dogtim

Angeles City has the attractions which brought most of us to Pattaya. The cost of the girl is included in the bar fine so in most cases it works out cheaper, and the other plus is, they speak English.

Angeles City is more expensive if you find girls in bars, pay barfines and give them tips. What do you actually talk with them about, in English??

Just go south of Pattaya, plenty of areas with beaches which are not developed. Follow the coast, easy.

Yeah I think the water thing is sorta missing in Angeles; except in rainy season when Fields turns into a river.

However, there is a real river here in Phnom Penh and the beer is cold and good and the natives friendly.

I agree about Cambodia. Sinhoukville is great for a quiet life, relatively unspoilt beaches, none of the continual hastle from vendors we get here. Occidental food is more readily available, baguettes etc on the beaches and many cheap French style restaurants. Prostitutes are not so easy to find as it is illegal in Cambodia and it seems they try to enforce it. The people are much friendlier and the smiles seem genuine as if they really are happy to see you and not just your money!

Angeles City has the attractions which brought most of us to Pattaya. The cost of the girl is included in the bar fine so in most cases it works out cheaper, and the other plus is, they speak English.

In twelve years of living here, riding every day including regular trips to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Khon Khen and Bangkok, I have only been stopped about half a dozen times and all required was licence and insurance. Only time green book has been required is crossing over to Cambodia and Malaysia.

Noticed Reginald Dwight entering the Abbey this afternoon on television. Last time he was there, bashing out a tune on the piano, was Diana Spencer's funeral and he appeared to be wearing a dead cat on his head. Seems syrups have inproved vastly since then.

Be careful about complaining, I seem to remember him being arrested a few years ago for stabbing a German in the stomach.

Alopecia seems to be a common complaint amongst Pattaya residents, with many trying to conceal it with syrups often Englebert Humperdinks circa 1970s. I believe of the more modern ones, the Roger Moore is popular and with the latest waterproof adhesive, one can swim in a 'Roger Moore'!

I think you will find that the only country in this part of the world whose certificates are recognised is Singapore. UK is much stricter than Germany and the rest of Europe.

I ate there a couple of days ago. Overall very good. Amongst other things I ordered prawn chopsuey and received what looked to me as being prawns with mixed vegetables. I've always considered chopsuey to be bean sprouts, as that's what I've been used to getting in the UK. Am I wrong?

Maggie May's on same road as The Winchester is great for a quiet few beers. Guiness at 170b a pint, choice of ciders and good cheap food.

I stocked up in 'Friendship' yesterday for the forthcoming week. I usually try to get away from Thailand this time of year, otherwise stay home. Two years ago during Songkran I signed up for here and 'Facebook' to relieve the boredom!

When will it begin? Too bleedin' soon.

When will it end? Not soon enough. :realangry:

Many shops and restaurants (including my favourite one :realangry: ) are closing from the 11th till the 20th.

I agree, Pattaya is the worst place to be for Songkran. It will probably start this weekend and go on for the usual 10/12 days.

I look forward to trying it in next couple of days. I hope it is UK style as Chineese food in China is far inferior to their food done in the civilised world. Just the same as Indian food. I've just come back from Dehli and the Indian food even here in Thailand is much superior to the muck they sell over there!

Won't the police find out who the driver was? After all, it was a big truck (10 wheels). Or is it that in Thailand, the truck owner does not keep track of who is driving his truck?

Funnily enough I know a director of a haulage company in Thailand and he reckons they tell their drivers to flee the scene of accidents so they can get their story straight and limit damage from criminal and civil lawsuits.

Fleeing the scene seems to be all too common in Thailand especially in the case of fatalities. That's those cultural flaws hampering progress again folks.

I've heard the same a few times, also with coach drivers. The big companies are owned by 'influencial people' so even if the police bother to ask who was driving, they rarely get an answer.

I have just been told that yesterday, Mr Covill went to Route CC and apologised for the incident and his behaviour afterwards. It doesn't excuse it in my opinion, but at least he is man enough to face up to it.

This story was sent to all news organizations including Pattaya One News by a third party who witnessed the accident. None of the information can be verified and without any information available from the Police Report we decided not to publish it. This sort of poor reporting can lead to legal action from those involved. The title of the so-called news story is disgusting in my opinion as well.

If it is true then the driver should be ashamed of himself but that is the question....is the detail accurate or a slanted view from a member of the public?

I saw the damage, photos taken at the time and a copy of the police report. As my Thai is not good enough for reading, it was translated for me. I believe that a copy is still available to be seen at Route CC.

Went to Route CC yesterday and saw the damage, just pure luck no-one was sitting outside that night. From what staff members told me about Ian Arthur Covill's state of drunkeness and his attitude to those he nearly killed, this little a......e should have been locked up for a long time. But this is Thailand so how long before he does it again?

Went yesterday, Saturday, some wonderful animals on show and interesting rodeo display. Kids will love it. Finishes Sunday evening.

Years ago in England I had a friend who worked at Windsor Safari Park. He had a great side line going: he sold lion dung. This keeps cats off your property if you spread it around your borders. They smell it and know it's from a much bigger cat than them. How about going down to Nong Nooch and getting some tiger dung, put it where your cat goes through to next door?

All Seasons Travel, opposite Friendship Supermarket, South Pattaya Road.

I agree having used All Seasons for many years. Boss's name is Amy.

But the Thais come from a tradition of helping eachother and do good, so the majority of these guys does it from there heart.

Them getting money from hospitals. Can not say some do, cause I don´t know. But if the take a patient to a hospital that are good and they get a bit on the side for that, IF IT NOT PUTS THE PATIENT AT RISK, I can not see why not, they pay everything themself. Remember please..not always the closest hospital is the best for the patient. Patient may need treatment that the nearest hospital can not provide.

I don't know what it's like in Bangkok but I would not be surprised if they had a good system of ambulances. But this is the Pattaya forum and we talk about Pattaya here.

As you will have read earlier in this thead, it is reported that the "ambulances" (pickup trucks) often bring foreigners to the most expensive hospital because they pay the highest kickback for the delivery, however, if it turns out the foreigner does not have the immediate financial means to pay for the treatment they are reportedly rejected and have to find their way to the government hospital somehow. Injuries included. This is what so many are complaining about. For accidents any hospital should do what they can to stabilize the patient, regardless of the financial situation.

I am replying to this thread on behalf of a close friend, John Williams, who for some reason is unable to post on this forum. I enclose his statement.

I am a serving Volunteer for the 'Pattaya Ambulance Service', I have lived in Pattaya for seventeen years and since retiring from business I have been an Emergency Medical responder at the second busiest unit for about four years. I have read all the speculation on how it operates and what training is given or what money is earned from hospitals. I think it is about time the record is set straight by someone actually involved.

The service you refer to, is the Rescue Service funded in Pattaya by the Sawang Borriboon Foundation based in Naklua, from donations but no government funding. It is manned by unpaid volunteers using their own vehicles and money. Most have day or night jobs and work as volunteers in their own time. The service has four fully equipped Ambulances and many Rescue Trucks all equipped with basic life saving equipment (spineboard, splints, oxygen, fire extinguishers, medical kit etc). All the Volunteers carry numbered photo cards and generally wear blue and gold uniforms (supplied at their own expence), and have attended Medic First Aid or First Responder courses at the various Pattaya hospitals, burns management couses and fire management courses at the local Fire Station. On passing the examinations they are qualified by the Chonburi Department of the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand who oversee and control all matters pertaining. All vehicles are checked and licenced by the Police, Banglamung Hospital and Chonburi HQ.

The freephone number 1669 works all over Thailand and is connected to the nearest Control Base. In the case of Pattaya, that is Chonburi, who then pass the call to the local HQ or Hospital who then call for Responders from the nearest Base Unit or Watch (of which there are thirty in number) covering our area.

All the Rescue Units are connected by a dedicated Government channel, and are not connected to any Police channel.

These Responders are sent to any call for help...be it a medical emergency in the home, a road accident, any other accident, gun shot trauma, a fire, and I have even been sent on many occasions to remove snakes from dwelling houses and release them back into the wild.

The Rescue Service is almost always the first to arrive at any incident, usually informing Police or Fire if required. These Responders do not differentiate betwwen Thai and Farang, and I guess 35% of the incidents I have attended have been Farangs in road accidents, sick in bars or their condos, or having died. Unless a patient requests a particular Hospital,( i.e. with insurance) , then all patients are taken to Banglamung Government funded Hospital, unless the patient requires more urgent attention, then they are taken to the nearest Hospital, Pattaya Memorial or Bangkok Pattaya. Both of which are privately funded. All Hospitals in Thailand the patient is expected to pay. Each private Hospital has its own Ambulance service which can be quite expensive to call out. The Sawang Borriboon Service is FREE to ALL. There is no money kicked back by the Hospital to the Rescuers but all the Hospitals make a very small donation on most cases they deal with.

All Hospitals are bound by the Duty of Care and will stabilise the patient but if it transpires they cannot pay for further treatment, i.e. uninsured, they will transfer the patient to a Government funded Hospital but he will still have to pay something.

This only underlines for all Farangs In Thailand to be properly insured. Sickness or accident In Thailand can be very expensive!

If you are the one who doesn't believe this article, and God forbid you are lying in the street on some dark and rainy evening, when the Rescue Truck arrives to look after you...don't offer money, just say THANKS!

brigadoon

The village is called 'Baan Fah Rim Hard'. It's very well run with competent security and street cleaners. Mainly wealthy Thais living here. There are some houses for sale and rent but as there are many different styles and sizes, costs differ. If interested, the office is located by the swimming pool and the lady running it would be pleased to answer questions.

Ghandi said: You can judge the morality of a people and the civilisation of a country by the way they treat their animals.

I have five dogs, all strays from the streets. One I've had now for seven years, best natured most loyal dogs I could wish for. You get back what you put in.

Thanks Jori.

Another perversion of our traditions. Mother's day has nothing to do with mothers! It's real name is 'Mothering Sunday' , the one Sunday a year when you should make an effort to attend your MOTHER CHURCH, the church you were baptised in. This special day started a few hundred years ago in England when so many people had moved away from their home villages and towns to work in city factories during the industrial revolution. I realise that the Thais are not alone in their misunderstanding, it was the greeting card makers, flower sellers and chocolate pedlars in the United States of America who either through lack of education, or just pure greed distorted the meaning of this Christian celebration. They invented 'Father's Day' too, to increase their profits. Incidentely, until the beginning of the last century, Santa Claus or Father Christmas was always shown wearing animal skins. Coca Cola first showed him in the red and white robes during an advertising campaign. That too seems to have stuck!

Thanks for your advice, I'll go to Pattaya Nua and see what he says.

Changing the topic slightly but still to do with ponds, I recently had a pond built but he put in what appears to be an all purpose industrial water pump with no adequate filter. Is there anywhere that specialises in ponds and equipment where I can buy something more suitable? Thanks.