Absingjul

Seems more likely on a bus than in a home, but still plausible.

Beware sleeping gas gang, caravanners told

The Foreign Office is advising caravanners to instal alarms after a string of tourists in France were gassed and robbed as they slept.

...

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said there had been a number of reports about British holidaymakers being gassed and then robbed across France in recent years, mainly when they had parked in lay-bys and rest areas.

She added: "There have been enough cases to warrant us mentioning it in our travel advice."

Koh Samui is great for a holiday but its hot, too hot

I was in Adelaide earlier this year for the Tour Down Under and it was over 40C every day. One day was 45C.

She's in Oz with plan A. You are plan B.

Or taking a pretty friend for a ride on my bike...

Looks like she's taking you for a ride

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Maybe some of the miserables will be inspired and cheer up a bit.

Don't worry, according to leading Thai scientists GoT will be unaffected by melting glaciers because they are "too far away".

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Gulf-Thailan...-W-t117475.html

he told the police that he was stressed out because his two wives [Thai and English] were both pregnant

Put this lowlife in a work camp.

Not sure about all that, but Thailand is working hard to become the new Alabama

A+ thread, will read again.

34 baht for a pint? 1k for a nice flat? Rubbish.

He must have last visited when I was in short pants.

Does this mean more women are going braless? ... no complaints here

OP may want to read this thread also: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Wife-Addicte...ay-t277133.html

Two tourists are kidnapped by extortionists. They manage to escape, go to the embassy, and the embassy refuses help? Where does a person turn to for help when neither the BIB nor the embassy will assist? Thaivisa?

It appears that Andrew Drummond and talk radio rabble rousers are your best hope.

Previously:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Beware-Duty-...am-t261481.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Truth-This-t257982.html

Nothing short of a ransom kidnapping in my book.

One downside, Americans are compulsary tippers, so no one should be surprised when workers at Phuket tourist venues get to expecting tips from all farang. It could get as bad as the States where, if you don't tip generously, you're treated like dirt by staff members - who feel genuinely jilted.

Blame the labor laws. People who receive tips are exempt from the minimum wage. Some are paid as little as £2 / hr.

Is TAT still trying to prevent the Chinese bus tours that bring their own packed lunches?

Perhaps not reducing prices really is the answer. Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

I'm looking forward to my vacation and I wanted to go to Pattya as I thought that it would be a real bargain this year. However, I discovered that everyone is raising prices, rather than lowering them, so I'm going to Bali instead. They are doing serious discounts there and airline fees are cheap too.

THAT is why you don't raise your prices during an economic downturn!

Good one I have never been although everyone raves about it. Would be extremely surprised if they were having a much better season than here although it does appeal to ozzies and its closer hence cheaper.

http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=5289

(6/8/2009) Foreign tourist arrival to Bali in April 2009 totaled 179,879 representing the best April on record for Bali tourism and 21.94% improvement over April 2008 (147,515).

...

As predicted by balidiscovery.com, April 2009 also saw the historical unseating of Japan by Australia from its top-ranking as the largest source market for Bali. Through the end of the first four months of 2009 Australian arrivals totaled 102,179 – increasing 30.08% as compared to the same period in 2008.

And this was before beer mat mom

Like it or not: Sex tourism is a major poitive factor. Without the girls working on their backs the Thai economy really would in dire straits. The repeating high spending sex tourist contribute far more more money and financial support than any other tourist group and the money goes directly to the thai people and theri families:not to multi global corporations.

And all of this activity is unreported/untaxed. Just remember that any time you read the "official" nonsense about tourism only contributing 4% to the economy.

Here's how Americans are handled

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/death...us-citizen.html

Brings back memories...

Thailand Tourism Recovery Ahead Of Schedule

2009-03-13

I have a friend on Koh Tao that uses this "service".

I guess I'll know where he is (IDC) when I don't hear from him for a while.

Any farang that included a tractor in their sin sod will be refunded by the gov't

An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.

my experiences have been good ones..but i suspect that many farang..for whatever reason..accidently probably..select Thai women for their mate that may be somewhat "on the take" then or at some point.

Most farang can barely string together three words in Thai and mostly interact with Thai women at bars, gogos and massage. The outcome should be no surprise.

If you care that much pay the €100 test and find out.

Just look at the Scottish bloke in patters from a few weeks ago. Married 2 years with a daughter and after he gave her 3 million to build a house upcountry she took the daughter and left. Happens all the time.