radioman

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1409610/thailand-grabs-another-ice-sculpture-grand-prize?utm_source=bangkopost.com&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=most_recent_box Bangkokpost Thailand has again won the grand prize at the annual International Snow Sculpture contest in Sapporo, Japan, this time with a magnificent pair of Thai fighting cocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8dGh1iEmCY Just wonderful. Takes a couple of numbers for them to get warmed up then it just soooo tight. Not hard to see why just a year before they lit up Woodstock.

Unequivocally YES! You should also bring at least 3 girls back to the loom. After of course insisting that they need to take part in a special ritual for the dear departed. Pictures expected!

Too many disturbing questions from your post.

Right on my doorstep then. No signs of construction I can detect.

I can only speak of what I know. At daughters previous school a male teacher was known to be "fiddling" with some of the teenage girls, typically off premises at a short time place. Apparently this was semi-grooming/duress. When one parent came to know his daughter had been "messed" with he kicked up a big fuss and said teacher disappeared, end-of. Plod was informed but could do nothing without the perp, end-of. Papers were not informed since neither side wanted that, end-of. Further discussion at home suggests that daughters friends who are at different schools know of similar things there, maybe 6 out of 8 schools.

Yes would say Patpong as a district, but the oldest Go-Go PER district, hmm! I can certainly remember when Nana was an open courtyard with a couple of beer bars, think there was even a fishpond there early on. Did it start with just one or a whole slew all at once? http://bk.asia-city.com/nightlife/news/bangkok-oldest-bars says that in Patpong Madrid (1969) preceeded the areas go-go bars. Flash will be along shortly to give us a history lesson I'm sure.

2 stores I understand. The one at Bang Na and a new, even bigger one, somewhere in Nonthaburi?

Some good points there, have noticed similar trends. One thing you missed out I think is how a lot of what would once have been direct contact hook ups in either public (coffee shops, pubs etc) or special to type places (go-go, beer bar, karaoke) has now moved online. The Tinder effect if you will. Even the dumb ones can drive a smart phone sufficiently to get connected and with perhaps a reduction in perceived risk, so far as others knowing about it is concerned.

Interesting that the women do not appear to be blaming the men, or suggesting they have in any way been violated. No suggestions of #MeToo either, not even a mention of #White Lives Matter. I can only assume it must all be #FakeNews.

How far do they have their heads down? Far enough for them to be buried in sand?

I used to be like that, until I went to China for the first time. Most depressing, somewhat like I expect Soviet era Russian food might be. I've since found some reasonably okay food in China but it's a rarity.

For those inclined to listen there is an interesting podcast from the BBC that's worth a listen. "Murder at the Lucky Holiday Hotel" tells the story of murdered British businessman and "fixer" Neil Heywood, Bo Xilai and his scary sounding wife. It's in 5 short parts.

I always confuse myself with Landmark and Ambassador, still have to think about which is which.

Unless they are making "special" arrangements, not obviously clear in what I've seen, the visa requires you have a defined salary, such salary suggests employment, which for a foreigner means a work permit. Which means a or b from Mekong's post. The other downside I see is that stating such a nice defined salary on a Thai work permit entitles you to pay a fair bit more than the minimum income tax. So the gov gets paid twice at your pleasure. Hers's another thing. If you are a person of such means I would suggest you are likely quite mobile in the business sense. Certainly in the 15 years I had a work permit and associated Non-Imm B visa I never did a single 90 day report, which seems to be the only thing this "special" visa seems to ease. A multi re-entry permit, approx 4000 baht per year and a weekend in Sin-galore, KL or HK, or name your destination of choice, once every 3 months would likely be well with the means and probably a business necessity. Every time you exit and re-enter the 90 day clock gets reset, so whats the point?

No way to guess but I'd wager it will be whatever it says on your work permit. Since that's bound to be a necessary requirement.

I just opened a new Bangkok Bank account having not had money in Thailand as such for about 5 years. Previous account at small Bangkok Bank branch had lapsed. They close the account if no activity in a certain period. At the same branch they said no can do, only at Silom head office. Went to Silom head office. Nice lady holds out hand for embassy letter stating residence and passport. Savings account with ATM card opened there and then no problem. Was told at the time, easy to open because you Blitish. US man need paperwork maak maak. Was also told at the time no other facilities for such an account would be available. No internet or online, notice of activity etc etc. For anything else a work permit was the only acceptable route. But then again, YMMV. Anything over 6 weeks old is dated and likely completely the opposite of what you will find.

That's a very interesting comment and one I can relate to. In some middle of nowhere craphole town a buddy and myself were on a site visit. They took us to a local bar and then to a local disco/club. Which turned out to be someones front room. Place was full of chicks, all from the local university where they were studying languages, a lot of them English. When the two whitey's showed up they got very interested and excited. But the local boys made it very clear they were off limits and we should keep our distance. I mean it was very obvious. The girls would have been ready to rock and roll, that was clear. UB is a bit more worldly, though still weird, nazi themed bars and the like. Something like hard rock cafe, but with a string quartet. Just odd.

Have been to Mongolia a couple of times, UB, strange places in the Gobi and elsewhere, interesting place and yes, whilst not all look alike those two would be quite representative of the female variety. Must be the vodka I guess.

Well lots of non-production aircraft are still in front line combat duty use. Harriers have been upgraded and improved continuously like most aircraft. But like so many other countries Thailand chooses not to provide budgets for spares, maintenance, running costs and other non-showy but very necessary costs. It's just easier to get a budget for a new shiny thing than it is to get one to repair the old, not so shiny any more thing. Not just military. Plenty of budget for new roads and railways but damned near nothing to maintain existing ones.

Well if you hand them some while I'm dashing off they wont know who's coming and who's going!