Forget About The Visa Situation Forcing The Move

[ourmanflint]

This is not my country..... and it is not like being in the UK during the IRA campaigns.

If it happens again in Bangkok then yes, I'm off. I don't need any extra risks in my life. It's as simple as that. There are lots of great places in this big world to live, and Thailand is certainly slipping down that list at present, but just now I'm a bit too lazy to get up and leave. But any more nonsense with people throwing grenades around and I will be packing my bags.

What a sad start to the new year.

Edited January 8, 2007 by ourmanflint

[mogoso]

Here's the deal; France (and numerous other countries) realised that Iraq had zilch to do with 9/11.

But Brain Dead Bush, who may it be said avoided the Vietnam conflict by dodgy means, managed to convince a whole bunch of people who do not even know where Iraq actually is that it was Saddam who done it!.

Oh- My Grandmother was a Socialist - she fought and fought to get the National Health Service introduced to UK.

Know why?. She had five daughters: Four died, the last at 18 from meningitis as you had to pay doctors in those days.

Shipyard workers didn't earn much and were hired by the day and that's what her husband worked as.

My Mother is 75 and a Socialist - she would kick your red neck arse around the block.

Oh by the way I got the cheese eating part of sentence from a oft repeated Bart Simpson (that applied to the french) quote that was "cheese eating surrender monkeys" it kinda went with the avatar I was replying to, the rest was mine.

I believe it was Churchhill who said something like if your not a liberal when young you have no heart and if your not a conservative when older you have no brain. Which are you?

What you want is something for nothing, the ability to take with the force of gov't from those who succeed through hard work and good choices giving to those who do neither. Oh you'll go on about those who were born unto the manner who haven't had to work for it, but those are really small in number. But class envy abounds.

We gotta pay for doctors in this country, not cheap, but we live ok, we survive and many folks come from their countries to ours to get speedy or specialized care, and although its not free they still come. The standard of health care professionals in Canada is very good, but the wait can be lengthy, so some people with the werewithal just cross over and "get er done" (google the details) Those that need to obtain care here without money also get it under whatever gov't program covers it medicare I think

I've got no quarrel with the folks from the UK, my moms dad family history is quite British. First British Sherriff of New York City in the 1600's is family as well as grand dad wife. I've visited with my great aunt and uncle several times before their deaths as well as other relatives there throughout great Britain and Ireland from both sides of family.

My beef is with the thought that I should pay to support people who simply make bad choices. Having children without the cash to provide for the totallity is just stupid, wait save and then reproduce.

Working a 40 hour job mostly will pay the bills but it won't as a rule make you rich. The 70 hours or more work weeks put in by those who obtain wealth is the rule not the exception. They work to keep others in work, to suceed. I've an acquaintance whom while worth many millions told me that he envied me.

That certainly made me curious, but he went on to explain the burdens of business were many, you can fill in the blanks.

I was taking two months of vacation every year at that time. My business is mostly stress free and seasonal and while physical not too hard. But he hadn't had two months of vacation in total over a twenty year period. Oh sure he traveled alot but thats not too restful, when you get to your destination someone there picks you up to start your work cycle after you've been using your laptop the whole trip. And while he was a few years younger than I he looks 15 years older and in bad health. But hes worked for that sucess not pissed his time and money away at the pub. Everything you do comes with an opportunity cost or loss or gain.

I think of a socialist and a capitalist walking down a street, they pass a beggar. The socialist will say we need to help that unfortunate soul then reach into the capitalists pocket to get the cash to donate, and consider it fair and just that he does. The socialist may have some money of his own, but since you have more its his right, his belief that you pay, not him.

[Felt 35]

i'd say the visa problem is more serious toooooo..................

No punch intended. But unless people come here as a refugee and this place is the last straw, how can a simple Immigration and Visa policy be sidelined with a huge problem as terror, bombs and killing of innocent human beings!

[BigSnake]

Stay, pray for the BEST, perpare for the worst. Do hope Thailand DO NOT become like their neigbhors to the south.

[bannork]

I think this is a reasonable poll. I live in the center of BKK where the bulk of these bombs went off. If these bombings became a regular occurence, I think I'd bail out of here. This would be the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't need to be walking by Pratunam and having my arm blown off.

Possible or likely causes of injury or death in the Pratunam area-

1.Falling masonry from the construction taking place.

2. Run over by a speeding bus, truck, taxi or tuktuk driver.

3. Injured whilst riding the above.

4. Lung cancer or chronic bronchitis from the air pollution.

5. Falling down an unmarked pothole.

5.Surreptiously drugged by a predator of the night variety.

All of these must be a thousand times more likely than injury from a bomb.

[Ned]

This is just Thai history repeating itself. Read Chang Noi's article in today's (8th Jan) Nation for a bit of useful perspective. Looks like Sirayud's days are numbered.

[Scott]

Anytime you using some form of transportation you increase the chances of being injured/killed. The difference is that you do have some control. I don't go out on New Years Eve because there are too many drunks on the road. That's my choice.

With bombs, the places that are supposed to be safe aren't. I have a lot less control over this happening.

I've lived in cities, including Istanbul, where bombings were relatively frequent. I am not particularly scared, but you do start to alter your life to accommodate it. Certain areas you stay away from, you get careful of your surroundings etc.

It's sad that Bangkok may become that way and people who wish to live here will have to accommodate to the changes. I don't plan on moving, but it will be a while before I feel as "carefree" downtown as I used to--or in shopping malls.

[robint]

quote

Yea ... Scary joint Bangers. Move to Pattaya.

unquote

Are you for real or just pulling my plonker

Pattaya is really scary (just look up pattaya mail of pattaya people and the robbery murder statistics

BKK is a pussy in comparison (except for dumb tourists, they dont count

Some people even talk of decamping to Cambodia, look at their horrifying statistics in their local mag, vg reqading btw, name escapes me just now, but its on the net

[terry57]

This is not my country..... and it is not like being in the UK during the IRA campaigns.

If it happens again in Bangkok then yes, I'm off. I don't need any extra risks in my life. It's as simple as that. There are lots of great places in this big world to live, and Thailand is certainly slipping down that list at present, but just now I'm a bit too lazy to get up and leave. But any more nonsense with people throwing grenades around and I will be packing my bags.

What a sad start to the new year.

where you going to go if you dont mind me asking. ?

[bina]

and i was getting all excited about moving to a pastoral quiet little country where i dont have to automatically open my pocket book to be checked at every bus station/stop/shop/office, wait on lines because all the cars going to the mall have to be checked one by one, know all the bomb sniffing dogs that work the main street, hear a boom and automatically start calling my kids to see what bus they were on or where they were shopping....

so much for sitting up in a wooden stilt house, eating shrimp and mango sticky rice and listening to chickens crowing at 4:00 a.m. .... guess i'll move to .... hmm. hmm... iraq? dont like the required clothing. serbia? too cold in winter . germany? too many dead ancestors in my family haunting the place. new zealand? too many sheep (and sheep farts polluting the atmosphere).

you can run but u cant hide, nowhere is safe anymore... they are coming after me, big brother is watching... quick get in and lock the doors....

its death by falling coconut.......

bina

israel

in a fit of wierdness (spent last nite chasing marauders trying to steal my very pregnant goats. getting rather sick of that actually.)

[mogoso]

you can run but u cant hide, nowhere is safe anymore... they are coming after me, big brother is watching... quick get in and lock the doors....

its death by falling coconut.......

bina

israel

in a fit of wierdness (spent last nite chasing marauders trying to steal my very pregnant goats. getting rather sick of that actually.)

I believe Koh samui has 2 million coconut trees, which inconviently drop their rather large and heavy fruit occasional on the noggins of the unbeware below. I think its an average of three deaths per year by coconut.

[endure]

I was thinking more about the witty adjectives...

Afraid I can't claim credit for them either. I'm a Pom and they are definitely American adjectives

[rainman]

i was living in spain for almost 10 years, back when ETA was doing a lot more bombings than now. the closest i got was the police station and the bus stop in front of it, both on my way to school, blowing up in the early morning.

[endure]

I was in 'The Tavern in the Town' in Birmingham 30 minutes before the IRA reduced it to rubble

[LoveDaBlues]

I think a lot about your mindset is revealed in the last choice you offered: "Don't care, I live in the middle of nowhere".

Think about it.

[ourmanflint]

This is not my country..... and it is not like being in the UK during the IRA campaigns.

If it happens again in Bangkok then yes, I'm off. I don't need any extra risks in my life. It's as simple as that. There are lots of great places in this big world to live, and Thailand is certainly slipping down that list at present, but just now I'm a bit too lazy to get up and leave. But any more nonsense with people throwing grenades around and I will be packing my bags.

What a sad start to the new year.

where you going to go if you dont mind me asking. ?

Hi Terry

I would love to give Malaysia a try, and my friends insist that Phnom Penh is the place to be, and I've thought a lot about Bali, but maybe somewhere out of asia would be good for a change. I'm looking into Trinidad & Tobago, Sao Tome, Venezuela, Uruguay and even Spain as a stopgap until I can decide. One thing is for sure though life here has taken a wrong turn this past six months and I'd have to be totally stupid not to at least acknowledge that and reassess what I want from being here.

[jtp]

This is not my country..... and it is not like being in the UK during the IRA campaigns.

If it happens again in Bangkok then yes, I'm off. I don't need any extra risks in my life. It's as simple as that. There are lots of great places in this big world to live, and Thailand is certainly slipping down that list at present, but just now I'm a bit too lazy to get up and leave. But any more nonsense with people throwing grenades around and I will be packing my bags.

What a sad start to the new year.

where you going to go if you dont mind me asking. ?

Hi Terry

I would love to give Malaysia a try, and my friends insist that Phnom Penh is the place to be, and I've thought a lot about Bali, but maybe somewhere out of asia would be good for a change. I'm looking into Trinidad & Tobago, Sao Tome, Venezuela, Uruguay and even Spain as a stopgap until I can decide. One thing is for sure though life here has taken a wrong turn this past six months and I'd have to be totally stupid not to at least acknowledge that and reassess what I want from being here.

Haha,you might want to give Bali a miss if you want to avoid bombs,as we came to Thailand because it is a lot safer for any farangs here...Australians used to visit Bali all the time,but after they found it hard to locate their arms and legs after yet another explosion,it became obvious we were not so welcome...And if you are a muslim terrorist,its okay,the judge understands,six months jail,you naughty boy for killing those bad Australians...Forget the fact that they also killed many of there own...

[Aujuba]

Not worried as much about the bombings as the pollution. If pollution continues to worsen I think I will have to find the last remaining clean air on the planet if there is any out there.

[ourmanflint]

Like I said "I've thought about bali" but what you have said is exactly why I am thinking and not "going"