observer90210

12 minutes ago, jethro69 said:

Unfortunately it's not Ryanair, otherwise I could have taken the soapy right in the plane

...however on my first trip to BKK, I was afraid to miss ye flight due to congested traffic so took a room at BKK Airport Hotel, short time for 6 hours before the flight, if I am not mistaken...very practical - on leaving, you just walked out from the back side of the hotel and the check in terminal was right in front!!

Bangkok Airport Hotel? and you could spend some time getting a home delivery for a soapy in your room!!!

sure..these horrible tools of death comme also in form of walking sticks and umbrellas, freehold sale on the internet.....scary!

how about solar?

5 hours ago, NancyL said:

Promenada has stopped their free transport from the city.  Instead, you must pay to go to Immigration at Promenada Mall.  Your options are song thaews, tuk tuks or Uber/Grab taxis if you have the nerve to use a service that is illegal in Thailand.  Good luck.  It's about 200 baht each way.  Maybe more.

 

Welcome to Chiang Mai!

Whenever I use UBER, be it in Europe or elsewhere, I make it a point to sit in front, next to the driver and have a cock and bull story ready in case of a check. This makes it look as if a friend is driving you someplace

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

In the UK one pound is still worth exactly one pound, and can buy a decent amount of provisions (especially in places like Aldi and Lidl).

 

Also, free health care, subsidised housing, and other state benefits.

 

I am fortunate enough to be living in Thailand with a pension income from the UK which is more than sufficient for my needs. However, those living on state pension or on savings might be much better off returning to the UK (at least temporarily).

 

Of course, the cost of living in Thailand can be incredibly low if you need it to be - but not everyone can live at that level (not me anyway).

I see your point. On further assuming that those who chose to leave did buy properties, they would be put back in the market and inflate some sort of a real estate bubble, if it's not already along....not so bright for the Thai economy in that case??

4 minutes ago, Bastos60 said:

hence....one big brothel.

very true..however a big brothel can be run in with responsability, some form of respect and safety and still qualify as a brothel!!!.....

1 minute ago, Bastos60 said:

Pattaya is far from the best city in the world.

Only if you are attention starved in the rest of the world you could consider Pattaya an ok city.

 

It is a holiday destination with many many many many working girls where the average John goes to fall in love with a working girl.

If you take away all the bars and agogo's and GC's and  massage places, you might discover Pattaya to be worst than a dumpster.

It is one big brothel, 

 

 

that's fine if it is....as long as it is entertained and patronised with responsabile adults....what is getting scary is the attacks on farangs, the systematic ripoffs from transport and other merchants.....tourists, thai locals and their cash will flee...wait and see

A few suggestions.....

- Put the Thai Baht to at least 40 or 45 Baht per 1 US$

- Impose taxi meters everywhere and punish the drivers who try to rip off tourists

- 24 hour cheap public transport in high season that is clearly visible and available and that covers not only downtown but the suburbs - the accident rate will drop and ignore the taxi mafia's whims!

- Get a few more young good looking chesties from Pattaya for the bars

- Stop the farang tea money police road blocks

- Clean up the beaches

- Improve the roads and enforce trafic rules with the farangs and mainly the locals, with genuine information and prevention campaigns oreven  legal fines but not used for tea money bail outs!

- Make more car parkings that are easy access

- Close down the restaurants with rip off prices or bad food

- Deport the tailors who charge ripoff prices that are almost double of prices in Bangkok

- Make the streets and the beaches safer, late at night for drunk overaged farangs

- Add a few more minivan transfers to Bangkok City but see that the cost does not exceed 700 THB per passenger (the regular bus takes around 300 THB one way to BKK)

- Press for the high speed railway connection from BKK to be implemented fast

- Educate the locals (merchants, restaurants, small businesses) that farangs do contribute to the local economy, are not totally stupid and are not all the usual Pattaya/Soi Cowboy irrespectful, loud drunken types, and thus not to stigmatise or try to systematically rip them off

- Ban western food restaurants!!

and also, most important....tell people like myself, to stop dreaming as all this will never happen!!

so if I get the picture right, this is where you find the best curry penang?

red flag!!....sorry but a red flag is a red flag!!..and the Chinese above any others know the importance to respect a red flag!!!!!

RIP anyhow...

Let's be assured that a few happy ends or "Long Terms" with a couple of overaged pot belly patrons, would refund for all the expenses !!

Welcome back home ladies!

and why does the army instead not set up stings to trap the crooks that drive regular taxis in Bangkok, Phuket and who refuse to turn the meter "ON" mainly with farang expats or tourists?

3 minutes ago, timendres said:

I am pretty sure that is the girl's mother that is blurred out in that photo.

fair enough!

but that still leaves the main culprit out of focus and off the picture!!!!!!

Will this make it easier for dishonest merchants or restaurants to fill up bottles with tap water with fake cork ring seals?

The local taxi mafia criminals seem to have paid off the right people? ...

An alternative would be just to purchase a car and hire a low cost driver on daily wages, for those not in a rush a take off to heaven with the help of the far west thai roads!!

Even though a maid is necessary from time to time, I solved the issue with 2 cleaning robots. One that vacuums and another that washes the floor. Never regreted the purchases!

By experience, with a maid or construction workers be it in Thailand or anywhere else in the world, you just need to be around to supervise...if not, forget it or be prepared for annoying situations.

iRobot Braava for washing the floor

Neato for vacuum

Why is his picture hidden?

Had it been a farang the press photo show display would have been more a carnavalesque Disneyland style family photo, with golden paratrooper wings all behind the disgracred farang!!

Looks that bad and dishonest, maintenance and building conception is not characteristic only to Thailand, but has gone global!?

Deepest sympathy to those who suffered from this horrible tragedy.

Well let's give the boys in the army a chance to safen and clean things up??.....

One thing is for sure that if crackers continue to pop up in the streets of Bangkok, Phuket or Hua Hin, tourists will end up in going elsewhere....with or without any potential statistical manipulation!!

It also appears that many expats living in Thailand seem to feel not so welcome anymore and this is reflected in the subtle hostile attitude of a proportion of locals during their dealings or interactions with farangs....pity that people cannot make up with each other without stigmatizing or envying  race, colour, religion, wealth or the chest size of their Thai honeys!!

1 minute ago, stephen tracy said:

me

well then pleased to meet you, Mr Special Agent!!

LOL...but then who has? a part from your friendly local CIA or ISIS operatives!!!???

1 minute ago, nontabury said:

Are you saying those banks, are holding valuables belonging to those who finished up in the concentration camps. Same as the Swiss banks.

And are you saying that money from drugs, crime etc.in British offshore banks, is something to pretend to ignore?

sure have made it....usually make it  just before the weekend party and fun....and then by Monday time to Stop and prepare for the new one to come on Friday, if I get lucky...if not, it will be for next weel!!

8 hours ago, nontabury said:

A low cost army,that has never been tested, relying instead on other countries taxpayers to guarantee their neutrality. Thus enabling them to become the bankers  to all the despots of the world. P.S. How much money and gold from the concentration camp victims is still in the Swiss vaults?

 Agree with you on the Swiss version of democracy. That by the referendum. We in the UK tried that in 2016, unfortunately some Remoaners are still refusing to accept the democratic will of the people.

How much money from WW2 victims in Swiss banks?

One could be tempted to say about 1/10 of the amount compared to British Tax Havens ranging from the Caymans, Jersey, Isle of Man, BOT's, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and so on..... that host a remarkable array of global drug/mafia kingpin "family savings schemes" that make Swiss Banks currently seem like a bunch of piggy banks!!