Coffee Dude

Tell me if any director has ever put a poster sitting on the head of Jesus..?

Ummm. did you see the Exorcist? You know the "<deleted> Jesus, <deleted> Jesus" scene? Not exactly sitting but it was pretty bad.

I haven't seen the posters nor read much about the film to which you refer so I don't know the context of the scene. I don't know maybe a depiction of the absolute wrong thing to do? Can't say.

Although I understand that this is considered the equivilent of sacrilage in any context.

There is a thread in the Buddhism section of Thaivisa that discusses a bit more on the subject.

Coffee!!!

no one has mensioned our own terrorists right here in thailand. are the muslims in the south going to get more radical, as the US continues to piss off the muslim world?

You are confusing extremism for Islam. This is the intent of the press and it is working. Mohamad said let no man stand between you and your god. This statement differentiates Islam, in a positive way, from all of the other Western Religions that worship "The One True God". He had the insight to know that if religious leaders were allowed in Islam (where the Q'ran calls only for prayer leaders) that the temptation for power would be too great for them to resist, causing corruption and distortion of Islam. These men (religious leaders), know that the Muslim people live for their God first and second for their race or country and would do anything for that God. They have easily duped many good Islamic people to serve a man in the belief that they are serving God. The vast majority of people in Islam realize that these extremist are a perversion of their faith. The vast majority of muslims know better.

The extremism that you see around the world is no more or less than any other aggression or defence against aggression in all history. It is a thrust for power and nothing more.

I'm staying in Thailand

Coffee!!!

Hang in there GS. My crystal ball is broken right now so I can't say whether everything will work out for you. One thing I CAN say from experience is, the skeletons will probably come out of the closet for a while. You either have to beat the skeletons, accept and live with the skeletons, or the skeletons will beat you.

GL

Coffee!!!

An old couple decided they wanted to extend their family. Try as they might the seed never took root.

They decided to go to the doctor to see if there was anything to be done. The doctor just looked at the old man and said !!Emitt!! you're old, you probably have a low sperm count. I will need a specimen.

The next day the couple returned to the doctor. They handed him an empty specimen bottle. The old man said “We both tried with both hands, my wife tried with her teeth in and she tried with her teeth out”.

"We just can’t get the top off this bottle".

Coffee!!!

I have summized from my observations over a comparitively short stay (2 years-ish) that the type of tourist being 'woo'd' to LoS has changed. But what I've seen of it is; It isn't the tourists, it is the people that are coming here to take advantage of them. Esp many (not all) falangs who don't care what damage they do as long as it makes them a buck. Scam artists are appearing with astonishing rapiditiy.

But I agree with Up2U that without the infrastructure it isn't going to work anyway. Meanwhile, a lot of people are dumping money into holiday homes and other ventures that couldn't be considered High end any time soon because of this lack of infrastructure. What we are left with is a bunch of unfinished construction and a lot less coconut palms and rain forest.

During this metamorphasis we are subjected to views that are supposed to appeal to this High end market that take away from the things that I thought made LoS a great place to start with. For me (personal thing) you could choose just about any lifestyle you wanted. Don't want to go on a rant but the closing times are the government telling me when I should go to bed (don't like it, no sir, don't like it).

I sure would like to see more tourists but not at the cost of eventually losing most of them in the near future because of short sightedness and greed.

Coffee!!!

IF your suspicions are correct and a no kiddin' WW did ensue there would be no place to hide. That is unless you are into global anarchy (dog eat dog) and then only if you are one of the big dogs. Scavenger types would be everywhere feeding on the bones of those too weak to object.

Governments love unarmed peasants. Which of course we would almost all be. It would only be a matter of time before this bone yard would be picked clean. Let us just hope that if this apocalyptic premise ever happens that a government that doesn't have a long history of imperialism of colonialism reins victor. That way we can all go back and try to put the vague view of our futures back in order.

Coffee!!!

I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan:

1. The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Noriega, Milosovich and the rest of those 'good ole boys.' We will never "interfere" again.

2. We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one sneaking through holes in the fence.

3. All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France would welcome them.

4. All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5. No "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home baby.

6. The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing non-polluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

7. Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

8. If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9. Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10. All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer.

Now, ain't that a winner of a plan.

The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling,

'You want a piece of me?'"

Wolfie Posted on Fri 2004-09-10, 12:01:13

Its an important subject, especially over here.

Hardly something to poke fun about.

The Wolf mans right!!

STDs - Sexually Transmitted Diseases - The more dangerous of these are better know as Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP). Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) the virus that causes AIDS is the most talked about and deadly. Thailand is, by worldwide standards, a very high risk area for HIV. Hepatitus Virus B (HVB) which can also be deadly or cause permanent liver damage if not treated in time, is much more common and is transmitted in the same way as HIV.

BBPs are tranmitted through contact with body fluids especially but not limited to direct contact with blood (Assisting a bleeding accident victim, stepping in sidewalk vomit with your flip flops on, getting a tat at an unkown to you unclean tat shop or the list goes on and on) . You do not have to have EVER had sex to contract either of these viruses.

If you intend to subject someone to contact with your body fluids get checked and pay for them to get checked. It's fast, it's easy, it only hurts a tiny bit, and it doesn't cost much. After you get the results back you will either rest easier or know that you have to get medical attention and restrict your lifestyle.

Coffee!!!

Huh uh!! I don't think so. Men and women are the same? Can you expand on that?

Not an attack just want to read this reply.

Coffee!!!

Ford Ranger and Mazda Pick-up are interchangable. Same vehicle except for trim. It would all depend on the sale price. Can't comment much on the price or efficiency of Diesel vs Benzine... not a ton of money either way here in LoS. 4 doors are more than X cabs and of course 4X4 is going to use a lot more fuel. The big engine should still get you about 8-10K per litre.

Coffee!!!

WOW!!! Good one teach, I like the clarity.

Didn't really need the pudgemeister for a segway though.

Coffee!!!

I just graduated from newbie. I viewed the This Visa site originally for information about Visas. Visited about 3 times before I surfed the forum. Glad I did. Sure makes the day go faster.

Coffee!!

I doubt very seriously, though I could be wrong, that Thailand had the first worker in the oldest profession.

Prostitution here is one of the easiest navigated in all of many countries I have visited.

There are, however, victims here. If victim is defined as: Someone who gets the shorter end of the stick. But except for obvious exceptions, like mentioned in the human trafficking and forced prostitution and child abuse entries (which few foreigners see), sometime it’s the patron sometimes it’s the vendor who receives the hard to hold end of the stick.

BGs do become infatuated and give it away to certain patrons who are slick and heartless enough to pull it off. From my experience paid sex in Thailand, compared to even a low income country like Bolivia, is practically free. There should be little reason for the patron to make a financial victim of the sex worker (except for the serious need of WD-40 to get out the squeaks).

Almost all of the bargirls I know have choices.

Go home and work 10-12 hours a day bent at the waist in a rice field or potato farm for 100 baht per day on the days that you are needed about 25-30,000 baht per year.

Work in a small business doing unskilled lightly trained tasks for about 6000-8000 Baht per month (sometimes much less).

Throw their legs in the air for a few minutes with a man that probably doesn’t excite them physically but mentally gives them quite a fantasy for a potential fairytale life (comparatively). Income average probably 3-4000 per week gross including short time and bar drink tips (some girls of course earn much higher averages).

Or do any of the above until someone with a little cheese comes along that doesn’t repulse them physically and actually fall in love and marry and live happily ever after. (Unlikely but it happens)

Yes, they are victims of a cultural and economical quagmire that leaves them few unexceptional choices.

Coffee!!

Sorry that was so long

The genre you mention as well as the blues is quite popular with live music venues in KS. I don't know about the requirements but I haven't seen any 100% Farang Bands.

Coffee!!!

A couple of years ago, after a one month protected, monogamous relationship, my GF asked me if both of us could have a test. We did and negative.

That was a very scary thing waiting for the results. I knew I hadn't been pure as the driven snow in the past 10 years. When was last time you were tested?

Coffee!!!

I suppose many men would look at things a little differently (Note: I said MANY not ALL).

Some men may wonder why do some men love and marry a woman with a MB or Phd that maybe aren't very sexy and maybe wouldn't even consider giving a BJ.

It's all perspective based on depth of character and personal preference and other individual traits that aren't easily ammended.

Coffee!!!

Unfortunately this does happen quite often. An easy ploy for a dishonest companion is to wait until you fall alsleep and steal everything she/he can carry and off they go. That's why many hotels require unregistered companions to leave their ID. If they leave alone you would be notified by phone asking if it is OK (sometimes) to give them their ID back. I have never been to Cambodia but, I can say first hand, it's the same in Mexico, Venesuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Thailand.

Coffee!!!

Women and men speak different languages no matter where you come from or live.

Examples:

Do these pants make my butt look big?

Trans: Do you wanna fight?

Hallooo handsome how are you tomorrow?

Trans: Come buy me a drink.

We never talk anymore.

Trans: I would like a chance to whittle a little more of your manhood away and bring you more in touch with your feminine side.

I love you too much!!

Trans: Thanks!! jing jing no sh*t!!

and maybe

You give me too much!!

Trans: You give me a lot and I realize that, but I have other needs. It would hurt you to know this and I would lose your respect and your money. So this way I can get my money somewhere else and save you your respect even at the cost of breaking your heart.

Mostly just joking.

Coffee!!!

It was always great fun going out with her, because sometimes we'd run into "cool guys" from the bar and they'd be absolutely dumbfounded to see her with me. How did a dumpy looking guy like me get a date with this girl when they couldn't win her with all their money and "sexy" good looks?? Sometimes, they'd ask her "What the ###### are you doing with HIM?" Sometimes, they'd even ask her that while I was sitting next to her, as if I somehow couldn't hear the conversations of "cool people" . But I never got upset about it. Nor did I get jealous when some "cool guy" made a move on her. I'd just laugh at them. Because I knew they had absolute no chance with her.

Pudgi, I think in the colloquial it's called a 'cock-block'.

Coffee!!!

I think you should give that same advice to the people who are attacking me.

People aren't attacking you personally, Pudgi, they are attacking your personal choice to tell everyone who doesn't view things with your same puritanical projection of life that their personal choices are stupid and irresponsible. You can take risks in life with reasonable safety as long as you take those risks with the dangers and safeguards in mind. (sky diving, scuba diving, going to bars)

I am not insinuating in any way that this was K's fault. What happened to K was not a result of his choice of risks only his underestimation of those risks. He obviously was surprised by this, hence, the thread to warn others of the risk. The same thing could happen to someone sitting in Mickey D's. If someone wants to drop a drug on you will get a drug dropped on you.

Yes, you are right, prostitutes only want your money (what's wrong with a young woman though?). I don't think that really surprises anyone. Yes, there can be "shady characters" waiting to take advantage in some way of over-indulged patrons in places like Nana. But from the info posted here, alcohol and BGs were not required to make this drug effective.

Take the heads up from K and watch out for yourself at all times. It could happen to you at the bowling ally or even church.

Thanks again Kringle for the heads up.

Coffee!!!

I think most often it is a phenomenon similar to "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers".

One of my customers dropped his wallet from his pocket at MY shop on MY property. Our neighboring shopkeeper (Thai by coincidence) saw the wallet after the customer left. I was still seated at the table (we had been talking). She looked into the wallet which contained not an insignificant amount of money. We looked into the wallet to get ID and immediately knew whose it was. I called him and told him to come get it next time he was in. When he came in he offered me a reward. I said “I'm not gonna take money from you for NOT stealing your wallet”. Next day neighbor asked, “How much was the reward”? I said, “No reward”. She said if I had known that I would have kept the wallet.

This is just one factual example and in no way reflects Thai culture as a whole.

Coffee!!!

Go to a gift shop in your area that exports. They should have several methods for shipping to the UK. One that is used in Koh Samui (though I don't think it is National) ships by volume 1 cubic meter 9000 baht. I am sure there are other options depending on weight, size and expediency.

Coffee!!!

One thing I neglected to mention and is the subject of many threads here. Your life-mate MAY become the largest obstacle to your longevity in Thailand. This happens more often than we like to admit, although it is by no means a sure bet.

Coffee!!!

Show me someone who can't admit mistakes and I will show you someone who can't improve.

Coffee!!!

I had a smaller nest egg than suggested by pnu. I used it to start a Falang oriented business (we live in tourist area). Although I wouldn’t recommend that to you as I came really close to losing it all. I never suggest that people gamble with there future. If, however, you do decide to start a business for your life-mate in Isan the cost should be lower than a business for you. Take your time, don’t rush in, look for a niche that is unsaturated, preferably catering to a Thai based clientele (in Isan) and you should be able allow her to make a comfortable 1-2000 baht per day. Most importantly realize that if you are successful you will be copied, so, keep your secrets close and the copies will be inferior and your life-mates business will remain preferred.

Coffee!!!