wrote to Stick a couple of weeks ago affirming how bad Thailand has become and that you would never see me on those shores again for some time to come, preferring instead to go to Europe where it is cheaper with less hassle and just as nice if not better than what can be found in LOS. The wider perceptions of Thailand from within the UK aren't that good these days and the majority of holidaymakers who are battening down the hatches during the recession are making plans to stay nearer to home. Indeed most of the guys married to Thais here are either refusing to go to LOS this year or just sending their wife and kids to go back and visit family, choosing instead to stay firmly put on western shores. They have no compunctions about putting their Thai partners onto a plane back to LOS but they are refusing outright to make the journey themselves. Some are citing the recession, or that they now have no job but many like me are also stating Thailand has lost its charm of late and simply aren’t interested anymore.