Gaybutton

The holiday, Makha Bucha Day, which is a major Buddhist holiday, actually falls on Sunday, February 28. Since the holiday falls on a Sunday, the banks, government offices, and many businesses will be closed on Monday, March 1. I have not yet heard whether the bars will also close or, if they do close, whether it will be Sunday, Monday, or both. Last year it was left up to the individual bars to close or remain open for this holiday, their choice. Whether it will be the same this year remains to be seen. Usually, when bars are ordered to be closed, they are not officially informed until about 24 hours before. This is a Buddhist holiday. It has nothing to do with the Thaksin case.

As you probably know, today is the long anticipated day in which the Thai Supreme Court renders its decision as to whether Thaksin gets to keep all of his money, part of his money, or if he has to forfeit all of it. The total amount is 76,621,603,061.05 baht. At current exchange rates that works out to about US $2,321,866,759. At the moment it is about 3:30PM. The verdict is in the process of being read and it will probably be a few hours before the outcome is known. Meanwhile, despite all the media hype, warnings from embassies, etc, in Pattaya, at least, it's just another ordinary day. Unless you are watching it on TV or otherwise keeping up with it, you wouldn't have any idea that anything is going on. Everything is functioning normally. The banks are all open. There are no visible rallies that I've encountered. Traffic is normal. The stores are all open and fully stocked. Nobody seems the least bit apprehensive. Not a thing to worry about . . . so far.

Everything I've heard about Assumption tells me that's the best university in Thailand.

The area is at the junction of Sukhumvit and Soi Khao Tolo. Yes, the white buses can take you there. If you are coming from Thepprasit Road, go to Sukhumvit. Turn left onto Sukhumvit an then make an immediate right at the traffic signal. That's Soi Khao Tolo and that's the place. Believe me, if they are out there, you won't miss it.

A copy of the lawsuit document can be seen at: http://safekids.com/robbins17.pdf

Everybody seems to be trying to predict what will happen, no matter how the court rules. The Thai media is having a field day with it. The real doom-and-gloomers are predicting everything from protesters blocking traffic literally everywhere to the entire Thai banking system being forced to shut down. You know what I think will happen? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I do think there will be protest rallies, including right here in Pattaya, but I don't believe for one second there will be rioting in the streets, government and banking forced to shut down, mass violence, or anything of the sort. In Pattaya, and probably most of Bangkok, I think it will be a perfectly normal day with most people going about their business as usual. I'm sure it will be widely discussed and argued by Thais and farang alike, but I believe all the media hype will turn out to be just that, hype. I really don't expect to see new attempts at airport takeovers, government building takeovers, massive traffic jams, assassination attempts, a breakout of civil war, soldiers moving in, martial law, or any major drastic disruptive activity at all. I hope, for Thailand's sake, I won't have to eat my words. I believe the next 24 to 48 hours will tell the tale.

Pattaya HotMale

You can bow out if you want to, but I wasn't even referring to your post. Snarky? Moi? Don't blame the other moderators. The only snarky one was me. I'll have to take your word for it that my comments were snarky. After all, you're the expert on those kinds of comments . . .

Ok, I thought I bought smoked bacon, but you know much more about these things than I do, so I defer to you. Next time I'll ask specifically for smoked bacon and see how I like it. All of what is sold at Mr. Moo and AKA beats hell out of anything I've ever tried from the grocery stores and I definitely have no complaints if it's less expensive. And even more important, it sure is gooooooood!

Thank you for posting that. There goes my shortcut . . .

Here's some more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3rtHfoCKi4 And here (many more videos and statements): http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/education/022410_Harriton_High_School_Assistant_Principal_Statement In one of the videos the student brought out that nobody has accused the assistant principal of having anything to do with activating the web cam, but obviously somebody did and the resulting photo was used in disciplinary action against him. Some answers that would interest me are why was the web cam activated in the first place? When the web cams are activated, the school is saying that they only take a photo. How is that done? Is the web cam activated and then instant takes a photo and then deactivated or does someone sit there watching until they have what they need for the photo? How do they know that they won't inadvertently catch someone in a compromising position or embarrassing moment? By the school's own admission, there have been 42 times when their web cams were remotely activated. If they're searching for stolen computer, how do they know whether the computer they wish to search is even turned on? If, as the school district claims, the use of the photos is for the sole purpose of trying to find a missing computer, then why was this boy even called into the assistant principal's office at all? The school district admits they didn't inform students or parents that they even have this capability. Why didn't they? If they activated the system 42 times, when will it be made pubic whose computers were activated and what was seen on the photos in those cases?

Accused assistant principal speaks out: http://www.kyw1060.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4420623

You might as well forget it. Some people just insist on trying to prove themselves right about the correct term to use. I don't understand it either. Who cares what it's called? It's what you can do that counts, not what term to use for what you're doing. It would seem to me that the common sense approach is to walk into either Bangkok Bank or Bank of Ayudhya with your debit card and passport in hand, go to a teller, withdraw the money you want, and see if you too are charged only $3. After your money is in your wallet, that's when to worry about whether to call it a cash advance, a cash withdrawal, or whatever the hell else sounds like a really great term to use.

I don't see what difference it makes what it's called. The point is that people are trying to find ways to cut back on ATM fees. Lvdkeyes takes his ATM debit card to the banks he mentioned and is not charged those fees when he withdraws money from his account via a bank teller instead of using an ATM. He's been trying to point out that everyone else who uses a foreign debit card can probably do the same thing. Whether it's called a cash advance or something else, it seems to me that is irrelevant. No matter what the correct term may be, if you withdraw money the same way he does, you can save a bundle.

Yes.

"You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. But you can't fool all of the people all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln

Sheeeeesh! I'm not sure what the weight was, but the packet I bought at AKA had about 12 slices of bacon. You know how much I paid? 46 baht! The price was similarly low at Mr. Moo. I think I'll stick to buying at those two places . . .

The operative word is "should." Also, quite often when I read articles about these arrests, the criminal hasn't reported his address or renewed his visa for ages.

I finally got around to trying AKA. They have many items that I've never seen elsewhere. I did try their "streaky bacon," the same kind I tried from Mr. Moo. I liked the bacon at Mr. Moo better than the AKA bacon. I think locals ought to give both of them a try. You're bound to prefer one over the other and the quality at each is much better than anything I've ever found in any of the grocery stores. Both AKA and Mr. Moo have many products besides just bacon. I think it's worth checking out both of them. When I want bacon, sausage, and several other products, AKA and Mr. Moo are going to be the places I shop for them from now on.

For what it's worth, my GPS lists only one hotel within the city, however there seems to be plenty in fairly close proximity to the city. The one in the city is the Amonthep Hotel, telephone 045 679 131. I'm guessing your reason for going there has to do with visiting a Thai person, whether it is a boyfriend of someone else. If that is the case, wouldn't it make more sense to let him find a hotel or other accommodation for you?

Sleep well? Oh yes, I remember that . . .

Probably finding them.

I can't answer your other questions, but for this question the answer is yes.

Actually it's called Buffalo Bill. I went by this evening. It's in an obscure spot, to say the least. You saw one customer. I saw no customers at all. Several boys, but no customers. It's a beer host bar, no different from what you would typically find in Sunee Plaza. I think whoever opened this bar forgot about "location, location, location." I also think he forgot that if you're going to open a host bar outside the popular area, not only does it need to be easy to find (and don't think it is), but it needs to offer something unique to attract people away from the Sunee Plaza bars. If there is anything especially unique about it, I missed it. In my opinion, unless whoever opened the bar wanted his own private bar and has the money to support it, I don't see how it stands much of a chance. If you are in the area, drop by. Other than that, I really don't know why anyone would make a special trip unless you find one of the boys to be particularly attractive.

Then I'm the exception. We all know what we think the decision will be. I think so too. But until the ruling is handed down we don't know anything. Here's why I don't take anything political or the outcome of court cases for granted: