OneMoreFarang

I know multiple Thais who used it, sometimes for years, and later stopped using it. I think drugs are often a question of the environment. If "everybody" around you takes x, then you take x, and it is very hard to stop. If you are lucky enough to get out of that environment then there is hope. This is, or at least was, a good option: Official Wat Thamkrabok Homepage (wat-thamkrabok.org)

That is one of the problems. It is poison, and because it is unregulated it is often different poison. That makes it worse.

It's several years ago since I made that trip. I know I made it once on my VFR400, and I didn't like it because of all the trucks. I sold the VFR and a few years later I bought a Duke 390. I don't think I ever made that trip with that bike. If anybody would suggest now to make that trip with any bike, I wouldn't want to do it. But if I would do it, then with a bike which can at least accelerate to 140 or something like that. Maybe the road is better now. I have no idea.

I wonder how often she thinks how wonderful life could be if she would be a nobody and just spend all that money.

It's like asking: Can you walk from Pattaya to Bangkok? Yes, you can. But it is not recommended. About that little bike: You will have crazy cars and small and big trucks around you. Possibly you will survive it. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Just send him to the USA. I know that is a harsh punishment, but I am sure he will remember and behave better next time.

This morning at the train station probably 10 times the amount of people, compared to usual, got on the train. But at least they all still fitted in that train. I am sure tomorrow and Saturday it will be worse.

Yes, but... It's difficult to make a survey with people who had to leave Thailand because they didn't have any money anymore. But I am pretty sure that many of them would do it again. Because a couple of years fun in Thailand is for many better than no fun at all in their life.

And then there are the Israeli settler with guns who tell the Palestinians to f#@$ off. And what can the Palestinians do about that? Nothing! What a wonderful way to live in peace together. Or maybe not?

The good thing in Thailand is we can live cheap if we want to or need to. Meal for 50B on the street, or >1000B in nice restaurants. And obviously it's possible to spend a lot on entertainment - if there is enough money for that. When I arrived in Thailand with little money, I lived cheap. Now, not so much.

It depends. In my previous apartment, without door to the kitchen and no working hood, I had the agreement with my gf that she only does the extreme smelly cooking when I am away for a few hours.

equal rights? What a bad joke.

Yes. And in general it seems sets of pots and pans are significantly cheaper compared to the sum of the single item prices.

If you would have written equally, I wouldn't agree, but ok, I accept your argument. But when you write "better" than you are just plain wrong. How can two men or two women be better parents than one woman and one man? And please stay with the same situation, like all are non-alcoholics and similar conditions. There are always some parents which are better than others.

Thanks again for more comments. I live in a high-rise condominium. No gas, no outside cooking. At least we have a high-power hood and a kitchen with a door. So, smell is not an issue. My gf cooked Thai food since years with pots and pans on regular electric hobs. I guess a flat bottom wok and a pan with high sides is pretty much the same. But please correct me if I am wrong.

Sure, Israel is peaceful and all that... How about those roughly 500,000 illegal Israeli settlers? Does it help the peace when they build their houses on other people's land?

You have limited water. What do you do? a) Limit it for normal users, so that people will be able to splash the water at other people in a couple of days. b) Limit that splashing of water. I guess if you would ask city administrators all over the world that question there is only one country where they would select a).

Where in Germany does that happen?

So, what is the difference? Lots of ordinary cars can drive faster than 200km/h. Some sports cars >300km/h. But for all of them you need good roads, and it helps a lot when you know the other drivers are used to fast cars and the other drivers know how to drive. I did a lot of >200km/h driving on the Autobahn with above conditions. I doubt I would want to drive anywhere near that speed in Thailand.

Thanks for all your input. I guess next time when we are in a department store with pot and pans and woks, we have a closer look at what's available.

I think they don't arrest many people who would have been arrested for the same crime not too long ago because their prisons are maxed out. That tells us a lot about that country.

I think it is amazing how many farangs here want that the Swiss guy should go to jail and be thrown out of Thailand and whatever else punishment. Is what he did really such a huge crime in your eyes? Did you do ever anything illegal in Thailand, maybe pay a girl for a service or so? Remember, that is illegal in Thailand. You should go to jail and thrown out. Or maybe not? Yes, he did something wrong, and he should be punished. But he didn't kill her. He didn't injure her so that she couldn't walk. He didn't injure her so that she is permanently disabled. He kicked her, it hurt a little, and that was about it.

Are you one of those Americans who wants millions of USD if you spill a hot coffee?

I think we can also agree than in at least 9 out of 10 cases the victim would not have gone to the police. And for all those victims to visited the police I guess another 9 out of 10 would get a compensation of maybe 500 to 1000B. If everybody who would kick someone in Thailand would be treated like this guy, then I guess there would be thousands of cases every month.