JohnnyK

Walk around, go to coffee shops, ride the baht buses. If they make eye contact directly just ask where they are going. Innocent enough and many times they will say "with you". It's not hard. A small gratuity is expected, either cash or something they would like to have so its not exactly free but it can be refreshing after 00s of bar "conversations".

Maybe landing fees are far higher at UK airports. CDG in Paris is like that, I can fly cheaper to Frankfurt from Vancouver even though its greater distance. Its because CDG landing fees/taxes are very high.

Devils took it to the Phlyers last night. Outplayed them in every aspect. NJD are a real dark horse team, I dn't think anyone saw them coming. This is the wackiest playoffs in donkey's years, maybe ever. I don't think there is one prediction that has come true.

I ask the same question when I'm waiting at an ATM here in the west. Only its falangs I'm waiting behind. Some people are freaked out by keypads and screens, some are old, some are drunk, some just off the bus from East Buttfuck, others have been living in a cave, a few are doing an LBO and some are just plain fucking stupid.

I thought it was tasteless stodge. About as Mexican as Jose Jimenez.

I wonder if we saw the best of it in the opening round. Western Conf teams are all defensive specialists who don't play wide open hockey. They play not to lose - the curse of all team sports. Nashville the mos interesting I think. Basically we have one really good offensive team left, Washington has offense but seems to have evolved into more of a defensive team. I'm hoping for Phlyers-Caps in the east final. Rangers don't turm me on, they are good but not fun to watch IMO. Coyotes and Blues play sound hockey but no pop.

Just the wrong shape bread.

Yeah, Caps had a weird season. Maybe peaking at the right time but I like da Broons in game 7 and I'd prefer them to move on as I like to watch them more than the Caps. Broons-Phlyers would be a slam-bang series. Preds are lurking.

In Canada right now but come to HH every year for 3 months.

I like PBG for the setting. Food is fine, not great not terrible. But the food isn't why I go there. It's just a great place to relax without traffic noise, vendors etc.

Bear, the Sens' "rebuild" is going nicely. Not so well for some other teams 555! Your wife and I went to the same high school, remember?

Is this the wackiest playoffs in years? Pens rise from the dead and blow out the Phlyers with 10(!) goals. Broons-Caps a low-scoring affair, tighter than I expected. Sens-Rangers is interesting and there could be an upset as Sens did well vs. NYR during the season. Coyotes-Hawks is a good series, well-matched. Canucks in tough against a #8. Personally I don't have much interest in Devils-Panthers or Blues-Sharks as all four are pretty unknown to me.

Its getting ridiculous and dangerous now. The league is ineffectual on punishnments so the players are taking it into their own hands. Someone is going to be seriously injured if the refs keep being inconsistent as well as overlooking and missing really blatant thuggery. I don't enoy seeing skill and talent overshadowed by goonery. Some surprises: Phlyers blowing out the Pens. Pens crumbling, losing all focus, playing like kids. Kings playing solid tight hockey on the way to tossing the 'nucks. Hawks-Coyotes playing two well-matched entertaining games.

Coyotes-Hawks pretty good so far. Don't know the Yoyes but they are pretty good. No stars but clearly well-coached. NYR-Sens was vaudeville tonight. Real bullshit, atrocious refs they should be laid off.

Flyers 8 Penguins 5 - Game of the Year. Thunderous hits, great saves (Bryz might have made save of the year), incredible grit by the Flyers, furious end-to-end action all game, no stupid stuff. Flyers down 1-3 end of the first. Pens getting go ahead goals unti it was 5-5 then Philly went ahead for the first time and wrapped it up. Best game I've seen in a very long time.

Just watched 1st period NYR-Sens. NYR look much the better team.

Watched two games yesterday. Pens ran the Flyers out of the rink... for 20 minutes. Not a Flyers fan but you have to admire their grit, they like to keep coming and they did. Pens went to sleep, a few dumb errors and a gift to the Flyers on the first goal. Never mind, missed calls and bad calls are part of the game. Bryz steadied himself and gave them a chance and the Flyers deserved the win. Good to see both laid off the stupid stuff and just played good tough hockey. Vancouver-LA was a really hard-hitting affair, entertaining with huge hits all game long. Canucks were crap and LA defini

So is paying less than a million baht for a condo a good thing to do or not? What you're saying is rather contradictory because the guy you know seems to be doing okay. I guess its ok for him because he bought specifically for investment. He has no intention of living in them AFAIK. By keeping his costs to about 1 million/unit (including reno) he gets a nice return. Renting longer-term in the 8-9000/month range grosses about 100K/year which is about 9-10%. Not bad. At that rental price point his units have very high occupancy rates. A 2 million baht studio unit will have a hard time g

Many observers here in Canada are favouring the Pens. Lucky me, I get the Pens-Flyers today at 4pm, Preds-Wings and Canucks-Kings doubleheader later on. Heading out to stock the fridge now!

Born in Liverpool but I'm not much of a soccer fan either. I know a shite team when I smell it.

There is a 49% limit of condo units in a building that can be in a foreigner's name. If that quota is filled then the only way in is to buy a unit already in a falang's name.

No worries. Liverpool sucks, too.

Comparing to other countries in that shithole of a region is a pretty low standard.

Easiest for me is the 60-day double entry visa. It can be turned into a 6-month stay with no drama. Day 59 go to Imm and extend 30 more days for 1900 baht which is cheaper than an air ticket. Then exit Thailand when the extension expires. Because its a proper visa it does not matter if you re-enter by air or land, you get your second 60 days which you can extend a further 30 for 1900 baht. Don't know why more guys don't do this instead of pissing about trying to extend 30 day entry permits.

There are some guys making the rental/investment thing work but they seem to have bought carefully and at prices that make sense. Paying 2 million for a studio isn't going to cut it IMO. I know of at least one guy who bought studios at less than a million, did them up nicely and has a good rental stream. Longer-term rentals make sense as the wear and tear is less with one tenant than with a revolving door.