mr_hippo

Andrew Watson?

He played for Scotland - not England.

Someone else take my go at asking a question please.

Who was the first non-white to play football for England?

The first black player for England, if that's what you mean ? Laurie Cunningham, who was also the first English player to join Real Madrid.

WRONG!

Someone else take my go at asking a question please.

Who was the first non-white to play football for England?

The names that they are looking at are not the degree holders but the names of the people who signed the degree. My fake was signed by three people who 'worked' at a number of different universities in different countries.

The Vebtoux stage had the potential to be one of the great stages in Tour history but , possibly because of Bruyneel's tactics, it fizzled out. How different would it have been if Bruyneel had named Contador as team leader and not Contador & Armstrong as co-leaders?

Sod biking, i even fear driving in Bangkok.

If you do not feel competent or confident on Bangkok roads then you are safer sticking to public transport.

Where do you live in Bangkok?i live in the city and i'm aware that biking around here is quite dangerous but i've heard there're nice places at the outer ring rama 8??

i just wanna do some biking during the weekend

Who has told you that biking in Bangkok is dangerous? I have cycled 7211.86 kms in Bangkok so far this year and would love to hear from anyone approaching that mileage in Bangkok this year! Use your eyes and ears. know your capaability and the bike's and get to know traffic patterns.

I live in Lat Phrao and most of my routes involve using either Kasert Nawamin Road and Ram Intra Road with are both fast and furious. I normally leave about 6/6:30 in a morning - nice easy pace and back before the sun get to hot - normally in the hot season I do about 50km trips. When the weather gets cooler then my mileage goes up.

If you want to meet me, PM me please.

...can anyone recommend me if there's any good place in bangkok to bike?

Where do you live in Bangkok?

Biking was a bit of a hobby of mine back in the UK but I wouldn't even consider it in Bangkok.

Asides from the pollution and dangerous traffic, I'd also need a shower when I get to work.

Where did you cycle in the UK? I feel safer in BKK than in most UK cities.

I must admit that I am biased here in favour of cycling. This year, I have only cycled 6,846.47 kms.

I enjoy bicycles very much,but not in the cities,unless you have proper bicycle paths.The main issue is the car drivers tend not to notice you at all.I would not ride a bicycle in BKK,seems rather suicidal to me..Don't want to discourage you,it would be nice to see more bicycles and less cars.

Proper cycle paths? Are you talking about shared paths with pedestrians? They do not work! Or different coloured tarmac in the left hand lane about 1 metre wide? They do not work either!

Cyclists not noticed by motorists? Then get yourself noticed! Wear bright coloured clothing and get out of the gutter! Cyclists should either take primary or secondary position – depending on traffic. Primary position is roughly where a car driver is in the lane and secondary is between that and the gutter.

Apart from the traffic BKK roads are far from smooth and without high grade suspension, which I doubt your proposed rental bikes would have, you risk self-castration at best.

I cycle here a bit but only from 0600 to 0800 on Sunday mornings and then only away from the traffic.

Why do you need high grade suspension? Cyclists are supplied with and should use ‘Eyeballs Mk I – sight, for the use of’. You ought to be in a position to see the pothole/grid and avoid it; if you see it too late then just stop pedalling and raise your bottom off the seat.

If you commute 5 days a week then you are doing the same route 10 times a week – 5 one way and five t’other. Why don’t you do the same as an F1 driver? Have you noticed how they take a ‘racing line’ around a circuit? You can do the same on your commute – take the ‘cycling line’! I have about 30 circuits that I ride and countless variations on them and I know which lane I will be in and what position.

Traffic priority – in the UK, priority is given to traffic on the main road but here, traffic entering the main road has priority – be aware of this!

Have you noticed the signs – yellow arrow on a green background? These are ‘shortcuts’ so expect heavy traffic at these points.

That old chestnut – “It’s too hot!”. Walk about 2 kms at your normal pace and you will get hot and sweaty; now cycle the same route at a leisurely 12 kph – how are you feeling? You have got there in half the time and not as sweaty.

All of my extensions since2004 have been done in Bangkok. As far as I know, Arabic and I never worked at the same school.

Go to True Visions

Then in the keyword box, type in 'Tour de France' and it will take you here

TTFN

Can someone explain to me what the fuss is all about? A singer who has not had a hit for many years dies. How does this impact your life? You may have all his records but difference does it make to your life if he is alive or dead? Has anyone on here ever met him?

Police record? I think I still have a copy of 'Message in a Bottle' on a 45

The cases of fraudulent degrees resulting in prison sentences for foreigners have, in the years I've been here. made the newspapers. Strange how there is no media information on this particular case. Until there is then I'm going to take that one with a pinch of salt.

I was only reporting what I was told. You say "The cases of fraudulent degrees..."; now are you talking about all cases, some cases, the majority of cases, the minority of cases? Are you privvy to some information that we mere mortals do not have? Are you sure that all cases made the papers?

For those who are interested, the charge was fraud. Now, why are you interested?

Looking at the time span involved, they knew after May last year. It is surprising that we have not heard more about this.

Think about it, they knew after May last year, and have only arrested 2 people so far. Surely there are others on the list who must have done an extension before now.

Only two arrested, where did you hear that? I said in a previous post "We were told that there are 58 cases at the moment, the latest one was tried on Friday..." How many farangs are teaching in Thailand and how many of those are active members on this forum? Teachers sometimes do a 'runner', some wait until they have been paid and some do not! Has anyone disappeared lately from your school? I am not suggesting that they have been arrested but...

I have not seen the names on the list because it is none of my business and, to be brutally honest, the only case that I am interested in is mine!

The rumour was, a couple years back, that one of the fake degree mills had been 'busted' and their client list (through the cert copies themselves of course) was in the hands of the police.

The names of the clients are not that important! In my opinion, the names that 'they' are interested are the ones who signed the degrees. 'D B Cooper' (I don't know if they used that name) could not possibly have been the dean of Liverpool University. the Redneck University of Podunk, Wagga Wagga University and countless others in the same year, could he?

How are the arresting them and where? Is it a case of when you go to Immigration they lift you, or are they picking you up at home, which would be easier and quicker. If it was at Immigration, then it must be when they reapply for visas, are some still using the fake degrees to get a visa and Work permit? Must be difficult lifting you in the Immigration department with all those people there as well. Must be simpler to go to your residence and arrest you, or even take your passport and make sure you cannot leave Thailand.

I can only speak about what happened to me.

My wife went to pick up my passport after its final approval for this year's extension or so we thought. She went in the morning and was told to go back at 2 o'clock. I had a phone call at home telling me that I had to go, in person, to Immigration to sign some papers. The Immigration lady who phoned me also phoned my wife. On arrival we were told that the official dealing with our case was busy and just wait. A chap appeared after about 30 minutes and ushered us to the lift, he told my wife that he was with Immigration Police and he thought that it was a case of misidentification - nothing suspicious so far, is there?

I was interviewed on the 5th floor of the main building and shown the evidence and I could not deny that the person they were interested in was me. I was told to wait in the corridor and after a small wait, another policeman wanted to interview me in his office so we went with him. His office was in the Immigration Police building next door. I was interviewed and fingerprinted and by this time it was after 5 o'clock and the courts were shut for the day so i was taken to the detention centre. Unfortunately, the next day was a holiday so I had to spend the day in there; I eventually went to court on Wednesday afternoon. If I was arrested earlier in the day then maybe my first court appearance would have been the same day.

Immigration knew about me last year but only after my last extension was approved so they waited until this year's extension. Is it easier to arrest people at home? It may be in some cases but think of the manpower hours that could be wasted, may involve multiple visits to your house to eventually find you in; your wife/partner may tip you off.

I am retired so it appears that if people have used fakes in the past and are now on either a marriage extension or retirement one, you are still at risk.

I think the ban started coming in from about 1995 on some airlines. Smokers are not the only ones complaining about the ban. Airframe fitters used to look for the nicotine stains on the outside of the fuselage to check for pinhole leaks.

I have often thought of wet-leasing an aircraft for smokers and the first run would have been BKK-MAN but I think that I would have difficulty getting it crewed.

I normally reserve my Sundays for longer rides as there is less traffic on the road but my wife had arranged a visit to a wat for this morning. No wind today and the forecast was good but I managed to do a quick 25kms. I was just throwing a cup of tea down my neck when she said "Hippo, there's something I have to tell you but I did not tell you last night as you would worry about it!" She told me that I have to go to Immigration and have my fingerprints taken. Now, I was really worried! They have my prints - could it be a ploy to get me down there and lock me up again? The policeman dealing with my case was on duty today so off we went after we visited the temple. Did he really want my prints? Yes - the prints I gave on my first visit there were smudged and I had not signed them. On my way home, I breathed a sigh of relief!

Some posters on here doubt my story and think that the list is a fairy tale. Neither my wife nor I have asked who is on the list because, frankly, it's none of our business - the only name that we are interested in is mine. Why haven't others posted on here? What percentage of teachers on Thailand are members of this forum? How many others would post their story on here?

We were told that there are 58 cases at the moment, the latest one was tried on Friday. No name was mentioned but he did tell us that the fake came from the University of Liverpool, the owner of it is in his mid to late 50s and has a child less than 12 months old - he was sentenced to 3 months in prison.

What no bamboo wheels?

That link doesn't work.

Try this one

But back on topic.... Mr. Hippo..... What's the latest word? Any good news???

Still waiting for my passport - will know in a few days and as soon as I do then so will you!

Are they trying to catch more people now that times are a bit harder, another nice little money spinner

I committed an offence and was prosecuted, just because I am retired does not nullify the offence does it?

Interesting. I disagree on all four of your points, but we can agree to disagree. I guess collecting stamps, reading the newspaper and repairing the walker are higher priority pursuits (no offense to Mr. Hippo) than expanding the mind and keeping it ticking, meeting interesting people, and learning new things. #3 you're completely off. There are several affordable international programs in Thailand. I know a few over 60 year olds studying here, and they seem to enjoy it very much. Better than cruising Cowboy every night. To each his own.

I lead a full and active life, my main interest is cycling. Due to the hot season, I limit myself to a max distance of about 60lms/day and I am out most days. This month's stats so far - distance 608.37kms, % days ridden this month - 81.25%, projected monthly target - 1140.69kms, shortest ride this month - 39.3kms, longest - 67.35, average daily distance this month - 46.8kms, year to date - 5799.22.

I meet many fascinating people on my travels - high ranking military officers, architects, doctors, the list is endless!

Soi Cowboy - where's that? Yes, I do know where it is but neither Mrs Hippo nor I drink and we lead a quiet and simple life, content in each other's company.

Ram Intra/KhuBon Road heading towards Minburi - 19 minutes.

Lat Phrao101 onto Lat Phrao Road - 16 minutes

For those who are interested, I have found a shop selling folders using Dahon Licence Technology -DLT

The shop is in Suan Siam Road - from Ram Intra Road, turn into Suan Siam Road and the shop is in the last block before Siam Park; about 700 metres from the juction with Ram Intra. From Sei Thai Road - about 1.5kms, go past Siam Park and it's the first block on the right.

The brand is Yeah! and are cheaper than Dahons.Yeah! bicycles