peteinchina

I think it's great there because all the dirty old men and mongers avoid it - not a lot of sex for sale so they get bored after a day or three.... As a result the class of expat is generally higher and the locals tend to treat us like normal human beings.

I've lived in most cities around asia, Chiang Mai for 6 months.

It's one of my favourites and certainly my fave in Thailand.

I bought a motorbike and travelled around a lot. Up to Pai is great, also Chiang Rai then on down following the river.

There's a great jazz club by the north gate I went to every week as well as a dance club/school at the 2nd floor gallery (google it).

Wandering around the old city trying food was always fun. Try some of the monastaries, I remember some great vegetarian food at one monastary, on the hill past the airport somewhere.

In about 10 months they'll have shambala in your heart festival out near Pai. A lot of odd Japanese hippies go there and it's loads of fun.

Hope this helps.

Pete

There is some very nice Thai food around these parts.

Oh! I didn't mean it as a put down for thailand. You are right, and the pressures on the environment here are immense.

I'm really pleased to hear your comment on migration, I look forward to it!

I was at bang saray the other day and I have to say, I missed seeing seagulls! They don't live in Thailand?

No, I agree Thailand is not clean, I just don't believe the absence of sea birds is a result of the pollution.

I'm in a technical mood today!

You are right re sea birds I think, but waders or shore birds are a different matter.

They need a lot of space, and here, as in the rest of the world, it is shrinking rapidly.

Western countries develop the wetlands and displace them, here there is a pollution problem.

I live in na jomtien, in the country between the beach and sukhumvit, and surrounded by wetlands. They are really polluted by the surrounding light industry and nothing lives, even soi dogs avoid them.

Wetlands are natures way of cleaning water, but here, at the moment, they're overloaded.

Actually not too hard to fix with sumps and soak holes to let the earth pick out the bigger bits, but there is absolutely no will to do anything. Bigger fish to fry with deforestation and burning.

It least our King is on the case, and I am sincere about that. I heard him recently talking about deforestation, aggredation of rivers and the ensuing floods, and urging a planting programme. Good man.

I come from a clean and green country (New Zealand), where I was active in the cleaning and greening, so Thailand is a real slap in the face!

I also come from NZ. It's not too difficult for a country with a population barely over 4 million and being one of the most isolated countries in the world to claim to be clean. Thailand's over 66 million with countless millions of tourists on top of that. I've seen some pretty dirty (with litter) tourist lookouts in the South Island of NZ too.

A lot of the aquatic bird life is migratory and doesn't arrive here until November. It's too hot the rest of the year for the type of bird life you're going to see in the South Island of NZ. It has nothing to do with the pollution - seagulls are scavengers and live on rubbish dumps (tips).

Check out the video clip I posted on post #22 - Bang Pu, near the Chao Phraya River delta - much dirtier water than here in Pattaya - and 100's of species of sea birds congregate there near the end of every year - it's a tourist attraction.

Oh! I didn't mean it as a put down for thailand. You are right, and the pressures on the environment here are immense.

I'm really pleased to hear your comment on migration, I look forward to it!

I was at bang saray the other day and I have to say, I missed seeing seagulls! They don't live in Thailand?

Be careful what you wish for....Seagulls are a menace to everyone's life in Aberdeen, thieving buggers too.......

That would be your scottish thieving seagull.

The ones in New Zealand are very nice and would pay for the doritos.

With a high pressure system that's stalled, often you get an inversion layer.

Highs are big blobs of cold air that fall from the sky right. But, it can trap warm air underneath, stopping it from rising. You might also have noticed the lack of wind. Hot air rises (it is light = low pressure) and pulls in other air, creating thermal winds, but this time it couldn't rise.

So, we had warm air trapped under cold air, which, means low or no wind, moisture laden air which makes it really hot and hazy.

The warm air is compressed by the (heavy cold) high above, so it feels really oppressive, sometimes hard to breathe - the normally light hot air became heavy hot air.

I am pleased it seems to have moved away.

Good advice ... for a TOURIST. Explore the area. Most times real people in real life just NEED to get between point A and point B in the most EFFICIENT manner. And have fun carrying perishable groceries for two hours in the tropical heat.

Oh shut up

You're spoiling my fun.

But, seriously, and I realise that I am almost alone in this, I do work here, and I do take my time.

I've come to understand that in life, I don't like to hurry and I don't like stress or being late, so I've created a life for myself that has massive amounts of space, so I can take my time.

It doesn't pay as well, but then neither does it give me ulcers.

OMG I just realised what I said. I sound just like a Thai! Maybe I'm not alone and maybe I'm in the right place, haha.

But yes, point taken.

If I did that run and had to be efficient with my time, I would take the shit bus and complain about it too.

But if I did it long time, I would create space for a longer trip or pay for a fast and comfortable trip. I do not like long term stressors in my life, apart from cigarettes.

I come from a clean and green country (New Zealand), where I was active in the cleaning and greening, so Thailand is a real slap in the face!

I also come from NZ. It's not too difficult for a country with a population barely over 4 million and being one of the most isolated countries in the world to claim to be clean. Thailand's over 66 million with countless millions of tourists on top of that. I've seen some pretty dirty (with litter) tourist lookouts in the South Island of NZ too.

A lot of the aquatic bird life is migratory and doesn't arrive here until November. It's too hot the rest of the year for the type of bird life you're going to see in the South Island of NZ. It has nothing to do with the pollution - seagulls are scavengers and live on rubbish dumps (tips).

Check out the video clip I posted on post #22 - Bang Pu, near the Chao Phraya River delta - much dirtier water than here in Pattaya - and 100's of species of sea birds congregate there near the end of every year - it's a tourist attraction.

Oh! I didn't mean it as a put down for thailand. You are right, and the pressures on the environment here are immense.

I'm really pleased to hear your comment on migration, I look forward to it!

I was at bang saray the other day and I have to say, I missed seeing seagulls! They don't live in Thailand?

How do Naklua and Wong Amat beaches compare to Pattaya beach? Cleaner?

I live in na jomtien and go to the beach there - at the end of soi 12 na jomtien.

The sand is pretty good! Some shade, some beach eating and drinking places, not a lot of rubbish.

A few Russian tourists, a few expats and a few thais, no prostitutes.

But the water is usually dirty from river run off (deforestation of hill countries) and there is rubbish right up and down the coast on account of long shore drift.

It doesn't seem to land on shore so much on my little patch on account of the backwash being stronger than the swash (I'm getting technical here).

So there are places that are ok. Bang sarang is nice too (it's more northerly facing, see my comment coming up soon), but more of a hike.

Long shore drift here is from south to north, so rubbish will drift that way - from pattaya to naklua, but local geography - a spit or promontory, will veer it out, so the best places will be a north facing beach I imagine.

Just a theory, can someone confirm?

The last post is absurd. For my regular run, that would make a 10 minute trip more like two hours. INSANE!

If you liked the last one, you will love this one!

I used to feel the same way. Rush rush. Who was the rabbit in alice in wonderland? he had a watch.

Now, for me, it's about the journey, not just the destination.

I actually like to take 2 hours with a pretty girl on my lap rather than a 10 minute trip with an armed crazy person.

In life, the destination is death, so I like to look around now, take my time. I guess this makes me insane by western standards, but actually quite normal by thai standards, and we are in thailand?

You can rush, be in a hurry, you can be a whiny arse! I don't care.

But I do care when you condemn a system which is actually pretty good by world standards, based on a single run, for which there are many alternatives.

Are you joking? People use the baht bus queue because OBVIOUSLY they happen to be in South Pattaya and they happen to need to go to the Jomtien beach road area (or Pratamnak Hill). DUH!

Well, when I am in south pattaya and want to go to the jomtien beach road area, I take a white bus along sukhumvit. I take a healthy walk to get to the white bus.

I think that the thais have a point about fatness. If the farang is too fat and lazy to go for a 30 minute saunter along one of the sois to Sukhumvit, thereby avoiding queues and stun guns, and a LOT of grief from the sounds of it, then he should put up with the aggro.

Also, for another 20 baht, if you are feeling fat and lazy, you can take one of the many blue buses that travel from the beaches to sukhumvit. On average every 10 minutes.

If the straight line between 2 places sucks, go around it.

There are other choices....

You mean the white buses. Different system.

So why would anyone use this system they are talking about? to save 10 baht?

I use the white bus to go from sri racha to sattahip. It's extensive and happy.

Sure it costs more to get off sukhumvit... but not a lot.

I also use the bankok rayong bus sometimes, slow, cheap, but still happy.

I can see no reason to brave queues and stun guns...

Wow, it's like I'm in an alternate universe.

I'm trying to explain to myself why I've had such a different experience.

I use the baht bus most days, from na jomtien (near ambassador) to the other side of jomtien, sometimes to pattaya nua.

Always I've had really nice drivers, really nice passengers. Never seen these queues!

Last week, the bus was really packed and I had the end seat. A cute russian was sitting on my knee and I was holding a really cute thai in, by her waist because her hand hold was a little tenuous.

The other thais were laughing about it and telling me how nice I was to be so helpful. It was certainly my pleasure...

All I can say is, maybe these nice drivers avoid the queue places too, as we all should.

I just pop out onto sukhumvit, after a long hot walk from beach road and then keep walking, look over my shoulder for a bus.

Always thank the driver, always smile at your fellow passengers, always try to get on the shady side. Get up for little old ladies, cripples and kids.

And walk while you wait for the bus. It's good for you. If a little hot.

I come from a clean and green country (New Zealand), where I was active in the cleaning and greening, so Thailand is a real slap in the face!

I've noticed the lack of birds and other wildlife, I see the dead swamps with dead animals, and worry that here we eat from the local environment - god knows what kind of stuff we're ingesting.

But!

If it is to change, ie: have rules and cleaners and stuff, then Thailand will be just as expensive as the west.

There are a lot of farang in this country that complain about poor driving, poor roads, poor everything, but fix it, and the price of everything goes up.

And then we are left with a healthy country where the only difference to our own is the colour of people's skin.

I think, be careful what we wish for.....

Tests are a good indication of the quality of teaching, NOT the quality of student.

A lot of people are missing the point. The low scores have nothing to do with the culture or the people, and everything to do with the School system of rote learning, sitting in rows and not groups, and teaching abstract materials to young learners (sums, not real and personal problems eg) (I may have missed something).

The answer has to be a change process, in any country such changes are slow, relying on the retirement of old ideas rather than change from the old teachers.

I see here a recognition of the need for change, so change is inevitable. It will not happen in our lifetimes, que sera, it will happen.

I am happy to be a part of the beginning of the change, able to make a (small) difference...

The trick is to find a good trainer, learn properly and fly within your limits. I've been paragliding for 30 years (first time on a 7 cell skydiving wing), clocked up thousands of hours in the sky and never had a problem. It's like any sport, but more fun.

Check out motor vehicle accidents on the internet.....

At least in the sky I have power over ALL of the hazards.

Some people aren't happy unless they are stomping out of some place in indignation.

Which is fine, as long as they realise that indignation is what makes them happy.

I put a slant on it that puts me in a happy place. I hate being upset, so I think of it as just paying tax, which the thais supposedly pay on their income. Govt needs money somehow to keep tourist infrastructure alive.....

It does not matter if it's true or not (we all have different truths yes), so I choose a truth that suits me. that way I can be happy.

It seems that some people like to choose the truth that upsets them....

About 10 years ago I was in Beijing for a while, my hosts took me to an "English cafe" not its real name, but a place where students gathered to speak English. When a native speaker appeared I was almost mobbed with everyone trying to speak with me. I could never imagine this in Thailand.

Yes this is common all over China.

In that country, there are almost zero tourists!!!

All Chinese are taught English in the early years by Chinese teachers, so the lessons are in Chinese..... As a result, their English writing and reading are great and they have large vocabs. But!!!!! they have never spoken or listened to a Laowai! (farang).

As a consequence, foreigners are often mobbed. Every train or bus ride can be a conversational marathon.

I was teaching 20- 24yr olds for a couple of years (finished in december) and I was the first foreign teacher (first foreign contact!) for 80-90% of them. Notwithstanding they had all been learning English for at least 8 years.

In Thailand the opportunities for English convo are easy to come by, in comparison.

I guess the soi dogs.

I LOVE to walk to the beach from my little place in the country, but when it is cool enough, the soi dogs are out and aggressive. So by the time I get back home the adrenaline is pumping and the peace of the evening swim is gone haha.

The real peeve is that the worst dogs, the ones I have to face down every day, and after facing down have to walk backwards for some time are actually on the grounds of a major tourist condo - (the complex containing wave restaurant off soi 12 na jomtien). Do not the tourists complain about being bitten???

Mind you they are Russians, maybe they bite the dogs and that is why, when the dogs see a kiwi farang, they seek revenge...

I was pointing out that the bulk of farang are here to have sex with girls, whereas I am here to work, therefore I am here for different reasons to most of the other farang.

At no point did I claim superiority, or even imply it.

It should come as no surprise that people who are here to have sex with bar girls are judged and treated with suspicion and I, by association of skin colour, am treated with suspicion. I regret this association, I do not resent it. It just is.....

What makes you think that? Most, if not all, of the people in my social circle are happily married couples with families here. Obviously there are a lot of sex tourists downtown, but I think when you have been here for a while it becomes less interesting and certainly not the main reason we're here.

Yes you exactly right, and I am looking forward to becoming part of the social circle you describe. The problem being that I am single, and the norm for singles here is to partake.... Difficult to move into the established and healthy social circles.

So I come here for insight. Where are the places I can go, where are the places to avoid, traps, pitfalls, opportunities.

People like you, who seem well adjusted and happy, are who I look to for this advice. Thanks.

Sadly there are not so many threads that can help me, unless I want to find the best place to buy a lawnmower....

So I comment on threads like this and information comes.

Thanks!

I'll take a look.

A lot can be learned from the old phrase: "Self praise is no recommendation".

I was pointing out that the bulk of farang are here to have sex with girls, whereas I am here to work, therefore I am here for different reasons to most of the other farang.

At no point did I claim superiority, or even imply it.

It should come as no surprise that people who are here to have sex with bar girls are judged and treated with suspicion and I, by association of skin colour, am treated with suspicion. I regret this association, I do not resent it. It just is.....

It seems odd that some of you are jumping on the bandwagon of a mis-quote....

As always, it pays to read the threads and reply to the source.

Thankyou.

I believe my assessment of your post was spot on.

Here is exactly what you posted:

"I do understand and accept how other people are attracted to the lifestyle, just not me.

Living here does have a negative impact on me. On first contact, the Thais here seem to take it for granted that I am like the bulk of farang they have had contact with, and are suspicious if not judgemental. There is more active avoidance of farang here and when there is contact, it is not as open and happy as other parts of Thailand, in my experience anyway."

You're trying your level best to distance yourself from the rest.

Hence my comment: "self praise is no recommendation".

Who's to say what you're up to after you finish your day's work. What is your "great job" you have here? Do you run a church group?

Where did I praise myself?

Since when did "the bulk of" become "the rest"?

I'm a Teacher. I can help you to read.

I think you need help....

I have been paragliding in Thailand for over 10 years and have had a school myself.. Unfortunately I no longer teach (beginners)

BUT I would recommend Mr Narint down in Maptaphut/Ban chang - 0818152702. I have taught and flown with Narint for years.

He has a good safety record and can give you an FIA licence (recognised world wide). There are many 'instructors' in thailand but very few are qualified to teach

properly. Narint did his instructor rating in Japan many years ago

- Ivan Longland

Hi Ivan,

I'm living here now and brought my speed wing (16M Gin) (less weight on the plane...) Do you know of any soaring spots near Pattaya? The strong sea breeze at some times of the year seem suitable.....

Bottom landing would be important...

Please replace the 'cheap charlie' with 'rude and disrespectful'.

Ok. Please replace "seemed aloof" in my post with "seemed rude and disrespecful"