ThaiFelix

Interesting that only 5 days notice was given for the meeting, annoying many members. The timing also seems to coincide with the EC's clearing of MForward party's right to govern. Military always supports military. The rule of the miltary here appears to be coming to an end. I would guess, due to this, there are loads of gem and arms deals etc up in the air that need sorted before its too late. I think its also a way for the generals to show thier support for each other. They may not be in govt anymore but they are still around and have a lot of connections and influence. The border is a cash cow in many ways.

I am speaking here now in general about passport request, not just schools. As most Thais dont understand English having a look at your passport is the easiest way to learn or copy down your full name. As English speakers this is all solved in a couple of sentences 'whats your name?" 'oh ok what can I do for you?'. Easy! And as expats we all tend to carry our passports, copies of, or DL's etc with our name in English. For the school, I find its a Thai thing. From way back when I applied for the job here from my home country, it seemed like every 5 minutes they wanted copies of my passport as well as loads of photos. Every time visa/work permit renewal came up it was more photos and passport copies but like 2 or 3 times as many officially required on the paperwork. It remains a puzzle where they all went but we used to joke that they were sold off on the dark web for sham online dating agencies in Nigeria lol!

No not really. When I was teaching we had fire evacuation drills every year. One time we had an american fruit loop who, even after having a meeting on procedures, thought he was funny by shouting "run!" "run!" when the alarm went off resulting in scores of kindegarden kids falling over each other running down the stairs and 6 or 7 needing medical attention. Dont think he came from a Third World country but the Thais cleaned up after him.

I'm sending a team of 20 Isaan ladies to attack the problem. They feel confident of being able to consume, som tum or pickle most of the bugs within 2 days. There is also a commitee looking at the possibility of the protein being used to overcome the recent problems with school lunches if there are further outbreaks.

I read that and thought it was just another immigration crackdown!????

Thanks for that. As a Tom Hanks fan I dont know how I missed this before. Excellent story and performance by Hanks, Meryl Streep and even Bob Odenkirk. I particularly liked the quote: "The news is the first rough draft of history".

And anyhow women are built shorter so they can stand up in buses, its evolution. ????

I had a girlfriend do the same. Said we were going to one of those Thai cabarets in Silom for dinner. It wasnt till we started out for the restaurant that I noted the followers shadowing us and then being placed at a very large table that I smelt a scam. It was a pleasant evening till the bill came which was quickly run around the table stopping at me. I quietly pulled out my pen, circled what I and my girl had eaten, left that amount plus 20 baht tip on the saucer, and passed it to the next girl at the table. The look on some of those faces! The gf was not exactly trying to rip me off as such, she had always been honest before, but ratherwas trying to show-off about having a farang bf. It backfired....som nom na!

No its not a scam. She had to leave in a hurry because her father took seriously ill and was rushed to hospital. She still wants to stay in the big bed in the big hotel with you but she needs a small 15,000 deposit for the doctors before she can leave the hospital. Then the doctors can save the buffalo dad, Shes asks so kindly if you can pass the deposit through me to her to make sure its all safe! She misses you!

In Thailand never take anything as being country-wide. What works in some areas does not in others. Always check first because in some area no one knows what it is.

You just had to rub it in lol!

We see what we want to see and everything is good.

Who else is going to tend the gardens and wipe their bums?

You are correct but the same thing happens in the west. There was a case, early 90's where the World Bank convinvced Indonesia into investing in hydro electricity without noticing the fine print concerning interest rates and guarrantees that all replacement parts/capital goods etc had to be purchased from certain US companies. Aid is not always aid.

I had cancer of the bladder, twice removed, 3 monthly bladder scope tests for last 2 years. Also severe back problems, spent 2 days in hospital on morphine after collapsing in bathroom. All at local government hospitals. I take my hat off to the doctors and nurses at government hospitals for their excellent service. The price? Not an issue compared to the 5 star hospitals where your bill includes the cost to repaint and recarpet your room plus every cotton bud, tissue and breath of air you took while on the premises.

Rather have tapioca than the porridge we had to endure every day.....gave us boils!

and all the servants believed him? lol!

How do you mange to keep that one eye closed all the time? Are you deaf as well?

Unfortunately the US is blind to the horror and misery it has inflicted in those regions. They still insist they were saving the world lol. Propaganda is an amazing tool.

Very well said.

It was the British and the French who decided Thailand should be a buffer, the Thais had no say. There is also another important factor in why neither France nor Britain wanted to colonise Thailand: it was the dual pricing system! ????

NO! Never admit you can cook or wash dishes and if you are ever coerced into trying, make sure you accidently set fire to the kitchen so you are never asked again! Guys like you spoil it for the rest of us.

Only time in over 30 years here getting severe diarrhoea was from eating mud crab in a 5 star hotel in Pattaya. Cant remember the name of the hotel, maybe thats for the best lol. I never hesitate with ice and water when Im out.

but then you wouldnt be allowed on the site lol!

I was very fortunate to have been brought up in a home where racism was not tolerated in any shape or form. I try to take everybody at face value irregardless of race, colour or religion. I have travelled the world and lived amongst peoples of many walks. But Indians, God please give me strength!!