lumply

This all too much for me but I enjoyed the read. I've decided to move on.

I met my finance in a restraurant. She was shitting with a group of 10 woman. She smiled at me so I went over and gave her my telephone number.

Laugh of the day! Love it

Maybe it would improve if you moved away from Pattaya. Seriously though, if you're the type that walks around with earpieces listening to music for hours a day, there is no miracle cure.

Laws are put in place to protect individuals and to create orderly behaviour in society. If you go through life cherry picking the ones that you wish to follow whilst discarding the ones that you think are inappropriate, then you are not seriously interested in being part of a civilised society. We all have to live by sets of rules whether we agree with them or not. Choosing not to wear a crash helmet is clearly irresponsible and in most countries, against the law; the consequences of breaking the rules are often tragic, as in this case. I would prefer to make a contribution to a charity than to pay to bury a foolish person who clearly has little regard for his own life.

By day 4 I'm overjoyed to be leaving HK.

Wife likes the shopping there and Singapore though.

Are you joking? What can you not like about HK? I miss it big time! I would love to find a new job there and move back.

I was driven out of HKG (good job etc.) after 2 months because of the incredibly unhealthy atmospheric conditions not to mention the shoe box apartments. No job nor potentially exciting lifestyle was worth the long term risk to my health, although I had been there maybe a dozen times on short business trips previously being lucky enough to stay at 4/5 star hotels. An incredible place to visit and lots to do but watch that smog!

Your wife would be working in Thailand and for that she needs a work permit, for which she needs to be employed by a Thai based company. That is a problem for most people in similar situation, reason a lot chose to keep quiet and work illegally and therefor do not pay tax in Thailand or do not work to keep it legal.

and to follow on from Mario2008's comments...she would need to be paying tax in the UK

I do not think she would need to pay tax in the UK as the work she would be doing is being performed outside of the UK and the EEC albeit for a UK based company one would assume. There could be tax issues arising from regular visits to the UK but if she will remain outside of the UK long enough to become non-resident then I do not think any work performed in Thailand will be subject to UK tax.

Or from day one get a zero code from the Inland Revenue from the reputable company that will be paying/employing her to avoid paying tax in that first year. There used to be some discretion exercised by the IR but I'm not sure if this is still the case. My understanding is that tax does not need to be paid on earnings that are wholly derived from overseas activities in country that does not have a taxation agreement with HMG, which Thailand does not. I fully expect a storm of comments along the lines 'you don't know what you're talking about' but at the end of the day, sensible advice must always be to check directly with the IR or a competent tax lawyer.

The ONLY reason I choose to use Facebook is to keep abreast with my kids and the grandchildren pictorially whilst I am away from home for long stretches working. Otherwise, and being adequately literate, I prefer to use email. Must be a generation thing where us older people appear to be more confident about using proper English language and spelling....innit.

Who is to say that the pills were not for his own consumption. Therefore he should get off fairly lightly.

Loud music is a bane on society. Unfortunately, most people do not realise that regular noise exposure has a significant affect on hearing as one ages; not just at the time of exposure. Admittedly I did not take this too seriously until I trained as a pilot and had this kind of awareness drummed in to me as a relative youngster. The bottom line is steer clear of uncomfortable and high/low pitched noises when at all possible, even if it means walking out of a bar or restaurant, it pays in the long run. I have done this on many occasions around the world. Inconvenient, yes, but just common sense. A secondary benefit is to avoid tobacco smoke, but don't get me started on that one!

The guy is bonkers and clearly has no concern for the feelings of his family. He could of course be ill. Sounds like another balcony job waiting to happen.

Since you noticed that the driver was not thai, therefore not owning a gun, you could have done what all bikers in the world do to xxxxxxx car drivers : a nice kick on the side mirror while overtaking him.

What an absolutely immature attitude to take. Is that what you would teach your children? But then maybe you are only joking.

It's obviously good advice to drive defensively. Reading other posts how is it that careful driving, and therefore slower, often more considerate, certainly more responsible behaviour is associated with someone from the older generation. Well, let me say, after nearly 30 years of negotiating lunatic driving habits in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, sans an accident, people of my ilk may know a tad more about survival techniques, so don't be too harsh on us please.

I guess the point I am making is that the younger fraternity are generally more impatient on the roads and get p*##$d off more quickly when things are not going their way. What's the hurry and necessity to overt/undertake at that particular time and under those particular circumstances when someone is purposely blocking you? It's potentially a dangerous scenario, right? Hang back man and enjoy the ride. Anyway safe biking to you; I'm sure you're a good rider really.

IMO everything changes, everywhere, all the time. For some the change is good. For some it's not. It really is just a POV, or matter of opinion.

For me personally. Well, 13 years in Thailand. I'm leaving by the end of this month. For me personally I had enough and need a bit more than a little distance from good old Thailand.

IMO it doesn't matter where you are. If you stay there for long, it gets boring after some time anyway.

So change is for the good I think. Don't like it here, then move. Like it again, move back.

Here today, tomorrow there. As soon as I'm here, all I want is to be there.

I agree that like minded travellers are in danger of getting bored if rooted to one spot for a long time. However, to jack it all in is a p-retty final way of solving the problem (although granted, most decisions of this nature can be reversed as you suggest). A few years ago I grew progressively tired of where I was at the time and decided to take a break for the better part of six months. In fact a period was spent in LOS which helped. I then went back to the original place and felt truly re-vitalized. My advice is to get away from the place for a while (3-6 months)if circumstances permit, and then return. Don't burn your boats. All the best.

Thank heavens mother has said we do not have to go to Issan this year due to the heat

I would hate to have to journey in this and I do feel for all those queueing at the terminals and the extra length of travel time needed to get home.

But ..... Happy Holidays to all and a safe journey.

A family member bought a ticket two days ago to return to Isaan this morning on a VIP bus from the Mor Chit bus terminal. If you booked a ticket a few days ago then their is no problem but many Northeastern villagers aren't booking a ticket in advance and they jam up the terminal.

Several things, really.

I would be driving.

Lately the heat has been really bad at mother's place + no aircon there.

The lodging place has no football.

Newcastle v Sunderland derby game on Sunday !!!

And the g/f recently spent 10 days at mothers.

All good reasons to stay put

Why go somewhere without a telly? Absolutely crazy notion. Enjoy the match

My job became redundant at the end of 2009-Brit Company, Management position travel etc. 61 yo so I guessed I was due R&R much of which was spent in HKG,Thailand and Oz. The summer of 2010 was good in the UK so time for digging the garden in the sun. Then the phone rang so back to work. When I lost my previous jb there were certainly no tears, I could not believe just how stressed I was until it was all over. Now I have a young boss to take the strain, not such a senior job but reduced stress levels, very nearly the same pay as with the UK company, lower BP, a lovely g/f and pretty much an open ended contract. It's helped a lot having a young sales team, that in a way has kept me younger. Here's to the next two years and pension time!

Not tryin to wind up the guy who likes getting head slapped by his wife, I understand he likes it for the sentimental value as she has done it from the first day they met.

But I have to mention that since I have lived here, one of the things about Thai culture I have heard repeatedly is that hitting the head is a very serious thing, as in "never hit, touch, push, even playfully, a Thai's head" because it is considered the "highest/most respected" part of the body. Doing so is supposedly a big sign of disrespect. Anyone else heard that before?

The only reason I mention it is because Davey said he was told "its a Thai thing" as the reason she does it. Ive seen it done playfully though, so maybe its not as big a deal as i thought. I just know when im on the BTS im always trying to keep my elbows from flailing around and bonking someone on the head.

Yes I have heard the head thing before. Also about stamping on a coin that has been dropped (to prevent it spinning away). Both of which makes sense. I wish us Europeans had such etiquette.

This reminds me of the influx that took place in Dubai in the 90's. Russians swamped the souks buying up white goods, appliances, the lot. Hotels had to pile them outside on the streets because that had run out of storage space. The Indian shopkeepers soon became proficient in the lingo. The second phase of this evolutionary process involved the high class hookers raking it in from the Arabs. The Westerners usually went for the less expensive Chinese ladies. All good fun to witness the interaction (read competition) between them and a little later, the Africans too in the mixed bars.

Now the new breed of Russians and E. Europeans have become more sophisticated and respectable in Dubai. Patts and Phuk will probably take a while longer to reach this (improved) stage-the sooner the better I suspect for most Western Expats.

How would you rate the pollution of Cm with that of Hong Kong? Serious question. I couldn't wait to get out of HKG after just a month or so of taking up a new job there. One reason was because of the atmosphere. My body told me it wasn't doing me any good.

Theres A bunch of low farangs coming to Thailand.I imagine the authorities could do something about it in Bangkok if they wanted to.I believe it is A little discusting to see.But to me I think wearing

Sandels is also disgusting.I know i'm stepping on peoples toes with that remark. Won't be the first time.

Would imposing an airport tax inbound on scruffs be a contravention of human rights I wonder? What HR I hear you say. I agree that shirtless jerks indicate lack of respect in Thai cities. Incidentally sitting in a restaurant the other day in Dubai, a couple of Eastern European Hobbos stripped off when they left, at least they had the decency to wait until they were outside. How did I know they were ER's, well they had over developed upper torsos, they were ugly, fags drooping from their mouths and bo$$#cks the size of footballs. Could have been a couple of Leeds supporters I guess.....live and let live is the order of the day now.

What a load of twaddle.

Pensioners in the UK receive free dental treatment, free prescriptions, free bus fares, free opticians and all other health care.

In Thailand??

Well then, decision made; it's retirement back to the UK then with so many freebees on offer and a fully paid up NI member. But for three months of the year during the abysmal winter period it has to be Thailand, or fully stretched, Australia. 15 months to go, yippee...but in reality I'll have to continue working until I drop to maintain current lifestyle essentials.

One tosses in the towel when common sense prevails I suppose, but then where do you go? Anywhere in Europe at the moment is a backward step. The Middle East (Dubai) is getting as pricey as Europe and you have tougher residency laws. And so it goes on......maybe Cambodia or Vietnam? Tough it out in LOS I say until a cast iron (better) opportunity arises somewhere else. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I have been to Pattaya many times over the years, firstly as a relative youngster on business (yes business), and more recently with my girlfriend. I am now in my 60's, still working and still full of vitality, and I am quite happy to spend time in Pattaya. I do however stay in 4/5 * hotels out of holiday season mostly wherever I travel so that helps. As long as the usual safety rules are applied, Pattaya is as enjoyable as anywhere a fun loving broad minded couple or individual can visit. Age is largely irrelevant.

OK. But it's my impression that serious chefs think breakfast foods are the Siberia of cooking.

I can say locally the bacon and eggs which I've tried at the very popular Pascal's breakfast buffet are certainly nothing to write home about!

A comment obviously made by someone who rarely ventures into the kitchen!

Chill Bar nurn plub wan ( SOI muslim) Every sunday from 11.30 till about 16.00 great sunday diner special the lamb but make a appointment on 0890941359

Does that include pork?

RIP.

And again with the news articles offering different information, did the crash happen at 6.30pm or 9.30?

looking at the scenery behind the plane it would appear that 6.30pm to be the more accurate timing, I cannot believe these reporters struggle so much with basic reporting.

Ultralight flying is strictly a daylight hours VFR (visual flight rules) activity. Aircraft in this category as shown in the photograph are not equipped with navigation and recognition lights, let alone panel illumination for legal night flight by a responsible pilot, which Neil surely was. It is highly unlikely therefore that the accident happened at the very latest more than than 30 minutes after official local sunset.