smileydude

In Thailand people who drive for a living eg. Taxi's, buses, songtaew's, lorries etc usually are armed with either knives or metal bars as they are accustomed to traffic related arguments as part of their occupational risk hazards.  People with expensive super cars are also usually armed with guns too.  I'm not talking about your run of the mill 1911's or glocks but Sig's, STI's or even SMG's.

Its really unwise to get into a traffic altercation over here.  Just take a deep breath, calm down and swallow your pride as Thai's tend to take everything personally and make rash decisions when it comes to losing face.  I'd rather look like a rabbit then die like a fool over something as petty.

Social media can make someone famous or infamous overnight.  My advice to this young woman is to tread with caution.

As easy it is to get offers, the same applies when falling into the abyss of living off your looks and being seen as nothing more.

Living off looks -----> Easy money----> Materialism------> Partying, bad influences, drugs------> Depression and low self-esteem

Nurse -------> Earning a decent living ------> Living within means --------> Self-esteem 

Many countries (e.g. EU) that visitors need to apply for visa's require pre-purchased travel insurance.  It's pretty much a no brainer that everyone traveling should be required to purchase travel insurance since as a visitor you are not covered by the local national insurance schemes e.g. NHS in the UK, UC in Thailand.

I would prefer to buy it from a worldwide company like AIG, ALLIANZ, etc not thru a vending machine so just don't be lazy and purchase it prior to getting on the plane.  It costs peanuts compared to the cost of the trip yet people skimp and some unfortunately do get injured or sick and end up unable to pay the bills and have to beg for help.  Why be a burden to relatives and others.  You have to be responsible for yourself.. period.

Nothing unusual here.  Toyota has plants all over the world especially in countries where they have a large market share like the US, pickups in Thailand etc.  Thing is, Harley's are a niche product for the wealthy and Thailand is notorious for motor vehicle deaths and guess who tops it?  Motorcycles.  The rich aren't gonna take risks so they put their Harley's on the back of trucks and go for Khao Yai leisure rumbles to feel cool and then go back in the safety of their luxury super cars.  It will be interesting to see how much prices fall and whether they can expand their markets in Asia especially China.  HDMC lover's will probably benefit ever so slightly as the government needs to fill their coffers.

There are probably few to no countries in the world in which the national healthcare system will cover non-citizens/non-residents such as tourists that's why there's travel insurance.  Every private hospital in the world will require some kind of proof you can cover the costs.

I think what the mother said was a low blow and an irresponsible wolf cry.  Everyone needs to take responsibility for themselves when traveling as you don't pay taxes to that country therefore you have no rights to expect healthcare coverage.  

Unless a job requires overwhelming physical ability nothing surprising here.  Women and men have always had the same intellect and ability to learn.   There are notable differences in the way men and women approach problems and think but for the most part if you enjoy doing it there are no gender based limitations.  I once saw a 14 year old girl take down and clean an AR-15 with utmost skill.  Its all about practice.

Big brother is approaching a totalatarian police state it seems.  Its like either you want order or chaos in the eyes of simple minded leaders.

There may be the occasional sex tourist but before we go putting the blame on foreigner hormones shouldn't we Thai's asks ourselves:  Did anyone point a gun to those girl's heads to choose this profession or was it the hardship and economic disparity especially in the Isaan area that is to blame?

Thailand is 2nd ranked in terms of adultery (after Nigeria of course) and those big wigs and high ranking government officials with their "Mia Noi's" aren't exactly setting a good example of morality so we need to look at our own culture and socioeconomic shortcomings before we go wagging our fingers.

I suspect the people interviewed are only thinking of Patpong and Pattaya and forgot that its rampant all over the place and most of the demand is local.

Give her number and any proof eg. Messages etc to a suicide hotline group or Tinder and let them verify the authenticity of the problem.

DO NOT SEND OVER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 

First get a good divorce lawyer preferably sympathetic to your plight eg a thai lady lawyer who dislikes cheating spouses who give a bad name to thai women.    Any advice here is only as good as advice.

The law can be interpreted to favor any side depending on how good the lawyer is and even in some cases how biased the judge is.

Begging and bartering are totally different things just like busking is not begging.  As long as no coercion, harassment or psychological guilt manipulation is used, I as a thai feel no need to be alarmed or judgmental.  You give at your own choice.  I have been approached in every country I have visited whether it be the white South African young lady asking for bus fare in Cape Town or the middle aged-women asking for gas money at a gas station in Bicester UK etc.  I look and judge each situation individually.  I was suspicious of the young South African but gave her 100 Rand just to give her the benefit of the doubt because it was late in the night and not a big deal.   The gas station request was more obvious a sham so I said no.     I would usually gladly help out someone in true need or tight on cash but nowadays there seems to be so many scammers then actual people in need so much so that I have become cynical to the point of just waving everyone off and not really feeling good about it either.

Social media has its pro's but this is definitely one of its con's.  People deal with problems differently and mental health issues are often difficult to detect but it would benefit us and society as a whole if we educated ourselves on the signs of common problems such as depression, anxiety etc and to be aware of it in case we can help those around us instead of just focusing on ourselves.  Society has become too narcissistic as it is.

So sadddened to hear what has happened.  RIP little one.

Getting on a big bike/motorcycle in Thailand is like playing Russian roulette.  It's taking a risk and gambling with your life. 

If I'm going to ride my Harley its definitely not going to be on thai roads.  The disregard for driving etiquette and the value of life itself in Thailand confirms my philosophy that "I'd rather have steel surrounding me then me surrounding the steel(frame)."

Its easy to criticize and to expect those who were targeted/offended to not retaliate especially in a country less developed is rather naive.

Sometimes if you really want to help you have to tone down the rhetoric and find a more diplomatic approach.

Why even talk about settlement?  If you really value someone's life why not talk to lawyers on how justice can be served in order to prevent the same negligence over and over.   You may be helping many other lives from ending so sadly in doing so or at least if your daughter/wife is looking down at you, she will be at peace that you loved her enough not to let greed overcome what is the right thing to do.

That has happened in front of me before and usually a snake with that kind of gusto is either a Cobra or King Cobra.

I have been face to face with a juvenile King Cobra before.  It was about 25 meters in front of me as I was walking on the grass.

Its erect body part was about 50cm and and because it was still young the underbelly color was still yellowish green so at first I thought it was a tall solitary plant but I was suspicious because a single large green blade of grass in the middle of the lawn looks odd.

When I saw it move a bit I knew it was snake and starting to back pedal slowly.  When the snake started to wind down instead of slithering away it started slithering towards me.  Talk about aggressive.  I had no time to notice which way it went after I started my sprint!

Very interesting analogy and spot on in many areas.  What worries me also is the loyalty part.  Cats need freedom.  They wander out for days but eventually come back (most of the time unless they swing their loyalty towards a more rewarding owner).

I have no credible theory as to why these 2 species have converged in behavior except that socio-economic factors play an important part towards behavior as like Darwin says:  "survival of the fittest and only those who adapt survive."

The cat-like cuddling during one moment and the aloofness in the next is probably a dissociation between what "they need to do/care about"  and "really want to do/really care about", which is a struggle between instinctive acts of survival versus their true self.

I do highly appreciate the female form that is so different from ours.  

For now I try not to rationalize women's behavior for I need to keep my sanity.

Nuclear capabilities as a deterrent only work on sane leaders of government who know it is suicide to go beyond an actual launch.

But when your dealing with someone insane and could care less about the anhillation of his people then reality starts to get scary real fast.

My best bet out of this apocalyptic scenario is to let China deal with NK for their own benefit if not the world.

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

smileydude i posted a like on your post, but your fancy words baffled me.  

Ahhh pardon my bafflegab but it was a wee bit of psychology jargon, but the point being TS truly believes of his innocence.

Convincing oneself is a powerful tool indeed.

I truly believe TS has convinced himself that he is innocent and the victim.   In psychiatry they call it egosyntonic as opposed to egodystonic where one knows that one's behavior is wrong.  

Coupled with narcissistic behavioral disorder, TS is an unrepentant individual who will never change his stance, if only for survival.

No Thai really likes the hot weather because we have a bit too much of it freely available.

We like the A/C in our homes, cars, shopping malls etc.  Humans are an interesting bunch as we tend to appreciate what we don't have.

When was the last time you saw a thai sunbathing?!

We all enjoy ridiculing and directing sarcasm especially at things we don't like but what are the solutions?

To do as others do is not always the solution since culture differences don't always allow it.

So are we destined to our fate because of the short sightedness of others especially our leaders our do we start thinking for ourselves?

The next generation is always mankind's hope but looking at the failing of 5 out 6 O net subjects its not lookin bright but one has to have hope for studies have shown that hopelessness is what keeps people in poverty.

With poverty all your energy is directed towards just surviving and staying healthy.

Those who are able to lift themselves out of poverty were those who had hope.  Hope of a better life motivated themselves to achieve it.

Once you are able to make a decent living do you have the luxury like many in the westernized world to start thinking about social responsibility and democracy.  

Even though less then 12% of Thailand's population is below the poverty line we still have a far way to go before equity is reached.  Right now the government has to start addressing this inequity and income disparity before even starting to preach about democracy and the rule of law.

Thanks Thaidream for pointing out probably the two most important parts of what I was trying to say but didn't.

1. Thai's do think and act differently.  

2. Viewing everything from a Western perspective will result in a lot of frustration if we don't try to understand it.  

Its human nature to use one's values to judge.  Thing is values vary from country to country.   Kunfish also explained it well why thai people drive the way they do as you also did, they emulate it each other to go with the flow otherwise they'd stick out like a sore thumb.

I've become a bit of a hybrid in this sense.  I adjust everything (driving mannerisms etc) accordingly to where I am because I understand the differences in etiquette and accept them and in the process keep my sanity.

Thanks rogeroc.  Just my 2 cents.

Yeah, maybe its not as cheap here anymore relatively speaking.  I've heard you could get better bang for your buck in Vietnam and the Phillipines but each to his own.  I still think in general services are relatively much cheaper here then in US/EU.  

The price of getting a haircut, dry cleaning, dental work, tips at 18-30% (US) eg, is astronomical.

Thailand is notorious for poor driving manners and lack of driving etiquette but when you say the "the last straw" I understand you've had many other negative experiences living here.   As a Thai person who has lived in both the US and UK for over a decade I think I can say with some substance that the average Thai in general view foreigners better then they view each other.  They automatically assume you are more educated, more wealthy and more civilized.  Those who view foreigners as white trash might be those who have a negative stereotype against those with tattoos and backpackers or elderly men roaming around bars in Pattaya (that's gonna hit a nerve!).   Stereotypes are a common element in every society and that the more ignorant you are the more you have.   Every country has people with prejudices against certain races.   People of darker skin and south Asian descent probably have it way worse then caucasians here.

I still think the average Thai is more genuinely friendly and less cynical then those living in big cities.  This probably applies all over the world so I am a bit surprised about your negative experiences in CM but when in comes to driving etiquette I have no excuses for my thai brethren because we have terrible driving manners (though I have witnessed more honking and hand gesturing in NY in 1 hr then I have seen in a year of driving in Thailand).  Thai's take everything personally, so confrontation leads to loss of face and other bad things.  We retain our sanity by just letting go and not taking it personally otherwise we'd be a bundle of road rage joy.

If someone sticks a middle finger at you in the US you just stick one back and both go their own ways.  You do it in Thailand and the guy with the gun wins.  I have no excuses, its just every culture is different.

Its about empathy and flexibility.

If its too much for you then its better to move on but if you can adjust you can enjoy the food, low cost of living, massages and  laid back culture (mai pen rai sabai sabai).

I understand a lot of foreigners come here to retire or relax from the dog eat dog rat race where you will instead face the gold diggers and scammers but also enjoy the positives.  I have had negative experiences everywhere I've lived be it LA, Miami, London, Birmingham etc but I try to avoid the negative generalizations because they would mentally block me from enjoying life in general.  

I hope you will still continue to enjoy what Thailand has to offer if you could look at it in a more forgiving way.