bifftastic

So, back on topic bifftastic, instead of continued bashing? thanks.

sorry m8 will do :-)

although, agreeing with someone that people should be spoken to respectfully surely doesn't count as bashing? hmm?

First off, I have never been insulted by any Thai in Thailand. Most have been very friendly and respectful. Certainly I've had some funny talks with some gals in Pattaya when neither of us knew enough of each other's language to hold a good discussion. But, we just laughed at our differences and tried to help each other. I guess I just walk around with rose coloured glasses all the time.

However, I HAVE heard a lot of obnoxious comments by farangs from the US, Australia and the UK. Many times I've seen Americans treating working Thais and bar girls with disrespect. Oddly enough, I haven't heard Canadians do the same thing. Maybe it's just that there aren't that many of us in Thailand that I haven't seen it happen. I'm embarrassed when I hear farangs treating Thais with disrespect.

I completely agree, I don't care where it is in the world I hate anyone badmouthing someone because they think they're superior to them, maybe because they're in a 'customer/client' situation. I think the Americans can be the worst but my fellow Englishmen can be obnoxious too. They are here so why would they change in Thailand?

Your grasp of geography concerning the world is about as good as that of the indigenous natives residing here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais", which is to say it's next to non-existent. ...

I mean Austria and Australia are both in North America, right?

FWIW Australia is its own country, as well being its own continent, and is located in the "Southern Hemisphere" of the world (that means the bottom half). Austria is its own country, but is in the continent called Europe, which is located in the "Northern Hemisphere". Sadly neither is located in "North America".. Nice amusing try though. I know stuff like this is difficult for someone whose out there 'glad-handing' the thais day in day out.

In my opinion, especially given the hygiene I see most thais exhibit here; I wouldn't EVER shake hands with any one whether I knew them or not. I rarely even acknowledge thais that I see on a daily basis with anything more than a slight head nod, no matter what language they address me in.

I just don't have time to be the foreign good will ambassador to these people. Good to know you seem to have shouldered the good will ambassaors role instead. Keep up the great work, as you say, "the thais love it...", or at least you think they do.

Wel you're just a great big bundle of love and cuddles ain't ya?

you don't have time to say hello to anyone and wouldn't touch them if you did because they're all dirty?

'these people'???? I'm assuming you're to be found in an exclusive and unpopular gentlemans club with antelopes heads adorning the walls wearing a pith helmet sipping bombay gin and tonic after a hard day rushing around ignoring 'these people' or are you recovering from the personality bypass operation?

To my knowledge Thailand allows dual citizenship. So if you gained Thai citizenship, you would not be forced to relinquish the citizenship from your own country.

It's not just Thailand that has to allow it, it's your "own" country as well. Denmark where I come from does not allow dual citizenships for example. So if I were to get Thai citizenship I would loose my Danish one, so I don't think it will ever happen.

same applies to my home country Germany. dual nationality only for children born to german/foreign parents. however, if the german authorities don't know...

Many western countries will close their eyes on "illegal" dual citizenship.

If Thailand requires you to forfeit your foreign citizenship, there is no way for them to know you instead kept it.

Best is to leave both countries in the dark about it.

The western passport will be handy for travel, but those who think their foreign passport provides protection in Thailand or anywhere else in the world, think twice.

These times are over.

Today, only a handful of countries do provide assistance to their citizens in distress.

France is such a country. Germany is not.

I don't know for the US or UK...

The UK will send someone from the embassy/consulate to smirk at you in jail, point out that the FCO website told you not to come here in the first place, ask you if you want a cup of tea, and say something like 'is there anyone we can contact for you?' or 'we'll see what we can do' I think some people have the idea that they can go anywhere in the world and do what they like because they have a certain passport. Maybe in the 1920's this was the case but the world is a very different place now (thankfully). I can understand why someone who permanently lives in a country would want to become one of it's citizens, seems like the logical next step.

However, I've read the thread about how it's done and it does seem very daunting indeed!

Yes I would like one please.

I have two passports now, USA and another country. Soon I will get my Hong Kong passport, so that makes 3. And after maybe a Thai passport if the conditions are right.

Who are you? Jason Bourne?

All bars closed today and tomorrow.

By-election for MP from Suratthani.

ok that eplains why no answer from the bar then! Makes me feel a little bit better, she could have just lost the phone.

Thanks very much

Ok

Good news is she's alive! She just called me.

Bad news is she had an altercation with some guy (English) which ended up with him and four of his mates smacking her around! Which resulted in, amongst other things, her phone being smashed! Nobody came to help one small Thai lady as she was attacked by five men! Eventually after about 5 minutes or so, Security staff from a venue nearby came over to stop the fight. She called the police but they didn't come. 'Same here' I told her 'police don't care about poor people' She gave as good as she got and is a tough girl but she now has a badly bruised arm and some damage to her knee. I would imagine the guys have plenty of injuries too but now I'm <deleted>*king seethiing as you can probably imagine!

Firstly I apologised to her for the behaviour of my countrymen, and am still now struggling to comprehend how they would feel the slightest bit justified in doing what they did.

In a way I'm glad I'm not there because I can see myself trawling the area seeking revenge.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at their behaviour given the lack of moral fibre displayed on a regular basis here in London but I still find it astonishing that no-one came to her aid.

Anyway, she's alive which is the main thing. And no hospital bills either! (whew!)

Haven't checked this thread for a while but I must admit I'm surprised and not a little disappointed that no-one feels the need to comment on the fact that 5 english tourists feel that it's ok to beat up a Thai girl in the street in full view of everyone.

Usually on this forum there is at the very least someone who would say somthing like 'well if you will go out with a bar girl what do you expect my wife has white skin and i don't mix with riff-raff'

But nothing, not even a flame....

speaks volumes

In my iopinion, if you're going to get wound up by Taxi touts at the airport you're not going to enjoy the country at all. just 'mai khap mai ow khap' smile and walk to the taxi desk and get a ticket and get a taxi, how hard is that? As for Immigration, I've always found them bored (wouldn't you be?) and sometimes a little stern, but then they're the front line of the border they have to be a little 'officious' apart from the guy in Phuket who was just smiling and having a laugh with his mate, scanned my passport, asked me politely to stand in the right place and look into the camera and made a funny face when I asked him if he wanted to see my return ticket, stamped the passport and waved me through.

I agree that UK border can be complete wan*ers, the guy who dealt with me was ok but the guy next to him asked everyone where they had flown from (even though there was only one plane offloading and everyone had already told him 'KL') gave them all a stern look and took an extra 3 or 4 minutes than everyone else. But for unfriendlyness you can't beat the home of the brave.

Diane,

firstly i would like to thank you for your post. It seems as though you have thought about it long and hard before posting.

I have only visited Thailand twice but have definitely fallen in love with it.

I came across this forum to find advice and answers to many questions I had before my first visit and more since.

I too have noticed there seem to be a lot of posters who express very negative views of the place they now call home, a few have also responded very negatively to things I have asked about or commented on.

I have to say though that on the whole I have found the forum very helpful and there is much I have learned here, mostly taken with a pinch of salt I might add!

There are people everywhere who just whinge and compain about everything all the time, it drives me mad here in London. I feel I must add though that it is very difficult to ascertain the true tone of what someone types in a forum and it may well be that these people are well adjusted thoughtful human beings who have fulfilling existances and well rounded and considered opinions and I'm sure (almost) that when they 'vent their spleen' on TV we are witnessing just that, a temporary outburst.

However, I have to agree that if the only source of information was this forum I may well have never come to Thailand at all. I decided that as there are many people I know personally who seem to do nothing other than compain bitterly about everything that they perceive to be wrong with London and the UK generally whilst my city and my country has so much going for it that it must be the same with Thailand.

Thankfully I was right.

I feel i should also add that I do agree that when someone perceives something as unjust or unfair then they have the right to say so.

Once again thanks for your post and I hope you end up somewhere that makes you happy :-)

Closest top league club to where I grew up, try walking around with a manc shirt on and see what happens to you lololol

So you're a scouser then?

How dare you ! I demand you take that back straight away Add liverfool, leeds, scum, spuds, Millwall and spammers shirt to my list then take another guess

Gooner i reckon

Jamaican white rum....made in the hills by nutters! With, if the original wasn't potent enough, a big fat stalk of sensimillia put into the bottle and left for about three months! My m8 brought some back with him, we had 2 shots each and lost about 2 days!

Slivovice is great stuff, i agree it tastes neither of plums or brandy but i liked it.

Tequila is...well it's tequila...be prepared to lose money, phones, friends and dignity!

Absinthe? yeah it's naughty stuff, there are versions currently available that are not like the original which, I believe, was even banned in France. After trying some dispensed by some nutty french bird with a teaspoon of heated up raw cane sugar (why?) I can see why!

My personal fav at the moment is, during a night out, black sambucca. It has the effect of convincing me I'm not drunk at all! The guy in the off licence (when we tried to take an empty bottle of brandy back to him protesting that it was 'somehow fake' and we wanted our money back) did not agree and neither did the Metropolitan Police service :-)

not tried the 'Korean zombie' gear, sounds like fun tho!

brings a 'hole' new meaning to 'let em come' !!

'We can see you... we can see you...we can see you holding hands!' West Ham fans sang to Brighton fans last time the two teams met :-)

For me, 'come on son, we're going down the football' I was told by my mates older brother, and off we went to Upton Park, I was about 10 or 11. In those days in London people supported their local team. You never saw anyone wearing an Arsenal/Chelsea/Liverpool/Man Utd shirt in East London.

These days, it seems, there are different criteria. When I ask young lads wearing other teams shirts why they support that team they usually say something like ''cos they're the best' or 'cos of Fabregas' or some other star player.

Going to football matches these days is a completely different experience. Many aspects of it are much much better, I remember being on the terraces when West Ham scored, everyone piled forward and you had to watch out for those barriers that were placed at intervals up and down the stand or you'd be crushed. There was always someone dishing comments out all the time, people starting off songs and a real sense of fun within the crowd, not generated by piped music played too loud over the staduim sound system.

It was definitely a sense of 'our people and their people' at the games, especially the London derby games. It is, perhaps, a legacy of those times/feelings that fuels the current rivalries with many people trying to hold on to something of their local identity which, inevitably I believe, becomes less and less distinct in modern times.

Sorry to say this, but if you are having a baby and you are genuinely worried about whether it's yours then you are not with the right woman, or she is not with the right man, whichever. I don't doubt that these things happen everywhere in the world but I think deep down you know yourself if you can trust your wife or not.

You didn't actually mention if you are having a baby, are you? or is it just a general question to wind up the members and invite the inevitable sarcasm?

Perfect answer

Disagree. We've all made mistakes about trusting the wrong person. When it happens, only in retrospect do we see the signs (if there were any).

If you're constantly wondering whether your wife cheats on you, that's one thing. But there's no harm sending off a strand of your kid's hair along with yours under the "trust but verify" mantra.

I don't worry about my wife cheating on me. I'd be shocked to find out she is/has, especially since we're nearly always together. Nevertheless, when we have our first child, I'll verify.

How will you discuss this with your wife? I do understand the not worrying about cheating, it only creates suspiscion and doubt, and doesn't stop ny cheating, in fact it can lead to cheating! But I am interested in this verification process ....would it be franky discussed first? 'Honey our baby is so wonderful, I love you so much, now I'm going to find out if it's mine?' or would you surreptitiously snip of some hair and send it away for testing? Wouldn't the whole process be similar to having doubts about your partners fidelity (or lack thereof)? I must admit to being confused by the 'trust but verify' mantra. :-) surely verification implies a lack of trust? :-)

I always wondered in the past why someone wanted that job (Thai coach).

I guess some issues have been dealt with from the past.

I remember (not that many years ago) the coach was not in charge of picking the team.

To make the national matches more tv viewer friendly, they showed the half time pep talk on television!!

I wish I could see the expression on my face when I saw that the first time.

By the way, did they go through with 2 competing top leagues in Thailand?

If yes, from which league do they pick the players?

I guess the answer of my first question is.......money.

I like the idea of Peter Reids half-time pep talk being broadcast!!! would they have someone to translate scouse to english then another person translate english to thai?

As a Brit i can categorically state that I NEVER drink beer warm. I don't drink bitter, I knw people who do and they drink it, as a previous reply mentions, 'cool' it's not cool it's warm and I for one, don't like it.

I was equally horrified when after i pointed out that my lager wasn't very cold the solution offered was to put ice in it! ICE!!!??? i said, 'but then it will melt and I'll have WATER IN MY BEER!!!!???' We arrived at the solution that when we arrived in the bar, at least 8 bottles were to be transferred from what looked like a fridge ( but clearly wasn't as it didn't make the beer cold ) into the freezer. Whilst it was getting cold we would have something it is more acceptable to have ice in, like a whisky and coke or something. We thought we had found an acceptable solution but it transpired that we had to remind the same staff to do the same thing EVERY TIME WE WALKED IN THE SAME BAR!!! (which was every night for 10 nights!)

After many attempts to convince the bar owner/manager to turn the fridge up or buy a new fridge I gave up drinking beer there and had a couple of shorts with ice before conspicuously moving bars! (same story in the other bars too!) Didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever! Hey Ho, just go with the flow and remind them every time we walk in that they have to chill the bottles properly! :-) I have resolved to learn Thai so I can phone ahead and get the beer chilled ;-)

You just hit the jackpot.

Lager beer (bottom fermented), you simply have to freeze it to hide the fact there is not any taste in it.

Ale (top fermented) as brewed in the UK and Ireland, Kolsch (Cologne), some other German beers, Belgium beers, are all suitable to the German "Reinheitsgebot".

Or, they only contain natural ingredients, no artificial shit, that is why they have taste, smell and body.

Lager, excluding most German ones, are not conforming to the "Reinheitsgebot".

So please. be my guest, drink your lager.

And I think you do not want to know what kind of shit is dumped into the brewing tanks in Thailand, mainly needed to conquer the heat.

Not very healthy, but........enjoy!

And yes, Thai people know all about beer not having any taste, or whisky, or coke, or whatever

They are watering down all beverages, alcoholic or not to an absolute minimum with lots of ice.

That is why drinks are not kept coooooooool over here.

Ice, buckets full of ice, that is the way to do it, in Thailand.

So, does my pint of Stella conform to the reinheitsgebot?

Probably not, anyway, I just don't like ale (sorry) did enjoy the kolsch (many varieties) in Koln.

Like the idea of the ice bucket.... so my Singha could pass for a bottle of Dom Perignon being chilled for my impending arrival?

I will try to educate my pallette and one day be unable to get a drink that I enjoy anywhere outside rural wiltshire or koln.

I didn't realise that by commenting on not being able to get 'my lager' served cold in Thailand that I would be offending your sensibilities so much.

If you want to drink something that looks like runny gravy and tastes like it's been made by squirrels then ...... please, be my guest :-P

As a Brit i can categorically state that I NEVER drink beer warm. I don't drink bitter, I knw people who do and they drink it, as a previous reply mentions, 'cool' it's not cool it's warm and I for one, don't like it.

I was equally horrified when after i pointed out that my lager wasn't very cold the solution offered was to put ice in it! ICE!!!??? i said, 'but then it will melt and I'll have WATER IN MY BEER!!!!???' We arrived at the solution that when we arrived in the bar, at least 8 bottles were to be transferred from what looked like a fridge ( but clearly wasn't as it didn't make the beer cold ) into the freezer. Whilst it was getting cold we would have something it is more acceptable to have ice in, like a whisky and coke or something. We thought we had found an acceptable solution but it transpired that we had to remind the same staff to do the same thing EVERY TIME WE WALKED IN THE SAME BAR!!! (which was every night for 10 nights!)

After many attempts to convince the bar owner/manager to turn the fridge up or buy a new fridge I gave up drinking beer there and had a couple of shorts with ice before conspicuously moving bars! (same story in the other bars too!) Didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever! Hey Ho, just go with the flow and remind them every time we walk in that they have to chill the bottles properly! :-) I have resolved to learn Thai so I can phone ahead and get the beer chilled ;-)

I don't think the economy has much to do with it really, nor does politics.

Ah, are you one of those that I previously mentioned who are in denial of the origins of the antipathy between West Ham and Millwall, West Ham towards Spurs ? They both were very Political/political in there own ways.

I assume you're talking about the dockers strike when those on the souht side of the river are supposed to have 'scabbed'? What I was referring to was the allusion that 'far right politics' was involved, the disenfranchisement of youth theory that some people put forward as a reason behind football violence. i don't think it is true... in the late 70's early 80's there were people who just loved a scrap who would search out other like-minded individuals at football matches, this then created it's own 'buzz' and became self-perpetuating. i agree that nothing exosts outside of it's environment but to say that any far righ or other 'flavour' of politics in the political party sense had much to do with it is, i think, wrong. Yes the NF did try to make it their own to a degree but, certainly at West Ham, were unsuccesfull.

I think it a mistake not to take any phenomenon whatsoever outside of it's environment. Things even only loosely related to football -- like thuggery -- doesn't occur in a vacuum of its own. Perhaps I'm just too influenced by the Buddhist concept of co-dependent origination. Thank you Thailand.

There have been clashes between west ham and millwall ie 'visits' to certain pubs, mainly by younger lads/

I've seen nothing whatsoever that's even hinted at this.

you may not have 'seen' anything that has even hinted at this but I can assure you it has happened. Anyway, where would you 'see' it unless you were there or had been told about it by people who were there? A bust up in a pub in bermondsey isn't usually widely reported.

I am interested in your view of the origins of these rivalries btw :-) also your view on how politics is specifically involved. Unemployment? Socially deprived areas? It would depend on your opinion as to what deprived would mean. I think both Millwall and West Ham's core heartlands have very similar histories and that definitely does have a bearing on the value systems of the people who grow up there which, in turn, has an influence on their behaviour.

I'd be pleased to continue this discussion if you would :-)

In fact to call it a rivallry compares it to other rivallries like Arsenal Tottenham for instance. Hatred is a more accurate term. It is one of those self-perpetuating, nobody can really pur their finger on why, kind of things. But I can assure you it has been much worse than it was this time.

It isn't even a rivalry at all and hardly has ever been as the two clubs hardly ever meet. I assume that a rilvary is when there's an actual jostling for position in the same league. Yes, there were even fatal encounters when both sets of hoollies. But most supporters were unaffected by this as it was tear-up by a very small minority. This one , however, was in the full glow of publicity during a game and instigated mostly by one side. In the 70's and 80's they were mostly pre-arranged meets outside of the grounds

By rivalry i did not mean a rivalry between the two clubs that needs them to be competing on the football field, I meant between the two sets of people. As for pre-arranged meets in the 70's and 80's ...have a look at this footage from the Old Kent Road from the era you are talking about

This one, I believe, was 'brewing' over the last few months.

What leads you to think this ?

there have been clashes between west ham and millwall ie 'visits' to certain pubs, mainly by younger lads

... if this fixture ever happens again I hope it is policed as heavily as the four previous ones (all of which I attended). There was the hatred, but there was also the policing which kept everyone more or less apart and no-one was seriously injured.

I attended those games at UP too. And yes , the amount of anticipation did ensure that nothing actually happened in and around the ground. The reason that this one was so ill-prepared is all about complacency I think. We had all thought -- perhaps naively -- it mostly a thing of the past. However, I have my hypothesis as to why this kind of think should raise it's ugly head again at this time. Much in the same way as the emergence of the far right in England -- both are phenomena that arise during economic downturns.

I don't think the economy has much to do with it really, nor does politics.

I'm by no means condoning what happened, rather pointing out that this enmity exists and if such fixtures are to be played then there is a way that they can be succesfully held without anyone ending up in hospital.

Silly to deny that there is animalistic hatred between various "supporters" clubs. Or that even the most rational supporters have distinct appetites and aversions to greater, or lesser degrees. As for myself I have no such thing towards Millwall or Spurs as I'm neither a dinosaur or tribal sheep but, unilke the vast majority who hold such sentiments, am au fait with the social history the underpins the aggression. Although there are club supporters that I have a distinct distaste for ,e.g. only to be reminded just last Saturday why I have suchlike aversions to Leeds supporters collectively. Although, to be fair, I also encountered a few individually and in one case actually helped me when I unbeknowingly dropped my mobile phone. Must say though that my experience of Millwall supporters has been the opposite. Although that may have been different if they had not known my affiliations ?

I didn't deny the hatred exists. When i was in Germany for the world cup I was walking (alone) with my England/West Ham flag in Cologne when I turned a corner and saw ten or so Millwall fans with a giant 'Belvedere Lions' flag... there was a pause, some eye contact, a small verbal exchange...then we spent the rest of the afternoon drinking together! Also we were approached on a few occasions by young lads from various english teams inquiring as to our desire to 'kick it off' with the Deutsche Polizei! we all unanimuosly declined and told those enquiring to grow up.

I suppose the point that I'm labouring to make is that it's only a tiny minority who involve themselves in such behaviour as last Tuesday, and a further minority who support it by offering tacit consent in not condemning it. But unfortunately what we don't hear is of the thousands that were chanting "off,off" when the morons invaded the pitch and the overwhelming majority would be, and were, disgusted at any amount of brainless violence.

I agree completely that the pitch invasion was opposed by the vast majority of people in the ground, i think everyone got caught up in the moment and because west ham were losing till the last two or three minutes, things spilled over. Also the rumour mill had spread the idea that someone had been stabbed outside the ground and rumour mills being what they are it all just went mad!

Also, everyone had been drinking all day in 'preparation' and otherwise reasonably well behaved people lost it.

Hi,

is it cheaper to buy a phone in the UK and bring it to Thailand or should I get one in LOS?

Does anyone know the price of a half-decent phone (nothing too fancy, doesn't have to be a blackberry or have email/internet but a decent camera would be nice) in Thailand and if so, where to get them from?

Are second hand phones readily available from markets? Are there any deals in phone shops for last years models?

Any help appreciated

Thanks :-)

I was totally shocked to hear it, who would have though violence at a West Ham Vs Millwall game......

You say that, but throughout the history of the clubs it has never been as bad as last night. Brings back memories of Luton away. When you are a true fan of either club it's a bit <deleted> upsetting.

Ok it was bad, but to say it has never been as bad throughout the history of the clubs is just not true. It may have not been reported the same way 'back in the day' as scenes like that were more commonplace but there have been much much worse confrontations between Millwall and West Ham in the past. I don't think many people outside the two 'areas of influence' really understand just how deep this rivalry goes. In fact to call it a rivallry compares it to other rivallries like Arsenal Tottenham for instance. Hatred is a more accurate term. It is one of those self-perpetuating, nobody can really pur their finger on why, kind of things. But I can assure you it has been much worse than it was this time.

This one, I believe, was 'brewing' over the last few months. Couple that with the fact that there were a third of the amount of police on duty than there were for the last visit of our south london cousins and a recipe for disaster was, sadly, served up in reality.

There will be the usual rhetoric from both clubs and the authorities. The newspapers will predict the collapse of the western world and society as we know it. Both clubs will have peaceful encounters with their various oppositions and if this fixture ever happens again I hope it is policed as heavily as the four previous ones (all of which I attended). There was the hatred, but there was also the policing which kept everyone more or less apart and no-one was seriously injured.

I'm by no means condoning what happened, rather pointing out that this enmity exists and if such fixtures are to be played then there is a way that they can be succesfully held without anyone ending up in hospital.

This is slightly different than the others. Why you ask? It was a lady who did the wind expulsion?

Were dozing in bed slowly coming to when a hot burst of pressurised air hit my upper thigh.

At the same time, the sound of ripping cardboard could be heard?

Convinced there had been a "Follow through"? Jumped out of bed to check??

Lady turned around and said "You no like Love Puff"

Heard flatulence called many things.......................... Never a "Love Puff" though?

Mind you never heard it called that again??

LOVE PUFF???? HAHAHA that's brilliant! quick thinking on her part hmm?

All bars closed today and tomorrow.

By-election for MP from Suratthani.

ok that eplains why no answer from the bar then! Makes me feel a little bit better, she could have just lost the phone.

Thanks very much

Ok

Good news is she's alive! She just called me.

Bad news is she had an altercation with some guy (English) which ended up with him and four of his mates smacking her around! Which resulted in, amongst other things, her phone being smashed! Nobody came to help one small Thai lady as she was attacked by five men! Eventually after about 5 minutes or so, Security staff from a venue nearby came over to stop the fight. She called the police but they didn't come. 'Same here' I told her 'police don't care about poor people' She gave as good as she got and is a tough girl but she now has a badly bruised arm and some damage to her knee. I would imagine the guys have plenty of injuries too but now I'm <deleted>*king seethiing as you can probably imagine!

Firstly I apologised to her for the behaviour of my countrymen, and am still now struggling to comprehend how they would feel the slightest bit justified in doing what they did.

In a way I'm glad I'm not there because I can see myself trawling the area seeking revenge.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at their behaviour given the lack of moral fibre displayed on a regular basis here in London but I still find it astonishing that no-one came to her aid.

Anyway, she's alive which is the main thing. And no hospital bills either! (whew!)

i was having a running problem with the local taxi rank because i did not want a moto-taxi 5 times everyday

and they were yak-yak-yak-yak and it wasn't until i insulted them back that they shut the <removed>-up. granted,

that might not work for everyone but they have no conception some people might understand the insults.

so then. the fact that you CAN speak Thai is a good thing, because you were able to let them know you understaood and they shut the f*uck up? yes?

I'm only just starting to learn Thai but, generally speaking, I believe that it is important for everyone to try and learn the language of a place you intend to visit regularly or settle in. Enem if I'm only going for a holiday somewhere I try to learn a few basic words. Firstly, I enjoy it as a learning experience, and secondly, I fond that many people do appreciate it, even if they then take the opportunity to practise their English and never speak to me in Thai.

I wish that more people who came to live in the UK learned and spoke English!

As for hearing people insult you wouldn't you rather know than not?

I know I would, admittedly it can be annoying to hear but then you get the opportunity to say something to them, not sure i would go down the same route as you by insulting them back, more often than not i probably would though! Another tactic might be a polite comment about the weather and who they fancy in the game tonight :-)

All bars closed today and tomorrow.

By-election for MP from Suratthani.

ok that eplains why no answer from the bar then! Makes me feel a little bit better, she could have just lost the phone.

Thanks very much

Ok,

if anyone is in Chaweng right now I need some help.

I talk with my g/f every day on the phone. Yes, she works in a bar, yes, someimes she's 'busy honey call you tomorrow' but she awlays always does.

Lat nigh I called her as usual, she told me she was going to psrty with her firends, nothing unusual about that, there was the sounds of a little trouble going on, some Thai voices, some Thai girls talking English, sounded like there was some kind of argument going on. Again, not that unusual! it's happened before, she can look after herself and she has told me before 'honey have lil bit problem, lil bit fighting' so I'm slightly concerned but not overly so.

Call her again bit the phone is switched off...ok, maybe battery's dead. Maybe not! But she awlays tells me everything she does. Ok so the battery is dead maybe, so when she gets home she will charge it and I can talk to her when she wakes up. it's been off for 14 hours now which has never happened before! So I get the number for the bar she works at from yellow pages and there's no answer. Ok, I say, maybe the phone is too quiet or not plugged in or something, whatever. Keep trying her phone, switched off.

Then it's switched on again, someone answers but doesn't talk. Then the phone is off again.

Ok, someone has nicked her phone, switched it on, heard my voice and switched it on again.

I called the hotel I stayed at in Chaweng to talk to the bar manager cos he helped me out many times before andis a good man, to ask him to go round to the bar and make sure she's still alive or not arrested or not in hospital, but the hotel bar is closed for low season!

If you are in Chaweng now could you please go to Blessing Bar in soi green mango and see if she is alive, aressted, hospitalised or <deleted> has happened to her?

I honestly just want to know she's alive.

This is a girl who has spoken to me on the phone every day for five months, tells me EVERYTHING she does, never fails to call me back, and worries if she doesn't hear from me every day.

Her name is Bow and i would really appreciate any help anyone can give me. I'm now quite worried for her safety.

If you do manage to go round there and talk to her please tell her I'm very worried about her and want to know she's ok.

The bar is on the right hand side as you go up soi green mango form the Chaweng beach Road end, small place called Blessing just after Tilac bar.

Thanks

LOL! it's cool to be excited...i'm exited about going to Phuket on Sept 5th :-)