gpdjohn

Can anyone tell me if Gauloises brand ciggys are sold in duty free?

My father in law is one of those that was elected yesterday.

He is a Thaksin supporter ( the only one in the family )

Needless to say, he is a happy camper today.

He looks more like 60, not 49.

" You are a man, you're supposed to look"

What my wife says.

The following night we had one of those tropical thunderstorms come through around 0300.

I was awakened when a flash of lightening and the clap of thunder occurred nearly simultaneously, which means it is very, very close. At the same time there was an electrical popping noise, sort of when a breaker switch gets tripped.

Get those all the time as of late and the other day had the same thing. KAAPOW!.. I could hear the air crackling right after, kinda like a sizzle.. could smell it too..

Got my ass of the porch and went back inside and hid under the bed making sure my JD didn't spill and put my hands over my eyes.

It was freaky.

All too often I read about failed relationships between farangs and their Thai partners. Well right now in my little village I am watching a marriage between two Thais fall apart. It isn't pleasant for anyone here as all seem involved one way or another. Everyone is talking about fact and fiction, mostly the latter with all sorts of inflated gossip adding fuel to the fire. Typically Thai the conversations are based on relaying third party information. Why can't these people talk to each other face to face?

Basically the woman has been having an affair with a man from a neighbouring village. The husband found out and started beating her and drinking heavily. The third party is a member of the BIB (stationed elsewhere in Thailand) and as the situation has flared publicly started arriving at the womans house very visibly carrying his service pistol.

Apparently the woman has accepted a large payment from the BIB and has spent a considerable amount of it. The husband is a typical son in law here and basically owns nothing, nor does his family. They have two teenage and one younger child. The wife wishes to keep both relationships going. The husband is not happy but has nowhere else to go. The BIB wants either the woman or the money back.

Result, explosive situation.

Who said life in a rural Thai village was dull?

Isaanaussie

How true.

My cousin is now going through a melt down in his marriage. ( Thai-Thai and have been married for almost 30 yrs) He works at the local prison and she's a teacher. I thought it was wedded bliss, then my uncle told me that she rules him like a puppy dog.

Well, his wife got a call one night at around 3:30 and was informed that she should visit him at work, and that he could be located in a certian bugalow located at the prison that's used for guard housing.. well, she did and lo and behold, he's banging his gik and she caught 'em in the act. A fistfight ensued between the women...cousin's wife get's her ass handed to her on a plate, cousin defends his gik, cousin's wife leaves in tears and blood..follow so far?

Nasty arguments and rumblins from his house over the next few weeks...

Dipstick cousin takes gik out for lunch..seen by all here ( small village where almost everybody knows everybody or is somehow part of the family ) phone calls are made..cousin's wife shows up and clobbers him in the heat with a rock, blood everywhere..his wife scurries home, he goes to the local clinic and gets sewed up.

A few more weeks go by and I hear nothing on the grapevine. Ask my uncle on what's the latest skiddy and he informs me that he was caught again and this time his wife took a pair of sissors and made some holes in him. He survived and gets sewn up again.

He goes back home on his knees a week later begging for forgivness. Within two weeks he is mysteriously severly ill and has to be admitted into the local hospital ( that alone would be a death sentence ) Diagnosis: possible poisioning. ( get a clue fool )

Still with me?

Haven't heard a thing for almsot a month..ask the uncle the sit-rep is and he informs me that the cuz is now staying at the prison, not at home. Another cousin gets a phone call at 3 in the morning from the cousin's ( the player ) wife.. she wants him to go with her out to the prison. He agrees. She shows up with a pistol. He declines. She goes home because she said she was afraid to go alone...( hummm )

( I knew he was a smart one)

Now.. The player has moved out for good and is with his gik. His wife is divorcing him and has taken all his belongings and gotten rid of 'em to include his vehicle. House is now up for sale.

I stay away and have no contact with either party.

Yep..who said life in a small village was boring.

I am sorry you were unable to enter Singapore. I suggest you visit Arizona.

Now why do ya gotta go and pick on my state for...?

Yell and swear like he did at Sky Harbor and he'll end up choking himself to death in a holding cell...

But he will get busted out before that, or someone will leave the door to his cell open during the middle of the night, by accident.

I think he should stay where he is for many years, good enough for the git.

Where are you getting the LSD your taking?

There you go U S A sticking their nose into other parts of the worlds business,

can't see it being to long before them there yankies start a war with Venezuala, looking for wepons of mass destruction of course.

is it me or are the russians the only people on the planet that the U S do not bully ?

I am also wondering how many U S made arms have killed people all around the world

What's a " yankies"? And where is " Venezuala "? Never heard of either one of them before..

Mr. Bout has appeared to have lost considerable weight. I'm sure while he is finishing up his life in ADX Florence, he will be fed much better.

RIP Longfellow. Former US Marine who is a Purple Heart recipient and was in Thailand to recover from his combat injuries.

Normally it is a 2,500 baht fine and probation.<BR>Probation for a farang is normally that you just don't get into any more trouble for some time.<BR>You will be permitted to re-enter Thailand.<BR>Show remorse, be polite and dress to the 9's.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>( from the lips of my uncle who is one of the top dawgs of the Narcotics Control Board..)

Ok Harry..

The advantage of having a OA Retirement is that you do not have to exit the country every ninety days as opposed to any other which will require you to leave Thailand every 90 days, period.

The visa will have to be extented after the first 15 ( ?) months and after every 1 year. Simple as pie. Show the correct amount either in monthly amount ( 65K ) or in a bank account ( 800K) a couple of forms filled out and presto...you're good for another year. Every year after that within 30 days of the expiry date, same same...good for another year. Easy as pie.

I use the monthy amount method, and as an American the worst thing about it is that I have to go to Bangkok to the Embassy and get an "income letter", which is just a form filled out by me stating how much I make every month. Normally a "raise your right hand and swear to it that the amount is true" and your out the door.. ( if you live in Chiang Mai, which I once used to, it seems much more hassle free at the Consulate, less time that is..) Thai Immigration seems to not give too much problem for a O-A extension since the rules are cut and dry..either you make the monthly amount, have the correct amount in the bank for the time specified or you do not.

Usually takes me around 10-15 minutes to get my extension, depends on how much the immigration guy wants to chit chat.. the re-entry permit seems to take longer..same guy, more chit chat..really haven't figured out why it does take longer, but it does.

A friend of mine who lives here also in the middle of nowhere, has a O type and has to drive to Aran every 90 days and walk back and forth across the border.. me, I drop all my shit in the mail a few days before my 90 days to immigration and presto...they send back the bottom of the 90 day form to put in my passport and I go on with my stupid little life....

Like I said..easy as pie....

Your local police/sheriff can provide a "wants'/warrants" check for around 5 bucks. They will notarize it for you. It took me while before I could find a medical ofice which also was a notary, but they are out there.. will do your required medical and notarize it at the same time. Cost me around 100 bucks.<BR>This was 5 yrs ago. and went through the Houston Consulate.<BR>Attempt to get a "muiltiple entry", then you can come and go as you wish during the around 15 months you can streach ( never can spell that word correctly..helps that I've had several Samsong 'n soda's already too..)<BR><BR>Chok Dii

90k is a lot to spend on a fashion statement,

Try to tell this to the harley Guys...they spend a lot more for that. It is not only just a fashion statement, but character of the bike itself and being a cult really( same why harleys are being bought)....try to sell a fino after 5 year and compare what you will get when you sell a vespa after 5 years...

there don't seem to be any practical reasons to buy one.

no practical reason? well it has same as much practical reasons as any other scooter including a special Design that isn't copied...unless it is equipped with a not running engine than i would declare it as "not practical" at all

My 31 yr old Vespa I bought for 65K.. I can sell it now for 80K easily.

Why? Because it's a VESPA.

Try that with a Fino....

Try mixing small amounts of vanilla extract with your coke.That is the old fashioned way... What is the black coke Johnnie?

It is heaven in a small bottle Jack..

Went off the market in 2008 due to me being the only one in the world who ever bought it.

Nikster,

Congrats on the new Vespa!

The smile tells it all.

Dolce Vita!

Vanilla Coke is not bad, but for a sure taste 'o heaven try Coke Blak.

( When off the market in the US due to the fact I think I was the only one who ever bought it.. well, my TG bought it for me. It was addictive as hel_l and only came in 7 oz bottles..)

Vanilla Coke is common in the US, like Cherry Coke. Available at any Circle K.

You could catch a flight to Hawai'i...

the comments some users made in the sunnee plaza thread in general forum was very sick. i am happy to see the police locking up these sick farang bastards.

Agree.

And in English?

I read it 3x and still can't figure it out..

Is this like three or four stories rolled into one paragraph?

Acclimation..

I'm from the desert of middle Arizona and regulary run in over 115'f+ (45'c) degree heat ( well, used to when I lived there ) and have run an ultramarathon of 135 miles in 130'f + ( 54'c ) degrees ( road temps ) through Death Valley in July..( twice) Melted my shoes! ( used 8 pairs in 41 hrs of running)

The humidity here is what sucks the life outta me, but like back home, started out with shorter runs in the hottest part of the day. Gradually increasing the distance and time each week ( always carrying fluid in a camelbak or bottles ) Kepi hat ( from the Solumbra company which specializes in hot weather clothing for the runner 1-800-882-7860, www. sunprecautions.com, NFI, ) which covers the 'ol neck and sunscreen and at times have used Teva running sandals to cool the 'ol hoofs.

After around 3-4 weeks I'm pretty much comfortable hammerin in these temps.

Hydration is also big on the list, and I can push fluids and buffered salt tabs each hour ( Succeed Caps= 341mg. sodium and 21mg potassium) and normally use a sugar free ( Gatorade is horrible, called Gatorbarf within the ulta community ) sports beverage like Suceed Ultra ( google Succeed sportsdrink, NFI ) but I'm sure you already know all this...

Check out Kevin Sayers ultrarunning web site and look under " heat acclimation". Great info...

I still get some weird looks like I just dropped off the moon out here in the middle of nowhere, clipping along at 1300 hrs..some even try to offer me a ride home and look confused when I tell 'em I'm doing this on purpose.

<BR>I donot see any probelm with the thai police. I find them to be very helpful. I meet them at social events all the time they give me their phone number,invite me to go socialize with them etc. <BR>I have only been stopped once on my motorcycle at a road check they were polite and they checked my drivers license and let me go. They offer to assist with anything and everything I do. I am a single guy and it appears they cannot do enough for me, which is great I will never need a thai wife do the things for me the police do. I think people who have problems with the police here will have problems everywhere they go. It isnot the police who are the problem.<BR>

Sitting in a eatery in Chiang Mai last year when a young BIB came in and talked to the owner right next to the table the wife and I were sitting at. The BIB told the owner that he would require 1000 baht a month or he would make trouble. Couldn't believe that he was so right out in the open with his demand knowing the two of us could hear everything that was being said.

He was telling the owner that he was new in the area and was making his rounds to set up payments with the business.

One of my Thai relatives is a major player in the Narcotics Control Board and while discussing graf within the RTP he said and I quote.." John, it's not corruption, it's what we call customer relations.."

Me, being a retired cop and knowing that he makes trips to the USA for meetings with the USDEA at least twice a year in Washington DC, I was shocked. He asked me what would happen if a police officer in the department where I worked did this and I told him that he/she would go to prison for a long time, he just shook his head.... ( he already knew the answer )

I knew from then that maybe not all of RTP are corrupt, but like the hiway police officer a few years ago that was clean and made an attempt to try and stop it, and wound up being shot to death in front of his family, that they learn from thier rookie days that it's just the way things are here and to go against the grain could possibly be a death sentence.

In my eyes they are not police, just the largest criminal gang that wears the same clothes.

I needed some for P90X and looked and looked.. finally just ordered some off Ebay that came with the door attachment. Golds Gym brand.

Sorry I can't be any more helpful.

If you are right then Thailand is doomed. The Cartels of

Mexico produce some of the roughest criminals in the world. The boys in brown wouldn't

stand a chance.

After having the pleasure of dealing with them as a cop in AZ ( Gang Unit ) for 20 yrs, you are correct. The BIB has never seen the level of violence that they can bring...

They are just raising money to start a chain of Taco Bells in Thailand....

That's enough of a reason to sentence him to life in prison.