AWOL 2015 Issue 355 27th November | Page 15

Advertise here for as little as 40 baht per week to hull and back Mags Meanderings: From Som Tam To Mushy Peas christmas ads, china and a load of bulls It’s that time of the year again - the big stores all competing for our seasonal custom by creating their ‘must see’ Christmas adverts. And this years’ award for the most cringe worthy of the lot has to go to John Lewis. Sponsored by Age UK (previously Age Concern) the message conveyed is laudable enough - that we should think of all the elderly people who are on their own at Christmas. And with an ageing population in the UK their numbers are bound to increase. To that end we are shown an old man sitting all on his own on the moon waiting for a child back on Earth to send him a gift. Amazons delivery systems must be improving, while clearly the UK’s housing crisis is getting worse. Not to worry though, China is going to rescue us - in particular those of us who live north of Watford - with multi million pound Chinese investment deals proposed for the Manchester Airport City project, green power stations for Wales, and other projects in Leeds, Sheffield and Salford. Sceptics doubt that the promised investment will materialise, while supporters point out that the UK governments’ need to invest heavily in economic growth leaves it with no choice. Especially if we are indeed to have our proposed ‘Northern Powerhouse’, complete with high speed rail links. The US apparently isn’t too happy about our new Chinese chums, but might just be jealous of their spending power. Chinese visitors are reported to spend five times more in Harrods than American tourists do. Personally I would welcome anything that would help expand Hulls’ Chinese Supermarket, which is the only place in these parts where you can find fresh lemon grass. And who knows, perhaps the UK will end up joining ASEAN before Thailand gets around to it. Two 3 storey townhouses to let Next to The Dusit need repairs hence bargain rental price (offers invited) Contact David 092 927 7207 Meanwhile the EU has voted to end the 100 million Euros in agricultural subsidies being used to raise bulls for bullfighting, on the basis that bullfighting is part of Spains’ culture. Campaigners have been trying to put an end to bullfighting in Spain for years, and most of us will doubt that the lack of EU subsidies will actually put an end the sport, any more than we believe cock fighting can be banned in Thailand. But the puzzling thing is how in the name of culture the subsidies were agreed in the first place. On November 27th 1967 the president of France, Charles De Gaulle, stated that he would veto Britains application to join the Common Market. He warned the five other countries who were partners in the EEC then - Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - that if they tried to impose Britains’ membership on France the result would be the breakup of the Union. It was the second time De Gaulle had threatened the veto, citing our close relationship with the US as one reason, and it wasn’t until 1973, after his demise, that Britain finally joined. You have to wonder what De Gaulle would have thought of Europe today. 15 get this ad size for only ฿360 a week* Call 081 649 8361 Email sales@awolonline.net *when booked for 13 issues EAT IN - LOCAL DELIVERY - CATERING - TAKE AWAY Hot Dog Café QUALITY FOOD@SENSIBLE PRICES Call 063 150 8233 (Delivery 30 baht) All Food Freshly Made Daily Specials Open Tuesday - Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday & Saturday 9am to 8pm Sun/Mon Closed Located in Tabtai near Wat Nong Phranpuk on road 2004 between the Pala-U Road and Soi 112 Join the AWOL forum