Patong2

The interview want to see is Hilary Clinton Perhaps a "The View" special for her?

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Interesting take, especially the comment of recent migrants retaining immediate contact with their "roots" by internet/phone and not being thrust into the new community as were migrants say 50 years ago.

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The raid by the NZ Police on DotComs mansion left many of us aghast in NZ. The raid was probably the biggest misuse of Police Assets we have ever seen. There had been no threat articulated by DotCom to anyone and when, in Auckland, we are unable to get Police to respond in a timely manner to assaults, burglaries and rapes it is unfathomable. Why such a waste of resources for a "financial" crime which occurred in another country? What was offered to the NZ Police to stage this assault and who offered it? As for DotCom? the crime appears to be more of a civil matter so I really wouldn't my taxes wasted on his legal battles to stay in NZ.

Sorry to see the problems you are having Xylophone. We have had our share of mobility problems too and it definitely gives you cause to consider whether Patong is the best place to be. Are in New Zealand for the past two weeks and already finding it cold (8C as I write this) and boring. Stuck here for treatment for at least another 8 weeks and it is certainly not a long term option for us. We will be happy when we get back to Patong. The thing with Patong is there is such a variety of things that are interesting, challenging and even still exciting (if you find it still exciting to look at attractive women who dress to be looked at). A walk at 6am along the beach is equal to anywhere in the world. Supermarketing, restaurants and cheap eats are available easily. We eat at many restaurants around the island and because of my wife's limited mobility choose places we can park close to the venue. Lots of choice of so many different tastes. A short walk down to Soi Sansabai and you can have a ringside seat and a good meal at Summer Breeze or The Yorkshire and others, to a constant parade of, dare I say it, the good bad and the ugly up and down the street for as long as you like. Having spent periods of time living in places like Ko Khaeo and Cherngtalay, we just find them too quiet for our liking. Nice to visit but not to stay long term. Patong ain't what it used to be, but it is still pretty darn good.

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As a New Zealander I care about the USA as we enjoy travelling there often. In 2018 we travelled from California to Nevada, Utah, Idaho, South Dakota,Wyoming, Montana, then down through Colorado New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. A trip we have done several years in a row. The difference in 2018 was that the small towns, instead of dying, were thriving. Talking to the American folks in those small towns they were ecstatic over the turnaround Trump had made to their local economies. the difference between Obama's job policy and Trumps was glaringly obvious. I like most Americans and love their country and want them to prosper and continue to play world policeman as they are better than the other choices.

I thought Eric's post was dripping sarcasm. Surely it was.

Glad to see you getting out and coming back to normal. There is definitely lower numbers in Patong than the last few weeks. Traffic and pedestrians show that. The piers for the cruise boats have gone and so have all the boat tenders to bring the passengers on shore. Looks a little bare up that end now. Still lots of crazy driving and I avoided a head on coming back to Patong on Friday night. Two crowded lanes of traffic heading up the hill and a lunatic pulled out on the blind corner and overtook as I was coming sedately down the other side. Completely on my side of the road and unusually I had nothing beside me so managed to squeeze off to the left and he missed by a hairsbreadth. We never miss honking the horn for luck at the temple at the top. With Patong Hill you need all the help you can get and something has managed to save us for many years. During the day I was pulled in at Kathu at the police check and the cop actually had a careful look at my Thai licence for the first time ever. As my wife is having temporary mobility problems we have been eating at restaurants that we can park very close to and in Patong there is not that many. Last night we felt like something different and went down to a Kazakhstan restaurant in Chalong. Great decor and it was very busy with only traditional Kazakstani dishes which are very meat based. Generous portions and good service. I think nearly everyone other than us were Russian and some of the ladies were very smartly dressed. Have enjoyed both the tiny Mexican Taco place and also Le Bistrot at the south end of Nanai Rd a few times but have lost my easy parking at Santorini now the Hotel opposite has reopened. Shame because I enjoy the Greek food. Looking forward to a quieter time for a few months.

So you can't have elephant rides or play with them on the beach anymore? So how is 500lb of daily feed goingb to be paid for? What happens to the elephants here now? Do you want to see "elephants steaks"on the menu boards? Be careful what you wish for

If I recall at the time, the difference between an RS which had to have a sunroof and the EL without sunroof was about a B100,000 and I felt paying extra for something which we have already found a problem and actually never used, in previous cars NZ was not a good idea. By the way, we reluctantly agreed to some coating which had to be a applied 4 times, 6 months apart. It has actually been very effective and definitely keeps the car sparkling and rarely does dirt accumulate. Our car is pearl white colour.

Hi Niltava We picked up our HRV- EL in February 23. Would have bought an RS but I won't buy a sunroof vehicle after having owned one. Can't see the point, the brightness coming in from the roof doesn't help my vision and one more thing to cause problems, rust etc. But we are delighted with our HRV-EL. Lovely to drive with excellent vision and good handling. Heaps of power even in Econ mode and Sport mode really sets you back in your seat. I thought the electric mode was a bit of a gimmick but my son had an ICE HRV in NZ and I really liked the driving position, handling etc and as the HRV in Thailand only came in Hybrid, I just went along with it and ordered it. The economy is outstanding, petrol wise and I live in Patong so it is all stop start traffic etc. Fun sitting at a standstill in traffic enjoying the aircon and not having the petrol engine running. Done about 10,500km absolutely trouble free of course (it is a Honda) I have enjoyed this EL so much I bought and picked up a ZRV in NZ in January and that is even better but not yet available in Thailand I understand.

That's a really bad night Xylophone. Hope you recover quickly and with no lasting effects. We all enjoy your posts and updates. Finding the traffic starting to ease a trifle in Patong but went down to Nai Harn for a meal last night and surprised to find not a lot of traffic but still lots of people on the pavements so I think retailers in Kata and Karon are still enjoying good sales.

On a whim after you after you mentioned it, we tried Le Bistrot last night. Impressed with the food, Very generous portions of very nicely cooked food. Will go back.

About 8.15am this morning a foreign looking guy and a girl, who may have been Thai, were rolling around in the small waves on Patong Beach this morning. Looked like a bit more than a heavy grope session. Certainly looked out of place at that time of the morning and there was a group of people including young kids about 70m away and others as well. A couple of Thai guys and myself had stopped and one of the Thai guys walked down and from the gestures, told them to stop with lots of pointing to other people on the beach etc. After a bit of back chat, they stopped and started to get out with the girl trying to adjust her clothes. It was the inappropiate time and place. i have no problem with sex, nudity and it would have been a boring life without trying sex on a beach, but this was not acceptable even to my very liberal views.

Unfortunately there are no up to date statistics on firearms crime in NZ and it is a very deliberate policy of the previous government to understate crime. However there are plenty of reports from last year, and when I was back there last month, there were daily occurrences of gangs using firearms. An armed carjacking within 200 meters of Govt house in Auckland went almost unnoticed in my suburb. Compare that with when I left school when most houses had guns and there was only a few murders in a whole year by any means. Try this article from last August. String of fatal shootings sees NZ reach half its annual gun deaths in 17 days https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300947528/string-of-fatal-shootings-sees-nz-reach-half-its-annual-gun-deaths-in-17-days

Not the issue. The issue was that despite extremely tight laws and penalties, random vehicle searches etc, gun crime in Northern Ireland was higher than any where we could find reliable figures for. As a matter of interest NZ changed its gun laws after an Australian terrorist who did not meet criteria for legal ownership tragically killed 51 people in Christchurch. Since the laws were changed there has been a huge increase in gun crime despite legal owners like myself surrendering, in my case valuable target rifles, as our govt told us it would reduce gun crime. What a load of rubbish and tragically police and civilians have died and been injured as more and more criminals carry guns in NZ and use them.

Envy you your planned trip. Used to do a yearly USA trip Montana down to Texas and wherever. Not being a US citizen I was ineligible to buy a gun and you are right some of those roads are real lonely and you would be a bit vulnerable if stranded. Highway 50 in Nevada we thoroughly enjoyed but we never saw another vehicle. Would have been more comfortable with my CZ 9mm than the can of Bear Spray we had.

I've shot competitively for over 60 years and plan to continue for a few more yet. Pistols, rifles and shotguns. Over that time I have met thousands of shooters and hunters. I cannot recall any of them ever being charged with a firearms offence. Criminals will always get guns no matter what the law. In the 1980's the toughest gun laws in the western world, that we could find, were in Northern Ireland and look how useless the law was. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1980s_murders_in_Northern_Ireland

Unfortunately we can compare with our NZ experience. Bangkok Phuket Hospital was excellent for my 2 nights in January. My wife just attended a top private hospital in Auckland NZ, Mercy Ascot, and being a clean freak she thought the Bangkok Hospital was a better standard of cleanliness. To be fair, Mercy Ascot is an old hospital and there are wide staff shortages in NZ.

Sad about your friend Xylophone, but it sounds like a life well lived. Just add a note about the excellent care at Bangkok Phuket Hospital that I received. I was admitted on Jan 1st and spent 3 days there with an infection. Very painful and high fever. Immediately saw a doctor, had an ultrasound and was put on a drip within a couple of hours and admitted. Excellent care and very attentive nurses who seemed very competent. Had to go back for an IV each day and then antibiotics and now feel excellent. The standard of care I received matched and in some ways exceeded the care I received in a New Zealand private hospital. I have to fly back to NZ tomorrow so I wanted whatever was wrong fixed quickly and they certainly did that. Reassuring to stay here and know excellent health care is at hand if needed.

6000 bombs eh? Well it certainly isn't Genocide with only 12,000 dead is it? Genocide is bombing all the hospital compounds full of people.