DirkGently

My wife too. She used to do it long ago, but has now, thankfully, stopped. I have noticed she spends less time burning sticks and offering things to the multitude of statues she has. I think/hope as time has gone on she relies on less of that nonsense and more on the real world.

There isn't a prayer that has ever brought a single tangible thing. Only hard work does that.

There is a quality 'outdoor' shop in gaysorn. Bought my missus a North Face coat.

I am surprised that you feel that you get more stares around the lower Suk areas. By that I am not saying your wrong, I'm just surprised.

I have always thought it was like carrying a tree in a forest. I notice it more when we are out in the sticks with Thais stopping what they are doing just to stare. It seems not to bother my wife, but it winds me up. As for westeners staring that tends to happen when there is a family. The wife tends to point it out to the husband. Sour grapes? I don't know.

A couple of times stick out in my mind. My wife went to visit my family when they stayed at the Amari Atrium ( I was at work) and the guard wouldn't allow her to take the lift unless she left her ID card. She called my dad and he came down and tore strips off the staff. my wife was well received the next time.

We were in the pool at the Landmark waiting for my parents to join us and some British skank made some comments. I asked my wife to order me a drink, so she was out of earshot. I informed these rather tubby Welsh girls of a few facts and they kept very quiet after that.

But seriously, I find the Thais WAAAAAAAAAAY more judgemental and prone to slack jaw staring.

However, nothing, and I do mean nothing, beats the stares and hushed comments of walking about with a 10 year old. Her neices stay with us when school breaks up for holidays. One in particular will grab my hand when confronted with crowds or busy roads. I dare say she doesn't see much of that upcountry. As we entered the skytrain at 5.30 ish one day one of the girls held on to me and I noticed several Thais smiling at the girls and giving me aproving glances, the girls are very happy when they stay as it is a time of good food, new clothes and trips out, and it must show. At the same time I saw a middle age western lady nudge her friend and glance at her husband. All 3 turned and glared at me as if I had been caught doing something very untoward. Now THAT feels uncomfortable.

But when push comes to shove I really don't care.

Taxexile, if the staff at Gullivers said they were not paid for your order then they were not paid for your order. Trust me I know. Your friends may have forgotten.

As for the OP, don't fret about it. Go back in and make some nonsense excuse (as this is tolerated in Thailand) about a 'misunderstanding' or that you were ill that night. Pay the bill and leave a tip. Done. Forget about it, but avoid the place in the future.

Don't get to freaked out abouth this looming threat from Thais. I had an 'issue' on cowboy one night. I ordered a Smirinoff cocktail and was presented with something like battery acid. I complained very politely and they took liberties. So I screwed the money up and dumped it in the drink and dumped the........well! lets just say I'm not welcome there anymore. The bouncers gave me a bit of a stare, but I just shrugged. I have sat across from said bar several times. On the first occasion or so one of the doormen swaggered about a bit. I just ignored him and that was that.

This has been a very good read for me. My wife is 34 and we have been mulling the idea of some traveling before settleing down and having a kid. To be fair I am not bothered either way if I have children or not, but I feel it is wrong to deny a woman her chance to have children. Before I cop any "you aren't father material then" nonsense. We had a pregnancy.....Hmmm!....what to call it?....'scare', a year or so ago and I found myself looking at baby things in Tesco with contented resignation. That is why we are here afterall.

However, I am aware of the problems of having children later in life, so my question is this. Can tests be done to confirm all is well before the abortion deadline? I would want to know if we were going to have a normal child. Sbk's downs syndrome facts spooked me a little. I wouldn't want a spastic or anything.

Put simply. Thais do not wish to hear ANY opinion from non-Thais. It does not matter if the idea is better or not. They are too caught up in pride and ignorance to listen.

A prime example is the recent debacle over the EU offering to aid a free and fair election here. It was reported to the public that the EU want to control Thailand, and from there they sink into false pride about having never being colonised. Any grasp of history would shake that free.

A pressure group from nasty evil farangs that only seek to control Thais and take over Thailand (yes! thats what they think) would be a waste of time and possibly counterproductive. If you ask for one thing they will give another. Yes! Thais are really that dumb.

Must be a joke!

Shame we can't do this in the UK. Deporting thosands of parasites each week would be way forward.

I'm an On Nut resident that has also searched (in vain) for bars around On Nut. I tried The Toby Jug, that has, bizzarly,been called 'cozy' on this thread.

Whilst I found the barman friendly and talkative, it was all down hill from there. The bar was ice cold and brightly lit as I entered and a confusing plastic menu was thrust into my hand. The beer choice was Tiger or Tiger, so I chose Tiger. To be fair the owner advised me to choose a pitcher over a pint.

My custom is to choose the cheapest, simplest item on the menu in a new place. If they get it right then a full meal should be good. Sadly the reality at The Toby Jug was miles away. I ordered a Chip Buttie (English chips) and enquired about the bread. I was told it came with 'farmhouse' style bread and thick cut chips. My food arrived with 2 slices of white bread, from those insipid 7-11 loaves and a chilled butter pack, at the same time as a few square cut fries. I asked for some HP sauce and was told it was 20 baht extra. I said "don't worry about it!" and did without. I also had to do without quality ketchup and vinagar with flavour. I will never eat there again.

It seemed to me that the bar was popular with Thais. I say this because there was a group of young Thai men eating at a table opposite. Naturally their mobile phones were ringing every few seconds.

It's good to try new places, but I can't imagine a reason why I would try that bar again.

I bet he wishes he was a policeman from Kanchanaburi now. Better yet, the son of an 'influential' politician. He'd be back home by now if he was.

It seems to me that you can claim 3 things in court. Guilty. Not Guilty and Wealthy. (2 and 3 are the same)

There is NO jutice in Thailand.

Nasty, but quick by the sound of it. A really bad day to be stuck there dying slowly.

Exactly where are we talking about? I know the zebra crossing on the corner close to Toni Romas which is a game of chance at the best of times, or did he hop the wire central devide?

As for the reporter, well i'd like to smash them in the eye for some of the stuff they do here. I was once distressed to see on the news a crash where a huge lorry had hit 2 boys that were on a motobike. All you could see was the top of 2 crushed heads. The reporter zoomed in on the bike's registration plate. Imagine finding out that was your kid in that way. I fume when I see smashed bodies being passed of as news, most of all in a country that censors smoke and guns in what passes for nightly entertainment.

My wife was shocked when she saw her first 'page 3' (ask a Brit), but doesn't put down her spoon when she flicks across murder victims.

With Thais I feel it is a case of 'small things amuse small minds'.

The one truth I live by is, never eat anything bigger than your own head.

I feel that all will become clear when I find some, genuinly, blue food.

Phew! I'll have to re-read some of that advice and work it out, but thanks all the same.

I agree my reference to the Hotmail advert didn't make as much sense as I hoped. I didn't actually Want to play it. What i meant was when you check your Hotmail there are usually adverts playing (new phones, car insurance and such like), but all I get is a Q with a ? in the middle.

I'll get on to changing my default to VLAN, but just in case somebody who doesn't have a clue is reading this, would somebody like to post information as how to do so.

I can hardy distinguish between magic and technology, but give me a set of spanners and I'm your man.

I have enjoyed reading this thread. It has a different feel to threads on the 'blokes' side.

I noticed that 2 or 3 stories contain dogs being some sort of go between. Could this not be a case of a seemingly ordinary event beig recalled after the death of a loved one. The event then takes on some kind of importance.

Consider this. Many years ago as the cold winter nights drew in and I couldn't afford heating i would add an extra thick duvet to my bed. At the time I had a dog that was very impulsive and one morning he came into my room on one of his nightly patrols and he was obviously startled to see a difference in my bedding. He leapt on to my bed and attacked my sleeping form under the duvet. Imagine being woken p like that.

Now, If later that morning I received some dreadful news, would it be normal to attach some importance to that strange event.

Not that it matters. When we finally find out it will be to late to tell anybody.

I hope I'm not intruding. If I promise to put the seat down, can I pop round again.

The thing that stands out in my mind, is this. On any of those half-witted comedy shows that consist of 4 men, one of whom must be dressed as woman, the audiance consists of students that range from 14ish upto 19ish year old uni students. Now here's the thing. They are ALL laughing at the SAME time.

Things I found funny at 14 would have seemd purile as I reached adulthood.

What is that all about?

Thanks for that Richard. I agree it is good, but I already have it. Is quicktime the default player on Macs? If not, can it be dumped?

It is really bugging me as I just checked my email only to find that it wouldn't play the advert on the Hotmail page. Just a blank 'Q' and the dreaded question mark.

Any ideas?

Thanks Dekka, but I have already tried and I am certain that all is updated. My internet connection is pretty good for downloads/uploads etc. The problem seems to be with Quicktime, or, as it would appear from what you say, with me.

The latest error, in fact the one that prompted my OP, came about while trying to download something from the jokes page here on TV.

I should maybe point out that this is my first Mac and I won't claim to know everything.

Ruddy computers.

I have noticed on many occasions that when I try to watch videos with Quicktime on my Macbook it seems to download for a few seconds then a question mark appears in the middle of the 'Q'......and then nothing.

This happens when attempting to watch videos on the joke section of TV, it has also happened when I attempt to watch videos on a certain popular video site amongst others.

I have made 100% certain that everything is updated and the very same videos work on my PC.

So is there something I don't know about the compatability of Quicktime and Mac or is it better to do away with Quicktime?

Thanks in advance.

I would like to add something to my recent post. Whilst ladies are far finer tuned into their world, they are also much better at deluding themselves. It seems that so many people see 'stuff', but the lack of proof speaks loudly.

There really isn't anything 'else'. We just like to think there is.

I'd say that it's true.

I would suggest that it is due to your heightened awareness. The same talent that detects the slightest tone in my voice when I 're-arrange' the truth.

Black Books.

All englishmen over 14 must practice archery on a Sunday. It's true I tells ya!

The numbers depress me, but fail to surprise me.

Apart from the crappy weather one only has to glimpse the BBC to see why.

Africans lying dead in the streets of London with guts full of heroin. An 11 year old boy shot dead in the street by another kid. Islamic terrorists ranting on the streets. Polish migrants flooding in while the gov lie about the numbers. Asylum seekers being given houses while English families doss down in damp flats. The one party that seeks to stop the rot is branded extreme and racist.

At least we still have tea and Corrie.

Very sad indeed.

I feel that the number of Speedo's bought by German tourists and discarded into Berlin hospital bins after they have been removed by a surgeon, will keep the planet on an even course.

I have seen rats big enough for a saddle around the On Nut food stands. What can one expect when the floor is covered in food.

Let's move the topic inside where there should be fewer critters. I saw a couple of small rats, or big mice, in Big C food hall.

How does one tell between a small rat and a large mouse?

Good to hear from you WeHo. Where have you been? Did you earn a Mod funded holiday per chance?