HAPPYNUFF

Does anyone know just what those people who sit in tents on the side of the road are supposed to do.. Check drivers? check vehicles?, offer traffic advice?. I have never seen another driver pull over into one. Out of curiosity, yesterday I did just that, stopped right out front. The four guys there just sat, one even stopped playing on his phone and looked up at me, rather confused. I got out of my car and spoke, in my rather limited Thai, and asked them were they busy?. "No, why? " was the answer. I drove off, none the wiser.

A Chinese/Thai family near us, very wealthy, naturally, have a son learning to be an airline pilot. Nice kid really, but cant speak a word of English. Through my wife I tried to explain to him that not only must he learn to speak that language, but be proficient in it, as it is the International language in the airline industry. His reply, ",,not interested, Thai is best language."...I read the other week there are some 600 qualified Thai pilots unemployed in this country..That was before the virus put many more out of work. Oh well, I suppose he will join them, when hes finished his training.

250 handpicked Senators were asked their opinion, surprisingly, each and everyone voted for the guy with the long nose ( while looking over their shoulder to make sure it was safe).

Ive been trying that Chang Cold Brew beer. Very nice drop with a malt flavour, but jesus wept does it get my stomach going the next day, unlike regular Chang or Leo. I'll be brave though, and persevere.

This fools intellect and forward thinking never ceases to amaze me, Im not sure whether the word to describe him is stupendous or stupid.

Tell her, Ok Somchai, I''ll live by your customs and wai, your boss can live by my customs and shake hands. Respect is something that is to be earned, and without offence to your wife, I have yet to come across any government worker here that gets respect from me.. Now that attitude is one that has come about by observing how government workers here treat the common man and woman, as if they are superior in some way.. I admire the Thai worker, doing their best to survive in a country living in the past.

Im not really interested in a persons religion, race, skin colour, hair style, dress sense or anything else. What I am interested in, and react to, is their attitude, and behaviour. If they cannot behave as a sensible decent human, I react accordingly, and treat them as they deserve, in a like manner. How often have all of us suffered some fool of a shop assistant, taxi driver, public servant, etc, no matter what that persons background or nationality.

They may have never developed anything, but they certainly have perfected corruption, amongst a few other little nasties.

I mean, really, under the current situation here, the mans the perfect choice, a fool with a loose mouth, just what Thailand needs to carry on the road to disaster.

Living in everlasting hope that I will, one day, find another bottle of Bushmills Irish whisky, as I did once, long ago here,,, and as a bonus a bottle of decent wine, without the "fruit juice added" sign on the label.

"Boss, not many guests at hotel" ""Ok, Somchai, go outside and change sign, put prices up"

I say release the poor man, just loan me his rifle, and give him a 100 metres start.

I have no problem with being referred to as "farang" in Thailand. How else can they speak about us , "that dumb sod" "that r/sole" ,,"that thing"????... I read once, and damn well forgot to mark it for future use, that the word "farang" came from the days of the crusades, when Europeans headed east to save the "holy land" from the infidels. (?) and it referred to the thought that these invaders were Frank, or Frankish, as a large part of western Europe then was called., the term gradually altered to" "farangsi",, "falang", "farang" and different pronunciations. It is/was in common use, in its various forms, throughout the Asian area I read... Noting now Thais in particurlar mispronounce many English sounding words,, (mower si...,,motor cycle) (satar...star) etc.. Frank/Frankish easily becomes farang... Who cares, call me what you want, just dont call me late for breakfast, and its your buy, Somchai.

And just who was it said that life was cheap in Thailand. A dollar is a dollar.

Gee , those 6 million Poms that the Thais said were going to come here will be disappointed.

The government admits tourism accounted for up to 20 % of Thailands GDP, yet they want to change the model, without any real idea how to go about it, or if it will even be a success. When I was young(er), seedy and cheap was good fun, but I am a bit picky now, and Thailand certainly needs a bloody good spring clean if they hope to attract quality (read RICH) tourists. I can just imagine Mr and Mrs Loaded, walking down a main street here, falling into holes in the footpath, dodging motor cyclists on the same path, street vendors blocking the way, Soi dogs chasing them, dodging bundles of electricty wires hanging from lopsided posts, getting scammed by taxi drivers and vendors, and going back to their country telling all and sundry what a wonderful time they had..NOT

ChCI, I am positively thrilled, delighted and chuffed that you have placed me amongst the elite of this world by obviously sighting me walking through the lobby of Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Evason hotels etc, on my way to using the toilet facilities, after dining at the roadside stall outside. Did you like my eccentric attire, flip flops, Chang T shirt and football shorts too. Of course all the staff at these premises assume I am just another oddball filthy rich tourist who stays at their establishment. Who am I a poor cheap charlie, to enlighten them??

Kwasaki. I checked with the wife re sending your dog. No Post Office doesnt accept live animals. By bus or train from your area to ours would mean going to Bangkok from you, then up to Korat to us. Dogs not permitted on buses we were told. On a train would need to be caged, b ut no guarantee safe transfer at Bangkok. Wife and I love dogs, they keep us poor but happy, have 5 in total. Sorry cant help. Do not look pup in the eyes, he is taking that as a threat and is scared. If you stare at a large dog he takes that as a challenge and may attack. Look away or at his feet when you approach him and talk softly. Do not stare directly at him.

There are lies, damn lies, and statistics. . All can be manipulated to give whatever answer one wants. In Australia , there is always outcries as to the number of "black deaths in custody". That being police or prisons. I submitted a paper on this topic that actually reversed previous statistics. Obviously there was a difference in addressing the subject.. I also recall the incident where a family, of three if I recall, was beaten by a retarded Thai national in Hua Hin some time ago. I wonder how much of a scream that caused in the U.K., and how horriffed Thais were???

We have adopted three dogs that were abandoned by neighbours when they moved (rent must have been due). Each was the usual starving, skinny, mistreated poor thing. Each of them took some time to trust us. Just be patient. Each of ours have now turned into happy, friendly dogs. Excellent guard dogs, but do not chase m/cycles or people. Pity you live so far away, or I would happily take the little bloke off your hands, we are in north east Nakhon Nowhere..

I find that I have very little conversation with Thais, especially if Im quoted some outlandish price for something. . I just walk away. Why bother even haggling with a thief? If my wife wants to buy something, I get her to ask the price, she may haggle if she wants, but if I consider the price is ridiculous, I just collect her and walk away. I dont mind paying for quality or good workmanship, both of which are rather scarce in this country. I fear these people will never change, corruption is just inbred in them, together with their ridiculous sense of superiority in such a little poor country.

Well, Ive just had the pilot warm up my Lear Jet, and the Captain prepare the ocean going launch. The wife and I sat and discussed where to go this year on our wheeler dealer, big spending holiday., Visa, Mastercard, Amex , Diners cards all packed and ready as well. We decided somewhere upmarket, clean, safe, good infrastructure, hospitable, friendly people. So Sorry, Thailand didnt even get a mention.

Im told that those of officer rank in the Thai Police receive some training at an academy of some sort, but does anyone know what, if any training the lower ranks receive., . I have one cop live near me, his sole duty seems to be driving his superior around the area, and hes certainly not the brightest light in the house to talk to. Maybe their failure to do anything is simply because they dont know anything about road or traffic laws.

Some years ago, my aunt, now retired, was the credit manager of a 5 star hotel, with hotels world wide beginning with the letter" H".. One afternoon I was at the hotel, talking with her, when I noticed two attractive young women sitting in the foyer area, looking bored. I commented in a joking manner to my aunt," your guests looked like their not happy" "Oh" my aunt replied "their not staying here, their a couple of prostitutes waiting for business"... I was rather surprised at this somewhat casual comment considering this was/is a 5 star hotel with a reputation to maintain, but my aunt went on to explain they cater to international business men, who often request the services of female companionship, so the hotel doesnt object to looking the other way, so to speak , to the women being present, and "on display".

I must say, generally I have received very professional service at those hotels I have stayed in, in Thailand. However, I still recall one particular hotel I had booked , for my wife and I on line, while we were still living overseas. This is a well known hotel here, with hotels in several locations. As I had booked one of those "package tours" those days, the deal included breakfast for both of us. We arrived at the hotel around 11pm, things were quiet at the check in desk, and the night manager, a young guy, was very busy, talking to a female on the phone, as my wife told me, as she could hear him. We were treated in a cursory fashion, arrival cards tossed at us, passport grabbed, photocopied, with one hand, the other still clutching his phone, room keys tossed at us,, so off we went to our room. We stayed at this particular hotel 5 days, ordering room service for breakfast each day, and giving the maid or waiter a good tip each morning, ,however, on checking out I was presented with a bill for some 2000 baht, and told this was for our breakfast. I explained our booking had included breakfast, and was told we should have attended at the restaurant each AM for breakfast, not have it via room service. I realise now, this is the norm, but those distant days I wasnt aware of that requirement, and now also know I should have been advised of that by the duty night manager, or given dockets/tickets, for breakfast. I also asked what was the difference whether we ate in our room, or the restaurant, but payment was still demanded. I refused. the manager, a Thai female then spoke to me in a most contemptuous manner, and merely glared at my wife, assuming I suppose, she was a one night stand bar girl, and was told the police would be called. I told them good, get a lot of them because Im not giving you one baht and gave her a return look of contempt, We walked out.. Last time we ever gave our custom to that hotel chain. I realise this was partly due to my lack of knowledge of hotel procedure those days, but the manner we were spoken to was uncalled for and I now understand it is a Thai trait to those they consider beneath them, as us farangs seem to be.... Happy now, rant over...