wwest5829

18 hours ago, petermik said:

Being a young chap with a thai wife you will encounter these problems often...women the world over are difficult enough here much more so...you will need the luck of the gods or the patience of a thousand saints to survive unfortunately.

Try and sit her down and explain to her your interpretation of what living together harmoniously means and listen to her side....if she won,t do this....or her ideas are way out of sync with yours I would be looking for a strategic withdrawal.

You are too young to start out on a life of misery,life,s too short......good luck anyhow

 

Maybe the book, "Thailand Fever" will help reflect on the cultural differences. After 7 years here I am still learning as I go along.

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

I started using Transferwise a few months ago and it's FAR better than my previous method of bank transfers. TW give you accurate quotes on any potential transfer on line using rates very close to prevailing market rates. They charges are clear and fixed 0.05%. The money is in my bank the next day, sometimes even the same day with NO receiving bank fees, and exactly what was indicated on the original quote. When i transferred by bank i never knew when the money would arrive, what rate would be charged or what the receiving bank would charge.  Savings are significant on large amounts.

US and Brit citizens can transfer to a Bangkok Bank account directly (NYC or London branch respectively). Are these other transfers as cost effective? I found any wire transfer from US was more expensive.

Hmmm, why do I have some doubt here? A military coup installed government will comply to EU privacy laws guarding the individual citizen against government/private business electronic information gathering??? Asking for a friend...

2 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

You appear to be one of those who blame Man for the change in weather when, in reality, it's a natural thing.  There have been 5 major Ice Ages in Earth's history, and they all happened long before Man ever arrived.  It's a Natural thing.  

 

Yeah! Mankind has nothing to do with climate change. 97% of those dumb scientists know nothing!

10 hours ago, Lingba said:

well..sooner or later  he will wake up from his dream

7 years and still living better than I dreamed...lucky cuss!

21 hours ago, sammym said:

But I don't live in Thailand. I just go on holiday there twice a year. 

 

I've been googling and it's not clear. I'm thinking for the sake of £5.50 I might just get one as I can't be doing spending time trying to argue with a police man on holiday. And I'd probably just give them 500baht to enjoy my day - which doesn't help anyone trying to do it the right way like I am now. 

Bring the International Driver’s License and you avoid the issues at police checkpoints in Chiang Mai.

1 hour ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

I do believe it, it is perfectly believable, I am no doubt related to her as well, at least I am to her hubby.

Working on family genealogy. Interesting to me as a student of history. Using available public records, it appears that Henry VIII contributed through bastard son and that through marriages a 15 degree separation connection can be made to the Queen. Interesting but of no real import. My wedding invitation seems to have been lost in the mail...

2 hours ago, Happy enough said:

and apparently a bit of an old slut who's been round the block a few times. oh harry, some are for banging and some are for marrying. didn't they teach him anything in that Palace 

I'm confused...how is this not a breach of posting rules???

2 hours ago, DonaldBattles said:

Makro Chiang Rai and Tops Chiang Rai no longer has box wine. Tops has some box beer. Also, I am told that across the border in Mae Sai they have no box wine. God only knows what the crazies are up to. I will try some Lao Khao with a lot of grape juice on my wife and will let you know if it works. After the first glass I think she will like it. 420% tax on wine is not enough.

Just bought the last 3 boxes at Makro, Chiang Mai. No more 5 litre Mont clair boxes for around 1000 baht. Now the Mont Clare 3 litre box costs about the same...when you can find it.

17 hours ago, stevenl said:

Agree, they are more stupid, look at Trump's election.

We might cut some slack. Afterall, the majority of American voters either voted for others or did not vote at all. He represents only his dedicated minority base. I fault both major political parties for fielding flawed candidates.

18 hours ago, milwaukeeboy said:

My biggest problem is being profiled as a white male living in Asia for almost 30 years when I return to the USA for one visit of about five weeks every year.

I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but at customs, they single me out and go through everything in my bags and force me to give passwords to all my electronic devices.

They belittle me and accuse me in so many words of being a money launderer, human trafficker and drug dealer for about 40 minutes and then let me go on my way after asking where I'm staying and who I'll be seeing.

They take copious notes.

I have not been subjected to this on my visits of 2013 and 2015, however.... I'm thinking that I would end up in jail under the current regime in the US for refusing to go through being treated as a criminal suspect in my own country. Sooo...No plans to ever go back unless I can be treated as a citizen whose pedigree goes back before the country's founding. If you must treat your citizens in this manner...you have already lost the country.

Ha! Joke was on me. I knew I needed to renew in 2018. Stopped 2 days after my birthday in February. Fined 200 baht. Went and got both 5 year licenses renewed!

4 hours ago, Trouble said:

Still the Democrats offer no evidence that Trump or the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. In all the year long multiple investigations there is nothing to pin on Trump to date.  Even Schiff, who hates Trump with a passion, can't point a finger at anything definitive.  

I agree, thus far nothing definitive. I will await the independent investigation conclusions. Any Congressional investigation under today’s political divide is suspect in my mind.

15 hours ago, wgdanson said:

But that means taking both hands off the wheel.

For example, when traffic stops to let you make a U-turn, I smile and give a one hand wai, thus keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

Hmmm, Thai traffic law video that I was required to view when renewing my license said that a driver is to allow emergency vehicles to pass. The camera clearly shows the vehicle and license. The driver shold be fined and receive “points” against removal of the privledge to hold a Driver’s License. IMHO

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Once again Thailand is made to look stupid, arrest warrant for a man who highlighted big companies greed/ abuse.

When ohh when are those supposedly running the country realize they are making Thailand a laughing stock?

Wrong here and wrong in the US where we see “ whistleblowers” also condemned. More difficult to get a court conviction like this one but certainly the government is complicit in protecting corporate interests.

11 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

Last year I visited friends and families in England. One of my oldest friends, known him from school, told me that in Thailand, one is never more than 200 yards away from the nearest brothel, and he was describing the whole of Thailand, not just Pattaya, although he`s never visited Thailand.

 

But this is a general western perspective of the country, including that it`s dangerous, HIV and aids is rampant, disease ridden, and extremely backward, mainly contributed by exaggerated media reports and how Thailand has been portrayed in films and on the social media. Australia is the worse for spreading denigrate publicity about Thailand. 

 

This is a bad reputation that refuses to budge and doubt it will ever change in my lifetime.

And the “silver lining”.... maybe putting some off from coming. More enjoyable for those here who have made it our home 555 ... what a “retirement home”!!!

Box Hotel in the airport would get him a hot shower, chance to catch some sleep. Hourly rates, I believe....

9 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

The US should look at their own human rights issues

As an American, I would encourage a country cited to study and make a public finding known to the rest of the world. What is stopping this but fear of bullying.

7 years, neither violent nor non-violent experiences like I read here.