captnhoy

If someone thinks that craft beer is a fad maybe they aren't paying attention. If not that then a my dear departed mum would have said "all your taste is in your mouth". I discovered the pleasures of a good IPA, stout, pale ale and others about 30 years ago in the micro-brew capital of the world - Portland Oregon. Now, one can find a GOOD beer in almost any part of the US. Bud, Miller, etc, can go suck an egg. Many thanks for the Wishbeer link. Also thanks for the update on the history of Chang which used to be my first choice here in the beer armpit of the world. That explains why I do not like it anymore and switched to Lao that came along just in time. When I was 19 - a lonnnng time ago, I worked at Pabst Brewery and discovered the joy of a fresh cold beer right from the production line before it went to be pasteurized. I still really like a good cold Pacifico with my tacos when not here. Breakside IPA is my all time favorite, from Portland. You can buy a case of Full Sail at the brewery in Hood River Oregon for $24. Did I mention Thanks for the wishbeer link? A few years back my friend from UK said about Leo; "It's like making love in a canoe, fxxking close to water"

I love that "routes" have been established. What did they do? Install route signs? Dredge a channel? No one sailed these routes previously? Ahhh - yes, quality tourists and big money! Malaysia realized that long ago and really rolled out the welcome mat to foreign yachts.

Due to the language barrier, when I asked for directions at the Korat bus station, I was instructed to get on Bus A to get to Town A in Issan. 2 hours later there was a change of bus in another (unknown) town, An hour later I had arrived in Town A. It turned out after much circling the drain that this was a different Town A. It also had no hotels or guest houses and now it is evening with no night time bus either. A Thai family put me up and fed me and the next morning. took me back 1 hour to the bus stop that would get me back to Korat where I could start over to find my way to the other Town A. They would accept nothing from me except my thank you.

Just now, LivinginKata said:

 

You have just confirmed what I was saying to my wife this morning. Parents likely bought as a m/bike was just too dangerous.  Mind you a tricked out Mira is might be better/safer than the m/bike, but in the hands of a very young man ???

Too true. Only as safe as the wild child operating it. He was a sweet kid if you can imagine that of an 18 yo. I have sometimes deluded myself that riding my own motorbike is "safer" because it is so maneuverable. I will say that I am hyper defensive on it. 

Somehow I survived those years. I am still amazed that I did. I am a friend of this family and you can hardly begin to understand their agony as they lost their only child. They got him the car with the belief that it was safer than his motor bike. They will never be the same.

RIP

Oh right - police set-up rings a bell

This is an interesting topic for me as I consider spending some time in PI. One topic has just been touched on and I'm curious about personal safety there compared to Thailand. After 10 years I have concluded that Thailand is a bit of The Wild West. More people are packing than I ever imagined and to some degree a farang can be hurt or killed by a Thai with impunity I think. It is even worse in the PI? Muggings? Angry Pinoys? What?

Drink up mates! Next round is on me.

As I'm here as a retiree I do not feel so very judgmental of the OP like a business owner who follows the rules would. I also think that we have all lived in an environment where all the rules are rarely followed to a "T". Really, it is part of the culture here I think primarily because there is a lack of enforcement. So here he is guilty like so many are in various ways. As for the idea of getting away with it if he shuts it down now, that is pure fantasy. It is entirely up to the authorities. If they want to nail him they will.

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Taxi driver arrested for rape.

 

Few days later, taxi driver returns cash story.

 

Thailand sticks to its tried and tested formulae.

Exactly. This reminds me of Thai soap operas - there is only one story. Apparently there is only one hero story too.

1 hour ago, WhizBang said:

Does the right hand ever know what the left hand is doing in this country?
 

Absolutely, and then they put that hand out too.

14 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

Isn't Turkey an American only for Thanksgiving thing?

Nah, Thanksgiving, Christmas and sometimes in July I'll pull one from the freezer and BBQ it. I love turkey and the leftovers too.

15 minutes ago, crabis said:

(snip)

 

 

ps.

and as a foreigner visiting NYC its like going to a police state ... i visited Beijing last year and it was much more smooth that going to the USA. 

It IS  a police state. My Thai wife has a 10 year tourist visa. This year we used it for the 4th consecutive year. Entering the country the agent gave us a hard time for having it, using it and suggested that we needed a green card ASSUMING that we actually wanted to be there full time. She does not - 6 months a year is enough. 

8 hours ago, beachproperty said:

Well rent on a 5 yr old Vios at 11,000 baht a month isn't too bad.

 

If you buy new you have to put a downpayment (probably 100,000 or 200,000 baht) and your payments will be in the 10,000 - 12,000 ( or more) range depending on how long the loan is for.

 

A new Vios on the low end is about $600,000 Baht.

http://www.toyota.co.th/en/model/vios

Used cars are not much cheaper and usually not worth the trouble.

My 4 year old VIOS has 18,500 KM on it and is 365,000 baht. A real bargain in this downmarket I think. I tried and failed to advertise it on TV but did manage to put it on craigslist. http://bangkok.craigslist.co.th/cto/5901740558.html

The crowd at The Tavern, A Small Slice of America, Soi 4, probably meets this spec. Friendly locals, great staff and all are welcomed. Also The Hangout Pub on Soi 6 is Kiwi owned and mostly local regulars of the British Empire. But they are nice to me too.

The setting was a drive in restaurant in a U-shape parking lot. ALL street machines. You back in to a space if there is one and watch the parade. Guy pulls through with a '65 Ford Falcon Sprint, jacked up gasser style, ladder bars, street slicks, and does a wheelie for about 1 second, then idles through. I have come up through the right time.

whooped or not - it's still an Escort and I'll take American Muscle any day. Especially the early stuff where they were finding their way. My friend down the way had a '62 Grand Prix, also in black, that was SO very nice.

4 minutes ago, misterphil said:

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 160mph+

 

Ford Escort RS Turbo 160mph+

 

Cosworth had a 2.0 litre twin cam turbo charged engine so would of whooped your larger displacement garbage. 

 

Escort had a 1.6 litre turbo charged engine so that would of left your very large displacement engine looking very inadequate and embarrassed.  

 

Oh and these 2 cars have the ability to go round corners at speed, not just in a straight line. When I mean corners I mean right hand corners as well as left hand corners. 

 

 

OK - we have a winner!

WOW Rdrokit - way more rare than my Starliner.

Possibly I will be the only one to understand the first part of my reply. I had a 1961 Ford Starliner with the factory R Code 390 cu inch engine. Rated at 375 HP with a single 4 barrel. Ate hot Chevys for breakfast lunch and dinner. Guy said "wanna run that rat?". So like a movie his crowd blocked off Aurora Ave North in Seattle and I left him far behind as I crossed the Aurora Ave Bridge.  A 4 speed would have been nice though. That car today is worth big bucks. Then in '68 a new Plymouth GTX, 440, 4spd. 

Unforgivable indeed. Why are they not recognized as a downtrodden legitimate segment of Thailand? Only poor rice farmers count (just a little bit)? I am not sure of the status today but as late as 2009 or 2010 there was still a village on the west side of Koh Payam off the coast of Ranong. By contrast, India has done a wonderful job of protecting their indigenous people in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The government requires a written itinerary from visiting vessels and forbids access to many areas.

I had stamped out and returned to my home country in May of last year after renewing my extension of stay. Then in July 2 IOs came to my house and wanted to know why I did not report for my 90 day interrogation, er, check-in. So much for using that electronic device. As for medical tourism, how many stories do we expats have about being fleeced by the big name hospitals here? I scheduled a  surgical procedure. The terms were that they would not admit me unless I paid in advance. This was followed by not revealing the price to me. And then I pushed them to do so - the doctor was in charge of this transaction and said to me "How much would you pay?" As if we are haggling over a t-shirt on the street. I did not pay up front but upon check out. They then had increased the price. I now spend only 6 months a year here and that is becoming more than I can bear. Adios amigos.

Jak2002003 has it exactly right. That is why they are endangered. One day my wife came home from a village with a 3 kilo turtle that had 6 legs. It was sold to her, or anyone who would buy it, to eat. We turned it loose in the wilds of a river bottom near us.

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

3 hours ago, nkg said:

 

Ha ha ha, Suradit69 develop a sense of humour? Suradit takes his duties as "Thai Apologist Number 1" very seriously.

 

Every one of his posts must denigrate "farangs", or paint Thais in a favourable light. That's all he ever "contributes" to this forum.

Let's not sell him short - he will be the first to inform you that you are NOT here on a visa - it is an extension of stay Got Damn It!