they're heavily compressed to make them sound louder.

Another alternative is what I do with Netflix, turn on the subtitles.

The queues when checking in at Chiang Mai Airport are long and slow most mornings...  I'm sure having Airline staff sniffing through your Passport (as opposed to an Immigration Officer) will extend the delays even further.

16 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

If the first thing that you did when opening this thread was to look at their breasts in the photo , then you are a degenerate 

No...   but after you mentioned 'them' I had to scroll back up to see if I missed anything.

It's just become a habit with me...

I hand them my ticket and passport.

I've always thought it's been the rule!

16 hours ago, huangnon said:

 

Thailand has an actual 'vineyard' just out of Rayong province, called "Silverlake" , producing basically cooking wine at extortionate prices.

Given that the heat and humidity here does not produce anything near a decent wine grape, this place (owned by some Thai billionaire elite) serves the illusion that Thailand has it's own "wine industry" that needs protection against evil foreign competition.

I think there are other vineyards scattered around Thailand doing the same thing. If any of them manage to produce anything of note, please update.

Shiraz grapes love the sun.

In fact, if you're talking Thailand wineries, Monsoon Valley (Hua Hin) is probably the only winery in Thailand that is embracing and using new winemaking technology to produce some fine wines.

As a matter of fact, the chief winemaker @ Monsoon Valley says they actually have to defoliate many of the vines of certain grapes to make sure that they get plenty of sun.

I was given a blind tasting of a Red Blend from Monsoon Valley, it tasted very similar to some of the Aussie entry level Reds (light to medium bodied) and probably better than some of the skunk juice that Thailand imports from Oz, Chile and S.Africa.

It's actually on the Wine List at the Oriental Hotel, a red and a white and costs the same as some of their imported Premium wines.

I, personally wouldn't buy it as I prefer bigger, full bodied Reds .

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Go on, then, I'm ready to be taught a lesson.   What sicknesses are caused by cold airconditioning in vehicles.

This Doctor Lou seems to be an expert on every single topic that is mentioned in this forum. He poo-poo's most other forum contributors comments.

Some examples of ailments caused by very cold a/c in vehicles...

Three buddies of mine tried to escape the water throwing during Songkran by jumping into a taxi to get to their hotel.

They were all soaking wet. Taxi was held up in traffic, they were probably in the cab sitting in cold a/c for about 45 minutes (according to them)....  All 3 of them came down with a head cold and flu like symptoms a day later.

I was in a friend's car being driven around Esaarn for a whole day. The a/c was blowing cold air on the RHS of my neck but I didn't bother readjusting the vents. It wasn't even so noticable after several hours.

When I woke up the following morning I couldn't even move my neck/head. A bloody stiff neck, never had one before in my life... in pain for about 4 days..

obviously caused by the a/c the previous day.

I'm sure Dr Lou will have a 'comeback' sm*rt*rse response to

me because I corrected him, perhaps a 'pasted' quote from his often referred to mate, Dr Google.

13 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Bearing in mind that in many countries it hits 40+ for large parts of the year and aircon is essential, I wonder how they survive? Maybe you got sick from something else, or do you have to carefully choose where you travel to, places too cool to use aircon, in fear of getting sick?

Nothing wrong with being in a heavily A/C room or car....

It's having the fan blowing very cold air at full bore into your face/neck/chest. 

20 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

1 - Does anyone have any experience of having to show their boarding card to immigration anywhere else in the world?

2 - Do the airlines when preparing to land instruct their passengers to retain their boarding pass and not leave it on the plane?

3 - How does showing your boarding pass 'expedite the immigration process'?

4 - Why do these ''documents' (boarding passes) 'need to be registered by immigration officers'?

I think it's just a hangover from the COVID recovery era...  When we didn't have to fill out the arrival cards, but they still wanted to know our country of origin (not birth).

X-WING in lower Pitt St, Sydney.

They're (run by Thai's) in Thai-town a few doors up the road from the Thai Pub (the Chamberlain).

Their exchange rate is usually around 0.4 baht less than Vasu

(you check with the Vasu website prior to give you an idea).

If you give X-WING the $$$ in the morning, it will be in the recipient's bank account late afternoon. (Thai time). You can transfer up to $9K.

A much more inexpensive way of transferring money compared with the banks (urghh!) and Forex!

The Bierstube was a bit of an institution back in the day. I used to lob in there regularly after an early morning run for breakfast.

I can always remember those drunken afternoons stranded in there during the wet season.

Standing ankle deep in water with the cockroaches running along the bar with no place to go.. much like myself.

John's Place's old building was a bit of a landmark.

Lots of history along that stretch of Moonmuang Rd.  Does anybody remember Chiang Mai's version of Thermae?   aka THE PEACOCK COFFEE SHOP on the street level of the old Montri Hotel. All the (bar) girls from the Night Bazaar and Moonmuang area would go there for after hour drinks and whatever.

You would always run into the regulars..  girls from THE KAREN HUT, Stuart's OASIS BAR, THE BLACK CAT, THE BIG BEER BAR, hell.. there was even the waitress there from the HUNGRY HORSE restaurant.  There were girls from the HEART COCKTAIL LOUNGE and THE BLUE SKY BAR which was next to the old CHIANG INN hotel (behind the 'actual' NIGHT BAZAAR complex.

Loi Kroh Rd had no bars whatsoever.

It was the late night walking route from the night Bazaar back to the moat. Nothing along there except for the sound of wind chimes at the Temple and the odd motorcycle with a katoey asking if you want a ride(?)

The only bars were at the corner of Kotchasarn Rd, Ba ba bo bo on one corner and that Irish place on the other corner where you had to sign the book (?).  Linda Bar (I think) was the next to open in the late 80's or early 90's.

Sadly a lot of the aforementioned places are gone so that's why it's good to see John's Place continue!

*Footnote -  back then I was "living" in the Anodard Hotel. The lady (Sajee) who used to play the piano accordion in the hotel's coffee shop actually opened the very first bar in Soi Cowboy.

14 hours ago, BigStar said:

 

Yeah, me too. Great place, perfect soi.

 

 

True. Lot of mostly working expats hang out at Det 5. Monsoon is an expensive eatery but pretty nice. I hit it once in awhile.

 

 

Monsoon's buffet breakfast was great and only 250 baht...  then it went up to 300 baht....  then Covid hit, and now it's ala carte.

For a Soi that totally fits the OP's description.. you gotta get out've town a little.

"the thief was wearing expensive designer brand shoes when he committed the crime"....

That narrows it down!

He's definitely wealthy. 😂

Best to get advice from a Skin specialist/Dermatologist first before removing any moles.

There could be previously undetected cancer cells lurking within and underneath.

Moles that have changed in appearance eg. got darker or a more textured surface are worthwhile checking out before removing or tattooing over!

The (dry) wines they sell in Lotus and Big C are the usual suspects that wines companies from the 'new world'  mass produce with the export market their target. You'll see the same Chilean, Oz and South African labels on both their shelves.

They're overpriced by Thai standards because you can get a "premium" wine for a similar price in Villa Supermarket, Bangkok (upstairs) ot Rimping Supermarket, Chiang Mai. 

I'm basing this on what you can buy for 650/750 baht. In the Big C you'll pay that for a Jacobs Creek Shiraz which is pretty basic...  in Villa it can get you a pretty nice NZ Pinot Noir.

Stock storage conditions (temperature controlled), if inadequate, can spoil some wines very quickly. The "screw top" is a plus as I've had so many crumbling corks over the years in Thailand.

Rimping Supermarket always have "specials" in the bargain barrels.. 

quite possibly old stock.

To sum up the above...  next time you're in BKK, take a look in Villa Supermarket. If you were going to spend 400 baht in Lotus or Big C (or worse) Makro to buy skunk juice, then pay a little extra for a wine that you can actually drink FOR THE TASTE, and not JUST the effect.

And...  to state the obvious, leave the Red in the fridge for 45 minutes before opening!

Purple Urine...  not a big deal!

I have it quite often after eating a whole fresh beetroot the previous day.

In 1992, after going past that "bus graveyard" on the highway at Ayuthaya and seeing all the wrecks there, I swore to myself that I'd never travel on a Thai coach again, ever.

Even the 'hotel pick-up' mini buses are a worry as they race each other to the Airport.

LEVI'S 511 jeans have very deep front pockets.  

I can see all those IKEA shoppers trying to squeeze on the skytrain at Phrom phong station during the afternoon 'peak' with their IKEA flat-packs.  I'm accustomed to being pushed by people's backpacks but a flat-pack might just reshape my toes!

On 11/24/2023 at 3:55 PM, Alldar said:

Hi,

Do you know any whey protein powder which you can get in Thailand without artificial sweeteners? I cannot find anything. I don't mind the bad taste, or I would be OK with a bit of carbohydrates/sugar (gainers) but I want to avoid sucralose and other artificial sweeteners.

 

Any recommendations?

I order online from BULK NUTRIENTS.

They have flavoured and unflavoured.  It comes in resealable bags so easy and inexpensive to ship.  I think they're an Aussie company based in Tasmania.

The unflavoured WPI doesn't taste all that bad compared to some of the other unsweetened stuff.

13 hours ago, Dirk Z said:

Here we go again with all the amateur expert opinions. Don't seek advice here but go and see an experienced urologist. His office is where your problem belongs and is best taken care of. 

Sometimes it's comforting hearing from other blokes with a similar problem.

It kinda expands your knowledge of the problem a little and makes you more aware of the options so that when the Urologist does advise either medication or operation, you've been somewhat pre informed (so to speak).

On 11/6/2023 at 10:50 PM, gargamon said:

Lucky for the men involved that, since there needs to be a transfer of body fluids from the infected, it is somewhat difficult to catch by the male in a heterosexual situation. 

Yeah, I'm sure all the ladies are going to be hanging around the bar between 2am and 4am to make up for the non serving of alcohol and keep the customer(s) amused.

The novelty will wear off into the New Year (for bar owners) which will leave just a few that will stay open, those few will have to stock up on their supplies of empty brown envelopes.

Cloud 47 on Silom Rd in the United Services Bldg is excellent. Get there at 5pm on a weeknight. Very quiet with a great view.

Also the 360 Bar stop the Hilton Millennium on the River. Easily accessible these days by getting BTS to Krung Thonburi and changing to the Gold Line.

Also atop The Marriott on the cnr of Soi 57 and Sukhumvit Rd.

I'd steer clear of Lebua/State Tower, too many people.

I went to another rooftop restaurant at a hotel right next to Centralworld but I forgot the name, Anatara?

The Colonoscopy is the easy part!

The laxative 'fruit juice ' you drink the day before is best drunk chilled, after the first litre it tastes like sh*t.

Then, after the Op, when you go home, be prepared for several very long f*rts...  they pump a bit of wind into your rear during the Op. and it blows out later!