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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/08/2020 in all areas

  1. And over at Huai Chak Nok Reservoir
    5 points
  2. Like you I handled the extension to stay myself for nine years, but then used an agent for the first time last November. Reason being, as I could no longer use an income affidavit from the embassy I couldn't be arsed with jumping through all the hoops of two months before, bank letter day of, another trip to the bank and then immigration three months later to prove I still had the money. Much easier and a time saver to use an agent. If you're looking for another agent recommendation, I used Maneerat on Soi P.O. While others have mentioned they had to go to the bank with the agent, I didn't. Just left my passport, bank passbook, and a handful of cash (12,500) with them and they handled everything. Two days later I was given the name of person to see at immigration, had my pic taken, collected my passport and was out of there in less than five minutes.
    5 points
  3. BB, I had an arvo in TQ1 back in the 1997 I was buying LD for any girl that allowed me firstly to put be hand down their bikini for a wee FF, they was lining up, most just pull them down so I had easier access to their minge. some of blokes was not well pleased when their BGs got in on the act,i loved every bit of the 5000Bt I spent in there that few hours. took 2 of them back to my loom and had a great session or 3 I think. I did enjoy TQ1 of a arvo when I did not go up to Soi yodsak Pattaya then, was like Ermita in the 80s,in that those times will never be repeated. just lucky I survived those days,with some of the strokes we pulled back then, had great times in the 1960/70s in firstly Sydney and then on the Gold Coast inQLD.then in the 1980s in PR and 1990s in LOS. regards grayray
    5 points
  4. Last few then you can get back to your crocheting ..lol.... Look at ''Tree Town'' by Skaw Beach Rd......... Opposite of ''Tree Town''....... Back on Soi Buakhao..this bar serving alcohol till 23.00 hrs at the moment.....
    5 points
  5. this was the suk at 1PM. 30 mins before it was dry. so much for the expensive drainage
    5 points
  6. Stillearly or the guy with his head in the sand?
    4 points
  7. Hyde Dendy pub in Paignton, Devon. Lovely food.
    4 points
  8. Irish accountants matter. 😋
    4 points
  9. Bro .. just use an agent that can be trusted .. if you were in BKK .. I would set you up with a Law Firm that has taken care of these details for over the last 25 something years for me ... it is painless ... and you never have to worry about anything .. it is all taken care of for you ... it is worth the cost to not be bothered with all of the bullshit .... and wasting over a day to hassle with immigration
    4 points
  10. Blue Streak great photos......Photos reconfirm what we already know....There is a very severe shortage of expat stool warmers in all the bars....Like Scooters use to be pretty damm busy everyday....and now?.............well.......................
    4 points
  11. Off to L K Metro...... Central Arcade......Opposite ''Mikes Shopping Mall''......... Beer Bar complex bottom of Soi Dianna........ Going up Soi Dianna........
    4 points
  12. Is that @fforest wife?.
    3 points
  13. If marquee bar is that quiet then you know town is well and truly dead. That bar does a roaring trade and its usually busy from mid-afternoon right through, even during the low season. I think that photo tells me all I need to know.
    3 points
  14. Berry Head, Brixham, Devon. A nice Devon Dumpling suits the location.
    3 points
  15. KYBER,shit mate iam not a tantrack specialist I love the 2nd hole from the back of the neck,in ladies only. what did they do?NOTHING they could see that it was just a pissed bloke enjoying himself and all the BGs was in party mode you have to remember you [punters] don't own the girls they are only on hire.you don't loose them just miss your turn why would you get jealous of a BG,shit BB your not one of those blokes that fall in love easy? plus I was not calling them down,they just wanted get some LDs,maybe the blokes was with them was tight arse expats. I was back in more than once and did not notice any bad blood,the BGs knew it was a one off. would I do now?doubt it,but than iam a old worn out fart,not in my reckless youth anymore regards grayray
    3 points
  16. I am Irish and i find that comment offensive.
    3 points
  17. Have always liked TQ, but in recent times the line-up has been poor. Great if it's now improved. But then again we may well have different taste . . . 😉
    3 points
  18. #6. Companion Planting Herbs: I try to grow lots of Rosemary and Mint as these two herbs do a great job in repelling insects. They give off a smell a lot of insects don’t like. I would encircle my vegetables/balcony with lots of rosemary and mint plants. I would also snip a tiny bit of the rosemary needles regularly and snip the tips of my mint to give off more of its odor. If I were still doing row gardening in soil/in the ground I would be alternating herbs with vegetables row planting. I would plant dill to the left & right of my cucumber plants, do the same with oregano with squash/zucchini. So, the first year I started my garden in Thailand, I wasn’t so successful as there are a number of challenges. I learned from my mistakes, had a lot of help from Thai friends and found ways to be successful. I’ll provide some insights and instead of giving a report based on my timeline, will provide you a timeline based on growing/establishing your own garden in a very hot/humid climate. #1. Seeds I initially bought my seeds from a couple of garden stores in Thailand. The problem was that most of the seeds I bought were very old and had a very poor germination rate. Since that first year, growing my garden on my condo balcony, I have bought better seeds in order to start off on the right foot sort of speak. I am from the states, in growing zone 8. Thailand is in zone 12. When deciding what to plant, you have to take into consideration the zone you will be planting in. You also have to decide how to start “from seed”. After a lot of trial and error, it is easier and you’ll have a higher germination rate by planting indoors in most situations. It is so bloody hot in Thailand and most of what I wanted to grow germinated better in 70-85 degree temperatures, so initial seed germination was started indoors with peat moss/peat pellets. I also bought my seeds from reputable vendors from the states. As I was going back to the states for a couple visits per year or friends were coming to visit me, I had plenty of opportunities to get seeds to plant. I also buy mostly Hybrid & F1 seeds. They are more resistant to CMV, scab, MMV and resistant to many fungus and bugs. A great many of the Hybrid & F1 seeds have better germination rate and days to harvest is shortened. I also bought some seeds at the Russian Night Markets in Thailand. There are a few varieties of Russian Brand pickling cucumber Hybrid seeds that are very good and they also produce “80% female flowers to 20% male flowers”. #2. Soil So, my initial soil composition was horrible and that alone led to a lot of my failures. When I learned to correct soil issues, my garden thrived. It also has a domino effect. By starting off with good soil, I also cut down on insects, bugs and watering issues. I initially bought soil from the Thai Garden Shops, which sold horrible soil. My first decent soil, I received from my Thai secretary at the time. She had her cousin drive down a truck full of really good soil from Nong Pu Lampu. Later on, I bought even better soil. You can now easily buy great potting soil and amendments via online retailers such as Lazada and others. Now, my soil: Due to spacing issues I chose to garden using containers “container gardening”. Over the course of time, I learned that container garden is much more efficient and you can handles the pitfalls of gardening in Thailand by using the container gardening method, I will elaborate more in my Udon Thani home purchasing notes below. The soil I eventually stuck with was actual “Potting Soil”. But, I also amended my soil by adding perlite to make it drain better (eliminate overwatering, sitting water (bugs) and by adding sand and peat moss for nutrients. So, my soil consisted of high quality: Potting Mix, Peat Moss, compost soil, Perlite & Sand. I even bought 3 different kinds of sand and tested how long it would take for a 2 cups of water to drain through the sand and how much of it drained to the bottom. Now, here in the states, I can buy potting soil and know that it is free of bugs and bug eggs. In Thailand, I don’t trust anything. So, what I did was always sterilize my soil. I would take my soil and bake it in the oven @ 200 degrees for 30-45 minutes to kill off any bugs and eggs. Once I got my soil problem fixed, it solved a lot of problems, as everything is connected. #3. Containers Due to limited space, I chose to use containers and pots to grow. Now, when I buy my house in Udon Thani, I will still grow in containers vs. growing on a plot of land. I will explain more later. Now, here in the states, in my location, I grow my jalapenos in black containers. They love the extra heat and works well in my growing zone. But, in Thailand, it’s already dam hot….actually too hot. So, I avoid using black pots as it has a way of burning the soil/roots. Now, my vegetables like tomatoes, I put them in containers that have plenty of drainage holes, one that doesn’t absorb too much sunlight/heat and is the proper size and depth of the type of “hybrid/resistant” variety I want to grow. Now, there are a lot of bugs and insects when you grow your garden using soil. Also, water/moisture that sits on your soil is a breeding ground for insects. I usually water very early or very late, never during the middle part of the day. I also, take a white plastic bag and cover the tops of my containers. It takes a bit of work, working around the stems, but I try to cover any openings/soil that bugs can land on. Not only will bugs/insects land on your plant & leaves, but they will land make a home in your soil. So, I avoid that part by covering the soil. #4. Insecticide: Where I am currently at in the states, I have very little to worry about in terms of bugs and insects. So, I can use the most basic method to get rid of bugs. I can begin by using the hose down method. I hose off my plants everyday with water. By hosing off everyday from the beginning, I don’t allow an infestation to even begin (another reason why containers work better than a live garden). I use to every night from my second floor balcony, lift up my container onto the railing and hose down my plant. Eventually, the condo manager came and said that the Russian family down below me weren’t too happy with water falling from up above lol. I would then let it dry off a bit and then spray it with insecticide. Every time I went back to the states, I would pre-order spray bottle of the best insecticides that were made for a vegetable garden. They would arrive in a cardboard box. I would wrap the box in wrapping paper to make it look like a present and then take the wrapped box and put it in a shopping bag. I never had a problem bringing in insecticide from the states to Thailand. You can buy insecticides on Lazada here in Thailand, but I liked the ones I could get from the states. (I did the same thing with fungicide spray). Homemade Bug Spray: In Thailand, during the late afternoon, I would see lot more bugs in the air. I know some people use dish soap & water mix/solution to spray on their plants. I used a better homemade formula for the afternoons. I used: ½ tsp dish soap ½ tsp canola oil 1 tsp baking soda And then fill the rest of my spray bottle with water. I would spray my plants in the late afternoon to keep the bugs of my plants. I would also even spray the air to get rid of the bugs flying around. Now, the homemade formula is a good accompaniment, but nothing works as good as insecticide. RECAP - on bug spray from most simple/less effect to full on infestation problems Water spraying method Homemade formula Organic spray like neem oil or any spray that says organic gardens Insecticide sprays and commercial grade insecticides #5. Powdery Mildew & Fungus: In Thailand, the high humidity level causes a lot of powdery mildew and fungus. I am currently growing squash/zucchini here in the states. And even here, my giant size zucchini leaves will eventually have powdery mildew on its leaves. So, I will begin, right away a homemade spray of milk + 8 parts water spray. I will spray my leaves so that I limit the formation of powdery mildew/fungus. In Thailand, I can take dry laundry soap + water and spray my leaves, even scrubbing the leaves. I tend to like the actual fungicide spray as it is stronger and really does the trick… and yes, I bring bottles of this stuff back from the states to Thailand too. #6. Companion Planting Herbs: I try to grow lots of Rosemary and Mint as these two herbs do a great job in repelling insects. They give off a smell a lot of insects don’t like. I would encircle my balcony with lots of rosemary and mint plants. I would also snip a tiny bit of the rosemary needles regularly and snip the tips of my mint to give off more of its odor. #7. Maintenance: A lot of issues can be limited from early maintenance. For example, my tomato plants. #1. I buy varieties of tomato seeds that can be successful in hot Thailand weather. Buy bug resistant hybrid seeds. #2. I scoop out 6” of soil every so often and replace the top soil with sterilized soil that I baked in the oven. #3. I cover the soil with a white plastic bag. #4. I hose down my plants every night. #5. I spray insecticide and fungicide on the plant and leaves and soil. I also do proper plant maintenance. Here in the part of the states I am in, if I chose not to do anything with the plant, I can still be successful. In Thailand, with the humidity, I have to do proper maintenance of my plant. #5. Pruning: On my tomato plant, I need to prune any weak, dead, yellowing leaves right away. I also need to prune to air-rate, allow air to flow easily through my tomato plant. The center of my tomato plants need to be pruned to allow proper air flow. #6. When my flowers have set and fruits are young and more susceptible to bugs, I cover my fruit with plastic bags and tie them shut. #7. I also sprayed my tomato plants with Epsom Salt water mix on the foliage. The chemical reaction mimics that bugs may be being attacking the plant and it naturally puts it defenses up. #8. Get ride of insect infested plants or move them away from healthy plants (again, easier to do when you grow in containers). Herbs: I grow a lot of herbs for eating/recipes. But whenever people use to come over to my place in Thailand, they saw that I had herbs encircling my tomato/vegetable plants. I grew a lot of Rosemary & Mint. Those two plants will repeal a lot of insects. So, I would alternate those herbs pots that encircled my potted container garden. I would regularly snip the leaves of my mint plant and needles of my rosemary to give off the odor that insects hate. That is why companion growing herbs are so important too. #8. Looking to buy house in Udon Thani So, the last time I was in Udon Thani, I began looking around/shopping for a house to buy. A big portion of what I was looking for involved buying a place so I could have a “container garden”. I saw a couple of houses I liked, but didn’t like the outside location for my garden. I need a place with good sunlight. A place that isn’t swarming with insects/bugs, a place that isn’t a breeding ground for bugs. I saw a place I liked, but the wall surrounding the house had a lot of standing water that attracted a lots of bugs. Also, there was a darker area with a banana tree and lots of dried leaves/compost which was a breeding ground for disease and insects. In ground gardening: The reason I don’t like in-ground gardening in Thailand is because it is much harder to minimize problems, fix issues and there are a number of difficulties to solve. In Thailand, the soil is usually poor and takes a lot more work to solve that problem. Also, bugs/insects in-ground is harder to control. Whenever a plant is sick or needs maintenance, it is easier in container gardening to move it somewhere else or just throw it away. Most of my gardening these days involves soil-less. It solves a lot of the bug/insect, watering issues, diseases etc… A lot of problems disappear with soil-less gardening and I tend to only have to worry about is the tops of my plant.
    3 points
  19. Had some heavy rain today with flooding....went along the beach late afternoon from Pattaya Klang to Walking Street and only saw this tiny bit of wash out by Central....... Here's your sunset for tonight.......
    3 points
  20. A whizz around some of the town tonight,,18.30 till 19.30....... On of the R-Cons on the bend now open....... Beach Rd this place has gone full circle and has a band as it had when it was ''we are the world''...lol.... Few sundowners about....... Update on the ''Siren'' beer bar complex......none...... Into a dark Walking Street.........
    3 points
  21. 2 points
  22. Well done Blue Streak .....great way to bring up your Nelson 1111 likes etc .............. cricket fans will understand.
    2 points
  23. Sweden Has Become the World’s Cautionary Tale Its decision to carry on in the face of the pandemic has yielded a surge of deaths without sparing its economy from damage — a red flag as the United States and Britain move to lift lockdowns. Sweden largely avoided imposing prohibitions. The government allowed restaurants, gyms, shops, playgrounds and most schools to remain open.Credit...Johan Nilsson/EPA, via Shutterstock By Peter S. Goodman Published July 7, 2020 Updated July 8, 2020, 8:56 a.m. ET LONDON — Ever since the coronavirus emerged in Europe, Sweden has captured international attention by conducting an unorthodox, open-air experiment. It has allowed the world to examine what happens in a pandemic when a government allows life to carry on largely unhindered. This is what has happened: Not only have thousands more people died than in neighboring countries that imposed lockdowns, but Sweden’s economy has fared little better. “They literally gained nothing,” said Jacob F. Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “It’s a self-inflicted wound, and they have no economic gains.” (READ MORE)
    2 points
  24. This in Hillingdon https://www.ft.com/content/a2cb944b-6f81-4f51-9e65-5d9aa4bb44c6
    2 points
  25. Braved the weather. Just got set up in the rain.
    2 points
  26. 2 points
  27. First meal out for some time - note the afterthought of the part eaten garlic bread 🤣
    2 points
  28. Wait Months and get 7 overs. Have to play the highlights in slow motion to fill an hour on BBC 2 tonight.
    2 points
  29. Great reply Grayray, made me smile . . . And nope, I'm not one of those blokes that fall in love. Never been anywhere close to doing that with a bargirl. Like, ogle, fondle, fancy, f**k, lust after - all a big yes. Love - not a chance. Of course we only lose our turn in the queue and I think it's hilarious what you did. Going back a few years I must admit I got up to similar antics. Like one night in Hua Hin there were 3 of us on a 10-day stint. We always tried to spice things up, make it a laugh, so one night one of the guys issued a challenge. He bet we couldn't find 2 girls that we could "swap", i.e. I screw one, other mate screw the other, then immediately swap over and screw each others. If we succeeded he'd cover the barfines, what we paid the girls and an extra tip for the girls for going along with it. He gave us an hour to find the 2 girls. I thought for a millisecond and accepted. The other mate was a bit hesitant, but I told him I know just who to go to, so the bet was on. We were in Soi Bintabaht, which is the square block of bars in the centre of Hua Hin. The 3 of us were drinking in a bar called Moonlight. I just knew which girl to go to, in a bar on the opposite side of the square, so my mate started the stop-watch and off I went. I'd known this girl for ages in this other bar, but never been with her. She was reasonably pretty, not one I would normally choose and I'd never barfined her, despite her attempts to persuade me. I knew she'd be up for it - and she was. I told her the bet, told her there'd be some good money in it for her and to choose a nice mate, whether working in her bar or elsewhere. Her best mate worked in the next door bar, she went there and came back 2 minutes later with a big smile on her face and the other girl. I bought them both a drink, paid the barfines and was back with my mates within 20 minutes. Back at the hotel it worked perfectly, as this other mate and I had adjoining rooms and therefore an adjoining door. Nothing spectacular about the bedroom activities, but we did it, changing over via the adjoining door after about 30 minutes. The mate who set the bet was sitting outside on my balcony having a couple of beers. Great fun, my mate paid up and the girls were happy. They had fun too and walked away with 5,000 baht each, all paid for by our mate. Every time I've been in this girl's bar since it's mentioned and she always offers a re-run.
    2 points
  30. I haven't read any posts in this thread since I saw your post .. I seriously doubt they did anything ....................................... nothing! Almost all guys in bars are all talk and no action ... to busy sitting there talking tough and nursing a half empty beer ...
    2 points
  31. I do all mine same day Jambo here in Korat, i'm at the bank first thing and then straight over to the IO where i have to say i don't get any problems, i think in the main here in Korat the IO are a pretty good bunch but having said that they did stitch my mate up last year, they just took advantage of an elderly farang who would'nt challenge them. As for using an agent mate i would'nt unless i could'nt comply with the rules but thats me, each to their own.
    2 points
  32. They always give me the bill AFTER i pay but i insist on the bill before as i've got used to their Dick Turpin ways. Your crown experience reminds me of another Thai private hospital (Bangkok Hospital Korat) dental practice where i also had two crowns fitted one costing 5K and a year later i was quoted 9K for another. When i informed the dentist that she charged me 5K a year earlier she replied ok this one will also be 5K WTF, needless to say once it was fitted i've never been back. Just yesterday i went to my regular private hospital (Rim Living) where i have an excellent English speaking doc who is pretty much like our own GP's and i trust the guy hence why i have been going there for a number of years. He prescribed me some antihistamine tabs for a month, when i got to the pharmacy and cashier they informed me they only had 10 tabs at a cost of 550BHT and they advised me to get the remaining 20 at a local pharmacy, they did say they would be cheaper at a local pharmacy. Well this morning i found out exactly how much cheaper, wait for it 135BHT for 10 compared to their 550BHT for exactly the same manufacturer !!! Private hospitals IMO are just a big bunch of thieving cnuts, customer beware, shop around for your meds you have been warned.
    2 points
  33. Reservoir update time. A month since the last update and water levels are much improved. A few pics of Mabprachan Reservoir. Some very high weeds now on the north end of the reservoir. Once the reservoir fills and the weeds die and decompose, there's a good chance the low oxygen levels that creates may kill off what remains of the fish population.
    2 points
  34. Driving a black Mercedes definitely makes a statement...
    2 points
  35. I had left over chicken curry from the slow cooker previously, so I cooked up some fresh veg and poured it over.
    2 points
  36. The death toll is unclear. For example the Irish govt has said the death toll there is now around 1200 and not the 1700 recorded. That's because when the outbreak began they were registering most deaths as covid. I wonder how many countries have done the same.
    2 points
  37. I guess I've been fortunate. I always go get the bank letter the day before. I bring all the forms and copies printed and signed. The most that ever happens is that they add something like an acknowledgement of the penalties for overstay for me to sign, and I'm generally in and out in under 30 minutes. It helps that my medical emergency fund is well over 800K and is always there, untouched for years. I do route my incoming spending money through that account so they can see activity on the account.
    2 points
  38. Hi Jambo, My advice is use an Agent. The good ones can by-pass all sorts of crap you might encounter. Sure, it'll cost some baht, but the time and hassle it can save it's well worth it. I believe I pm'd you the contact details of the Agent I used to get my retirement visa last October. They did brilliantly. All I had to do was go into the Bangkok Bank near the immigration office with one of the Agent's staff, then walking past all the queues at Immigration to an office, two minutes to take a pic and I was out of there. If I recall I pm'd you my Agent's details . . . I'm still in UK with my retirement visa expiring end of October. Due to the travel restrictions it's looking unlikely it'll be possible to return before then. I've emailed them, they replied saying "no problem if you can't get back because of travel restrictions, we'll just get you a new one when you can return". Good luck, whichever you decide to do.
    2 points
  39. Egg, you were in the news today mate.. as a bit of a promo, hope it helps
    2 points
  40. Hi everyone. It’s been a good 4 days so far. Every night been well worth opening. Sorry I’m not a great photo, taker but here’s one from Saturday night. Don’t nag me about social distancing, it’s a bar, we have fun. Anyway, pop on down, all this month “minus the virus” all drinks, including lady drinks, 19฿ off
    2 points
  41. Have to wonder if that was a "farang tax" and not applicable if it was a Thai getting their teeth worked on. Would you have even received a bill after paying without asking for it? I just had two crowns put in. First visit was 1,450B for cleaning and xrays. Then had to wait until after June 1 for easing of restrictions so they could grind down two teeth and get fitted for the crowns. Cost was 14,000B. Both visits I was told the amount due with no offer of showing or giving me a receipt before or after payment, so don't know if there was a Covid surcharge, but I doubt there was. I also expect if I had asked they would have given me an invoice, but as the costs were what I expected I didn't bother. Still, standard practice should be to present a paper invoice without having to ask, and before collection of the amount due. But TIT.
    2 points
  42. I can imagine some weeks ago somebody important from the UK - the ambassador to Thailand, maybe - will have approached the Thai government and proposed that the UK would let travelers from Thailand enter without quarantine in exchange for Thailand giving free access to British travelers. At this point, the entire Thai cabinet fell onto the carpet, rolling around with laughter, leading to a major loss of face for said ambassador who demanded revenge for the sake of his honour by banning Thailand from the air bridge plan.
    2 points
  43. Chappelle is great. The Rick James stuff back in the day(RIP to Rick and Charlie Murphy) still has me in stitches
    1 point
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