coxhoedave

Flights will finally start again in the UK on Tuesday after air traffic control company Nats lifted restrictions for Scotland and part of northern England.

After days without any flights above the UK due to volcanic ash, Nats said that Scottish airspace would open at 7am.

Airspace south to a line between Teesside and Blackpool will also be open, with the hope that restrictions over the rest of England and Wales will be lifted later on Tuesday, Nats said.

But current restrictions for the UK would carry on until 7am.

Nats said: "The volcanic eruption has reduced and the volcano is not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect the UK. Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions, we are now looking at a continuously improving situation.

"This is a dynamic and changing situation and is therefore difficult to forecast beyond 7am tomorrow.

"However, the latest Met Office advice is that the contaminated area will continue to move south, with the possibility that restrictions to airspace above England and Wales, including the London area, may be lifted later tomorrow.

"It is now for airports and airlines to decide how best to utilise this opportunity. Passengers should contact their airlines to find out how this will affect their travel plans."

The news will come as an enormous relief to cash-strapped airlines and the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad by the flights ban.

Before the Nats announcement, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that two Royal Navy ships were to be used to help bring Britons home, with a third vessel also possibly being deployed. The go-ahead for flights came as airlines pointed to successful test flights through closed airspace as a reason for lifting restrictions.

Interesting website that shows how the volcano is interrupting European flights.

http://www.radarvirtuel.com/

Darren Bent, with 22 goals in the Premier this season, hasn't even warranted a mention in this thread. Imagine how many goals he would have if he'd been an ever present with one of the leading clubs. It's worth remembering he's scored against all the big boys this season.

To see names like Crouch (7 Premier goals) and Owen (? Premier goals) with no mention of Darren Bent is, quite frankly, odd.

Dave's funeral is taking place tomorrow (12 April) mid-afternoon at Wat Gaho.

I'd love to be there but I'll just have to have a beer in his memory, here in the U.K.

This morning I received a devastating telephone call to tell me my dear friend David Lloyd passed away yesterday 8th April.

I first met David in 1989 and he was already a long time resident, living near Wat Gaho out on the road towards Khrok Pra. He was a true gentleman and was to be found in Nakhon Sawan everyday teaching English. He was a amiable guy always ready to enjoy a beer or three along with a laugh and joke.

It was my privilege to have him as a friend and he will be missed my anyone lucky enough to have met him over the years.

Our thoughts go his wife Anchalee and his daughter Angela.

RIP mate.

CHRIS HUGHTON will be ­handed a £15million transfer kitty this summer by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, whose only demand will be to keep them in the top flight.Following their promotion back to the Premier League, Hughton was told by Ashley that the days of profligate spending at St James' Park are over and he will be given only modest sums.

Good wesite to check out

http://www.pattaya-room-for-rent.com/

The cheapest places I've seen on the internet are here http://www.thaiapartments.net/

Good luck.

It may be worth checking this site out

http://pattaya.thaiapartments.net/

Been coming to LOS for best part of 30 years and it has always struck me as a good place to wake up in the morning.

As I hit the big 50 thoughts spring to mind about eventually settling here.

Something appeals about not facing long dark winters or scraping the windscreen free of frost.

I've been married to a fantastic Nakhon Sawan lass for 18 years and retiring here seems to make a whole deal of sense.

I don't like to think of myself as being naive or under the illusion that it's some sort of Utopia here but the idea of settling here appeals.

To cut a long story short, weighing up the pro and cons, it does seem make to make sense.

What about you guys who have made the plunge. Was it a great idea to relocate here?

Was the grass greener?

Thanks for the help guys.

I'm looking for cheap flights to LOS during the UK school summer holidays which commence on 23rd July for 6 weeks. I've seen Opodo.com recommended by TV members so I give it a go.

£635 Jet Air or £671 Fin Air.

Anyone know of any better deals for 2 adults and a 14 year old?

If you're fussy about somewhere to stay this website is brilliant for cheap accommodation at numerous Thai towns

http://www.thaiapartments.net/

Good point, nothing worse than investors actually wanting control of the companies they sink their money intom, damm rude. Much better to give it to the Thais to run, too many good financial outcomes from this stretegy to even mention.

There are plenty of other countries that have much less stringent rules in place if such rules are not to the liking of potential investors.

Why do foreigners bother with trying to jump through hoops in this place ?

They would much prefer us to just leave the money with Thai nationals and for to go back to our own countries

As CockneyGit said - muppets

There's so much white man's burden blatantly on display at times it's not a big wonder there's not a TV support group.

dave_boo - Dazed'n'confused.

Pretty apt description really reading your contribution

Agreed. There are some real curmudgeons on this site. They just don't get it.

Oh to be 17 years old, free and single.

Enjoy yourself my friend. Two huge bits of advice from an old fart which I hope you do not find patronizing, it's certainly not intended to be.

1) Avoid like the plague anyone involved with drugs. If you're frequenting backpacking areas you will probably come into contact with some.

2) It's so so easy to lose your heart with a beautiful girl with a beautiful smile. In Thailand it's rather difficult to know what's behind the smile. So be careful.

Other than that enjoy your experience and ignore the doubters.

Sam and John were out cutting wood, and John cut his arm off. Sam wrapped the arm in a plastic bag and took it and John to a surgeon.

The surgeon said: "You are in luck! I am an expert at reattaching limbs! Come back in four hours."

So Sam came back in four hours and the surgeon said: "I got done faster than I expected to. John is down at the local pub."

Sam went to the pub and saw John throwing darts.

A few weeks later, Sam and John were out again, and John cut his leg off. Sam put the leg in a plastic bag and took it and John back to the surgeon.

The surgeon said: "Legs are a little tougher - come back in six hours." Sam returned in six hours and the surgeon said: "I finished early - John is down at the soccer field."

Sam went to the soccer field and there was John, kicking goals.

A few weeks later, John had a terrible accident and cut his head off. Sam put the head in a plastic bag and took it and the rest of John to the surgeon.

The surgeon said: "Gee, heads are really tough. Come back in twelve hours."

So Sam returned in twelve hours and the surgeon said, "I am sorry, John died."

Sam said: "I understand - heads are tough." The surgeon said: "Oh, no! The surgery went fine! John suffocated in that plastic bag!"

Back in 2002 Ireland introduced a tax of 15 cents a bag and their usage dropped by over 90%. Until that point 1.2 billion free bags a year were being handed out. This levy also raised a few million Euros into the bargain. It has recently been reported that this tax is going to rise to a whopping 44 cents a bag!! (approx. 20 baht)

Everyone has simply started using their own cloth bags.

Somehow I can't see it happening in Thailand.

John Keay's website is here

http://johnkeay.com/books.shtml

I've decided to resurrect this thread as it's too good to die!!

After years of selling off or lending out and losing books I've decided hold on to my favourites.

The ones I haven't lost include most of Stephen Leather's books plus a couple of John Burdett's (Bangkok 8 & Bangkok Tattoo). I'll be buying Bangkok Haunts soon. I've also got a few Anthony Grey novels. I'm a little surprised Anthony Grey hasn't featured on this thread. His book "The Bangkok Secret" is certainly work seeking out although it's not as good as "Saigon", maybe my favourite novel of all time.

When it comes to books, Ulysses G seems to speak a lot of sense and when I saw him recommend John Ralston Saul I bought "The next best thing". I'm just a few pages into it but it looks as if it's going to be brilliant. Looks like I'm going to have to look out for the other Field Trilogy books "Baraka" and "The Paradise Eater". Ulysses G also recommended Dean Barret's "Memoirs of a Bangkok warrior". That will be another I'll have to keep my eyes open for.

If a novel is good or bad is by is large subjective. A perfect example being Stephen Leather's "Private Dancer" (I loved it). Another love it or hate it book is Andrew Hick's "Thai girl" It has come in for a little stick here but it's been reprinted in several occasions so it maybe worth a look and draw my own conclusion.

Another author who hasn't featured is Neil Hutchinson, I read a couple of his books a few years back. I think they were "A fool in Paradise" & "Money number One". Again I enjoyed these books but I can imagine them getting a real slating from certain TV members. I emailed him about a certain section of one of his books and he sent a friendly reply. He does not pretend to be literary giant but just a friendly genuine guy with something worth saying.

"The Falcon of Siam" was one of the many books I've lost over the years and while I found it readable, it was hardly the sort of book I couldn't put down.

Thanks to this thread I'm now looking out for books by Collin Piprell, Jim Newport, Michel Houllebecq & Dean Barret.

Any more ideas please keep them coming!!!

AVG is free and seems to do a good job.

I'll second that

"Steve actually had a few dodgy signings just before he left Wigan and he (Roberto Martinez) has inherited those dodgy signings, so I can't blame Roberto one iota. I am absolutely 100 per cent behind Roberto. He's a great manager and he will pull this team around."

I suppose anytime Sunderland lose we'll blame Roy Keane.

The negative effect on morale of a 9-1 thrashing must be severe but a statement by the chairman about a squad of dodgy signings who simply aren't up to scratch could hardly be seen as a morale booster.

Some good news for Wigan's dodgy squad (Whelan's choice of words not mine) ahead of Saturday's home fixture against Sunderland, Darren Bent is doubtful, Kenwyne Jones is suspended and ex Wigan Lee Cattermole (NOT DODGY) is injured.

Well Dave, the key players did play against Sunderland, but most of them as subs. The Prof is always critical of teams or players who are too robust. Remember what he said about the player who broke Eduardo's ankle? Well, that's Wenger. But you have to understand his concern. He got a Champions League next and Chelsea after that. And VP is out. I'm not saying Sunderland didn't deserve to win. It's just that The Prof is human after all.

Point taken Hazri.

The thing is I have a huge amount of respect for Wenger.

I do recall him (in the heat of the moment) demanding a life long ban for Birmingham's Martin Taylor for the horrible injury to Eduardo. Later when he calmed down he said his comments were over the top.

However we could open a whole new thread about the rights and wrongs of "robust play". Football would have been far worse off without the likes of Stuart Pearce, Roy Keane, Graeme Souness etc. I even recall a certain Patrick Vieira receiving 10 red cards in the Premiership, hardly a shrinking violet!

But you are right that he is human and emotional.

Still irritating though.

Arsene Wenger hardly showed any grace in defeat at Sunderland. Despite vastly improved performances including taking 7 out of 12 points from "the big four".

“It’s very difficult to measure whether they have improved from last season” . It really is a strange thing to say when you consider the dross that was served at The Stadium of Light last season. He then added “Sunderland tried more to destroy and we had more of the ball, so they tried to stop us from playing, sometimes on the fringe of the rules, but that’s part of the game”.

I think he's missed the point. Steve Bruce has introduced a real gutsy determination. This is personified by ex Gunner's target Lorik Cana.

Van Persie was obviously a big miss but Eduardo, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, Cesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin were on the field. It should be remembered that Sunderland were without Jones, Cattermole, Turner and Gordon.

All I am trying to sat it would be nice if Wenger showed even a little respect.

I'm so disappointed with Henry.

As the years have gone by his performances have been getting worse and what happened last night is the final straw.

I'm getting a Dyson tomorrow.

Sounds like a sensible solution to the naming rights.

Yes indeed I would most certainly agree about it being a sensible solution.

However looking ahead to next season I think a high profile company would be ideal. Portaloo is a company that springs to mind.

PORTALOO@StJames'ParkStadium