brackmagic

Thanks to everyone from me too! I was reviewing all the steps for my O-A and saw this and glad to see there was a post dead on topic! Thanks again!

Essexman. Read this thread with great interest. The story stopped with you starting out in Pattaya. How did the first year go? Was the 32000 per month resoanble/doable? Sorry if this has already been answered elsewhere. I did a search on "cost of living" and found this thread. Found it very interesting.

Sheryl, I am 50 and had Hep A and B jabs a little over 10 years ago. I get conflicting info on whether I need boosters after 10 years or not. Some sources suggest I am OK for life. Do you have a position on this? Thanks in advance.

Can anyone suggest a good Pattaya venue to view this year's Superbowl?

I will be returning to Thailand in a few weeks after about a 5 year absence. I have about 6,000 baht of all denominations from my last trip in 2006. Has there been any changes to the currency in that time period? Will the age of the notes be obvious and might I encounter problems trying to spend them? I would like to use them for the car ride from the airport and to check into my hotel for the first night. Thanks.

There is a Brit that is a former Buddhist monk that runs an organization that does what you are talking about. Their website is thaistudentcharity.org . You might be able to get some ides from them.

I enjoy reading this blog too. The more different points of view I can read the better I like it. There is a lot of material there and I can usually find something to enjoy.

On my first trip to Thailand I went to see a Thai horror movie with a Thai who kept going on about "brack magic, brack magic"

Also, don't think you aren't being watched now! The last time I was in BKK I did some research in a cafe about a hotel called the Pinnacle, running and jogging in Lumpini park and some other thing. While I was paying my bill, the old gentleman running the place asked me if I was staying at the Pinnacle, did I like to run, and some other reference he would have only known if he had been monitoring my usage!

As to the comment about "if youve got nothing to hide whats the problem". There is no problem. I obey all of the laws and if the new law of the land is to track my internet usage, I will see that there is less of it while I am there. I intend to shield my privacy as much as possible from any government intrusion, especially in countries that have reputations for corrupt policing.

It is a mystery to me as to the WHYs involved in this. I am no tech expert, but I believe anyone with any sinister intent need simply only use an anonymous proxy to hide the specific sites they visit. Not a good option for casual use due to the sacrifice in speed.

I always use the cafes and I am not an English teacher. I prefer not to lug a laptop around on my travels (nor have hassles with it crossing borders). If/when I return for another vacation to LOS, my internet use will be much less than before. I can't be bothered to carry a passport around all day on the off chance I might want to pop in and check the internet. This is going to hurt the cafes.

"The aisles must be extra wide too"

The beauty of Wal-Mart is we will all get fatter off of the cheap food and contract diabetes but then we will be ale to buy our diabetes medicine at Wal-Mart for 4 dollars for a thirty day supply. God bless Sam Walton and God Bless The USA!

Oh Jingthing, I don't know how long you have been away from the USA but they have these things now called Wal-Mart Supercenters. They are the most amazing places! I am in mine several times a week. Check one out the next time you are back. These are not your father's Wal-Marts.

I believe that many Thai's think their country is so wonderful that no matter what, the farang hordes will continue to come/stay.

I think most people are generally ignorant of things that don't interest them. I have travelled extensivelly in Latin America and SE Asia and through my research have developed a good sense of the geography of those areas. If I were presented with a blank map of Africa I would be able to put a pin in South Africa, and maybe stand a good chance at hitting Egypt, Lybia and Morrocco but no more because the area holds no interest to me and I have no intention of visiting there. For the Taiwan Thailand crowd this probably applies to them to an extent.

I took them both. The first said 86 and PB's said 78.2. I am budgeting for the money to run out at 80, might have to rethink that at 78.3.