Lawyers - A Necessary Evil

I have been involved in 2 car accidents in Pattaya, one might have been my fault, one was definitely not my fault. I won't bore you with the details but both accidents involved Thai motor cyclists and in both cases, the friendly, smiling police officer at the station tried to stitch me up. In the case of the accident that clearly was not my fault, (a motor cycle taxi driver whose taxi jacket was issued by a Pattaya policeman ran into the back of me in broad daylight), the attempted stitch up was the most blatant. Basically, because of the police connection, the officer at the station tried to get me to sign the Thai language accident report in the section normally signed by the 'guilty' party to admit liability. When that failed he tried various other tricks to get the taxi driver off the hook but fortunately with no success. My Thai wife was receiving guidance over the phone from her police officer brother-in-law in Bangkok. The bottom line is I received 10,000Baht from the taxi driver to cover damage estimated at 20,000baht and I have been told I was lucky. No, it didn't make me feel any better.

When it was too late to be of any use the family police connection told me the only way for a farang to get a fair deal when dealing with the police is to have a lawyer present. Only a lawyer will keep the police honest particularly when it's Thai v farang. Sad but true. So if you want fair treatment, you need to find a Thai lawyer who will be on-call. He may charge you a couple of thousand Baht to appear but he could save you much more if he gets you fair treatment and even better, full settlement for the damage caused to you or your vehicle. Best of luck.

Sierra Tangos

• Tornado A-Go-Go, Soi 6 - Opening early September 07

• Karaoke Wars, Soi Beokeow - Police Colonel Sutin, the Chief of Pattaya Police was one of many officers to respond to a serious fire which had taken hold of a Karaoke Bar located in Soi Beokeow just after daybreak on Thursday. We can confirm that no one was hurt in the blaze which was apparently caused by a dispute between two groups of Staff from the Dai-Eji Karaoke Bar and the New Boys Karaoke Bar located nearby. [via Pattaya City News] Ed. They were fighting over a single, female customer. Times must be hard.

• As part of efforts to turn Bangkok into the tourism capital of Asia, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's "Charming Bangkok" campaign will open two free tourist tramlines in Bangkok. The first, the Red Line, will open in the next two weeks, running only on weekends. The tram will start from Hualumphong subway station and go through China Town, Charoen-krung Road and return to Hualumphong. The second, Yellow Line, will launch in late October, running in the Rattanakosin Old Town area, starting from Wat Phra Kaew and ending at Tha Chang pier. [via Bangkokrecorder]

• Thailand, A Different Missionary Position - Are they trying to save them or convert them?

• With "3:10 to Yuma" riding in to cinema's next week it's time to honour the best of the west. See if you agree with this Top 15 list. Can't believe Open Range starring Costner and Duval isn't on the list. Okay, the start and end are too close for comfort to My Darling Clementine but the dialogue is quality throughout and the gun fight scene is as good and as realistic as any gun fight scene put on film. I promise you, you'll replay the fight scene over and over again, it's that good. Check it out.

• Produce Visio type diagrams right in your web browser with Best4c - Best4c looks like a solid (and cheap) solution to create network diagrams, floor plans and flowcharts. Creating a diagram is relatively intuitive with a drag and drop multi-paned interface with toolbars and tabs, and you can keep your diagram private or invite others to collaborate. Registration and signup are free.

• The perfect iTunes equaliser settings for MP3's - Rocker Merlin Mann's favorite iTunes MP3 equalizer settings, which he says give tracks a "nice pop," are as follows:

db +3, +6, +9, +7, +6, +5, +7, +9, +11, +8 db

• At 85 years of age, Morris married Lou Anne, a lovely 25 year old. Since her new husband is so old, Lou Anne decides that after their wedding she and Morris should have separate bedrooms, because she is concerned that her new but aged husband may overexert himself if they spend the entire night together. After the wedding festivities Lou Anne prepares herself for bed and the expected "knock" on the door. Sure enough the knock comes, the door opens and there is Morris, her 85 year old groom ready for action. They unite as one. All goes well, Morris takes leave of his bride, and she prepares to go to sleep. After a few minutes, Lou Anne hears another knock on her bedroom door, and it's Morris .and he is ready for more "action". Somewhat surprised, Lou Anne consents for more coupling. When the newlyweds are done, Morris kisses his bride, bids her a fond goodnight and leaves. She is set to go to sleep again, but, aha, you guessed it Morris is back again, rapping on the door, and is as fresh as a 25-year-old, ready for more "action". And, once again they enjoy each other, but as Morris gets ready to leave again, his young bride says to him, "I am thoroughly impressed that at your age you can perform so well and so often. I have been with guys less than a third of your age who were only good once. You are truly a great lover, Morris." Morris, somewhat embarrassed, turns to Lou Anne and says : "You mean I was here already ?" The moral of the story : Don't be afraid of getting old, Alzheimer's has its advantages.

• Don't Mess With Gran

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Tags: pattaya, pattaya-rag, pattaya-nightlife, Atlantic-Bar, u-too-bar, a-go-go

Hospitals - Show Me The Money

For a number of years I have had annual medicals at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (BPH) and I have always been satisfied with the service provided. They are a little too keen to prescribe expensive medication for even the most minor ailment but other than that, no complaints. In 2005, BPH identified a problem that they advised should be monitored with quarterly scans. In 2006, I thought I'd get a second opinion and had my annual medical at the Samitivej Hospital, Sriracha. The Samitivej advised that the condition identified by BPH was minor and regular scans were unnecessary. Ahah, thought I, got you. BPH's just been on the make. My 'got you, aren't I smart' moment was short lived. The Samitivej then went on to report a totally differing set of test results to BPH. Nothing about the above normal cholesterol reported by hospitals overseas and BPH. What Samitivej did identify for the first time ever was a high PSA count which indicated possible problems with my prostate. Just mention prostate and I'm prostrate. Before the gears of my brain had re-engaged, nursing staff had led me to a specialist for the 'fickle finger' test. A test which carried an additional charge. The proctologist told me I should return for a further 'finger' in early 2007, (3 months later), as he would be taking a well earned holiday in Canada not long after that. Well earned through me I thought. I left the Samitivej still in a daze and without any form of printed medical report, (something BPH is good at), and so no hard evidence of what was actually reported.

As soon as I got home and I went on the Internet to read up on my PSA results. It turns out that my score was well below the number deemed a cause for concern in the UK and USA. I then sat and wondered if the Samitivej could be mercenary enough to mess with my state of mind just to make money out of me. Unfortunately, I think the answer is yes. I'm now of the opinion that for a farang to get value for money from a Thai hospital he needs to be genuinely ill. At least then he will get what he's paying for. If you go in for a check up, for confirmation of good health, then you are viewed as nothing more than a credit card to fleece. Bit like taking your car to a mechanic back home. Apologies to all 'cowboys' of the mechanical persuasion residing in Pattaya. Sadly, as far as the medical profession goes, it appears that the Hippocratic Oath has become the Hypocrisy Oath, a.k.a. How Can We Make More Money Oath.

If you've received bad news from a check-up at a local hospital that requires you to have frequent tests, then I recommend you get a second opinion - but probably not from Samitivej. My next medical will be back at BPH so it will be interesting to see what they report. More later.

If you have a local hospital you are happy with, please let me know by e-mail or comment so I can pass it on.

Update - Just browsing the net before posting my blog and found this post on the Teak Door Forum by Luckydog:

Quote: If you get bad news and the suggestion that you have an expensive Operation or treatment from a Quack here in LOS. Don't let him touch you until you have had a second opinion at a different Hospital OK? A Urologist in Sri Racha said I had Prostate Cancer. TREATMENT: 25000bht to cut my balls off. 30000bht for an Injection every three months (for life) and 250bht for a daily pill. Second opinion....... The Urologist in Sirijit Queens Hospital in Sattahip did a 10000bht biopsy and said I was ok accept for a bit of Prostate inflamation which was cleared up with antibiotics. See what I mean ? Unquote

Sierra Tangos

• Want to try something different in Bangkok - Try an escort with a bod to die for. Her web site is here. Short time as in 2 hours, 5,000Baht.... I don't think I need bother about the 4hr, 10hr and 24hr rates. That said, there ain't nothing she won't do.

• Cherry Bar, Soi 8 - Staff birthday parties scheduled for 1st and 12th September 2007

• Suspected English drug dealer caught by Pattaya police - In the early hours of Wednesday Morning, Police Lieutenant Colonel Santi from Pattaya Police Station held a press con ference at the Special Investigation Unit to announce the arrest of a suspected English Drug Dealer. Mr. Michael Snell aged 48 from Bedworth in Warwickshire, England was arrested at the LV Mansions at the Soi 17 intersection on Pattaya Third Road as the result of an undercover operation whereby a Police Operative purchased a quantity of class 1 drugs from the suspect. Inside Room Number 517 Police found a total of 16 bags of Crystal Methamphetamine totaling 16.1g. Mr. Snell is now being questioned further but is now facing a charge of dealing in a class 1 drug which could lead to a substantial prison sentence if convicted in Court. [via Pattaya City News]

• At least it's not just farang bars that are being targeted - The daily checks on entertainment venues around Pattaya are continuing and we joined a group of Banglamung District Officials accompanied by Pattaya Police Officers as they checked a number of Karaoke Bars on Pattaya Third Road in the Central Pattaya area. 50 customers and employees of the bars were checked for drugs and 7 failed urine tests confirming they had recently ingested class 1 drugs. 4 of the bars checked were found not to possess licenses and were shut down. [via Pattaya City News]

• Videohybrid is essentially an illegal sharing ring for movies, TV, shows, anime, and cartoons. In some sense it is similar to Peekvid, except that they let users request videos. Registered users can then vote up requests in a Digg-like fashion, and the first person who fulfills the request earns all of the points it has racked up. So what kind of media has been scrounged up b y their users? Here’s the top ten most popular videos that they have successfully acquired in one way or another:

1. The Bourne Ultimatum
2. Hairspray
3. Ratatouille
4. Superbad
5. The Godfather
6. The Simpsons Movie
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
8. Rush Hour 3
9. Knocked Up
10. Transformers

Most of those videos, as you can probably tell, are still in the theaters. The recording quality isn’t great, but what’s more interesting is that they are available for those of you

who can’t wait for them to come out on video and don’t want to see them in the theater. Videohybrid also lets you download each movie’s associated files so that you can watch them at your own leisure on your computer. Most of them are are in the FLV file format, and you’ll need a specialized player such as GOM or VLC to play them.

It will be interesting to see how long this service survives since their WHOIS information says that they are located in the United States (Washington specifically). I have a feeling that the MPAA isn’t going to let this float by for too much longer. [via Cybernet]

• On August 15th it was determined that AllofMP3.com had operated within the bounds of Russian law and had not infringed on copyright law as accused. Of course the law in Russia is much different than in other countries, but in this case it really doesn’t matter. With the Russian government giving them the all-clear, AllofMP3.com have just announced on their blog that “service will be resumed in the foreseeable future.”

• An elderly gentleman went to the local drug store and handed the pharmacist a prescription for the little blue Viagra pill. The pharmacist asked "How many do you want?" The man replied, "Just a few, maybe a half dozen. I cut each one into four pieces." The pharmacist said, "That's too small a dose. That won't even get you through intimacy". The old fellow said, "Oh, I'm past eighty years old and I don't even think about intimacy anymore. I just want it to stick out far enough so I don't pee on my new golf shoes".

• I'm sure that's Burnley Roy's wife. He always said she was special.....

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Tags: pattaya, pattaya-rag, pattaya-nightlife, Atlantic-Bar, u-too-bar, a-go-go

District Officials & Police Check Soi 6 Bars

On Monday Night and as part of the continuing Low Season Bar Crackdown here in Pattaya, Banglamung District Licensing Officers accompanied by Pattaya Police and Civil Volunteers conducted a check on bars in Soi Yodsak, a location well known for its bars aimed at the Foreign Market. On this night, a total of 30 bars were checked and urine tests of employees were made. At the end of the operation, 5 of the bars were found to have incorrect or no licenses and were closed down and 100 employees consisting of women and transsexuals were checked and 20 failed urine tests confirming the presence of met-amphetamine in their systems. They were taken to Pattaya Police Station for further processing and reports of the licensing irregularities were given to the Banglamung District Chief for further consideration. [via Pattaya City News]

Sierra Tangos

• Thai police arrest serial rapist of women, cows, banana trees - Thai police arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of being a serial rapists of women, cows and banana trees, media reports said Tuesday. There were several warrants out for Ekkarat's arrest on rape charges and numerous complaints from irate farmers that he had assaulted their cows and banana trees. A 5,000 baht (147 dollars) reward was offered for his arrest. Asked why he assaulted cows, Ekkarat reportedly answered, "Anyone who has had sex with a cow knows there is nothing odd about it at all." [via Earthtimes] Ed. You can't make this shit up. How long before we have a bar in Pattaya offering cows?.....

• The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok is pleased to inform you of upcoming Embassy consular visits to Pattaya. Please mark your calendars! Consular staff will be available to provide consular services on Friday, September 21, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Pattaya at the Dusit Resort Pattaya in the Dusit 2 Meeting Room. The hotel is at 240/2 Pattaya Beach Rd, Pattaya City, Chonburi. Their contact telephone number is: 038-425-611 up to 7). The following consular services will be available during our outreach visits:
  • Passport renewal applications ($67.00 or Baht 2546 for adult passports, and $82 or Baht 3116 for a child’s passport)
  • Notarial Services and Certified Copies ($30.00 or Baht 1140)
  • Absentee ballot application and voting abroad information
  • Social security, VA or other federal benefits question will be limited, but we will try to provide forms and answers

If you have any questions, please e-mail: acsbkk@state.gov or call the American Citizen Services Unit at: 02-205-4049.

• Undecided about taking a trip to Angeles - maybe this will help you make up your mind

• Foxit Reader, a better PDF reader than Adobe Acrobat Reader just got an update! Foxit Reader 2.1 is one of those free programs that I always have on my computer. It beats Acrobat Reader hands down in terms of startup speed (without using a pre-launcher), and has many of the same features. As expected, Foxit 2.1 added a bunch of new things that make this free PDF reader even more powerful. It is functionality that the majority of us will never use, e.g. Form Designer, Measure Tools, Image Tool, Link Tools, Loupe Tool, File Attachment Tool, Annotation Selection Tool, Reading History, E-mail PDF. Full details of these new features can be found here.

If you download the ZIP version of the Foxit PDF Reader there is no installation required to use it. That’s one of the best things with this free app…You can put it on a USB drive and carry it with you anywhere.

Tip: You can remove the Foxit ad located in the upper-right corner of the program in a few simple steps.

• Sean Connery was interviewed by Michael Parkinson and bragged that, despite being 72 years of age, he could still have sex 3 times a night. Cilla Black, who was also a guest, looked int rigued. After the show, Cilla said, "Sean, if I'm not bein' too forward, I'd luv to 'ave sex with yer, let's go back to my 'ouse, we could 'ave a lorra fun." So they went back to her place. After a co uple of drinks they went off to bed and had an hour of mad passionate sex together. Afterwards, Sean says, "If you think that was good, let me shleep for half an hour, and we can have better shex. But while I'm shleeping, hold my bawls in your left hand and ma wullie in your right hand". Cilla looks a bit perplexed, but says "Okay". He sleeps for half an hour, awakens, and they have even better sex than before. Then Sean says, "Cilla, that was wonderful. But if you let me shleep for an hour, we can have the besht shex yet. You'll have to...... "I know Sean. Yer want me to 'old onto yer bat 'n balls again. No problem hun". Cilla complies with the routine. Again, the results are absolutely mind blowing. Once it's all over, they have a drink. Sean lights a cigarette and Cilla asks "Sean, tell me, this 'oldin yer balls in one hand and yer Willie in the other does it really stimulate yer that much?" Sean replies, "No, not at all Cilla but the last time I shlept with a scouser, she stole ma wallet.

• One of my kids favourites - It'll never be the same again.........
  

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Tags: pattaya, pattaya-rag, pattaya-nightlife, Atlantic-Bar, u-too-bar, a-go-go

Bikes & Insurance

A thread was started on a Pattaya forum about the things farangs dislike about living in Pattaya. The most frequently mooted dislike was motorcycle riders and surprisingly Thais weren't singled out on this one, the dislike covered bike riders of all nationalities. The reason being I suspect is Thai's don't know any better, no lessons, no tests but farangs do, yet they still dumb down to Thai standards when on the highways and byways of Pattaya. Overtaking on the inside, driving on the wrong side of the road, ignoring traffic lights, you name it, bikers of all nationalities do it. You don't have to live here long to share in the frustration felt by the forum posters.

My personal take on the subject is it is time for bikers to contribute to the cost of the carnage they cause on a daily basis around Pattaya. As it stands, all repairs from accidents involving bikes and cars seem to be paid for by the car owners insurer, even when the bike driver is at fault. I believe this is because the 'compulsory' insurance required by bikers covers personal injury and not vehicle repairs, (I think). The upshot is car owners have to pay higher premiums to cover repairs to both vehicles. When you consider a large percentage of accidents in Pattaya involve bikes, (I only have only media reports to back up this claim), then it's about time something was done so that bikers pay their share and stop being subsidised by car drivers.

Sierra Tangos

• The Prime Minister and the Election Commission agreed Monday to hold the next election on December 23. This will mean that Saturday the 22 December will be a dry day, Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 December will be Bank Holidays

• The Nation is running an article on how both country and educated Thai girls are turning to Dating Agencies to find farang husbands. One of the agencies named is Miss Sweet Singles and they certainly appear to have a stable of runners. Have to say I hadn't realised so many Thai girls reached their thirties without having either husbands or kids. Surprising that.....

• Buffalo Bar have posted photos from their recent 10th Anniversary Party on their web site. I've shown a few below as a 'taster' but you can find the full album here

• Little Tony On Grammar

Little Tony was sitting in class one day. All of a sudden, he needed to go to the bathroom. He yelled out, "Miss Jones, I need to take a piss!!" The teacher replied, "Now, Tony, that is NOT the proper word to use in this situation. The correct word you want to use is 'urinate. Please use the word 'ur-i-nate' in a sentence correctly, and I will allow you to go". Little Tony, thinks for a bit, and then says, "You're an eight, but if you had bigger tits, you'd be a TEN!"

• Little Tony On Grammar (Part 2)

One day, during lessons on proper grammar, the teacher asked for a show of hands from those who could use the word 'beautiful' in the same sentence twice. First, she called! on little Suzie, who responded with, 'My father bought my mother a beautiful dress and she looked beautiful in it.' Very good, Suzie,' replied the teacher. She then called on little Michael. My mommy planned a beautiful banquet and it turned out beautifully.' She said, 'Excellent, Michael!' Then the teacher reluctantly called on little TONY.Last night at the dinner table, my sister told my father that she was pregnant, and he said 'Beautiful, just fucking beautiful!''

• Little Tony On Getting Older

Little TONY was sitting on a park bench munching on one candy bar after another. After the 6th one a man on the bench across from him said, 'Son you know eating all that candy isn't good for you. It will give you acne,rot your teeth, and make you fat.' Little TONY replied, 'My grandfather lived to be 107 years old.' The man asked, 'Did your grand father eat 6 candy bars at a time?' Little TONY answered, 'No, he minded his own fucking business.

• Today's vid is all about feet that are too slow. You'll see what I mean.
  

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Tags: pattaya, pattaya-rag, pattaya-nightlife, Atlantic-Bar, u-too-bar, a-go-go

Thai Musketeers

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