KhunDennis

I first came to Thailand in 1964, compliments of the USAF, and was fascinated by the country. Came back for the first time in 1983, and have been in and out, many times since. Usually for two or three months at a time.

Moved here full time five years ago and am still fascinated by the place.

I always have said this about Thailand, at least you have a choice from a really great menu!!

Hey JR Texas, which one sounds real good, the burgers or the pushy hookers ? Both have their value, depending on your mood, and apatite of course.

Ahh, nothing like the mouth watering aroma and first bite from a BIG MACK !!!!

I think the burger at the Big Mango is way over rated, just average at best. Sleazy atmosphere and full of pushy hookers.

Just a way for the pimps to try to lure in more customers to their establishment.

I would say even Mc Donalds would be better, at least you can eat in peace, without anyone putting the bit on you.

Hello tutsiwarrior, I think you may be mistaken with the gaeng soom, smelling bad. It is a dish made with a fish that has been fried and then simmered in a soup that is sour , from lime or tamarind. Usually served in a fish shaped metal container with a flame under it. You add vegetables and cook it at the table.

My wife says that you are probably thinking of gaeng naw mai, which they add a scoop of the old favorite pa la , pickled fish, which does drive me out of the kitchen really fast. It could be a regional thing though, with different names.

One of my very favorite Thai dishes is Naw Mai Dong, Pickled Bamboo. My wife makes this by thinly slicing the Bamboo and letting it pickle for a couple of days in water.

Put this in a pot with water add, onion, some Chiles, nice pork ribs, a cube of bullion, and some by macute leave.

Simmer this slowly until the pork is tender and juicy from the broth. If you like sour kraut this could be a good substitute. Also good with some sausage and potato simmered in it.

Yum!!! having some tonight.

That's funny p brownstone, I was just thinking of him myself. It does put a different light on things doesn't it?

Perhaps it is better not to dwell on this too much, like some of you have said already, times change and you have to let things go.

Point taken Jai Dee, too bad it was borrowed for a symbol of such evil. That makes it hard to view in a rational way.

I was raised in the times when, fathers and uncles were off fighting against this symbol, and what you learn at an early age stays with you, I suppose.

I still would like to know what the attraction is of the goose step marching, looks pretty uncomfortable to me. I still think it makes them look like a bunch of Nazis.

I don't have a clue as to who this David person is or could care less.

I am saying that using an image of any kind from the Nazi regime is in very bad taste, and this kind of marching went hand in glove with it.

It may have been used previously, same as the swastika, but in reality it is linked to the Nazi group for all time. These symbols should be shunned by all, as far as I am concerned.

As an example of this, last night on the news I saw goose stepping police units and also the military on special occasions. I always feel uncomfortable when I see this, because it was one of the in your face things Nazis did when they were in power. Always makes me think of the old news reels they used to show, with the goose stepping Nazi troops going off to war.

I just don't see why Thailand would copy this, seems rather insensitive to say the least. Why would they bring back an image of dark times, that are best laid to rest.

I am sure most Thais would not relate to this image, but it seems the government would have more thought , about how this is a negative thing to see by people in many countries around the world.

Maybe I am being to critical, but I would be interested in the reasoning behind it. What do you all think?

That makes at least three of us married to the same woman!!! No wonder she is gone so much of the time.

And I thought all along she was just going to a lot of funerals. The similarities are truly amazing.

One point I a confused on is, on the levels of divvying up property with no will.

Say, for instance there is one son and a husband,surviving, and they Davide equally, does it stop there or can the other people in line , stand to get a share also.

What I am saying is , if the requirements for a level are met, does it cancel the ones below it.

Does anyone know if a son or daughter can have inheritance rights if they were born in the U.S. The mother being Thai and father American? Can they have dual citizenship?

I would like my son to inherit our house if anything happens to my wife. Would he have to sell the house if it was willed to him?

After reading this thread, I got the craving for some corn dogs. Used to buy them from a vendor in a super market parking lot, seven for a buck. Been a few years ago though.

I used the given recipe and a bag of Thai German Meat, hot dogs from Big C. They actually came out pretty good.I had a little trouble getting the coating to come out nice and even , but they still tasted good. Also had the satisfaction of knowing that they were the only ones in the area.

Since I had the oil hot anyway, I added chopped green onions to the left over batter,and made a tolerable imitation of hush puppy's. Good comfort food for a rainy day in the village.

I really do like Bangkok, and it makes me sad to see this area look so bad. Think about how many travelers go home with that image in their mind.

Don't even get me started about the women having her young baby laying asleep on a sewer grate, while she is begging for money. She had it strategically place so you nearly stepped on it when passing. That one bothered me as I went stumbling along the walkway.

Last time I went to Bangkok, I was really surprised how bad the sidewalk in that area really is. Makes for some difficult walking. I saw a lot of people having a hard time, it looks like an obstacle course.

It looks like it would be an embarrassment to the city, for such a high trafficked area to look so bad.

I found Fawlty Towers DVD's at Pantip Plaza. Got the complete collection in three disks. Street level entrance and to the right where they sell knock offs.

Truly great comedy show I think, and I am American.

I change mine from time to time, just depends on the photo I want to see for a while. I do like using my own photos and they usually have a nostalgic meaning for me personally.

The one I am using now is the reason I came to Thailand more than a few years ago. Still have not decided if it was a good thing or not, but it sure changed my life ever after.

By the way I find some of the moving avatars kind of distracting, though there are some good ones.

I was recently in Bangkok, and tried the fish and chips in Ship Inn, on soi twenty three off Suk. It is just past the Offshore Bar.

I was happy with it, good tasting and well served. Not a big fancy place, but very clean and well run. Gets two thumbs up from me!

I started to get a little hopefully this afternoon. You could actually see a green cast, to the distant hills. Have not been able to see that in a while.

But sure as clockwork, at dusk, came three very big Smokey fires, which blocked out everything with a curtain of smoke.

The fairly large police station, is just on the highway not five min. from any one of them. I have been meaning to get in my car and see what they are burning sometime, but you know I have really lost interest, and not really my business since I am an outsider here anyway.

I see the police ( get tough ) all the time, setting under thier canapy along the highway, and checking all the car registrations and motor bikes. Looks like pretty tough work to me. They do have to go all the way accros the highway from the station and set up thier chairs and all.

I am sure they must have a good view of the huge coloms of smoke coming up a short distance away, but who am I to judge, these over worked public servents. Besides they might get thier uniforms soiled, if they took a look.

I have seen no efforts to stop burning around Lampang, still as smokey as ever.

The air still has not improved in the Lampang area. Still can not see the mountain outline most of the time. Smoke up to about sixty degrees from the horizon, with slight blue patch overhead.

And yet I see big fires in the eavening, adding more smoke to the mix.

Yet another smokey day here in Lampang. Still seeing the nightly fires in the hills, and daily rubish fires.

I hope a serious issue like this, does not turn into a petty name calling bout whitch too often happens. It just puts people off, and they soon loose interest in the real problem at hand. Maybe if it is on this forum long enough, it might help in some way, who knows.