ableguy

I always refuse ice in my beer unless it isn't cold in which case I'd rather have the ice than drink it warm.

I keep four beer mugs in my freezer with two inches of water in each mug result frozen ice keeps beer cold for at least two bottles and no ice lumps floating about, try it.

If it's true, well nothing would surprise me here. Money talks, full stop.

I would like nto hear from someone on this forum who bought their way out of prison, what was the crime , how much time they get, how much time did they serve, how much did it cost to buy freedem, otherwise for me its all hot air.

A terrible waste of life, and condolences to the families. But in reality, with the way Thai drive, I'm surprised things like this don't happen more often.

I agree I live in Hua Hin and we have these mini that leave here for BKK every two hours to Victory Monument, they do the trip in two hours. I have driven this same route many times and if I can do it in two hours forty five min I think I have done well, needless to say they drive like maniacs flashing their headlights telling everyone to get out of their way as no doubt they think they are very important, they remind me of the kids around here who deliver pizza they think they have a special right to act as if they are on a race track. Needless to say the mini vans here have an apalling safety record. When freinds visit me I go to swampy and pick them up I would never let people close to me in one of these death traps.

" Imagine what the driver who hits and kills someone in an example like this, will have to live with that split second image, for the rest of their lives. Through absolutely no fault of their own. "

Scary indeed and don't want to be that person. Bad enough to live with that but chances are because you are a farang and the deceased is a Thai, good luck with the law and who's right and wrong. Don't mean to sound biased or prejudice but have seen similar instances not in favor of the farang.

Have to add my bit. I got passed the other day by a lady on motorbike holding what looked like a brand new baby weeks not months old, holding an open brolly as it was raining whilst talking on the phone and to top it there was a dog on the bike with its paws on the handle bar, wish I could have taken a photo. All I can say is brain dead and I doubt things will change in my life time, when I first started driving here I hated moter bikes and drivers with a passion, now I treat them with the greatest respect, never curse them dont get angry and give way all the time, its the only way I can cope, and god forbid if one ever hits me as you all know it will be my fault.

Ok here's my thoughts.

Whether or not people get married has no real bearing on the success of the relationship. This leads to another question, what does 'success' in relationship terms, actually mean? I suppose it's that much-sought-after condition, happiness. If there was a formula that guaranteed happiness we'd all be happy.

I agree with the comments made in the OP, it's a good idea to make it clear in the early stages of any relationship that you're not willing or able to just hand out large sums of cash at the drop of a hat. After all, you don't know if the person you're getting involved with will take advantage of that or not.

When there are large differences in the availability of money (as can be the case in Farang-Thai relationships) it is of more significance than in our home countries. I've had relationships in the past where the woman earned (a lot) more than me and some where it's been the other way round.

Of course you like to help out, when you can, but if any relationship is solely based on money, then that's just what it is. If both parties are content with that, up to them.

For me, although it's a factor, it's not the be-all-and-end-all. There have been times when I've given money when it's been needed and other times when I've had the money but not given it.

I think if you start off 'flashing the cash' you better get used to it. Doesn't matter if you're in Thailand or anywhere else. If you buy a big house and live in it with a woman who later comes to dislike you, for whatever reason, chances are she'll be living in it and you'll be paying for it. If you, or she, based your relationship on money. There should be, in my opinion, an improvement for both people in any relationship. Quality of life is the key. Some of that is financial, of course. Some of it is emotional, the idea that you have someone to share things with is very comforting and can lead to the enhancement of the 'happiness vibe'.

It's good to know where you stand going in. If you're fortunate enough to have large amounts of cash I think it's a good idea not to really make a big deal out of it.

I was in the Caribbean for a while and some of the richest people around looked like the poorest. One guy I used to chat with every day on my way to the beach looked like he worked in the big house I was passing, turns out he owned it and half the rest of the street! There's just no sense in advertising wealth, especially in financially poor places.

Nothing lasts forever, as someone said previously, even life. But if we think about that too much it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy (I know the life ending part will self-fulfill anyway!) so I think it's important to try and enjoy what's going on at the moment without worrying about divorce statistics. This is aided, I think, by not basing anything on money. Money should be the stuff that greases the wheels allowing for a smoother ride, not the vehicle itself.

A hard balancing act, but if you can succeed in placing the financials in their proper place, potentially rewarding.

In my opinion

Mine too well written.

I am seriously confused.

so if he was under watch and was raping under-age girls, does that mean that BIB watched and allowed him to rape xxx number of girls before making a move in him???

if she was working on the beach road, does not that make her a working girl, ie a prostitute? So with all the raids the police has done on the beach they could not see her?!

He raped her, yet he paid her and took her another 5 times, how is that a rape? and if it was a rape the first time, why has not she reported it? and gone 5 more times?

If you ask me, the entire story is little stinky!!!!

I would imagine they knew her as an underage working girl,

and so knew that chances were good, 30 minutes after she went up there,

he would be caught in flagrante delicto.

I suspect she might be one of his 'older playmates', he was known to frequent,

but never nabbed with the young ones for some reason, but they couldn't be

sure with the youngest, so went for the sure thing. Supposition of course.

At least he's off the streets now.

Anyone considered he may be wealthy and thus viewed as a source of income to BIB ?

Whilst i think the Tea Party movement is a wonderful thing (ie non interfering govt and low taxes), this women is clearly as stupid as stupid can be and an absolute nutcase to top it off with, and puts a shadow over the Tea Partys common sense aims.

I cant believe out of how ever Americans support affordable government she'd be pick of the bunch.

I like the fact she is in Alaska and out of the way, hope she stays there

Anyway, nice to hear that Cameron may be living it up in LOS this Christmas while countless millions of his (and my) fellow countrymen will be consigned to a wretchedly miserable (and freezing) festive season thanks to the draconian spending cuts announced by his government last week. So much for all that "we're all in this together" crap which they have been spouting.

People like you shouldnt be allowed to vote, you really have no understanding of the most basic economics, but just to keep you happy the DEBT will still be rising under the Tories, though the deficit will narrow by 2015.

Educate yourself by looking at how much govt. spending has risen in 13 years, by 2015 we'll only be back at 2008/9 levels as a % of GDP and you call this draconian.

YOU CANNOT SPEND MORE THEN YOU MAKE FOREVER DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Save your ire for the people who persue futile wars taking young lives on both sides or is that three sides and in the process squander billions.

The Tory spokesman said the other day Dave has never met Mark.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

Since Cameron is in his early 40�s and Abhisit is in his mid-40�s, it is presumably highly unlikely that they were bosom pals at Eton in any event. Your best mates at school tend to be your immediate contemporaries.

Anyway, nice to hear that Cameron may be living it up in LOS this Christmas while countless millions of his (and my) fellow countrymen will be consigned to a wretchedly miserable (and freezing) festive season thanks to the draconian spending cuts announced by his government last week. So much for all that �we�re all in this together� crap which they have been spouting.

Start to read George Orwell again:

'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.'

The ones with their noses in the trough ?????

There is a place called Coffee Gallery

Huge variety

It's at CDC

Kaset-Navamin

have been searching the web for a supplier of Vietnamese coffee but no luck the only one I found was in the USA and they dont ship here, V coffe is the best I ever tasted

What's the issue with toilets? They are all over the place. Maybe those with toilet problems should consider just how often they need to visit. Either you have undiagnosed diabetes or irritable bowel syndrome... probably the latter!*

And they are clean and you can see the cleaners too. Now if you want a toilet that smells like a urinal and looks like a shower stall, try any public toilet in Malaysia or the dripping example in the departures hall at Phuket International. Now THAT is disgusting!

* There's a special on incontinence pants at Big-C this week. Two for one special so you can put one on your head as well which should help those with wee bladders to <deleted>.

Whoe there young fellah, cannot find pins for my diapers at swampy, nobody to help me change, no talc in loo to relieve chaffing and I dont want to have to go to the continent to buy new drip savers so there.

BTW - have you noticed how FEW toilets there are at Swampy?

It was determined shortly after the airport opened that the contracter only built a few of the toilets that vwere in the airport design I believe he forgot to buld more than haff of them even though paid to do so, just another regular skimming job, I never heard anything else about the case, as is per usual when people in high places are concerned.

Hilarious. Whining and complaining= pursuit of excellence and discerning.

Next they'll complain the can't smoke in- flight like they used to back in 1962.

Suggest that you Google for 'zero defects policy'. You might learn something. Unless peeps make their dissatisfaction on anything known then the Thais will do nothing about it. That maybe a lost cause since they hardly snap into action even then. Perhaps you like to live in a land where mediocrity is the norm. Shall we also remain silent about gouging, corruption and all the other ills that pervade life here? Is it alright with you if Heathrow gets kicked to death? If so, why not Swampy. Any business that wants to have a good reputation and generate profits and growth should welcome constructive criticism and take positive action to eliminate their shortcomings as perceived by their customers.

That you think that smoking inflight has anything to do with the state of a dysfunctional airport you have strange logical processes. Did it ever occur to you that smoking onboard was banned because peeps did complain?

Constructive criticism does not mean a dam_n to anyone even remotely connected to swampy, fact

Could not agree more, take the food court for instance all the vendors smile as they rip you off 500 bhat for two bowls of noodles and a coke, all the taxi touts smile as they try to rip you off, scam artists in king duty free smile after plantimg goods on you and accuse you of theft, the gunmen in the car park smile as they take your money, this really is an airport of smiles what are you guys moaning about ?

If you choose to eat before you go air-side you can buy a reasonable Phat Kha Pow for B35 and a cup of coffee for B30. No mark up at all. Just go to the "Miracle" food court. Wait until you go air-side and you will be happily eating alongside so many other foreigners whilst the Thais do what they like to do. Touch expensive stuff....even if they can't afford it.

Why assume I was going airside ? I was picking up a buddy of mine whose flight was delayed had my gf with me and being a typical Thai she has to eat every four hours, plus we had a three hour drive to the airport,

Just to reiterate - this piece is plainly not worthy of any "professional" (in mine and others' opinions) - "allegedly raping his adopted daughter repeatedly for eight years when she was eight years old" means she was raped for eight years when she was eight years old? 8 in 1?!?!

Sub-standard writing/reporting, for sure!

Yes, I know this is explained in the later paragraph, but surely a NATIONal newspaper can do better than this poor (X8?) reporting!?

In fact, this demonstration of inept 'reporting' is surely LOSING The Nation readers!? I won't be buying a 'newspaper' that needs additional explanation!!!!

Does any member of this forum actually buy this rag ?

the rubber Band thing , for many farang can be a huge problem . as it design for smaller hand . and the way there pack it . is kind a tricky , unless you got a good dex of using your finger like me alot of finger work out on keyboard . whhahaha the easier way for you is to use a toothpick to help you pick the rubber band .

sometime got eg. soy milk which i buy i would just cut a hole at the end of it . and pour it out .

if it noodle . is easy if it pack without the soup just cut it open wide . or Cut a larger Hole at the bottom . about 2- 3 inches .

another way is tell the store to tie it less or more simple for you with just one loop .

some store when there tie the rubber , there will twist the last loop and bring it over the whole packing , this way all you got to do is use your finger to pick the rubber band up and then unfold the loop slowly .

usually if you can just pick one of the loop up you can slowly unfold the rubber band knot .

if you need a demo , we can always meet up at some road side store , over a cup of Soy milk and some steam bread . i would be happy to show you how to untie them , or unpack in a few way .

other fast option , would be using

1. knife ,

2. nail cutter as show above

3. hulk eat noodle !!!! hulk smash !!!!!!

4. ask your wife or Gf to do it

5. bring back to store and ask seller to open it

6. Pm me to arrange for demo

Good luck

I take my own srainless steel carry all, it has a fixed lid and carrying handle just make sure it holds the same amount as plastic bag does. sell them most hard ware stores.

Transam and Lovelomsak you really need to get a grip of your self-loathing. We all had the same opportunity and if you did not take the opportunity to get a good education and then have the drive to make something of your life, then yes I guess it sucks to be poor.

Yes I am financially secure and I enjoy a good lifestyle, I believe in the simple cliché, work hard, play hard.

I have nothing, but disdain for the workshy foreigners who live here and I stand by my statements that any foreigners living here on less than 35k per month, should leave.

Stander you are incorrect that we all have the same opportunity in life, but I guess you already know this. You choose to live in a Third World Country, if you were as wealthy as you claim to be I would be so bold as to say you would not choose to spend your time in Thailand but more than likely in one of the many luxury destinations around the Globe.

But nice try.

"All envy is proportionate to desire"

I have been based in Thailand since 1987; my geographical areas of responsibility are the Middle East and Asia.

Please give us some insight I feel you avoid assist us in answering how the rich live. We would like to be able to understand the advantage to being rich like you.

I will help you a little ok. so you can compare lifestyles . I will give you insight to how us poor live you tell us how the rich live is that a deal.

Where should I start.

I have travelled since I was 19 years of age. Been Asia ,Europe South America , Have walked on glaciers 600 miles from of the north pole(that is the top of the world if you donot know).Have owned and raced yachts intensively for decades. Have done race committees up to olympic level. Owned multiple houses last one in North America an acreage with front room view across george strait could see vancouver and lights on the ski mountains behind it. Should I keep going or will you please just be so kind to tell us what wealth and fortune has done for you. I am so interested. Maybe we have same interests. Next year I will take a holiday from Asia and to Mexico for marlin and tuna fishing. Just a short trip a month or so. Oh yes and last year was in Canada on a one month ski trip in the Rockies.

What a peasant get a life, you dont own a string of race horses I bet you dont even sponser a formula one team and to top it all no private 747, call yourself rich ?

I typically only have lunch and dinner at 7-Eleven.

Here's lunch, a healthy 7ElevenSausageJumboSalad:

1. Order a Footlong Bite Cheese. If they're out of those then a Footlong Bite Spicy is an alternative.

2. Ask them to 'wave' it and cut it.

3. Make sure they put it in the biggest possible plasic bags. Some branches stuff it into a smaller bag; you don't want this.

4. They now hand over the bag to you, proceed to the vegetable & sauces area.

5. Ensure that the mayonnaise bottle is in attendance. If not, ask for it.

6. Add a bit of ketchup, chilli sauce, mustard and plenty mayo.

7. Often they also keep the sour sauce & fried garlic there that's typically used when ordering the dumplings. If these are there you're in luck, add some of the sour stuff and garlic too.

8. Add *ALL* the vergatables. Or as much as you can stuff in that bag anyway: Lettuce, cucumber, tomato and a few chopped onions.

9. Proceed to checkout & pay. 25 baht.

Let me know if anyone wants to know what a 7-Eleven dinner looks like. It's M! M! GOOD!

What a sad life you have,

I thought the mid-life crisis was buying a Harley or a 'vette and getting a tattoo or a body piercing? Taking a belated interest in mountain biking or skateboarding... or surfing (not in Thailand of course). Wearing the latest Camel Active shirt with appliques and decals that allude to exploring or Africa. Surfing the 'net on a MacBook while sipping a double caramel machiato at Starbucks. Going regularly to Lucifer's or Excite or maybe 'discovering' katoeys.

Never thought of the typical beer bar owner and/or customer as being particularly in any identity crisis. Same goes for a foreigner that choses to rent a Thai-style 4x4 (meters that is) with a squatty shitter and a ceiling fan. That's just being frugal or cheap... or maybe broke. In my case, I was young, didn't know any better and choices were limited when chosing to move in with the gogo dancing gf in the '70s.

When I worked in Houston, the deck at Sam's Boat on Richmond on a Sunday afternoon was always heaving with mid-life crisis blokes. But we still managed to pull the birds (and they weren't all strippers from Rick's either).

What are you trying to say?

Break-even between driving to the airport and parking in short stay vs. using a taxi used to be about 4 days for me. Until last time I left the car in short term some kind person shunted it. Cost 15k for a new door plus a couple of other bent bits.

Taxi every time now

It's also worth considering if you really want to drive immediately after getting off a fairly long flight, I tend to doze in the taxi (with periodic checks that he's not heading for Chiang Mai).

The long term car park with a free shuttle costs 120 baht per 24 hours, I just used it, google airport parking fees BKK . This is very cheap compared to many airports.

What a bunch of moaning old farts you guys are.

Is it costing you anything now? No

Is it hurting you to have someone smile at you? No

Would it hurt you to smile back? No, unless you have just had an abdominal operation.

Can't you find enough trouble in the world to complain about, without inventing it?

Chill out and enjoy something ....just for a change.

I think it's a great idea.......have any of you flown Aeroflot lately? If not I think you should, join the other poe faces.

Could not agree more, take the food court for instance all the vendors smile as they rip you off 500 bhat for two bowls of noodles and a coke, all the taxi touts smile as they try to rip you off, scam artists in king duty free smile after plantimg goods on you and accuse you of theft, the gunmen in the car park smile as they take your money, this really is an airport of smiles what are you guys moaning about ?

I think such a poll was already done once before. Can't remember the results.

Yeah, there are a lot of expats in CM who are elderly. And a lot of those are on Thai Visa.

But thinking logically, that is normal. Usually it is retired people, with money, who can afford to stay year-round.

The next biggest age group I would guess are the 20-30 somethings who are teaching English, etc.

The 30-50 age group probably the fewest, IMO. Expat small business owners married to Thai nationals, missionaries with families, etc.

We always get these threads every year or so from the younger members who like to take a sly dig at the oldsters.

I'll admit, the food court next to Tops in KSK should probably install oxygen tanks and defibrillator units- sometimes looks like a VFW chapter comprised of veterans from the Boer War in there....

Guess there will be lots of young chicks hanging around tops then, yummy.....................

I now of people in UK that had a BMW but no wallpaper on the walls.

There are thousands of Thais who live in what can only be described as a slum with new shiny cars parked outside, whats the differance ?

well done to the local police for catching this thief. james

Maybe a couple of them joined his club, must be a good reason why they offered a reward.

My point is, the same as the Thai elite. I like the status quo.

My second wife in the States was a farmers daughter. I dressed her up, sent her back to school, Taught her how to be a hi so woman.

I had forgotten how much I liked the farmers daughter. For the first seven years of our marriage I was happy. She was a beauty queen from Texas. She knew how to take care of a man.

A lot of guys in the States from NY or LA go to Texas and Arkansas to find a wife.

Granted the women are uneducated and a bit on the country side but they never complain about a man drinking too much or smoking. "Stand by your man, after all he's just a man." I think that's how the song goes.

Go to the airport in Dallas. The women are shockingly beautiful. Then go to any airport in NY.

The reason for this is Southern women are trained from an early age about make up and clothes and how to look good for a man. None of that lesbian new wave stuff in Texas. (realize I left the state 15 years ago).

My ex wife now has herself a millionaire with a garage bigger than any house I ever owned. Why? I taught her. She had a natural ability and I smoothed over the rough edges. Now she speaks French and is as much at home in her Castle in Spain as her farm in Arkansas.

I'm not going to make the same mistake again.

The cost of supporting a woman in Thailand is minuscule. I'm not going to teach her about fine wines and gourmet food and how to dress. I did that once.

Now it's speaking Thai, eating som tom and moonshine and 50 baht dresses from the weekend open market.

The Thai elite don't want the people to speak English as a second language. That would open up a whole new world. Thailand would truly be the tiger of SEA. The wealth would be redistributed.

If all the lasses from Issan spoke English in the farming communities in the hinterland the bar business in Pattaya would dissolve.

If all the Thai young men spoke English up north and in the deep south tech businesses would rush to Thailand to start small manufacturing plants.

The wealth of the middle class would explode. Somchai rich guy would be lowered in relative status.

Somchai the rich guy would not want this.

A wealthy middle class would insist on actually voting and would not buy the argument that the middle class was not capable of voting. Politics would be irrevocably changed. You know who would be looking for a job.

Obviously a wind up merchant. You can never make a farmers daughter (insinuating that she is working class ) into a High class woman. Money can't buy class only some status. You have heard the "you can take a girl out of the bar saying"? Speaking the global business language would not have any benefit right?

There you go I have just fed the troll.

You must be American. If you were English you would have read Shaw's Pygmalion.

I'll quote a few lines.

Simply phonetics. The science of speech. Thats my profession: also my hobby. Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby! You can spot an Irishman or a Yorkshireman by his brogue. I can place any man within six miles. I can place him within two miles in London. Sometimes within two streets.

But is there a living in that?

Oh yes. Quite a fat one. This is an age of upstarts. Men begin in Kentish Town with £80 a year, and end in Park Lane with a hundred thousand. They want to drop Kentish Town; but they give themselves away every time they open their mouths. Now I can teach them.

Flower girl speaks.....

A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere--no right to live. Remember that you are a human being with a soul and the divine gift of articulate speech: that your native language is the language of Shakespear and Milton and The Bible; and dont sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon.

You see this creature with her kerbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador's garden party. I could even get her a place as lady's maid or shop assistant, which requires better English. Thats the sort of thing I do for commercial millionaires. And on the profits of it I do genuine scientific work in phonetics, and a little as a poet on Miltonic lines.

End of Shaw.

Of course you can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. That is what education is all about.

What the hel_l ara you babbling about ?