Stray

On ‎27‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 1:30 PM, Ahab said:

What would be the point? If they cannot mix a two part drink correctly I seriously doubt that talking to the "management" would have fixed anything and it was much easier to shift over to a drink that is much more difficult to screw up, which was a beer.

If this was, as you claim, an upscale establishment, the point would have been that management may have been made aware of an issue that they may have taken steps to rectify.

Yeah, I guess it's just so much easier to go out, buy your own spirits and mixers and post about it on a forum . . .

13 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Er .... I'm Thai myself, so why would I Thai bash. You seem like the type of guy who just got off the plane, and still has Shangri-La syndrome. Enjoy it while it lasts.

 

Over a quarter of a century in SEAsia, myself.

Being a returnee doesn't put you above Thai bashing.  Your type pass through my neighbourhood all the time and end up being the ones that can't hack it.

Enjoy your cheap steaks and cheaper cocktails . . .   And please don't kick my dog on your way out.

1 minute ago, Ahab said:

Never said or implied that "all drinking " establishments in Thailand couldn't make a gin and tonic but was merely relating what occurred in one fairly upscale establishment. I thought making an acceptable gin and tonic would have been something that any bartender could accomplish as long as they had the ingredients (which they did). I was incorrect.

Did you discuss this with management of the upscale establishment?

9 hours ago, dbrenn said:

I was generalising to make a point. Of course there are a few places that cook a steak to order - sometimes. Most places don't, can't or won't. 

Ah, now I understand.

Never let "generalising" and "going off topic" get in the way of a good, old-fashioned "Thai bash."

seancbk, post ID#33, sums up (the off topic discussion) very well.

As some posters fail to realise, this IS Thailand and, within Thai establishments, things are done to Thai taste.

If you do not agree with how things are done, go to a foreign run establishment.  Or, to be more specific, an establishment run by one of your fellow country folk.  Then, if it is not done correctly, you can discuss it directly with management in a language and custom that you are both familiar with.

Even in Thailand, a business that doesn't cater to the local tastes (which is the majority), doesn't last long, or runs at a loss.

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

Same reason why it's impossible to get a steak cooked the way you like it (unless you like it well done).

 

Never had a problem at Arno's.  Then again, some people don't want to pay for a steak, either.

Yes, they should be banned from everywhere, EXCEPT from the places wherever I happen to be and I need one when I'm hungry.

I'm walking down Sukhumvit, feel like a feed but have to make the trip all the way to Khao Sahn . . . seems like a sensible (not) approach.

17 hours ago, ikke said:

The entire world worries about this issue, and the brave Thai:  Mai Pen Rai.... idiot !

 

The entire world is not worried about travel to the Republic of Korea (or Japan), which is what the article is about.  Just look at any government travel advice website.

7 hours ago, dinsdale said:

"Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has made known that there isn't yet a need to issue warnings for Thai nationals living in South Korea against an ongoing conflict in the Korean Peninsula."

You should add Australia to your list of countries with their 'head in the sand' over travel/immigration to the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

According to the smartraveller.gov.au website, all written up inside a nice big green box, is the following warning, "Official advice: Exercise normal safety precautions." 

Below this box is the following comment, "Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia."

I am quite certain that most other countries are issuing the same (non) warning.  Will you be issuing your 'head in the sand' for them, as well?

The last paragraph of the full article may give a clue as to who is pulling the strings on the implementation of this law:

"Nui, a woman who spoke nid noi English and was handing out massage flyers on the street, knew about the law but was not concerned. She said she used to frequent the food stalls but now “I’ll get something at 7 [Eleven],” she said as she fanned herself with her stack of flyers in the hot Bangkok night on the largely deserted street."

Seems the US is racing . . . NOT! . . . onto the scene of concern . . .

From abc.net.au:

Trump bluffed on carrier group threat; strike force actually thousands of kilometres away

From the article.

"USS Carl Vinson wasn't heading to North Korea as Trump administration originally suggested

"A 'very powerful' US Navy armada which the Trump administration said was heading towards the Korean Peninsula to deter the North from carrying out a nuclear test was actually carrying out exercises with the Royal Australian Navy thousands of kilometres away in the Indian Ocean, the ABC has confirmed."

Later, in the same article:

"Senior Australian defence sources say the US carrier group is now gradually making its way closer to North Korea."

If the 'Big Don' is not immediately concerned, why should Thailand's leaders be immediately concerned.  Only 'click bait' news sites are concerned . . . for now.

I have been experimenting with solar powered lights and, contrary to previous comments, have been having very positive results.

Along a walk-way, I've installed 10 x Eve Lighting 1 Watt motion sensor LED lights.  These turn on automatically when light levels are low but become brighter when the motion sensor is triggered.  They also have two lighting options.  'Day' or 'warm.'  More than happy with these units.

Bordering the driveway are 12 x Luzina (33615-GY) garden lights.  Not so bright so they don't shine in your eyes when parking and turning in the drive but make good 'marker' lights for the drive-way edges.

In a rockery (reptile sanctuary) are 5 x Eago 'Hide and Seek' spotlights.  These have 3 x LED's each.  Whilst very bright, the three LED's have a tendency to drain the battery quickly and, from sun-set, usually turn off (deplete the battery) by 4am.

I also purchased some very cheap, small garden post lights also by Eago.  These are available in several different colours (I have one white, one yellow and one purple).  I've affixed these lights to floats and have set them loose on a fish pond.

In all of the above units, except the floating fish pond lights, I immediately replaced the batteries.  They come with 'no-name' Nickel Cadmium (Ni-CD) batteries but I replaced them with Varta and Energizer Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries.  One of the alleged benefits of Ni-MH batteries are that they are not supposed to suffer 'memory effect' to the same degree as Ni-CD.

The units with the replacement Ni-MH batteries have all been operating for over 2 years.  The cheap floating lights have been operating for less than a year and, when they finally fail, I'll use the 'no-name' batteries that I pulled from the other units.

I've also purchased some Sanyo Cadnica (Ni-CD) batteries which I want to experiment with.  I'll buy two more light units and put one of each battery (a Sanyo Ni-CD and a Ni-MH) in them and see how they perform over the long term.

With regards to those who have posted about solar lights not lasting, is it the light unit (itself) that is failing or just the battery?  I did have a few earlier failures with solar powered lights but, in every case, it was due to poor quality batteries and not the actual lighting unit.  In the heat of the sun the batteries would rupture, leak and damage the light unit internals.  One battery exploded and cracked the solar panel.  (The manufacturers really need to put a little more thought into the selection of the batteries that power units that sit in the hot sun all day.)

The reason for my using solar powered lights is that I live on a very large, sprawling property.  When the cost of digging long trenches, installing conduit and cabling, re-landscaping, electrical safety and on-going running costs is compared to the cost of replacing batteries every few years . . . needless to say, I'm a convert!

As the SE nations are not rich enough to support all of the soccer players that arrive, these poor guys have to turn to crime in order to support themselves until they are picked up by a professional team.  Or, picked up by local law enforcement.

9 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

And Lahore Pakistan.with the camel carts, donkey carts, bullock carts, people carts, maniacal drivers and bits of road between the potholes. While staying there I was pretty sure my driver was legally blind.

 

 

And in Dubai the roads are in good condition but the drivers take the view that cars are meant to be driven at 100 mph regardless and whatever happens is in God's hands.

 

 

 

Not to mention, in Dubai, many drivers seem to believe that a car retains higher resale value if they don't use the indicators/trafficators.

5 hours ago, phartley58 said:

Nope. I can assure you Lagos is far worse.

Now . . . TRIPLE POST!!!

When I made the original posting, the page refreshed with the message below.  Refreshing the page, again, results in a duplicate post.

"Sorry, there is a problem.  Something went wrong.  Please try again.

Error code: EX1054"

5 hours ago, phartley58 said:

Nope. I can assure you Lagos is far worse.

Double post and receiving page error messages.

5 hours ago, phartley58 said:

Nope. I can assure you Lagos is far worse.

Driving in Lagos is easy.  The secret there is DON'T!

Was so much easier sitting in the car, curtains drawn being escorted and followed by pick-ups full of armed security.  Although, if push come to shove, not so hopeful that the weaponry would be pointed in the direction of the threat.

Saigon driving, whilst slower, is far worse than Bangkok.  Most new arrivals can't even negotiate crossing the road by foot, let alone drive.

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

If you have a wiener, then yes.

 

The problem is when you have a serial rapist who 'thinks' he's a woman getting into female toilets, legally. Separate bathrooms should be set aside if anything.

Do you have a link for the serial rapist, dressed as a woman, story?

As for the case of Corey Maison (pictured), part of the reason for her homeschooling was due to toilet/bathroom use at a public school.  Now, happily, Corey attends an high school where she is permitted to use the toilet/bathroom of the sex with which she associates with.

Unlike the cowards that lash out and attack her, Corey is one very brave, young girl.  While at times she did have doubts, she refused to conform to the demands made by the bullies and bigots who did (and still do) attack her.

One standing up against many.

On ‎3‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 6:33 PM, Tawan Dok Krating Daeng said:

 

You imply a weakness in LGBT people. I have to say this for a second time since you clearly missed the sentence earlier. You imply this weakness by using the derogatory and banned word 'snowflake'. You continue to refer to trans people as men in women's clothing when this is highly disrespectful and inaccurate. You refer to trannys [sic] which is an outdated and insulting reference to trans people because it does not distinguish between transsexualism, transvestitism, or transgenderism.

 

Your words paint you. Not me.

 

Irrespective of how many LGBT friends you have, this issue of 'bathroom bills' is not about male sexual predators threatening women in female toilets. This issue was manufactured by the Religious Right in the US to promote laws that protect their religious bigotry. They lost the culture war on marriage equality. This is their rearguard action and you are either complicit in this agenda or are playing into their hands. Trans women have never presented any threat to women in female toilets.

 

And you conveniently neglect to acknowledge the issue of trans men in male toilets.

In support of your argument; as a trans-woman identifies as a woman, what attraction would they have to other women (or girls) in the women's toilets?  Apart from trading beauty, make-up, fashion tips . . .

Just judging from the level of attack by some, just on this one thread, the likelihood of an assault (sexually, physically and/or verbally) on a trans-woman in the men's toilet is very high.

Looking at it another way; why are some arguing so much for trans-women to be forced to use the men's toilet?  Greater likelihood of a discreet, chance encounter?

3 hours ago, stander said:

Next,  they will be telling us the homosexuality is normal

Completely off topic and another of your snide attempts to discredit a whole segment of society but, I have to ask, do you have a monopoly on what's considered 'normal?'

To an homosexual, homosexuality is normal.

Next you'll be telling us that a Caucasian, living in Asia, is 'normal.'

3 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Where  I  come  from  the only  valid licence  to operate  a vehicle on the  road  must be valid in the nationality of the holder. Therefore  a Thai licence  would  be  useless to me  because I am still  deemed  a resident of that  country  and do  not have  Thai  residency or more.

But  a  Thai or  other Asiains can use  a  Thai  DL in  my  country  for up to 1  year with  an International Permit  and  be  covered 100%  for  personal/3rd  party injury in the  outcomes. 

Given the   abysmal reputation  of  DL  issues in Thailand I have  never understood  why  the Thai  Authorities  can  not find the  grace  to issue  a full local licence  to  Westeners on the basis  of the requirements they have had  to fulfill to attain it.

But then  I  no less  understand   many  Western countries deem it  necessary  to  "renew"  a  licence within  a  given number of  years.

Over  a  certain  age is a plausible reason because  a physical or  medical risk  factors  do have  some pertinence. Yet so often a paid  medical confirmation up to a point permits  a renewal regardless. 

"Licencing" is  now   just  an industry. Those  that  comply  with the requirements fund  that industry.

Those  that avoid  compliance for  various  reason  may or may not  be in reality  better  vehicle operators but because  they  have  not  conformed  and paid  the cost are deemed illegitimate. Which in turn  may and probably explains  the  number of  incidents  where a driver  absconds  the  scene of an accident even  when  not  at  fault but in doing so  invites all  blame.

My explanation of  this  "rant"  if  there  are those  that wish  to rate it so is  that  in a  dysfunctional industry  that exists for the  funding  rather than the purpose need  to be  made responsible  for  approving   ineptitude.

 

 

 

Asians can only drive in 'your country' for a period of no more than 3 months.  Unless they leave 'your country' and return.  Then, they can drive, on their own licence, for a further 3 months.

If their 'local' licence is in a language other than English and they do not have an international driving permit, they are required to obtain an official translation of the licence.  The Asian's 'local' licence, official translation/international driving permit and passport (showing the date of their latest entry to 'your country') must be carried at all times whilst driving.

Oh, and citizens of 'your country' can drive in 'your country' on foreign driving licences if they do not hold a licence from 'your country' and are not banned from driving in 'your country.'  From personal experience, I drove in 'your country' with a Cambodian licence as my licence from 'your country' had expired.  For the duration of my time driving there I had to meet the three criteria which I posted above (carry the foreign licence, carry the official translation of the licence and carry my passport to show that I had been in 'your country' for less than 3 months).

2 hours ago, Gary A said:

My wife has 60 or 70 range chickens. They were all raised from just a few hens. The neighbor's rooster would fly across the wall to service her hens. Of course there were a lot of young roosters. One of them was at the top of the pecking order and would beat the hell out of the other roosters. The only way to have some peace was to give away the other roosters. The one remaining is the king.

 

Our neighbor has a fighting rooster that I think he loves more than his wife. That rooster made the mistake of coming into our rooster's territory. We have two and a half rai surrounded by a two meter high wall. I really didn't see the fight but I saw the neighbor come rushing in and he chased our rooster away. He carried his beaten rooster back home trailing blood all the way. My wife was telling me about the rooster fight and she thought it was very funny. It appears that our rooster is still the king. There was a blood trail from our yard and across the road to the neighbors.

 

We had one other rooster that could almost hold his own with the king, but he would finally run away with the king in hot pursuit. One of my wife's nephews bought that losing rooster from my wife. Her nephew said that it was a very good fighting rooster. And you city fellows think that we have no excitement up here.

This would be the lead on the front page of the local newspaper.

We have it all!!!  Trespass, breaking and entering (during the hours of daylight), gang fights, rape.  Maybe even some theft.  And those guys down in Patts think they have a monopoly on crime.  Pales into comparison with what goes down in the seedier parts of Isaan.

I hope those pesky tourists are paying attention.  Please stay away as it's very dangerous up here.

On another note; electricity, mobile phone and internet connections are occasionally very patchy.  No good coming here as you can't constantly update everyone on Fakebook every time you eat, crap or see a cute, cuddly animal.

7 hours ago, Laza 45 said:

Haha!.. I'm trapped too!  ..and nobody would be able to find Kalasin.. I guess I'll just have to stay.. 

 

If this was a private conversation I would say that you are in a wonderful part of the world.  However, some potential tourists may be reading so I will say that Kalasin is the pit of the pits!

Development of AH16 (Asia Highway) has put you guys in the cross-hairs for some serious 'soi dog' relocation to Vietnam.

On ‎2‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 2:33 PM, Laza 45 said:

I enjoyed a visit to Loie late last year.. I was impressed.. beautiful scenery and the place was much cleaner and tidier that many places that I have visited.. it looks a lot more prosperous than I expected..  They grow an amazing variety of crops on well tended farms.. accommodation and food weren't expensive.. Chiang Khan by the river was enjoyable...although it seems to be ramping up with lots of new construction..  Definitely a good destination for someone wanting to get off the beaten track.. 

No, no, no Laza 45, you are clearly mistaken.  There's nothing to see or do ANYWHERE in Isaan!  It's terribly, terribly overcrowded, smells and is very, very boring.  The 'naysayers' are correct in every negative comment they have . . . X 1000!

If you've ever seen the movie 'Soylent Green' (Charlton Heston), it was filmed in Isaan.  They didn't even need any props.  That was what it was like back in the '70's.  It's only gotten worse!

If only I'd stayed in Bangkok.  Now, it's too late to leave.  I'm trapped!!!  Trapped, I tell you!!!

On ‎2‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 8:29 PM, impulse said:

 

You forgot the part where, since it's closed, they offer to take you to a great gem shop instead, where you can get the family and friends' discount.

Yes, impulse, good point.

Just as long as those gem shops are no further north than Bangkok's inner suburbia, well within the mustard yellow cloud of smog and well within a Tuktuk's half tank of gas.

Should point out that, not only is Isaan closed but so are all the gas/petrol/diesel filling stations.  All international tourists have been warned to stay away . . . please . . .