Marc K

Haha I have another Phuket story: My BH and I were in Patong and wanted a foot massage. We go to this (mixed) massage place and duly pay for a foot massage when this buxom woman is haphazardly assigned to my BH. The woman, doing a foot massage mind you, somehow managed to get her tits on his face, hoping I'm sure for a big tip! Instead I see him turning green and I thought he was going to puke, haha. We still joke about the "Phuket Massage" years later! Oh my.

For the past umpteen years I have used the "yellow bank" ATMs. I always got a near-current exchange rate (a 1% currency conversion fee) and it allows a daily withdrawal of 30k baht. The service fee (200B) has always been refunded by my bank back home, so I was always happy. Last night, for the first time, a new screen appeared just at the very end of the ATM withdrawal process which asks if you want THEM to do the conversion to US dollars? I foolishly pushed "ACCEPT" which was a BIG mistake -- the receipt slip informs me that they took an additional 5% currency conversion fee for the privilege of doing the conversion!! This means I lost more than $40 on that transaction! I am really pissed! I knew the moment I pushed ACCEPT that I had made a mistake, but there is NO WAY to cancel or reverse your choice once you push that button (which is far bigger than the other buttons). I was in a hurry and it cost me dearly. So please, any Americans out there, please be careful with this raunchy (at best!) business practice. I was going to go back to the Yellow Bank to complain this morning but I realized it would do me no good. SO please be careful! (I don't know if this scam, and yes it is a scam, is also being done for pounds and euros, I hope not.)

TMI !

...or 2000 or more. So true!

To me the answer is very simple: If you need the money or your health is bad, take your pension as soon as you can. If you don't need the money today, put it off as long as you can on the chance that you will live into your 80s or longer. Then you'll be glad you didn't tap it earlier as the amount will be substantially more and every COLA increase after that will be based on the higher amount.

So true. Those who try to remake their new environment as "Pattaya on the Thames" or "Jomtien on Miami Beach" are going to fail. I have friends who have lived in Thailand for 20+ years and still speak almost no paasaa thai. What were they thinking? How many foreigners can come to the West and succeed without learning the local language? Do they have myopia or what?

Also, do be aware of smokers, and an ailment which the Australians call "smokers' droop".

Gosh OD I think you are being a bit too harsh. We have all gotten sick of "the game" at one time or another, but that isn't to say we don't like playing it and reaping (usually) its rewards. Sometimes it goes sour, just like visiting your favorite restaurant or doing your favorite activity. Sometimes its your mood, not his, that ruins the chemistry. Sometimes, as they say, you just got out of bed on the wrong side. Happens to all of us. I'd suggest you lighten up. (No this is not a personal attack, but some friendly advice.) The Boys of Pattaya have delivered innumerable pleasures to me, in and out of bed.