tigerfish

i was really disappointed with the new villa store in paradise, having looked forward to checking it out for quite some time. i suppose its all about what you go there for, but i just found it a total waste of space considering how large it is compared to the other store on sukumvit 33 and what they stocked. not much in the way of frozen items, especially in the fact that they didnt even have any stock of the aussie pies that i usually buy and no sausages too ! no pate or smoked salmon on sale and the bacon selection was pretty naff and to cap it all off, no rack s of lamb or baby back strips of pork ribs. which is a bit of a bummer really because its such a convenient place to get to in respect to where i live.

thank god bunters foods is still going even though sadly howard has passed away.

as for the rest of paradise, i thought it was well laid out. the food court on the ground floor is worth a look and so is the upper floors where all the restaurants are. especially the little place that was doing a roaring trade at 3.30 in the afternoon, selling khanom geen and thai dessert for all you could eat for 68 baht.

^ yep commando style all the way for me as well mr forbes.

always have the wife commenting on the fact after i have just showered and go to put my clothes on. something along the lines of " look at it, going ding long ling long. are you not shy of people looking when we go out ? " but why would i ask myself such a thing ! after all i hate having a sweaty sack, with all my crown jewels being couped up with no air to breathe.

guess it must just be one of those thing our thai counterparts dont have to worry about so much.

o.k so this is just meant to be a light hearted thread looking at some of the things that your other halfs dont like about you or are always complaining/comparing things about you and what you do to the male thai equivalents.

no need for bashing and getting all hot under the collar.

i will start off by saying my wife is always going on about the fact that my beard grows so quickly and that i dont like to shave much. always saying that thai men dont have as much hair as foreigners. nuff said about that observation, me thinks

another one is that she always likes to pluck out my chest hair and fiddling about with cutting my nails. its like being in a bloody beauty salon half the time ! nice though being pampered and pruned, some of the time.

how about a nice rainbow style system. would that keep everyone happy ?

i didnt realize they had let jeff savage back in the country so soon after his little hizzy fit in bangkok, back in april. my how time flys !

The Ryder Cup was over yesterday.

Unfortunately the US has to try and play again today....and I'm a Yank.

aint over until the fat lady sings ! you should know that chuckd

. while i admit its going to be a bit of an uphill struggle for the u.s. its not out of the question for them to get the 7 and a half points they need to retain the cup. i think a lot is going to rest on what order the captains put out their singles selections for todays play. especially for the u.s. and where pavin puts the likes of such players as overton, cink and stricker, who have been the major contributers as far a points go. keeping them in it with a slim fighting chance, then if old woods and mickleson can get their acts together it might just be enough to get some momentum going and push for points elsewhere. mahan and furyk could also be influential.

just on a side note to the topic being discussed.

i wonder how much of that 500 baht that lammbock handed over will actually be used to pay for the electric she is using. and if as i suspect shes is wiring up to the mains like a lot of thai street vendors do to get her lighting. is that not an illegal act in its self and why isn't the bib taking her to task over this.

oh sorry i forgot TIT.

bummer !

see the debate has already started as to who is to blame.

even butch harman throwing his two cents in saying that the u.s. p.g.a are at fault for bringing in the fed ex cup.

Baht 500 sounds reasonable enough to me, considering loss of business until the gal can get a new power strip, and that a half decent one costs baht 250 or more anyway.

Mac

hang on a minute !

what is the power cable even doing laying in a road where someone can drive over it. most thai vendors i know that sell food at the end of sois or next to the nearest 7/11 hook up to the mains of the nearest power cable. which is usually a good 6 ft above the ground and then hang the wires across from the outlet to their stalls.

serves the stupid cow right !

pity she didnt pick the bloody thing up and get an electric shock, seeing as it was pissing with rain most of the night.

mine just looked up in a bemused kind of way and said " well its not now, its dead " whilst tucking into a rather large peice of homemade KFC.

got a pretty good idea that some of the guys ive seen in the soi 8 bar in bangkok, huddled around a table full of empty heineken bottles whilst watching the rugby are regular tv posters

I also think that at the Soi 8 Pub are a lot of TV member hanging out.

Some time i say to my self when i walk into the Pub if i should scream very loud "Who is on ThaiVisa??????"

Wondering how many would answer??

i wouldnt bother mate, as most are either doing one of three things.

talking verbal diarrhea, to drunk to lift their head up from in between the empty heneiken beer bottles or trying to chat up some young bint they found on the corner of nana.

looking forward to the game

but seems I will be watching it alone.....

Fancy your chances tomorrow Mig? I reckon we will beat you 3-1

i will give it to you seapok that you may very well come out on top, but i think it may be a lot closer than you think. home advantage, a plus and the fact that we already are missing quite a few first choice team members out with injuries. i have a feeling though that the young uns will be more than capable of stepping up to the plate and put in a good performance. it all depends on whether your lot can handle them, be able to stick to your game plan and dictate the run of play. after all i would think that most people if asked, are expecting a chelsea win. considering all the bragging thats been going on with wins against poorer opposition in your opening games of the season. oh wait a minute didnt your lot lose to city last weekend ?

got a pretty good idea that some of the guys ive seen in the soi 8 bar in bangkok, huddled around a table full of empty heineken bottles whilst watching the rugby are regular tv posters

They come in my store and ask if I am 'UG" all the time. However, most of them deny that they post when I ask their sign-in name.

One thing I have noticed is that when they do tell me their nick, they are usually someone that I had thought of as a rebellious teenager trying to cause some controversy, but they are usually slightly older than that.

i came in to see you the other day UG. just to say hello whilst up in chiang mai, but the girl behind the counter said you wouldn't be in until later on in the evening.

i was most put out ! still im up there again in a couple of weeks, so maybe next time.

my god, nobleese ! are they still selling those things out there ?

i dont know whats worst, those or LM se deng.

go team europe !

blue right across the board at the close of todays play. and most importantly the games that were hanging on a knife edge are now turning europes way, by converting 1 up games to 2 ups and more.

btw so nice to see woods enjoying himself muppet !

Useless as a 2nd hand tampax.

I would certainly be pissed off mate. I honestly thought you were gonna tell me where to buy the long pants.

Good luck for the next ordeal.

yes quite a fitting analogy there longstebe and whilst muttering to myself when going to look for the sort after long pants, id thought of a fare few more.

and yep the pants did fit just fine spud1, but im not sure my <deleted> where in total agreement with my choice of such an item. thoughts of windsor davies and the sit com " it aint half hot mum ! " came to mind.

try the londoner on suk 33 or the robin hood. the londoner has a good eat all you can three course buffet on a sunday, plus it shows all major sporting events and should have a good contingent of football fans in seeing as chelski are playing the arsenal in the london derby. likewise the robin hood just up the road has a good all day breakfast and menu and pro mos on all drinks including happy hour. there are a couple of other pubs and sporting venues in the area within walking distance if you fancy a change of scenery half way through close to asoke or just off soi cowboy. being close to the bts you can always hop on and venture down towards nana where the atmoshphere might be more to your liking in one of the many bars that are showing the footie if the ryder cup is already done and dusted.

monty said he wants at least a point lead going into the afternoon session of foursomes. cant see it happening, think hes got his pairings wrong. playing poulter with fisher and donald with harrington. imho i think it should have been poulter with harrington and fisher with donald.

o.k. ive just literally got back from a two day trip to chiang mai that i took with my wife and MIL.

the reason why will unfold in due course and i may drop the odd bit of detail in now and again as they may have some bearing on the story, but really do not wish to go too much into the facts as they dont bare much relevance on what i am about to say.

so here goes,

for the past 11 years of which i have known my wife of 10 of those years she has been involved in a court case that has been going on in chiang mai and i have accompanied her when she has had to take the trip up north to attend proceedings.

to cut a long story short, married to a hi -so playboy chinese type who thought it might be a good idea to rip a load of people off up north by selling land that wasn't his. got her, without knowing all the details of his actions to deposit large sums of money into a bank account. eventually got caught and has served jail time, but there is the added complication that all parties concerned have had to go to court, to either clear their names or try and claim back losses in the way of damages. ie, banks, people who have lost money, family members, other groups that were involved or in on the scam (including women he had got involved with whilst still being married to my wife) and of course her as well. too which she, her former husband to give him credit and other witnesses have always professed her innocence when having to give evidence.

anyway the last trip we took, which was 3 months back the judges residing over her case set a date in which we were to attend as they felt that they were nearing a final verdict. so this wednesday night just gone, the 3 of us get on the coach from bangkok and make the 9 hour trip up north to chiang - mai for the hearing that is to take place 9 a.m. thursday. arrive in to the main bus station at 6 a.m. and catch a cab to the hotel we say at, take a shower and grab a quick bite to eat. 8.a.m. take another taxi to the courts of law on the outskirts of the city. arrive in good time, although everyones a little tense, nervous,not saying much and understandable so as its been a long ride over the years to get to this point. everyone gathers themselves, deep breathes all around, hugs, tears, the wife and MIL do their bit with buddha and we head up the main stairs to the court house. at which point we are greeted by a security guard telling us that i am not going to be permitted to enter the courts because i am wearing three quarter length shorts. all three of us try to explain that its a very important day and that on other occasions when i have accompanied my wife to court there has never been a problem before with me wearing such an item. hes having none of it though, saying maybe different security that day. of course the wife and MIL at this point in time start getting all upset and i take a step backwards as i know im about to lose it big time. so what to do ? o.k. i explain to my wife trying to keep her calm, i will go off in search of a pair of long pants that will enable me to enter to court house and give me time to cool off. so after wishing her luck and telling her that i will be back soon with the said item of clothing needed i go off in search. worth adding that while all this is going on, the guy on the door had let in two women wearing shorts and a guy. all thai of course ! and when this was mentioned, he comes out with the crap line about them working there or first time in court, not understand.

what a sight i must of looked ! walking a long the main stretch of road, muttering away to myself, not really knowing where to go, fag in hand and sweating profusely. it must of taken a good hour before i hit the jackpot and stumbled across an outlet that sold a pair of what can only be described as a poor mans second hand pair of white flannel pants, all creased and dirty in a size 36 " waist. i payed the my money, 140 baht (<deleted> con farang price) and was on my way as i had just realized that i was carry in my bag the tambien baan that had been requested by the court for us to bring, so time was of the essence.

got back to the court house to be once again met by the chimp on the door, produced my new fashion item at which point he starts to laugh and joke stating "oh very handsome man, beautiful color ". could of layed one right on him at that moment in time !

so after a quick change in the loos i race upstairs to the allocated court room to find everyone still sat outside waiting to go in. worth bearing in mind that it is now nearly 10.30 a.m. and my wifes case is meant to be the first item on the agenda starting at 9 a.m. whats going on i said ? my wife replies," maybe have problem " with a sad expression on her face. no time to ask as the court room official calls everyone in as the judges are about to enter.

five minutes later laurel and hardy enter the room, everyone stands and then is seated. i haven't a clue as to what is going on and am unable to ask my wife as she is seated on the other side of the room. then theres a brief exchange of paperwork and documents being signed, with a lot of talking in between. everyone looking at calenders, MIL and wife looking decidedly unhappy at what is being discussed and all i can make out of the words that are spoken are 18, monday, day and october. with that laurel and hardy stand up and leave the court room. not a bad days work if you can get it ! court proceedings finished for the day, time to go and get 18 holes in on the adjacent golf course and maybe a coupe of hours spent with the mia noi, before heading home, after a hard day at the office.

we all then make our way outside and theres yet more lively debate and discussion about what has just happened and i am still none the wiser as to whats just gone down. then finally my wife comes up to me and says " have to come back on the 18th of october because the judge he not read all the case files " <deleted> !

now excuse me for just one minute ! and for pointing the obvious out, but has anyone ever heard of that little thing called a telephone ? i though that maybe having studied for such a long period of time and " worked " and i us the term loosely, to gain such a position of high status even in a country like thailand as a judge. they would maybe have taken into consideration the fact that people have had to travel (including my elderly 81 year old MIL ), take time out of work and used money to get to the court house in chiang mai. obviously not ! i then asked my wife, is it not the job of your lawyer and why you are paying him to ensure such matters are covered before embarking on such a trip ? why did i even ask, just got that ever so well known look i have become used to whilst living out here. yes you guessed it, blank with a un-assuring shrug of the shoulders, such is life.

id like to just pigeon hole it as saying well TIT or truly amazing thailand, but i cant ! to me its better suited to the well known phrase i used to use back in my own country of birth.

" couldn't organize a piss up in a brewery if they tried " i mean <deleted> 11 years to get a verdict on such a case.

sorry for the rant and i know im going to leave my self open for a lot of abuse, especially from the thai apologist contingent of this forum, but i ask you. how would you feel ?

tigerfish.

on a side note to the topic. i frequently travel to cambodia via the aranyaphratet/poi phet border.

its is actually amazing to see what lengths the thai authorities will go to when looking after their own kind. my wife who goes with me on most occasions and pays only 1000 baht for her passport gets five stamps in and out to a page when coming and going through thai immigration. sames as all the other thais, i know because i have also asked to look at friends passports that travel the same route. plus they dont have to pay for the cambodian visa because they stay in the no mans land area where all the casinos are.

me on the other hand am lucky if i get three - four stamps to a page in and out. add to that that i have to fork out the charge for the cambodian visa, plus a new british passport costs somewhere in the region of 7,500 baht a time. it gets a little bit pricey to say the least.

i have on the odd occasion asked politely if they would be so kind to stamp my visa in a certain place, but to no avail. same old story, just looked down their nose at me like i was something fowl they had just stepped in and ignored the request. and whats the point of taking them to task over it at the risk of things getting out of hand and losing out on a re-entry stamp back into the kingdom.

If you are looking for SPECIFIC places to hang out then I can usually be found here in Chiang Mai most evenings... for obvious reasons. I get treated well.

I like this post. Ian, you are not shy are you

Not only is he not shy, he's bloody lucky.

Yeah, it wouldn't happen back home would it. Not quite sure what's lucky about being surrounded by bgs in Thailand though...

...but what's lucky for some...

beats being surrounded by a bunch of khatoeys trying to cop a feel in a quiet back street off the beaten track in chaweng, i can tell you.

Probably not by postcard but by vibes from a doll with pins stuck in it.

With all these gizmo's our page now has, they should include a list of banned members so we can see if they possibly have been resurrected at any time under a different name. Have at times read stuff that perhaps is in the same vein as a member that has not posted for a while.

bugger Ive been rumbled !

and i would have gotten away with it if it hadn't of been for the pesky interfering kids.

I am going to think about this and then come back!

I'm Back!

I look back on holidays, memories.

I think things can always get better, for everyone. but gotta work for it.

faster travel would be my world changing thingy. and if I could do it I would because it would make me rich

(I was going to post a reference to the post about arguing for the sake of arguing...)

I'm going to argue with everything you say - but actually, not for the sake of arguing, but for the sake of agreeing.

I look forward to holidays,m and I look forward to memories as well - As Robbie Williams sang - I Hope I'm old, before I die - I hope I live to relive the times gone by"

I fthings can always get better, they're clearly not as good as they could be...The fact is, that if you had nothing to work on to improve, we'd all be worse off....

Faster travel is no travel at all. Distance is in the travel, and the speed of travel is the sole cause of our smaller world. In the old days, every high street in every country was different, whereas now, every country is there in every high street. Before, there was an infinity of high streets; but now, I can travel the world without leaving my village. Mind, its still just as exciting, because although I've got a world on my desk-top, my neighbours are strangers...

SC

one thing id change to improve the world.

get rid of <deleted> like robbie williams asap !

would i do it ? fuc_k yes ! and in any way possible. preferably in a form of torture like locking him on a room with dr. fox from crapital radio or whatever dunce head station is employing him now and playing "angels" over and over and over and over again until he realized what a <deleted> track it really is and decides to take his own life.

i will leave it totally up to you to discuss your favorite place in which you like to hang out, after all everyones different. lifestyles and interests vary and the places in which we live or stay dictate what we get up to from day to day out here in the LOS. but theres usually a place that most like to go to the spend our free time, watch the world go by, relax or let our hair down. be it anywhere from a bar/ pub to a coffee shop, a favorite place to eat. maybe somewhere you go to get away from it all like the local golf course, the nearest place to go fishing or even the beach. you may even go so far as to say the taxi rank at the end of your soi where you play dominoes and drink sang -som in the afternoons with drivers of the cabs, whatever.

so what place floats your boats and makes you glad you choose a life here ?