I'm sure there will be much more to follow, but to those of us who called him more than just a Forum Founder/Moderator, but a true friend, it is a very sad day indeed. 

I have struggled through an injury (from my 20’s - diving accident damaging the vertebrae  C3 / C4 /C5) and with all the long hours and over exertion put into my business, I have made the injury worse. Have ended up on two handheld crutches.However,I now have the time to allocate to rebuilding my strength to get away from the crutches. I have several options….I secure the services of a personal trainer,do a programme myself,OR I head over to Thailand and seek the assistance of a physical trainer (Muay Thai) in LOS to assist me in getting back to physical health / strength. The latter is possibly more of what I seek, as it would allow me the opportunity to both improve physically and also to enjoy a long break ( perhaps 3 months). So here is the question - does any member of the group have any personal knowledge of a camp / gym / exercise establishment which focuses on rehab ? I am not looking for a city situation but rather a situation which could be away from the ‘touristy ‘ places? I have travelled LOS and have seen training camps around Phuket and the south side of LOS….but,I do not have the right  information I seek.
Would be great to get some advice from the guys on the group ! 
 

Kiwi.

Former policeman Thaksin Shinawatra reshaped Thailand’s politics. He served twice as the kingdom’s prime minister and commanded such a huge and loyal following that parties associated with him have won almost every election since 2001.

Now, Thaksin is behind bars and his political party just had its worst ever performance in general elections earlier this month that saw the conservative order he once challenged returning firmly to power for the first time in a quarter of a century.

Analysts say the result could mean more stability for modern day Thailand, which has had three prime ministers in as many years and a 20-year cycle of military coups, violent street protests and paralyzing political instability.

Much of that instability was triggered by the battle between Thaksin and his allies, versus Thailand’s conservative establishment, a small but powerful network of military, royalist, and business elites threatened by his populist policies.

It’s been a bruising fight for Thaksin, with his opponents unleashing military coups, legal challenges and the courts to undermine and even topple elected governments – including four Shinawatra premiers.... more at the LINK

Square face:

• in Jomtiem, about 2 or 300 or so metres up a road from the beach
• that had a free or cheap buffet on Sunday morning, that was always packed
• was a great place for 'hair of the dog' and to meet a new wife
• had a very British 'hard man' theme, with photos of brit gangsters, snooker champs, and TV stars like 'Terry from Minder'

And ideas?

     As Flashermac was a great part of theirs board I felt it warranted a special note and not lumped in with the test in Global. 

Cheers!!    

     I’ve been to Cambodia and, prior to all this, was planning on taking my wife and family to Angkor Wat…not now or for a long time… I get that the media is controlled and the country is basically run by a Khmer Rouge killer authoritarian dictator, but hell, you’d think they at least want a clue…a free thought, be able to formulate an opinion..?  Seems they are on the path of North Korea in terms of brain washing…so my question is, “…are Cambodians the MAGAts of South East Asia? Does Hun Sen control them the way the dump controls his brain dead minions..?”

     O.k. Discuss and again, I promise to get to the Maltese in the future…but the next post might be Aimed at Armenians…I mean how good is their String Cheese really? 

I'm not sneering at miss Kai, far from it, I feel sympathy for her, as she fails, despite being told that her money and family are all she needs to be a big success...

She didn't even qualify for the event, she's there because of a "Sponsor's invite".

I relate a story of how side-stepping the rules and or procedures is not a good idea, even if powerful people think it is.

A medical school admissions board, who consider each and every applicant who want to go on and become Doctors, Surgeons etc, was told "let this one in, he's (***)".

So they did. (I know one of the board's members, and this is a true story)

And he failed, disastrously.  Just simple literacy, maths and cognition, all substandard.

So despite being told:  "You're going to be a Doctor, yes you are.., such a handsome Doctor, yes you are.., all you have to do do is attend class for 4 years, yes you are..,  yes you are..,  yes you are..," ad infinitum, he just didn't have any of the requisites for medicine. He dutifully made it to the 2nd year.

Dismal failure, and imagine how as a young person, feeling that you'd failed bigley, even though they said it would be a breeze, a doddle.

I'd be miserable,

The boy in the story went on the become a minor political figure in a family political tribe.

You see, being "more equal" doesn't help.