rdog

Memorial to what?? A long past war of British aggression against Turkey. Australian and New Zealanders fighting for a foreign power in a foreign country far from their home. As a New Zealander I am ashamed by what we did

XXXXXX.

Lest we forget.

There's a place in Bangrak that rents mountain bikes (opposite side to where the Elephant & Castle used to be, roughly) out the front of a beauty salon, she has about 4 or 5 bikes. Don't know of any organised tours though, sorry.

Can get to the airport definitely by the road that goes past the end of the runway and Chinese cemetery. Went down the Ghost Road and turned left at the crossroads with 7/11 on the right and made it through ok. Cars and taxis still getting in that way. Other roads in I'm not sure, sorry.[

If you are talking about the band that was playing down by the pier pub where the taxi drivers park, I think they were called the Samui Flowers or Flowers of Samui, something like that. I think the lead guitarist/singer is something to do with Crawshaws? Could be wrong as I was told that.

I think that covers it being called a ferry

Whatever you do good luck to you but.........

Don't pay the Ferryman,

Don't even fix a price,

Don't pay the ferryman,

Until he gets you to the other side

;}

Jeez I really hope it is beer, I have already spent a fortune on lines and a tap connecting it to my kitchen.

Feel free to buy my beers and leave them behind the bar, I'll shoot down there on Tuesday when I'm back to see how generous you all are!

Yep would like to come (+1). Just want to know how to register? I don't want to be confused with BigC/Arkelfmow/Mattias etc.... by accident!! How is it going to work?

I know the guys near "75" next to the dentist cycle at least once a week. Also spoke to the guy that owns the new bike shop on Chaweng Lake road and he said that there are about 20-30 of them that get out a couple of times a week, up over the mountain at Nathon etc, so good riding. Go and check him out or the guys next to the dentist, they are all really friendly guys and you will probably get some help if you speak to them.

So sad that another good person is gone. Didn't know Joe that well only met a few times, but loved his food. Everyone I met who had known him for a long time all said the same thing about him, a big man with an even bigger heart. Condolences to his family, friends and staff. RIP.

Great to see the asphalt and attempted bettering of our roads. What concerns me is what happens when the rains really come and the underpinning foundation gives way. Unfortunately seems inevitable but possibly easy to repair, not sure? Also why do all the work on the drains in the north of the island (Maenam/Bophut/Chaweng? when the tarmac is obviously going to be sitting a few inches higher? Glad to see an improvement but skeptical of the actual change.

There is a hobby/toy shop opposite Makro that has remote control helicopters, cars, boats, submarines etc. Not huge but a reasonable amount of stock.

aaaaahhhhh, Eau de Chaweng. Someone should bottle it and release it as an upscale fragrance!!

If they have it at Colibri's why don't you ask a friend on Samui to buy some/box of it and stick it on Seatran for about 100 baht and pick it up at Thongsala? It isn't that far.

I'd do as Roo suggests and take a drive around. I have seen a number of signs on houses and roads offering already constructed houses for sale. Of course it depends on what style and standard but there are signs to have a look at one house in the Ghost Road.

Actually prefer to board last as opposed to first as the kids get irritated and bored before the plane even takes off. Food = if you don't like it don't eat it as it's only 45 minutes! I can last the drive from Nathon to Chaweng without starving to death! Although the main airline from Samui, I have flown much worse airlines in USA/Australia/UK and find airline staff in Thailand more than approachable and agreeable than most places and always feel a different attitude when returning to Thailand.

Has your friends children been attending Open Gates? From the sounds of it not so how could they gain anything from the 2 weeks free tuition that Bluewater has given those who have been let down? Those kids that Bluewater are helping out wont be getting next term for free so please try to come up with an actual relevant argument.

OK I give up before I get bashed...

Just would like to say that Jeremy has done a very nice and decent thing by offering this to the students of Open Gates and that should be acknowledged, well done.

Other discussion about this is obviously very emotional so I shall remove my oar and stick it some place useful! Suggestions I am sure are plentiful, but it won't fit there so I will just say good night and leave it at that.

Well worded and nice to hear some positives from this forum.

Why would you rattle my cage & I am also confused as to where I have said you are not entitled to an opinion?

But for the record I am entitled to express mine too & it is, that I believe anyone who kicks up a fuss over these kids getting included at bluewater for 2 weeks for free is shallow & petty.

Noted.

I have a friend moving over here from the the UK in two months who has lost his job in the city, do you think he should enrol now as well and get the free option for his two children? Just curious as to how you view that?

IMO any existing BW parent who get narked over the school taking in opengate kids for 2 weeks need to get their head examined & show a bit of compassion & sympathy to those kids who got left hanging through no fault of their own.

Am I not entitled to an opinion?

Sorry but no one is narked over taking in children.

Sorry to rattle your cage.

He actually shows very shrewd business sense. You show little of it, though, rdog. Businesses give free stuff to new customers all the time. His compassion will not go unnoticed and will bring more money to the school, surely, as some of those new students will become paying customers, and the word-of-mouth will help greatly, as well. Methinks you don't have an MBA, and if you do, it has been mightily wasted.

Read my last post Did I not agree that what he is doing is a good thing?? Obviously the children are the most important concern here no one is disputing that.

It's sad that you feel the need to attack me personally when I have merely stated facts, hang on this is a forum what am I doing stating facts!! The world is indeed flat and I can prove it!

Jeez some of you people need to relax. Never stated my schooling qualifications but judging by some of you posters it would appear kindergarten level is well and truly enough.

Felling a bit touchy about this by the sound of it, maybe just take a deep breath and count to 10........

total agree with the above.

i think it was a good move from a business perspective as parents will not soon forget the assistance they got in time of problem

i don't think other parents who already have kids will take the kids out..and i think if at all they will probably sympathize with the new parents situation (no one would want to be in that position of finding out that the school is closed and your money gone)

its also establishing a business reputation of fairness and not taking a financial advantage of those who are in distress.

i think that this head master is not running just a business, he runs a school.

we all like to believe that the school is also supposed to educate values, ethics and morals.. i think coming to the aid of someone in distress is something that the kids can look up to and learn from..

Totally agree that what he is doing is done with all good intentions and yes it is something that is unselfish and can be looked upon by others as an extremely good deed, after all I am guessing that it is his pocket that the money is coming out of in the short term.

However it will be interesting to see if any of the existing parents who may be also suffering financially take to it, that is the point I am making, I am not bad mouthing the guy for helping people when something as bad as this happens to them.

rdog that seems a bit unfair to ask of any business and frankly i do not see your point; how are the current parents at BW being negativly effected? New students bring new personalities to the class room and this is a positive not a negative. In fact the Q could be will the BW staff being getting paid more, that would hold more water. As for prepayment of tuition many parents do the whole year because there is typically a small discount offered but No i do not think it is an understood risk that the school could close and that the money will be lost. do you?

The point being, people have made a choice as to which school they sent their children to. The fact that one has run out of money and failed them does not mean that they should now receive free education at another. I understand that the children may be distressed but as has been stated, THIS IS A BUSINESS not a charity.

Yes obviously the headmaster of Bluewater is a business man but this doesn't appear to a be a very shrewd move on his behalf. I will be very interested to hear/see what parents of Bluewater have to say when they learn of this, I would imagine there are a lot that will read this thread and I would also imagine they will be talking about it next week. His motives are obviously well meant but this has from what I see just devalued the education cost per head of each and every child at Bluewater. I wonder if you had just bought a car and paid 500,000 baht for it and as you were walking away you heard the salesman saying that he could sell it for 400,000 baht to someone who walked in behind you, wouldn't you be turning around and asking why?? I would think so because I know I would.

lets look at it a bit more form a bsuiness stand point, he gives 2 weeks of tuition away for free with the prospects of picking up 45 new students translating into a sizable sum in tuitions which goes backl into the school making it better for the current and new students. devalued???? i do not think so.

One rule for one and one for another doesn't really cut it does it?

Each to their own obviously. You have your opinion to which you are entitled as do I.

rdog that seems a bit unfair to ask of any business and frankly i do not see your point; how are the current parents at BW being negativly effected? New students bring new personalities to the class room and this is a positive not a negative. In fact the Q could be will the BW staff being getting paid more, that would hold more water. As for prepayment of tuition many parents do the whole year because there is typically a small discount offered but No i do not think it is an understood risk that the school could close and that the money will be lost. do you?

The point being, people have made a choice as to which school they sent their children to. The fact that one has run out of money and failed them does not mean that they should now receive free education at another. I understand that the children may be distressed but as has been stated, THIS IS A BUSINESS not a charity.

Yes obviously the headmaster of Bluewater is a business man but this doesn't appear to a be a very shrewd move on his behalf. I will be very interested to hear/see what parents of Bluewater have to say when they learn of this, I would imagine there are a lot that will read this thread and I would also imagine they will be talking about it next week. His motives are obviously well meant but this has from what I see just devalued the education cost per head of each and every child at Bluewater. I wonder if you had just bought a car and paid 500,000 baht for it and as you were walking away you heard the salesman saying that he could sell it for 400,000 baht to someone who walked in behind you, wouldn't you be turning around and asking why?? I would think so because I know I would.

One rule for one and one for another doesn't really cut it does it?

Ok that makes sense!

So the current parents of Bluewater will also be getting a reduced rate for their children due to the hardship they are suffering at the expense of the closure of Open Gates and the sudden influx of extra students into their existing school?

People can choose to prepay for education or pay as the bills become due, if however some have opted for the first option it is their choice do we not think??