Bundooman

This news article was responsible for my 1st immediate thought .........that submarine! Easy to submerge, not so easy to surface. Nothing on God's earth would persuade me to enter one - let alone a collapsible tunnel!

I hate to post as a possible 'Spelling policeman', paddypower, but I must point out that you seem to have made a small spelling error, which is important: Your use of the word 'annals' in this context, has only one letter, 'n'!

Koh Samui officials should hang their heads in the shame at this foreigner-inspired clean-up. I used to go to Samui every year back in the early '90s when it was a stunningly beautiful, tropical and almost empty paradise. I recall the first evening that my then English wife and I spent at Chaweng beach. we could look left for about 1Km and then right down that curved 2Km stretch . It was nearly empty, clean, enchantingly beautiful and it remained like that for the next 2-3 years. We then started to noticed the garbage drifting across the sea from Koh Koh Phangan, syringes, plastic and other flotsam/jetsam that washed up daily. Two years later, Samui was a construction site of concrete, low quality tourists, garbage-strewn beaches, all supported by a vast variety of blaring music, outrageous pricing scams and the increasing number of Mafia organisations from various countries taking over and we decided there and then that we would never go back and we never did. I still live in Thailand and have done so for 20 years. The problems listed above have not been resolved. They have just become worse and the garbage is top of the list. I will never return to Samui. The fantastic times we had there are just fading memories - just like many other such places.

Here we go again. Some self-righteous, puffing important foreigner know-it-all has decided yet again that he/she is self-promoted to become the older man/younger companion police ageist-checker! What on earth has it got to do with you? Your repressive beliefs are of no interest to the majority of posters on this forum. However, I recognise your right to have these prim, repressed and virtuous views, but am prepared to give you some alternative advice, old man, which is: Don't be so intimidated by beautiful young women, whatever their profession, nor underestimate the desires or needs of men, regardless of age, to be attracted to these lovely sirens. It's their choice, not yours, Maybe go and try it out for yourself? Forget mummy's advice about 'dirty' women', go dip your wick! - Lap the lips If Ladyboys, boys, the burnt plum or animals are your thing - go for it. Just don't try to impress normal people that their lives are your responsibility. There's a good chappie!

With that short dis[play of grotesque, unswerving subservience - I'm sure you're not!

He's Russian. We're not. Different regulations for Russia and China. They are good - we are not.

How clever. To quote a random Chinese phrase, using transliterated English and then tries to look even more clever by explaining: "I am very surprised if you do not know by now...... Are you guys not of Asia"? No, we're not. 20 years living here; I'm not 'of Asia' and I've never heard of it. Why? Because this is Thailand. Not China. And the song is crap!

In this video, I wasn't really watching Flab-a-fat - I was fascinated by the the sycophantic, nodding imbecilic behaviour of the nerdy to**er in the right-hand corner of the clip, nodding dutifully in accord to what the Watchman was saying, bowing and scraping, almost prostrating himself in drooling, groveling mode towards his 'superior'. The Thai way.

She didn't even have to endure the election selection. Just walked into the top job. No hard graft to get there - just Daddy's little girl cronyism. I bet Thai students can't wait for the old slogan, "Free Samsung Galaxy notebook for every student in Thailand". Just like Yingluck!

Probably puffed and blew him into the canal.

So what? I own a chisel.

Including the monk!

Try the Thai strawberries - widely available during the Chiang Mai/Samoeng strawberry season December - February. And just as tasty as the western variety, cheaper too.

Quote: "I'm not talking about 'pidgin' Thai. This is a question for those of us who can speak Thai to a high level". Where is the British dry sense of humour in this sentence? Pretentious, yes, humorous, no.

Correct - and look how rapidly the Chinese passenger, (and family too I imagine), were then high priority, VIP status from CNX to BKK. Full groveling mode - no expense spared! Nothing quite so elaborate for the poor Dutch passenger and family, just ensured comfort and safety to BKK, which is what we all get - and without the ceiling falling on top of us as well! Just the Chinese.

I am old I suppose, bordering on my 80th birthday this month - yet i don't feel old. There are some creaks occurring here and there, but that's OK. I get up at 3:30 most weekdays and exercise for a while and I use my legs in walking/climbing stairs most of the days. I guess I am lucky and am generally fit; I don't smoke, (since I was 21), I now drink in moderation and I eat fairly healthily -I don't need the use of recreational drugs and I'm not a worrier. A full health check 2 weeks ago pleased me and that was a good feeling. I don't like being referred to as 'Papa' by strangers yet my 17 year-old daughter often refers to me as such in an affectionate way. Generally speaking, people will guess my age as a bit younger, but that, I always take as a polite remark, not to be taken seriously by me. I smile a lot at Thai people and 99.9%, of them will smile in return - young and old, male or female and they always speak politely back to me when I do open my mouth. I don't really mind if some refer to me as old - I am. I have no fear of death and I still have plans and ambitions - and I'm comfortable with that. I probably won't leave Thailand and certainly have no plans to do so. I like the Thai people, I like the climate, the food and I enjoy spicy food too. I also love to be beside the ocean here, when I am on holiday. Despite the Immigration hurdles, and other obvious grumbles that we all have, I am comfortable here in Asia and Immigration have always been polite to me when I have asked a question or said something to them. The RTP as well, I find polite and helpful. There is a far more relaxing atmosphere here, than there is in the west. I feel that England is no longer my home, although I have two daughters, (one of whom is a Grandmother herself) and an older sister - plus their families in UK and they too, are happy and comfortable that I will live out my remaining years here in Thailand. I can also say quite honestly, that in all the time I have lived in Asia, (this is my 20th year of living here), plus the time I served out here including a visit to Thailand each time, from 1964-66, 1967-68, 1972-74- (in Hong Kong), plus another 10 years back-packing throughout Asia, (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan -plus all the other Asian countries I visited during my 26 years in the Royal Navy), I have never, not once, felt threatened or unsafe - anywhere! I did feel slightly uneasy in Cambodia and I was certainly nervous in the Malacca Straits which was mined in 1964, during the Indonesian conflict, but that had little bearing on my lifestyle spanning 60s year of experience of Asia. There have been times, however, when I have felt unsafe in Europe and the UK. Overall, I consider myself fortunate to have found a country where I feel I belong. I speak a little Thai, read and can write Thai like a 3-year-old and I'm OK with that as well. I don't have to be fluent. Old is a number and a perception. Call me old and old-fashioned - it's quite irrelevant to my life. I'm kind of proud of it in a way - but also like to pretend I'm young. I still feel a quickening of my heart when I see a beautiful young woman and of course, wish I were young again to experience that excitement. Enjoy your old-age experience. We are lucky to be able to do so - millions of others are not so fortunate. Yours sincerely, The old Git!

Do these very strict rules apply to the many Thai people I see vaping around CM - totally ignored by the police?

I can see it all now. A race to complete all the hurdles in getting visas and renewals. Single combat with Immigration and the RTP for commonality of procedures nationwide. Relay races between Immigration, banks, copying facilities and Visa agencies to satisfy the needs of the hordes of Government officialdom. Lighting the Olympic flame up some lazy official's a*se to get things moving. Wrestling contests for those with wives pared with Immigration officials aiming for a marriage extension. a heart-stopping finale of leaving the Immigration centre with the correctly dated documents and stamps And .........:- A victory circuit around the Immigration centre, having achieved yet anther year's legal documentation.

Hopefully, he will be past history soon.

The racial undertones are emerging - just how many will appear in the next 13 pages?

Ten thousand times more so than her demented opponent!

Once again, no responsibility lies with either the owners or with the type of dogs themselves. The owners are sorry - so is the family of the savaged-to-death, 70-year-old man. These dogs are lethal. If it were my responsibility, I would ensure these vicious animals were turned loose upon on their owners. Every time! Following that - a full-powered flame thrower directed at the killing machines?

She's yours. Lock stock and barrel!

Typical response from a cowardly bully!

I'd still gerfurgle it! I'm not too choosy.