Another falang in Thailand jumped to his death from his apartment yesterday, as legal proceedings against him continued following his arrest on drug charges in Pattaya several weeks back.

Hurling yourself from high rise apartment balconies seems to be the preferred method of self-annulment for foreigners in the Land of Smiles.

However Thais seem to be far more dramatic and theatrical. I remember one day our ride in from the airport becoming a major 3 hour epic journey as we crawled past a gentleman balancing precariously on a tall high tension wire pole near Soi l in Sukhumvit. Not only that but he had discarded most of his clothes, leading the always modest Thai ladies to avert their eyes. Most in the crowd pleaded with him to come down, while a small group, tired of frequent high wire acts during the Thailand economic crisis, urged him to jump quick.

A couple of months ago a distraught Thai lady flung herself into the crocodile pool at a famous Bangkok tourist attraction, swam towards the crocs who initially showed no interest, before being chomped up in front of peak hour tourists.

Bangkok is a magnet for provincial Thais and foreigners of all nationalities alike, it's glittering neon lights, comparative wealth and anarchic organization creating a romantic allure for many who want to start a new life, or just a new chapter. Yet Bangkok is a city of hidden depths that can at once uplift and devour the soul. Many delight at finding the beauty and soul behind this grey ugly monument to development gone crazy. But even behind that, lies the only truth that things in Thailand are invariably not what they seem. Scratch away the new paint, remove the make up or look behind the millionaire's Mercedes and Armani, and the truth is not as alluring as first thought. There are thousands of stories of triumph, small pleasures, and human dignity and generosity as well, and just as many of dreams shattered.

No wonder this urban metropolis of broken hearts, dreams and promises is known as the city of "restless ghosts" (phih) as lives get offered to Buddha without proper preparation or the correct rites. Popular perception is that such souls are condemned to hang around in Bangkok for all time, mostly manifesting themselves whenever a real person gets mau mak mak at witching hours...

The Rat hears that the popular British pub clone - The "Londoner" on Sukhumvit Soi 33 - is losing their foreign clientele fast. Seems the female bar staff down the road are getting so rich that they are forsaking their traditional street stall Som Tam menu for the Londoner's 100 to 500 Baht pie and peas/shepherds pie/pork pie/ roast pork, and taking a liking to greeting their old customers with various levels of affection while the latter are treating their wife or family to a good English meal.