stickman

It is related to the fracas that broke out earlier in the evening with a lively dispute between two foreign bar owners, each which have bars opposite each other. Glasses were thrown, punches were thrown and some very, very nasty threats were made.

I assume the police closed things up to try and cool things down.

A guy had this procedure done two weeks ago in Chiang Mai. the cost was 400,000 baht.

What happens with the dowry (sin sot) and engagement gifts (kong mun) is written into the law.

My understanding is that if you get engaged and then she does something seriously wrong which makes you choose not to get married (i.e. she sleeps around after engagement) then she is legally obliged to return whatever was given at the engagement ceremony to you. In some villages the shame of such is considered so bad that the women may be asked to return two times the value of what was given.

If after the engagement the gentleman decides he does not want to go through with the marriage he does NOT have to give anything more but she may keep what was given at the engagement ceremony. He has no right to ask for its return.

If the guy does something bad after the engagement but before the wedding that convinces the woman she does not want to marry him then she may keep the items given at engagement. If however it is something small, such as he looked at her in a funny way, then that would not be sufficient reason for her to call off the wedding and keep everything given to that point.

From what I can make out of your original message, she wants you to pay her something for the fact that the wedding is not going to happen. There is NO LEGAL OBLIGATION to do so and she is simply trying it on!

If they are legally married and she is sleeping around, he should use that angle against her. If it can be proven that one's wife is sleeping around (proof in a Thai court in this instance usually means photographic proof or a statement by a policeman who opened the door and saw the participants in a bedroom in a state of undress) then he can file for divorce AND look at suing all parties her were sleeping with his wife. He does not actually need to file, but the lawyer's threats of such will usually get these people out of the scene quickly AND will allow him to get what he wants in terms of a divorce agreement. This is a very common ploy used by Thai lawyers in cases where the wife is sharing her bed with other men.

I know this may be a strange post but does anyone know a girl fom Vientiane Laos her name is Layla,she hangs around koh san road and sukhumvit a bit.Its fairly important I get in touch with her.

Cheers Bazz

He's not too fussy then, will only accept Expat Package. I'll assume that a local plus is no good for him either.

Think he may be in for a long wait.

That was my impression too. Only wants an expat package? Hmmm, someone ought to tell him that streets are not where expats are usually recruited from...

If he is a native English speaker and can put together one set of clean clothes he could get a job teaching English right away. It might only be a few hundred baht an hour but if you were genuinely in need of work, SURELY that is an option, if just to get you through the tough times? And some schools would pay you by the day if you were desperate.

I feel sorry for this guy, but perhaps he is not quite as desperate as he makes out?

I like Zanotti a lot on Soi Sala Daeng, one of the best Italian restaurants in Bangkok.

A lot of foreigners have a perception that restaurants in hotels are not that good. This might be true outside of Thailand but in Bangkok some of the best restaurants are actually in hotels - so don't be out off by the idea of hotel dining.

the guy probably just needs a place to stay and someone who can get him a job teaching english (Stickman are you there?). if we can start a collection pool, put me down for 100 baht. for all we know, he probably has a book of poems or songs in his back pocket. who knows what magical things he has seen during his journey.

He'll need at least one fresh set of clothes, a haircut, a shave and no doubt a real good shower if he wants to get a teaching job... When you are down on our luck, teaching is the easiest option.

-Golden Eye 007 (Nintendo 64)

-a special dedicace to Duke Nukem (on PC Windows... old stuff, it was a great shoot multiplayers game, on the network after.... work)

-and far away in my memory : Boulder Dash, Prince of Persia on... COMMODORE 64.

Boulder Dash and Boulder Dash: Rockford's Riot on the Commodore 64 would both be hard to beat!

1 AM sharp at most places. Even some of the so called "late night venues" are being forced closed at that time - which may well put them out of business.

Strictly speaking, if you have any conviction that is considered a serious crime in Thailand and / or you spent time in prison in another country, you're not allowed to enter Thailand - but as we all know, there are many, many foreign nationals here with previous convictions.

I think the best thing to do is to play it down and don't mention it to anyone! If Immigration are informed of it then they are bound to act on the information. Loose links sink ships so keep any errors of a wayward past to yourself and with a bit of luck you'll be ok.

Eating out in Pattaya is cheaper for sure. I would have thought drinking is cheaper in Pattaya but then I do know Pattaya better than I know Patong. I also believe apartment rentals are cheaper in Pattaya. If costs are your primary concern, sounds like a no-brainer - Pattaya is cheaper.

My guess would be 30 by the end of May and 28 by the end of the year...

Livingstone's or Tenderloins, both in Sukhumvit Soi 33, do a good steak for within your budget.

I would agree that Scoozi offers decent pizza and is for me, the pic of the outlets that deliver. I used to like Pizzanotti but Scoozi is, to my taste, better. I bet some of the better Italian restaurants in town also do some great pizzas.

Thailand has a strange effect on Westerners and many do things in Thailand they would not do at home. Drink driving carries a major social stigma in the West these days and I wonder if you would have ridden while under the limit back home?

I know it is not you - many Westerners with vehicles drive while totally wasted here. I just can't understand why anyone would do that when the cost of ALL forms of public transport is so ridiculously cheap.

When you accepted payment from him you and him would both have filed a form, almost certainly in Thai. On that form - perhaps a hand-written sheet of paper - it would have said things to the effect that the financial consideration you received was for damages and that no party would take any further action and the situation would be deemed closed.

I don't think you would have a hope of pursuing further damages when you have already settled on damages.

I think you should have negotiated a larger amount at the police station.

The cost of a wedding ceremony is usually covered by the cash given in envelopes by guests, so there is seldom a real or significant cost in the ceremony itself.

Costume hire in Thailand is cheap. Many wedding / photography studios do deals where they photograph you before the event and at the event as well as hire you the wedding gown and what not. Deals vary but for sure, you can get a very nice package for about 40,000 baht. You could pay much more - or a bit less.

Rings are much the same the world over. It is to be expected that you will buy a decent ring.

That leaves the sin sot. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of paying it, be upfront about it. Offer it as a goodwill gesture with the proviso that it will be returned immediately after the event. If they scoff at this, I would run.

There have been some irresponsible pieces written about that side of life in Thailand, but for sure, this is the worst I have seen.

What I found grating was the way they kept saying they had spent 2 weeks in Thailand - and clearly they found out nothing and simply recited a load of bullsxxt.

Honestly, the people behind this report should be sacked - and even that would be being kind!

Here's a regularly updated list of free wifi spots in Bangkok with MANY in Sukhumvit and Silom.

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/wifi/Thaila...InternetWiFi.ht

Apparantly that guy has been begging in Bangkok for years and is making a good living.

He is the Dutch beggar, lives in Wireless Rd. in one of those lovely new condos, he has a passion for fine port and wines of which his collection is the envy of Bkk's polite society, every other weekend whilst not begging he enjoys nothing more then a day at the races where he is the most frivolous spendfree jester on the circuit.

Backpackers i sh1t em!

I think you'll find he lives on Onut, actually.

Hi, we are staying in BKK on our last night in Thailand (end of April) and we have been recommened to vist the Tawandang brew house aka Beer German on Rama 3rd road. Does anyone know of a good hotel nearby.

Many thanks. M

It's an excellent venue with a great atmosphere. The nearest reasonable hotel would be the Forum Park Hotel in Chan Road, perhaps 1 km away.

I am 45 and considering my options regarding retirement. I hope to to retire in Pattaya or Chiang mai. I have total assets of $700,000 of that about 85% equities 12% bonds 3% cash. These pay an annual income of about $30,000.

Any self funded retirees happy to tell me if this a comfortable position from which to retire?

Bearing in mind I will have to pay for visa runs probably to Malaysia every 3 months.

Currently I have the option of working which obviously means I will have more assets if I retire at a later date.

I know you were not asking about investment info, but you're currently making a very low return on your assets. You could put your money into a New Zealand bank, for example, which is totally safe and earn 8.5%, about twice what you're currently earning. OK, you're then subject to exchange rate fluctuations and the NZ dollar moves around a fair bit... But for sure, your return on your assets should be much better than what you are currently earning.

Personally, I think I would get bored if I retired at your age, but we're all different.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Hey guys!

The US $ is now officially listed at BHT29.5 ! What the hel_l is going on? Last month it was listed at BHT30.5, and it seems to be declining further!

The time has come to SERIOUSLY think about packing the bags and heading home!

That rate is only if your sending money back to America. Still almost identical rate as July 07. A little less than a baht.

i don't know anyone in Thailand sending money they made here home. Sure would like to figure out that trick! When it crashes at about 15 baht maybe i will consider going back to a country working on a recession.

Still a way better bargain here!!!!!

Just did a check and actually the USD gets you 2.4 baht less today than July 2007, meaning a difference of about 7%. If you were on a fixed income as many retirees are and you lost 7% of your income and then factored in increased prices due to inflation as well as increasing oil prices then maybe you too would start to feel the pain that many with US dollar denominated pensions / investments are.

i just can't see myself spending 7 million baht for a 65m2 shoebox. Isn't this a third world country? i guess many of you are willing to do just that or the prices would be lower.

It's a difficult situation because upon making comparison with other major centres, Bangkok properties do indeed seem cheap. It is when you actually look at the property, the quality of the materials used and the workmanship and the way some are managed that you start to scratch your head. Then when you factor in the uncertainty which surrounds any major purchase in Thailand and the fact that the Thai property market doesn't necessarily always follow the principles of other property markets that one gets more nervous.

I have always felt that property in Bangkok is a decent purchase if you plan to live in the property for a long time. But if you wish to invest, or are not sure what your future holds, then perhaps renting is a better option.

Barn Klang Nam. It is on Rama 3 Soi 14, right at the end. Really big portions of food. From downtown, say Silom or Sukhumvit, it is not that hard to get to as Rama 3 itself seldom has traffic congestion.