brahmburgers

consider securing property in Chiang Rai. It's a fraction the price, and it's not innundated with tourists and surly Thais - as is southern Thailand where foreigners flock. As for tacky building methods, you'll find that throughout Thailand.

Your real world does sound exciting Torn, but it is your circle of mates etc.I don't think 95% of the members on this board are in that league.It's all very well to have assets worth a mill,but to have it lying around in loose change for investment purposes is another world IMO.

my cousin recently bought a nice apartment in HKG for USD650,000.Has nice harbour views too.(That was 9 months ago....)...hate to think what it is worth now

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I applaud the conviction - now we'll see whether it sticks. Personal experience: I had a Thai man who, posing as a friend, stole from me repeatedly for a whole year. I finally caught him in the act, and he wound up getting 18 months in jail.

A few months later he was out - probably by way of a pardon. The moral of this story: don't believe that a sentence will actually stick. The killer cop could be out in a few years for any number of reasons.

If Thai justice was at least partly objective and their investigative skills were better than abysmal, then the policeman should be found guilty. Hasn't he already already admitted as much - and evaded capture for weeks after the incident? The sad truth is that the tattered rag that passes for Thai justice is extremely subjective and their forensic skills are bad.

Someone should make copies of all the Thai-language versions of 'True Detective'" -type shows on UBC such as "FBI FILES", etc. and pass copies around to all police stations in the kingdom as required viewing for all policemen. I doubt the producers of those shows would mind the copyright infringement. There's a wealth of investigative info to be learned from those shows.

Though condoms are effective, they're not fail-safe. Sexual foreplay with fingers - then using those same fingers to apply a condom - can transfer bodily fluids.

As for oral sex, I know sore throats and sore gums can readily result. Listerine may help ...or a shot of lao ...or may just result in a mouthful of bitter syrup.

I had a bout of UTI (urinary tract infection) awhile back - and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy - yucksville. the first prescribed antibiotics didn't work, so 5 days of incessent suffering later, I went to get a better antibiotic and lived to tell the unflattering tale.

Some might say the rice market - methinks the greatest source of revenue coming in to Thailand is from individual foreigners. There are roughly two categories of such mega influx of monies: tourists and male farang residents. I would further guess that much maligned foreign men residents bring the greater degree of outside money in to Thailand.

Go figure, most of them have Thai girlfriends and wives - and, as the saying goes, 'marry the girl, and you marry the family' - trite-sounding but true. Trink would say 'nuff said' after expounding such opinions, but I don't like to end paragraphs with such absolutes - as I'm open to others' opinions - and will be happy to admit I'm wrong if the data indicates such.

The next thought is, if our current government worships money as much as they indicate, then perhaps a bit more appreciation for foreign men, (however dog-eared they may appear at times) would be appreciated. At least not make their continued residence so hassle prone. One example: the middle aged Dutch doctor who nearly single-handedly set up a clinic to comfort Thai AIDS sufferers - that dude is (technically) illegally in Thailand, and has to mosey up to the border every 30 days to get a rubber stamp.

Speaking of parity: Here are some of the things that a farang cannot do in Thailand, but a Thai national can do in the U.S.: Ok, owning land was already mentioned, how about:

2. getting hard-line phone service in your name

3. getting a motorcycle or any motorized vehicle in your name

4. getting a parcel address in your name.

5. starting a business without a small mountain of paperwork - and at best winding up with 49% ownership.

I've resided here nearly 6 years. Many times I've had restless nights from eating chemi-tainted veges or fruits. Sometimes headaches too, plus there are long-term ailment possibilities from eating pesticide laden foods. Riding around the countryside I often see sprayers in the fields - even alongside the one little patch that is supposedly organic - though it grows just a few green leaf veges. I've tried growing my own tomatos with limited success - root namatodes wither a 2nd crop planted in the same spot.

Ask vendors and they'll likely say what they think you want to hear "no chemi".

Further rant: Every type of bottled sauce that comes from China has MSG, Salt and sugar. Thai food is liberally drowned in such sauces. If the management is Chinese, which many are, you can bet they're adding MSG. I try telling them "mai aow pom charoot" (don't want MSG) but sometimes I forget, and other times they add it anyway - maybe thinking 'a dumb farang isn't going to tell us how to cook our food.'

What's a country boy to do in these modern times? Can anyone get me hooked up with a reliable source of organic fruits and/or veges in the Chiang Rai area?

I've built in Chiang Rai. I believe in the city limits you're required to have some permit/inspection activity. I built outside the city limits, so I had none of that. I'm a former California builder, so everything I did was much improved over Thai standards anyway, including proper septic, all wires in conduit and grounded, plumbing vented, tall doorways, stem wall foundation, everything well drained, ceilings insulated against heat (false ceiling tiles have zero insulating properties), everything bug/rot/fire proofed, etc. Contact me if you want.

A dozen of my personal friends are ladies who got started way too early. All tell the same story.... a Chinese man paid a king's ransom to be the first.

For the most part, the girls grew up in remote villages, some walking around nud_e until 7 or 8 years old and being cared for by whomever gave them some scraps to eat - their parents too busy doing other things - probably tending to their favored sons. None of the girls had any impetus to go to school. One 'dad' sold his daughter at 11 years to a seamstress in BKK, then sold the her to a brothel a few years later. The parents (or legal guardians) should get their heads out of the duck shit and take a bit of "responsibility". I think that's a foreign word in Thai. And yes, the guardians should be locked up tight.

It's human nature for dems dat gots their visa look down their noses at dem dats having problems. The Thai gov't keeps shooting itself in the foot with every visa switch. What ends up happening is many of the low lifers they want to eliminate are able to twist the system to be able to stay in Thailand - while many decent folk are being forced to pack up their tent pegs and split. ...for other places where they can put their help people without having to worry about legalities.

Try this on for size: tell an immigration authority that you got gadzillions of bucks you want to throw at Thailand. Chances are they'll love you. Then tell another authority that you've got some unique and tangible methods for helping a local village produce a commercially viable product that will increase the residents' income. The official will look at you cross-eyed as if you tried to sell him property on Uranus.

Money is all that gains important peoples' attention in Thailand. All else is bunk in their view.

I'm an American, age 52 - been in Thailand 5.5 yers

I got a non-immB visa for Thailand in Vientienne. I like the newer consular office. After you stand in line for many tens of minutes, the gate opens, and all of a sudden a crowd of Asian men & women literally come out of the bushes and walk straight to the front of the line. What's new?

Anyhow, you dutifully queue onward to the first table where you submit your passport, copy of passport, face photos and documents - be sure to mention there what type of visa you want. They won't ask - and they'll assume (often wrongly) what you're seeking. Get copies of everything. I had a Thai business license, and was hoping for a 1 year non immB visa. I got a 3 month instead - which I find out later - can supposedly get upgraded a one year.

I tried that later at Mae Sai, but the non-English speaking officer there was non cooperative - plus he added requirements that I hadn't previous heard of. Am stymied and not content in Thailand.

Altogether, it's a tough row to hoe for some of us - who try to play within the rules.