Stickman

I wonder if Immigration has come to realise that there are some retirees getting this declaration from the embassy who don't actually have the 65,000 baht + per month income they purport to have. MANY stories of folks getting retirement visa extensions but they barely have a pot to piss in. There has long been a flaw in the system whereby all you had to do was make a (false) declaration at your embassy to get a letter which Immigration accepted. Maybe that's where the problem comes from?

If only it were that simple. Governments are made up of people - and people often have their own agendas. People may be dishonest, corrupt.etc. Citing the war on terror has become this big catch-all that governments attempt to use to persuade the ignorant masses that extending their powers and eliminating your privacy are entirely justified. I am not convinced by the governments' claims.

The signature I had at my Farangland bank dates back to the mid '80s. When I was in there recently they asked me for a new sample and the new and the old bore no resemblance whatsoever. That said, you hardly sign for anything in banks here these days - everything seems to be electronic, even within the branches.

Very sad indeed. Nice guy, always fun, always smiling.

It's the lead item on a major New Zealand news site this morning. http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/76600297/unusual-suspects-kiwi-among-elderly-tourist-bridge-players-arrested-in-thailand

I get the feeling that some people are frustrated that some things which should really improve haven't, and some have in fact got a lot worse. I also get the feeling that the investigation in to the murder of the two Brits on Ko Tao and the outcome was a catalyst for a lot of the anger being shown by foreigners. For me, personally, I lived in Sukhumvit soi 16 for years and I used to walk through the Asoke intersection every day and I used to get stopped by police all the time and hassled - and saw the same happening to many others. That really put a downer on things for me and while there was no single reason that caused me to eventually say, "I've had enough, I am out of here", there were a lot of contributing factors and this sort of thing and the feeling of general unease I had simply because I was a foreigner was amongst them.

What is it with oil and gas industry workers earning shitloads of money but often being broke? Admittedly, I don't know that many guys who work in the industry but if there is one commonality amongst those I do know it is that they make a lot of money - tends to average out at close to $200,000 per year...but they never seem to have money and it's not like they're asset rich either. A couple of mentioned to me what you say here - that contracts are much harder to come by and the contracts they do take up don't pay anything like they used to. One mate used to earn $1,000 a day and now earns $600 per day. I'd be delighted with that sort of money and if I earned anywhere near that I'd have gazillions stashed away....but some these guys seem to never be more than 3 months away from being totally broke. What gives?

Melly Chris-a-mut!

I note they raided two venues, Sensations and 808. 808 has had problems with the police before but I never heard of anyt problems at Sensations. Was this as much about making a statement at the venues concerned as much as anything, I wonder?

The operators of V8 / Insanity are conresting their lease which ended and are trying to remain there for a few more years. The lease actually ran out at the end of March, but they want to stay there as long as possible. An office building is planned for that spot.

It's a lovely town and I particularly like the river-front road and promenade. It's in the Isaan region but it doesn't feel like Isaan. The small town actually felt quite prosperous to me (unlike a lot of smaller towns in the region). I made two visits there and found it rally relaxing. It's pretty in a similar way to downtown Nongkhai, but less harried, fewer people and less going on. 50 km south of the provincial capital is Pra That Phanom, a magnificent temple that can wow even those who feel that when it comes to temples they have seen them all.

I agree with the recommendation for Summer Breeze - good location and very well run by a very nice American - and it's where I always stay when I am in Phuket. Here's an interview with the owner of Summer Breeze: http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2013/Phuket-farang-hotel-owner.htm

I haven't been to a DC since late last year, but let's just say they are rather spicier than they were in the past. If I have one piece of advice, it is this: Get there early! The last two DCs I went to late last year saw the bar full at 7:30 - and I mean so full that even standing room was tight. So get there at opening time if you want to get a seat!

Is the Netherlands really that bad? Ok, so it's 25 years since I was there but it was one of my favourite countries in Europe with much to like about the place and the people.

11 bullets was crazy. In typically PC New Zealand I almoist swore at the TV when a police spokesman came on and said a cow walking down the road is a danger to the general population.

This guy manages to travel a lot on mileage schemes and whatnot: http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/ben-schlappig-airlines-fly-free-20150720

This article from a couple of months ago explains the reasons I left Thailand: www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2015/StickmanBangkok-Not-The-End.htm

There is a clue in the name of the mountain.....

Not just yet...

Drove past there about 2 hours ago!

General HappyFace would probably rather just shoot them all, but that might be problematic...

VERY unlikely to be extradited.

Can't say I have ever had a dump in public....so it must have been Coss.

Damn, the secret's out!

You mean this lady, right? I am 95% sure she no longer works there... [Photo removed. Sorry, Stickman, but without her permission I cannot post that photo - KS]