Bushcraft

Just come back from the amphur, freshly married but didn't take any pics I'm afraid. I can confirm that you have until the end of the relevant month to register to marry at (Banglamung) amphur, i.e. max. 1 month after you have your embassy confirmation of freedom to marry. In our case the amphur quoted about 1 month after registration to actually marry us, and that was about right. We'll have something of a party early next year, but just drinks at Cherry Bar tonight around 9 pm if anyone wants to commiserate.

A few of my favourite reads: The Russian Stripper by Eva Vestov. The Russian Iceskater by Wotcha Topalova. Tiger's Revenge by Claude Bottom. And of course 3 Days in the Saddle by Major Bumsaw.

I'll second that, you're a gem Frosty.

The problems you describe in #4 are just what I suspected lol, many thanks for your efforts and expertise on our behalf Frosty.

Apologies Butch, you're quite right, didn't mean to TF.

For years now, I've found myself agreeing with everything this brave man Farage says, he's a beacon of light in a murky world of hidden agendas, blind opposition to almost anything valued and held dear (incl. history itself) and intolerance. I sincerely hope he finds a major role in mainstream British politics, though I don't think that will happen because his virtues are not wanted there.

Thanks for that, I loved Deadwood and look forward to this, especially if Ian McShane is in it.

MM posted about this scam several years ago, and it is still continuing. The filling station on Pattaya Tai just up from Mityon has a habit of not zeroing the pump before dispensing fuel. I've observed this twice very recently, and they typically overcharge customers (Thai and farang) by 40-50 baht, making this a nice little earner for these scum. Be careful out there.

Sorry Butch, but on your recommendation I've just struggled through to Ep. 7 and am now giving up. To say I was a bored is putting it mildly, what with the obligatory lesbian relationship, mixed marriages, flickering lights, thunderstorm etc. Not to mention the boring, endless dialogue, initially total confusion of jumps in location and time. To me this is a completely contrived series based on a constant expectation of horrors to come, clever camera work and a dislocated plotline. Pity, I was looking forward to an excellent piece of work, but I'm clearly not bright enough to appreciate the Daliesque. 3/10.

One such owner is famous for shooting an apple off his son's head with a crossbow bolt - his name's William Patel.

Thanks for this latest instalment Monkeyman, always enjoy your take on things. We are indeed bemused onlookers, never really participants in this benighted country.

The Irish border, or shared desire not to have a 'hard' one, has always been the major stumbling block since negotiations began (see the brilliant exposition by O'Toole in the other thread), and is not the latest fiasco but an intractable problem. It's equally true that the 'Irish border' has never been anything 'hard', but instead a porous zigzag of over 200 crossing points ever since partition in 1921. It's not policeable and never has been, and both parties know it. It's likely that the prices of world commodities will fall in GB+NI when it actually leaves the EU customs union, as it will no longer be obliged to impose EU tariffs on them. That will make them cheaper than in the Irish Republic, so smuggling will be rife and unpreventable. This is what the EU is worried about, but obviously it's of less concern to the Brits as it will be one-way. Illegal immigration to NI via Eire is however of more concern if Eire should fail to control arrivals by potential migrants passing through to get to NI and eventually England, now a non-EU country and therefore not of their concern. These are the key issues, one economic/fiscal and the other related to 'freedom of movement', which would cease at the 'Irish border'. Both can surely be resolved with a little goodwill and less bureaucratic thinking - a no-deal is unthinkable despite the EU's posturing over the issue and the UK's refusal to accept a separate ruling for NI. The latter has a precedent, by the way, as GB's firearms legislation (specifically the banning of all privately owned handguns) does not apply in NI, where firearm certificates are issued as before the 1997 Act (I wonder why).

Sam, why beat about the bush, tell him straight mate. I concur with your sentiments, the UK will not be isolated or towed out to sea and sunk when this palaver is over, a deal will be done and adjustments will be made for many years afterwards. The UK is too important a player to be bullied into submission by this cabal of people who want to abolish the nation state and destroy European culture with a view to world government. The wheels will not stop turning in April, money will continue to talk loudest and the doomsayers will be proved wrong.

It beggars belief that these bitches believe they're right to act as they do, or express worthless opinions at quick-fire speed and volume to drown out reasoned dissent. Giving a man the finger unprovoked is not an obscene, insulting gesture but an expression of free speech under the 1st Amendment? WTF? Where's all this going? Who would want to be married to these sorry excuses for womanhood?

This Brexit hoohah could be settled so quickly with a few deft strokes. The UK has to get tough and play its aces: 1. Instruct the Irish to leave the EU as well - border problem sorted 2. Threaten Eire and the rest of the EU with an export ban on Scotch whisky if they cause any more difficulties - better than sending a gunboat in these PC times, the equivalent of starving them into submission, and will distract the ScotsNats with distiller's droop. Thank goodness I studied at the Salman Rushdie College of Public Relations, things become so clear .. By the way, he's about to publish a new book entitled "Buddha the Big Fat Pig". Another "Fat-Wa" coming his way, perhaps.

Yes, Bodyguard is very engrossing, I think we can look forward to some plot twists.

In my experience you don't need a prescription.

Amen to that, thanks for all your efforts Frostie.

I sometimes travel from Jomtien to Soi 6 by baht bus, noticed how many Indian restaurants were suddenly springing up and resolved to count them last night. I came up with 28 just on the stretch between the overpass and Klang, and may have missed a couple of less obvious ones. From being quite rare a few years ago, their presence is now pretty huge, with sometimes very large premises that must have cost a pretty rupee. So who are they catering for? There are fewer and fewer farang in town at any time nowadays, so that's not a growth market. Visiting Indians are mostly unlikely to afford the prices charged (Indian restaurants are traditionally not exactly cheap in Patts). And seeking to attract major Thai custom could happen, but only over time and with great effort. None of these seem to justify the sudden upsurge in these establishments, perhaps I'm missing something.

A young pilot crash-lands in a jungle clearing in Africa. On struggling out of the wreckage, he finds himself surrounded by a mob of angry natives wielding spears. He says to himself "Oh shit, I'm really fucked now". Suddenly a voice from the clouds says to him: "No you're not fucked - see that big native with the spear prancing around in front of you? That's their chieftain. Grab his spear and stab him in the chest with it." The pilot does as the voice commands, grabs the spear and runs it through the chieftain's chest. "NOW you're really fucked," the voice says.

This a tantamount to a national tragedy for Germans, there will be huge recriminations about lazy, overpaid millionaire prima donnas, and Joachim Loew will undoubtedly announce his resignation as national coach. From World Cup champion to elimination in the first round makes his position untenable IMO. It goes to show that there are no truly bad or easy teams in the World Cup this time, and the giant-killers are improving all the time. Looking forward to the Belgium game tonight, and hoping that England will pull the stops out rather than shifting down a gear to rest major players.

I've just laboured my way through the 1st season of "Westworld". I found it quite surreal and confusing - pseudo-scientific claptrap interspersed with extremely graphic violence. Anybody willing to recommend season 2, and why? Otherwise I won't bother. Really enjoying "Deadwood" season 1 right now.

Well posted and attractive, but in fact Monger's Law applies in Patts: The throb of the knob + the heat of the meat, provided the urge is constant. Obeying this principle has enabled me to resolve many a mathematical conundrum.

Some of you are no slouches yourselves, thankfully. The Germans have an old saying (which rhymes) to the effect that once your reputation is ruined, life is all the more unstressed. Like all of us, I didn't come to Patts to indulge myself in the beautiful beach, highly spiritual temples or .. er .. local culture. In view of recent sad losses I'm also increasingly aware that we're a long time dead and should enjoy what we have left. And I really enjoyed the entire crawl, met up with old friends, got plenty of attention and visited some now unfamiliar agogos. Many thanks to Frosty for organizing and to Phil for the pizza and hospitality, well done chaps.