awal7505

On my first ever visit to Thailand,i was ripped off left,right and centre,but hey,thats how i learned and i expect its the same with many foreign countries.hel_l,even Melbourne/Sydney taxi drivers can scam tourists by taking the "scenic" route.And yes i did some research before i travelled in the days when the internet was not common.

I was also aware to negotiate a price before travelling in a tuk tuk,baht bus or taxi.At the time,the fares all seemed reasonable.In hindsight and with a few more trips under my belt,i realised these prices were inflated and i negotiated the best rate i could with the helpful advice of some lovely locals

The point being,agreed fare is agreed fare and if you get "ripped" off now and again,so be it.Live and learn and walk away with a smile on your face.Just don't do it again.Avoid arguments and confrontation as much as possible whilst on holiday.Certainly don't lose your temper over 50B.

Obviously physical violence to settle a dispute such as this is unacceptable anywhere in the world but really i think many Thais think with their heart first and not their head.A little common sense by both parties would have avoided this situation.

Kratin Leucaena leucocephala

Many thanks,much appreciated

I am desperately trying to find the botanical name for a plant leaf often served with som tum and kanom jeen.

My wife keeps telling me it is called "phak gatin" but for the life of me i can find no reference to its botanical name on the net.

I know it grows locally here in South Australia but no-one knows its English name and i would love to find out more about this plant.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If she behaved anything like the Aussie tourists behave in Bali,i have little sympathy for her.It's always the badly behaved minority that tarnish the reputation of the well behaved majority.A little respect and civility even when drunk goes a long way.

I'm sure the Thais have good reason to do what they have done and would not be stupid enough to bring this un-wanted attention if it were not justified.

Of course the Western media want to play the mis-treated hard done by tourist story as it makes for a more sensational report and we all know this is how the media works.