soalbundy

Supertramp comes to mind, 'Take the long way home'

Charming I'm sure.

Pretty disgusting behaviour but there are opposite examples. About 15 years ago I went to Ram 1 in Chiang mai for some blood tests, I sat outside the lab, next to me a Thai man. A doctor came and spoke to the Thai man telling him that he needed treatment for cancer (not very private but they probably assumed I couldn't speak Thai). The patient who had been waiting for the results of his tests was devastated when the doc told him the approximate cost would be 400K, he said he couldn't pay that much. The doc said he wasn't to worry they would treat him any way and he could pay in affordable monthly installments.

I'm impressed, speed, agility and good planning.

So what's new in LOS today.

For me it seems to be an island of stability at the moment compared to faranglands problems and I am getting 38.50 Baht to the Euro instead of 34 which it was a few years ago.

According to finance experts one can only be certain of a recession when it's over. Energy prices declining despite the fact that the oil cartel is cutting production is a bad sign, it should be rising, it shows that the consumers lack discretionary spending money because the banks are curtailing money supply through the tightening of credit. Another sign is that despite the coming holiday season retailers are already complaining that spending is down, eg. the sale of toys has dropped 15%, happy Christmas. This will cause a rise in unemployment further down the line. Another worry is that China is exporting deflation due to falling prices at the factory gates and this is more dangerous than high inflation.

I don't think tourists have dropped Thailand but rather the developed world is going through an economic crisis. Germany is already in recession, dragging the rest of Europe with it, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia are basically in recession in all but name, China, Japan and Korea are all in financial trouble with falling exports and a failing domestic market due to demographic problems. The next few years are going to be problematic for all of us, Thailand isn't insulated from the world's economic problems although the broken world trade links with China offers an opportunity for countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia so that it may be that these countries will offer more stability going forward.

However I believe crimes committed abroad can be tried in Germany if those same crimes would be punishable if committed in Germany.

Lot of concerned busy bodies lately. I can imagine there are plenty of small deserted coves along the coast, no need to put your tent in their face so to speak.

The Cheque is in the post.

Only the wimps. Some people like Christmas others don't, each to his own. Christmas is more a cultural thing that needs the right atmosphere than a religious festival, there certainly isn't the right atmosphere in the tropics and snow globes are the kitsch equivalent of garden gnomes.

So this family wont be going to the anti=corruption event, never mind, I'm sure they will be amply represented by giggling officials who all have their ducks in a row.

I suppose they can't fine her for being Chinese.

Going uphill, nose to ar$h, so really slow, call that an accident? Show me something else.

I haven't laughed so much since my wife passed her driving test.

Quite, it's only a rumour, that opposition MP should be facing deformation of reputation charges.

Serious legal action......as opposed to what? Amusing legal action?

Christmas shopping in Thailand?.....Snow globes, good Lord...whatever rocks your boat I suppose.

He should try to see the funny side of it....he got to see the 'Land of Smiles' from a new perspective and got to meet new people.

What! is it Christmas again? I must have missed Easter again then.

A bored nosy concerned trouble making citizen who hates foreigners.......

Look on the bright side, big savings on presents.

Ruam peyt Surin. I should add to that, two days before the OP the surgeon rang me up and asked me what gauze I wanted to have inserted, there were three types, the most expensive was gold which was supposed to give me the least trouble later in life, it cost 10,000 Baht, I chose this and transferred the money to the hospital before the OP. It was quite an experience. The hernia was very low down to one side of the genitalia, the surgeon told me that he had only operated on this type once before and he wanted to do the OP at night when it would be quieter and there would be less interruption. The OP room surprised me (it is an old building) it appeared sterile, clean, white tiled and bright lights but against one wall were wooden cupboards full of hospital gowns. 4 people greeted me, very friendly and introduced themselves and told me what they would be doing. The anesthetist was a woman who said she would give me injections in my back and I wouldn't be able to lift my legs or feel anything, so with that done I lay on the table and told her when I couldn't lift my legs. We all waited for the surgeon (a 40 year old man) who entered the room barefoot and whistling, he sat down at a table in the corner and seemed to be writing medical reports in the 5 or 6 files he brought in with him. After 10 minuets he got up, "Right, let's get on with it shall we, feeling OK"? A green screen was put up between me and the part of the body to be operated on and he started. it took about 30 minutes and I was wheeled back upstairs, this was about 5 years ago and to this day I can't see a scar, I've had no trouble since.

I had an operation for a hernia at a private hospital, 1 night stay, 28K Baht, I thought that was reasonable.