Donald Bright

There are none worse than the Americans for Bastardizing the English language and with social media it gets picked up around the world quickly. My most annoying example is the ROUT you take to get from point A to point B and not the ROUTE which is to DEFEAT. Some 50 odd years ago in America there was a TV show called "Rout 66", so they did actually English back then until some idiot thought it should be changed.

Unfortunately pruning trees in Thailand consists of hacking them to pieces with a machete, i have seen it dozens of times. Not once have i seen a chain saw used and the trees pruned correctly.

It is possible to live off the pension in Australia but only if you own your own home/unit. If you have to rent it will cost you around A$2400- per month for a reasonable 2bedroom property and that is your whole pension gone in one foul swoop with nothing left to live on. I imagine the Brits would be in a similar situation, where as a good rental here you can get for A$250/$300- per month and have money left over at the end of the month. It is far cheaper to live in Thailand than it is in Aus. Just taking a beer as an example, in Perth, WA it costs $9-50 for a schooner of beer, which is around 200bht, the same here is around 70bht depending on where you live in Thailand. I used to go out for a pub meal on a Friday night which would cost me $35- with a drink which would be 770bht here. I could take my Thai wife and father out for dinner here for that amount. Which ever country you come from affordability depends a lot on whether or not you own your own home as a pensioner.

Hi KhunLA, I tried bringing up the two links of some of your photos last night but in both instances i got a message saying - Page not found. I will keep on trying but no luck so far. To make things even worse i tried to find the camera you have mentioned on Facebook marketplace but for some unknown and hopefully see tephotos on the links that you sent reason, i am only getting FB marketplace in Perth Aus. My wife who is far better than me with mobile phones and technology could not find it either. I am not in any hurry for this gear, so it will give me time to look around and hopefully get into the links you sent to me with photos. I hate to admit it but i am a dummy with computers. I can build a house but i am on basics with computers.

Thank you first for all the good info. My past experience with the camera over the past 20yrs has been with a Canon pocket camera with a built in adjustable lens, but not near good enough for birding. I was advised back in AUS, to go for a camera with a cropped body as you have also recommended whatever make of camera i go for. 35Kbht would be my max and cheaper if i could get it for good 2nd hand. Do you know if there are any places in Thailand that sell second hand cameras. Best wishes, Don.

On a recent three month trip (Medical) back to Aus i joined the local camera club out of boredom and to see what i could learn, as i am over 80 and i have outlived all the mates i grew up and knocked around with. Anyway i found it interesting in what constituted Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in photographic competitions and how to crop photos and other things. I have been a bird lover ( the feathered type ) all my life, so i was interested in birding and photography but could not afford the camera and lens kits that the pro's had. After telling them that i lived in Thailand a couple of them suggested that i look for someone selling their gear or the second hand market in Thailand as it was generally cheaper than Aus. Some of my mates here have said i am too old to start this but i don't think anyone is too old to start a new pastime as it gives one an interest and is good brain food. So i would be interested in hearing from anyone who has good photographic equipment for sale that is no longer used, EG; Canon CLSR and or lens.or equivalent. Any advice on improving photography would also be appreciated. Before any of the moderators tell me i am on the wrong forum and toss me off, i tried the buy &sell forum and could not get anywhere with it, i think it is the worst forum in Thailand to try and navigate, I especially chose the Pattaya forum because i like it and i think there would be more expats in Pattaya than any other rural city forum in Thailand. I hope there are a few camera people out there or ex. If anyone wishes to email me i give the Asean Now office staff the OK to give out my email. I would give it here but i don't think the rules allow it. Will do so if i am wrong. Thanking those in advance, Don.

There are no polar bears in Antarctica, only in the Arctic.

Around 32 years ago in Victoria, Australia, the public feeling about court penalties being too small, that the then state government took out a full page add in the largest newspaper, suggesting various increased penalties, asking the public to tick their preferred choice and return the page by post. The response was absolutely enormous with almost 95% of choices going for the maximum penalties. However the most amazing thing about the questionnaire, was that over 50% of the returns also had written in on the pedifile question that the guilty person should also be automatically castrated. It was the most amazing response any government received in Australia. They did say that although they would like to include the castration request, they could not.

Is there not anyone in Phitsanuloc that reads this forum.

Several years ago in the local market a Thai woman walked past wearing a 3/4 length knitted jacket an down the back it had in big print, I LOVE TO FxCK, only there was a U instead of an x. I said to my wife " look at that", to which she did and simply said to me "up to she". I said my wife should tell the woman but my wife said no, it was none of her business and it may be true anyway.

I'm not sure it would make a lot of difference with the Chinese because before they started coming to Thailand on holiday en mass, Chinese business people came over here and bought hotels, bus companies, souvenir shops and they all come on Chinese airlines so all the money goes back to China and the Thais get zilch. Japan did this with Queensland in Australia some 25yrs ago and all the money was going back to Japan until the Aussies started being so rude to the Japanese that they did not want to come, problem solved, but of coarse with Thailand being a so called province of China that would never happen. they will just keep on deluding themselves that they are making billions in profit.

That;s why i only use NakhonchaiAir busline. Even Buriram - Bangkok 6hours they change bus drivers half way. I used them to go from Buriram - Chiagmai a few years ago and they had two changes of drivers on that trip. They also serve a meal on the bus. Air con and toilet on board. Have been using them for 14yrs.

In future i will be going to the Naresuan University Hospital in Phitsanuloc for treatment and because of the distance traveled each time i will be staying in a hotel overnight. Can anyone tell me if there is a hotel close to the hospital. Thank you in advance. Don.

It just occurred to me that when i eventually go to Phitsanuloc i will have to stay overnight because of the distance. Do you know if there is a hotel close to the hospital. Tanks, Don.

I googled Bevacizumad and it is Avastin, so if i get to the stage where i need it, it will have to be done in Thailand As it is not accepted in Aus by the TGA for some reason. I sent an email to the doctor that you go and explained where i was at with ARMD and asked for an appointment in June but have not had any reply. I will be back in Thailand 18/3/25 so if i still have not had a reply by then i will try phoning the hospital to see if i can talk to him. I have had no problem getting replies from other hospitals, so it should not be a problem here. Cheers, Don.

I have met Abhisit and although he was born and raised in Newcastle he does not have any twang of a Gordie, he speaks perfect Queens English. The Thais need to accept that there is only one international language and that is English, if for no other reason than to improve business relations.

I am in Aus at he moment but will be back in March. After reading your comments i have already sent an email to the hospital and Dr. Kanin to get an appointment in June. Which name injection are you getting, at 5000bht per injection, it sounds like Avastin. The company that makes Avastin (Cancer Drug) will not make an application for it as an injection in Aus for Wet ARMD because the application process would cost them millions and it only retails for A$50-. If it is Avastin it looks like the Thai government has done the right thing by the Thai people in keeping the prices down, which benefits us as well. Cheers, Don.

I am not yet to the stage of having injections but very interested in your price of 5000 baht per injection. I am also from Aus and when i asked the price of injections from my eye specialist in Aus i was quoted $1200-per injection with $1100- rebate from Medicare, so the cost is only $100-, but to get them for 5000baht here is a great price, so i will check it out. Thank you. Do you have a contact at Narsuan University that i can phone or email.

I was diagnosed with DRY AMD 14yrs ago and although it has progressed some over that time it has not yet reached the WET stage and hope fully won't for a few more years. With the onset of WET AMD one has to start having injections which can be quite expensive. Expense wise one needs to check out different eye hospitals for comparisons. I have three monthly tests done and the 4000bht cost is comparable to back home. However when i compared the cost of the injections the prices differed considerably. Eye hospitals in Bangkok were charging between 80,000/100,000 per injection, where as the Khon Kaen eye hospital which has a great reputation, where i go, charges 25,000bht per injection which again is on par with what it would cost me back home if i needed them. So If you are diagnosed with AMD you need to check out first a good eye hospital with good service and second one where you are not going to be ripped off. I used to go to the Buriram government hospital until the head Ophthalmologist was promoted to a bigger hospital and was replaced with a female who can speak English but refuses to and only speaks in Thai to my wife. I did not take too kindly to this and told her to shove everything where the sun don't shine and started going to Khon Kaen where they speak good English and treatment is good. I hope this helps some people somewhere along the line.

Traveled once on a mini bus and the guy was such a bad driver that i asked him to stop and got out then got a taxi to MorChit bus station and got a regular bus home. That was 14 yrs ago. Since then i have traveled by bus to many places around Thailand but only use Nakhonchai Air. They are by far the best and biggest bus company in Thailand and they change drivers once or twice on all their long trips so that the drivers do not get tired. On a trip i did from Buriram to Chiang Mai they changed drivers two times. I have no problems using them. They also serve a meal on the bus, so they don't have to pull in at some noodle place like the other buses do. Clean toilet on board and air conditioned. For those who want to travel by bus, i highly recommend them.

Blue books have been mentioned. Blue books are for Thai's, Yellow books are for expats who qualify for them. I have had a retirement visa for 14yrs, + a yellow book and pink ID card. Never had any problems.

I am a newby so please bare with me. I tried to list this question last week in the Bangkok forum but could not find it afterwards. I obviously did something wrong, so second try. Question; My supplier of Gammon Pork has died, so i am now trying to find out where i can buy Gammon Pork in Bangkok. I particularly want gammon pork because i make my own ham with it. Thank You in advance.

Just a newby. Posed this question in the wrong Forum before, hope i am in the Bangkok forum now. I am trying to find where i can buy Gammon pork in Bangkok. I used to buy 4kg cuts form my supplier, but he is now deceased so i have to find a new source. Can anyone help me please.

This forum just pooped up in my emails one day so being a new member i did not know there were different forums of ASEAN NOW, so can you tell me how i get to the Bangkok forum, please.

Does anyone know if Gammon Pork is available in Bangkok. I used to buy in 4kg lots but my supplier died and i don't know where he got his supplies. Thanking you in advance, Don.