mancub

Just look around and witness how Thai males " date" and treat Thai women ( in different social circles)......don't try to understand all these generalised concepts of "Thainess " just treat the woman you're with/interested in ,as an individual , just as you are !

Hardly an inspired article !

No mention of the relative cost of flights during these periods ( or "entertainment " costs !)

Many people ,myself included actually enjoy goung back to the UK occasionally for a holiday . There are many many beautiful parts to visit and I actually appreciate the change of Seasons , a pleasent change from the often oppressive heat over here !

The author ,doesn't seem to grasp that the majority of UK expats ,or Europeans in general , are living off pensions or regular incomes that originate in their own currency . Not many would have benefitted from transferring their life savings into Baht 15 years ago !

Usually only lasts 2 days in ao nang starting on the 13th shouldn't be anywhere near as crazy as pattaya.

Hmm. OK. I may chance it if I get my travels organized.

Thanks

Starts on 13th, but being a Saturday ,it means that Mon-Wed 15th-17th are also holidays , so the mayhem may linger a while this year !

Krabi town is usually much more subdued than the madness witnessed in Ao Nang .....

Of course they have to sell it at a high price ...don't forget they've also got these absurd bills to pay .

BANGKOK, 30 January 2013 (NNT)-The Cabinet has approved a budget of 157 million baht to be paid to police officials who are hired to watch for dodgy dealers taking part in the government’s rice pledging scheme....!

..can't wait for April Fools Day ,obviously !

Hardly worth a mention ,given that it equates to a piss in the ocean in the context of their expected 23 million plus tourists .

Hmm. UP bakery.. Now their coffee is passable if you're lucky enough to get served, but my experience is that they offer awful service.

First day I went at 5pm on the dot and ordered a coffee to take away and was refused. They close at 5. Fair enough, I thought, though not too difficult to make a takeaway coffee.

Next day went mid afternoon, got an overpriced coffee. The food looked nice on the pictures so my wife and I took a table outside and looked at the menu in full view of 3 staff. After 15 minutes being ignored we gave up.

Today I went at 4.30. "latte to take away please". To be informed by the same individual that had half-served me on both previous occasions that they were "closed"

"but you told me you close at 5pm"

"I turned off the coffee machine already"

Two staff sat there twiddling thumbs half an hour before closing time and waiting for the clock to turn to 5. Not sure if the same people own the shop as are serving customers, but if not and the owners happen to read this - they are not representing your business well at all.

At least Starbucks leave the machines on until closing time.

Rant aside, there's a nice coffee shop and kwayteow shop (beef and duck) on the left hand side as you drive from krabi town to ao nang.

Any more ideas for good coffee are very welcome as I certainly won't be giving UP Bakery another chance.

Am surprised at that , have always found the staff very helpful ,but I,ve only ever visited before lunchtime .

So the entire police force will now "be aware "................how comforting !!

Please....the "sex workers" are obviously illegals from Myanmar ,Cambodia or sshh, Rohinga even.......No , Thailand is rightly outraged ,as it only has nationals employed as " enertainment liason facilitators ". .......which is not an easy thing to ask for after a few beers ..

I don't feel the increase value in the baht is the problem...but it is the declining economy in the Western countries; one certainly does not run into travelers from North America or Europe like 10 years ago. People are afraid of losing their jobs (or have lost them); the aging population can no longer go on expensive holidays, and the flights are way more expensive today than ten years ago from USA or Europe. Yes, there are more of the "new" travelers from Russia, China, and India who are less independent but travel in groups. I still feel Thailand offers a variety of hotels/ restaurants to the budget and 5 star traveler. It is still cheaper to travel in Thailand than in Singapore (too modern for most Western travelers); or Lao (limit number of 5 star hotels).

What IS hurting Thailand tourisim is the pollution of its beaches, greedy thug heads that run the tuk-tuks and bhat busses/ the jet ski scammers/ crime/ neglect (or stupidity) of not maintaining the tourist attractions to its prime, and the lack of Thai hospitality like one saw 20-30 years ago. Thailand doesn't seem to understand customer service like they have in the West or other developed countries, they only seem to know how to put on a fake smile, nod their head yes, and wait for the tourist dollar to roll in.

America has half of the most beautiful beaches in the world all year round and if an older gentleman wants to meet a woman Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida. I doubt if they would come to Thailand for the beach. Airfare is too expensive now. Not so hard to figure.

Why assume that by "ageing population " the poster implies older gentlemen travelling to Thailand looking for women ? Retired couples also like to take vacations ...and, surprisingly , often together !

Due to a further rise of the THB the time will come when some UK ,US, and EU expats will walk on the pavements with a guitar and sing songs in order to get some donations from the public.

But they'd soon all be banged up ( assuming there's space in the over-crowded prisons) for singing copy-right protected lyrics ,in a public place ,without a work permit . Hapless souls !

Alot of the negativity demonstrated in posts is often encouraged by the original story/news post.

Headlines about tourists being stabbed/robbed or scammed will elicit posts about safety concerns...

Headlines about horrific road accidents ,the same about the driving standards here...

Headlines concerning Government,political ideas or police methodology ........corruption....etc,etc.....

Typically these stories are intended to be sensationalist and consequently do rattle peoples cages !

Suggest the OP read through some of the other threads concerning daily life ,photgraphy ,farming ,jokes etc and a

more balanced view of the membership will present itself.

"The number of inmates in Thai prisons nationwide has exceeded the international standard maximum by four times, Dr Ukrit said....."

So...what does this mean ..? Thailand has 4x the in BKK number of criminals than other countries ...or 75% less prison facilities ?

They could always build more prisons ...but not on the list of mega projects ...for obvious reasons !

In any case, just how long are the prison sentences for these supposed minor offences ...surely very short ?

If the OP is at all serious ....then perhaps a visit to a temple or 2 may be an idea.....it's the first place most "caring" Thais seem to try to abandon their animals. Donations always well received .

Some restaurants in Sakon Nakhon may also be able to help out...........

"Self deficating "...? Asuming you mean -self defecating ,meaning the ability to laugh at oneself or.... to shit oneself ! Only one of which is such a good idea in public !!!

Thais love Mr Bean ....try impersonating him though and you'll get lots of weird looks and be aware that any foreigner in the vicinity ,especially any ex-pat , will most likely consider you a <deleted> !

Sorry ........

Quite a few posters seem eager to go to jail for defamation, judging from their posts suggesting, implying or stating outright that a police officer falsely accused this tourist of theft, but I believe they have to try harder to achieve that result. I suggest they go to the police station and say it to the officer’s face.

As for the tourist, judiciary rules say that she is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court, and I, for one, have the patience to wait for the court decision. Incidentally, this legal presumption of innocence applies even in a case of strong prima facia evidence or a confession and it does not imply that an accusation is false -- it is simply how the justice system works.

The justice system is sadly not above the influence of money ,status or corruption ....wait as long as you like for a court decision ,easy and often beneficial if you're a Thai national ....not so easy if you are not . Come back in 2 years to face a Thai court , with everything loaded against you , or swallow your pride and walk away from the bail money posted ?

In the west all that matters is making money.

In Thailand all that matters is having a pleasant life.

And you all want to tell the Thais they have it wrong ............

True

Why do people in the west put in the long hours, days, weeks , months and years. Usually to buy a house or pay big rents to stay out of the elements, keep food on the table and buy a big car so they can get to work.

If you removed those 3 things from a westerners needs, willing to bet things would slow down.

We have all been coned from birth to believe that what you do and where you live is the road to happiness. Jim

Take those same 3 elements out of any society and things would certainly slow down....we'd be back to living in caves and gathering berries !

Having a simplistic , pleasent life may have been applicable to previous generations of Thais ,especially in rural areas ( and still is very much valued)...but in recent times a pleasent life involves desiring the same material goods that those in the West cherish. Mobile phones, I-pads ,new motos and pick-ups don't grow on trees , even in Isaan .

How many of us would even be here if we hadn't studied well or worked hard to enable it ?

Probably a tad peeved that the "protection "money he's been paying in connection with his business interests ,didn't do what it said on the tin !

If you can sing it ...and don't understand it's meaning ...it's more like karaoke ..and possibly viewed as slightly disrepectful by some .

if you do understand it's meaning ,you probably won't want to sing it,as, like many things ,it's not applicable to Falang . Respect it but don't embrace it as your own .

Thai rak Thai.

In my experience, it's a great party piece. Almost as good at pulling the chicks as chanting Pali prayers. It tells the girl that you're not some *expat with no interest in integrating into the society.

BTW, schoolkids have their own version of the song that even the teachers know about and it not really frowned upon - just as a schoolkid, we had our own words for the British national anthem.

I know what you mean , I have a good mate who likes to think he impresses the girls with renditions of popular thai songs . If you stood on one leg on a chair and saluted whilst singing the national anthem ,you might have even more success a chick magnet.....but it hardly represents an interest in integrating into the society ...on any meaningful level ,at least .

Krabi airport safely introduced an airport bus service several years ago, running between the beach ,town centre and Tesco to the airport. Driver + 1 staff, who asks each pax individually for their destination and arranges a drop off accordingly. 150 bt max fare . Krabi taxi "club" (600bt to the beach) seem to accept this competition, but there are no metered taxis available/permitted ...to do this trip ,which would otherwise only be around 200bt .

The bus seems to do well.

If you can sing it ...and don't understand it's meaning ...it's more like karaoke ..and possibly viewed as slightly disrepectful by some .

if you do understand it's meaning ,you probably won't want to sing it,as, like many things ,it's not applicable to Falang . Respect it but don't embrace it as your own .

Thai rak Thai.

Hope the plans for the capital, buiding shortcuts etc , don't involve filling in any drainage canals or mean that the much vaunted F1 Grand Prix circuit will not be ready in 2014 !

Good luck to this guy , mammoth task ,given the amounts of money and political interests invoved.