bkkjames

Do you think that the holidays would be different if you did not have something special to eat?

Well whenever I think of holidays - the first thing comes to my mind is….SLEEP and more SLEEP, coz I’m still ratracing that is.

Yea I know what you mean about the holiday foods…..esp the smell of STUFFINGS, and baked hams, during gobble gobble month…..don’t like turkey much tho

Happy turkey month to YOU

Definately a Thai commonality.

Back to the original topic: I have a solution.

We grade crime in Pattaya from A to F. Things like murders get an A for newsworthiness while the old katoey pickpocket routine gets the proverbial F.

Things like farangs being beat up, short changed and arrested would qualify for C (sorry, too run of the mill)

Balcony diving (either assisted or un-assisted) would rate a B to B+ depending on the height.

Drug offenses and robberies only get a D because of their commonplace.

In practice, if one A = two B's then on any given week, we could have any of the following combinations.

Two A's

One A and two B's

Two B's and 4 C's

Eight D's

Sixteen F's

Problem solved.

I wasn't suggesting Thailand is a great wine country. However, the government here isn't doing the local wine industry any favors to help them grow, and that's a crying shame.

What about the 1500% duty on imports to protect this so-called industry?

Even the locals won't drink local wine.

When I talk about holidays I think first and foremost of the good food that I can eat with loads of excuses.

This morning when I was on my run in the park I thought about the holidays coming now for us westerners living here in LOS. What food can we get, what will we miss, who will we celebrate Christmas with and other holiday thoughts.

This year I am going to make a Turkey at my friends house, not for a party but just for my friend and her children/husband/family and myself. She cannot cook a turkey with stuffing and I have on previous occasions proven my skills with the Gobble Gobble animal. (My mouth is watering down now as it does with Homer Simpson when he thinks of Donuts).

Then it struck me as a bolt of lightning… Here in Thailand they do not have festive holidays like we do. Sure they have their days off work, Songkran, Loy Krathong, Buddhist Lent and all of those, but what food do they eat then? There is really nothing special about those days. Spend it with your extended family and be happy. Splash some water on everyone and get a good laugh… But what is on the table??? Rice, chicken, fish, curry, and duck are just some of the things that you can find, but can’t you really find them on the table every day?

The most important thing for me is the special smell of the food you can only have during the festive season November and December. Turkey, Christmas pudding, Lutefisk, or whatever you have. Back home you do not eat these dishes that often and you certainly know by the smell what time of the year it is.

Does anyone else feel like me? Are Thais missing out on lots of good food? Is a holiday without special food, really a holiday? What will you miss this Christmas?

Do you think that the holidays would be different if you did not have something special to eat?

Chinese new year comes to mind, so does the recent Veg festival. Just because you don't recognise them, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Bah humbug

probably on a thai channel.Last week i tuned into channel 7 and watched spurs v liverpool in the carling cup,and clicked on audio and was able to change the commentary from thai to english.

Another friendly? It's no wonder the EPL managers are pulling out their stars. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY

yes and i reckon that's what they're doing,maybe faking injuries so they dont have to play and you cant blame them with all the money tied up in EPL,shame though,there was a time when to play for your country was well sought after.

there still is, its called World Cup Qualifying, not line the FA's pocket with friendly money.

I'm amazed this thread has gone on so long- and it really should be in the Bangkok forum (moving now).

I empathise with those upset over double-pricing, but it seems as though some of the staff there are sensible. I've been a couple of times, but as part of school groups and so never paid a baht.

Very helpful, perhaps if it's not too much to ask, can you send out a notice to all members the next time your class is going so we can all join in

With Tiger Balm be warned!!!!

Always wash your hands after applying it, and especially before taking a pi9ss. The same applies to handling raw chillies.

It should be Kinokuniya. It just means "Yesterday country shop".

Easiest way to remember it is that there are usually some of the backpacker farang type there, so I change it to "Kee-nok Kuniya"!

(sorry, bad joke)

It might be a bad joke (two ways, as backpackers are usually about saving money)... but it's still an excellent way to remember the name. Thanks.

let's see,

Kinokuniya

kee nok uni ya? .... the place where students won't go to photocopy books.

probably on a thai channel.Last week i tuned into channel 7 and watched spurs v liverpool in the carling cup,and clicked on audio and was able to change the commentary from thai to english.

Another friendly? It's no wonder the EPL managers are pulling out their stars. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY

Note to Seapock (chelsea) and Redrus (United):

Thanks to both for cutting and pasting every headline in the newspapers everyday, must take alot of time.

Just a suggestion, if by chance us football fans made it onto the TV football forum on a regular basis, do you think we also have taking the time to read the morning papers on-line?

In your case, Seapock, I understand that you may want to fill up the Chelsea page and keep it at the top of the list, but really man, why not just comment on something you saw in the paper regarding your (non-glory hunting) team? Otherwise, if you just paste and leave, the rest of us will take the opportunity to add our two satang worth, in your abscence.

the daily mail really is a rubbish newspaper. since when was gerrard england vice-captain?

Don't know.......but it is on the BBC website as well ??

terry's captain, ferdinand's vice-captain. crap reporting that.

Stevie Gerrard has been vice-captain in the past under McClaren, but now, as StevieH stated, Ferdinand is vice-captain.

I think we all agree on this point, now can someone please email the BBC twits

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...? Also noticed that actually people and foreigner say the have a "so wide range" of food choices and tastes great. Well I have to say that what I think, is they just poor everything together they can find, add huge amounts of sweeteners and sauce and chilies are used, let's stand alot the quantity of olive oil and fat used to prepare the stuff? So what's healthy?

In our culture we also know Butter... and bake things ass well. Also our meat for dinner.

Like sometimes i miss my morning bread with baked eggs in butter in the pan.

Also fun yesterday i mentioned at Pizza Company the also have the " BBQ Chicken wings"... LOL.. in our country we call that not BBQ but baked in a pan with butter.

Now I respect the Thai food and culture. But I'm very curious about the FRY thing....

I won't go into the asian history thing about frying (too long and I am going for lunch), but if you look at the averge Thai lifestyle, you will notice that getting home at 6pm to cook a roast is not really an option. Frying is fast.

how important is parking for most of you when going out for lunch or dinner? or would a place close to BTS/MRT be more favorable?...or does it not matter because you take taxis most the time?

I guess you are asking this because you are considering your location for a restaurant?

If so, who are your clientelle? Mostly Thais - then parking needed. Mostly farangs, near the BTS. MRT would be second choice.

One thing that gets to me is that if you are a supporter of the so-called top 4, you are a branded a glory chaser.

Isn't that the whole point of sports - to win?

If we left it to the non-glory chasers, all we would have is a bunch of long-ballers who can't string 3 passes together without turning it over or losing it out of bounds. (exciting stuff to watch I might add)

Anyways there is an old saying..."show me a good loser and I will show you a loser"

Perhaps if some of the other non-glory chasers would look to Hull as an example of what could be, instead of Newcastle, who seem to think because they are a big team, they should automatically be in or near the top, someday these non-glory hunters could look at themselves in the mirror and say "Glory Glory Shefield United, Leeds and so on."

Not all James...

Just the one's generally with absolute no Historical, Geographical or Family connection at all to the Club who follow Teams not because of what they represent, but how many Goals they score & how many Goals they beat the likes of Stoke by..

I'm not digging you personally, i swear i'm not, even though you fall into the above category ( ) but for some people, their Football Team represents them, generations of their Family, where they are from & who they are, win, lose or draw..

That includes some Top 4 Fans too, of course it does.

But the main thing you've lost me on James is, why the <deleted> are Newcastle a big Team cos i haven't a <deleted> clue ??

Ok they get big attendancies, but so do Red Star Mumbai, probably bigger than Newcastle & you don't see them thinking they're better than they really are.

Newcastle Fans for me, like Spurs, are deluded & why, i really don't know..

I will let you debate with the Toon fans why they consider themselves a big club.

As for your other stuff, I don't like playing games like the one against stoke, not exciting at all. I like games like the Arsenal game (which we lost btw) because it was exciting end to end stuff. Great to watch.

I already said before I don't come from the UK so have no birthright to any team (although family comes from that lovely beach town of Blackpool), but then again I've liked the Miami Dolphins American football team for 30 years and I don't come from there either. I remained a loyal fan even when we hit our lowest of lows last year as we stumbled to a 1-15 record. Should my UTD suffer a similar fate, I won't abandon them for a City or other 'winning' side.

You can say money honey is the reason for our success, a West Ham fan I would not expect less. I like the way we play football, short quick passing, lots of chances and yes this forward play causes us to give up chances. It's the way of SAF, suspect it would be the same no matter who he brought into the team. I like this style of football and I don't care to watch teams like those of Big Sam.

Glory hunter? Perhaps that comes with the territory. But I like UTD because of the way they play. If they go to a long ball - 10 men behind the ball kind of team week after week, then I will turn to a team like Hull.

At the end of the day, we can look at it this way. Someone born in a Muslim country will likely end of up being Muslim. You are a product of your environment. Born a Hammer fan, always a Hammer fan eh!

For moi, I prefer the right to choose my religeon (and my football team). I don't care if my father was a Blues fan. I can't hold his bad taste against him, but I sure as f8ck won't follow his path either just because it's the way he and his father before him did it.

You feel obligated to follow West Ham, good for you.

BTW, tell your coach that Hollywood called, and when he retires from coaching he can get job as Ben Stillar's double.

0:2 at 80th minute.....

sighhhhh I think Im retiring from the forum this season!

Don't go yet, I still need you to beat Chelsea and Liverpool, after that, feel free to leave. Thanks

It is not so often when you read such strong words in the local press:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/141108_Realtime...2008_real94.php

Thailand ranks No. 4 after China, Japan and India. Despite unfair high local taxes wine is becoming an important part of the country's economic development. The members of the TWA employ close to 1,200 people, add value to the soil, and by exporting about half of its production, contributes to the reduction of the deficit of the wine balance of payment by reducing the need for imported wines. Wine regions are also attracting the kind of tourism we need.

The moderate consumption of wine is good for your health and very few wine lovers, if any, drink to get drunk.

With all these qualities you would expect the authorities to encourage the wine industry. Amazing Thailand.

Isn't it a shame we can't buy Thai wines in Thailand without being subject to tax rates that would have made the Boston Tea Party blush?

It's a bit like paying less for a bad meal, still wouldn't want it.

Hi John:

Other than Villa 33, can I get your sausages at other locations in the city?

Thanks

James

There are Asia Books everywhere and another good one is Kinkobuyuba or something to that effect.

it sounds like African bookstore, doesn't it?

If you think that is funny Thithi dear, you should see me spell Lake Ogichobee near Disneyworld in Florida , a right mess I make of that too.

Mate, this happened last week, did you get lost on the way to the Post Office?

Nothing wrong in discussing what happened last week....this forum has been discussing topics way way before last week, mate..

what happened, did it get too cold for you to go stand on wireless so you came inside the warm environs of TV?

Perhaps there is something wrong with me, but the reason I stayed in Thailand was the

people. I think they are basically kind, fun-loving and generous, and I truly enjoyed their company and their culture. And I also found that I could help people in ways I never could in America and I found that it made me feel good. So I guess I am a do-gooder, as some say here, which they think is bad, although these same poeple would probably find fault with my military career and call me a murderer or something so I cannot worry about it. The fact is I came to Thailand originally for work and my farang friends were people I worked with. After I retired and moved to another part of Thailand I had fewer expat friends. Many of the farang I came in contact with were fat, unkempt

drunken sex tourists who couldn't get l--d in a whorehouse with a fistful of fifties in their home country, but because they could purchase some short time bar-girl for a few baht they thought they were Brad Pitt. I am not claiming to be Brad Pitt either, but the point is I did not stay here because it was cheap or because I was horny. I just really like the people. As far as farang go, there are many good ones here too. No matter what problem you have, someone in thai visa forum would always take their own time to help you out and get nothing in return. And this applies to the majority, despite the few who have nothing better to do than insult people and give stupid sarcastic replies.

Finally, I also do believe if you don't like Thailand, then why don't you just leave? Except for the one guy who hates Thais and farangs. He will be miserable anywhere, so might as well be miserable where it is cheaper

A stupid sarcastic reply,,,,hmmm. Like "just because you are no Brad Pitt, doesn't mean your shaved head and tattooed forearms won't be a hit with the ladies"

Guilty as implied.

heh .... I dnt think they will close at all. naughty money

you know .... they are not around Sanam-Luang [National Park]

Thithi, let's go drink in private

Off topic but would also add the Heathrow is the worst airport in the UK, charles de Gualle (sp) in France ditto. I think the locals here just wanted to ensure their german designed monster kept pace

3 red members on this thread at the same time, I will tread lightly.

Was in Pats two weekend's ago and speaking to some local restaurnant and hotel people, they all said for the last two weekend's Pattaya was very busy.

BKK, on the other hand is very quiet now!

Entry Fees for Thais have now been reduced.

Thai Adults: 350 Baht vs 850 for foreign adults

Thai Kids: 250 Baht vs 650 for foreign kids

Foreign tourists are now expected pay 150% more.

Whether you agree with the two-teir price system or not, It's only fair that you have the right to know (who is charged what)

Still don't see on that sign the Foreign Tourist pricing you speak of.

Why can't they just say ; Thai Nationals xxx Baht, Others XXX Baht?

In the USA, they launched a new device to stop vehicle thefts, might be useful in Thailand...turn on your volume.