[What to do with noisy neighbors]

I just got my shiny new Laney120w Combo. I'm available for Weddings,barmitsthingys. birthdays and noisy babies. I'll bring the 5 string and give them plenty of low B at 3-4 am..I chortle at the fool who said Led Zeppelin...

[Thai editorial: Time to derail this gravy train]

I look everywhere but only see brown noses.....

[Malaysian Pit Vipers]

Jimmy stop being a poove. There are many 'wranglers' in Pattaya.

[Stuck at the airport for 24 hours]

There's a few cheap hotels in the King Kaew/Lat Krabang area (500-1000B a night), just around the corner from the airport. Not a huge amount to do there but Wat Bang Plee is worth a look, plus to hop on the train to BKK is easy done, alternatively a cab/bus/minivan to Udomsuk BTS takes a few minutes.

[Cooler but the rain not want come this year]

Rain will come in time Sandy. We had to wait a good while for the grip of the hot season to lessen here in Bangkok.

[Should there be an "American section" to ThaiVisa?]

OP explaining his struggles with basic English yesterday.....

[Thai men and their offspring - why do so many not care after a divorce?]

I can't believe that TV. upholders of all things Thai continue to allow this nasty little racist troll to post here under all his handles.

[Farang noi in a bikini]

The OP woke up not believing he'd actually seen a real woman in the flesh but had failed to weigh her or check her sweat output.....

Police found him behind a shrub, freely matted with <deleted> from the Ladyboy outing he was leading. still grasping his tiny knob muttering: "I've seen a woman's belly your worship, I really did" over and over before he went home to compose a new OP about his fantasy life.....starting 'Why do Farangs....? or :Why do Thais...?"

[Farang noi in a bikini]

I don't believe a word.

WUS = the OP would have been behind the nearest tree furiously ripping the head off it at the sight of some female flesh; certainly not talking to people in a language he has no knowledge of...

[What keeps you in Thailand?]

You are right of course, there's bitter xxxx everywhere.

Very much so. Look at some of the humourless amateur psychologists attacking members trying to make light hearted comments on some topics of late.

I can't fathom it. If you can't be happy here, you're going to struggle anywhere.

[Meteorological Dept warns Bangkok residents to brace for heavy rains]

Is it sandbag time yet? We still have ours from lat year piled up at the side of the house in readiness.

[What keeps you in Thailand?]

When I first came to work here, one "old hand" told me to let the negatives build up and they make the horrors of going home so much more bearable, even a joy.

[Help With Translation]

Both my sources (Thai English.com) and Domnern/Sathienpong) gave วิญญาณ as 'soul/spirit conciousness"

I'd have a pop at

"The emptiness in my soul has me desiring/yearning for courage and strength to give me satisfaction/fulfilment"

Writing love letters or poetry Neera?

[What keeps you in Thailand?]

Work.

I won't deny the 'fringe benefits' you mention (and others I receive from my employers such as flights home twice a year etc) have made Thailand a joy to work in for the last two decades or so, apart from the women who must remain on a 'look but not touch' basis (and I do look; a hell of a lot) or the wife would have me knackers pinned on the wall.

When I have to go into the office here I get picked up from my door and taken to the door of the office. In London/Belgium I'd be looking at a slog across town under my own steam having to mingle with the plebs.

While I won't deny there are things which do get me pissed off at times here, but I realised as long time ago there is little or nothing I can do to change them so try not to let them get to me but we all need a "blow out" from time to time, and TV forum provides many the chance to do so.

I can imagine many others here for work reasons remain for the same reasons as I do - its a good life - far better than we could dream of in the West.

My pal Big Fat Dave gets driven to the point of utter eye popping madness by certain aspects of life here (especially the heat) but as he is now regional director for his employers and he stands to make a bomb once the ASEAN stuff kicks in, he weighs up the 'pros and cons' quickly enough and moves on. When he first moved here, he would turn up on our doorstep at least 3 times a week, in a frenzy but soon learned to settle down and enjoy the pampered life he leads.

I meet many fellow expats here on packages that put mine to shame (and I feel pampered at times); but to listen to some of them, you'd think they'd been posted to the mouth of Hell and not one of the most beautiful/fascinating nations on Earth.

On the other hand I meet some lads here teaching on a poor wage, no fancy benefits at all, but relish every moment of being here, though mainly for the things you mention.

[Phuket girl slashed by machete-swinging boyfriend]

Being a male, he'll probably get off with it Scot free especially if he claims his frail ego has been hurt as tends to be the standard cowards defence when they use violence against a woman. as above I hope the victims father and brothers run into this shitbag before the coppers do.

When they do catch him, he'll probably claim he had cramp in his arm, or was practising his forward defensive shot after he only made a duck for Phuket 2nd XI but had forgot he was holding a huge knife and she walked in the way....

[Help identify this snake]

Markings reminiscent of a young King Cobra but the head don't look right to me. Could be a Keelback.

[BBC iplayer]

Use Chrome browser and add Hola to chrome. It's not perfect, but is the best solution around.

[Jobless Thai MPs seek new ways for meaningful lives]

A meaningful life in this case means busy covering up those paper trails before the Junta come calling to start sniffing as to where those new shiny Mercedes in the drive for their bratty offspring to drive around in, really came from....

[Spy cams inside lady bars and soapy massage?]

Brings back memories of "Crazy" Jack from Shadow in Soi Cowboy who it was claimed had a video cam in his ST room and made a tidy sum flogging copies of the 'fruitier' of his collection. No wonder he vanished without trace...

[Seems that south american teams are stronger than european ones]

No. Brazil looked plain, Argentina looked laboured in parts, Uruguay got a "dry un" so I'd have to say that Italy, France, Switzerland and Holland, and maybe even England would see off any of them on current form.

Only Chile have looked decent from South America thus far but as they were only playing a pub side it's hard to gauge them really.

[dropped 300 baht in street.....]

why does your mother let you go out alone , she must know you have problems ???

I note that folks like yourself who are undoubtedly Thai bashers do not like a simple truth thrown in your mugs. Quite simply it is that most Thais are decent and honest people. Therefore rather than comment on the topic you attack the guy who recounts these events which you want to know nothing about.

Result: a bunch of idiotic wisecracks which do not even have the redeeming quality of being the slightest bit amusing or intelligent.

If you can find one example of "Thai bashing" here I'll give you a million baht.

Please don't make spurious charges and comments based on your own social inadequacies.

[Farang Police Volunteer with a very bad attitude.]

I have been watching a BBC production called 'Bangkok Brits' which looks at the lives of Britons who have relocated from England

One of this motley crew is retired Londoner Dave who has been accepted as a police volunteer in Pattaya

His attitude made me cringe. Screaming and shouting at, mainly, working girls and katoeys in a Thai that none of them understood

For the cameras he suggested to one particularly attractive ladyboy that he epose his penis. How clever is that Dave?

I am good friends with a PV in Pattaya and he tries to carry out his duties with consideration, not overlooking the fact that he finds his uniform very useful in pulling the local talent

I know that some working girls and boys can be a bit of a pain. My relatives through marriage attest to that. But many are quite well educated and all should be treated with the same respect as any other individual

So I can understand why the original poster experienced problems. Unfortunately there are 'Dave's' everywhere ready to abuse what little authority they are given

As for the Thai police I've always found them very approachable, and am normally able to reduce my fine to 100 baht per policeman when I get stopped for driving the wrong colour car!

I think the Walking Street troupe have pretty much been confirmed as pointless clowns all round.

I'd dread to be around there were there ever (God Forbid) a truly serious incident.

I could imagine them running around in their shades, blowing their whistles, looking for the nearest camera. flashing their torches at random objects adding to the chaos instead of having a clue of how to actually deal with a serious situation.

[Yet another rant!]

I waited 3 months for the painters to come and do the condo. Did it myself in the end

[dropped 300 baht in street.....]

I understand a hamster, or any small rodent will also suffice according to:

Felching for beginners:The moral and ethical maze of poohey rodents- pp146-159 Gerson and Shiddydik eds (Fulchester University Press 1975)

Is this Dr Will's University?

Correct. I think Dr Will is one of either Gerson or Shiddydik, but I couldn't say which to be honest as both are incredibly pompous and somewhat utterly devoid of humour....

[dropped 300 baht in street.....]

I understand a hamster, or any small rodent will also suffice according to:

Felching for beginners:The moral and ethical maze of poohey rodents- pp146-159 Gerson and Shiddydik eds (Fulchester University Press 1975)