billythehat

Summat else to consider when taking a jump from a portable charger pack - essentially a stand-alone HD battery with some beefy leads. When the engine is off, the battery will discharge. The rate of discharge depends on the residual engine-off loads and the self-discharge characteristics of the battery. On most car lead acid batteries a residual current of at least 2.5v must be present for a successful boost from the charger pack. If the battery is suspect, better to invest in a new one than risk getting Somchai’d on a dark road at night...

Dunno if you can get these in Lalaland but these 'Pepper Spray Key Chains' from the UK would seem to be the ticket. 15 sprays from a cartridge and discreet too...can't post the link otherwise I might get bearded..easy to find on any search engine though..

Good on 'em for being proactive, meanwhile...

"The plan to dispatch rice to needy Haitians came after criticisms that the Thai government's earlier decision to donate US$20,000 to Haiti was too little, but Mr. Thepthai explained that the donation of US$20,000 in relief aid was only initial assistance."

(Source – Royal Thai Embassy 19/01/2010)

Really? A whole $20k?...mmm...Not too surprising as Cambodia had offered more only a few days earlier...

"Cambodia donates $50,000 for quake-stricken Haiti"

(Source – Chinaview 16/01/2010)

Er, hang on Guv, isn't Thaksin 'resting up' over in Cambodia?...mmm...

37 year old prositute? Yeah, our comrade musta been well charlied when he called her down.

Will this put her off her chosen career?

Probably not. Just another day at the zoo.

>>30-million-baht to build a rooftop food court.

I wonder if it will be fitted out with teak and imported granite at this price?

Yeah, 30m seems about right.

Gifts in kind + fingers in the till = 28m

Cost of build = 2m

Anybody wanna flip a coin as to whether Somchai the Engineer has done the calculations to check that the existing roof structure will take the new dead and imposed loadings?

....mmmm...only 28.2 grams of coke...yeah, right, Somchai...

Hard to see why Xanax and Valium are on that list as these can be bought over the counter as ‘prescription’ items in Lalaland. No need to put yourself above the radar by associating with Somchai the dealer. Better still, don’t do drugs in LLL.

There are two issues here, each related to the other.

The high price of tuk-tuks which is enforced by the mafia. this does not affect must of us as we are not short stay tourists, though, it would be nice to have a good public transport system.

The other issue is the thuggish and outrageous behaviour of tuk-tuk drivers who think (and to all intents and purposes, think correctly) that they are untouchable. This DOES affect us. They get away with the second issue BECAUSE of the first issue.

Change the first and you'll change the second. I also don't see anything happening soon, but all this cobblers about not having the right to complain because it's not our country is bollux.

Following this logic, you can only complain about anything when you happen to be in your own country.

Tourists have bought a product (a holiday) they are perfectly within their rights to complain if that product doesn't come up to expectations.

How do you think the Bravo documentary team latched onto the fact of jet-ski rip-offs? From complaints. Finally, an attempt was made to do something about it

Exactly. Good post, Guv.

I think for a lot of people an expensive Merc isn't particularly important. That's the whole point of leaving countries like England, where you need things like expensive cars to make you feel better about your miserable existence. I think a lot of people would rather ride a scooter to the beach or to a restaurant for breakfast than drive a Merc to work in the rain, which is what people are having to do in the UK, well after retirement age, to make ends meet.

It comes down to the over all quality of life, which for me is ten times better here than the UK, even if a few cut backs on luxury items have to be made. Well done to the OP for starting a positive thread for once. Thankfully the people who want to reply normally, out number the ones that want to be negative the first chance they get. They're the biggest thing wrong with this place

I couldn’t disagree with you more. Every sentence is riddled with clichés, humbug and dismissive piffle. Why anybody can’t just be honest about why they come to Lalaland – period and just have to justify and then justify some more, the reasons for coming or being there is really the biggest joke. Me? I go for some winter sun, the lass’s (being the most colossal pervert ) and a good party. The rest you are all quite welcome to and would never deign to part you from.

I arrive for my ‘fix’ on the 23^rd, so Melly Kitmah and yoo all hab happii noo year na khrap.

Hic,

Billy.

Consider the current battlefield position by analogy:

Both sides are equally ignorant and galactically stupid.

One side has muscle only by virtue of numbers, but this is offset by most of this side being drunk or asleep.

The other side, whilst having the spines of jellyfish, do possess quite obscene amounts of cash.

Enter the referee who goes by the 'nom de plume' of Policeman, fore it is he whose collection box must be filled to overflowing...

My money's on the team with the really big cash...

“To the millions of.....”

Yeah right. Listen oop, chuckles, given that one has enough to get by, most folk’s own country’s are great places to retire to.

“found hanged to death”

Incorrect wording and rather insensitive statement. “hanged to death” is redundant, viz, “starved to death” “strangled to death.” Fortunately, the author was correct in saying “hanged” and not “hung.” Having had a family member die in a similar way, I can understand what his remaining family member’s must be going through.

Does anybody know if the Editor of the PG is a Farang or Somchai? The standard of written English used is generally very poor...

You get one way DPC's also Billy..

I doubt there are much used here but seen them used in the west.

Maybe there is such a product and I would be interested to know how it functions, given that damp proof course products are designed for the purpose of barring moisture from one structural element to another – typically in brick/block walls above finished ground level. The stated geotextile membrane layers are designed to be permeable (unwoven types) and this is to allow moisture to pass through, but not the fines to be found in sand and concrete blinding layers – Note; these are not DPC’s. As a consequence these may be applied at differing formation layers and not necessarily directly under a slab. Should you be referring to vapour control or gas membranes, these have an explicit use and are used within the superstructure and not in foundations. As a side note, I don’t think the standard of building in Lalaland is any worse than in any other 3^rd world country so basically, Caveat Emptor...

How would you know that a DPC one way permeable layer had been put under a concrete base back to front ??

X-Ray vision ??

Permeable DPC? A 'damp proof course' is what it is. Polythene may be used under a slab to stop the concrete fines leeching into the sub-base elements. Perhaps you meant Geotextile Membrane, the various types of which fulfil different functions depending on ground conditions. General observations of the superstructure (above ground works) should reveal any deficient practices within the sub-structure elements. Inspection of concrete condition, spalling, sufficient cover to reinforcement, etc, will also reveal the standard of construction. Do this before embarking on costly ground investigation. Personally, I would start with (should they even exist) the drawings to see what was specified for the form of construction and that the drawings are of 'As Built' status. Thai site supervision takes the form of instructions from the blind delivered to the deaf, so good luck to anybody embarking on such a venture. Finally, rent, don't buy.

charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything.

You're probably new in thailand, defending thais at all cost is not gonna work.

Those 'poor' thais do always find a lot of money to buy themselves some leo beer or chang beer even if their kids are starving

Aye, true enough

....mmmm...perhaps our 'Teutonic vitreous china fanatic' is missing out on a business opportunity here...Lalaland's first "Colon Spa" on the Andaman Coast...I wonder what he writes on his postcards home?

some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental

Beats me why these lass’s always insist that “yoo hab take showhar first”...seems a wee bit counter-productive to me if their ‘old badger’ isn’t in tip-top condition first...mmmmm....it'll be that pesky racism again...

].....mmmmm...the facts aren’t exactly clear here...so, Watson, I would ‘suggest’ that the travelling companion may have been one of those ‘Yanky’ fellow’s, which may or may not account for the dollars. As to the Euro’s...mmm...puff, puff, why not just bring Pounds Sterling, which is still the current tender in England?...mmm, Watson, I fear all is not what it seems...quick, fetch the coaches, the game is afoot...

If you are not already in Patong, buy ya togs in Bangkok first – cheaper too mutt.

Probably more sizes too from ‘widdle Somchai’ up to ‘Farang Utang’.

Crivvens, a fine selection of quality camel’s toe.

Mind you, and it may just be the beer goggles, but don’t ya think that lass No. MBO9 could pass as a Thai?

Sharkfins too.

.....mmmm...with pasta shells and sauce, fresh salad and garlic bread, all washed down with a nice Chianti...

On January 1st 1998, METRO Group acquired the European Cash and Carry business of SHV Makro, in which METRO Group already held a 40% stake.

METRO Group is one of Europe's biggest trading groups with outlets in 24 countries. The group comprises of five divisions, which include the cash and carry division of Metro Cash and Carry GmbH.

The cash and carry business (established in Germany in 1964) is the biggest division and currently has 416 outlets in 24 countries operating under the Metro and Makro trade names. METRO Group is listed on the Frankfurt/Main and Dusseldorf stock exchanges.

Its the assumption that 'we can afford it' and that assumption is re-enforced by plane loads of tourists arriving weekly throwing thier holiday money around. Its a case and effect issue when you live in a tourist economy of a country that doesnt have equal treatment for all people under law.

But what we seem to miss talking about the treatment of Caucasians as racist is that Thais are in general pretty racist, they are not even shy about it.. They havent reached the stage where racial prejudice and ignorance is considered a bad thing..

.....mmmm...this would appear to be a fair summation to this thread. Mr LOS tells of the treatment meeted out to his mates, and I can concur that it certainly wears ya down after a while, ocassionaly bordering on resentment, aye, a time to go and a time to leave..

You are completely missing the point HooHoo. Different prices for the colour of your skin is WRONG.

Firstly I must say, I find it very amusing if not slightly sad, that people think they are going to upset me somehow by miss spelling my forum name, so far this month I've been HooHoo, BooHoo, HooWoo and WooWoo, it pretty much sums up the mentality of the people concerned.

Will you please explain to me how the white owner of a yoga place is being racist, when he charges another white person a different amount to Thai people? As I said before, I'm fairly sure it's not possible to be racist toward someone of the same race as you. If I'm wrong please explain how. Using the phrase ' colour of skin' is also seriously flawed, because, other Asian tourists get charged the farang price yet are the same colour!

I simply WILL not tolerate double pricing and always vote with my feet.

Dual pricing is here to stay, so if you are truly going to vote with your feet I'll happily call you a taxi to the airport

Wrong or right, dual pricing does not stem from a contempt or feelings of superiority toward people from another race,so by definition IS NOT RACIST.

Quite so, DoctorHoo, but if one has been to Lalaland a few times it will not have escaped notice that the Thai love of products that will lighten (whiten) their skin is big business...’cos hab light skin bootifall ka’...dunno if it works as I’m a ‘White Honky Mick’ myself. Makes me wonder what sort of deal Michael Jackson would have got at Honest Somchai’s souvenir emporium, as he was, er, erm..?

The old duck flogging sliced watermelons and mangoes at the entrance to Soi Andaman Square.

10 Baht per portion to Thai – 20 Baht to the evil farang. So incensed by this blatant ‘misunderstanding’ I almost set the hounds on the woman. Be careful if you partake in one the ‘ice-smoothies’ though, as the ice may be made from tap water. I tried one once and about 2 hours later I was pebble-dashing the vitreous china for a couple days.

I would concur that this too may have been another misunderstanding and my failure to grasp my hosts’ sense of humour in such matters.

Don't worry about me mate. If I was ever going to become bitter and twisted it wouldn't be because of an internet forum. I enter this forum in a good mood and I always leave in a good mood, regardless of who's said what. I've got to be honest with you though mate, 'Billythehat' does that thing where you don't write proper English but write with an accent, but he manages to be amusing occasionally as well. When you do it, it's a little annoying to say the least and hard to know what you're talking about. Just in case what you have to say is interesting, (dubious) it might be a good idea to write in English, so we can follow it. It would save me a few minutes on the spell check as well.

Yeh, yeh, me no unnerstan wot yoo hab say falung but me no hab popem wiff wot yoo hab say....yoo buy me cola preeze?

About 9 years ago, when I first came to Phuket, I asked the owner of the guest house where I staying about why I was being overcharged for summut or other. He very diplomatically informed me that what had occurred may have just been a 'misunderstanding'...heh, heh, yep, fresh meat, so I was then. I also remember another wee gem he told me when, being somewhat green, I asked him how I would know if my beau from the bar was lying. 'Son,' he smiled, 'she'll just be moving her lips!'

I'd be a wee bit cautious of that 'young' Mr Brown if I were you as he claims to still be a bit of a good sprinter. Whether that's true when last orders are called or when it's his round, have yet to be confirmed.