Ruthrieston

I would recommend Krabi, by long tail boat round to Railay Beach, a promontory walled off from the mainland by mountains so you have to take a boat around. No roads so no cars or motorbikes, lots of life though, good resorts and many bars and restaurants. Try Sand Sea Resort for lovely rooms. You can even go rock climbing if you fancy it.

Definitely use Bolt taxi service in Pattaya, far cheaper than Grab.

My favourite is Au Bon Coin, off the bottom of Soi 5 Pratumnak. A lovely setting, excellent food and a unique owner.

I have just been reading about the rape and murder of a one year old boy in Ukraine by Russian soldiers. The Russian army cannot sink any lower, this is genocide. Russia must be isolated from the civilised world for decades to come.

Sadly the bars will all closed in Pattaya on Saturday evening as the total alcohol ban starts at 6pm Saturday to 6pm Sunday for the Pattaya Mayoral election.

I have to admit that the last time I wore a kilt with the sporran dangling in front was at my brother's wedding in 1976! (Fake wedding as my older brother/sister was even more of a fairy than me!!).

I am so shocked TotallyOz, you don't recognise the classic Scottish man-bag??

Sporran hanging

Compare the death rate between Covid related deaths in Thailand and the UK. My respect remains with the Thai people who still routinely wear face masks, actually covering their faces, compared with the arrogant stupid farang walking around Pattaya with no mask or placing it under their noses.

Nothing has changed on DongTan beach. I have to admit that I have not been down to sit on my favourite section in front of the White House for a long time now, but when I walk past all is well. Over the long Songkran holiday there were a lot of Thai families sitting along there too, but that was good for business when there are still so few tourists here now.

With the support of China, and the world's attention focused on Ukraine, the junta in Myanmar can carry on committing these vile massacres of innocent civilians. Despicable.

If the Boys in Brown are there to "uphold the good morale of Thailand" then the country is doomed. If it wasn't so sad I would be laughing.

If you are trying to make me jealous, all I can say is that it is working. (Blowing raspberry..)

I definitely will not be visiting while the military junta continues committing war crimes on the people of Myanmar.

Where is Opium Bar? I enjoy a nice cocktail.

I hope the murderers go to prison for a very long time, though I suppose that depends on how rich their families are.

I wait in hope that the ICC investigation can convict Putin of war crimes and he is locked up for the rest of his life.

The Immigration office in Pattaya can be very busy, but I have taken over the past eighteen months or so to going late, 3.30pm (they close at 4.30pm) and I have avoided the queues. In fact the office has usually been empty. As to the 800,000 locked up in my account, I view it as the money I shall use to travel to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland when it is time to leave. The worst part for me is the exchange rate for the UK pound, The day before the vote to leave the EU I got 56 Baht to the pound, the day after it went down to 36. Now we are struggling to hold around 43, so the loss of almost 30% of my income over these five or more years has been really painful. Another two and a half years till I receive my state pension, but that should help. More than ten years since I retired early and came to live in Thailand and I don't regret it at all.

And here I am, retired to live in Pattaya just over ten years ago now. I was bald at 40, now 63 and although I have worked hard over the past year or so and lost 20 kilos, I still have a belly. So good to be a club member! I have a great deal of respect for Barry Kenyon, and always enjoy reading his articles. Let me assure you that he is in no way trying to belittle expats like me, probably just a little humour, with a hint of sarcasm.

Boring? Never! I am only slightly envious (alright, I am seriously envious) of your wonderful holiday trip. You really know how to make the most of every opportunity, you are also kind and generous, and I am sure the young gentlemen who have kept you company are grateful to have met you too. Thank you for these great reports, you have cheered me up enormously.

Back in the days when I weighed 97 kilos I used to tell my Thai boyfriend that if he did push me off the balcony since my condo is only on the second floor I would probably just bounce back up and flatten him. He never even laughed. These suicides leave me so sad.

Yes, I am laughing at most of that, but at the same time it makes me feel so sad that so much of the population could support all that insanity. The damage tRump did across the civilised world in those four years was catastrophic.

It looks about a third of the size it used to be, so sad. But at least it is opening again. Enjoy Vinapu, and let us know how it goes, please.

Thank you, the happy merry people. From me it's a "Bah humbug!" But I do wish for a peaceful, happy world in 2022. My best wishes to all.

With the bars and clubs ordered to remain closed until 16th January at least there is no reason to head here for New Year at all. Babylon is gone now too, the land sold for development.