MJP

I find gear change on the Ninja 650 to be a bit 'grumpy', a bit 'clonk, clonk'. Only bit of the bike I'm not keen on. Other than that it's ideal.

There is a Power Buy in the Tuckom IT Mall, second floor, Pattaya Thai. There is also one in Home Pro on Sukumvit next to Big C

Excellent service in the PowerBuy in TukCom too.

Words to the 'weary' from T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham:

And this ain't no place for the weary kind

And this ain't no place to lose your mind

And this ain't no place to fall behind

(and geographical 'fixes' prob won't cure what really ails)

Me? Mostly I love Thailand- even with all her (& my) flaws. 2 works in progress, always

It's a nice wee place to sit out a global recession if you do it right though.

Whatever anyone says, it is cheap to live here in Issan if you're sensible.

Happens everywhere, no refuse collection what would you do with it?? By my land in the morning you can see all the valleys full of it like early morning mist/fog

Around here it always done about 7 am I never see it at other times, if you look acros the valleys by me its there everyday.

Thanks for the new desktop wallpaper!

Lovely photo.

I think disillusionment is a global phenomenon right now, matters not where you are.

With low costs, no property tax, cheap school fees . . . could be worse.

don't think so... the thing here is if you live here longer you become aware of the backward developments and degeneration of the society.

thai used to be lovely, respectable people that's why i came living here 10 years ago. can be wrong but i always think taksin changed the minds of the people, helped them to dump good moral forever and become greedy. much work to be done here. they're totally materialized and 'what they call buddhism' hijacked the last remains of their personal mind.

i don't wanna know all this and try to enjoy the good things, but won't stay here anoyther 10 years for sure, not fulltime anyway.

(must be said my vision might be narrowed by too many years in chiangmai, perhaps isan or the deep south is different)

I really won't disagree with what you say. I feel the same, but it's no better anywhere else really. These people are trying to become like us. Might be telling us something?

Most of my friends here are elderly, well 50, 60, 70+. Lovely people. It's the generations after this that are trapped between the two worlds of 'developed' and 'developing'. Causes mental stress and societal problems. But is it better in the West?

My old neighbour, Lit, just brought round a cement toadstool he made for my garden. It is a very ugly thing, which will have to remain on view for the foreseeable future, but for which I'm very grateful and these happy little gestures make life worth living. No one ever manufactured an ugly cement toadstool thing for me in the UK. After living in the same street for 15 years I knew two neighbours in passing there.

It's not all bad, you just have to set limits and not throw the doors wide open. That's asking for trouble.

Yours,

Quite cheery really in Issan.

Find the local garbage dump (usually uncontrolled, unlined, unmanaged, uncapped . . . disaster waiting to happen) and take it there for them when you take yours or show them where it is.

They will already recycle a lot anyway. The old chap that comes round to take my bottles, cans etc always tries to pay me for it, which I refuse (excuse unintended pun).

Issan especially has a long way to catch up regards waste management. There's uncontrolled tips, unlined, uncapped, unanything really which are mini disasters for the groundwater quality upon which these folks rely. The relatively sudden change in economic circumstances from 3rd World poverty to 1st(ish) World consumerism is causing a future blight on land and groundwater quality, pretty sure of that.

I think disillusionment is a global phenomenon right now, matters not where you are.

With low costs, no property tax, cheap school fees . . . could be worse.

I dunno about the recession thing MJP..... tis been great for me .

I thought youd have a problem getting out of Roi-et at the moment because the airline went broke, not because you cant afford the ticket. What are they using the airport for these days?

Eh yo T!

Things are bad man, I mean real bad right now. Bermuda = hold, Kuwait = hold, it's like the world stopped.

No planes in and out of Roi-Et now, PB Air went bust and I've got school fees to pay!

Report back after trip complete.

One word of warning in Koh Kong, if they say there are no more buses to Phnom Penh that day, double check 'cos there is more than one bus company and each hotel/taxi driver is generally tied into one of them and wants you to go with them. Might save you a long wait in Koh Kong.

I reckon if you get a night bus from Roi Et to Bangkok, you'll be in PP before it's dark the following day.

If you get a morning bus from Roi Et, you'll have to overnight in Trat, Khlong Yai or Koh Kong.

Briggsy! I'm going for it! There's a bus to Aranyaprathet from Phon Thong (only 20 mins from my house). Going to hit Poipet, then bus to PP. Should work out cheap, cheap . . . Apparently the road from Poipet to Phnom Penh is better recently . . . shall report back in a couple of weeks.

I hate recessions.

I basically hand it all over to the Mrs, and keep my own allowance for personal expenses (most of them beer related. )

She's much better with money than I am.. (She actually cares enough about the stuff to keep track, organize & plan.

You're lucky Winnie. I have seen little evidence that money "planning" existed here from those I've been around. Many Thais spend money like kids. As long as there is money in the mobile and a beer and a cigarette covered, not much more matters.

I agree. For many Thais, the point with money, is to spend it as quickly as possible, mostly on nonsense. My wife has learned, after five years of marriage, that this is not very smart. I wonder who learned her that? It was not her family in here in Thailand, I can tell you that much.

Keeps the economy turning over though?

wakey wakey, we all know these thais are big smile when you go in there shops to spend money. so dont give it all that....i have my veiws of this place, as i will say again EACH TO THERE OWN, & by the way im the most politest person you will ever meet. so i bid you good day SIR PS i know england is not the best place in the world but atleast i will feel safer & get a pls & thx from people .

---------------------------------------------

Bud69er!!!

I dont care what ever you are or not are!! The situation you describe is easy to fall into. And it is not easy to take yourself out of it. When I read about your life as you describe it, I got the feeling that you mostly have a hard time because you do not understand a shit of life here. You say that you understand thai-language to 90%. hmmm it is like people looking arround and cannot see anything, mostly because they are not LOOKING!!

You are right Bud69er they do not give us thank you, they do not say thank you to their own kind, so why to us falangs?? i think you expect too much really!

Your business is a shitbusiness as you say, so leave it, if you cant stay here without it, leave, Do not spend your lifetime here unhappy, it is not worth it. You know life doesn´t go in a rerun, so do the right thing now.

if you decide to stay, you realy really really have to start to adapt. look that word up,,, adapt..... and if you hate life in Phuket there are so many wonderful places here in Thailand that not are that bad as you descibe. If you lack money, as I KNOW you are, come up to Isaan, we have a very good and cheap life here, dinner 35 baht, same for lunch

Welcome mate..

Glegolo

Anybody who go to Isaan, must be nuts! Keep the place to youself. Worst advice ever. Not north of Bangkok, no way!

What's wrong with Issan? (serious question asked without presumption or prejudice).

Can you imagine if the foreigners got a vote,jesus wept,now we would see some violence.The racist riff raff who condemn Issan folk and the decent farang who would help the lovely Issan people

Few as decent as me and few have helped so much.

I just wonder what you've ever done for your fellow man?

how long have you got

All day.

Okay, I believe you. But still, trying to get alternative views across to the chaps in red shirts (i.e., it's the global economy, Thaksin happened to be in power during the biggest credit bubble in human history, it's not the fault of the current government . . . you get the idea) . . . well, heads and brick walls come to mind.

I'm not insulting them, just making the observation that there is either stubbornness and/or ignorance. It's entrenched.

But add to that, it goes much deeper than Thaksin. It's to do with regime change we can't talk about here. I think this is what really worries them and me to be honest. I'll leave it there.

Can you imagine if the foreigners got a vote,jesus wept,now we would see some violence.The racist riff raff who condemn Issan folk and the decent farang who would help the lovely Issan people

Few as decent as me and few have helped so much.

I just wonder what you've ever done for your fellow man?

Rule of thumb for me:

Never talk politics with taxi drivers. If they bring it up, change the subject or play dumb.

A lot of drivers bring up the topic first. I always play dumb, but some get all excited anyway. Being hillbillies themselves, there's no surprise that most support the northern hillbilly. Just as the last crash was the IMF's fault, not loose credit in Thailand, so the current global recession is somehow Abhisit's fault.

That about sums up the depth of rational understanding and logic.

It's a long mental journey for these folks.

I will introduce some hillbillies to you and tell them how disrespectful you are,then i will move as i hate blood on my designer gear,well from the market.

I already live with them and help many. We also have these conversations about reds and yellows, I state my case about the old guard in Thailand and the global depression and no one takes offense.

I think siggie's being facetious Huey.

Glad somebody noticed ty,why cant people have a joke on here,and accusing me of racism lol.Some of these pc brigade are beyond help,but ty for seeing my intent.

I always try to remember there are lots of nationalities posting on forums like this, all with different concepts of humour.

Try to please them all and you just end up with a 'why did the chicken cross the road . . . ' . . . you get the idea.

Rule of thumb for me:

Never talk politics with taxi drivers. If they bring it up, change the subject or play dumb.

A lot of drivers bring up the topic first. I always play dumb, but some get all excited anyway. Being hillbillies themselves, there's no surprise that most support the northern hillbilly. Just as the last crash was the IMF's fault, not loose credit in Thailand, so the current global recession is somehow Abhisit's fault.

That about sums up the depth of rational understanding and logic.

It's a long mental journey for these folks.

Keep in mind the sources people, a Taxi driver, a chilli farmer from a buri somewhere... They are not the most educated people in Thailand and are quite responsive to the over simplified, classic poor vs. rich propaganda that taxsin is all about.

Now, ask some Thais who travel, ask some that have a degree or with 2 one thousand baht notes in their pockets to rub together and you will find that they are greatful for Abihisit. My wife's friends refer to him as "Markbama" and they loath taxsin.

The rich get richer,so why dont they just massacre anybody under a certain weekly wage,and then get rid of all babies that are brown skinned or darker,then the next generation can pick who they want as the white chinese thais will bomb Issan and get their wish as the place not been part of Thailand.

On the other hand lets massacre the minority,which will be easy cos they cant fight,and let the majority rule in peace.Teach them all english and then farangs cannot get teaching jobs also

Whats up with all the killing and racism? Fortunately Thailand has nice jails for people of your mindset.

Do they have room service?

Is airport transfer included in the price?

WiFi?

Most countries, including UK, do not allow additional pages (but the US does).

Thank you for that information, Thaiphoon. Without this e-visa thing, reckon my 48 pager would be full in 3 years.

Whatever people say about him, Thaksin is a pretty darn clever businessman. If only he'd been more interested in filling the country's coffers rather than his own.

As to the person who said all politicians are corrupt, yep, of course... but none here have had quite the same "screw you, I own this country, I'll take what I want" attitude as Thaksin... Take the money, sure, but at least have a modicum of respect for those you are fleecing. I guess that's the main difference between business vs politics...

So he wasn't handed a monopoly by an army general then? Then get a European firm to invest and develop the network (Hutchinson), then in typical fashion here, steal it all?

Yes, that's what I meant, "crafty" or "opportunistic" would have been a better choice of word, I guess. Qualities that are acceptable, even encouraged in the world of big business, but absolutely wrong when governing a country...

. . . right! Then he sells it to a foreign firm and dodges the all tax! It really is no wonder they're after this guy. Tried to explain it to some reds up here once . . . last time I'm bothering with that.

Not sure, but I think you can have pages put in or the passport refilled . . . dunno?

I've heard similar views several times up here from farming people . Hard to say wether its a minority or majority view. It is a simple view and I suppose easy to understand. under taksin they had money, now they don't. Same , Same me.

I Blame the Global Economic Meltdown , they Blame Abhisit. Nothing short of them striking Gold or Oil is going to change that mindset.

I've tried explaining this too. Even to a well educated Thai friend who lived in the US for 10 years, speaks perfect English. We discuss how bad trade is, how bad the global economy, how badly it's affecting Thailand, he agrees. But it always reverts to and ends with . . . 'it was better when Thaksin was here' and 'if Thaksin was back it would all be back to normal'.

It's weird.

Whatever people say about him, Thaksin is a pretty darn clever businessman. If only he'd been more interested in filling the country's coffers rather than his own.

As to the person who said all politicians are corrupt, yep, of course... but none here have had quite the same "screw you, I own this country, I'll take what I want" attitude as Thaksin... Take the money, sure, but at least have a modicum of respect for those you are fleecing. I guess that's the main difference between business vs politics...

So he wasn't handed a monopoly by an army general then? Then get a European firm to invest and develop the network (Hutchinson), then in typical fashion here, steal it all?

i think i'll definitely try this next time .. as it happens i didnt this time cos i wouldnt have had time ... but thanks for the reply

Did it yesterday, got the e-visa through this morning by email. Just need to print two copies.

One thing this does do is save pages in your passport. The Khmers and the Laos think it's important to use up a whole page of your passport every time you go there, which really irritates me. I guess this e-visa thing prevents that.

Please keep the talk here to the topic at hand, a new capital for Thailand.

BTW, I reckon it would HAVE to be in central Thailand given the political structure here.

Is it simply about the location of the seat of government?

I think it's pretty obvious it would be . . . Chiang Mai.

Surely it has to be Pattaya! Oh no, I guess that'll be underwater too.

Or will it? Check out the video in the article and you will see the very specific conditions that impact on Bangkok. Particularly the very soft clay soil (used to be a canal city before they topped with cement), the massive river, the draining of the underground fresh water, the concentration of skyscrapers. Kind of a perfect storm, if you will. I don't know if the factors in Pattaya will make it sink like Bangkok. Does anyone know the soil characteristics of Pattaya? I considered voting Pattaya as a joke vote, but decided on Ayathuya as a more realistic choice.

I would imagine a few dewatering firms will do very well in BKK over the next . . .

Not that easy to dewater fine grained soils (clays and fine silts) using abstraction wells, been in this situation a few times. But it would be cheaper I guess to engineer flood protection than move a capital, which is what is likely to happen. I'll watch the video. Thanks.

Sorry I did vote for Pattaya as a joke.

There is no doubt the red shirt fanatics are now greatly reduced in number, and perhaps intensity. Lets hope they just fade away. It would better for the country to proceed without their inflammatory influence.

I doubt it will fade away, but it will (has) change focus away from Thaksin to other matters we cannot discuss on this forum.