Ruthrieston

I have never touched this social media nonsense and I have no intention of doing so. Watching families eating while the baby has a phone propped in front of him/her, the three year old has a phone on and the parents are both looking at their phones with no conversation at all is seriously bad for all of them.

I agree entirely. I live in Pattaya, where the Songkran madness lasts a week! I hide in my condo from 13th to 16th and then flee to Bangkok which is like a ghost town while everyone is recovering from the three days of madness, and I return on 20th.

Given how many people are dying in the violence inflicted on the population by the fake government there, these Myanmar nationals should be given asylum in Thailand and treated decently.

I was brought up in Scotland as a Presbyterian, the Minister arrived at our house when I was 12 to say that as I had not been baptised I could not attend Bible Study classes until I was baptised, all news to me. I started visiting other religious groups, with the help of my Religious studies teacher and chose to become a Roman Catholic at the age of fifteen. When I left school I entered an enclosed, silent Benedictine monastery in a semi-ruined building built in the year 1230, Latin Office and Latin Mass sung in Gregorian Chant, seven times a day in the church, no school or parish. I was so happy there, a good community who respected each other, but kept silence and we had separate cells (rooms). After seven years I chose to leave and start a new life and trained as a nurse. I am convinced that though it was never mentioned the community knew I was gay but no one ever spoke of it, I simply felt accepted. As a teenager I tried to commit suicide three times because I could not cope with being gay, and I feel that the community of monks who accepted me gave me the courage to leave and live my life openly and freely.

Looking forward to your trip to sunny Thailand is part of the enjoyment. Have a great trip and enjoy your time here, we never know what lies ahead and should make the most of our time now.

I used to really like the cocktail bar on the top floor, enjoying my dry martinis with the lovely views over the park. Is there any sign of a bar on the top floor of the new building?

I agree with you wholeheartedly Londoner, all this technology stuff is utterly beyond me. I mush prefer dealing with human beings rather than machines!

Yes open again, I walked past last night and saw that they have removed the wall inside to open up the space for more tables. They were really so busy in high season that they were having to turn people away, so good for them to have more space now.

There is definitely a major refurbishment in progress now, and it will open again without doubt.

I was first introduced to Thailand and Pattaya when I was 39, 26 years ago. My flat mate of several years in London and a group of his friends all travelled together. My flat mate had AIDS and was really not well, but so enjoyed embarrassing me by dragging me into the go go bars where young gentlemen flashed their hard willies in my face, and he laughed his head off when I blushed so much my glasses steamed up! We got back to London in mid May and he died in July. After travelling to Thailand twice a year for several years for great holidays I fell for a bar boy, brought him to visit me in London for a month and the following year brought him to London and we entered our Civil Partnership in Chelsea Town Hall Registry Office, with all my friends attending and throwing a party for us. That was in December, and the following year in August he said he missed Thailand too much and he flew back home and I never saw him again. When I retired twelve years ago and moved to live in Pattaya I promised myself I would never fall in love again, and I lasted over a year, enjoying lots of fun with many money boys. Then I fell again, but this time I knew it was one sided, and of course I couldn't expect a young man half my age to live with me, so I payed for his room, and supported him while also encouraging him to work, as he did as a receptionist in a hotel. It lasted over six years until I found out he was gambling a lot. I payed his debts three times and then broke off our relationship. His last message to me was to ask for 50,000 Baht....... Broke my heart, so I am living alone and happy now with friends and a comfortable life.

Suddenly, after using this site for years with no problems, my Microsoft Defender is blocking my access. Is there a problem?

I have stayed loyal to Le Siam on Soi Convent, although I also dislike the upgrades I have been given because of the awkward climbing into a bath to use the shower, while the cheaper rooms have lovely walk in showers. Also they did away with the previously excellent buffet breakfast during Covid and have never reinstated it. At least now I can just walk across the road to the new building and go to Took Lae Dee restaurant in the basement for a lovely breakfast.

Any idea where we can get this new vaccine in Thailand?

I love going to Railay Beach to stay for a few nights, but I will stay with the longtail boat to get me there. I have had to battle off a couple of the monkeys just walking round Railay in the past, using my umbrella! They can be scary.

I moved to live in Pattaya from my home in London UK in 2011, but the appalling drop in the exchange rate after the insane vote to leave the EU has cost me dear. The day before the vote I got 56 Baht to the pound, and the day after the vote it dropped to 36 Baht to the pound. Now at 45 Baht we are still well down.