Fabricus

7 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Well that's the whole thing  it seems to me -- Labour and Immigration don't care what anyone does after someone enters Thailand as long as Ministry of Foreign Affairs keeps handing out Tourist Visas to people who aren't tourists but are living full time in Thailand and doing whatever.

I disagree. Immigration does care if a foreigner takes jobs / revenue away from Thais.

You could test this yourself:

1. Tomorrow go and buy one of those fruit carts

2. Place a layer of ice at the bottom and stock it up with pineapples, melons and guavas.

3. Start selling!

4. Park you cart outside the local police station and offer discounts of freshly sliced pineapple.

5. The police will be puzzled, but will leave you alone.

6. Do the same at the local immigration office.

7. When the office girls ask what you're doing, tell them you've run out of cash and need to earn more to buy a flight home. They'll leave you alone.

 8. Finally, park your cart next to a little old lady in the main shopping street.

9. Within 30 minutes you'll be busted.

Why?

16 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

Judging by a lot of posts and topics I don't see a lot of bloggers or coders on here. 

You can often recognize bloggers by their piss-poor writing. They're usually wannabe authors with little or no discernible talent. Many of them go the self-publishing route and peddle junk on Amazon.

As for coders, I'm not quite sure how you'd spot one. Ditto programmers and graphic designers.

Just found this:

http://beachub.org/

Aimed specifically at digital nomads, it's basically an internet cafe on Ko Phangan that bills itself as "the world's first beachfront co-working space". 

Here's another one:

The article doesn't say how these guys pull in the green.

Are they coders or bloggers?

EDIT: Has anyone ever met a digital nomad? Are they mainly Europeans / Americans?

6 hours ago, Stocky said:

My nearest mosque here in Hat Yai is 200m away. I usually sleep through the first call to prayer at around 5:30, I wake up around the sunrise call at 6:30, the midday and afternoon calls remind me of the time, and prayers at sunset tell me it's time for a beer.

 

We've seldom had issues with the mosque, it's a mixed community though mainly Buddhist, a couple of times a new muezzin has turned the volume up but I think complaints via the Thesaban ensure things return to normal and the mosque doesn't set the volume too high.

 

Personally I find it soothing,

I lived in central Pattani for just over five years and never had a problem with the meuzzins.

After a while you barely notice them.

A long time ago I did a Postgrad course in Tourism Management at a UK business school and evolved a similar "hypothesis" with respect to Senegal.

1. Most tourists fly into Senegal's capital, Dakar.

2. Many tourists visit Ziguinchor, an old French colonial town in the south.  

3. To get there you need to exit Senegal and enter The Gambia.

4. After crossing The Gambia you re-enter Senegal.

5. The return journey to Dakar also involves exiting and re-entering Senegal.

So are tourists who visit Zigunichor counted three times? The answer seems to be yes.

---------

An issue pertaining to Thailand concerns Malaysian tourists who hop across the border to do a bit of shopping in Hat Yai. The TAT figures generally put Malaysian tourists at the number one spot in terms of visitor arrivals, but the number of individual tourists is much less as most come several times a year.

In other words, if TAT stats indicate that 1.2 million Malaysian tourists came to Thailand last year, the true figure might be 100,000 individuals making 12 annual visits.  

1 hour ago, nausea said:

Yeah, tempting, but then you have to define yourself as a particular person; I couldn't do this, I change from day to day. Consistency would not be my big point. All power to those trans people, hema enthusiasts, etc., etc., . I'd be saying I was a trans gay bi-sexual katana wielding leopard one day, and a cis 60 year old woman gladius enthusiast the next.

Ha! I'd forgotten about this thread.

The Daily Mail list was taken from a Forbes  Magazine summary:

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/gjdm45ffed/streaming-celebrities/#39668713332b

At joint number nine on the list, with an income of 5M USD,  is a pair of Americans who host a "dorky morning talk show". Guest have included Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe. An LGBT activist holds the number five spot. His 6M USD income came in part from a book deal. At number four is a comedy duet whose YouTube channels are sponsored by Schick Razors. Their income in 2016 was a cool 7M USD. A prankster, Roman Atwood, came in at number two. I've never heard of him before, but his popularity earned him 8M USD. And at number one is a Swedish video game enthusiast whose 50 million subscribers boosted his income to a whopping 15M USD. 

Revenue for YouTube's top earners comes in the form of advertising (ie, pay per click), corporate sponsors, book and record deals. 

1 hour ago, rubl said:

" We have witnessed those epic POTY duels "

David versus JT.

The jockey on the horse that fell right at the finishing line was novelist Dick Francis.

Read more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Francis

7 minutes ago, transam said:

Thanks for the offer but my head is now really detached from stuff..Just thought, I have a pic somewhere of Mrs.Trans in Trafalgar square with a bunch of Chelsea Pensioner rascals.....

Then share it. 

Your wife is a very pretty woman. You've done well. And you say her son is now part of the Royal Thai Police. She must be proud.

IMO, Blether is 50% decent and 50% silly. I don't see him as bad. The real worm is that dopehead. 

A few months back I had lots of PMs warning me about that little creep. I ignored all the advice. I figured the dopehead was decent. He isn't. He's the worm and the shit stirrer.

Blether is basically okay. He served in the army, too. It's kinda crazy that the two of you don't get along.

14 minutes ago, transam said:

Must admit the worse lie which he wrote on this forum was.....

 

Transam is a "Draft Dodger"............That one hurt, totally untrue, he got banned for it. My Sgt.Major dad will haunt the guy for that......

Would you like a virtual introduction to people at the Royal Chelsea Hospital?

While I was checking out my ex-GF's exotic history I came across the great grandson of General Sir Harry Prendergast, the man who led the British Empire to victory in the third Anglo-Burmese war. He put me in touch with a Burmese researcher who in turn shed light on how the Singora cannon was captured at Mandalay and sent to Chelsea.

The great grandson sent me a diamond of a photo -- it's a close up of the cannon next to the flagpole. The man has connections  with the Hospital, and I have written to people at the Hospital several times.

I can't get involved with this Isaan Refugee nonsense, but I can help put you in touch with elderly retirees at Chelsea. You may have a lot in common with them.

7 minutes ago, transam said:

My stalker has stated on this forum that Transam makes friends with TVF members and then asks to borrow money from them...Total BS, I have never asked anyone in LOS to borrow money.

Any member that I have asked to borrow money from please come forward...

 

I have more TRUE stories...

You need to worry less. If you're right and know you're right, cool. Nothing else matters.

I can't judge or pass comment because:

1. I don't know the facts

2. It's not my business to get involved.

Few people believe me when I say I worked for two weeks at a bogus finance company back in 2000 and came across a certain somebody.

But so what. I'm right. Nothing else matters. 

2 minutes ago, sipi said:

Good Lawd I am glad I asked.

Hyperthetically (spelled wrong no doubt), if the money was lent and not gifted then a simple payback would put this to rest.

That's assuming the gay man didn't steal the money and spend it all on ice cream. 

Maybe the Isaan Refugee hitch-hiked to Songkhla.

All will be revealed .......... soon!!!

10 minutes ago, sipi said:

The story about the plane, ice-cream, beer fridge and gay man was getting interesting until it was deleted. A real Laurel and Hardy skit by the sound of it.

The deal seems to be this:

1. The Isaan Refugee wanted to visit a Scottish friend in Songkhla.

2. The gladiator formerly known as Blether (now posting as SingalongSam) offered to lend the mighty Isaan Refugee some cash.

3. The Isaan Refugee accepted the offer.

4. The gladiator formerly known as Blether then fell out with the Isaan Refugee.

5. This "falling out" occurred when the gladiator formerly known as Blether was posting as PattsZero.

6. The animosity grew worse when the gladiator formerly known as Blether came back as Phrodan.

5. The gladiator formerly known as Blether evidently wants his cash back.

As for ice creams, beer fridges and gay men, you'll need to wait for the book, The Vicious Truth About The Isaan Refugee, available soon at your local Amazon store.  

=================

At the risk of being mocked by just about everyone, I do admire people with ambition. Blether's books may or may not represent the pinnacle of literary craftsmanship, but at least he knows how to use the internet to make cash.

2 hours ago, sipi said:

Who is David? The one with twins?

Yep, David was an Australian with two fantastic sons. He was a real ThaiVisa success story.

I always had the feeling he came here because he was shy with women.  And then he met his wife (he referred to her as Miss Farm Girl) and started a family.

Good luck to him.  

So, how do you make 15,000,000 USD per year by working online?

Simple -- set up a YouTube channel.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4007938/The-10-Highest-Paid-YouTube-stars.html

I'll come back and add more tomorrow. 

38 minutes ago, lostinisaan said:

And why are guys like Sherryl excluded, people who've helped plenty of people?

 

  Is it a popularity contest of people who've got the most posts, dots, likes, or is it actually based on what a member did for others?

 

 Just curious and no intentions of offending anybody here. 

 

      

 

  

I missed this earlier.

The POTY contest is not -- and never was -- an attempt to determine Thaivisa's best member. 

If it were, Sheryl and/or UbonJoe would win every year.

18 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

 

but...what about me?...just because I've had to work in saudi, not been able to drink and not been amusing like before now I'm being excluded...oh, boo hoo...life is not fair...

Respectfully, you may be too old for future contests.

I think next year - and for years thereafter -- the POTY finals should be held in a colosseum.

What we have here, in essence, is a showdown between Thaivis'a finest gladiators.

The ultimate bout would be between Blether and Transam.

Blether would be oiled and muscular, and the Emperor's favorite; Transam would be nimble, lithe and fast.

Predicting the outcome of such a contest is far from easy. If you've been in the army you'll know what I mean.

5 minutes ago, Cockwomble said:

suggest you also throw in Cypress Hill, Heavydrinker and Soutpeel

Great suggestion.

Can we improve on my tag line: "Showdown in Siam"?

I'm sure we can come up with something sexier. Let me go and ask my old friend, Don King.

My suggestion

Next year's POTY should feature forum legends Blether, Transam, Jingthing, Nancy and David.

You've all seen Rumble in the Jungle and Thriller in Manila.

Next year ............ Showdown in Siam

4 minutes ago, Cockwomble said:

JT's personal crusade against Baht Bus Drivers, where he has put his life on the line on a number of occasions to save a few baht is not to be sniffed at. He is a legend just for that, but also among all the mickey taking he has made significant contributions to the forum. I think JT should have been nominated again this year.

 

 

I agree with this.

In other words, I disagree that former winners should be prevented from competing.

If you continually weed out previous winners, the competition just gets meaningless.

The POTY only really works when forum heavyweights like Transam, JingThing, Blether, David and Nancy line up and put on the gloves.

I for one would love to see Transam give Blether a blinding left hook. I'm sure Blether would respond with a well-timed uppercut, but might JingThing step in with an exquisite suckerpunch? 

7 minutes ago, Ron19 said:

Where on earth does this figure of 217 votes come from. It is nowhere near correct.

Sent from my iris 755 using Tapatalk
 

217 is the figure I quoted because someone else mentioned it.

Why not give a breakdown:

1. how many votes were real

2. how many were suspect

3. who is the banned former member who presumably created several dozen accounts in an attempt to derail the contest. 

I ask this question because I feel it's important that Transam's integrity is put beyond reasonable doubt.

30 minutes ago, transam said:

I wouldn't wish that on anyone...........

 

just thinking, my ex UK wife is now 50 and Mrs.Trans is 48, there's me at 36 having led a hard life...

 

 

Wow! Are you really only 36?

Judging by your photos, I thought you were at least 38!

And I don't believe Mrs Trans is 48. She could easily pass for 42 / 43.

Stay cool, Mr Silver.

Ha. That's quite funny.

I watched the Wizard of Oz for the second time when I was about 12 or 13, and couldn't understand why it was black and white. My earlier, childhood memory was as technicolor "turbocharged" as you could get.

And then my dad explained that it changes to color when Dorothy ends up in Munchkin City.

Were you really born in 1939? Wow! Maybe you know that Gone with the Wind was made in 1939. That, too, is a classic.

Actually 1939 was a great year for movies. Check this link for more info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_in_film

28 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Right ... TV says 217 members votes ... how pathetic is that for a major Thailand national expat forum ...

I started one of the nomination threads last year in the Farang Pub section.

Someone suggested that subsequent threads should be opened in the General Topics sub-forum as they would generate more interest.

I then checked the vote count for POTY 2014 and saw that 622 members participated. You may wish to re-check this figure.

If it really is a case of 622 votes in 2014 versus 217 in 2016, obvious conclusions can be drawn.

-----------------

Soon -- perhaps even today -- I'll start a thread in the pub section.

I'll call it Thaivisa's got Talent.