scorecard

A few weeks later another local person put a very negative comment on the fb page of the same funeral directors business, for the same business. I quickly confirmed I had the same experience. A local gov't onbudsman's office added a comment asking for the original poster and me to contact them. We both did. Ombudsman put a 'beware' comment on the website of the funeral home which could not be removed. A few days later I got a refund.

"No need to buy clothes every weekend like Americans." Reminds me of an American who came to Bkk assist on a consulting project for 3 weeks. His family came too, (farang, his wife and 3 kids), they arrived with a medium size suitcase holding clothes for all of them. The wife had never left the US previously. She asked me where to take the family for the day on the first Saturday, wanting to see some cultural events and elephants. I decided to take them to the Rose Garden just outside of Pattaya. I hired a car and driver for the day, big enough to transport 3 adults and 3 kids. Hired driver picked me up and we headed for their hotel on Sathorn. American wife was horrified that the driver didn't speak English (I speak pretty good Thai). She insisted on continuously asking why he couldn't speak English and trying to teach him English. They were all dressed in warm clothing. I asked 'didn't you bring any summer clothes?' Her quick response 'No, what for, we buy clothes all the time according to the situation'. She hesitated then asked 'I assume the place we are going to will have a big selection of summer clothes we can buy, after all they must have lots of tourists every day who need to buy clothes'. I ignored her comment.

Let's be realsitic, rightly or wrongly the Australian Old Age Pension (or any Old Age Pension) is not planned/intended to provide enough funds for daily massages and bar visits etc.

'Comical?' OK but let's be honest, this highly unethical selfish proven irrespoonsibe liar is capable of anything (repeat anything)!

My Thai son had a Hyundai (as above) for many years, beauiful vehicle, very comfortable, but expensive for parts, servicing etc. He was given an option re seating, which he took, to reduce the comprehensive insurance and the road tax costs.

Would be even more enjoyable to see footage of the clown throwing his dinner at the wall.

Maybe the owner thinks the high hotel rate policy for foreigners extends to everything?

I'm aware of an Amrican who was found dead in his rented house in Sth Pattaya about 5 years back. Quite an unpleasant rude fellow, didn't have one close friend in Pattaya. Well known for inviting himself to join acquaintenances planning to dine out, but without asking if it was 'convenient' if he joined. Also well know for inventing numerous excuses to avoid sharing the bill. Several people (Thai and farang) came to the police informing that they were owed money by the deceased. Police searched the house, found no will and no cash. Police asked US embassy to search for surviving family in the US. No result. One Pattaya farang remembered the guy had mentioned a brother in the US. The spelling of the family name was unusual, and the Pattaya based farang quickly found the name in a US directory. He called the number and the person who answered confirmed that he was the brother and said 'I want nothing whatever to do with him, I won't contribute to any costs and please don't call me again'. Body remained in cold storage at a Thai police facility for several months, during which time the US embassy refused to take any action. Ultimately the Pattaya police paid for a paupers very simple funeral.

"...all weathers..." Does this location always have calm weather with no chance of high winds, high waves, tsunamis, etc?

Yeah unfortunately these things happen. A different example, my mum took a pre-paid funeral plan to cover all the costs of cremation and placing the ashes alongside my dads coffin at the cemetery. She found the plan at a funeral home in Australia and I went with her to discuss the details. It wasn't cheap, which they admitted, because costs would rise over the years. At the same time they kept mentioning 'we will never ask for further payments from the surviving family'. She died, funeral home called me within a couple of hours requeting $3,000- more. I hesitated because of their claims they would never ask for more money. Two days later my adult son called me, the funeral home had just called him and asked him for $3,000-. I found the number of a funeral directors association for Australia and I called. Their instant response was 'this is not an appropriate time for you to be quibbling about payment for your mother's funeral, and you can always pay in instalments'. I quickly paid and promptly informed my son because he was quite distressed about the death and I didn't want him to have any further thoughts about paying money. I also didn't want him to be thinking I was being stingy.

Me too, my Thai son and his Thai wife know well that I want the least amount possible spent on my cremation and that could well be at a temple which mainly deals with very poor people. They also know that I want the money saved to be used for my grandchildrens' education.

Case by case - might also depend on the desire of the family for more traditional activity. If it was a very hi-so person the family might insist on sandalwood. But does each attendee just put a small ribbon bound parcel of sandalwood on the shelf under the coffin (no fire) and then it's removed later to be used again. And perhaps the actual fire is gas.

Money, which brings the question is money a cause of violence, wars, deaths? Or is the problem that nowadays money is the central point / the only measure of value of pretty much everything in life and to some extend regardless of what that money is contributing to quality of life etc., and regardless of whether that money has any moral/immoral value? Could we have (globally) a diferent way to measure value/contribution, which pushes money aside?

Minister for the INterior a hard act to follow.

If not accepted, go to another bank, won't take long to find a bank that will quickly start your account.

Some nice points but I disaagree in allowing Thammanerms the convicted criminal winning in any way. The current gov't are a total failure but Thailand should be doing better then having drug running convicts running the country.

Re 'partner bank'. I have 2 X 4 weekly pensions coming into my K Bank savings a/c every 4 weeks. I get an automatic 'Credit Advice' by e.mail from K Bank the same moment the funds are credited to my K Bank savings a/c (also get an instant SMS messsage from K Bank). The Credit Advice sometimes mentions Citibank. I asked K Bank why sometimes thru Citibank and why not every transaction. K bank Call Centre lady said she didn't know but she asked me to hold the line. A couple of minutes later she returned to the call. Seems that when the sender in Australia sends the money there is an instant check about how many transactions (all 100% computerized) are waiting. If there no long waiting time the transaction goes direct Oz Bank to K Bank, but if there's a waiting time it goes thru Citibank which somehow brings the tranaction back to almost instantaneous. There's a charge on the Credit Advice 70Baht.

From your own list: - "I use a VPN when accessing the MyGov website." On your topic or off your topic?

Where was Ms. Calypso Highlights?

How come the tourist didn't have his watch on his wrist? Guess he carried a spare watch in a bag just in case he needed a watch on both wrists.

Actually that's not the reaction of most posters. (But of course you must twist to gain the attention you want and to upset as many as you can.) 'We wait and see' is the typical reacation many have posted.

Organ donor; that's if the deceased is fairly young and the donated organs are in very healthy condition. Not much point in putting a 90 year old working heart in a 10 year old. However some univerities etc., will accept the whole part or specifuc areas of the decesed body for students to do reserch. Acceptance by the university medical research unit may depend on what age group / pre-condiions their current research is focusing on.

Further to the above, i've been reminded that 50,000Baht is NOT a standard fee, and there is no standard fee I'm told that Some very small out of the way temples will do the burning with basically an elementary chanting etc., for 20,000Baht for a poor family (again not a standaard fee), and some very flash famous temples might well chrage a couple of hundred thousand Baht (not a standard fee) but the total cost depends on how many monks do the chanting, how many uniformed lay folks are engaged, the type and quantity of food provided (where there is also a wake) etc.

Sure. It's been injected into young men's plumbing for at least 25 years, but not many success stories. I'm aware of a Thai dr., who has been following this for years, he says the majority of the 'procedures' are not permformed by licensed any type of dr. Many done by loud mouth gatoey who are convinced they know everything about everything.

There's also the method of injecting silicone in a planned pattern. But long-term usually not good because the silicone moves around.