gomangosteen

No need in our family, however - there had to be an exception - wife, her sister and grandma offer some support to a brother who is a sole parent, children 12 and 15. Practical things, for new years they're getting full sets of new sheets, towels and some additional money for the son and daughter's new clothes, though the daughter does ok for fashion clothes she gets our daughter's (18) hand-me-downs. Small stuff, he's a good guy working full-time and appreciates the family support. No difference culturally - I'd do the same if I had someone in a similar situation.

My 'medical' on 15 December entailed just height, weight, blood pressure and asked one question: 'any illness that could affect my driving?' My NZ licence has an endorsement for "correcting lenses must be worn while driving" however that doesn't seem relevant here.

Photo from when we lived in Sa Kaeo 2010-11, the canine holiday pickup, daughter was 5 then we'd tell her the 'holiday' story. Those were the good old days?

I wrote about it at the time, July 2019 my wife was cycling to the gym, knocked off her bike and bitten by a dog. Grazes and bites; hospital and a course of rabies shots. The hospital notified the police, however the owners denied it was their dog, just one they fed that lived around their house. We'd lived nearby over a year at that time, knew it was their dog. As it wasn't their dog, well they won't have missed it will they? as it 'went on holiday' soon after.

Excellent accurate details in OP. On Friday 15 December I gained my new (not renewal) licences for car and motorcycle from our friendly Chanthaburi DLT. Similar process to Rayong however as I had a valid International Driver Permit IDP I was exempt from the online testing section. No appointment system here with a smaller population, told they opened at 8, arrived 7.50 and was customer ticket #2. I'd checked earlier in the week, and brought with me: Passport; yellow book; ID card, NZ licence, IDP, medical cert (cost 100b from their suggested medical centre). Staff made all required copies at no charge I just had to sign each page. For passport they copied front/photo page, retirement stamp, and the Chanthaburi Immigration paper confirming my next 90-day report date. No requirement for TM30 or immigration residency cert as my yellow book/ ID was acceptable. Same basic tests as in OP, vision etc. Paid 310b, photo taken and two two-year licences received. From start to finish 55 minutes, and ten of that was waiting on the licences at the end. Very pleasant and helpful staff - the senior office person seemed to adopt me temporarily and followed my progress to ensure I got everything completed ok.

So on that basis, you'd count New Zealand and Australia as being colonised as well? We have very different interpretations. "At any one time between June 1942 and mid-1944 there were between 15,000 and 45,000 American servicemen in camp in New Zealand." "The first Americans arrived in Brisbane on 22 December 1941, and by mid 1943 the number in Australia had risen to 150,000"

Wow, where to begin with your creative fantasy. The French occupation of Chanthaburi involved a garrison of approximately 400 troops, some at Laem Sing (entrance to Chanthaburi river) the balance in Chantaboon on the site of the existing fortress in what is now the Taksin military camp. Definitely no 'colonisation' it was a political statement. The French were not forced out by the Japanese, or Nazis for that matter!. The French departed in 1906 after agreement was reached over land borders. The annual commemoration of their departure takes place at the 'peace chedi' in Laem Sing next month. The impact of their time here - their barracks (Tuak Daeng) at Laem Sing - housing about 40 soldiers - still exists, it was the Laem Sing library but currently vacant. Their seven small buildings remain inside the military camp and were renovated between 2011-14. The Catholic church was rebuilt in French gothic style in Chantanamit and completed 1909 on the same site as the previous four Catholic churches, the first chapel being built there in 1711; we attended their 300th anniversary 2011. That's 182 years before the French occupation. There's an office of the National Archives here, adjacent to the Chanthaburi Immigration building opposite the military camp if you care to learn some real history.

Unique. Then there's Coffee War in Chonburi, similarly set up with cafes inside planes

Day and night at St Joseph church, Tha Mai, Chanthaburi Eastern Thailand: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat

Christmas at the cathedral, Chantanamit, Chanthaburi city. The cathedral was completed in 1909, the fifth church building in Chantanamit/Chantaboon since the original chapel in 1711. In previous years they'd held impressive sound and light shows in the week leading up to the 25th, but not in 2023. Eastern Thailand: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat

Chalong - how long ago? We've stayed in contact with owners of the bungalow we rented for 8500b until 2009 on Soi Yodsane, Chalong; current monthly rental 21,000b - big increase recently from 18,000 a year ago, a case of supply and demand in 2023. I had a hired motorbike back then from a place in Rawai @ 3000b / month.

I saw a taser used on my last trip to Wellington, New Zealand. Large man either drink / drugged or both, 'dancing' as if he was a boxer, challenging two police to a fist fight. On the third police warning a taser was fired, dropped him immediately, very effective on that occasion.

"throwing their weight around" I hope he hit them with his false leg, throwing some of his own weight around?

Not big on gifts, though we've got our best yet tree and home decorations this year. Family dinner on 24th evening then to see the local parade, central town streets get closed for an hour for parade from/to the church. 2010 we were holidaying on the coast and got held up getting back to our hotel by the Xmas parade, moved here the following year. Monday 25th they're at school / work I'll be out for my annual Xmas day sea kayaking trip.

Bought a new motorbike yesterday - and dealer did ask if I wanted to wait till next month for same reason. Suppose if I was likely to sell it in 1-2 years it may be relevant, but as I've had current one since 2013 (and keeping it) think as time goes by the date of first registration is less relevant than the condition, odometer reading, service history.

Not all negative, here's my recent "Positive Encounter with the Thai Medical Establishment" Friday 1 December I had a trip/fall while trail running, heavy impact jaw and ribs; local government hospital I'd give 10/10 for assessment and treatment. Nothing broken this time fortunately, I'd been there before after a more serious mountainbike accident, jaw and dental that time and left with a nice row of tidily sewn sutures, and dental referral. Latest one, 100b plus 70b for three prescription medications, a week later 40b for repeat medications. No complaints. Edit: and no fee for BP checks!

Of course she has to tell you that ... to ensure you keep on paying

You mean like New Zealand? Quoting from Manukau (Auckland) City Medical Centre: Enrolled patient 18-64 $18.00; Non-resident $80.00. Fail to see why a country should subsidise medical expenses for foreigners.

These fees are not just for a 'visit', they are for the guided 2-4 hour tour, as per The Nation Registration for trips into the cave were opened on December 15. Initially, the trip will be organised twice, in the mornings and afternoons, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Eligible tourists will join a two- to four-hour exploration along the approximately 700-metre-deep route. They will encounter the stalacites, rocks and holes that caused the rescue difficulties in 2018. The cave trip

My experience last Friday 15 December; my Thai licences were long expired, not renewals, so started from new. Took 55 minutes from arriving to departure, 310 baht total fee for car and motorcycle licences. Provided documents: medical (100 baht); passport; ID card; yellow book; NZ driver licence; IDP International Driver Permit. They took two copies of each at no extra charge. Very brief tests took total about 3 minutes - braking coordination, colours, depth perception, peripheral vision. Paid fee then photo taken and two licences issued. Really, not so difficult, an hour out of my not so busy day.

Provincial variations; a little further south, this morning for my motorcycle and car licences at Chanthaburi - I'd checked what they wanted by phone yesterday - requested my passport plus pink ID card and yellow house book as proof of identity/address. Arrived ten minutes before opening and was customer #2. Didn't even charge for the multiple photocopies of those items (two copies for each licence), a 10/10 for service.

Xmas at Central

Chinese theatre in Tha Mai, Chanthaburi, 27 November 2023

One from the archives - Xmas Day 2012 kayaking - hope to do the same this year

So if we're to believe this bs OP, he went to Soi Buakhaobin the Pattaya sleaze pit and didn't encounter the classy elite people he'd hoped for. I'm shocked.