thaibeachlovers

When I joined it was for a certain number of years, but that was changed to stay till retiring age or resign with 3 or 12 month option. The taxpayer paid a great deal of money to train me to a high standard of my trade, so it's a pity they treated me like <deleted> very badly so I wanted to leave. I would have stayed in if they had valued me and treated me properly. I enjoyed the life style, but too much bullying from senior NCOs.

Same in NZ. Could get out in 3 months or 12 months ( when I resigned ). No need to pay anything. Better conditions if take 12 months option. In both cases put on the reserve so can be called back in the event of war.

I didn't get the emojis you used. I prefer this one as no confusion what it means

Nurses are no more an essential service than firefighters, and I don't see you complaining about them striking. It's not currently illegal for them to go on strike anyway, so they can. They are not going to "let them die"- stop making stuff up. They will have a skeleton service to ensure that patients don't die, but routine tests and operations won't happen. Unless things have changed since I left the NHS, agency nurses are not used in the NHS. That's why they recruited in Africa when I was in the NHS- they had to join the NHS as permanent staff. I used to be agency myself, and the idea that I could have earned £2,500 per shift is a very bad joke. That might be for some super specialised nurse, but not for most. Nurses have been exploited and underpaid probably as long as nurses were paid, because they are mainly female- it's sad to see some people think that situation should continue. If the NHS paid them what they are worth they would not be going on strike.

I'm glad you put a "could be" in that. I expect nothing much to be found, given they were audited before, or are some claiming the IRS ignores crime?

Thin end of the wedge. Starts with this and ends up with sharia law.

Mutawa

Just listening to my collection of sad songs and heard this classic tear jerker. The Brothers Four Green Fields Once there were greenfields kissed by the sun once there were valleys, where rivers used to run. once there were blue skies, with white clouds high above. once they were part of an everlasting love. we were the lovers who strolled through green fields. green fields are gone now, parched by the sun. gone from the valleys, where rivers used to run. gone with the cold wind, that swept into my heart. gone with the lovers, who let their dreams depart. where are the green fields, that we used to roam? i'll never know what, made you run away. how can i keep searching when dark clouds hide the day. i only know there's, nothing here for me. nothing in this wide world, left for me to see. still i'll keep on waiting, until you return. i'll keep on waiting, until the day you learn. you can't be happy, while your heart's on the roam, you can't be happy until you bring it home. home to the green fields, and me once again.

It's generally their choice not to ally with a nuclear armed state ( or because they are so toxic that no decent country wants them in the "club" ), so why is it our responsibility to protect them?

55555555555555555555 At 13 I was reading Alan Quartermain and Sanders books. An age that never existed but should have.

That movie was vile IMO. I'd have no problem with it being eliminated from existence.

I reckon a lot of men never had fantastic sex in their entire lives, so no idea how wonderful good sex/ love is.

and what could possibly go wrong with that 555555555555555555555555555

Still depends on technology. If a power cut means the technology doesn't work, what ya goin' to do?

In the end, I suppose we bring our own life experience to colour the songs we hear. This one speaks to me in a very personal way. Fine on the Outside Priscilla Ahn I never had that many friends growing up So I learned to be Ok with just me, just me, just me, just me And I'll be fine on the outside I like to eat in school by myself, anyway So I'll just stay right here Right here, right here, right here And I'll be fine on the outside So I just sit in my room after hours with the moon And think of who knows my name Would you cry if I died Would you remember my face? So I left home, I packed up and l moved far away From my past one day And I laughed, I laughed, I laughed, I laughed I sound fine on the outside Sometimes I feel lost, sometimes I'm confused Sometimes I find that I am not alright And I cry, and I cry, and I cry So I just sit in my room after hours with the moon And think of who knows my name Would you cry if I died Would you remember my face?

Beautiful lyrics and so true.

Most songs I like are sad, but some are sadder than others, but a sad song also depends on the singer. I couldn't possibly say what THE saddest is but couple of the saddest have to be Down by the Salley Gardens Maura O'Connell Down by the Salley gardens, my love and I did meet She passed the Salley gardens with little snow-white feet She bid me take life easy, as the leaves grow on the trees But I, being young and foolish, with her I did not agree In a field by the river, my love and I did stand And on my leaning shoulder she placed her snow-white hand She bid me take love easy, as the grass grows on the weirs But I was young and foolish and now I am full of tears Down by the Salley gardens, my love and I did meet And she passed the Salley gardens with little snow-white feet She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs But I was young and foolish and now I am full of tears. The next one may seem to be about a happy year, but I know how sad it is to live a wonderful life for a year knowing that in .... days it will be arbitrarily end. We'll Sing in the Sunshine Gale Garnett ( last verse and chorus ) And when our year has ended And I have gone away You'll often speak about me And this is what you'll say We sang in the sunshine You know we laughed every day We sang in the sunshine Then you went on your way

I was also asked for ID in hotels, guest houses, hospitals, dentist etc. Once I got Thai driving license that did for most places.

Are you saying a/ laws can be ignored? b/ Thailand should base their laws on what farangs want? Every farang knows the rules, so no point moaning about them.

The point is that it reminds us that we don't have any rights in LOS. We are aliens, and should never take living in LOS for granted. I only wish my country would be as tough.

Yes. Done it myself. Back in the good old days when I got 90 days visa exempt. The train journey was a scenic delight.

While on the subject of hotels, did they fix the lift to lobby for Mike hotel? Last time I tried to stay there one had to walk up high stairs carrying bag to get to lobby. I didn't stay there either. It was the very first hotel I stayed at in Pattaya.

Me too. I used to always stay in one of the Sawasdee hotels down a soi opposite Soi 10. Cheap rate on 6th floor ( no lift ). Didn't have included breakfast, tv or a fridge. Back then nothing for farangs on tv anyway, and one of those insulated buckets with fresh ice every day did for a fridge. Don't remember but it might not have had AC either. Last time I asked, a few years ago, they wanted 800 baht a night an still no lift. I didn't stay there Don't remember name of cheap restaurant I used, but I remember when times got tough, as they stopped giving free nam plow. Had to stop using it when a car drove into it, and it closed.

In all my years in Pattaya I never noticed a resto that caters to vegetarians. I think I read that some Indian restaurants opened in Pattaya- if so they might do that.

Personal recommendations are just that- personal. One persons wonderful meal may not be to the liking of another. Eg I like the Lek buffet breakfast, but many on here rubbish it. Up to you, but I'd just go with what seems good on the internet. No doubt they will be playing Jinger bells etc and perhaps decorations and a tree or something like that, but don't expect too much. I recall that Royal Garden used to put up decorations outside that did for Xmas and New Year. Given covid and all that, who knows this year?