Razzler1973

I think the best attendants are on Virgin Airways, the worst in my experience always tend to be North American airlines of some kind (sorry!).

I always go the back to get my own booze, it's just quicker, I don't want someone telling me 'I'll check if we have any' when I ask for a beer ... you better have some or they look at me funny as if it's coming out of their own personal stash of booze! Virgin are never like this, no problem if they give you two beers if you are watching a film

Aussie jailed for flipping the bird at driver in Dubai

By Michelle Cazzulino

May 01, 2009 07:57am

IT was a gesture many Australians have been guilty of making at the end of a long, frustrating day.

But "flipping the bird" to another driver landed Australian nurse Darren O'Mullane 24 days in jail and a life ban from the United Arab Emirates.

Mr O'Mullane was deported from Dubai last Thursday after being convicted of making a rude gesture to another motorist, who happened to be a UAE official, last October.

Cont http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...733-953,00.html

Sadly typical of the way things are out here in Dubai. What's even more pathetic than the snide Locals complaining about things like this on one hand and going whoring on the other is the ridiculous expats we have here that won't even allow a bad word to be said about this place, they jump to it's defence whenever anyone says anything negative.

Also had a couple jailed for a couple of months for adultery just a month or so back. What's worse, British couple, the husband made a complaint to the police about the adultery and the police nicked the wife and jailed her and the 'boyfriend'. What a loser!

Not sure about Everton wrapping up 6th, I reckon they'll nick 5th from Villa.

Spurs have a fair few tricky games left to play, despite their form, I fancy they'll fall just short. Fulham: No. Could see Man City doing it if they got their act together away from home or even picked up a few points rather than being totally abject. I think West Ham may take it.

There's also the Fair Play league, not a guaranteed spot but chances of a draw that someone could get in, not sure who is top in the Prem at the moment, if that team is already in Europe goes to next team not in Europe. That's how City got in this season's tournament

A lot of people getting very defensive in here, girlx also getting it in the neck about being some kind of 'loser magnet' and how every single guy she's met is 'the wrong guy'.

I can see what she's saying and don't think she is throwing around the accusations that everyone else is accusing her of, everyone clambering over themselves to defend their position and not really listening (reading) what others are saying, even though they think they are.

Was an interesting read anyway

I wouldn't be that worried. The 'media' has a lot to answer for in shaping western men's views of western women as well as women's views of men. It's going to get more complicated when everyone else has their own interpretations from an outside perspective

Can you still get it on a nightly basis or weekly, for instance.

If so, just turn up and ask about it, is this widely known or would they stare at me blankly if I asked ?

Very useful indeed, excellent effort, chaps

His views on HIV/Aids aside I do remember reading his column, was never into that whole scene much but still read his piece, I just remember him being so well known so whenever I had the paper I'd read to see what the fuss was all about, never really sure I knew to be honest

I always look my bags, two locks, keys in my wallet, on me.

Lock them in hotel rooms, airports, wherever.

I don't really subscribe to the 'thieves will steal anyway' line, you're surely discouraging casual thieving, opportunism. Why make it easy for someone. If they're a proper, hardcore thief they may well steal your stuff, break your locks, they may as well steal the entire bag but I generally find thieves are more of the kind that if you give them an opportunity they'll take it, just make it more difficult, what's to lose?

The fact Ashley Young wasn't called in makes me wonder if Gerrard will feature on the left or we'll play a 4-2-3-1 or something like that. Heskey on a yellow so doubt he will play 90 mins on Saturday either

Two friends of mine on separate visits to The Penalty Spot between Suk 29-31 have both come away with bad impressions of this place. The emphasis is on hassle from the girls to buy them drinks. This is not want you want from a pub or a "sports bar". The manager was also less than respectful and tried to get them to buy girl drinks. My mates had a better idea - they paid their bills and left!

This was not just a one off - it happened to two sets of people on separate occasions.

A friend of a friend mentioned this to one of the owners. His reaction was not what you would expect either. I don't know the context of the conversation but the owners attitude was if you don't like the bar then *&&* off!

So, although I was interested in giving this place a try I will now not bother. My friends are sensible expats & I trust their opinions.

p.s. there are very few true sports bars in bangkok. A lot of them will show all the games with commentary off. Others will turn the game off at HT & FT & put the music on. The Aussie bar on suk soi 23 tries to give you the game + commentary + feedback. If it is an obscure game that no one else wants to watch he will try & find you your own tele in a corner somewhere. Only problem is the bar is not well set out (shophouse) so privacy is difficult if you want to listen to your own game.

Agree with this, very few "proper" sports bars in Bangkok. Not been to this place but have been to the Office before, again, girls strolling about, I don't mind, I won't partake and they don't hassle you but it's not really a "sports" type environment.

Other places turn commentary off does my head in too.

What about those midweek games, are the bars even open for those in Bkk these days ? Regarding KSR though, that D&D Inn is usually open 24 hours a day and shows games, usually have commentary on too if you're in that neck of the woods

Yeah, I'd be interested to where you stay, not been for years, remember staying in an old A Frame about 10 years or so back, rained like hel_l the whole time I was there, out of season :/

Yeah, I'd be interested to where you stay, not been for years, remember staying in an old A Frame about 10 years or so back, rained like hel_l the whole time I was there, out of season :/

Love the train and love it in Thailand, always seems a hassle to book ahead outside the country so I tend to go to the station a day or so before and sort the tickets out, minor inconvenience. I am traveling with someone i prefer booking an upper and lower so basically together the whole time, don't mind the top bunk myself but lots more space below, maybe even for two *nudge nudge*

direct to Manchester always more expensive compared to say, London. Try an airline with stop offs, Qatar a good shout or maybe Gulf if they fly from Manchester (they're a bit pants though). Also check KLM, sometimes do good prices on long hail to Asia from Europe

My guess is one slice just got jammed in the toaster, made the popping sound but only once slice popped up, happens to me all the time

I live in the UAE and the number of bottles you can buy is not restricted to one. You can obtain a liquor licence which will enable you to buy alcohol from booze outlets around town (not for Muslims), there is a restriction on how much you can buy but it's far far greater than one bottle. I think it's linked to your salary and can spend a percentage of it. Friends of mine that have a licence have never not been able to buy whatever they like.

I don't use a licence, I drive to various 'hole in the wall' outlets to buy as much as I want without a licence (Muslims allowed!) or go to Baracuda in Umn al Quain where there is a booze supermarket owned by the Sheikh and buy whatever I want openly and drive it home.

Used to do the 'ol Fortune Telling thing years back in Hong Kong, even used to go office to office!

Sorry to hear about this, as others have said you appear to be taken advantage of, 30K a month is a sizeable amount but finance aside the most saddening part is the way this woman seems to treat you, completely at odds with any Thai female I personally, have ever known. There may be some cultural differences, you won't get many 'sorries' but rather silence as an apology, I find, you may not get someone so luvvy dovey and sweetness but that doesnt excuse the terrible treatment you seem to be on the end of here.

You are actually up front about what you want here, you're looking for a wife. Do you really think you can't do better than this ? I wouldnt let her anywhere near my business and she seems to be milking you for the benefit of her family, she's 'helping' them out in this way but it's frankly not doing anything for you, regardless of whether you are happy to do it. Looking at this long term you can get yourself a much much nicer person to settle down with you, I am sure of it.

This one should be cut loose immediately, don't get caught up in the feeling sorry for the family and stuff, I have a feeling this girl might end up landing on her feet with another bloke when you're gone. You would never stand for this treatment back in the west, treating people nicely isn't a mystery in Thailand, if anything they're fantastic at it and you're having a rotten experience with this girl that frankly seems poisonous

It's usually a 'tip-off' (i.e. lots of 'informants' here). If you're arriving from someone considered a bit dodgy they may check more throughly, never heard anyone get hassle from arriving from Thailand, maybe Africa, depends how many Thai stamps you have too. I always find it very suspect when tiny grains are detected, there is usually more to it but you often don't find out the truth.

I wouldnt be too worried though, perfectly safe place to stop off, they're not rifling through everyone's bags or anything like that, as I said, I never get searched when i arrive back and don't know anyone else who does either.

Nope, it's not

Do any of those cover getting a furnished apartment type place for a month at a time, like when I am visiting there or even 2 weeks ? Better than staying in a hotel, more homely, dont mind if it's further out of town

Cheers

I just don't get GTA But then it does seem like I am one of about a total of 5 that still play flight sims

They still make flight sims ?? :D

The thing I like about GTA is it isnt rigid in making you do this now and then this and then that ... it's alot more open, can linger about between missions and do stuff and dont have to do ALL the missions in an exact order :thup:

The British woman on the beach was being an idiot. Was at an all day brunch, booze flying, works for a local company here (publishing). The guy was on holiday, at the same place, no 'affair' about it, just being a bit slutty. For some reason they ended up on the open beach rolling around with no top on and her on top of him. Someone tipped off the police (as is the way !!) and the police warned them to stop. He came back 5 or 10 minutes later and they were still at it, warned them again and the woman got all aggressive and in his face a bit (never a good idea and how very ladylike of her ) .. then he took them in.

People pretty much agreeing that this one is on the woman here and not the police for a change. Anytime the old bill give you a warning you should take it, she didnt and what's more get aggressive when warned again. Idiotic.

Few days after the guy released an 'apology' in one of the newspapers for his behaviour, the whole city was obviously talking appalling, bum licking letter as you tend to get over here in these cases, after the guy was pulled from the anus of Dubai there was talk that they were going to get married still onrunning now, not sure what the latest is, read an interview recently, woman has been fired, going on about her life being ruined.

All very amusing

Being drunk in public, swearing or making rude gestures – especially whilst driving - and public shows of affection - such as kissing, are all offences. It is illegal to live with someone of the opposite sex for those not married, and homosexuality is a crime here.

Again, mostly rubbish or a case of 'scratch the surface' .... the police are largely not bothered by drinking and things, being drunk in public isnt a big deal but making a big scene in public whilst drunk is likely to alert them and then you'll get the 'drunk in public' charge. We have plenty of bars/clubs here and close at 3am, later than Bangkok these days, sadly you're drunk, walk home or more likely a cab home and no one cares, singing out loud, hassling people, etc and then you'll get in trouble on the minor charge ... people will note the minor charge and not the background to it.

Similarly with the "living together and not married" rule ... pretty much everyone does that, they know with the amount of westerners and expats living here and also the tourists it's ridiculous to enforce that law. I have my girlfriend staying with me all the time, the agents of the building know this, no one cares. People always think that you can "tell the police on someone" if they are living with a girl but in reality the police dont care. A Russian friend of mine had an altercation with someone, the person threatened him with this .. told him to go ahead ... police came and basically couldnt care less. The exception, once again, is the 'doing something else and they get you on this" thing. If you had a hooker at your place and there is some altercation, someone called the police then maybe they'd bring you in on the 'living in sin' offence.

More often than not, depending on seriousness, if someone makes a complaint they'll bring you in and you call someone that knows you and they get you, tell you off and you're out. Had a guy worked for a previous company of mine drunk at home in his villa, fell asleep, caused some disturbance cause he thought someone was downstairs, shouting, someone phoned police .. they pulled him in ... he called me, i went to station, police say "no one is there, your friend is drunk ... " basically suggesting that everyone go home, if he wants to claim this someone in his house then they will test him for booze and he'll be in trouble ... basically ... shut up and go home, just pick you up for the initial 'scene' you created.

Kissing in public not a massive deal, again, making a scene, kissing your girlfriend goodbye as she goes to work, not a problem. Holding hands, no problem, never found a big need for massive displays of affection though to be honest.

Loads of gay action here, all behind the scenes but yeah, trouble if you're caught. Not a big fan of the swearing here. Lots of stories of "my MATE's mate made a rude gesture and the police made him get on his knees and apologise" ... rubbish but it's frowned upon, can yourself in trouble for finger gestures, etc especially to our over-sensitive Arab friends, Indians, etc .. no problem, go ahead, they'll believe you anyway