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Exploding Pens! (19/09/2008 10:48:45)
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Author: BURNING MAN
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I moved to this tropical paradise a couple of years ago. Moving to a new country, in a different part of the world certainly has its ups and downs. The thrill and positive things about living in a country, where it isn’t cold 9 months of the year is an obvious upside. But living away from your birth-country also provides you with new tasks and problems. Getting used to local customs and a very different culture than back home in Europe sometimes almost seems like a job in itself. This is a warning to all car-owners. I recently had an unwanted experience with the heat here in Thailand. I have a brand new car. Not a luxurious sports scar or Hummer. I drive a sensible and maybe a bit boring Ford Pick-up truck – bought to suite my biz needs. Since I use this car to serve clients I always keep paper and pen in the middle consol of the car – you know the compartment next to the gear shift. Last week I jumped behind the wheel of my truck after a wonderful lunch at the food court on the top of Royal Garden Plaza. When I reached out for my sunglasses, which I also keep in the compartment in between the two front seats I got a surprise. It was a total mess. My sunglasses were covered in blue ink from my ballpoint pen, and that was just the beginning. I soon realized that the interior of my brand new car had been covered in ink from the pen that I always keep ready to take down notes – while I am on the road. From the looks of my car you would think that at least a couple of liters of ink had been splashed around my car. But I am pretty sure that the only thing that had been going on was that my pen had overheated and simply exploded. In retrospect it is actually understandable. After a couple of hours in the midday sun – the insides of my truck felt like an oven. And a quality pen keeps the ink under pressure to make sure that the line you draw with it is consistent. So this is a warning to all expats from cold countries – be aware of what you put in your car when you park it in the sun. BURNING MAN
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LAST CHANCE (12/09/2008 11:04:41)
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Author: Bless.
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Yes, it is the last chance at the OK Corral. Have you tried everything in order to quit smoking and have failed? For some of you this might work, for some not. It worked for KOTO Keeper of the ocean, some years ago. First, you need to realize that smoking replaced the Blanket, Dolly, Dummy or the Pacifier. You need to see and understand that when we were young, many of us had a security blanket or a doll to keep with us in order to feel safe and have something to do. Most if not all of us had Mommy's nipple to feed off of and to pacify us. As we got older our parents would buy a Pacifier to put in our mouths to wean us off the breast feeding and to also pacify us. Now that we are older and have many things to face, like life, ourselves, money, health and so on, many of us need to again pacify ourselves along with procrastinating, (putting off life) (Not doing) fear of life itself. Many of us smoke for different reasons. It started out as being cool, A Macho Man, part of the group, a Cool Lady and became a bad habit and a dammed hard habit to quit. If you have the balls or the backbone along with the desire to Quit Smoking, this is what I suggest that you could do. The cost is under 30 baht. I did this for 6 months, years ago and I won. You go to the baby section of a store and you buy a baby Pacifier. Wear it around your neck, string works! First you start out at home till you get the guts to wear it outside. "HEY" what have you got to lose? If you have tried everything else and truly have a strong desire to live without Tubes up your Nose, give this a try. I started wearing a Pacifier again while I clean the beach. One is I have the balls and the other is when people ask me why, I can introduce a way for them to Quit. CRAZY "maybe", WORKS "yes". You stand up to the plate of life or you hide behind a cloud of toxic smoke. Up to you, I am not trying to get into your face or your problems; I'm just showing you a way to win. And by the way, you will look a lot less stupid with a pacifier in your mouth than smoke coming out of your mouth. Also once people ask what the hell you’re doing, they will laugh and pat you on the back for at least trying and you could win for less then 30 baht. Be ashamed of smoking. Not wearing a Pacifier. They come in many colours to match the outfit of the day. Are you man or woman enough to give it a try? I have proved that it works and I pass it on to you. You can thank me after you have quit for 6 months! May the force be with you, Health and Happiness! "The Life of the People is in our Hearts and shows in the Land". KOTO: Keeper of the Ocean, One Day, One Beach at a Time, Buddha and God
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Fellow Americans (12/09/2008 11:04:05)
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Author: Bill, Pattaya
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I have now been living in Thailand for almost 7 years and have not been keeping up with American politic until this year, but I have now applied to the U.S. to get an absentee ballot sent to me. The main reason for my interest now is that John McCain a Vietnam Veteran is running for President of the U.S. and this scares the daylights out of me. Like McCain, I'm also a Vietnam Veteran with a 100% disability for PTSD and believe me this guy has the worm inside him and the thought of this guy with his finger on the trigger just scares me to death. Unlike McCain, I'm not any War Hero as I only spent 23 months in combat with the 7th Marines and he has 20 hours in the air over Vietnam and 5 years in a prison camp. I would have traded him my time for his time any day of the week. What makes things even worse now is that he has picked another nut case to be his VP. I beg you to check this person out. Not sure who scares me more Her or McCain. I have been a life long Republican but will be voting for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party this year and I urge all my fellow Americans here in Thailand and Asia to do the same. We can't stand for 4 more years of the same old garbage we have had for the last 8 years. Bill, Pattaya.
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RIP OFF FARES (12/09/2008 11:03:22)
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Author: Mike.
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Hi! Just returned from Malaysia and want to warn travelers that the people trying to sell you travel to Pattaya who are inside walking around are the worst thing to have to deal with when first arriving to Thailand. Shame on the police for not getting these people outside the terminal! How sad it is for any tourist to arrive in Bangkok and first getting off the plane get taken for transportation. 3000 baht to Pattaya! 1000 Baht to Bangkok City! It’s bad enough the official welcome from AOT is a bloated overcharging money machine hoping tourists will pay these overpriced fares. I would encourage the Thai Airport Management to for once get rid of these people walking around trying to sell you a special fare. Allow ONLY paying business to occupy the floor. Once outside on the payment it’s fair game. But while inside the airport you should not have to worry about Jet Lag and people trying to steal your money and these unfair prices. Welcome to Thailand should be more than these first images once you get off the plane. Does anybody at the Bangkok Airport Care? Mike.
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Trouble at mill (07/09/2008 15:33:56)
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Author: Michael Taylor
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With 20%+ less tourists visiting Pattaya this year the bars are having a very hard time.Pattaya has some real characters running bars.Many of them are my friends and I do enjoy their company.I hope they can ride out this storm. My plane ticket has gone up over £200.Thats a big jump.High oil prices and trouble around the world.Glad I gave up smoking years ago.Thats a couple of grand a year. I have a souvenir shop in Norway and I can see my sales are abit down.I think this is happening everywhere. I will be in Pattaya late oct for a couple of months.I come twice a year. I am nostalgic about pattaya.Its given me love and great times.I've also been robbed and ripped off.Nothing too serious.I've made a few mistakes.Some of them I enjoyed that much I went back made em again. All in all its been a grand time.Have you noticed how the time goes so quick when your having fun.
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WHITE STRIPE (05/09/2008 08:00:22)
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Author: BEE
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I would like to thank the Thai authorities for their great job on resurfacing Sukhumvit Road in East Pattaya – outside Tesco Lotus superstore. Only one element is missing; the white stripes! Even though it is now more than two weeks since they finished the resurfacing, they still haven’t put the white stripes on the resurfaced area of the road. But there is ONE THIN stripe - starting before Tesco and going all the way through the small shortcut to South Pattaya Road. It looks like someone put a bucket of paint in the truck and then made a small hole in it so the paint could make a very thin white line. But I ask the question is it really all we will get on that part of Sukhumvit Road? So a message to all the dear road construction people of Pattaya; please finish the job in the same good style you have started it.
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Bus Stop (05/09/2008 07:59:40)
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Author: W. Hammond.
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Your story about that bus in Jomtien was very good. Having to pass the mess every day on my way home you can imagine what one has to endure trying to get around it without scraping the car with that metal protruding from that chunk of concrete which the bus landed on. Surely now things will have to be done to get rid of them both. Apart from being an eye sore, it is downright dangerous especially at night and all those cables everywhere. As for that road, well it is a total disaster. Travelling along that every day is no fun I can assure you. I know of many people who have moved from their rented accommodation in the Jomtien area to avoid the construction works. Surely the local economy is suffering as a result? W. Hammond.
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Frozen Pensions (05/09/2008 07:58:49)
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Author: Michael.
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Dear Sir, Regarding David's letter in your recent issue about British pensions if it needs endorsement, I give it! It is nothing short of disgusting that the Government steals a large portion of our pension whilst, for example, it subsidises the lucrative Arms industry to the tune of more that 800 million pounds per annum with taxpayers' money. This amount is far more than what would be needed to pay us our due pensions. It is the same in countries like Australia and New Zealand where our Monarch is Head of State: the Government still thieves the increments on retired people's pensions. The good news is that this matter may shortly be heard by The European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile may I suggest that expats and British visitors write to their MPs or to the Minister of Works and Pensions. Although the reply will almost certainly be meaningless, it is only by widespread action that a result can be achieved.
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That Road (05/09/2008 07:58:15)
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Author: Ivan.
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Just read your story on the conditions of Thappraya Road, which has been going on for ages and looks like it will not be finished for many years to come. It has affected me greatly because I have to rely on a wheelchair when travelling outside of my condo in the View Talay One buildings. The road outside has been up and covered over time and time again and then the next week it is back with gaping holes everywhere, especially going down to the supermarket just around the corner. It is a nightmare to get there and back in a wheelchair and that is only a few meters away, so what is it like trying to get down to Jomtien itself. I tried it once and gave up. It is far too dangerous as there are no decent pavements there at all anymore, again just gaping deep holes, which I believe you reported on some time back where a woman fell down a hole and hurt her leg. In fact I had an accident myself a few months ago when my wheelchair turned over and I was flung into the dirt near that market. It is all far too dangerous a place to be. So let us hope that things will improve and get it all finished as soon as possible for everyone’s sake. Ivan.
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BLESS YOU (29/08/2008 06:25:25)
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Author: Richard.
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Re your recent article Bless You. I understand this originated at the time of the plague in England – 1600s. As did the nursery rhyme “Ring a Ring of Roses, A Pocket Full of Poses, Attishoo, Attishoo We all Fall Down”. One of the symptoms of the plague was sneezing, so when someone sneezed they were blessed, as it was assumed they would die. Ring a Ring of Roses referred to another symptom, a rash. The poses were small bunch of scented flowers to counter the bad smells. We all fall down – dead! Richard.
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