Bloodnut

I'm glad he and Jane are still with us.

I take Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) - 25mgs/mls prophylactically everynight mixed as a liquid.

I dilute one 500mg tablet in 500ml of water (a normal plastic water bottle) then use a measuring medicine cup to measure out just 25mls = 25mgs. That seems to be the perfect dose for me. One mixed 500ml water bottle does me for 20 days x 25mls of LDN - then I take 10 days off and mix another bottle 1st of each month.

Suggest you do your own research on LDN as a prophylactic. Plenty on the web - especially good is anything from the original discoverer Dr. Bihari.

Good luck and good health to all.

The Thai Paradigm of land ownership is deeply engrained in every citizen through the National Anthem.

By the 3rd English translation there is no doubt about the status on land - the 2nd line about Thai's owning Thailand has gone from "...Belonging to Thais in every respect..." to every inch of Thailand belongs to the Thais..." Check out the changing English translations here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_National_Anthem

Foreign ownership is not going to happen for at least another generation (20 years) IMHO because the last time Thais let foreigners own their land was prior to WWII and the Japanese owners all came outside one day dressed in Japanese Uniforms - and then they helped the Japanses take over the country. The Thai history books don't tell the true story about this invasion. They were overun. It was not a peaceful take over. All the older Thais were told this story about the Japanese land owners by their parents. They'll never forget that.

If Thais don't own the land - or feel that 'foreigners' are infiltrating and getting a foothold - deep down they think they'll lose control of their own destiny.

Reasonable article and good for Thailand if any of this comes to pass.

Could have done without the last blatant Royal Phuket Marina marketing "Pitch" paragraph - "Often referred to as the Monaco of Asia, Royal Phuket Marina is a 5-Gold Anchor marina with 100 wet and 50 dry berths, centrally located on Phuket's East Coast. A destination in its own right, the marina is complemented by a collection of award-winning luxurious waterfront villas and condominiums, and a plethora of dining and shopping options along the marina boardwalk.

For more information, visit www.royalphuketmarina.com." - What? Sheesh? No points for working out RPM is trying to capture all this spin for themselves.

Fact is that Royal Phuket Marina (and Kanit's Boat Lagoon) although best located in central Phuket must use a mangrove creek entrance which is too shallow, narrow and winding for most superyacht captains to risk entry even at the highest of spring tides. (3+Mtrs). Even then, any slight mishap might be catasthrophic for their vessel. So Gulu is doing a great job of inadvertently promoting his competition "Yacht Haven Marina" and "Ao Poh Grande Marina" - since they're the only ones in Phuket with deep enough water for "Superyachts".

What really needs central goverment support is any west coast marina proposition catering specifically for the world's Superyachts. All 4 current Phuket marinas have their own 'issues' with Ao Poh slightly ahead of Yacht Haven since they installed their own rock breakwater last year - but they'll fill up fast and be more expensive. Yacht haven has just added a few hundred metres more dock space just to cater to superyachts - who generally pay their massive bills on time and without fuss. Superyachts to marinas are like 1st and business class clients to airlines. They're where the money is...

What a tragedy for this girls family! Could it have been averted with proper firefighting equipment on board and mandatory firefighting training for the entire crew? Thailand has been a member of the International Maritime Organisation since 1973. All Thai commerical operating captains and crew are required to be trained up to the IMO Standards ofTraining, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW95/10) code ratings as per the international conventions in 1995 and the amendments in Manilla in 2010. This means the country has 'signed up' to take action on Basic Training of ALL crew on board commercial vessels.

Each and every crew member 'must have done' the Basic Safety Training (BST) levels of The STCW 95 Code. Thailand as a signatory to these conventions requires that crew members must take this 5-day course of instruction before they can work on any commercial vessel of any kind. i.e. any boat with paying passengers. BST is actually a full 4 and a half days of structured courses – Basic Firefighting, Personal Survival, Personal Safety and Social Responsibility, Elementary First Aid and Proficiency in Security Awareness. This course has to be renewed every 5 years, or under certain conditions, you have to show that you have at least 1 year of service on board vessels of 200 grt or more within the last 5 years to comply.

I wonder if Thailand is keeping up with the rest of the world on these SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) mandates?

There are several "Marine Schools" offering the STCW95/10 training and even a few springing up in Phuket.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-lifestyle/-Phuket-Boating-Excellence-served/56791#ad-image-4

Wouldn't it be a step in the right direction for Phuket, Krabi and Trang Harbour Dept bosses to regulate and police their own waterways and check on all crew to ensure safer boating practises for everyone? The Thai Maritime industry seems not to have the political will to even try and 'keep up' with the rest of the world on safety issues. What a pity... Khun Cap Rua my Cap Rua - where are you?

Once a price point has been accepted in the general public, the vendors don't reduce it just because their costs come down...

A cowpat will still cost the same... the poor keep losing out.

"The rich get richer - the poor get the picture..." - Midnight Oil.

Richest 1% to own more than the rest of the world - Oxfam stated yesterday. A storm may be brewing.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30875633

The rest of the story is that when she threw his severed member out the window it hit the front windscreen of a passing bus on the road beneath.

The shocked busdriver shrieked, "Did anyone else see the size of the dick on that bug?"...

"...Many have been overheard saying that if their vehicles hit a victim, they would prefer to see the casualty dead rather than injured, because a dead person wouldn't be able to complain or seek justice in the courts."...

I've heard of this too. Makes sense. Far better if the pedestrian is dead not wounded. Soooooo - If I get run over and am lying broken up there on the road and I hear the vehicle gear box going into reverse - I just bloody hope I can roll out of the way fast enough before they 'back up' over me to make sure I'm dead. OMG! Keystone Cops stuff...

Another tragic incident where a young foreign tourist has lost her life most likely due to negligence. Seems the speed boat was a full throttle at impact. Most probably a lack of proper safety at sea training of the speedboat driver. To blame him when he's probably been taught by his big brother is probably not the correct way to deal with this either. Cowboy speedboat and beach operators all lack the proper safety code training to be operating the horsepowers they're driving.

i.e. "Keep a proper watch" "Keep at a safe vessel speed where-ever divers are down" and / or "Always fly a dive flag" "Always deploy a dive sausage and stay close to it while re-surfacing - especially where diving where boats operate" etc. Training, training, training - and 5 year renewal exams etc. is the only way forward IMHO.

It's made sader by the knowledge that it could probably have been prevented with just a little bit of proactive marine park and/or marine department planning and policing. i.e. safer zoning, collision avoidance safety training and some follow up policing for everyone making their living off tourists on (or under) the Thai seas.

The stats don't lie. Where safety is the national priority, laws are training is mandated, laws are enforced and as a direct consequence less innocents die in recreational boating accicdents. This accicent should not have happened. My thoughts are with this young girl's family and friends. RIP Silji.

I wonder how many German expats (and all the other nations represented here) speak Thai at home in Thailand? Or Thai anywhere? Perhaps Tycoon's statement "Well its true, fit in, embrace the country 100% or F off" would apply to expats too lazy or superior to at least try to learn Thai....

True dat - but I don't think it's Germany's expats this article is talking about. I think it's Germany's actual legal Immigrants. i.e. Those who have stayed and been granted German citizenship and are now German passport holders, tax payers. etc. Within our homes we must always fight to speak whatever language we want to. Out and about in society - maybe they've got a point. Speaking Thai language is worth 10 points out of 100 when applying for citizenship in Thailand - so not mandatory it seems.

That's a lot of western women married to Thai men. I wonder what their social status was to be awarded this? There must have been some selection criteria. One would think that allowing the same for foreign men would actually increase investment in the country. Until then, I'll be leaving most of my savings offshore and only spend what I need to to live here comfortably.

It doesn't say they are western.

Yeah, correct. The majority will be southeast Asian originating from closest neighbours Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar etc. with a few dozen Indians and Chinese as well. Probably only two or three on this list will be of European decent. The document is public knowledge (as far as I know) so their translated names would confirm this assumption.

It's a controversial health topic but I like doing it. It's called a 'juice cleanse'. I just drink cold pressed juice and lemon watert - and don't eat any solid food for a few days.

I watched a documentary called 'Fat Sick and Nearly Dead' where an overweight Aussie bloke called Joe Cross drank only green juice for 60 days as he drove across America. Worth a look - especially if you're fat sick and nearly dead. (http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/) I liked it anyway. He's a character.

So being a bit of a fatty too, I decided to try it myself for a few days. First time was really hard - but it's gotten much easier over the years.

I started by making all the juices myself - buying heaps (up to 6kilos) of fresh kale and veggies and fruits from the wet markets each day. I also purchased a slow juicer called a Hurom. http://hurom.com/

Apparently slow cold pressed juicing is far better to keep all the goodies than with the normal centrifugal juicers. Actually they taste far better slow pressed - I reckon anyway.

It's tough work to clean up all the veggies and cut them up into really small pieces that fit in the mouth of the Hurom juicer etc. Then to get the recipes right enough so I could actually drink them was a difficult journey. I did it all myself a few times then one day just Googled "Juice Cleanse Bangkok" and "Cold pressed raw juice delivered" etc. and saw there's a few expats doing this business in Thailand. I called around and got a few quotes.

It's not cheap - but when I deduct my usual food and beverage costs over those days and do the math and it gets better. Still up there though. The cheapest quote I got was 1,000bht a day by an outfit called www.clearercleanse.com - right up to around 1,500bht a day from www.lifestylejuicery.com That's for 6 x 500mls bottles of fresh pressed juice delivered each day for 4 days right up to 60days.

Occassionally I'll still juice it up myself, when I've got the time and energy. I love the really kale-heavy Green ones with lots of lemon and cucumber/pineapple. Joe Cross calls them his "Mean Green". Take some getting used to.

PM me if you want anymore info.

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Martin has been in Phuket since the very early 90's - first running the Blue Canyon Country Club as GM. He was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty The Queen for his contribution after the Asian Tsunami. He married to Singaporean Lillian and they have kids, he's worked tirelessly and mostly without thanks for the good of UK citizens visiting and living in Phuket without complaint and still maintains a single figure golf handicap. Sings a great version of Paul Anka's "I don't want to sleep alone". In short - he's salt of the earth.

Here's an article from 2010

"He has spent the past 25 years working in the hospitality industry in Qatar, Jersey in the Channel Islands, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong until he arrived in Phuket 17 years ago."

Martin Carpenter is a busy man; as Honorary Consul his work falls into two main areas covering Notary Services (official support letters for British nationals) and Distressed British National (DBN) services that cover everything from tourist guidance to victims of crime, accidents and everything in between. It is estimated that there are currently around 5000 British nationals resident in Phuket and this figure is greatly increased by visiting tourists. Being Honorary Consul here is therefore a big job to take on, so why did he welcome this demanding role? “Because I can do it” he says “I am task oriented and the demands of the job play to my strengths”. Calm confidence indeed but more than justified by his growing reputation as a caring and capable ambassador for the UK.

Martin came to Phuket 17 years ago, after years of experience in the hospitality industry, during his time here he has held the top position at Blue Canyon Golf & Country Club, opening GM for the Evason Resort and several years at Phuket Land Search. A contented man, Martin has no plans to leave Phuket and explains, “The whole family loves the smaller, close-knit community of island life and the great environment and friendly people, which really do make Phuket the world’s best destination.”

Martin is quick to emphasise that his role needs support from all sections of the community and acknowledges the strong group that surrounds him. His lovely wife Lillian (Resort Manager of Dewa Resort) and 9 year old son Leon are his biggest fans and are very understanding of the many and varied demands upon his time. British Ambassador Mr. Quinton Quayle, HM Consul Gordon MacLeod and all the embassy staff offer constant guidance, local people in the hospitals and other services, including Tim Gardener, Alistair Why and Kevin Moss from the Phuket Immigration and Kathu Police volunteer unit all give invaluable assistance. Valued Thai mentors and friends have also been constantly supportive.

Martin strongly believes in giving back to the community and he works tirelessly for many charities in Phuket. His skills as a public speaker also make him much in demand
as MC and auctioneer for many local charity events. During his time at the Blue Canyon Golf and Country Club he co-founded the Childwatch Charity Golf Tournament, which has already raised over 10 million Baht to provide shelter and care for Phuket’s needy children. He was also Chairman of the British Business Association of Phuket when the tsunami devastated large areas of Phuket’s west coast in December 2004. His organisational skills were put into high gear at that difficult time and his achievements as a compassionate community leader were recognised when he was awarded the highly prestigious MBE (Member of the British Empire) by HM Queen Elizabeth II in December 2005.

Even with such a busy schedule Martin still finds time to pursue his keen love of golf and even manages to keep a single figure handicap. This charismatic Honorary Consul has taken multi-tasking to new heights.

Just par for the course.

All we need now is TAT to deny any involvement.

come on all of us living here for a long time like me for over 30 years can get very cynical about Thais and start to think its all bad. We forget how bad it is in west.If you've been here a long time (over 30 years ago was my first time) you will remember your first visit to Asia (mine was 37 years ago in Indonesia). The buzz you got the experiences the pure joy compared with rat race hole of UK and USA. Sure I like most got scammed a bit in first few years was taken in my outside beautiful smiles of most gorgeous females I've ever seem and sure I lost in money terms a few thousand gbp which luckily was at the time not much to me. So some of rose tinted grasses wore away as a few years rolled on and i got more wise and a bit more careful but in all honestly i also found great true frendliness and kindness. Sure this was partly so they could make a living but for most of my guides it was more than that. It was about service and wishing to please and being kind. So after 5 years or so I discovered Thailand and by then was very vary of any Asian ladies and determined never to fall into same trap id seen so many. Like most who've been here a very long time I fell totally in love with Asia. I met true love and saul mate of my life and we've been together for 30 odd years. Like all marriages we've had our rough patches.

TO point I know this film is of course grossly exaggerated and sadly Thailand like all developing countries is not the paradise it used to be. The ladies have grown hard and cynical due IMO to hordes of forang especially in Vietnam days basically just treating them like and throwing them on rubbish without a thought later.

I guess its good TAT are learning some proper PR even if its like any PR its a long way from truth.I recall after a few years in Indonesia saying this place is like paradise and like Hell but tourists and short visitors only normally see paradise bit and not the hell bit. Thailand is same as often us olduns forget why were still here and will never ever return to decedent rotten to core western societies.

Very well put Icare999 - It's so easy for us long-termers to get cynical and bitter over the years and forget how and why we're here. I like to remember the mad culture shock and the wild fun of first arriving and partying on the south islands in the mid 80's. I arrived there around the same age as this guy - 25ish. Young troppo and more than a bit stupid and naive.

A bit like these young fellahs living it up on Soi Bangla - Thailand did make my dreams come true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvH7SUr9fvo. -

Cheap everything and 'seemingly' noone really policing anything... Seemed if you just didn't hurt anyone - you could nearly do what you liked. No one seemed hostile or deliberately out to steal or injure you. This seems no longer the case in the young peoples' haunts.

Like everyone else I enjoyed the 'pink cloud' of culture shock for the first few months - but of course we all have to grow up and my illusions became less and less fantasy and more and more fact over the years.

I found a good job and stayed - actually becoming a Thai citizen just recently. With ASEAN coming up - that's a bonus for travel within the member nations.

Back on topic - I actually enjoyed watchiung this short fantasy film and understand the TAT's rationalle given the recent rape and horrific murder of the British youngsters. Why not try a youtube film getting back to basics about why young travelers like to come and party here. No harm done.

Except for, as already stated several times - the early scenes infer that an angry young foreigner will get away with swearing at a police officer and even throw a rock at a passing car. &lt;deleted&gt;? No way. Not on your life... Some pretty stupid script writing there TAT. Sheesh.

Apart from those few silly mistakes, it's alright. I mean - the bar girl is cute and the expat job on a boat - and the rest of the fairy tale sometimes actually happens - or at least it 'used' to happen way back when. They need to be proactive because Thailand is no longer the the only SEA country for youngsters to come and blow off their steam. - It's becoming more dangerous and there is absolutely no justice. As always in the amazing ever changing and beautiful LOS - we must all - Caveat Emptor.

Hi BLOODNUT,

I want to try this Pushin tablet.

How good do you know this Australian guy Ian ?

I have to pay before he send the tablets to me. Can I trust him ?

When I stayed at Phuket some years ago, had bad experience, Australian guys borrowed money from me but I never get it back.

How safe is it to send money online to buy pushin ?

I just want to know your experience as a Thai Visa friend .

Thanks a lot.

Cheers

Hi Alfa,

Sorry for this late reply. I don't get on TV much.

I know Ian personally and to date have never had a reason not to trust him. Of course, you will probably be required to pay before he sends you the Pushin capsules - just like with everything else we purchase online.

He's always been good in his dealings with me and with many other friends - so I reckon it's probably safe.

Suggest you make contact through the website, www.chineseherbalsildenafil.com - ask for his contact phone and give him a call.

I think he sends out trial offers of 6 tabs for postage fee. Good luck and let me know how you go.

About the Phuket Australians you unfortunately lent money to who never repaid you - I'm sorry to hear that.

The Bard said in 'Hamlet' through Polonius' giving parting advice to his departing son -Laertes

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man."

Here's the Southeast Asia Pilot web pages on Cambodia

http://www.southeastasiapilot.com/cambodia.htm

and the Noonsite on clearing into Sihanoukville - http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Cambodia/sihanoukville

Beautiful coastline, beaches and islands with tons of tourism potential - water not as clear as the Andaman Sea but ok for the South China Sea.

It's opening up slowly for foreign yachts and will surely be on the world cruising map soon - especially with international airport links at SNV.

Presumably your remaining kids would have to be under 20 on application to ride off the back of that particular application?

No need to explain to you how it all works, other than to say the naturalisation office in Bangkok for women is separate . If you end up working through them ask Somchit who assisted with my wife's application and kept us in the loop on everything.

Congrats again

Thanks Samran - good point. Yes our 2 remaining girls are under 20 so that's handy. Thanksf for the heads up on Khun Somchit. Best

There is also the not insignificant problem when they ask you to renounce your present citizenship - why swap a Western passport for a Thai one ?

You are not asked to renounce your nationality of birth. Some nationalities even can't renounce their citizenship.

What is asked is to get a letter stating your intention about this.

My 20 year old son and I were granted the honour of Thai Citizenship on Boxing Day 2013. We started the long trudge many years ago securing our PR's early in 1999. We just followed the process laid out perfectly in this amazing OP thread. I was never asked to produce a letter stating my intention to renounce my birth citizenship - which is fortunate. My wife and 4 children are farang - 3 of us are now white Thais because our youngest daughter was born after both parents had PR. It's also possible from other provinces - our application was processed in Phuket - although if I had the option again I'd move my Tabien Barn to Bangkok where they have more experience. Sawasdee Krup from a Hua Daeng... 555

That was a nice Boxing Day present Bloodnut. Congratulations. Well deserved after putting in the effort and the waiting time.

Getting Thai citizenship as a result of having two parents is rare these days. In fact I don't think I have come across other cases. Will you now start the process for your wife to adopt your Thai nationality under Section 9?

I'm a newbie on TV - so working the posting and reply functions out slowly.

Thanks for Congrats from you and the other senior members on this thread. I just produced what was required in a methodical way as the offices and administrators wanted them - so don't feel I should be congratulated for much really. Maybe perseverance. It's not the daunting process I thought it would be. It took a long time - sure - but was the process itself overwhelming? - No not at all. Bit scarey singing the songs and being interviewed in Thai - but the officials were kind and accomodating through these processes.

Can anyone do it? I think yes. It's a tick-the-box process. If you can tick all the boxes then it's possible. Of course, as has been posted here many times, the PR is crutial to even starting the Citizenship application process.

Luckily I was able to tick all the boxes as they came up - so I just kept on going. Fortunately my son reads writes and speaks Thai at university levels so it was a great gift for him to become officially Thai. He's in Uni overseas so this gives him a lot more choices for job roles in the Kingdom on his return - if he wants that.

After a while it takes on a life of its own and gathers momentum. After a few years waiting - I just decided to let go of the outcome. I thought, 'if it comes along great - if not - then no worries either'. Maybe that attitude worked in my favour - I don't know. They came looking for me in the end - not vice versa.

On my farang wife and remaining 2 farang daughters now applying under Section 9... I'm composting on this while researching the process. Probably yes - since the PR is a bit of a headache to maintain and my eldest girl just started Uni overseas - so timing return flights for the yearly multiple re-entry visa renewal is crutial. Replacement process of the PR books when they get full of entry/exit immigration stamps is incentive enough too.

Will look into this and keep those who are interested posted on these processes.

This Black Salve stuff cost me A$99 plus $8 postage ( internet paid with Visa card ) and I've used it not only for my many BCC's but also shared it with upwards of a dozen friends.

It works. It really does and costs less than 3000bht for a lifetimes' personal supply. That's cheaper and more effective than any other method.

Our bodies heal themselves after the salve kills just the cancer cells.

Suggestion - make your friends buy there own small one. Actually the A$45 little tub is more than enough for a lifetime for one person.

Check out this amazing story http://www.billolearyphuket.com/ArticleView.asp?ArticleID=33

It has Bill O'Leary's true story with many sometimes disgusting pics - all the info and details are hot links about where to get the stuff, how to use it, etc.

You can also email Billo - he answers all his mails.

If you don't want to read it but still purchase the stuff just go to http://www.bevanpotter.com/

and half way down the page is the Black Salve - for Dogs Cats and Horses... That's because it's illegal to sell to humans. It can't be patented because it can be made at home.

Big Pharma and Big Medical will always debunk it because 25% of the white-skinned population on planet earth will get a Basal Cell Carcinoma if they live long enough.

If you can fix it with a very effective home remedy then that's billions and billions of dollars not going to skin doctors and Big Pharma and Surgeons and every government agency with their hands in the till.

Oh yeah - if you want to know why something so effective as Black Salve is ridiculed and banned - just follow the money... It's a crime - but I'm not playing the skin cancer rip off game anymore.

I'm using Black Salve on every freckle bump blister pimple mole from now on. If my skin does not sting after 1 hour - then I know it was never cancer.

If it does , it is a pre-cancer or a full-blown one. Either way it just kills that cancer and leaves the good skin and flesh alone. Some people have a bit of a red patch that goes away in a day or 2.

Full instructions on use here. http://health.centreforce.com/health/cansinstruct.html

Good luck.

The question should be, "Am I truly comfortable with this obvious trade off?". If the Thai girl is independantly weatlthy, Hi-So or well educated then what's not to be proud of? If she can hold a intricate conversation on a controversial subject in perfect English, then show the lady off - I reckon...

But more than likely, she's probably low-so and uneducated with bad English. If so, then yes it's an obvious trade off. She's trading her map of Tazzie for a better lifestyle and we're trading money for a younger smooth-skined, sweet-smelling, tighter companion we probably would not be able to attract in our home country.

Both trades are upwards, so what's getting hurt? Our pride?

The Farang blokes trade up to a younger, less demanding model and she trades up to a better lifestyle. Both are winners while the game lasts. It's only when that trade-off is misunderstood by either party that it turns sour.

i.e. He mistakenly thinks he's the world's best lover or she mistakenly thinks he's richer or more stupid than he actually is... It usually ends with the Thai Handcuff one way or another... ( She gets pregnant or he buys the house and land in her name - 'trade' takes on a more literal meaning then )

Life's too short to worry about what anyone else thinks about who we're rooting at any given time.

As my Nana used to say, "If the relationship is on the rocks - the rocks are in the bed."

So, what's more important is whether she's still a LBFM, making the mandatory koo-ing type dove noises as you drive home the pig-skin bus into tuna town. But, my friend, if she's checking the local soap-opera over your shoulder or wondering what's for dinner - then change her quick for a newer version. The 20/40 rule is good - get one under 20 years old or under 40 kilos.

So, get in, up to the two Kerr Pinks as much as you can I say. And, Be neither proud nor ashamed of your TGF.

Every time you play "Hide the sausage", you can revel in the fact that most men would give their left nut to be burying the bone where you are. So, Poke on my friend and don't give a fiddler's fart about the naysayers reckon, because they're probably envious. As Billy the Bard once said, " She doth protest too much, me thinks."

Cheers, The Bloodnut