Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Telling fortunes 'a nice little earner'
Roger Crutchley, Published on 26/05/2024
» A recent Thai news story concerned a man nabbed in an online fortune-telling scam. He would inform customers suffering from misfortune that their situation would dramatically improve if for a small fee he made a few prayers on his "direct line" to the deities in heaven.
It's not easy getting a decent mug shot
Roger Crutchley, Published on 03/09/2023
» There has been some debate in recent weeks concerning mug shots as a result of a high-profile legal case in the United States which readers will be relieved to learn I am not writing about. Suffice to say there is an entertaining variety of expressions in the mug shots, ranging from deep defiance from a certain gentleman, to bemusement from others, while one of them looks like they've just realised they left the kettle on at home.
Nothing wrong with snoozing in Snoring
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/08/2021
» One of the first things a visitor to Thailand is asked is probably what town they come from back home. My response of Reading invariably brings blank looks, so I usually add "just west of London" which admittedly doesn't make things any clearer. It would be nice if I came from a place that sounded a trifle more intriguing, such as the wonderful Nempnett Thrubwell in Somerset or Booby Dingle in Herefordshire.
You can't beat that old black magic
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 02/06/2019
» It is well-known that superstition is deeply ingrained in Thailand, from the poorest farmers to the richest businessmen, politicians and even prime ministers. If things go wrong, malevolent spirits often get the blame and the only way to solve the issue is to indulge in exotic ceremonies to appease them. It makes sense really -- in Thailand you won't get anywhere until you've got the ghosts and the supernatural on your side.
Alas, the truth is still putting its boots on
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/05/2019
» According to the Washington Post, last week President Donald Trump notched up his 10,000th lie or untruth since took he took office. While many of the falsehoods are admittedly trifling and others child-like exaggerations of which he is so fond, there have also been a few embarrassing "whoppers". It still works out at about 17 alleged "porky pies" a day, which takes some doing.
It ain't real English, but sounds great
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/03/2019
» The other night at home I was listening to CDs -- yes, I'm still in the Stone Age -- and two of my favourite songs came up, Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers and Ain't No Mountain High Enough from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Apart from both being soulful numbers -- and like me, pretty ancient -- you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to observe that a common factor in the title is the word ain't.
The choice is yours, and best of luck
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 17/03/2019
» There's an old dictum, "democracy is the right to make the wrong choice", and one suspects there are plenty of wrong choices available out there, but hopefully also a few good ones as we enter the final straight leading to March 24.
Tales of mobile cabinets and Mad Hatters
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 03/12/2017
» As the current authorities are discovering, mobile cabinet meetings might sound splendid in theory -- getting out to meet people in the provinces and all that -- but in practice they do not always work out quite as planned. Those pesky provincial people have a nasty habit of saying things you don't want to hear.
Forget missiles, what about the cigars?
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 04/12/2016
» When you are as ancient as me, certain current events act as reminder of major incidents in the past. This was the case last week with the death of Fidel Castro.
If the shoe fits, you’re wearing sneakers
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/07/2015
» Walking through one of Bangkok’s 689 shopping malls this week, I stumbled across a “Shoe Fair”. Actually, “Sneakers Fair” is more accurate because all items on display were sneakers, or what we English stubbornly call “trainers”.