Lesley

What is the average tip that these public spiritied individuals earn, estimates anyone?

Sorry but I think smoking is a terrible habit. I don't mind people killing themselves but they do seem to be taking so many innocents with them & at the same time placing additional stresses on our already over burdened health systems.

What is the Loy Krathong festival, what does it celebrate.

Did you locate one? I like to go to the sauna about once a month.

I read it.

Would it be less expensive, compared to a laundry service, to hire a maid to come in a few times per week to do the washing & ironing?

Bearing in mind that I am  completely computer illiterate, how do I transfer a photo from Document file to a posting, in easy steps please ? Left my Idiots Guide in Oz (along with my ex, thought she needed it more than me ). I run XP .

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I was wondering about this.

There are really so many vicious attacks against foriegners on the streets of Bangkok recently. One is that another foriegn student at Bangkok University International Division has been stabbed and beat to death on the street. It happened on last Saturday night at Ratchada and Rama 9 intersection. The victim and another foriegn student who was ridding a motorbike was stopping at the red light. All the sudden hords of motorbike kiddy gangs came from behind and stopped at the red light as well and some got off the started stabbing the victim for fun who was a passenger with machetes and knives and beat him with bats on the ground. The survivor who was ridding the bike suffered some injuries said the whole attack last only seconds and the gangs sped away.

The victim died in hospital. And survivor said he is so surprised that the Thai police did not contact him about the murder at all and show absolutely no interest in this case. He said he will try to make the case publicly somehow since police show no interest to solve this kind of motor bike random killing cases because a police told him they see this every night and used to it.

Another case happened right in front of my eyes. It happened in the back of Kao San Road last week or so. A place called Bangkok Bar. I was drinking with 2 friends next to the bar then suddenly saw all the securities were beating the ###### out of a foreign guy. He was covered with blood and lied unconscious on the street and these bar securities still no stop and continued to kick him on the face and his head. From what I saw the guy's face is disfigured by all the kicking. No one help and no police came for another 1 hour or so. And finally a rescue truck came and took the motionless body. I observed the police did not even do anything and did not even question these bar securities who involved in the street lynching that may have take his life or very close to it.

Later I asked a foriegn guy who was in the pub what happened. He told me this poor guy was so drunk and have no money in his pocket to pay for his bill. So one security guy started to hit his head and face and then all of them followed and hit and  kick this poor man's face and head for next 30 minutes as he lied motionless on the street without stopping. No police came during all that time.

I hope this poor guy survived but I really doubt he will survive as normal human being again. These Thai guys do not have much individual or independent consciousness or thinking ability, when one of their pals started to pound on one man, and rest of the hord will follow without knowing why. I have seen so many senseless viscious bar fights among Thai guys and all happen like this.

The other case is that a friend of my good friend. He just came to Thailand from Sweden on his second trip to Bangkok. He was taking out money at a ATM near On Nut about 8 PM. Suddenly some thugs smacked his head from behind. He dropped his withdrawn money and his ATM card but was able to run dizzily away to the street and got a taxi and ran away. He suffered massive blow to the head and went to hospital to get a scan. But luckily did not suffer internal bleeding. And rested in his hotel for almost all week before flying back to Stockholm.

Bangkok crime is getting more vicious recent years. Years ago most foriegners only involved in shopping scams or pick pockets, but recently the violent crimes againt foriegners have escalated to a viscious level and almost on a everyday basis. And police do not care at all for some beating of foreigners on the street or in a pub or even get killed randomly by motorcycle gangs on the major public street like Ratchada.

Because of the police and goverment inability and empathy, these street thugs including these low scum bar securities will strike again anywhere anytime against any foreigner.

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Shocked, I knew such this happened but not with such impunity & apparant regularity.

A good number of them do indeed have these toilet attendants so perhaps Thai men do, in fact, enjoy it?

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Why, is it a particularly lucrative form of employment? Beats working in the hot fields all day I suppose.

I take it you want a few from each poster (rather than loads of lists of 60 words/phrases), I'll start it off with the important ones then...(cut down for easy remembering - would still be understood)

Kor Tort Krup (Excuse me please)

Sa Wa Dee Krup (Hello/Bye)

Nee tau rai [pron: knee towel rye] (How much is this?)

Kor bia sing Krup [should really have a quantity and classifier, but doesn't really need](a Singha beer please)

Mee xxx Mai Krup (Do you have xxx?)

Numbers: 1 to 10 at least 1 to 100 better.

Bai Nai Krup [should be prefixed with a pronoun unless can be assumed by circumstance - Prefix Khun for you] (Where are we/you going)

Pom heow [Pron: heow pronounced like heel with a w instead of an L] (I'm hungry)

Hong Nahm yoo tee nai Krup (Where's the toilet?)

Mai ow (I don't want it - for when your offered something you, er, don't want)

Mai mee satang (I'm skint - useful for beggars of all kinds)

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Very useful indeed.

[i was under the impression that everything was far less expensive in Thailand as compared to the West. I will need to have about 20 shirts, 10 pairs of trousers & an assortment of underwear to be laundered (washed & pressed) each week. How much will it cost me?

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I was trying to imagine why you would want to wear so many clothes in a week!!

The figures I provided were merely an approximation. But in such a climate it's reasoanble to expect that one would wear two shirts per day, one for work & one for relaxing. I would also want a clean pair of trouseres for work each day as I like them pressed with sharp creases. Then a couple of extra pairs per week for casual wear. Seems quite reasonable to me.

are you a very sweaty boy?  even so your maths is strange, as 7 does not divide into your figures, so will get confused by day three

Those are rather unkind comments to make to a new poster.

The rise to prominence of Chelsea has all but destroyed the competitiveness of the English Premiership.

Are there attendants in all Thai toilet facilities?

I have Just moved to Thailand for about 6 months, staying Suhumvit rd, low mumbers.  I have only been on holiday before, did not expect laundry to costs so much when every thing else seems cheap, and considering how cheep labour is.  Cost is per item.  Why not have Launrys as in Enland and put in wahing machine, could probably hang clothes damp in room to dry?

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I was under the impression that everything was far less expensive in Thailand as compared to the West. I will need to have about 20 shirts, 10 pairs of trousers & an assortment of underwear to be laundered (washed & pressed) each week. How much will it cost me?