cooked

Can I ignore myself? That would make life much easier.

So, reading these posts I see that I missed the point, it was just an excuse to get away from the missus for a day or two? dam_n, I had thought that I would be feeling inferior throughout intensely serious discussions about agriculture. Put my name down for next year, will ya?

Can I ignore everyone and just talk to myself? It sometimes feels that way.

I was going to write something along the same lines. Marriage is about security for both parties and you can't regulate everything on paper. I trust my wife but will always have an escape plan, I got burned before (in Europe, I might add).

Ok. CAN we get back to the topic now please, or close it?

Maybe part of the question has to do with the fact that the word 'primitive' has negative connotations.

Just as I think that nations get the political system, morals and religion that they deserve, I suppose that the same thing goes for languages. Chicken or egg situation indeed. When I found myself immersed in a sea of Swiss dialect speaking farmers, I learned quickly but realised that as I started thinking in Swiss German I could no longer get certain concepts sorted out in my 'brain'. So a 'primitive' language will constrain intellectual development or innovation, due to a lack of willingness to apply foreign vocabulary to extend certain concepts. The English adopt foreign words willy-nilly, sometimes slightly changing their meanings while they are at it. (eg Blitz, strafe, Zeitgeist...). The French actually pass laws to prevent the introduction of anglicisms which looks like a sign of a language under attack and losing the battle to me.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Mr Hammer!.

The Op asks why Thais get angry....

I had two university educated, French girlfriends, one after another. The French have a somewhat chauvinistic attitude to their own language, maybe similar to the Thai attitude.

I got annoyed, when I was communicating well enough in French (despite mistakes, my interlocutor was participating in the conversation, not just looking at me bemusedly), when my girlfriend would jump in the middle of a phrase and correct my pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary. When asked why I looked annoyed, I sometimes got support from the guy I was talking to. I also got a little annoyed when I was told to pronounce German or English words as though they were French. (Anyone heard of a politician known as Madame Tach-AIR?)

I would think that correcting a Thai in the middle of a sentence might be a tad vexing for him as it was for me. One might even ask him if you might just help him out, waiting for him to finish?

I find that many of the threads on TV, interesting as they are, aren't really Thai threads at all, but are general comments on being a human being. Many of them, in addition, are answered as though everyone lives in Bangkok / Pattaya.

.. well when I were a lad.... sorry, where was I? I can't remember the duck story, it's the muck they call beer here I tell you, what does it

...meaning that this is your first troll post Smokie?

Apparently my command of the Thai language is deserving of mirth I found out today.

No encouragement was offered...so I will become more pernickity in my judgement of English grammar.

What's good for the goose....

Do you even know what those words mean or how to spell them?

mirth/mərTH/

Noun: Amusement, esp. as expressed in laughter: "his six-foot frame shook with mirth".

per·snick·et·y/pərˈsnikətē/

Adjective:

• Placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy.
  
• Requiring a particularly precise or careful approach.
  

pedant

noun

1. a person who makes an excessive or inappropriate display of learning.

2. a person who overemphasizes rules or minor details.

3. a person who adheres rigidly to book knowledge without regard to common sense.

It's not going to happen is it? Just another TV BS thread.

mcdonalds does really look after quality in their products... they buy beef (and other things) only at farms which are tested, qualified, verified, checked...

where does mcdonalds thailand get their beef from?

I don't know, but if it's anything like the McDonald's beef in the US, it's of a rather low quality (as compared to Burger King). I would like to know, though.

yeah and they are also directly responsible for the destruction of huge areas of rain forests, google mcdonalds + destruction.

What is your definition of a primitive language? I was told that Hebrew was primitive and I had never seen anything so complicated.

You may want to Google the term ...

I have heard that the French embassy is relatively easy going about (tourist) visas. However there are certainly still requirements to be fulfilled.

great information there, Sheryl, thanks. I guess I sort of knew this already but I never saw it black on white.

Thanks mikecwm for starting a new thread , I seem to be having the same thoughts as you as regards self insurance, I am 64 and have to make a decision soon.

I have found some good insurance companies, but they seem to be mighty expensive (one was ฿13 000.- a month without outpatient treatment). However although it is true that you can have a heart bypass operation at Bumigrad, assuming that you are able to pay for this, you have no guarantee that you won't be in for a long series of treatments or another operation a few years later. I have also learnt that many illnesses (cancer for instance) require a long series of outpatient treatments, maybe for the rest of your life. Any way you look at it, 'good' insurance is going to be the most expensive item in many people's budget, and many people find themselves deserted or priced out by their insurance company as soon as you look like costing them money.

The government hospital variant seems like a good way out, accompanied by self insurance. (If I could salt away ฿13 000.- a month I should be more than ok). An important element in this would be to have a caring family, preferably Thai, nearby.

When I make my move to Isaan in August I will be visiting the local hospitals and doctors to try to work out the best solution for my particular circumstances. Making friends with a good doctor might be a good idea.

I might get back on what I decide at a later date.

It was a part of Sunday night ritual, listening to the sometimes very bad signal from Radio Luxembourg, Top 20. Under the bedclothes of course.

It certainly beat the BBC Light service

I hope that you are experienced with dogs, pitbulls can be quite a handful if not handled right.

who are you addressing?

If Op, one does not have to much experience just common sense and time to give for a dog. Not to mention there are hundreds of websites and books to read and learn.

Pitbulls are the most beautiful and loving dogs, it is when they end up in the wrong hands the problems occur.

They are very protective of the family and the house.

If loved and and cared for, they really do make an amazing companion, my girl(pitbull) is just the sweetest dog you ever come across and would never hurt anyone unless they had ill intention

But Op does not need to get pitbulls, any dog, even Chihuahua will protect its own house.

PS. Chihuahua, The origin of this breed is to keep in the bag to protect from pick pockets

Strangely enough, I was addressing the last person that mentioned pit bulls in a post, and the remark by Maidu that he will 'see about implementing some of them'.

I love pit bulls, I just wanted to say that you can't just buy a puppy or two and think that the problem is solved. Some people just don't know how to raise and look after dogs, they also may not realise that they will be taking on another family member for the next 12 - 20 years.

I don't think learning it off the internet is the way to go either if you never had dogs before.

I hope that you are experienced with dogs, pitbulls can be quite a handful if not handled right.

How about putting the question 'where are the unfriendliest people in Thailand?' The answer would probably turn out to be where there are most tourists?

yes,..... good question...

My advice is; avoid getting involved with Thai women or make sure you choose very, very carefully, with caution.

Ignoring all Thai women would limit the dating opportunities of the OP somewhat as he lives in Thailand (and most women in Thailand are Thai).

When looking for a partner (of any nationality) it is wise to choose carefully and (unlike some foreigners in Thailand) keep your brain switched on.

A lot of bitter and twisted guys here. I went on a dating site, yes I did. After a week or two of having 20 year olds contacting me I changed my profile to 'big heart, no money' or something.

I'll be getting married in August, especially after I learnt that she sold her (unsick) buffalo to get her bathroom up to Farang standards.

sorry about the BS as you so kindly call it, I gave information for the papers that are needed when you intend to get a visa extension based on marriage, which was what I assumed the post was about.

Using the word BS to well intentioned people is BS

Right, idiot maybe, but not a complete idiot.. I no longer live in Zürich but I know about the kind of apartments you can rent there for this kind of money. Let me repeat some of the words that you have used here: 'complete idiot', 'bullshit' and 'brain dead'. Try to put your arguments in a rational fashion so that you don't merely arouse aggression in people that are trying to discuss things with you.

I never said you can live like a queen, as you obviously are, on much less, I would have said if I had thought it worthwhile, that you can live well enough on much less. If you answer, let's keep any future insults out of it, shall we?