kasi

The nastiest thing in Bangkok is to fall into a klong. Or have a board on one the boardwalks in the poor neighborhoods break and fall in that black nasty water. That happenned to me once.

Lots of smoking going on in thailand. Just watch where to throw your butts. The police love to target foreigners for littering fines.

Good for them too I hate seeing cigarette littering the streets and beaches.

its one thing to polute your own body and the air around you. Screw the slobs who throw thier butts on the sidewalks.

I smoked for 20 years, I decided emphysema wasnt a good way to go and if you smoke long enough emphysema is a fact of life.

When I see an attractive young lady smoking a cigarette she might as well have imbecile writen on her forehead.

Its a well known fact that tobacco addiction is worse with women

Someones got to smoke and help support the fat cats in the US tobacco companies. Might as well be you!

Face it, with what we know today about tobacco addiction you would be hard pressed to find something more stupid to do with yourself.

So go have a nice smoke and flip off judgemental <deleted> like me.. We cant really help it you know.

In Thailand being stupid can cause immediate death and or serious injury.

Darwinism at its best. This is one one the reasons I love Thailand so much. You better be ###### alert.

SHOCKING  

nothing funny about the murder of a 10 year old

MURDER ? How do you deduce that on the scant facts in the Gazette ?

Point taken my dear Watson.

correction: nothing funny about the possible murder of a ten year old.

personaly I like renting the little honda wave 100-125's. Sensible not too fast. But you still need some motorbiking experience to avoid becoming crippled and or dead. The yaba enhanced maniacs in the patong area are numerous. The biggest problem riding the 100cc putt putts is you need to watch your mirrors attentively.

Always take your time let the other guys drive past.

Driving a bike like a CBR 900 or a ZX11 is plainly ridiculous. You only impress the true nitwits.

I dont ride the little honda scooter at night. I take a motorbike taxi or a tuk tuk. my form of very cheap insurance. The horrendous motorcycle accident statistics in Phuket are very real. Your ass is in your own hands. That is partly waht i like about riding here.

SHOCKING

nothing funny about the murder of a 10 year old

http://www.bangkokbob.net/indian_restaurants.htm

here's a good link for indian restaurants in bkk

I've eaten at Bukhara's many times it is exellent.

Food at the Majestic Suites hotel is also very good.

a copy of your passport should be sufficient. I would be very uncomfortable letting any of those touts on beach road have my passport. Stay at a hotel thats rents bikes. Alot less hassle renting that way.

the coppers are stopping people regularly checking drivers licenses. A buddy got a 1000 baht fine for not having his with him.

Drive like everyone else on the the road is completely insane because they are. The accident statistics in Phuket are appalling. Dont be a statistic.

When I was here in thailand 25 years ago someone I forget who, explained to me the word farang meant "white devil" from the white colonial escapades. I'm taking thai language courses now and cant find anyone to substanciate that definition.

Back then being young dumb a full of cum I believed it had a derogatory meaning.

Looking back I remember entering villages upcountry then and being surrounded by young children chanting "falang, falang, falang", they all seemed happy enough at the time. I never got run out on a rail.

There might be some lingering derogatory meaning but I sure havent found any evidence yet.

I see plenty of "stupid farangs" everyday here in Patong They lay out on the beaches all day trying to become black. Go figure.

I see a "stupid farang" in the mirror every morning. I feel stupid sometimes learning thai but most of the thai people I meet are very encouraging.

gerd thanks for the welcome

actually I dont really understand the reluctance to mention how much they asked for in addition to the normal fee. I'm not asking you to name any names. Even if it was 2000 baht they still arent getting rich off you. I suppose if you are making thai wages you could explain that to them. I'm told by some expat buddies here that that doesnt always happen.

I agree with thetyim about greasing the wheels. I'm quite supprised you have'nt encountered that in your 10 years of thailand experience. I seems pretty common that farangs are targeted for certain surcharges and fines. Thats why I always carry a drivers licence and wear a helmet in Patong.

Thats just the way it is. Farangs have to play it extra carefull here from what I can tell. That hasnt changed since the first time I came to thailand 25 years ago.

gerd

what kind of visa were you extending? Did you not pay extra fee? Hence the 6 hour wait? How much exra fee did they want?

I understand from people who go there frequently that such a wait is rather unusual.

jim:

I have noted a few jaded "I've dealt with too many farangs' looks here and there by in large the folks here are very welcoming. But I dont take time to get into political discusions. Waste of time. I have yet to have beeing american be an issue.

the tour busses, dust, and traffic could be an issue for you. As well as the preponderance of seemingly retarded drivers. Oh well mai pen rai! Still this would be a good venue for retirement as I'm considering too.

I'm an american. I have been staying in patong beach for almost 2 months now. Asside from the occasional peculialarity ( like being served wine in a beer mug at a german restaurant). The positives of phuket seem to outweigh the negatives. Admitedly I still have much to learn but so far so good. Currently I'm taking intensive thai language courses. So inside of a year or so I should know a tiny bit more. I imagine that this place will continue to grow rapidly.