SteeleJoe

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Stand on your own two feet...no question..100% right..

The biggest difference between foreigners who came here through the 70, 80 and most of 90 was that they were self sufficient well travelled etc..who came for the travel experience and found out about its charms later..basically looking for adventure, these types still exist but go else where now..

I regret that it will sound like another version of the tired old "well, you should have seen like it USED to be.../ It was much better when I got here..." and so on - guys were saying it when I got here - but I strongly suspect that the above is largely true. Certainly it appears that way to me and it certainly applies with me and the guys I met when I got here and the few years after...

If the quality of westerner was so much higher back then, it stands to reason Thais were more inclined to be accommodating. Perhaps then, before the infamous 'farang fatigue' set in, a westerner didn't need a girlfriend to help because many others were happy to lend assistance to the charming, white skinned gentleman living next door.

When I got here, I didn't need much help -- but then I had the internet as a crutch.

Still, one instance where my girlfriend proved invaluable was when there were massive leaks in my ceiling. I was living in a top floor apartment in a new building and the roof wasn't sealed correctly. It was late in the evening when the rains came, the super had already retired to his apartment, and having her there to call and explain what was happening made everything seem ok. That was during my first year here. Now I speak enough Thai myself and would be able to make that phone call and explain things. But at that time, knowing she could help me like that gave me great peace of mind.

I never used the word "quality" and I honestly don't think in those terms about people - generally speaking and certainly not in this instance. I believe, for the most part, the people who settled back then were different than those decades later; different, not "better" (or necessarily worse). I mean there were a LOT of less than reputable guys around doing unsavory things to varying degrees - many of them people who I liked and who added to the allure of the place - and I don't think of them (or myself) as having been a "higher quality".

In some sence, it is a pity that this thread is being misused like it is. It is the normal crowd of guys who have no problems whatsoever, and they are so extremely well fitted into society here in Thailand.

I think myself that the more a person is screaming out his own perfection and success in adapting into the thai way of life, the more of a failure is he in real life. I have been on this forum (Thaivisa) now I think since 2008, and I see all these millions of questions coming from guys that have absolutely no clue whatsoever, more than ordering in a beer at the bar, or buying food at Foodland..

Where are all these guys, that could have answered here in this thread. Because what I read here sofar, is mostly the normal kind of people that never in a lifetime will take a good idea and make something useful of it...

So much bullcrap in one thread, come on be honest, dont be so naiv and clever and never dare to open up.... OK I shall start than....I think that the OP has a point here,,,,, In many cases there are a woman behind the expat who is helping him to learn about the practicle obsticles in living his life here, and without this woman it would be so much harder to find out.....

Glegolo

If a topic is begun with a question that makes an assumption that simply isn't accurate in regards to me (among others), is it a misuse of the thread to point that out in my answer?

Speaking for myself, I never claimed to have no problems.

Stand on your own two feet...no question..100% right..

The biggest difference between foreigners who came here through the 70, 80 and most of 90 was that they were self sufficient well travelled etc..who came for the travel experience and found out about its charms later..basically looking for adventure, these types still exist but go else where now..

I regret that it will sound like another version of the tired old "well, you should have seen like it USED to be.../ It was much better when I got here..." and so on - guys were saying it when I got here - but I strongly suspect that the above is largely true. Certainly it appears that way to me and it certainly applies with me and the guys I met when I got here and the few years after...

The "I have a policy of not commenting on parenting skills, but here's my comment about your parenting skills" Brigade

The "deliberately twisting people's word" brigade.

The "that implied criticism of someone else made me angrily defensive" brigade.

BNH. Both kids born there. Can not say enough about the place: very, very impressed with quality of medical care and customer service.

Sorry, it's not readily apparent on the iPad app what forum one is in: just noticed you are in CM...I'm not.

I'm using True to post this while True Visions is playing on the TV: we've had no disruption of service.

It has eff all to do with being PC.

That term has become a simplistic unthinking rebuttal for so many arguments that are in fact based on ethics or genuine beliefs and while I've seen it used in the service of rejecting all sorts of things, this is frankly one of the dumbest examples I've seen.

Decry the increased concern for safety of society today compared to generations past and argue that it's gone too far - I think there are some valid points to be made there. But to ascribe - with no cause at all - the genuine objections people might have to someone unnecessarily endangering their child to them being "PC"...that's just lame.

.....adults differ greatly even of same age (some 40 look like 70, vice versa), so do babies (some can already walk stably of 10 months, some still have no teeth of 12 months.). We are a sporty family. I rode motorbike alone to BPH for delivery on that day ! If you are strong and alert, you have more control and confidence. So long as the safety methods are done, no need to have panic. How many people still get killed every year, even with the proper car seat and belt on?! Once you're on road, your safety is a bilateral thing. What can you do if a drunken fool is driving a heavy truck towards you ?!?!

I'm not riding motorbike like in Grand Prix, and I ride mostly in sois for shopping and sightseeing, and mostly in the early morning (when most of the *@(#&$(*#&$(*@#$& have just fallen asleep ))))))

I post here for info and advice, not for unreasonable accuse . Be fair!

Where to begin...

Yes, babies developmental levels vary and one 9 month old can differ from another. I'm not aware of ANY 9 month old who would be developed to such a different extent that it would affect the degree to which that child could withstand an accident - so what possible difference does the difference you speak of make?

A sporty family? Whatever that means, I can't imagine how it would increase your 9 month old infant's safety - no matter how "sporty" you may think he/she is.

You rode alone on delivery day? Sounds like another example of questionable regard for safety of your child but in any case, it has ZERO relevance to the child's safety now.

Control and confidence? Hmmm...does that mean you can not get in an accident? Do you realize that the vast majority of people injured or killed on motorcycles had (perceived) control and confidence?

Panic? Who is panicking? What does that have to do with anything?

You negate your whole argument above with the acknowledgement that no matter how you drive, an accident can occur. But you offer that as a reason why taking a baby on a motorcycle is OK - that's remarkably unthinking. Take a moment to consider: if you and your baby are in a car and the baby is secured in a seat and your car is struck by another at say 30kph - what will happen to you and your baby? Now imagine you are on a motorcycle...

Your first post struck me as someone who was sacrificing safety for convenience but without much thought. Now you actually try to defend your choice and the argument reveals how incredibly foolish you are about it.

By the way, I rode motorcycles very seriously (even competitively, as an amateur racer) for 30 years. I am not anti-motorcycle. But anyone who thinks they aren't taking a degree of risk virtually every time they go out on the road, simply hasn't got a clue. Someone taking that risk for themselves - as I did tens of thousands of times - has every right to. Someone deliberately exposing a baby to that risk...

Well, I will leave that unsaid.

I think people are falsely focusing on the irrelevant question, is Zimmerman a "racist" or not a racist.

That isn't really the point at all.

Indeed.

So again why were the FBI investigators interviewing his co-workers and fiance etc. who to the best of my knowledge were not on the scene that 26 February 2012 7 PM at Retreat at Twin Lakes other than to establish a general profile?

BTW that was the previous headline in the Miami herald article as was contained and linked to in the Wikipedia article on this case Footnote 207. as retrieved 16 JULY 2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin

I have not claimed they were or were not trying to establish a general profile - for all I know they may have been but it has nothing to do with me or the headline - the point is that they have not stated he is not a racist or even that there was no evidence that he is.

And there is a significant difference in saying 'we have no evidence that this man is a racist' and 'there is no evidence that this shooting happened because of race"...

Not a big deal but I see a LOT of things get twisted on both sides of this case and I think the demonizing AND the idealizing needs to stop as does any slight embellishment (conscious or not) that favors or disfavor a either side. (And this one has gained widespread acceptance - even by newspaper copywriters but that don't make it so)

What is a Skype? 2nd time sorry.

First, perhaps you should familiarize yourself with something called "Google".

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=what+is+skype&aq=f&oq=what+is+skype&aqs=chrome.0.57j0l3&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8&hl=en-US&espv=1

Hall to all Mr. know everything ,

My baby is 9 months old, and my scooter is Yamaha. Where can I buy and install a baby/kid seat on motorbike ? Someone told me to try the shop called PUN YON near Pattaya Klang. And another shop opposite Friendship supermarket.

Does anyone have experience ? Normally how much is the price ? Thanks a lot in advance !

PS: Driving car in downtown is same like having a constipation , ho ho ho ... Scooter is much easier ))))

I hope this is a joke.

I have a policy of virtually never opening on other people's parenting - but you've made it very difficult to resist commenting.

And what are these inner nets everyone keeps talking about?

On Zimmerman My Space page of 2005, as reported by the Miami Herald on May 3, 2012 stated:

"I don't miss driving around scared to hit Mexicans walking on the side of the street, soft ass wanna be thugs messing with people cars when they ain't around (what are you proving that you can dent a car when no one is watching) don]t make you a man in my book. Working 96 hours to get a decent pay check, getting a knife pulled on you by every Mexican you run in to".

This also places Zimmerman in the racists category.

Cheers:

So what this shows at best is that in 2005 when he was 21 years old GZ made some comments about Mexicans. I don't know if the FBI reads The Miami Herald but as noted this was published in May 2012 -- as of July 2012 the FBI was still conducting interviews in its investigation: "FBI records: agents found no evidence that Zimmerman was racist". The Miami Herald. July 12, 2012.

Despite the headline, what the report said that they found no evidence that racism was an element as motive for the shooting - they made no comment about whether or not he was a racist.

This is what the 7 JULY 2012 Miami Herald article actually said:

After interviewing nearly three dozen people — including gun dealers, Zimmerman’s former fiancé, co-workers and neighbors — the FBI found no evidence that racial bias was a motivating factor in the shooting, the records show. It’s unclear whether more interview transcripts remain to be released.

If The FBI were interviewing co-workers and neighbors, etc., they were trying to determine personality characteristics and a profile in general and not specifically what happened on the night of the incident.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/12/2892510_p2/detective-in-zimmerman-case-said.html#storylink=cpy

One can be the Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and still kill a black person for no reason other than self defense, so the ruling of the FBI is in regards to what is relevant and not a comment on the unknowable.

By the way, the linked article does not say this, does it?

"FBI records: agents found no evidence that Zimmerman was racist"

On Zimmerman My Space page of 2005, as reported by the Miami Herald on May 3, 2012 stated:

"I don't miss driving around scared to hit Mexicans walking on the side of the street, soft ass wanna be thugs messing with people cars when they ain't around (what are you proving that you can dent a car when no one is watching) don]t make you a man in my book. Working 96 hours to get a decent pay check, getting a knife pulled on you by every Mexican you run in to".

This also places Zimmerman in the racists category.

Cheers:

So what this shows at best is that in 2005 when he was 21 years old GZ made some comments about Mexicans. I don't know if the FBI reads The Miami Herald but as noted this was published in May 2012 -- as of July 2012 the FBI was still conducting interviews in its investigation: "FBI records: agents found no evidence that Zimmerman was racist". The Miami Herald. July 12, 2012.

Despite the headline, what the report said that they found no evidence that racism was an element as motive for the shooting - they made no comment about whether or not he was a racist.

The title is misleading as they have left out Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, all part of SE Asia.

I have no proof, but I think Thailand comes ahead of any of those countries.

Why do you think that? I don't know that you are wrong but AI wonder what you base that on...

I do recall at least one study had Thailand at second from the bottom in the world but Vietnam about 20 places higher.

Someone already addressed this absurdity so this thread is very old.

Zimmerman called 911 to talk about the weather?!

Take that sack of sh*t somewhere else to try to sell it, and to someone else.

Stupid strawman. No one claimed the purpose of the call was to make that comment - which you know full well.

Using your (lack of) logic, he called 911 in order to voice a racial slur.

That murderer Zimmerman has been at it again...

Zimmerman was one of two men who came to the aid of a family of four -- two parents and two children -- trapped inside a blue Ford Explorer SUV that had rolled over after traveling off the highway in Sanford, Fla. at approximately 5:45 p.m. Thursday, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

From here: http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimmerman-emerged-hiding-truck-crash-rescue/story?id=19735432

No doubt this was all set up just so he could look good.

(And for those who don't know me or lack the ability to spot sarcasm... YES, this was an attempt at sarcasm.)

Well, that settles it! Clearly he was not guilty of any wrongdoing against Trayvon Martin...

(And for those who don't know me or lack the ability to spot sarcasm... YES, this was an attempt at sarcasm.)

Before Thailand was occupied by Japanese forces, the Thai leader of the day (can't remember who he was) cut a deal with Japan, knowing his country could not mount any significant resistance to the Japanese forces. The Japanese forces were basically granted free passage in and through Thailand. They landed on the beaches without resistance. The deal was 'you can come in, you can come through, but you cannot take what little we have, and you cannot cause any misery to Thai people. And if you do not honour this, we will resist, with all our might.'

As such, Thailand was never a victim in WW2. They saved their country, saved their people, and probably made money from the Japanese. The suffering was limited, and this is why Thai teenies have no appreciation of how we feel about them idolising Hitler. He is cult figure to them. Maybe if their granparents bored the scars of muder and torture thay would have a different opinion. Shame on them for the insensitivity of it, because their Asian neighbours suffered greatly because they chose to fight .....

If you knew more about FM Pibun (the Thai leader of the day that you can't remember), you'd paint a somewhat different picture perhaps. Extremely pro-Japanese before the war (as a militarist who admired their brand of fascism and their ascendancy over the western powers in the region), he is a key part of the story - not surprising as he is one of the most important men inThai history.