laobali

Blame computer programmers who provide accounting systems that cannot round up or down to the nearest coin unit which in Thailand is 25 satang. Or allow for overpayment which shows as credit on the account. The nearest baht would be more sensible. Not even the banks do it. Lao shops usually give you candies to compensate for kips overpayment.

The best thing about Bangkok is the airport, when you're on your way to somewhere else.

Do you think this would be an issue worthy of press coverage or comment (4 pages already) in any other country than Thailand - and ThaiVisa? Is Thailand the only country (yet another hub) with real or wannabe transgenders? I don't think so. What this juvenile narcissist needs is a swift kick in those things kept tucked up out of sight.

Oh, just considered the ages. Is your partner 50 or 40? If 50, he could qualify on retirement status based on money in a Thai bank account. Much less maintenance than the education option. The minimum age for that is indeed 50.

Going by the OP's name I would guess that he is 50 and the partner is 40. Not the other way round.

Incredible !

Not really. Guessing also that Sirius is 78 and that the OP mentioned the ages in the order 50, 40.

BitCoin is too new and quite complicated to set up an account to buy and sell or accept as payment, but it's an option for current BitCoin owners and traders. Try Payza which used to be AlertPay.

Another bridge too far.

You can't drive a bike.

You ride a motorbike

Certain people can drive you crazy!

I am pretty sure he wouldn't care or even know the difference.

Also, OP, if you are serious about learning to speak Thai, you should go ahead and learn to read it as well. Reading Thai and understanding how words are formed will help you immensely with your pronunciation.

I feel incompetent at the moment. Your replies make me feel this way. I will try to read Thai at a later time. Now I just want to talk. But when I listen to Thais talk it seems like a losing battle. Throw in the slang they have and I'm in big trouble since I do want to know what they are talking about.

But in many cases they don't want you to know.

never heard of him, even pictures didnt ring any bells. She does not know where South Africa is.

Just below North Africa

(sorry, could not resist it)

Where's Africa?

Why Brits have to have a 'cutesy' name for everything...

Sent from my Xoom using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

'Bum gun' is cute? John (US for toilet) is cuter.

I'm happy to continue being a farang/falang. New Thai may be well-intentioned but is nonsensical and would never catch on.

I've never heard of the French word 'ferenge'. Has anyone?

Having spent most of the past fifteen years in Thailand and then Laos, I am not offended by being referred to as a farang (falang in Lao) unless it is obviously being used in a derogatory way. Compared to Thailand, In Laos there seems to be far less resentment of foreigners' perceived superiority in terms of education, worldliness etc; most are treated with respect.

As far as the origin of the word is concerned, in Laos at least, as most foreigners in Laos in colonial days were French, it is from the word français (the adjective French) pronounced by Lao as 'falangsay', now shortened to falang. It's as simple as that.

Why Thai/International companies don't spell check their adverts.

Too lazy I say, as they relay on the advert folks to do it for them, that's their job right, wrong, it is the Companies Job to get it right.

because they don't know how to spell it correctly and their target group can't read/ understand it anyway- though who cares?

Just as well you're not a proof-reader for one of said 'Companies'.

The OP was being light-hearted, but why should Thais be expected to explain why things are the way they are compared to places they've probably never been or seen? Also the education system discourages questioning and thinking for oneself anyway.

Would you ask Americans why they speak with strange accents?

Most Thai electricians are from another planet; they know little about Earth.

Thailand might as well give up and accept it is third world.

Thailand might as well give up and accept it is third out of this world.

I am currently driving 100 kph on my scooter with my wife, 2 kids, and dog hanging off the back. We all are carrying a bag of groceries....

hold on, going through tunnel.

whoa, roads are wet.

anyhow, i agree, way to many clowns out there not being safe!!!!

You've taught the dog to carry a bag too?

You didn't see the sign before teeing off? Dog Day Afternoon.

So, following on to my previous post and to answer the OP's question:

Because it's not their (Thailand's) problem, its yours.

To the OP:

In my 25 years of living here and coming to Thailand since 1979, I Would say that part of the answer is based on a developed mentality and or attitude amongst the Thais.

To the average Thai, what harm is there having the dogs roaming around on the street while dog poop and mangy flea infected, health hazard dogs are the last thing on their minds as only a Farang would notice this problem and actually point it out

The other factor is they are all thinking alike where everyone is waiting for someone else to do something about the problem...that is after it becomes a problem, but the problem is not the problem itself rather the other people who make it a problem and force the problem upon them while making them help resolve the problem that was not a problem to be concerned about in the first place as there is not a problem to be addressed until someone else creates the problem by pointing out this or that is a problem ( but not to them or not their concern at all ) so the Thais react by saying: My Ba Lai ..which can often mean: What problem?, relative to the issue or conversation.

They may or may not think: Oh yeah that could be a problem but not my problem so I did not ever notice that problem because that would not be my problem as that would be your problem or another persons problem because you noticed it and then you made an issue out of it and now made it into a problem, while I do not concern myself with such issues so it is not a problem rather you noticed the problem in the first place so now you should be the one to fix the problem because as a Thai person I have no problem living amongst the dog shit all over the place and the dogs howling and barking all the time and all too often fighting and dog packs randomly forming while many dogs are roaming about the street being a general nuisance and possible hazard while the last thing on my mind is fleas and ticks all over a mangy street dog while I have more important personal matters to attend to such as where is the nearest local Som Tom stand.

Geez ..only a farang would notice this sort of stuff.

The dogs are the problem and not myself as a Thai person so why are you talking to me about this as you should use your brain a little bit here and try to understand Thai people and how they think, the Thai way that is ( why?...because your here in Thailand, that is why...Duh ) so I think the best solution ( that is if you want my Thai opinion ) is to go to where the dogs are a problem and have a heart to heart talk with the dogs themselves and let them know you are not happy about this problem they are causing.

If you need an interpretor or someone to help make yourself understood I can come along as they may not understand your English, as they are Thai dogs.

Meantime, Jai Yen Noi.

Ditto for Laos, also a "Buddhist" country. There is no problem until someone decides there is one. But it's their problem alone. They have to deal with it (mentally). No one else cares. If they try to make it someone else's problem, that becomes a different kind of problem!

Pipe map. What a good idea. Wonder if there is such a thing and who would know where to find it.

Even wrecks need gas. If you're so poor, can you really consider driving yourself around?

Drive on the RIGHT? Seems like you are one of those foreigners causing havoc on the roads.

I think Blether meant vehicles with the steering wheel on the right.

In Laos we just have corruption without the added hypocrisy of the Thais. Laughable.

Quite a bit of good advice offered above, in my opinion. It's unrealistic to think that a village girl could adapt and be happy in such a different environment. Without your continuous presence, what is she likely to endure living in the UK other than "... long hours in what for her would be a completely foreign/unfriendly/boring/lonely/isolated environment....." - not to mention the weather. No family, no friends, no one to share her real Thai persona with. Buying, preparing and eating the food she has always been used to and other daily routines, impossible to emulate in a Western environment.

Secure your future financially where you can do it best - in the UK. Take her to visit by all means, but pretty pointless if you have to be at work during the day. What will she do on her own? Leave her in the village until you can come back and take a Thai holiday for a couple of months at a time, and try to plan something for future years, including children, but they will be better off in many ways being brought up by her family. I don't think there's a realistic alternative for your own circumstances right now.