vickersvc10

He sounds like my next door neighbour. Why do some tattooed, middle aged ferang men wander around town shirtless? And why do shops like Foodland, Friendship allow them in? Or am I just a boring, small minded old fart?

Don Mega: why do you say that the Laem Chabang Harbor Mall is a massive flop? Every time I've been there it has been busy.

Songkran anywhere in Pattaya is my idea of Hell, which is why I will be in Australia for its duration. If you are here during the prolonged "festivities" for God's sake don't ride a motorbike. I once saw a mentally subnormal reveller chuck a full bucket of water over a motorcyclist on Beach Road. The result, fortunately, was not death but I wish it had been for the water thrower. Thailand's shortage of water will not have the slightest effect on reducing the chaos and waste of that precious and vital fluid. Rant over!

This ridiculous story of incompetence by the Pattaya BIB made the BBC World radio news at 6PM today. It will be in every newspaper around the world tomorrow. Great publicity for Thailand, I don't think!

Scubascuba3: I disagree! Don't believe everything you read on Google.

Glad BBC is back on Sophon. I think they are using the Malaysian Astro feed because (a) there is a 3 minute time delay and ( many Astro ads are shown in the breaks.

By the way, BBC World is not funded by the long suffering UK tax payers; it is a commercial branch of the corporation funded by ads.

4PM Saturday and BBC is back on Sophon thank goodness.

Thanks I,Claudius but I am doing it of my own free will! Am I certifiable? Truth is I like England and have a nice flat in Brixham. It never freezes there.

Very many thanks for that useful information.

In the not-too-distant future I will be returning to the UK for good after many years in Pattaya. Does anyone know of a good firm which could pack and ship about 400 kilos of my stuff back to England? There is a firm on Sukhumvit between South and Central Roads, but they did not impress me.

I was in the Tops at TukCom this morning and was amazed at the change! When finished it will be twice the size of the original, and much better stocked. I spotted quite a few items that obviously came from the closed Tops.

I will be returning permanently to the UK next summer and would love to make the trip by sea. Does anyone know anything about cargo/passenger ships to the UK from Thailand? I know that it can be done from Port Klaeng in Malaysia, but I haven't been able to get info about ships from Thailand.

Is it true that the excellent TOPS supermarket on Central Road between 2nd Road and Beach Road is closing? I hope not.

U-Tapao to KL is now served 4 times a week each way by Air Asia. For the timetable visit the Air Asia website - duh!

Take it from me, draught Guiness in cans is definitely NOT available in Thailand. Which is a crying shame as it is very good.

I have a similar problem. Close to my house which is near the Buffalo Bar on Third Road there is a disco-type bar which opens at about midnight and often stays that way until 7AM. The boom boom from it penetrates solid concrete, brick walls etc. When the noise becomes unbearable I fit silicon ear plugs; they are very efficient but I don't think they are on sale in Thailand. I buy mine in Penang.

Occasionally, when the noise is very bad, I phone City Hall's Helpline on 1337. They are always sympathetic and get the police to visit the bar. The noise level then fades, but 20 minutes after the police visit it often starts again. TIT!!

I keep reminding myself that if I want a quiet life then I should not live in Pattaya.

I have just learnt that British passport holders will, from 1 July '15, no longer need visas in order to visit Viet Nam for up to 15 days. Good news!

I've just spent an enjoyable week in Ho Chi Minh City (though everyone there still calls it Saigon). I'd say that 95% of the motor cyclists I saw (and I saw thousands) wore crash helmets. Don't the Thais realise that a helmet might save their life?

For a long time I have obtained my one year multi-entry non immigrant visas from Penang. Does anyone know if such visas can be granted in Phnom Penh? If not I shall just stagger down to Penang as usual!

I do not understand why upmarket stores like Foodland and Villa still charge the odd 25, 50 and 75 satangs. I can understand why it is done in the markets where the odd fraction of a baht might make a difference to a Thai on a budget.

I dearly wish that Mix FM 88.50 would return. I loved the fact that it relayed, in FM quality, the BBC World Service news every hour on the hour.

I enjoyed a very good CCC at the Ronan O'Garah pub on Pratumnak Hill this week. Furthermore, they serve draught (or draft if you are from across the Atlantic) Heineken @ B.120 a pint.Guiness is B220 a pint, delicious!

I agree that baht buses are great, but their coverage of Pattaya is very limited. I live on Third Road, which is not a minor soi, and I very rarely see a baht bus going in either direction. When I do see one and hail it the chances are (empty though it is) that it won't stop. TIT!

I think "woos" should read "woes".