arminbkk

To avoid confusion, or to make sure we know what OP means by 'culture', perhaps he could give a

few parallels between his culture and Thai culture, as an example.

Ahead of that, if culture includes how Thais interact with each other:

In my culture it is rude to walk away or drive off when someone is still talking to you (out of a shared conversation).

In Thailand it seems to be very normal (as those involved don't seem bothered by it).

I classify this as culture because I see this often and anywhere.

I respect the fact that Thais apparently consider this normal, but it does not mean I can appreciate it.

If I would have to sum up my view on respect toward others: I will start out with basic respect and then....you get what you give.

How do Thais think of, or how do they see, their place in the world (if at all)?

Is this about what's the point of living in Thailand or what's the point of living?

For some (not me by the way), what's the point of living, if you are not living in Thailand?

So the robber walks in, around the bed, to the table, grabs the bag (they are pointing at the table

so assume the bag was on it), walks back and out and runs down the stairs, from 7th floor, outside to his motorbike (no mention of another person

already waiting on the bike) and drives off. From the CCTV frame, the robber was not particularly big. No mention he was carrying any weapons.

What were the couple doing during all this?

I was talking with a young waitress (24) the other week. This was in a Thai outdoor pub, not a bar or go go or like that,

nowhere near a tourist area.

She had a tattoo on the back of her right shoulder, some sanskrit (same as Angelina Jolie, she said), and

a barcode on the back of her neck (that made for a good joke by the way).

I asked if she had any more tattoos.

She said she has one on her lower back. Not visible at that moment. Blame that on that cold spell.

Any more I then asked.

She said she has one on her lower front.

I said I wanted to see both, she said we would have to be alone for that, jokingly of course,

with the prettiest smile and sparkling eyes..........I loved tattoos for that moment.

Define "relax" and "chill".

It differs from person to person.

"Last week I brought a female guest over mid day for a few hours. One of the restaurant shop workers just had to mention it to my girlfriend the next day."

"I don't care…I am only asking why they care so much. Sure, I'm happy here but next time I'll just use a short time hotel…its not worth the aggravation to try and save 350 baht."

So the OP got caught cheating on his gf because a neighbor ratted on him and now he wonders why Thais gossip about him.....more precisely, Thais gossipping about a guy

that cheated on his gf.

Yeah OP....don't try to save 350 baht.

And OP, regards Thais that ask unwanted questions....just smile and give untruthful answers.

If there was 'welfare' in Thailand ,the system would collapse in a few months because everyone would be on it.

Possibly. Let's face it, there are many Thais that are lazy.

There would be a lot of abuse of the system, same as in the West.

If getting welfare, how many would still be pushing a food cart through the crowded streets under the hot sun?

When talking to Thais, most don't know much about western countries, and they certainly don't seem

interested to know much, except for the welfare system: somehow they know about how 'people get money from the government to live'.

Most think it is an easy handout without any conditions. I usually have to put that straight.

A welfare system would do some good though in Thailand: maybe less beggars, less children on the street selling stuff etc.

But with all the corruption and greed here, low tax rates and low percentage of the population actually paying tax...how would it be funded?

So she says she will go play with kids in soi 2 and then gets dropped off at soi 5.....which also means on the opposite side of the road.

Since one side is even numbers and the opposite side uneven numbers.

Why not just drop her in soi 2?

Also, she lives in soi 4, so walking around there (from soi 5 to 2, supposedly) people should have seen her and

recognized her. I don't know the area and there is no street name mentioned, but there are always Thai people outside everywhere (surely at 2 in the afternoon).

They should question everyone around there. I assume they will/do.

Hope they find her.

...............

What you could of done is taken a bite out of one of the bananas, then spat it back out on the floor and shout out "mai aroi". Then throw the rest of the bananas on the floor and stand on them. You then proceed to buy some more bananas from a different market vendor, take a bite from the new bananas and say "aroi maak". Hand over a nice juicy 500 baht tip and give the vendor who didnt give you your change back a nice big Thai smile.

Lost face big time, produce spat on the floor, rival vendor gets a compliment and a huge tip. That will teach them to steal 30 baht.

Actually, for Thais, if you would do that, YOU would be the one losing face.

But perhaps you were being sarcastic?

My decision on how to respond is usually based on: do I have to come back here frequently (eg. this market) or not?

I usually do, so I don't cause a scene.

Would not buy from this particular vendor again though.

"surely you know that is common policy with all things here in Thailand to charge Farangs more?"

She actually said these words, in English, to you? I'm impressed

I've never been overcharged (other than Zoo entrance fee at some time), not that I know of anyway (!).

Then again you usually don't know what another person paid before you for some item on the street.

If I would be aware that I am charged more, it depends on how badly I want the item, I would still buy it or not.

But paying 50% more....or even 20% more......don't think so.

For me it's a tie between June and October

I am glad there is no rule in Thailand that obligates anyone to leave a tip, such as there is in the US

(going on comments from US people on similar previous threads).

So everyone can make their own personal rule here.

My rule is: I don't tip.

The people get paid for the job they do, and if they don't get paid, well, then they picked the wrong job.

That being said, one of the only few places I would consider giving a tip (and deviating from my rule) would be in a restaurant.

But only if a person is nice and friendly and gives good service and at least gives

the idea he/she is happy you came to their establishment. If they are not that, even though I am, forget about a tip.

As a result of my rule, I don't give many tips: one hardly ever gets real nice friendly service.

I have also noticed that Thais, in general, in over 10 years in Thailand, are not really tippers.

Unless they are in a group and/or have been drinking and eating in some place for 4 hours, then they will tip.

What I do usually do though is round the taxi fare up, 5 - 10 baht.

Edited to add: if I do leave a tip in a restaurant it would be 20 baht and perhaps the small change I get.

".....well my girlfriend gave me dirty looks and practically refused to eat anything at the better restaurant while her best friend tried to keep me from noticing and our regular tuk-tuk driver...."

So the OP was in a party of four?

So they went to a restaurant and all ate until OP decided to leave and OP paid, then went to another restaurant and all but one ate and OP paid?

Maybe the service was bad but you already had your food, why go to another restaurant and order food again?

Anyway OP, how's your gf acting today?

And how is the tuk tuk driver today? 555

You cannot contact anyone at ISB to ask?

Old school friends or a teacher maybe?

I have no idea where that place would be, looks very nice though.

@phuketrichard

Thanks, I'd say that also.

Actually ... I've just re-read your OP ...

What is your preference when looking for a partner? I have none, depends on my mood. I don't discriminate.

mood ...

So, are you describing maybe a shorter term partner ... or a longer term one

.

Well he did say partner, not life partner.

For whatever purpose, I would say my preference would be slim and at most not taller than I, but not too short either.

Thailand, like any country, can be near perfect if you have money.

If you have enough money to do what you want, get what you want, live where you want,

Thailand can be like paradise. But one could create paradise in any country if enough money.

When you are here in Thailand and are as poor as the 7 baht bus driver, see how lucky you still feel.

I'm sure he would like to have more than just a few bowls of rice each day and a corrugated sheet roof over his head.

7 baht? Mai chai. 10 baht.

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

In my example: taking the red bus that drives up and down Thonglor (Sukhumvit 55) costs 7 baht.

Say you book a domestic return flight online with Nok Air and choose as payment method Counter Service (so pay at 7-11).

You receive an sms with a payment code and you have 24 hours to pay.

What happens if you miss the payment deadline, i.e. what if the 24 hours have expired and you have not paid yet,

is the payment still due or is everything cancelled, same as if you never booked anything to begin with?

I would say the whole transaction is cancelled, but any one with any actual experience to this effect?

I've had a somewhat similar experience with booking a bus ticket through a call center and receiving a

booking/payment code for payment at 7-11 counter that had expired, rendering the booking null and void,

but no such experience with domestic flight tickets before.

Thanks

Thailand, like any country, can be near perfect if you have money.

If you have enough money to do what you want, get what you want, live where you want,

Thailand can be like paradise. But one could create paradise in any country if enough money.

When you are here in Thailand and are as poor as the 7 baht bus driver, see how lucky you still feel.

I'm sure he would like to have more than just a few bowls of rice each day and a corrugated sheet roof over his head.

Land of Sex

That's if for many (and 'many' starts at the number exceeding the number of people that fit in a shopping mall).

I cannot come up with a lot of nouns this morning that express a positive, other than those already mentioned.

There are just more nouns that express a negative that pop up. Must be my view.

Hope Beetlejuice does not read this 555

It sure is not Land of Smiles....just look around you....and not while you're in a bar tipping...

Land of Surly would fit more.

Sentimental value aside, I think OP would be better not bringing/shipping in most of the things he wants to ship in, since custom duties

will probably be very high, so high even that buying the stuff here would be cheaper in the end.

Going with post #2 and OP's reply to it, it seems he will not be able to avoid having to pay those duties.

There is another similar current thread about import duties: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/685138-duty-tax-on-personal-imports/

Does this mean that after years, Thais will smile again and be friendly?

If really completely unopened/untouched, with purchase receipt, I think OP should just go and try to return it.

And come back here and let us know how it went.

What is the percentage of Thai women having safe sex with strangers?

And where are most of them?