qualtrough

Thanks for that, Soju. I've been through the hateful and spiteful partings before. Never again. They rip you apart much more than allowing yourself to let go of something with love and compassion.

I respectfully disagree. I still have no regrets about leaving a cheating girlfriend's belongings on the curb. My only regret years later is that I didn't leave them in a dumpster.

I've been dealing with Thais for 20 years in business and marriage.

Screwing over Farangs is a national pastime.

Her friends would probably ridicule her if she wasn't taking advantage.

My best friend married a lovely Thai lady.

Single with no kids.

He is out to Sea every 2 months.

If ten years down the road I hear she had a Thai husband and kids would still not suprise me. TIT.

Truth, integrity and trust are important to westerners, not Thais.

Not saying they are bad people, just raised different with different priorities.

Skipper I know from your previous posts that you have had a bad experience, but your saying that Truth, integrity, and trust are important to Westerners and not Thais is pure BS. Yes, there certainly are dishonest Thais who seek to exploit Farangs, but to extrapolate from that to a blanket statement about all Thais is ridiculous. I think part of the reason for this perception is that a good number of Farangs get involved in relationships or situations here that they would never get into back home simply because they are ignorant of the social. linguistic and other clues that would tip them off as warning signals back in their home turf. They also tend to meet up with a subset of Thais that already know English and have experience in dealing with Farangs for one reason or another, and thus are not necessarily representative of the Thai population as a whole. I found that my perception of Thais changed for the better when I learned to read and write Thai and thus was able to operate independently. I no longer had to depend on English-speaking Thais for help with anything, and could venture out beyond those areas that cater to Farangs.

1st reply:

I am hoping you will reply to me with more information. My heart is very much broken by your news.[ I am sorry] I must be sure it is right.[That all right] Can you tell me how long she has been seing this policeman?[ more than 1 year] Who is he?[he have nickname ‘ya’] And what of my pick up truck?[she and him use you car and drink by you money ] Is the damage bad?[damage the left the car] Has it been fixed?[ I know they sent repair by insurance] Please, you must tell me more if you know.

I think if you need to know this about when you go to Thailand you don’t tell everybody

Everybody to cover up this about to you Everybody know this about very well

I tell this about because it not fair for you

You can to decide by you self good luck

Please keep this about between you and me only if you need to more information can ask me

See you

2nd reply:

I can not give my moblie to you i can not speak english [you can speak thai]

you can contract by mail only

i sent to you by open dictionary

i understand this new it shock! for you i sorry again

before i tell you i think many day verymuch

i think you can sole this preblem you love them

Jai yen yen

I can information for you by mail

I observe a big difference between these two replies. As someone pointed out earlier, the capitalization in the first one is better than most Thais with a rudimentary grasp of English would manage. In the second reply there are only three instances of caps, and the writer no longer caps 'I' 7 out of 9 occurences. Spelling is a ###### sight better than many native speakers around these parts too-very odd. Never seen or heard a Thai say or write 'preblem' either for that matter. I too have my suspicions whether or not this was written by a Thai.

That being said, even if it was it doesn't necessarily mean that the writer is being truthful. The whole incident reminded me of something that happened to a friend here a long time ago. His girlfriend got a call from someone saying that her boyfriend (my friend) was gay! This person obviously knew them both because of some other info supplied that I now forget. He called me and asked me to tell his girlfriend that he wasn't gay. The idea was so absurd that I told her, yeah, he's gay. Big mistake. They got over it, but he tells me she still has her doubts. I don't know if they ID'd the person for certain, but they had a strong suspicion it was one of her friends.

Bit early to throw in the towel unless there are other things we don't know about...

Try to explain the sense to climb a mountain to a Thai......

I mean walking, not with the car....

About 16 years ago I lived in Chiang Mai for a few months. Decided to take a walk up the mountain. Nobody had any idea how/if it could be done, nor knew of any reasons why anyone would do that. I eventually found a path that led about 2/3 of the way up, and then finished the hike on the road. Whether or not there was a path all the way to the top I never found out. We shouldn't be too hard on the Thais about that attitude. The Swiss didn't climb their mountains until the English took an interest, and with the heat the Thais have even better reason not to.

Unless Thais are from the countryside their ideas of spending time are not necessarily the same as ours. Appreciating nature is one of those lovely things.

My wife is not Thai, but she is Asian brought up in NZ, and we went to a most beautiful picnic spot in the Cameron Highlands - simply stunning views.

All the family could think of was how to unpack the food and then have a nap . . .

Lucky my wife was brought up in NZ and has similar ideas in relation to nature and not always having to be in malls - I find it difficult to see how so many Caucasians have that much in common with Thais particularly. (in reference to the above)

(Edited for spelling)

Sing_Sling-You account of the trip to Cameron Highlands reminds me of a similar experience I had there many years ago. At that time I had a good Thai friend (my only good male friend in all my years here) and we decided to travel by train down through Malaysia to Singapore. At that time I lived in the heart of Bangkok in a tiny flat. I was so relieved to get out in the countryside and see some green. So we get to Cameron Highlands, and I was esthatic. Green, green, green, cool weather, hardly any people... My Thai friend? "Let's go find a bar, this is boring, nothing to do here..." Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I have mellowed somewhat now, but the people rushing in the lift before letting people out really used to irritate me. Back then if I was in a particulary bad mood I would position myself right behind the lift door, I mean 1 inch, and spring out the moment it opened. That gave the dolts standing right in front of the door on the outside a taste of their own medicine and was quite satisfying. Results are even better if you have a shopping cart...

Here is the irony: I have lived in Thailand so long that I sometimes find myself standing right in front of the lift door without thinking.

Must mention my favorite peeve: People who decide stopping and standing at the bottom or top of an escalator is a wise thing to do. This just happened to me again yesterday. Blocking the bottom is annoying, blocking the top is dangerous. At least once I have seen a small pile up at the top due to this behavior mode.

I am thinking of sending parcels of the things i am gonna buy thorugh Thai Post back to my country. Unfortunately i dun read thai so i am unable to find the nearest post office thru their website. Can anyone help?

Also are u able to find out for me what's the operating hours like and do they sell carton boxes for postage? Thanks a bunch in advance guys...

I think the last time I was there may have been 20 years ago, but at that time there was a post office in the basement area of the Indra Hotel. Who knows, might still be there?

It is pretty easy to remove snakes yourself if you want. Get a hollow bamboo, metal, or stiff pvc tube about, say, 5-6 feet long, and then thread some thin rope through it and back again so that a noose sticks out of one end. You can then put the noose around the snake's neck at a safe distance and then pull the rope to tighten the noose around the snake just behind the head. What you do with it then is up to you!

Back during the period 1980-84 I used to have to visit Penang almost every 3 months. I enjoyed the place because they had not torn down all their old buildings like Bangkok. It was also a pretty sleepy place as there was no bridge and the economy had tanked, and like you said the food was good. A really interesting history and culture in my opinion. My wife and I honeymooned there in 1996 and stayed on top of the hill and on Batu Feringhi. OK, the beaches suck and the water is dirty, but only fools would visit Penang for that.

Unfortunately, most Farang teachers in thailand are under qualified and overpaid in comparison with their Thai friends, they are accepted because they are native speakers. They are as bad as their counterparts from China.

Most teachers are not tutors at all, they are great in everything except in teaching.

In this case the chap was qualified, but physically dangerous. In most cases teachers are screwing up the curiculum of their students. Chapeau if the Thai authorities enforce the quality from now on. Hardly any teacher in thailad would be allowed to teach in the West.

Care to back up your statements with any facts or figures? It seems only fair if you are going to trash an entire community. Judging from the grammar and spelling mistakes in your post I can see why you might have a grudge against teachers. BTW, I am not a teacher, nor am I involved in any activities related to education.

Hope this is indeed the guy.

BTW, if Thailand starts deporting 'undesirable' farangs this forum might become a pretty lonely place soon

I have heard of this too. A few years back there was a case in the news about a woman who conspired with someone to kill her husband who was royalty here. I can't remember all the details, but one of the things that came out was that the victim had adopted or sponsored the girl with that same view in mind. Perhaps other readers can recall more about that.

I think the Post article said the Thai cops were tipped off by overseas counterparts. I suspect that a good portion of the people busted at airports were identified even before they stepped into the airport. I have heard that large dealers will sacrifice some mules as a distraction, and that makes sense. Perhaps while all the attention was focused on this group another group or package with more drugs got through. What is clear is that the big guys almost never get busted. I am not a fan of illegal drugs, but the War on Drugs is a stupid waste of lives and money in my opinion.

I am wondering where you drive, what you drive, and how you drive in order to get pulled over so often? I have driven in Bangkok and elsewhere for about 9 years and only been pulled over a few times. Each time I was guilty of an infraction (in a bus only lane, etc.) and got off with paying a 200 Baht 'fine' on the spot. One time I ran a red light late at night, got pulled over, quizzed about where I was going, and let go. Having said that I will almost certainly get pulled over tomorrow.

I do know that pickups and bikes get hit far more often than sedans, so maybe that is the problem. I had a friend with a pickup and every time he went up to Korat he came back with a story about being pulled over. I drive an old Land Rover which for some reason is almost invisible to cops. Man, I am going to get pulled over tomorrow for sure now!

In my experience Thai cops don't pay that much attention to driver's licenses. It is good to have it on you, but if you don't the worst that would happen is that your 'fine' might be a little more.

I believe the Post said they transited through KL, so they are lucky they were not busted there as they are pretty strict with the death penalty and have no compunction about hanging foreigners.

I would rather take my chances in a Thai jail than Singapore. Most foreign drug smugglers seem to get a King's Pardon within 5-10 years. If you have some money you can survive OK. You can also publish a best seller when you get out, and perhaps even get film rights.

I am looking looking for a header shop that can make a small batch of mild steel headers for an Aston Martin from samples. I know there are many header shops around, but I am hoping someone might be able to make a recommendation based on their personal experience.

I have completely stopped going to a Japanese restaurant at the Emporium because they made mistakes almost everytime we went there whereas we are completely satisfied with other branches of the same chain. The mistakes are not language related as my Thai wife (not ex-bar girl) who is well educated in finance always orders the food even though I speak Thai.

im confused what on earth has it to do with subject in this thread weather your wife is or is not an ex bar girl if this was a thread talking about other things it might be relevent so why say anytihng at all on that subject - seems a bit defensive for no reason whatever

I think the poster's adding that fact is entirely appropriate. While regrettable, the Thai staff would almost certainly deal differently with someone they thought was a bar girl compared to someone they thought was not. A significant portion of forum members have GFs or Wives who are ex-bargirls, and I think that some of the problems they report are directly related to that fact. Thais know a bar girl from a hundred paces and will treat them accordingly in many cases. Please don't flame me, I am not saying that is correct behavior, just a fact.

As far as the complaint of the OP, I haven't run into that. When I go somewhere and order something I am always told if it is not in stock. Happens all the time, but some restaurants are worse than others. A sure sign is if the joint has one of those multi-page menus with every item imaginable. The odds of them having everything are slim. Odds are also bad in tourist areas during the off-season. The cheese that was readily available when tourists were packing the joint disappears when there are only a handful of tourists around. I can't recall being given another dish or beverage, with the possible exception of a Coke for Pepsi, or vv. Even that doesn't happen very often.

Viewing the comments I have to imagine that many posters view adverts depicting children as little short of pornography. Not so much for any sexual content but because they evidently feel it is so evil. I do hope that they are not patronizing any media that use children in advertising. Heaven forfend!

My wife signed our two daughters up with an agency some time ago. The girls love it. They have been out to 3 casting calls without success and there were no repercussions. Some good lessons there-you don't always win and there is always another day. We experienced no negative vibes from other families at the castings and everyone was quite friendly and professional.

Recently one daughter was chosen for a commercial that will shoot next week. She is thrilled. I will be monitoring the process closely and if she is not enjoying it or if I feel that it is affecting her in a negative way that will be the end of it. My only worry concerns the daughter not selected, but she appears to be handling it quite well and I am sure that one day too she will get the call. The money is good and will go into their accounts. Right now it is a lark, but it would be quite nice if they accumulated enough money for college by the time they are ready.

We have had good results with Singapore, Cathy Pacific, and Thai. Avoid American carriers like NW and American at all costs. Actually, avoid even if you don't have children. A few years back we flew to the US with our first born. She was about a year old. We had to pay for a special child ticket. When we got on the plane and the meal was served I asked the attendant about the baby meal and she asked me if I had requested one when I booked the ticket. Excuse me, but if they have a passenger flying on a baby ticket what other meal would they be eating--steak and fries? She then grumpily said she would see what she could find. Finally came back and handed me some Gerber products, which I then had to ask if she could heat up. Compare and contrast with Thai and Singapore. They called our home, asked about special needs, etc. When we boarded they asked if we wanted our kids to eat first or with us. The kids meals were great and came with toys. They also had additional toys. On a Thai flight to Singapore a hostess asked us if she could hold our daughter after the meal. Our daugther was then doted on by different staff for the rest of the flight. I am a US citizen but would never fly a US carrier unless I couldn't avoid it.

P.S. When a sister visited with her family they flew a leg on Emirates. They could not believe how good the service was. The kids were given watches!

I just want to clarify that I do not advocate not obtaining a Thai drivers license. I think they are required for insurance policies and you might find yourself not getting a payout on your policy in the event of an accident if you don't have a valid license. I think that issue has been covered in other threads.

The point I mean to make is that the address is not a critical issue here. I have never changed mine because it meant running back and forth between Sukhumvit and Pathum Thani and chasing bits of paper. Back home I would need a correct address because I would need to use it as a form of ID, e.g. cashing checks, and the address is often checked and verified. I have only been asked to show my license by cops, and that is because it is a required part of the bribe ritual--

Officer: "You can pick up your DL at the station X kilos away and pay the fine"

Driver: "Can I pay the fine here officer?"...

Officer: (Glancing around). "Sure"

I haven't lived at the address on my driver's licence for almost 9 years now. I wanted to change it once but it involved a big hassle so I decided to pass. I don't really think it is a big deal as they are a bit of a joke anyway. Cops don't seem to care if you don't have one when you are pulled over.

Not sure if it would suit your needs, but there are a lot of outfits selling used wood taken from old factories, rice mills, and other structures. If you take the road from Future Park heading towards Nakorn Nayok you will encounter quite a few on either side of the road. No green wood there.

The other day the Post had an editorial that called for Don Muang to be the center of the Thai aircraft and supporting services industry. Seemed like a hare-brained scheme to me when I read it.

The best way to proceed would be for the government to set a certain portion of the land over as a park or green space, and then put the remainder on the market and let the marketplace determine what should be there. The latter within some kind of appropriate zoning or planning guidelines. Given that there would be huge bucks to be made in and out of government, I am sure that is what will happen at some point.

Is that story he wrote online anywhere?

And who is the Scottish detective? Some good work there it sounds like.

My wife finds the case very distressing for at least two reasons. Sad for the man and his young son, and sad because it is bad PR for Thai wives in general, however unjustified that might be.

I have heard that the pay and hours for farang proofreaders at the Post and Nation are not that good. Also, a Thai with native proficiency could make far more money doing something else in Thailand.