tmd5855

4 years ago a friend married to a Thai Lady in the UK decided to bring Mum, himself and wife with her grandchildren. He took out cover that included medical flight back to the UK after mum had tests/passed a test. While out here mum suffered a stroke (Blamed on heat), no airline would fly her as a passenger, so insurance cover stepped in flown home on a small plane, wife flew back with children, he were allowed to accompany mum who were awake. A lot of these guys/girls backpacking/travelling do not look poor, maybe spending another couple of hundred pounds on cover and not designer shades. Lived Thailand since 2004 working offshore. First visit via Merchant Navy 1983 and I got travel insurance even though company had me in BUPA. Very little sympathy, play with petrol and matches......................................

Sierra Leone after the fighting in 2012 armed guards in the minibuses to stop the minibus being stolen and us kidnapped. "Location allowance" (Danger money) added to wages 25%

Check distance covered from Normandy to Berlin. Check distance covered from Moscow Tram Terminus to Berlin. Normandy saved western Europe from being occupied by Russia.

There were Nazis all over Europe. Ukraine 14Th Waffen SS Division 'Galicia', now classed as freedom fighter since they fought the Russians. Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Croatia, French citizens all filled the ranks of Waffen SS Divisions. Just Google "Waffen SS Divisions foreign volunteers."

Scottish Parliament many years ago allowed transwomen to use the female toilets in the (PUBLIC AREAS) of the building. Shock!! Horror!! when a Transwoman were caught in the (PRIVATE) female toilets. "Rules for thee not for me"

One club many, years ago Reading, UK. Ladies toilet had condom and sanitary pad + tampon machines, men's toilets only condom and pad!!! Spoke to one of the managers on the set-up only to be told that in the gent's cubicles "Dastardly" things would happen sometimes require one of the participants to purchase a pad. Living surrounded with rice fields, 8 dogs half being GSD's is a different world to back then.

Apologies @Yellowtail on abridging and changing your format. 1977 went to sea and remained at sea for 38 years. Came across a lot of gays (givers/takers), never a problem worked side by side and just like extreme views on religion & politics sexual preferences were never. Raised in the UK my ambition were to sleep with an African lady, Oriental lady, South American lady and two ladies at the same time all done in two trips. What my other leaning shipmates wanted/did were never spoken about. Fast forward 40+ years and could not care less to see coloured flags in the streets, though when asked to donate, politely refuse and be called transphobic hurts. Telling them that UK beer prices for a 70yr old man is as hideous as his/her/him/them/their make-up, Trans hate/anger in return. Try more humour that I am one of them, saying "I am Translender" they call me a 'fat old barsteward' Live and let live, schools are secular for a reason dividing education and religion from young minds. Let all children grow up to the ages of 10+ that Santa does exist, Tooth fairies do visit them, a mums kiss on a cut takes away pain. Do not start telling they are this, that or the other in school classrooms . Leave children alone

My girl is different........ 555 555 555

My comment were written in the nicest way, meant no sarcasm, I am only 10 years behind you. Merchant Navy from 1977 to 2015, 38 years working on water.

You forget these. Mr Sangsom Mr Hongthom Mr LongGon Mr Lhakhow. All have been in Thailand so long they have gone "Bush", there ex special forces dogs are called 'Leo'

Beverly. Jeez you are old. Big brother did his first jumps from one of them before shuffling off the back of a Hercules. Some old blokes on here??

You are correct, they will not comment even when you know they are former SAS. Worked for a drilling company who had me posted to a rig offshore Damman, Saudi in 2014. Where one of a few Brits and surprised to see the safety officer were a very quiet, laid back guy who I had to deal with while teaching/instructing Saudi's. The office had let slip he were ex SAS and that the company had been approached to have him onboard, tried chatting with him and admitted he were an ex-Para after telling him about my elder brother who were ex 'B' company '2' Para (Brother is 75 this year, I am in my 70th year) Spoke with him every day and all I got out of him were an e-mail address, while he had my Thai/Uk mobile numbers and work history. Then he just disappeared, never returned to the rig answered an email then nothing. Office guys info were sketchy. So any bull<deleted>ting blokes advertising they are ex SAS, get told I were a door gunner on the Shuttle Atlantis during the "Moon Wars", lost a lot of good mates. Confuses the <deleted> out them....

First came here in 1983 when in the Merchant Navy. 2004 started living here purely for tax reasons while working offshore Indonesia, 2011 started building a house on land owned by a "Thai Company" 2015 left Pattaya when lease on villa came to an end, met a lady in the Shopping Mall, Korat. 2017 Married said lady, still happily married she turned 53 last year and still lovely. 2025 will be 70 this year, live in a house surrounded by dogs who guard my bikes, fruit trees and Koi carp. Life cannot get better. 1977-2015 Worked 38 years at sea with 70% of the time Asian crew and always picked up enough of the language to help with tasks. Learning some Mandarin after always speaking Cantonese with the HK guys were fun, knew I would settle retire in Asia. Learning Thai is so important, stopped by police many times on my bike (Ninja650) can laugh and joke in Thai, the Thais work out what I am trying to say in single tone Thai, make a policeman smile you are on your way, but, have a Thai bike licence. Will only leave here when going up a chimney

Plenty videos on YouTube of drivers going to hospital/morgue after showing a finger to the protect and serve guys.

The Tories and media ignored this "Problem" for reasons they should answer. Labour ignore, hand palm, dodge and divert this "UEXB" since a lot of their members and councilors. I see a perfect example on the rise of Reform/Farage in the UK as seen with Trump in the USA by average voters who feel ignored by mainstream politicians who are surrounded by special interest groups. So called professional politicians in the UK are happy to stick the fingers into the till, but, fallback in horror if asked to sign the receipt. No one wants to be "The One" who starts the ball rolling or signs the order at the bottom. This leaves the field clear for the Reform party who say the things polite company want kept quiet. The economy could tank in the UK even worse than it is, extremists then move in, demise of the 'Weimar Republic' collapsed and a Minority party grabbed control. Bit far of a stretch, but, Von Papen and Hindenburg thought they were in control, we all know the outcome. Or maybe Farage is the guy to sort out all this pussyfooting, declare a suspension of 'HR' deport a few hundred, have a word in the ear of a few hundred more, become more powerful and pass draconian laws....... Think it cannot happen?? Prevention of Terrorism Act in the UK brought in the suspension of common law protection, civil rights and more. It were so severe it had to be renewed every year by a vote in the House of Commons, when the reasons for the emergency decree were no longer needed. The good bits the security services and police liked were signed off into law. Section 43 anyone...... Google is your friend?

That is how the Thai were translated into English. More than likely they did not have enough "Aggression" in them to attack, bite and hold down so failed as security/guard dogs. Though the fortunate/unfortunate guy who broke into the workshop leaving blood and clothing behind would class them as vicious. See can mean the same in a different context. Term used from translated Thai were 'vicious'

Worked with Muslims in the Gulf states, North Sea and Indonesia. Saudis were really bad to work with and try teach on how to operate/repair equipment. Would disparage Western values and women, yet we were told not to reply same. Lots of foreign educated Muslims were great guys when in airport lounges, sailed with a number the Iranians being the best, I know, I know. But, remember the Bali bombings and the mastermind, where did his fundamentalism come from, who financed that Indonesian school/Mosque. Stepped out a chopper in Dammam, Saudi, 28th December 2014 aged 59. Packed it all in on arrival the hotel I were never going to work in an atmosphere that made me feel uneasy.

My wife and I started rescuing dogs when I retired out in the country. We have blind, brain damaged, epileptic fit prone and crippled dogs as the result of road accidents, have been given disabled dogs free by vets to free up cages when owners do not pay the medical fees. Rabies and normal jabs/checks add up to a lot of expense. R.T.A. gave us two sable GSD's one (Sniffer) who had lost a right rear paw in a trap down south and no longer could jump and another used only for breeding, she arrived at 9 years old and is now 13. R.T. Airforce (Korat) gave us a male and female GSD that were not vicious enough for guard duties. At one time we had 11 dogs now down to 8, we have kennels and our property is just under a rai fully walled all around. Locals who come our home for these past 10 years cleaners/builders/gardeners all remark at the docile nature of the German Shepherds who have all been trained as all large dogs should be. There are 4 motorbikes in a carport ranging from 650 down to 125 with lots of tools. Only one instance in 10 years we thought the dogs were attacking a cat/snake in the workshop whatever/whoever left some denim and a lot of smeared blood, they never went the local hospital since we called the police who went looking for a savaged bleeding guy, but, no one with dog wounds went the local hospital. Our house front doors are never closed, at night the dogs all sleep in the house with full access to go outside. So why or what is wrong with the wife and I having more than 2 dogs

The above is "Bang ON" pun intended. Have ridden bikes all my life now aged 69 and every training course taken over the years stress "Look where you want to go" Do not look "What you want to avoid" Described as 'target fixation' will get you killed/maimed. I ride a Ninja 650 and seen accidents coming together up ahead, so slow down or speed up to get out of the way, simple road craft would have saved him, just happy he did not have a pillion.

There are a few neighbours I know.....

June 1977 joined the Merchant Navy, sailing from Singapore up to Hong Kong charterers were told by the company we would stop and pick up anyone in the water "Rules of the Sea" which would mean a delay in landing cargo, a few countries refused to let boat people land. More than a few charterers would specify a route, since they paid for the fuel we did. what they wished The amount of souls already weak that perished at sea is heartbreaking. Policy (health) were that no dead bodies be brought on board since heat and wetness accelerates decomposition, the number of dead babies that skeletal mothers brought onboard we allowed them to keep. Kept them sane, remove, insanity would appear/follow. Long story?? In February 2015 retired from the sea/working on water after 38 years, seen things wish I never had

I better not mention what I seen thrown around when working West Africa in 1980.

First time you smoke weed it leaves you bereft of choice??. My post if you read between the lines is how you start off of with soft which leads to stronger. After my sons death, met many of his druggie friends and one thing I got from them were chasing happiness. No matter how good life/work/relationships were they wanted to get up to that next level. Getting up to that next level is a choice.

Have no sympathy.... Why!! Brought up a son who started smoking weed at "Primary" school, weed maybe safe for adults, but, it does strange things to young boys minds going through puberty. My other son wanted a padlock on his bedroom door, then they wife wanted one on our bedroom door. My ex tried to understand and gave hundreds of last chances, I told him that taking drugs would end up in one or two ways, Jail or death. When folk who are not smart think they are we are getting into troubled waters. I used all my contacts, influence and money to keep him out of jail. I were working abroad when 4 uniformed cops, 2 plain clothes came my home with a sniffer dog. He were no longer an addict, now a pusher, he were not home when cops arrived he were out and told to head straight to the station, phoned me out in Indonesia asking me to fix, told him I cannot fix this time. I were the bad one. Done jail time and jail got him onto harder drugs. UK jails have drugs freely available. On the 29th December 2016, my son took his own life aged 27. No drugs he would be still alive. Taking drugs is a choice, nothing more. Drugs never end up well, it splits families and creates wounds that will never heal.

Hope you seen the link before it were deleted.