TPI

I'm a JP (Qual)living in Phrae, I'll be in Bkk on the 29th 30th of June it that's any help?

Amazing stuff!!

Things hadn't changed much into the 60's

Surely, with all of the complaints some group of farang could put up a sign in English warning of the Jet Ski scams in Pattaya? It's all very well to squeal like a porcine but if you do nothing then why complain??

Apart from all of the trolls I'm sure everyone knows that giving a large "Sin Sot" results in the MIL giving some if not all back after the photo's are done?

Of course I could be wrong?

My friends and I have had a shot at advising teachers with "Advanced English Seminars". "Very interesting seminar, it's a pity I retire in N years.""Of course this worked for you because you're a farang, it wouldn't work with a Thai teacher because my Director would not allow it!"

Everybody has a "rice bowl"

Wasn't it reported that the problem is being caused by the commercial banks importing billions of cheap money and lending it out at 7%-8%? It's easy to see that the banks are in a win-win situation, the longer the baht is strong against the dollar the more money they make! Money, money the real God in Thailand!IMMHO

Definately looks to me like a Golden Tree Snake. Mildly venomous.

http://www.thailandsnakes.com/venomous/rear-fanged/golden-tree-snake-mildly-venomous-not-very-dangerous/

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

Yes I agree a Golden Tree Snake thanks for the links a very nice looking big snake!

They're very beautiful snakes, we have a mob of them up our way. Unfortunately the local "Tarzan" types like to kill and eat them, they think they will put hair on their chests!!

I can see that most of the Op's on this site just don't understand what happened! These two misunderstood young men were just exhibiting youthful exuberance, they didn't really want to shoot the Dane, they were just being playful! It was the German tourists fault for being in the way of the bullets...simple really. The 5 million baht? Where on earth would two clumsy tattooists get 5 million baht! Think about it!

Bulldog Yoobumroong will be up and biting some ankles

I think they give him a new stick to chomp down on every morning these days.

Shouldn't the headline read "Southern Thailand................ prone area"

Little bit skewed to state the whole country.

I should think that if these idiots down south ever get their act together what's to save Bangkok or any Thai town or city from terrorist action? We have only been protected by the ineptitude of these local thugs!

At least they could open a consulate in CM! Those of us in the north are seriously disadvantaged by the difficulties of getting to BKK, and then having to go to Nan for the simplest task.

Wow! I know that I live up country but! 20K a month! Egad! Why don't you hire an English speaking driver who is married, not only will you get him for less than 20K but he'll probably be happy to have his wife do the cleaning for 150-200 baht a day.

Quite disappointing that the Thairath newspaper has managed to publish photos of Gunther, and pointless intentionally censored photos of his body, but failed to do the "offender name and shame" photo that they manage to do in most other cases, Thai and Foreigner alike.

I do not know Gunther, though I have been visiting Udon Regularly since I was a young adult 8 years ago. I would guess he is one of the many men that go to Udon who settled in Udon many years ago to escape western culture, and has over time perhaps even become more isolated as Udon westernises itself more and more every year.

Most Germans and Austrians that live in Udon know each other, or know someone that knows someone, but so do many Australians know man Austrians.. it is a truly good expat community there and I enjoy the company of some of the guys that have been there many years very much. It is not a community like you might find in Pattaya, Bangkok or even Chiang Mai.

Being that it is a place which traditionally has been purely Isaan, with little western influence until recently (and only in a commercial sense mostly), men have been forced to become Isaan-like or find themselves on the losing end of the family. Some men which come to Udon Thani now do not understand this, and more and more men are coming off second best to needs of the family - who will at times achieve their goals no matter what the cost. This often ends with mindless acts destroying lives of hope and dreams.

Very well put! If the family has nothing then what have they got to lose?

What a nice man, thinking only of his country and prosperity

for the people, if only we had more people like him in the world.

How right you are. There is a lot of members on this forum that have the paradigm that being convicted in a corrupt society means you are a criminal. There are a lot of members on this forum that have been brought-up on charges and claim they have been set-up and complain of the justice system. There is a lot of members on here that seem to think they can run a country and know how to turn the wheels; look in a mirror or go back to your own country and complain of your own countries corrupt politicians - Oh I forgot you left your country because is better in Thailand. Most of the members were not in Thailand to see the vast difference to know the good that was done, which has mostly been destroyed over the past 8 years. Obviously Thaksin is promoting Thailand for the good of his pocket, but Thailand will win also.

My dear chap, please stop taking the medicine, it's obviously upsetting your judgement!

Get to HCMC and jump on the "Reunification Express"...have fun! A wonderful trip!

My lady will be there to represent our buffs, they are a top animal and not as dumb as some of the people I know!

Tai Yai land is more commonly referred to as the Shan State in northeast Burma. Politically, it is in shambles now, as is the Karen State. It is not a region that is easily accessible other than the larger garrison towns. But there are many local Shan villages in the Lanna region. Perhaps the most accessible is Baan Mok Cham above Thaton situated along the Kok River. It was founded in the early 1960s by, amongst others, the son of Sao Shwe Thaik, the first president of modern independent Burma. There are lots of Shan villages in the Pai and Mae Hong Son areas. There are a few good Shan restaurants in Chiang Mai, search the forum. There is the woman operating a food stall in the market in MHS who all Burmese and Shans make a morning pilgrimage to when visiting MHS for her amazing tofu dishes. But traveling through the Shan State is really not an option apart form a very small number of NGOs or your first name is Bertril.

On a visit over the loop Tak, Mae Sot, Mai Hon Son, CM, Tak just a week ago we found many Shan in the northern towns and a very unhappy group of Burmese Immigration Officers when we suggested an unescorted trip into the north! Why don't you check out the huge refugee camp out Mai Hon Son way?

A couple of us would love to be there, unfortunately the Gods have declared otherwise!

What a strange man? Does this mean that Thailand will now become the "Hub" of logistics in ASEAN??

It might work in France but who could see it happening in Thailand? The country where girls and their mothers wear their bra to bed, they wear them under their swimming cozzies, they wear bicycle shorts as well as knickers under long skirts!

Thai women are so cosseted by "custom" they continue to boggle the mind!

I've been driving around all weekend on my motorbike in Chiang Mai. Sure, I get about 30 buckets dumped on me, and even some good hits when traveling 60-80km/hr on my way down to Hang Dong, but nothing much worse than a slight push. Bike actually seems more stable from hits when I'm going faster, though my side might not agree

Best one was when a Thai walked out into the middle of the Super Highway here to make sure I can came to a stop. I was having fun, so I didn't bother to go around him. He shook my hand, dumped a lot of water on me, and offered me and my girlfriend a sip of beer. Not sure I've ever been offered a beer while driving anywhere, but I enjoyed the experience and politely declined.

Only other comment is that I really don't mind the Thai's who dump water on me. It's the foreigners who seem to be the most drunk and stupid of all the people I've seen. Maybe ban the foreigners.

Around Phrae everyone has been super polite, all I've seen has been water thrown at motorcycles and not the riders! When people wet the riders the riders slow down and the people "pour" the water over them, It's been really different from last year!

Now, if we could only convince people to do what you did, catch and release...good karma!

I wont say she's ugly, it's just when she fell out of the "ugly" tree she hit every branch on the way down!

For some it's been a busy, busy day...it's like this every April

first!