samuibeachcomber

I dunno if any of you had a look at the statistical data on derivatives available here: http://www.bis.org/statistics/derstats.htm

For more detailed statistics just click on linky next page left bottom.

Here an example, perhaps some of the financial guru's can have a look and crunch the numbers.

Did someone switched on the fan here? It seems a bit cooler in the room.....

Ha Ha!..............yes the temp. has dropped,but here on Samui its scorching hot,no doubt BKK same.

good link jingthing.....................particularly sad the story of the burmese in n/w thailand where the young girl was going back to burma,only to have her savings stolen from her................its stories like this that make me hate this world.

I dont think there is such a thing as a minimum wage,but i believe there is a minimum annual tax that has to be paid regardless of what salary your boss pays you.

Just get rid of the tourist volunteer police,they are not needed,and it only allows wanna be thugs legitamise their need for some kind of power or authority.

Have to agree with chaimai,the posts/replies are getting a little personal,maybe time to relax and take a breather.

Its a good topic and i hope it will continue as events unfold daily.

I think Naam takes the view that as there is nothing he can personally do to change the outcome there's not too much point in worrying about it.

A lot of people feel the same way,try to put it to the back of their mind while others like to discuss and kick it around.

artisi thanks for your post,will just have to have a rethink,a few years off yet but need to plan.

the English definition of class is correlated to wealth, status, and education.

Class is not something you can go to the store and buy. Its your history.

the French definition of class is correlated to refinement and elegance.

in that case dave there's <deleted> all class left in england

Don't try and tell us it's all gone to Thailand.

Class : not asking where you can get the cheapest bj in Nakon Sawan.

no PH they are still in the UK,its just that the "class" has gone.

the English definition of class is correlated to wealth, status, and education.

Class is not something you can go to the store and buy. Its your history.

the French definition of class is correlated to refinement and elegance.

in that case dave there's <deleted> all class left in england

SB Hi, You can take the Seatran or Lomprayah to Chumphon. A minibus from there to Ranong is around 100 baht. It is a short trip over the mountains to Ranong with some beautiful scenery. There are some nice cheap hotels in Ranong if you want to stay the night. Getting to Burma is quite easy as well. If you want to do it yourself then simply get to the PTT gas station, after immigration, and at the rear is the pier. You can go across for 40-50 baht. I used to go across, have some food and a few beers. Pick up some gin, 35 baht a bottle and whiskey 40 baht a bottle. Then when you want to return simply find a longtail leaving and pay another 40-50 baht to return. If you are OK on a bike its a lovely ride and only just over 100 kms. As long as you are in no rush even a100cc wave will do it easy. Enjoy your trip

thanks very much for info.not having done a visa 90 day in and out thing before,do i need any other documentation other than my passport?

does n't pay to post your love life on TV (2396) you will be taken down,just as your current g/f is doing calling the shots,time to move on again.If you dont succeed at first,try try again................keep smiling!

IN THE BEGINNING, THE AUSSIE VERSION

In the beginning God created day and night. He created day for footy matches, going to the beach, and BBQs. He created night for going prawning, sleeping and BBQ's, and God saw that it was good.

On the Second Day, God created water - for surfing, - swimming and BBQs on the beach, and God saw that it was good.

On the Third Day God created the Earth to bring forth plants - - to provide malt and yeast for beer and wood for BBQs, and God saw that it was good.

On the Fourth Day God created animals and crustaceans for chops, sausages, steak and prawns for BBQs, and God saw that it was good..

On the Fifth day God created a Bloke - to go to the footy, enjoy the beach, drink the beer and eat the meat and prawns at BBQs, and God saw that it was good.

On the Sixth Day God saw that the Bloke was lonely and needed someone to go to the footy, surf, drink beer, eat and stand around the Barbie with. So God created Mates, and God saw that they were good Blokes, and God saw that it was good.

On the Seventh Day God looked around at the twinkling Barbie fires, heard the hiss of opening beer cans and the raucous laughter of all the Blokes. He smelled the aroma of grilled chops and sizzling prawns and God Saw that it was good ..... Well. . almost good. He saw that the Blokes were too tired to clean up and needed a rest. So God created Sheilas - to clean the house, to bear children, to wash, to cook and to clean the Barbie, and then God saw that it was not just good. It was better than that, it was Bloody Awesome!

IT WAS AUSTRALIA!!!!!

very good,especially true going back to 70's,alas no more,i think the ladies have wised up and would be more likely to say"shove it up your arse".

TRUE

That's why the blokes are moving to Pattaya isn't it ??

thats my mantra ltcol.

I can think of many things they'd moan about,the weather for one,rude and ugly chavs,the english food,drunk and violent youths(maybe more so than inm their home country).

but(if working) i bet they like the money.

Probably many disgruntled as how their farang saviour now treats them when back on home turf too.

U2 have done some great stuff,but since "save the world" thing with geldof,bono like tony blair just love the limelight too much,and macartney to the list.

Any true giver just gets on with it without the fanfare.

Class - A doorman wearing a suit opens the door for you, smiles, and says "Good Evening Sir"

No Class - A young woman with a two year old child in her arm grabs your arm and says "Come my sex bar"

you may have it the wrong way round

Hi,anyone out there done this before.

Want to go under my own steam.thinking of busing it from surathani to raynon.

any advice please,places to stay,best way to get from raynon to thai immigration post.

Where to stay inside myanmar (if i choose to do)

customs limits and bargains to return with legally (thai customs wise)

have to exit thailand prior to march 21.am on multi entry non 0 visa.

thanks to anyone who can give advice.

Sad to say i can´t remember the name of it, but we stayed in a hotel only 5 minuites drive from the immigration. It was 500 baht if i remember correct (2 years ago). Once in immigration, you go biketaxi (5 minuites) to the "harbor" where the longtail taxis wait. On a sunny day its the greatest trip. Bring your camera! And man, the landscape between chompun and ranong! So nice run.

Taxefree stuff on Burmaside is cheap aswell, another bonus to the trip.

so matthias is it better to do the bus from suratthani or the catarmaran to chumpon and then bus it to ranong?

on another note,class to me is a beautiful lady in high heels,tight dress wiggling her arse.A class act.

I know its a serious topic,but i got sex on the brain again today.

class has little to do with wealth or education , (having those can go a long way in covering up a lack of class ) , and all to do with how you conduct yourself in life.

honesty , integrity , a sense of responsibility and the ability and willingness to "do the right thing" are signs of class to me.

yep,another good example of class.

Class, to me:

-- takes responsibility for own actions

-- accomplished but modest about it

-- considerate of others feelings, quick to share credit with others

-- a generous personality with no room for petty hatreds

A good example: Barack Obama

yes agree totally,lets hope barak obama can keep all that "class" among a den of thieves.

Hi,anyone out there done this before.

Want to go under my own steam.thinking of busing it from surathani to raynon.

any advice please,places to stay,best way to get from raynon to thai immigration post.

Where to stay inside myanmar (if i choose to do)

customs limits and bargains to return with legally (thai customs wise)

have to exit thailand prior to march 21.am on multi entry non 0 visa.

thanks to anyone who can give advice.

and naam,often ignorance is bliss,and just because some are aware of the possibilities i mentioned does n't mean we're not enjoying life, and having a good time,its good to be on your guard,just like when you go riding on your bike or walk down the street,be aware of accidents that can happen around you to keep as safe as possible.

Midas dont underestimate the possibility of a peace settlement in the mid east.I did say it would be a veneer and the paper cracks would appear soon after.

I feel very pleased to be able to think outside the box because when things do breakdown as they must do eventually-at least I will be more mentally prepared than those who continue to live in denial.

but all your mental preparation will not elevate you to a different level Midas. besides mental preparation there is not much what you can do anyway.

sidenote: actually i admire people who "continue to live in denial" for their mental abilities to do just that. it's a gift not everybody has. bottom line is they will (unlike you) have enjoyed the time till "things do break down" not "WHEN" but "IF". at the same time i pity people like you who are worrying about things which are completely out of their control and influence. on the other hand... to each his own. let masochists have their fun. they have my blessings

boy scouts motto "be prepared"

what we have here in particular are politicians in both the USA UK,who were complicit in this financial scam,hence the bailout/throwing money they have printed/backed by nothing,at these banks,who in america at least control the FED that is nothing more than a printing press.

I see this in the first instance as a massive decline of both these old superpowers,the consquences of which for its citizens are yet to be realised(hence the FEEMA camps in the USA now coming into operation)but probably riots,member states trying to untangle itself away from US govt.control,other states lining up with the central govt. because they are bankrupt and need govt. bailouts themselves(another alignment like during their civil war.)

Europe has been more prudent(re banking)with the exception of their exposure to east european countries,which could lead to europe also going the same way as the USA and UK.

That leaves asia..........and i have no idea what will happen here.I cant really see china being unscathed,cos who are they going to sell to,i dont think there are enough chinese who have money to support a domestic resurgence,unless their govt. can convince the midle classes there to take out loans and go into debt to support the domestic economy.

Now throw in the taliban/middle east,pakistan/india as a melting pot.its possible Obama may get a so called peace settlement between israel/palestinians,but it will be paper thin and cracks will soon appear(a peace in our time on paper only.)

Will Israel finally do the deed against iran?

Will the USA create a fictitious conflict to get the war machine and economy going again,quite possible.

Throw into the mix global warming(ice caps melting at an alarming rate),more natural disasters.

more drought in food producing areas creating more famine.

And all this occuring simultaniously in a 5-10 year window span does not make for a pretty time so enjoy it while you can.

And remember millions of poor people around the world have always lived with the "above monolgue."

As baby boomers from the west,we have lived a priveledged life,no world war,no famines,always had full employment,always been able to travel and find work.We have never known what it must be like to hav no money,no food and no shelter................maybe we are about to experience these things too.How well will we be able to cope,by comparison to the rest we have lived a rich full life,never knowing real hardship,and probably will be least able to cope and adjust.

O gosh, you know one day I will make a big post here so that you can see all the links, it goes back as early as 1200, yes.

i'd rather stay with the here and now alex,and work out the sequence of events to come,there's a lot of people that still think this is just an extra hard recession/depression that we are seeing(maybe in hope)and dont appreciate or want to see where it is all really heading.

SBC, you are missing the point.

It is exactly what they wanted to happen and they knew when they signed it.

ok but the article did say they got it through congress when a lot senators were n't sitting and some that were did voice concerns,i dont think the whole all US senators are/were in on it.

and look how the 1st world war began a year later,enabling them to finance war production and a lend lease situation that finally broke great britain.