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wow. what a long post. first things first, the thai banking sector is involved in an awful lot more than somchais house and car where, yes, they are often doing what banks i the US and Uk did before the last crash and lending MORE THAN THE SALES PRICE.. what they lend against is the actual valuation of the property, ( sorry thats a fact) and there is a strict procedure to properly value property here. ( ask Tony at magna). the end result is that they have a half decent loan to value on new mortgages, but based on true value and not sellers marked down price. so i fact its not quite the same as the failed US crap credit loans that took down institutions there. also buyers have to qualify for a loan which in the crap credit era in the US .. they didnt. to re possession. followig the debalce of the last crash HERE, banking laws were amended so that property could t be sold by by sa bank for less than , i think, 85 or 90% of outstsanding balance. that was done to stop abc company going tits, then starting again as xyz but buying their previous asset for 10 or 20% of their previous loan. A million baht PER ACCOUNT is low, yes. so spread your assets. the SINGLE issue of a bent employee rippig expats off from within the bank, which means there was more than one for it to work IS being investigated and court cases are pending, with many already compensated. those uncompensated had lesser docuementation to prove their being defrauded. in the grand scheme of things, the amout is negligible, but for the account holders, its a lot. banks here have insurance against fraud and we think its the insurance that is playing hardball there isnt one mainstream thai bank that is currently in any form of difficulty. not because of inflated balance sheets (check credit acceptance USA) but because they have income spread across the board here. write offs are deducted annualy on the whole the banking is pretty good and certaily soild. plus if i trnsfer 100 baht to somene, they have it there and then. in the UK Baas is three days and doesnt work weekends. conclusion: banks here are no more or less strong than those in the west, all have taken their toll with covid . thai banks are often owned by people who will simply not allow them to fail ( o names pls) and in the ful knowldege that if they were to fail it would cause potential anarchy. also no media comany is trying to destroy them, as they unrightly did to the U building society simply with bad reporting, as was the case with Woolworth Europe, which wasnt insolvent either

Loaded fries from Taco Bell

- In the mid 90s I loved Happy Hour in HJBs the downstairs bar in the Amari Watergate. It was fucking rocking at 5pm and at BOGOF prices it was cheaper than most places. - I lived on Soi Rangnam at the time and my "local" was the Isaan bar run by Doug and Yim.. The man was fucking bonkers but FAF!! I also met Trink in there and some bloke called Ed Moses... - Also the beer chang "happy 4 hours" upstairs in NEP - 4pm till 8pm All the beer chang you can drink for 100 baht (brown bottle looney juice). Full of cheap charlie low lifes, which is why I fitted in perfectly...

An attempt at Green curry with Tofu🙂. Need to fry the Tofu more brown for a better texture. Tasted OK.

Fish 40 baht from Big C already prepared and chips from Makro via the air fryer. Doesn't look like much but was lovely.

As this is an existing thread, I’ll update it with a brief report on Singapore airlines. overall the experience was very good, we travelled economy on this one, but I was very impressed.the A380 econ seating is 3-4-3 on the lower deck, with average legroom and comfortable seats, although it is not easy to find the correct position for a sleep I found. There are no IFE boxes under any of the seats so foot room is unrestricted. masks are mandatory, and a cleaning kit is supplied along with headphones. we travelled on the busiest day of the year , only to be met with a poorly signed diversion at Heathrow. We left late as the cabin crew were stuck in traffic!! IFE interface is good, decent selection of films and tv shows, along with some nice touches on the seat such as a mirror integrated into the tray table, multi option plugs at the rear of the seat in front of you, USB ports for charging / data transfer and a good and very accurate flight plan. food was excellent, 2 choices of chicken or prawns , good portions served 2 hours into the flight with breakfast of eggs or chicken served 4 hours prior to landing. Snacks and drinks available throughout, and Cabin crew were very easy on the eye as well as being very quick and attentive. the SIN-MNL A350 was largely similar to the A380 but with smaller overhead cabins and a slightly different IFE interface. on arrival in Manila, I was given a one year visa, which is par for the course if you ask nicely and tell the immigration officer you’re married to a Filipina. It is discretionary. Economy seating, can be a bit tight if you’re a big lad. Or lady. Terminal 2 before ensuing chaos. Our A388 1 year visa.

Today's soi 15 expedition from rear of Avenue mall to gate to temple

There are so many examples over the years to show how corrupt the Thai Banks and the 'banking management processes' have become this century. The most recent example being that despite all the evidence to show that customers were ripped off by an employee of a Thai bank (mainly Expats), the police have still not charged anyone - and the Govt is showing no inclination to start an investigation into Thai banking practices. Seems that a Thai employee of a bank stealing customer's money while working in the Thai bank (with other employees) is somehow not the responsibility of the Thai bank. This is just one example of what happens in a corrupted and unmanaged system where there is no accountability and the extremely wealthy and powerful are not at all interested in anything but making more wealth. Banking practices that in the West are outlawed and controlled, have been running rampant in Thailand for decades. One example is the 'book value' of assets held against loans in Thailand - in both the commercial and residential markets. Unlike in the west where there are strict formulae and policies, in Thailand a bank can loan money to Somchai to buy his new Ute, and Promchai to buy his new house, and the Hisochai Family to build their latest Condominiums in Bangkok. The Thai banks holdsthe monetary value of the Ute and the House and the Condominiums at their 'agreed' value .... forever, or until the loan is payed. That is why so many Thais living in poor villages have a brand new Ute, even when they cannot pay back the loan - the bank takes their land and values it massively over its true value. That is why so many Thai houses and units are vacant and for sale, but are not being sold at 'true value', but are advertised at the bank's book value and they refuse to drop the price. That is why so many commercial properties are not completed but are never torn down and the land sold off to recoup the lost loan money. This banking practice is rampant across all forms of bank loans in Thailand, and it is the reason why they very very rarely foreclose on bad loans, and is also why they continue to give out loans. When this banking practice that is rampant in Thailand was 'allowed' in the West, it ended up with billions of dollars of 'bad loans' being provided to poor people in USA who obviously could not pay the loans - with the resultant housing asset values being leveraged way too far,. The GFC of 2008/2009 occurred because of this and IMO the Thailand banking system is currently just like the situation before the GFC. The Thai banks balance sheets are massively corrupted and vastly over-valued - it is just a matter of time before they collapse. There is a reason why so many Finance Ministers have resigned since the Junta took over - they dont want to be the one left holding the bag. For those that dont remember, in the late 90s the Thai Banks were in serious trouble and the Thai currency crashed - and they got away with it back then (just). It is because of the reality of the Thai banking practices, that when the GFC hit in 2008, the Thai Govt implemented the Deposit Protection Institution Act which provided a full-coverage protection of 100 million Baht per depositor per financial institution. That was reduced to 50 million Baht in 2012 when things worldwide had returned to near normal. Since the Junta took over that amount of bank guarantee was firstly reduced to 15 million Baht in 2016, and it has been slowly reduced each year or two since then to its current amount of 1 million Baht. There is a reason that guarantee has been reduced so drastically IMO - the reality is that the Thai banks' asset values on their books are actually worth far far less than what they claim, and they have leveraged them way too far. IMO the main reason the Junta pursued the Chinese tourist market and the massive infrastructure building projects, which Chinese Govt supported as they were going to get most of the business, was because of the potential collapse of the Thai banking system. The Junta is not only desperate for the tourism industry to come back for jobs and the economy, it is also desperate to keep the banking system afloat, and they are running out of money. The Junta has put a hold on many infrastructure projects because of the Covid Pandemic, and they are desperate for those projects to re-start. But it is clear that the Chinese Govt has put a hold on all the massive infrastructure projects that were massively corrupted and uneconomic (as evidenced by the real estate collapses), and it is unlikely they will be so supportive of Thailand's needs in the near future. With their current clampdowns and tourism bans it is likely that China will be holding back for at least 2022 and maybe even most/all of 2023. Without the money circulation from massive tourism and infrastructure projects, the Thai banking system is exposed - and the longer that happens, the more likely it is to collapse. The covid pandemic social and economic sanctions are starting to recede in the world, and when things start to ramp back up again the world's currency flows will gravitate towards those economies that are growing and are secure. The Thai Baht has been dropping for most of this year and will likely continue to do so for some time yet. The Thai banking system is IMO close to the edge - if things dont change and improve by 2023, it may well collapse. I never will have more than the 1 million Baht in any bank in Thailand - and if they scrap the guarantee completely - I will only ever hold enough money in Thailand for month to month expenses. IMO the complete removal of the bank guarantee will probably be a trigger/signpost that the collapse is about to happen (or is happening).

Lovebirds - Manila (Ermita 1987) Black Out - Manila (Ermita 1987) Insomnia - Angeles Hong Kong Brew House - Hong Kong (now closed) Felix Bar - Peninsular Hotel Hong Kong Blue Note - Subic (1990) Hotel California - Olongapo (1990) Capt'n Greggs - Sabang Philippines (burnt down recently - no update if being rebuilt) Harley Bar - Barrio Barretto (1990 till now) Midnight Rambler - Barrio Barretto (1990) Rockhouse - Pattaya Bar 5 - Saigon Maverick City Angeles - 1990

Secrets. Livingstones Bangkok Soi 33 back in the day Maggies Bar Beijing Rockhouse. Soi LK Butterfly Bar Soi 6 Matrix Brawn Angeles King Kong Soi 6 Lovely Corner Pattaya Beach Road Babydolls when Ricky and Miserable Old Paul were in there Number 10 has to be Le Pub I guess .....

1) Rouges Sports Bar, corner of P Burgos and Makati Avenue, cheap San Miguel, nice girls, always some side hustling going on... 2) Three Owls, Gibraltar (upstairs at "The Nest"), but believe the owner passed away a few years ago... the only proper pool table in Gib... 3) Hotel bar at Tyre Resthouse, our usual R&R hangout spot in Lebanon.

In 74/75 I was based in Gillingham, Kent. The local pub was The Star and it sold Courage Best. I thought that it was too sweet and nutty so stuck a small brown with it..... and there my journey towards drinking Whitbread Forest brown ale began !!!

I fly SQ all the time ,until covid it, as I live here.Made a mistake of flying BA once.Shower of shite. They are using the A350 now for London. I flew to London just before COVID hit .For business class the seat is huge width wise. However when you make it into the bed the foot area is tiny and at an angle. Very weird and not so comfortable. Your flat but not straight . Overall still the best airline by miles.Changi airport also fantastic. Im going to london in a few weeks ,looking forward to getting on a plane again. Enjoy your flight with SQ

Favorite bar Pattaya......The Shamrock Bar, located directly across from the old Penthouse Hotel and just a few doors down from The Classroom. Probably a good 50% of my holiday drinking scratch when in Pattaya has gone into the till at this bar. Terry, the owner, has been around since 1985, and at nearly 80 years old, still going strong. A great spot for meeting up with fellow travelers and expats. The Sunday drinking sessions I've had there have been legendary. Favorite bar Kenya......Cheers, located on the Mombasa-Malindi highway, a few hundred yards in from the ocean. A 24 hour place, been converted by the new owner to have a stage for live bands and other events. Gorgeous staff who are willing to meet you either after their shift or on their day off. The various independent contractors gather to seek out a potential companion and aren't shy about making the first move, but they do so in such a lady-like manner, you can't help but be taken in with their charms. The bottles of Tusker, served in a 500 ml sized bottle, were 300 shillings on my last visit, roughly $2.75, the most expensive priced beers I usually get. Most other pubs are closer to 220-240 shillings. Favorite bar New Orleans......The Tropical Isle on Bourbon St, in the heart of the French Quarter, this place is a gem with live blues everyday by local musicians. Always a enthusiastic staff, a great mix of tourists and they serve a few tropical tasting drinks, such as their signature drink, the Hand Grenade or another called the Horny Gator, guaranteed to knock your d**k in the dirt if you're not careful. Of all the bars on Bourbon St, this has always been a regular stop before venturing off to the bars that line the side streets with cheaper prices, and where the locals go. Great idea for a thread, Glass!

Wetherspoons Bracknell

1: Secrets: (had one or two barfines out of there) 2: Le Pub: have had some cracking sessions there with the lads over the years 3: Time Bar: the manager Apple is a friend of mine and have had some wild nights there All Pattata pubs...lol

What a catch by Rayudu. Stunning, and he's no youngster.

Butcher's sausages cooked to perfection with veg and beans.

Hi to everyone, I am planning a trip to Thailand and I have registered to the forum to read some info and also to contribute myself when I have something useful to share about my future first person experiences.

Hives can be a serious indicator. Not telling you what to do here, but if I was in that sort of misery I would definatly see and allergist. Could even be a life saver. Whatever you are reacting to, hives is not good. Allergies can build up in your system.... For a time it might be the hives, then one day it can hit your bronc tubes, even causing death.

Jesus, that is scary, especially not knowing how it happened. Nothing but the best going forward and keep us posted. Maybe a dumb question, did not know there are "morphine" tablets you can take per say? I will assume they have to be prescribed by a Doctor right?

Dube or not Dube...what an elegant knock...unlucky young man...superb from Uthappa as well

Gutted for him,has been on fire 🔥 Massive score to beat, should be a cracker. Dhoni playing his 200th IPL match. Man is a cricket legend.

Thought Dube was going to get the 100 with that last shot .. 555

There is space between the concrete slabs that makeup the road, and the wall/borders of adjacent properties. Whether this is to bury the cables is anyone's guess!

I've had the same experience, and I think it is because the money is being sent to Visa or Mastercard.

Wine served by the plastic glass, decent selection of red and white, but no rose. The CC serving were generous with it, I had a gin and tonic and a can of tiger on the go during lunch, followed by another tiger beer when the came round with more coffee.

Action at a closed Family Mart on Arunotai. Could be signs of a comeback?

Back in the day BJ's was my favourite in Pattaya. In BKK Jools was a great place when Kim Fletcher & Matty Swire had it.These days(at least when I was there last) I used to meet a mate in the Robin Hood on the corner of Suk & Soi 33a in BKK & that's probably my favourite now. When I was young my favourite local was the Halfway House in Rickmansworth,the Courage Best & Directors came straight out of barrels behind the bar and was to die for.I first went in there carol singing with our vicar aged about 15,so it's Gods fault that I'm a pisshead.It's still there but a shadow of its former self.

Not my job, This made me laugh. Years ago when the road down Soi Bongkot was built (GC clubs now, pirates etc) an electrical team installed the power poles, one right in the middle of the zig zag tarmac. After quite a few months, they removed it, but left a hole, which got steadily deeper over a few more months. The locals just put bigger and bigger tree branches in it.... It got filled in, eventually!

Rest means rest no bungy jumping trying out for the next olympics in gymnastics

https://www.instagram.com/smashstunts/

I've looked at Singapore Airlines from California and in economy, it states a 34" seat pitch, which is about as much leg room as you could ever hope for, especially when American carriers are pretty much 31" seat pitch, so those extra 3 inches really make a difference! Ah yes, I can hear the jokes now. But what would cause me to question booking with them is that I don't care how comfy the seats are, that flight for me is over 17 HOURS! And then the 2 and a half hour connecting flight to BKK. Longest I ever flew was 15 hours from Dubai to SF in 2020 and that was about my limit. By 13 hours, I was starting to get antsy to get off that sucker.

Secrets, Champagne and Tim's at their peak are probably 3 of my favourite Pattaya bar's, although there have been many regular one's I really loved.

Reminds me of once being on an Air New Zealand DC10 from LA to London and we were experiencing really bad clear air turbulence. I turned to my mate and said this was pretty scary and he remarked that he always wanted to die in a crowd!

Our UK members will understand....

Mid morning

SCB will never collapse..........

Boydeste's wet dream !

Not the main topic of the video but Assienda up for sale around 9 mins 40. Looking for circa 1 million Baht, so around £23k. Doesn't seem like much of a return for all the work he appears to have put into it- not an easy way to make money