Beer Chang

Not directly related to this discussion but some may find this article about Visa debit cards interesting. http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/108506/how-visa-using-card-fees-dominates-a-market?mod=bb-creditcards

I've never bought clothes in Thailand partially due to my hating clothes shopping, European sizes, and mostly having brought enough clothes from home. Could use a pair of jeans, some underwear, and a pair of sneakers. I'm reluctant to buy a pair of jeans at an outdoor market cause I want to try them on, but the upscale malls seem as expensive as a Gap back in the States. Where do you guys go for clothes shopping in Pattaya?

The finger might be right but doubt a 50 year Canadian of Indian descent would be kickboxing.

Or make a right on the overpass and that right turn becomes (or is) 3rd Road. Then make a left on Pattaya Tai which is just past Tony's Fitness Center and Friendship is a short distance. It's easier to pull into the parking lot this way.

I gotta check it out Thaimo. Just so nobody gets confused these are two different animals. The one I was talking about is similar in spirit to a big outdoor rock festival.

Yes, I think most guys enjoy watching a street fight. But no one wants to be part of the collateral damage.

It's a very big place so generally getting a table is no problem.

Absolutely! And the tables on the northside were great for Loy Krathong.

Just wish they wouldn't intrude on my conversations to sell me junk all the time.

Lot's of signature stuff. John Hancock? They mentioned the "lawn". Perhaps just me but I'd prefer the resort have no lawn whatsoever as it makes everything feel hotter, smells like crap, attracts insects, and reminds me of suburbia.

The guy probably had luggage too if he was moving. Should have paid. And of course the beating is out of order.

Lots of people taking the 5th here?

Bob, Your SCM Bank ATM card with the Mastercard logo is what *I* refer to as a debit card. But I remember trying to use my Kasikorn card to book an Air Asia flight and it was refused but my American credit card was accepted. But I've used the Kasikorn card at my dentist and Big C.

PATONG, PHUKET: A Canadian tourist was hospitalized after being punched repeatedly in an attack involving a tuk-tuk driver yesterday afternoon. Ivan Bob Anwar, 51, told the Gazette that he was punched five times in the attack, which resulted in a large gash above his left eyebrow requiring five stitches. He also sustained a bloody nose and bruising to his face. Treatment charges at Patong Hospital came to 2,000 baht. The attack was the result of a dispute over a one-minute taxi ride. Mr Anwar and his wife arrived in Phuket on January 4 for a three-day holiday. But after spending one night in their hotel in the north end of Patong, they decided to move to a quieter location further north in Kalim. Mr Anwar, a teacher living in Japan, said he and his wife flagged down a tuk-tuk outside their hotel at 1pm yesterday. After a brief negotiation with the driver, Mr Anwar and his wife agreed to pay 150 baht for the short trip to their new hotel. “But when we arrived at our new hotel [one minute later] I told the driver that he had charged us too much,†he said. Mr Anwar offered the driver a discounted fare of 100 baht, feeling this was all the trip was worth and got out of the tuk-tuk. At this point, Mr Anwar said the driver telephoned a second man who then arrived on the scene almost immediately. “The driver then got out of the tuk-tuk and punched me four or five times in the face,†said Mr Anwar. The second man was reported to have restrained Mr Anwar during the attack. Both men then fled the scene in the tuk-tuk, Mr Anwar said. After witnessing the attack, workers from a nearby hotel took the bloodied Mr Anwar and his wife to Kathu Police Station in the hotel's mini-bus. At about 3pm, tuk-tuk driver Tassanarit Damthong, 30, handed himself in at Kathu Police Station. Mr Tassanarit was promptly arrested and charged with assault. When the Gazette arrived at Kathu Police Station, Mr Tassanarit was in a holding cell, having been denied bail. Mr Tassanarit’s boss, Natdanai Chaowana, was at the police station. He told the Gazette he didn’t understand why bail had been denied, claiming Mr Anwar was the one at fault. “The Canadian guy was rude and swore and also kicked him [Mr Tassanarit] first,†said Mr Chaowana. Mr Chaowana also said that the fee was agreed between the driver and Mr Anwar, and admitted that it was the standard rate in the area. Mr Anwar and Kathu Police were due to appear at Phuket Provincial Court to file assault charges. Police said they were still searching for the second man alleged to have been involved in the attack. Mr Anwar and his wife were due to leave Phuket on January 7. He said he has no plans to return to Phuket. “I like Thailand, but don’t think I will ever come back to Phuket after this. Maybe I'll try Krabi instead,†he said.

I agree, Barry is a nice guy and helpful to all nationalities.

Most farangs I know use the squirter as a final rinse. Does anyone here use it instead of toilet paper?

Why isn't a Thai debit card good enough for this purpose? Am I missing something?

I spend a couple months in an ashram and it was a nice break from ordinary life. It was during those months that it became clear to me what my next move should be in my professional life, maybe not the objective of a spiritual community but it worked for me.

Not nescessarily everyone young person from Issan, at any rate I don't know when the next one is. But then I'mneither young nor from Issan.

Maybe that should be on the list from the thread 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do

Given my budget, I should learn to use the squirter, but I have visions of the bathroom walls being splattered.

If checking on Seat Guru here's the aircraft. It doesn't mention how wide the bulkhead is. It's so wide that some passengers actually cut across it going from one side of the plane to the other. But rarely, cause poor manners and not often enough to be bothersome. Thai Airways Airbus A340-500 (345) Thai Airways flies this A340-500 on the BKK-LAX route (TG 794/795) as well as on BKK-OSL (TG 954/955).

Too bad they did away with the New York nonstop. Given reasonable legroom and video on demand it's not a bad experience.

I tend to agree. But if buying, let's say toilet paper, you can't buy 24 rolls at a cheap price.

Classic!