doggie888888

Not much competion out there, who has won it it the past, I wonder.

I have to admit I had the silly image in my head of the announcer saying, "And the nominees for best religion are Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, and Jerry Falwell." The camera falling on each as their name is read. "And the winner is Buddha. Accepting for Buddha, who is experiencing Nirvanna, is the Dali Lama."

What about the acceptance speech? "...and I wish to thank my mom and dad and God (the winning one, of course)"

Those withj money anywhewre in the world get things first. That is the way the capitalist world works. In this case though it is nice to know the side effects will become apparent on our betters before we are to be participate in the world's biggest drug test.

Agree entirely...during SARS in HK some antivirals were used to combat the virus. Some people who were given the antivirals developed bone disease later on. It was in the press for a while then disappeared, so I am not sure if they worked out the cause/effect or indeed if steps are taken to prevent a recurrence. I am not a medico and I guess a little knowledge can be a bad thing, but I think antivirals are a mixed blessing...just look at the side effects on people living with HIV/AIDS. Unless swine flu mutates into something life threathening to me (I do not have any underlying health issues) I may not opt for the vaccine even if it was available to me. Am I wrong?

Thanks to the frenchfarangBKK for sharing. I for one did not know one could get a DL with a tourist visa, and I see nothing wrong with the OP. Sure, there is some detail lacking but I can PM him if I need or just ask. I don't need to go on the offensive as if he has intentionally mis-led everyone.

To the OP: keep sharing and keep discussing, even with all the BULLSHIT that occurs from time to time from others. Believe it or not, there are people here who feel threatened whenever alternative views are presented or when they disagree with you.

Anyone notice a trend here?

Yet another English lad behaving badly?

Poor guy, he's a Pattaya virgin...he probably thought French Riviera call girl rates. Don't worry, he'll be back with a lot less cash next time since he now knows he can get more bang for less Euros

Why would he have an Immigration stamp if he never went Landside? Of course he wouldn't stay in a hotel for a refuelling stop.

There was an earlier report he was in a hotel in KL, which if true means he should have a stamp in his passport...unless he has backed down from that story ??

Do we need anymore proof that not only primates and animals choose their mates carefully to ensure "desirable" traits can be passed down to the next generation. To the OP, if you are human, theoretically you'd choose "intelligence" as the trait to pass down to your kids: not hair/eye color because you reduce yourself to a bird choosing feather marking and colouring

The stray bitch who lives on the beach in front of our house gave birth to litter of puppies in June last year. In an effort to be good citizens and reduce the number of unwanted dogs in Thailand we paid to have her neutered three months later. In February she came into full sexual season. Every male dog for some distance around keeping us awake all night and her mating with several of them. No pregnancy followed of course but now, in mid July she is having exactly the same sexual urges and responses again, the second time since she most definitely and absolutely had "everything taken away".

We always thought that a full spaying operation, including ovary removal, eradicated all hormonal activity completely and the bitch would have no sexual urges or activity of any kind thereafter. We were most definitely wrong!

Our question is, is this post-neutering sexual behaviour common? Will it continue to happen twice a year for the rest of this bitches' life? Is there anything we can do to prevent it ever happening again?

How odd...spaying is supposed to remove all heat symptoms. I have a spayed bitch - no heat at all. Are you seeing the dog-mounting behaviours i.e. they mount other dogs just to show who is the top dog?? Some male dogs do try to mount my bitch sometimes, but I don't think it's sexual, it's to show he's the top dog.

Malaysian Immigration has been known to erase records for political expdiency. Thaksin is not exactly an honest man. Best evidence - get Thaksin to show Malaysian Immigration stamp in his passport.

Thanks QED! A new word for me...albeit one that already means the long bits hanging off my shirt

Scary sh!t

This makes me think about what some of the TV members have said on here before when it comes to

meeting a non bar girl.

Well, recent true story.

I don't know who is right or wrong but these facts are agreed between farang and girl:

- farang meets girl on internet

- arranges to meeet at his place

- they have sex

The rest is in dispute. Girl alleges rape. Man alleges girl tried to extort money but he refused to pay. Matter is now with police as far as I know. The fact they have not arrested the farang by now, could mean a scam is suspected?

I don't know either way. Just relaying the incident so perhaps everyone is more aware when meeting strangers: always exercise caution!

I've heard of cartons and boxes of cigarettes...what is a SLEEVE ?

And why does the OP think it "appears" the taxi driver tipped off customs? It "appears" to me that this is a straightforward case of trying it on and getting caught. Tough luck, unlike another thread where some bloke brought contraband cigarettes into the EU and did not get caught.

had the same problem with my neighbours, who seemed to have claimed the spot in front of my house. it's a narrow soi so once someone parks there, it's difficult for my car to get in or out. So I'd HOOOOT until someone moves their car so I can drive in/out. they'd always smile as they move their offending vehicle away. anyway, they did not get tired of this routine but I found it tiresome, so I decided to park in that very spot in front of my house everytime, eventhough I could do so in my own driveway. after a while ( a couple of weeks perhaps), i noticed nobody would park there anymore, as if they realised I had claimed that spot for myself! happily, nobody parks there now and I still put my car there every now and then just to remind everyone that it's MINE

Is there anyone who has had recent experience with bringing houshold goods from Australia. I understand the duty side of things my wife is Thai so should not be too many dramas there. Just looking at the costs and reliable shipping companies. Anyone had any recent experiences good and baad.

All helpful replies appreciated.

I shipped my stuff from Melbourne to Pattaya - but I tried to sell as much as I could, before packing up the rest which comprised personal effects, favourite furniture and paintings. Was assured NON DUTIABLE (I did not bring in any electricals, electronics stuff or anything new)...but was told here I needed to pay 20k THB, which was "bargained" down to 15k. Other than the duty problem, I was pleased with the removalist and their Thai agents (King&Wilson in Melb and FourWinds in Thailand). Rather than risk further delays/problems, which is the reaction that thai customs expect I suppose, I decided to pay the 15k and experienced no issues after that.

I called King&Wilson to complain about the 15k which was contrary to their advise, but of course they pointed out some obscure fine print. Good try on my part, but I really can't bame them too much because they really do not know how thai customs "interpret" what is dutiable despite the existence of a list, and none of my items fell in that list.

Good luck.

farangs behaving badly and/or getting into trouble...that's what gives Pattaya a bad name. these people are the noisy minority who makes the most noise and gets the most attention. Examples:

- oooh, I've been scammed by a thai girl/boy/katoey and so I'll jump off the nearest balcony or go hang myself.

- ooops, got caught with an underage girl/boy/katoey

- oh, i thought these pills that I have been asked to carry were vitamins

- aw shucks, I thought I could get drunk and behave as badly as I want without consequence

- dam_n, Interpol caught up with me finally

the silent majority are quite happy here living normal, ordinary and sedate lives :-)

Answer: Insitutionalised religion encouraged by successive governments that have been grossly negligent in caring and providing for the truly needy in their own society. Is it really compassion: "I give so that I can collect merit points and make MYSELF feel better"?

Many posters here who do not give to beggars are accused of lacking compassion. Well, compassion comes in many forms, some misplaced and others more targetted. And just because you give to beggars to make yourself feel better means you have missed the point of altruism and selfless charity.

Is there a 5 star hotel in seedy south pattaya?

And typical of local media trying to protect its own vested interests...why so coy about naming the hotel?

I see it all the time. All the hard working, very poor Thais are lined up manning their corn/noodle/fruit/ice cream/coffee/shoe repair/som tum/phone holder stand and then a beggar walks through, stops in front of each of them and asks for money. 75-80% of them then give it to him, so this beggar probably makes 10 times more in a day then they do. Why oh why?

there is a fine line between true charity and misplaced compassion.

Rent-a-crowd?

i really don't understand that someone can live in a Muslim country, even in Malaysia where human rights are a mockery.

Oh dear, spoken like a person with a sad case of Islamophobia. Obvioulsy many people can and do live in a Muslim country by choice. Sure there are human rights issues in Malaysia, same like there are in Thailand (rohingya, burmese, hmong) and even, dare I say it, in USA (guantanamo) and Europe (gypsies, muslim minority). So I wonder what is really driving your inability to understand how someone can live in a muslim country, becasue it surely isn't human rights alone.

Visited a friend's house in BKK and spent the weekend there around Songkran. Stinking hot, even the pool water was tepid. There was some problem with the water supply, so the only option for a wash-up was in maid's quarters, which had facilities just like the pic. I don't know how or why, but that was the most refreshing wash ever...the water was just so deliciously cool, even more refreshing than the pool and the normal showers when the water came back on. I am seriously considering a concrete trough just like that in one of my bathrooms, just for those days when it's bleeding hot, the pool water is warm-ish and the cold water out of the tap is like warm soup!

With the recent topic involving the british couple and kingpower and some saying they were set up,fake cctv ect..

(Knowing the crimes in this OP are very different from that of the couple)..i'd like to ask again...what would/could you do

to prove your innocence?

I think you need to stop reading TV and go out in Thailand and have some fun and keep away from bleary eyed farangs with a story to tell......

Most of the horror stories are self inflicted.......and then a story has to emerge to create the illusion of innocence.....

But there have been some true horror stories too.......

Yes, read TV too much and you will start to beleive that the boogieman is Thai.

But in the HIGHLY unlikely event that I get into trouble here as a result of a frame-up for whatever alleged crime, I'd be making sure I can bribe whoever to be able to take the first plane/boat/car/train out of Thailand!

With all the current uncertainties: poor exchange rates, rising prices, high crime, anti farang centiment, police shakedowns, road chaos, poor service, agressive Thais, constant change in visa regs, uncertainty if you have any rights to your house - even if you bought it in your wifes name, etc. etc. etc. - - - -

Are you close to throwing in the towel?

I am not sure where this perception that there is an anti farang sentiment comes from. Yes the visa rules are not as clear cut as it can be and there are changes every so often, there is red tape, there is dual pricing, there are scams (perceived or otherwise) and there are corrupt officials...but does all this add up to an "anti farang sentiment"? More likely, these are the "inconveniences of living in a third world country: it was a third world country when we arrived and it still is, so what exactly is this anti farang sentiment?

Is swine flu a virus? Are the disinfectants used generally anti-bacterial? So how does anti-bacterial disinfectants actually address the swine flu virus, other than to allay the public's mis-placed panic? I suppose it's good practice to disinfect these things anyway and address the dirty air cons, with or without swine flu lurking.

For those that believe all religions are man made.

If I choose to believe in God. If I am right and you are wrong then I can go to heaven and you will go to hel_l. If you are right and I am wrong then we both just die and that is it.

Please do read this book by Richard Dawkins: THE GOD DELUSION.

Many people who profess to be "right" start wars in the name of their religion and their god. Osama chooses to believe in Allah, he probably thinks he is right too...do you believe he will go to heaven for fighting for his religion and his god?

I also find that the holier a person professes to be, the more likely they forget the mantra: judge not, lest ye be judged.