JerM_6

I don't accept the more favourable statistics at all.

The survey is far to small to be of any accuracy or consequence. Equally, question your own experience of Thais' reading. I have never seen a Thai person carry a book let alone read one. I am not including students with coursebooks. Rather, persons with novels. Never seen it.

I've never seen a Thai read in a waiting room. Remember that such places including public offices have TVs showing whatever happens to be the day time programming. Unbelievable. How can any one concentrate in order to perform their job?

Then there is the quality of reading. That is not mentioned. Does it include staring at a bus ticket? It must include those comic books seen and carried everywhere.

Even the newsagents, book shops stock trash below the level of the European air port novel.

The '8 lines' remains acceptable in my eyes. The Thais remain an ill educated or uneducated superstitious people, backward in understanding and incapable of critical thinking. Whereas with many nations it is possible to find a common ground by way of arts, dance, music, painting or literature, with Thais it is not. Culturally bereft and intellectually challenged they are and will remain. This is partly due to being without conscience, morals or responsibilty. They have an education system that allows cheating and fails no one. That makes grading pointless.

The outcome? An illiterate people, incapable of speaking a second language, the second language and unable to write or read their own accurately.

Lottery numbers found on the hides of monitor lizards and a national newspaper that endorses such rubbish.

What do you expect?

I have seen 2.. 3 wheel motor tricycles here in Thailand, but not the 2 wheels at the front type

NEW Peugeot-hybrid3-evolution

why would anyone desire to own a tiny weeny toy....

when you can have a batman auto like the one below....

There are some of us that like the small soi bikes just for getting around town. Pure convenience in a packed community. I have an old classic Honda Gyro scooter that weighs 60 kilos, as thin as any scooter on the road and goes like a "bat out of hel_l" up to 40 km. I'm here in TH 10 years having gone through bikes, cars, condos and girls etc. I can speak good enough to get around and have been to every conceivable motorcycle shop in Pattaya area looking for a shop that can maintain this bike. Does any body out there in the Pattaya area know of a decent shop that can help me maintain this fun toy. 49cc/2 cycle, centrifuge clutch/single speed, electric start, leading link front end. I've had bikes of all sizes and this is the most fun one ever.

I don't know him but you may want to post in the Pattaya forum. Near Foodland on Pattaya Klang is a computer center, PCD I think. The place in Tuk com is Pattaya 2 U, never a hard sell, they speak computer English ok.

His name is "Nalong" and the shop DCO is across from AA Ins. on Pattaya Klang. Three minutes from Carefour and five minutes from Foodland walking. He is my "save my butt tech" for the last five years. He speaks good English and tells it straight and honest. He is a hardware and software guy, can get many things and has some stock. Tel. 038360351, [email protected]. I'd be lost without him in my world.

[quoNo name tag = no food and drinks!

te name=Buckwheat' date='2007-04-24 13:17:01' post='1267789]

I noticed the name tag will effect the ability to indulge. Good Idea of course but I never modified my avatar for such a device. I guess I may be just "Kuhn Default", perfect!!

Here is the latest update of the confirmations to date.

If you are listed and have revised your plans and cannot attend, please let us know. If you intend to come but are NOT listed, please sign up again below.

And as a reminder, this party is sponsored by Thai Visa for Thai Visa members and a spouse, friend etc.

For example, new members signing up +5 and current members with + 2 or +3 guests unfortunately cannot be accomodated. If everyone were to do that, there would be in excess of 400 people already.

As admin has already stated;

No name tag = no food and drinks!

We look forward to meeting ALL members, both old and new but please help us keep the attendance limited to Thai Visa members.

sniperteam6

donna

markr +1

markg +1

thaigerd +1

yaimar +1

starkey_rich +1

stuandchris +1

KDF +1

Pardoon

JiaJia +1

Borracho

Crouton

Bazmlb

DanBlack

Phuketdiver

BigSnake

Mrjlh

Pupik

Aussietraveller +1

JerM_6

skellaz

Chantal

Buckwheat

slackula

phuketrichard +1

geoffphuket +1

smartecosse +1

garysdth +1

gunter vanpamel +1

keestha

ozymandious +1

N47HAN +1

waexpat +1

soandso +1

Lotusbluete +1

puketparadise +1

khall64au +1

boomboombus +1

Baan Kik

ned kelly

begsaresponse

mamanoodle

Potato

yaimar +1

surfline +1

RIZLA+1

Larsbo +1

marcher +1

pgrin +1

Ausladyinpatong +1

baabaabobo +1

Lithobid

Looking forward to seeing you all there!!!

I noticed I had never chosen an Avatar untill it was accoiated with free food and beer. I wonder if my nametag will be of "Kuhn Defualt". See ya all there.

INVITATION TO PHUKET BBQ Party

You are cordially invited to the ThaiVisa BBQ party at The Green Man, (1 kilometre west of Chalong Roundabout) 82/15 Moo 4, Patak Road, Rawai, Phuket (map attached) on Saturday, 12 May 2007 at 7.00PM until late.

For your eating and drinking pleasure, we have:

- Buckwheats famous Mesquite smoked BBQ Ribs and a variety of snacks.

- Free local Beer

- Thaivisa T-shirt lucky draw

Come and enjoy some BBQ and “meet the faces” behind the avatars!

Please sign up here as soon as possible so we get a good idea of the numbers of attendees for catering purposes.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Welcome!

Thaivisa.com Administration @ The Green Man

Map to The Green Man:

Hope I did this right. Yes this sounds good. I have never been to Phuket. Any lodging reasonable that can be suggested by the locals there?

I am on the last 90 days of my retirement visa. I had heard originally that a check of the bank book was to take place 90 days after (first sign in). Now I hear it is 90 days previous in the bank. I am already past that requirment. Am I supposed to go back to a tourist visa for 90 days for the bank time to pass? That may be reviewed on an individual basis in my/others circustance but that will remain to be seen. I have always had good luck with immigration. I'm sure there are many that have this same problem. It is one of those little "catch 22's" that put the requirement before the notification.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THEY WANT ALL OF US OUT. COME TO THINK OF IT, THINGS AIN'T SO BAD BACK HOME IN THE U.S.A. THAT I WOULD WANT TO TRADE MY RIGHTS AND PRIVLEDGES BACK HOME FOR NO RIGHTS AND NO PRIVLEGES HERE.

I've been thinking about this lately. I'm Australian but have lived in the Philippines for 3 years and 1 year in Thailand.

What are the real advantages, apart from it being cheap, of living in Thailand once the novelty of the girls wears off (when you finally realize they are just after your money) and you become exhausted by the unrelenting heat.

Comparing Thailand with USA and Australia:

There are better beaches back at home.

It's cleaner back at home.

They speak English.

The food is better with more choices.

The infrastructure is more reliable and better: Electricity, Internet, Cable TV.

Better cinema (I'm comparing with Pattaya, where I can watch only 1, or if lucky 2 new English movies per week).

I even believe they're friendlier back at home (Australia). I know they call this the LOS, but from my experience, that's nonsense. Even the Philippines is MUCH friendlier and welcoming. I can stay for a year without leaving. That requires 6 x 30 minute visits to the local Immigration Office and under 9000 baht for the year.

Speaking for myself, the only advantage of living in Thailand (over Australia) is the price.

Have I be living in Asia too long? What have I missed?

When they start making it difficult to stay I really start thinking of getting back home, or at least moving back to the Philippines. I've even been considering Malaysia as an alternative.