Woof999

That looks like one of the Emperor House designs. I'm literally about to do something similar, although much lesser scale (err much lesser), although on quite a sizeable plot of land. Would love to follow the journey.

I see what you did there.

To be fair, if an elderly, handicapped woman is also pregnant she should get a free limo.

...and 90% of prisoners not in prison!

Thai Smile no longer exist. They've been merged back into the parent Thai Airways.

One of them most definitely starts with B.

5 sick days in the first month and a bit of employment... sorry but I'd probably fire you too, legitimate or not.

Gotya, that makes sense.

A new equivalent pump is only 2500 baht and you're dwelling on a fix even after you know the associated pipework might be under strain? I know we need to watch our pennies at times, but wouldn't a like for like replacement be the simplest (and perhaps cheapest even over the short term) solution?

Don't have a direct answer to your question, but I might be moving soon and have some decent, new, home gym equipment that I don't really want to take with me (Smith machine, treadmill and exercise bike) if that's an option for you and you have the space. . Wont post any more info about it right now as I believe I need mods approval.

Pattaya is too far away (with non-developed areas in between) from Bangkok to be considered a part of it, whether Metropolitan or Satellite. There are also areas between Bangkok and Pattaya that are definitely not part of the wider Bangkok area (such as ChonBuri, Si Racha and Laem Chabang). The wider Pattaya area (Bang Lamung I would say) would certainly beat quite a few on your list in terms of size, infrastructure, population and income.

I used to visit the larger Tesco here at least a couple of times per month to see what they had in the "Falang" food aisle. Sometimes there were biscuits, sauces etc that I'd not seen for years and I'd buy loads. Since Tesco departed I've probably been to Lotus'''''s''s maybe twice in total? The wife knows what to buy from their selections so no point me being there.

74 year old relative. What would that be on the beer goggles scale? 10,000? Sick anyway.

WTF? Stop the planet please, I need to get off.

From the (admittedly very few) instances that I've heard of, the love for the "beloved car" quickly vanished when either the cost (shipping fees but especially import taxes) were considered. I also believe that, at least at some point, imported cars (permanently) must essentially be brand new, so difficult for them to have accumulated too much love in the first place.

I'm confused as to why some people are confused. Nothing confusing about that.

Blimey. Whatever it was that flew out of the black pickup, if previously alive, probably isn't now. The moped rider waiting at the junction was lucky as hell.

Absolutely. Was about to write that legal or not, it's bloody dangerous.

I'd love for the age of criminal responsibility to be linked to the age of intellectual maturity, but in these wonderful parts that might put someone into old age. Whatever the age is, if someone commits a serious crime under that age, their parents should face the penalties due as if they had committed the crime themselves. That should be the case anywhere, not just in Thailand. About time that parents started parenting.

Would love to help but have no idea what you mean by a grid.

Before now, with a large basket of shopping, if someone blatantly cut in front of me and the cashier saw it and thought nothing of it, I've just left my basket right there on the floor, frozen goods and all, and walked out.

Enough for it to bug me. I'd say perhaps 3 or 4 times per month - guesstimate.

Happens often and it's frustrating but I'm starting to learn to just ignore it. What does grind my gears though (and it seems to happen in 7-11 so so often), is that I'm being served on the till by one member of staff and all they have left to do is give me my change. Then the person on the till next to them has a problem, so the person serving me immediately hops over to help them for a couple of minutes until that customer (usually Thai) is done, and then comes back to me for the 5 seconds needed to give me my change.

In that case I guess it was a Special Planetary Operation.

I'd also recommend Pattaya Sports Hub. It's on Soi Buakhouw on the opposite side to Cheap Charlies, about 50 yards or so further down, almost opposite Pattaya City Hospital. Kitchen is owned by the same guy that owns Cheap Charlies. Food is more upmarket though and surroundings better.