jacko

Oh great, ones for consideration! Sylhet, Bangladesh and Dhaka, Bangladesh on Biman! Sadly lacking on long haul there, Jet 2 are certainly rolling them out.

I don't think conserving water comes naturally to Thai people. My Mrs uses it like there is an infinite supply. I remember when we first moved in together and she was on the crapper, I would hear it flush 3 times. Why on earth would she do that? I actually reduced that, but telling her made no difference to her automatic actions. I put a small valve on the line so it takes longer to refill.... and hence you cannot do flushes in quick succession. Even when she does washing up or stuff like that, she lets taps run, if I am anywhere near the water pump I can hear how she uses water as it is kicking in and out for long spells. House cleaning day she uses more than Sabai Land and Sabai Dee put together... if I went by the lake that day surely I could see the level going down. Pattaya City Hall fails again in my eyes if the place is subjected to cuts, some small businesses will be effected, all the MPs.... imagine even a restaurant if you can't flush it down, quite unpleasant. I bet big plastic buckets are being filled a plenty. My neighbours have automatic sprinklers, pools that have reserve tanks that top-up automatically with a ball cock... services that back wash so water is thrown away. I have collected rain water off the roofs but can only hold maybe 4m3. Gets used for some plants, but that will be gone soon, never mind, the Mrs will get the hose pipe out.

United lost it, as did Spurs....looking forward to Mourinho's comments on that.

.... if the Bangkok figures are taken from TAT numbers, well I can only say they have been cynically regarded of late. But there are some very apparent correct determinations.

This was taken Sunday around midday and is from the new TT Exchange located in Big-CX. I suspect it will seriously impact the two bank based exchanges on either side of the main entrance.

Die Another Day.

I don't wish to contest these numbers, but boy, you could get some contradiction from many. But all they see is less. Less westerners... the numbers all seem to be about more Chinese. What is the source of all this data? Surely not simply Mastercard use? Not good for the environmentalists.

Cloud Atlas

Bridget Jones's Diary

Cold Mountain

Tis the season to be jolly.... well not really:

King Arthur

If The Avenue is to be turned into Pattaya's answer to The Nana Plaza, it will be a different place for dinner.

Well judging by the company you and your camera keep I expect high standards! For the rest of us, there are Pattaya GCs and MPs.

I just knew you could inform me on this!

Well there certainly is one there, on the left with your back to 3rd and close to that end. And my attention was drawn to it as I rode past on Sunday, as I saw the phrase Gentleman's Club has been added to it. When did that happen?

That's great.... I bet it is one of those memories that one plays over wishing one could return and take it in a different direction. I recall arriving in Pattaya once and was quickly ensconced in a regular bar... my suitcase up against a wall and my carry on at my feet. Just having a couple.... I recall I had suggested I was looking for a bed-warmer to come with me to my hotel and help me unpack, and get a few hours sleep and I had 3-4 girls vying for my attention, even one who was not long out of the village who must have been using up 25% of her English vocabulary saying 'pick me- pick me'.

If I have left there I usually have my bankbook and passport on me, and possibly a bit of cash, so that deters getting distracted into soi 6.

I believe the Australian system deters living overseas... I have heard the comment that they need to be resident in Oz sufficient time. One pal moved back. I will let someone who knows what they are talking of respond.

Location, location and location...

I did my Extension just recently, 2nd Dec when it was not due until 26th. I would be an idiot to leave it later, it gets real busy at the end of the year. Although as Atlas 2 reported, Dec 25th is a pretty good day to do it. Just don't like leaving things until the last minute. I didn't have to go early, for immigration opening, never have done. Waited 20 minutes with 4-5 ahead of me. Why people are banging on about the insurance policy I don't grasp, dump the Non-Imm-OA Permission to Stay. Shelling out good money for a crap insurance policy makes no sense whatsoever. Older guys are really going to get stung. Not sure agents can bypass that requirement yet, so do it yourself. Got a long looking wait in Soi 5, try the next street, soi 6.

They offer a retirement extension, and "retirement' visas, so I feel the answer is yes. The subsequent treatment of them is beginning to seem inhospitable.

For what reason, to die alone away from your home and wife? My latest loss chose to come back here.

I don't think it will get higher, it has already been moved up from 65. People younger than yourself will have a higher age. There is a lot of fuss in the UK,which was an election tool too, with respect to women's pensions, which had to move up from 60 to be equal to that of men. The added complexity was women never got their stamps themselves but accrued according to their husbands many years ago. Now there is a gap where women will have retired and yet not receive their state pension, an awkward transition. Equality has it's drawbacks. The OP rant was also posted on Thai Visa, I see no point to such posts. If they are informative, and correct in their details, they are useful. This is whingeing, I don't see it being helpful. Does Thailand want retirees, yes, on their terms. If they bring money and never become a burden they will be accepted. But there are rather a lot of them who survive, but have no resources for their own healthcare. Just lost another friend here to the big C.... you would need substantial savings to go through it here.

We usually don't play solo..... Christopher Plummer.