bobbin

Great book, James.

My first request though, would be to ensure that it is better bound in the next edition. My copy began having pages fall out after only a year or two, and I'm not hard on books.

Your first book "Essential Thai" got me off to a great start!

Over 'ere Woolworths ...remember the song ...the wonders of...etc...have gone bust...(also looks like MFI as well)....Ko Jai...nouwt TIT do with LOS ...

but at least another 35,000 punters on the dole who will prob.be defering their annual visit to the land of the PADS......and rather looks like its gonna get.......wot the word...me thinks.... ....

Huh?

A Latin sig. underneath an incomprhensible English post!

Hope it wasn't anything important!

Jing....

Yellow?

After this airport fiasco?

This will have the same economic impact as a significant act of terrorism......

Just wait for estimate of how much money has been lost...

Tourists effectively held hostage. Airline schedules disrupted on a world-wide basis. Thai tourism image shattered.

40% of Thai population effectively disenfranchised if yellow prevails against elected government.

I'm disappointed if that is what you support, Jing.

This thread is going to the dogs!!!

BigBikeBKK

A nice road report so far tho I think a little unfair to critique Dave's riding skills on the forum. A quiet word would be much better and less "aggresive".

I did follow the lead-up to this trip with interest. I hoped it would go well with all having fun and no untoward incidents.

Five years ago, a group of us in Pattaya decided to ride up to Chiang Mai for Bike Week. We had all gotten together to ride around the Pattaya area and after a couple of local 2 hour+ rides, we decided that going up to CM would be a good adventure. Since we were all local, we were able to organize a "shake out trip" to Ayuudaya to prepare. That went well and we were getting used to each other' riding syle. For the most part, we rode well together.

As the date drew nearer, our group of 15 split on the time-frame for the trip up to CM. Some of us wanted a more leisurely trip and some wanted an "iron butt" experience and do it with only one overnite stop. Our failure to agree caused some hard feelings and we split into 2 camps.

I opted for the 2 overnite stop group. So 7 of us headed out a couple of days earlier. Our trip up went well. Bike Week was fun and never expected to see so many bikes of all types.

On Sunday, the last day, there was a group ride on a loop out into the hinterlands and back to CM. There were hundreds of bikes on this ride. The trip out was great. Police escort out of town. As you can imagine, it did not take long for the hard riding to start. After a gas-up at the halfway point, we set out for "home".

Here is where it went horribly wrong.

As we set out, I would estimate I was in the first hundred or so riders. Not because I was riding so hard but because I left a touch earlier. Almost immediately it was a different ride. I had been riding pretty hard on the way up due to group excitement. But the route back was on smaller, less good roads. Lots of "pebbles" on the tarmac. I backed off a touch. About 10km into the return leg, I came around a bend to see about 30+ bikes parked alongside the road. I thought it strange to stop to sightsee so soon after the gas-up but stopped anyway. This was in the middle of a bunch of S-bends so the view was fantastic over the valleys.

Oh oh. Not sightseeing. Someone had gone off the road. Over the embankment. 100 meters down the slope through light forest. Rescue operation launched. Down the slope slowly. Much confusion. Oh no, the injured rider one of our group of seven. Almost 2 hours to get him up to the road. Although an ambulance had been summoned almost immediately, none had arrived by the time we got our friend up to the road. So we loaded him into a pick-up bed still strapped to the flat base of wood we had strapped him to on the slope before hauling him up to the road. We passed the ambulance on the way back to the little hospital in the town we gassed up in. It was not much of a hospital. More like a first aid station with nurses. An ambulance from CM was called and another 2 hours passes.

It turned out 2 of our group were riding more or less side by side and coming around a bend, had come upon a downed rider in the middle of the road. Those damned "pebbles". They had split left and right to avoid. Our friend who went left had no room and went off the road. It looked like he would have just gone into the bushes but they hid the drop-off.

He was paralyzed from the waist down for life. He had been living and working in Thailand for 18 years at that point. His quality of life since then has been terrible. At least he was fully insured through his work and finances aren't a problem but even so it has been a horrible thing to become fully dependent on others.

This event caused us to seek out the other group of Pattaya riders, who we had not met up with yet. Only to find out that on their blast up to CM, one of them had crashed in the mountains on a curve and a Thai girl riding pillion had been killed.

One killed. One paralyzed.

I stay closer to home now.

I'm just saying that in this part of the world your triumph is slightly underappreciated.

You may be right. I really don't know. But can someone address my question about whether it is strange behavior for Thai people to want to TOUCH the picture of a political leader in a newspaper? This was new to me.

Well Jing, I think you are onto something. If I had dollar for every Thai that made reference to (their) black skin, I would not have to worry about the current exchange rate for my (Canadian) dollar.

I can't help but think that the fact the USA elected a black man will be positive for the many darker-skinned Thais, even if only on a sub-conscious level.

This is an important election on a social level for the whole world.

Having said that, his timing could have been better.

I have been to a some more adult-oriented private parties in Thailand, and at least in that venue, visiting farang women or expats are quite popular. But I admit, that venue may not accurately reflect Thai society at large.

bonobo, you cheeky chimp!

Care to elaborate?

I have observed for many months now, the bashing that my country, the United States of America, has taken on this forum. I have chosen not to reply because although I am angered by the hate filled rhetoric, I also know that is a right of everyone to have and express their opinion. That being said, I have to join in this thread stating my own views on this discussion.

Obama ran a great campaign and is a charismatic personality, so he is to be commended for that, but that's as far as I'm going with the praise for him. How an American majority (and a majority of the rest of the world) can be fooled by the lies and false promises is beyond me. So many facts about him have been overlooked and excused (past associations, radical views and voting record, when he did vote) by the American mainstream media that the advantage just couldn't be overcome by the McCain campaign. He and the democratic party are no doubt moving this country into socialism, admitted by Obama himself, when he said he intended to take from those earning more to those not earning at all, by spreading the wealth. I do not relish the thought of giving those who are capable of earning their own living some of my hard earned money so they don't have to be bothered with working, but if you do, by all means go right ahead and give up yours. Also, this idea of universal health care, who do you think will pay for that? The working class of America, of course. The truth is that even now, no one in America is turned away from hospital care when it is needed, whether they can pay or not. It wasn't that long ago that the Democratic leaders of Congress were testifying that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were doing well and certainly didn't need any more regulatory oversight, just go back and look at the congressional records if you don't believe me.

For all the Bush haters and Anti-Americans, I say to you , <deleted> off, especially you anti-American Americans! I hope all of you are in Thailand now and stay there for the rest of your lives and better yet give up your citizenship, particularly the ones whom have stated that you are for the first time proud of your country (but I feel for Thailand because you are probably the Thai bashers too, you know who you are, the self-righteous, self-professed intellectuals). It seems most of the world loves to blame the USA for all the problems of the world, but I guess that's easier than seeing the truth and accepting responsibility for your own actions.

We in America are not "war mongers" as some of you portray us, Bush is not a "war monger" as so many like to call him, but if you believe that protecting your citizens is the wrong thing to do, then that is probably why most of your countries are no longer able to defend yourselves. I know some will say that going into Iraq was wrong and goes beyond protecting your borders and citizens at home, to you I say, you have no idea of National Security and what it takes in today's world to insure such. Those who claim that it was an oil issue all along, maybe that was a part of it, but if you think that the oil and energy of a country is not a national security issue, then you are ill informed as well as naive. It doesn't take an intellectual to realize how the recent increases in oil prices has negatively affected the entire world.

I was in Iraq and I know how the majority of the people reacted to our being there, it was with open arms and gratitude. What you see on the news cast of protest where instigated by radicals and insurgents, and don't bother arguing with me unless you were there and have your own experience to claim different. What you don't see on the mainstream newscast is all of the positive work that we and the other members of the coalition forces have done in Iraq. I fought alongside British and Polish forces and I didn't hear any of them b**ching and crying about why we were there. Most of them are great guys and gals and I was proud to be associated with them.

It is my sincere hope that the United States of America will continue to be the greatest country on earth and the Leader of the Free World in spite of how this election turned out.

from the manual of a thinking life......

depress neo-con brainwashing

engage brain

there you go

enjoy your time on our planet

In thailand the PAD are scratching their head and wondering why the democrats are celebrating and how Obama can take over the white house. PAD got support from only maybe 1 percents of thai vote and they occupied the government house. BUsh and McCain got millions of voters. Surely no way Obama is going to the white house. In the weeks to come, republicans not happy with the results can surely gather in the white house, live there, cook tomyam and sell cheap t shirt. That is the meaning of democracy and surely there will be no risk of police or military arresting them after all democracy means losers have right to demonstrate and party in the government house

Bangkok post editors and writers will be sayingthe right thing to do for Obama is to go to california or florida to form his government as bush supporters have rights and nobody should use force to retake the white house

Spot on!!!

Time for PAD to take a political lesson. Time for them to act maturely and in the best interests of Thailand. Time to go home. Time to start preparing to win the next election. That's how it's done.

I'm surprised this thread has fallen away with so few follow-ups given the number of posts discussing port-forwarding.

The only other program that does this that I am aware of is not free but sold by the "port forward" website.

However, I've downloaded it and I find that my D-Link 520 router is not among the routers already listed.

Guess I'll have to wait until he adds it (don't reallyt want to go the screen capture route)to try out but sounds like a good idea.

Anyone else trying it ?

to the OP...

If you understood anything about finances, you would not even have to ask the question.

As many posters have told you...there are few if any legal investments without significant risk that will pay you the equivalent return to your credit-card interest rate.

Typical of the type of thinking world-wide that led to the present WWFC.

If you are reading this Libya115, and contemplating a return to your old posting habits (bad news only), please remain retired!

At least kurgen, when he briefly took on the task, sprinkled in the odd "good news" story.

PattayaFox however, is the same as Libya115. All bad news all the time. He should retire also.

In response to previous complaints of mine regarding these "bad news posters", it has been suggested that I take the time to find and post the "good news stories". But my point is, these fellows take on the re-reporting task but filter the news. If they want the "job", why don't they post good and bad news.

Yes, I have done this.

Worked a charm. A definate improvment but not a Corbin.

Baht 300 for both the rider's seat and the pillion. Additional benefit was the extra padding on the pillion made it a better "stop".

Also chose the anti-slip material which does not interfere with the rider repositioning himself while riding but the biggest benefit is for the pillion rider. The original is a smooth material. I'm a (very) infrequent pillion passenger and when I was on my friend's pillion seat, which is original, I was very aware how slippery it was. I felt bad for all the ladies who had ridden on my bike before I had it re-covered.

Hey, could you explain a bit more about what "this" you did please? Sounds like you did more than just add foam.

No, I only added more foam for a more comfortable ride. And chose a better cover material. Both seats.

I am an occasional pillion rider, and basically have to jump up to get there. Thais would have to jump like a kangaroo if the seat were raised. And it is teensy, about half a cheek on either side.

Ah, PB...

First...the ladies are quite adept at stepping over using the passenger peg (not an option for a 75kg+ farang)

Second...if their bottom is much bigger than the pillion seat, they would not be getting on.

Yes, I have done this.

Worked a charm. A definate improvment but not a Corbin.

Baht 300 for both the rider's seat and the pillion. Additional benefit was the extra padding on the pillion made it a better "stop".

Also chose the anti-slip material which does not interfere with the rider repositioning himself while riding but the biggest benefit is for the pillion rider. The original is a smooth material. I'm a (very) infrequent pillion passenger and when I was on my friend's pillion seat, which is original, I was very aware how slippery it was. I felt bad for all the ladies who had ridden on my bike before I had it re-covered.

You really are a very weird person.

Do you have any joy in your life, at all?

Thus speaks the curmudgeon.....

Bendix, have you ever made a post on ThaiVisa that was not snide or condescending?

Snide and/or condescending reply awaited and expected.......

Saw DNS 10 a few days ago in TukCom Pattaya. Copy. 150 Baht.

Need a fairly good computer for it to work well. I have 7 or 8, can't remember. Every newer version requires more processing power.

does anyone know where the garages are in pattaya that still sell 95 benzine and second question is ..has anyone noticed there older bike(big cc) acting different since changing to the 91 benzine ie backfiring or anything else.thanks

Caltex stations.

I'm interested in that deal, Fanta.

But the link says 20kg for 13,000 Baht. Did you make a typo or have they changed the specs?

I've been aware of Thaisupplements for a couple of years now but never interested enough to organize a buying group.

My concern is finding the proper food-grade storage containers for the divided-up protein. It will go "off" if stored too long even in the original container. Happened to me when I left a 5kg. tub (half full) for 13 mos. when I had to go back to Canada.

If 20 kg., then 5kg. each for 4 people or 6.67kg. for 3 people.

Do you have good scales or do we have to go to the bulk rice dealers?

if you are saying that you can d/l the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility but cannot install it, I don't know how(other than re-installing the OS) to get by that catch-22. Sorry.

But.. after Abode reader 8 would not update and could not be removed, I used the utility to zap it. Then installed Reader 9. No problem. This was just last week and was the first time I had used it.

You Brits have have been brainwashed by some having some of the worst print media in the world. Sleazy and sensationalist.

News of the World. The Sun etc..

Leave it there. Don't bring it here.

Easy for you to say, uncle. I see you stay in Phuket and probably enjoy the schadenfreud(sp?) of watching him present a one-sided -bad news- view of our town day after day after day.

If he was inclined to spend way too much time collecting every piece of bad press, no matter how trivial, about Phuket and then filling your Phuket forum with it, I wonder how much you would appreciate "lib".

As a matter of fact, why don't you invite him to do just that. He might do it for a fan but he ignores my every attempt to tell him to <deleted> off and get a life!

I think George has spent too much time listening to suggestions from Bendix while he is channeling Stalin!

Just kidding Mods. Really. Honest.

He's missing? Be grateful for small mercies!

I'm sooo tired of his monopolization of this sub-forum, which would probably not even exist if he did not insist on filling the Pattaya with his incessant "bad news".

Stay away, libya, unless you want to post like a "normal" poster.

Well, I've finally seen the Ninja 250! Went into the Mityon shop at the corner of 3rd road and Pattaya Tai (South).

I have to say that it looks good! Climbed on and settled. With the wide tank and the lower fairing flaring out a bit, it looks/feels like a bigger bike than the Cbr 150.

I liked the black colour but probably would not choose it due to the upkeep to have it shiny all the time. The green colour did not work for me at all. They did not have a red one in the showroom but I think that would be my choice.

But I'm still upset with the price. Too expensive for the upgrade from the Honda. Would still have to say that for a buyer comparing the two machines who does not have an open-ended budget, the Cb5 150 is a smokin' deal. A new pocket sportbike with a fair bit of pep and approximately Baht 90,000 still left in the pocket is the way to go.

However, I'll keep an eye out for someone renting them and happily pay Baht 1000 for a couple of days of fun on the Ninja!