Gsxrnz

I just can't see where you are coming from here the family spent quite a few thousand baht on myself. Petrol.national park fees.food.beer the list goes on 5000 was a good will gesture on my part which my girlfriend refused twice before I slipped it in the window of the car when we left to head Into the airport.

Mate, you did the right thing. If I stayed at a friends house (as I do when I go home) for a week or two at a time, I would not feel comfortable unless I bought them a gift of some substantial value, or took them out for at least several high cost meals. They save me $1,000 a week in accommodation and car costs - if I spend $400 on them I'm still winning. Arguably the cost to them is negligible, but that is definitely a moot point.

So why should it be any different here. The difference is, what do you buy a poor family from Isaan to show your gratitude? A nice artwork to hang on the wall, tickets to the latest show and a night on the town in BKK, a gift voucher at Central Festival? Yeah right, they could really use all of those couldn't they.

Giving cash was the best solution - they refused as they are bound to do, you insisted as you were socially obliged to do....regardless of what country you're in. They showed you tremendous hospitality and you repaid them in the most practical sense - a cash gift. The amount was IMHO appropriate. 5k is not loose change for a Falang, and it's not a huge fortune for a Thai farmer.

As to the future etc.....well it hasn't happened yet. You'll have to wait and see what it brings and how you handle each and every situation. Try your best to make sure the outcome/s are what you want and are happy with. No doubt you will be tested, as you would be tested in any relationship with in-laws in your own country.

Arm yourself with as much information as you can (good and bad opinions should all be welcomed), put them through the grinder and form your own conclusions. As different things happen, refine your thinking and reform your opinion, ad infinitum. It ain't all good, and it ain't all bad either. Learn from your mistakes, don't make the same mistake twice, remain in control.

$1000 dollars a week in Esaan ? Are you kidding ? This is 32,000 Baths, please explain how you can spend that in rural Thailand in a week. You can stay more than two months in an hotel in Khorat for that money.

Oh Brother!!!

Read the post again. But put your thinking cap on first.

To be fair to the OP this thread title shouldn't have the words TV in it cos not only do forummers here behave like this here they do that in other places too in fact all forums with heavy traffic have ppl that behave exactly like that it's just human nature.

Never thought of that. You might be right there.m

It's not just internet forums, it's about human interaction. The study of styles of debate and argument styles are well defined and documented.

On a side note, I thought I'd made a mistake once, but I was wrong.

There's a classic No.3 that posts regularly. If his responses/denials/accusations have less than three irrelevant questions in every post, I feel kind of cheated.

Check the settings on your TV audio. You will have a range of audio options that set to cinema, dynamic, sound equalising etc etc. Play with these to find the best listening option.

There will still be some variation between the odd channel, but you should find that the foreground/background sounds should be better matched if you use an appropriate setting on your TV.

It's a tad embarrassing being paraded around with your little sticky rice container and your sash on like some sort of trophy. I would have beaten Barry hands down though.

Ironically, Barry from England didn't seem to understand too much Tinglish, which I thought was actually pretty clearly spoken by the Thai compare.

never golfed in Thailand so this is a bit new to me. i have a couple questions if you would be so kind. (sincerely)

1) do you need to have a caddy in all courses in Thailand?

2) i notice the word "she" a few times but never "he." are they always female?

3) if yes to questions 2, do they actually advise or are they just there to pull you clubs (no pun intended) and something to stare at.

Sorry if number 3 is a bit sexist, but most women I know dont really know much about golf, and its an all female thing then it sounds a bit like knowledge of the games is not the primary concern.

1. If there are caddies at the course, a Falang must use one. Some courses (small rural or navy) don't have them, you can drag your own trolley which they supply.

2. Yes there are some males, but reasonably rare. Usually on the bigger pro courses.

3. My girl caddy is excellent. She pulls clubs, advises me, tells me to calm down and play safe, reminds me of the wind and that I better use the 7 and not the 8, can pick a really good putting line and is tuned in to my pace of putting, cleans my shoes, cleans the heads every week with water and a brush, puts the bag in the truck, organises other caddies for the group, makes sure we jump the queue if she can get away with it, sells me new balls really cheap.....she can actually play a fair game of golf herself. If she was half way decent looking I'd marry her, but she's got a face only a mother could love.

My mates have found that you're best to try a few caddies and pick one you like as a regular. The better they know you, the more fun they are, the better job they do, the more they want to retain you as a regular customer, the more they are tuned into your game, the more help they can give you. They're not going to help you fix your slice, but a good one can make a difference to your game.

The guys that go for the prettiest one, or the cutest body, and change caddies every week are usually not satisfied with them as caddies and get no real help with their game.

Put my golf clubs on the back of the truck. Too heavy for the mere-baan to lift.

She can drag them off when I get home though.

Pattaya, my group, friends and myself: 200 if I am really unhappy. 250 the norm. 300 for a very good caddie, doesnt happen often. Never had any problems, I wonder that so many ppl tip 300 as standard.

Had a mate that tipped 200 for his semi-regular caddy. He wondered why he couldn't get her every time. Obviously if she had a choice of getting a customer before he arrived that she knew would tip 300, she'd take that customer instead of him.

If I were her, I'd do the same.

Yes, I also consider them as useless.

Can you please elaborate on your opinion?

I tip 300 in Pattaya and play 3 times a week. . Have a regular caddy that I sms in the morning and she organises the caddies for the group that are playing. She knows all our regulars and keeps them in line for us. I might tip an extra 100 if she is able to use her Julius Marlow wedge without being seen .

She always buys me a Birthday present. This year it was a polo shirt and a cap. She also gets me brand new Srixon balls for 150B a dozen, still in the box. Not sure which truck they fell off, don't really care.

I reckon caddies make the day more fun, even if you're playing serious golf. They're always up for a laugh.

We occasionally get a "trolley dragger" if one of our regulars is away or sick. After two holes, if it's evident they're lazy or not willing to participate, we just tell my caddy (she's sort of the camp leader) that this particular caddy is no good so please send her back and get a replacement. This has happened twice with no problems and no hard feelings.

Get a stuffed owl

And a stuffed cat. Well Ok, maybe a concrete one. Stick them on the roof, change their locations now and again.

Next time, have the contract written by a lawyer domiciled in the country of the borrower as though the debt existed in that country. The laws of that country therefore apply. Situations like yours are therefore easier to handle.

You can structure it so that payments can be multi-currency etc, payable ayywhere in the world. You should also have the borrowers lawyer acknowledge that the contract is legal and binding, and that you are a preferential creditor in case of default, bankruptcy and/or death.

It's no harder than doing it locally, you still pay legal fees, and you will also have a proper Purchase/Sale Agreement plus a Vendors Loan Agreement. I've done it several times and no problems - even if the borrower dies, you still have a claim on his Estate. Interest should be mandatory in any debt by the way.

As to your present case - either name the SOB, or at least give clues such that we TV members can conclude who it is and spread the word.

If you can't get the cash off him, take it out in revenge through the employment of some locals (covertly, and anonymously of course - these things can be handled over the phone and an ATM deposit). I'm sure he's got a face that he values.

Too late for what???

Can you imagine if a military officer said something like that in US or Europe - they would be asked to resign immediately.

It would probably be classed as Treason or something similar.

The lounges are only for members or 1st/business class.

If you're flying cattle class you have to sit with the great unwashed in the general seating area.

My experiences with the Russians I've come across in Jomtien/Pattaya:

Many occasions they push in at any form of queuing, and generally barge their way around with no consideration for personal space. My daughter's been knocked over by fat women twice in a 7/11.

Generally rude and vocal. Have seen many of them get very vocal with street vendors - yes they can be a pain, but Russians seem to be overly rude in waving them away and speaking in obviously rude tones.

Have seen on 6 or 7 occasions at beach chair places on the beach that the vendor demands payment for the chair as soon as the Russians sit down, and if food/beer is ordered they take the cash C.O.D. No bin in the traditional sense for them. Have also seen 3 or 4 arguments when bins were allowed and the Russians refused to pay for the chairs. The language barrier made it look very unpleasant.

Have been asked for cigarettes by youngish Russian males many times. They just made smoking motions as they approached me while I was smoking. I remembered from a novel I read that Hooy na ny means something like "no <deleted> way" in Russian, so I've trotted that out. None of them expected it and most buggered off smartish. One of them laughed and tried to talk in very bad English - I gave him a ciggie. Of course if a drop-dead little Hottie asks for a smoke (which hasn't happened yet), my response would be somewhat different.

At the markets I've overheard Thai stall holders telling their staff or kids to keep their eyes on the "thieving Russians". They will also bargain on something that is only a few baht, such as 15 baht worth of vegetables.

At my village pool, they generally won't respond when given a smile/wave and an international "Hallo". A few do, maybe 1 in 5. Even their kids don't want to mix with European or Thai kids in the pool.

My general conclusions are that the lack of English language (and our lack of Russian) is a pre-determined barrier to interaction. This in itself will immediately create limitations in possible interaction, and therefore dissuades one (us or them) from attempting.

Secondly, many of the Russian tourists are first time travellers. They have had probably nil experience or exposure to any culture other than their own, and they are now in an Asian country along with westerners from many European countries. This is a totally new experience and probably further dissuades any interaction.

Perhaps the perceived aloofness means that we westerners don't give them a fair shake of the stick and we do not have a true impression of what they are really like. Perhaps in their own environment that act and behave totally differently.

However, from what I have seen, they are certainly a different breed of fish.

I have observed more obvious homophobia among the Russians than other groups in Pattaya, even much more so than Muslims from the Middle East or Indians, which might surprise many. The main reason I say this is watching how they react on baht buses when there are either Thai ladyboys or older white man / younger Thai man couples. Sometimes it is overt, pointing and laughing at them directly, more so to the ladyboys. Sometimes it is hostile looks and STARING more so to the gay male intergenerational couples. I have not noticed any visible hostility towards gay men together who are the same race and age but I'm not sure they even register as gay to these observers.

So far I have not heard of any bashing incidents when the homophobic Russians "mix" with visible sexual minorities, but I wouldn't be surprised if I did.

JT - didn't you post a while ago that middle aged Russian women were regularly hitting on you at Big C?

Somebody should design a board game based on Thai politics.

The only problem is that the ideal name for the game, "Trivial Pursuit", has already been used.

That's why we where thongs(flip flops).

The tan will hide the shackle marks on our feet.

Kiwis don't like thongs,hard to chase sheep without a sturdy pair of runners.

Kiwis don't wear thongs, they wear Jandals, which is the correct name for what Orstrayliuns call thongs.