If I'm going to be dirt poor, I'd rather be dirt poor in my home country. Which is Oz by the way.

Being a busted arse in a third world country is no good.

Everyone playing this Hi Lo game seems to lose loads of money. Who is winning it all? It has to go somewhere.

I don't think it's fair to compare him directly with Assange, who in my opinion is a narcissistic ----- who revealed actual secrets that put operatives in real danger. The charges he faces in Sweden aren't related to his Wikileaks activities, they relate to the fact that he has routinely treated wom...

I bought a decent car and taught the missus to drive. She doesn't like drinking and is happy to drop me off and pick me up. There is no real need to drink and drive. Some of it is straight arrogance.

OP's warning is timely IMHO. If it causes one person to stop and reconsider then nice work.

My wife wants to get a set of false teeth for her mother. We're not rich so don't want to spend a fortune. Anybody had a good experience with this? Anyone got a good recommendation where to go? There is a flee market in Amsterdam where they sell second hand false teeth. :D Sorry can't resist ... So...

Hi Martyn, the buses terrify me. If you fly the previous evening, TG isn't that expensive. We've stayed loads of times at Plai Garden. Really cheap (750bt) clean (basic) rooms and free (basic) breakfast and transfers (free if you book and pay in advance on line) to and from Swampy. It's 5 minutes aw...

What a good thread. I read too much Thai Visa where every topic seems to turn into a Thai bashing competition. I can see where some protection is handy but where does it stop? Personally I'd rather fend for myself than have the situation that has developed in Australia. 1% of people are fools so eve...

Like many of these stories, I'm having trouble feeling sorry for anyone here.

I always give them 300 anyway.

Tried all the gadgets but in the end cold turkey worked for me. I think the key is to develop a passionate hatred of the things, or rather a passionate hatred of how hooked you are. The first few days and weeks are tough but you get there if you want to. As per Jello though, one smoke is all it take...

Missus doesn't swear as a matter of routine but they are really open about going to the loo. If I was looking for her and couldn't find her she has no problem with, "Sorry honey, I was having a poo". Farts like a champion too. In a very beautiful, ladylike way of course.

Me three. The current airport is fine. It is rarely really busy, I've never been in a check in line of more than two or three people. Plenty of shops and they nearly all sell beer. The restaurant right down the end, outside separate from the terminal building, has great food cheap too.

I'm surprised at the number of posters who say their wife just puts up with it. Not mine. At Kasikorn Bank in Ban Dung someone tried to interrupt our teller and the missus gave it to her with both barrels. The teller tried to explain who she was but missus couldn't care less. Similar thing at the Ai...

"good bus company" is an oxymoron. We did the day trip once to see the sights. Ticked that box and never again. It was Air Udon direct from Ban Dung and as far as buses go I suppose it was ok. The best bus company is Thai Airways, or you can go cheaper on Air Asia's buses or Nok Air. Seriously, the ...

I'm struggling to feel sorry for anyone here.

A lesson learnt the hard way. AUD 9,000 hard.

I suppose his mate can just make him some more ...

As above, 8 to be safe. We recently picked someone up coming from Vientiane who got there about 7 am (on a Sunday mind you) and sat around for nearly an hour before there was anyone working in immigration on the Laos side. As for night time we've never gone over after dark.

Heheh...good one RW. Though forgive me, I skipped trying to read it, but I see what you did there. ;) KB That was ingenious Redwolf! I'd like to have some of whatever it is that you're poppin'...for real! thx gents, am running fuLL bore t0night on double helping of chicken flavor mama soup minus on...

Fair enough Mr Snowman. I suppose it's a bit Cormac McCarthy esque.

Bristol Boy, on with the story lad.

I passed out briefly from asphyxia as I'm used to taking a breath at punctuation marks.

That is one hell of a sentence though. And yes, what happened next?

9 pages and I believe the following have been missed ... You are still a farang if: You think 9 am is a bit too early for a beer You still can't understand the Thai soaps You still own some shirts that don't have the name of a bar on them You prefer your mangoes and paw paws (ok pappaya if you prefe...