Alexx

Right, in Steve's case, who could blame the boy. Just out of curiosity, steveboy, is there a chance that you will bring some homemade filtered water along to Thailand and offer it to your boy?

I'd love to see photos of those labeled as axe murderers. One guy's axe murderer, another guy's sweet little darling...

I just had a look at La Natura's website and their FAQs gave me a few good chuckles. Great report, please keep them coming!

Looking forward to reading your reports! In the meantime, have fun...

I could pretend to be your doctor if you don't dare to venture there alone.

Now all we need is a report. Any volunteers, or do I have to go myself?

First of all, I very much doubt that there's any language that doesn't have any swear words or doesn't include the concept of swearing. I'm not qualified to comment on Japanese myself, but after a quick search I will say that there are websites out there that seem to be at odds with what you've told us. Have a look at http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/insults.html and maybe you can let us know if that's all bollocks. Even when I didn't understand any Thai yet, I could often tell from the situation that someone was swearing. Context is everything, lots of communication is nonverbal as you know. My first Thai boyfriend, for example, used to call his younger brother a buffalo, and although I didn't know that word yet, there was no mistaking of their exchange.

Could be a question of ownership. Some bar owners are closer to the authorities than others.

I'm a bit baffled that this question is coming from a frequent visitor. Next question coming up: Do Thais breathe?

Decent croissants are quite rare in Thailand, unfortunately. One of the few things that are better in Laos.

That's a hilarious story, any idea what the lucky guy did with all that money?

Maybe they just needed new motorbikes and like the ones the Arabs drive (or drove, as it is).

I'm sure they will!

Sums it up nicely. Bangkok is a shopper's paradise because tourists are in a shopping mood and businesses are clever enough to cash in on that, not because of what's on offer.

Yeah, keep it down, when I actually have to work instead of lusting after guys, situations like that...

Whenever guys have asked me if I had ever tried Viagra, I told them I'd pay good money for a pill that has the opposite effect. I only say that HALF in jest.

I'm not one who usually complains about drink prices, but that really is an outrageous amount.

If you're interested in guys aged 18 to 21, it doesn't make any sense to marry one. He will have fallen out of your age bracket by the time you're done with the visa formalities.

I admire your restraint, meeting Bob Geldof without vomiting all over him. I think I couldn't manage.

Why bring that up here? Ask them there!

Indeed, he hasn't posted for an unusually long time...

I actually think numazu's mock anger act was great. Other customers might not be as forgiving, so giving MonBoy an impression of how things could derail when breaking promises isn't a bad lesson to learn.

Another - more recent (2013) - movie that deals with the plight of those POWs who were forced to build that railroad is "The Railway Man". I agree that the railway track and the bridge aren't very impressive from today's point of view, but considering the primitive machinery available, malnutrition, lack of even the most basic healthcare, climate and terrain, it must have been a living hell for these poor souls.

a447a, I'm sure the German guy appreciates you sharing his health situation with us on a public forum. That said, any insight you hope to get from other members might not be as valuable to you as you hope, as different people age differently and it depends on so many factors. I guess you'll just have to wait and see, and obviously it would be a good idea to enjoy life to the fullest while you can (from your trip reports, I'd say you do!).

I don't know how you've reached that conclusion, but it's wrong in any case. The website mentioned in the OP is Europol's official one.