WinnieTheKhwai

Never seen them in Chiang Mai, Loh Kroi, moon muang etc unless they stick to the nightmarket area that is.

I've seen them in Loi Kroh plenty times. Also having beers with the girls, mind, but as they're not 'real' police but 'translators' I guess that's okay too.

As said before some wear smart trousers and polo shirts with the various badges on etc and they come across very well, some wear the equivilent of the 18 hole DM's I had back in the UK for work with combat trousers tucked in, almost SWAT like, they do IMO look a bit OTT but I also have heard that one or two of them are ex forces so OK thats maybe what they are used to wearing

Great, the "ex-forces" brigade in Pattaya signing up for uniforms.

I don't doubt some are well intentioned or even doing good, but seeing there's absolutely no training involved it's only a matter of time before this goes wrong in a big way.

(Then I'll come on this forum and say "I told you so.", referencing this post. )

Thankfully style is harder to change than just a name and member account.

Thankfully people's opinions are harder to suppress than what a forum allows..

I think a good idea would be to build a large gated complex with it's own tight security for foreigners in Pattaya to keep the bad guys in.

Fixed that for you.

More and more bars seem to disappear and being replace by useless businesses.

That's a brilliant quote!!

I agree starting non-bar businesses in the current economy should be discouraged in favor of useful businesses like those in Soi 6.

Also, let me know when bars in Pattaya are become so scarce they'e going on the UNESCO world heritage site list.

A Suzuki Jeep would indeed be MUCH better off road. On road they're of course terrible.

Then again, NVs are front wheel drive so in many ways better than regular (real wheel drive) pickups when it gets slippery.

I think I've seen raised ones, mostly for rallying type looks.

Best option: 4x4 pick up truck.

Yes, I did read yours perhaps you should re-read mine. As I said, could be he was just watching you and thinking of something else, or nothing at all. A lack of a smile doesn't indicate hostility in my book.

Maybe not in Bangkok or some hard core tourist spots, but it does in the real Thailand.

Its great to see the Thai police are arresting drug users and refusing to take bribes.... or is it that we only hate corruption when we do not benefit from it?

Right, and the police doesn't have a deal with the lawyer to split the 60K.

Dream on.

Why not put a bit of basic info in your profile page? I appreciate anonymity but a little bit of info wouldn't hurt.

Because of all the weirdos on here.

I hope you will read my book : "Farang Grandiosity Syndrome : Thailand as Thighland" It is a difficult read : the censors have struck out every word, leaving only the punctuation, but for many expat readers, surprisingly, that has not been a problem; they've responded with comments like : "this book explains exactly the way I find Thailand to be."

best, ~o:37;

p.s. I apologize for my post which you took as abusive; it was meant to be funny, but I can see that it did not come across that way.

No hard feelings, I appreciate this post as well!

WTK

Another thing to consider, for those who choose to skirt the rules, is that transiting Wing 41 is a privilege, not a right.

If enough farang get caught skirting the rules, at some point the base commander might just say: "no more farang passes".

Why take a chance? When I was in applying in Nov, I saw everyone from hi-so in S600 Mercedes to tuk-tuk drivers in line.

Why should it be any different for us?

Don't screw it up for all the rest of us who follow the rules.

Amen. Additionally, it's still a MILITARY BASE. No matter how easy going this place is, you want to play this one by the rules. The guards are not on the same level as the attendant at the Tesco parking lot or your gated village.

Kham Thiang flower & plants market.

Pretty much any local Chiang Mai person knows where it is. (Behind the Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway)

I also don't use the aircon. Smartest move I made in Thailand. Not only saves 4 or 5K baht a month but now I am totally acclimated which is obviously much healthier. The only downside is I am starting to feel cold like the Thais at absurdly warm temperatures.

Jingthing, how long have you lived in Thailand? I always wondered if it is possible to adjust to high temperatures with time. I guess you are living proof.

regards, Bartek.

You don't really adjust or get used to the heat, but you do get used to being sweaty and uncomfortable most of the time.

Cool, a "my Thailand is realer than your Thailand" topic.

That's so cute.. He fell in love with the PVC pipe. Anyway it looks pretty harmless to me. (It can still bite, pretty much all snakes can, but it doesn't look like a venomous one.)

Yesyerday, I ordered from 'Meals on wheels for u' a cheeseburger, chili dogs, fries, and a peanut butter-banana milkshake from Joe Jets. As expected, the milkshake arrived melted and tasted like crap. The fries were warm and edible, while the chilidog had the best tasting hot dog I've had in Chiang Mai. The Cheeseburger was HUGE, great bun, and was absolutely delicious

Thanks for the review, that sounds awesome!!! (The dissappointments I think were related to the delivery; fries also don't travel all that well usually.)

Rafting:

Bamboo poles tied together floating downstream: Safe and great to do with kids who can swim and/or are wearing life vests.

White water rafting : Can be quite dangerous in the wet season. People get killed sometimes.

i tell you, TV makes expats appear rather a pathetic bunch.

I'm hoping this is because it attracts a certain kind..

But then when I look around me in expat-heavy environs I realize it's a slim hope indeed..

Thai Thai and more Thai.

At the risk of stating the bloody obvious, why would anyone have it any other way? The above is a great summary of my reasons for moving to Thailand in the first place!

Pattaya is a resort city in Thailand and quite probably among the most popular beach destinations for Thais from Bangkok, is it not?

Feel free to not go.

I for one will be in Pattaya during the festival, [as an environmental refugee though that's a different story], and will see if I can catch some of the concerts.. Loads of young chicks from Bangkok on holiday, it sounds like heaven frankly compared to the entertainment more commonly on offer in Pattaya?

it sounds like the sort of issue which should be dealt with by the immigration authorities rather than the police force. i'd certainly politely decline to fill in any forms which weren't linked to visa or immigration issues.

and what would happen if you poiltely decline?

and how exactly do you politely decline a thai official with a gun in his belt and no redress to the courts

By smiling, thanking him for the visit and saying you'll fill it in, and then don't.

In the unlikely event you get a reminder you basically repeat, make up an excuse and then again don't do anything. Repeat as needed.

Most Thais are familiar with the concept.

> Called... suggestive selling... :-) and a unique way for a bank to

> indirectly profit from alcohol sales and prostitution :-)

Um, Krung Sri Ayudthaya bank actively send teams to all the bars with their Western Union brochures, and explaining the conveniences of their service. I've seen them do it and I have to say they do it well. Very friendly and very patient.

Point being that it's not even THAT indirect.

I have to say it's remarkable how the air cleared this afternoon, even without rain. It seemed to me the wind started blowing from a different direction.

And it's also noteworthy that this results in cleared views, but still you smell smoke from local fires when you're near them, and there were plenty.

Could Unlysses have been right all along in claiming that local small fires really have no significant effect on the overall atmosphere/weather, just a local effect?

I thought we got some rain making planes out of Hua Hin... If they're here they don't work very well do they..

Wow, you do stick around for a chat to be able to even observe unhappiness, never mind engage in dialog after paying the fare?

Not sure if I would find the same if I did that. Maybe I would. But still I'd pay 15 and a friendly 'khob khun khrab'.

In Pattaya I do the same, but there I pay 10. (Typical trips are shorter though)

After 3 big Changs it probably seems more profound.