johnnycthedog

So very sad for this young man to lose his leg.  Last week a young girl from Australia had her leg amputated as well.  A life changing event.  Accidents happen everywhere but it seems more so in Thailand and in particular to motor bike riders.  There's no protection once you are in an accident.  Whether it's the riders fault or not the consequences, if not fatal, are often catastrophic and life changing.  Yes things like wearing a helmet do save lives but maybe not legs.

About 4 years ago a friend was in the Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya undergoing several tests.  I and others kept him company.  The last of these tests was being done on the top floor.  As I sat and waited I saw the heart breaking sight of maybe 15 to 18 young thais, males and females undergoing physiotherapy on parallel bars and similar.  All were missing a leg or two, perhaps an arm and some were in wheelchairs suffering degrees of paraplegia.  An absolutely heart breaking sight that goes behind the quickly forgotten headline or stat sheet.

May as well close the airport then.

Or put a kid's play area in each gate area for all the families that will start visiting once the sex tourists move on to greener pastures.

Edit: I have nothing against the exchange of money for sex. But I do think that it's a poor way to draw tourists, and pretty much mutually exclusive. If sex is the draw and it's in your face, the majority of potential visitors will stay away. I'd make the same contention about the free flow of booze. The type of tourist you'll draw and the atmosphere they create will repel the majority of potential tourists.

It's obvious when you look at the statistics. Take the UK as an example - most estimates are that only 10% of UK men at the most have ever paid for sex. Which means that 90% are not interested in sex tourism. Better to cater to that majority than the niche market, surely?

Wow SoiBiker - what an excellent example of a bullshit statistic.

If 10% of UK men have paid for sex they may not have even left their suburb so they cannot be called sex tourists!!!

That covers a direct payment. How many have paid for sex indirectly - a date, a night out, drinks and food - hoping the night ends in sex or becomes a relationship of which sex is a benefit.

How many men are married and thinking they are paying a high price for the marital sex they get? If any.

How many don't have any money for holidays to be sex tourists even if they wanted to be.

How many men consider 5 - 10 pints with their mates to be more important than sex. Or they're too fat, too lazy, too poor etc etc etc

We all know with statistics the answers can be slanted in the direction the person wishes by the nature of the questions.

So it's not obvious - as you would wish us to believe,

I just wish the "anti-western sex tourists" brigade were as vitriolic and carping against the real majority of people who use sex workers - and that's the Thai men.

Yes I agree there are so many seedy places frequented by westerners trolling for sex that could do with a clean up. But these are mostly visible to these critics and so they aim their bile against Westerners.

As an example - Last year there was a police raid on a karaoke bar in Chachoengsao. 20 Lao girls were "rescued" by the police. These girls were brought in from Laos to work in the Thai only sex trade. They were young girls mostly 18 to 20. One hears bits of stories about how these girls are handed around first before being put into the karaoke bar for Thai paying customers.

IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE A REPORTED 257 KARAOKE BARS IN CHACHOENGSAO. I recall this figure in the police report at the time. So taking an estimate of 20 girls minimum per bar that's over 5,000 girls in the sex trade in this town. Only for Thai male customers. This would be the case in every sizable town around Thailand.

And there would be no Westerners allowed in these venues.

It's probably true to say these girls have less chance of any future than those working with the Westerners.

Any westerner ever poked your head in to a "soapy massage" place for a look? You are probably the only white person there. Filled with customers from Asian and middle Eastern countries as well as the Indian subcontinent areas. These people are not drinkers of alcohol but they still want sex.

This long post is not to sanctify the actions of Westerners who engage in the sex trade but just to put the subject in perspective. Western sex tourists are really a very small component of the whole (no pun intended) industry, but they get 100% of the shit thrown at them.

Poor kids only wanted to earn some money for new smartphones.

There was a girl in Buri ram who used to pick guys up at night clubs (falaangs) and go with them to hotel, she was under 18, she then call mummy bear on cell phone and give address to her.

Then mummie bear and her Policeman BF turned up and relieved the poor man of 100.000 BHT to stay out of Jail.

I only found out as i was in tesco talking to this guy by chance and the girl walked in with another victim on her arm, we went over and warned him off.

The girl did in no way look under 18 but she was.

I guess the moral of the story is check ID card and get hotel to scan it before passing GO.

No excuse. All Thai ID's for a long, long, time have person's date of birth in Thai and English. Check if in doubt.

Why do we get these scumbags here?

These bikie types are a problem in AUS & should be denied passports to stop them from spreading their bad actions & habits in other countries.

I'm a proud Aussie & don't like to see Australia's reputation tarnished by these useless types, usually, on AUS social welfare payments as can't hold down a job (unemployable).

Hope Thai court finds him guilty & locks him up for life, useless piece of s**t !!!

Too late. Finks in Khao Lak. Bandidos in Ko Samui. Hells Angels in Pattaya. Phuket - not sure. Other chapters established around Thailand I'm sure.

Have more money available than just from Social Security payments.

But hey just guys who like to ride big bikes? Right? Cough cough. Right?

Yes, I applied for the retirement visa right away and wondered about the 15 month length of time. Thanks 4 the info.

It's confusing as hell, and a lot of wrong terminology such as 'Retirement Visa' info online does not help us, but it's important you get across the detail of everything if you want to retire here, as any mistakes can be costly and extremely inconvenient to fix! Remember that this circus will happen every year until you die, so get it sorted out in your head now and save yourself aggro next year.

Also, make sure you have all the paperwork and photocopies you need and sign everything, always. If you stuff that up, and the sarge on duty is in a bad mood, it's back to the end of the long queue you go! Which usually means coming back the next day.

Yes it is confusing.

The passport visa page says: Retirement, dated 19 Aug. 2015.

Extension of stay permitted up to 5 Nov. 2016

The "Retirement" stamp refers to the fact that you met the requirements for an "Extension of Stay" (not a visa) based on retirement.

If you wish to travel outside Thailand you will need to obtain a "re-entry" permit to keep the "Extension of stay" alive during its period of validity.

If one obtains a multiple entry extension of stay based on retirement in their home country does one need to obtain a "re entry" permit at the airport to keep the extension of stay alive when coming and going from Thailand during that 12 months?

I try to avoid commenting but I could not resist on this. Have a look at the top 10 Cause of death in the world stats from WHO, I did. No where can I find death by Thai GF on the list. Yet you dullards who choose to be here consistently harp back to the same subject. Please please go home -if you need a lone for the ticket (one way of course) I am sure there are loads of us who do not normally bother to comment who would chip in.

Now I know your tired old fingers are itching to hit the key board and star trolling me but before you do you should remember one thing, your thoughts and ideas are so limited and of such little importance that I really do not care.

Have a great day

I understand what you are trying to say and the point you are trying to get across - but your figures are a nonsense comparison.

#1 Your figures show WORLD WIDE STATS from WHO on natural deaths.

#2 Your figures do not show Thailand specific deaths from various sources.

#3 Your figures do not show Thailand specific deaths from "un" natural causes eg outside or third party influence.

It's like using stats on the UK birth rate to compare with the Brazilian GDP rate or whatever non specific stats you wish to use.

Maybe you could care "just enough" to get your stats right and then your argument would be valid. Just saying .....

Left at 6pm, accident at 5am, I wonder if she had been driving all night without a rest.

A tragic accident.

I would suggest rather than her driving all night they have shared the driving between them. He drove first then changed with his wife during the night when he got tired. Because he was in the passengers seat he was injured and died. It could easily have been her.

And yes Thai drivers run red lights repeatedly. Though not saying it happened in this case.

Would be to historians. So a bit of news mixed with history.

Don't belittle these guys. They were incredibly brave and pulled off an astonishing piece of flying. On a moonless night they flew at a height of approx 100ft to avoid German radar to their targets.

Of the nineteen Lancasters that took part in the attacks with 133 crew, eight planes were lost with the loss of 56 men; three of these men survived to become prisoners-of-war. Thats a 40% !!

I wonder how many of us would be prepared to step up to the plate with those odds

Should never forget the sacrifice these guys (and many others) made so we, today, can sit in our condos having a beer and watch the game

Yes incredibly brave young men. Having to turn back probably saved Les Munro's & his crew's lives in that encounter. And he survived the rest of the war when the causality rate amongst aircrews was appallingly high.

A great movie and inspirational theme music- but the truth is it did more to raise British morale than to cause production loss to the Germans. Most of those who died in the floodwaters were Russian & other eastern European POW's. The attempt on the largest dam which would have caused the most destruction had to be abandoned due to lack of fuel, bombs and airplanes.

And the sad & ironic postscript to this was that Wing Commander Gibson, who was just a young man, survived nearly all the war but was most likely shot down & died over Europe as a result of "friendly" fire.

I wish Australia had the same rules.

Now and before all the best and prime land and farms are being bought out by overseas interests. The Chinese now are buying the best farmlands bidding beyond the fair price to exclude local purchasers. Locals cannot compete. Overseas owned farms with overseas workers. That's what Australia is facing. Is it 200 million or collectively one billion dollars of land purchases before it come under Government scrutiny ? So as long as each transaction is under 200 million dollars it doesn't have to be scrutinised. Prime farm after prime farm is being sold off 3 million or 5 million - no problem for overseas investors Each Government has blood on it's hands for the sell off of Australia's prime farms & real estate. Australia's long term future of controlling it's own landholdings and destiny is fked.

In the future forget export markets as Chinese interests will own the best farms and mines and export their goods back to China. Nothing in it for Oz workers or Government.

As the rich Chinese drive around in their cars and buy properties by the handful. Successive Australian Governments of both persuasions are oblivious to what happening - or just don't care enough. Poor old Bill Heffernan is a lone voice fighting against this but alas too little and way too late.

Again - I wish Australia had the same rules on who owns their own country.

Like many other resort towns Pattaya has indeed changed over the years, the same has happened in every country that has a tourist industry, it is not a specifically Thai issue and has been repeated around the world.

As resort towns develop the price of real estate increases, that leads to higher rents and accommodation (it's not rocket science) In general it is becoming more expensive and ultimately becoming less competitive with resort towns in less developed countries.

Mr Koyen makes a fairly bold statement of opinion "If anything, I imagine this particular seaside town has gotten seedier and scummier" This is a fairly unimaginative and crude comment, it takes no real journalistic talent to cobble something like that together.

Pattaya would, like every other larger town or city in Thailand, have always had its seedier and scummier area's, just as most other countries around the world have. While I don't particularly like Pattaya myself I don't see any real need to bag it or single it out as a uniquely disgusting place. It will, due to market forces, undergo further change over the years just to survive.

Hopefully in future we some more realistic and factual reporting, not just some statements of personal dissatisfaction and contempt, I can get that from the grump old bas***d next door....

I would have thought you loved Pattaya, and the seedier side. The pic of a school kid you have,may give some idea of your thought process, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Bernard - Time for a trip to Specsavers for you to get new glasses. I look at Bignose's avatar and see the figure of a slim woman. The shape is easy to identify. Be careful about your criticism.

Thanks for your replies guys. They have been really insightful.

A couple of points to note: I'm not married so have no wife from who's lead to take. I am going solo. Also my wedding invite was emailed to me, so no envelope to return cash if that's the tradition.

I'm from the UK. My point about money being seen as a vulgar expression is such that it is seen as the last refuge of those with no imagination (similar to giving a gift voucher at Xmas). And it makes people feel uncomfortable not knowing how much is acceptable to give - and then you always get those whose sole purpose in life appears to be showing off their wealth and talking about it, which is a shallow existence. UK weddings usually have a wedding gift list which is only usually sent around those attending the full day ceremony. Night guests usually offer a small token of appreciation, such as a bottle of wine or flowers while the rest of the guests have a sweep stake to guess how many kettles and toasters the happy couple end up with.

You have obviously not been to any Greek or Italian weddings. Envelopes containing cash with your name on it is the done thing. I am sure there are a few other countries where this is also the norm. It's a great idea. Saves having to think what the newly weds may need and a duplication of presents.

Going alone - you may be matched up with a Thai single lady. You never know your luck.

Living in Phuket i can say the card skimming is a nightmare here , even in front of bank with camera all around they put skimmers. Iv been scammed and many of my friends too. Lucky enough they withdraw in USA while i was in Thailand so i could prove to my bank it was a scam and got money back . ( internet bank not thai one ).

I wonder what happens if its ur thai debit card and they withdraw in Thailand....

Now , i saw many news about police catching gangs for this kind of scams , but i never saw a news about the judgment and the sanction. Anybody got infos of that ?

Btw im french , for the guy wondering why all this types of guys are here without working. Most of them sell drugs in France ghettos , and come to Thailand for holidays/cash laundering.

I want to add that the french community is as pissed of as anybody and probably more about thoses retards making bad name for us.

Hopefully they get at least some years of jail......

As has been said many times - if you have a Thai bank account - you have one major account WITH NO ATM FACILITIES where the majority of your money stays. Then you have a second account where you can withdraw via an ATM. When you need to transfer money you go inside the bank and transfer money from the large NON ATM account to the lesser ATM account. If you do get skimmed then it's only for less than 10,000 baht. You also set your withdrawal limit on the minor account at 1,000 THB / per day. You can always get more than this if you go inside the bank with your passport. Yes it takes more time but also saves heartache if you are skimmed.

Some Thai banks have an ATM usage message sent to you mobile phone for a small monthly fee. This will quickly alert you if any fraudulent activity is occurring on your account.

Difficulties you encounter with your Thai partner................where to start?

Luckily enough I am now single here in Thailand although I did live with a Thai lady for some five years, and before that I had a six-month relationship with another lady. I have to add to that that I have made a lot of single Thai lady friends, and that's all they are, so I do have some experience.

The difficulties are many-fold: – for example communication is just about a no-no on anything other than a superficial level. If you want to talk about politics then it will end after a couple of sentences either related to the reds or the yellows; the state of the country with regards to anything ranging from GDP to finances, markets etc will draw blank stares; discussions about The Monarchy will get short shrift, after mentioning that so-and-so is liked, and so-and-so is not.

Try to talk about anything that is going on in the world and it will be lost on them......... the state of the US economy, the euro, the GFC and how it could affect Thailand and your income and so on, mean absolutely nothing.

I could go on and on however suffice it to say that any discussion on anything other than the price of vegetables, the local gossip and who is doing what to whom, is totally lost on these people.

Financially, many of them are hopeless and it is all about spend for today, because tomorrow there will be something which will turn up. "Who knows what the future will bring" is a lovely start to a sentence about planning for the future, which basically says they don't bother with it, and that is very true.

If you just want someone who fills up a space in a house and someone to have sex with, then all will be fine PERHAPS, until one of you gets tired with the latter.

So in summary, the difficulties I find are in meaningful conversation, entirely different beliefs and values, the complete lack of understanding how things and the world works, and the fact that they are only really interested in themselves and in doing what they have to do to ensure they come out of the relationship with more than they went in with.

If you are after a superficial relationship, don't like to be alone and think that the hot sex will last for ever, then you are in the right place.

You are SO WRONG.

How many ex GF's did you talk to about politics, US economy. the Euro, the GFC. GDP and finances etc etc.

Get real - most girls wherever they hail from are not interested in that talk. All those matters are best discussed with male friends over a few beers. Very few girls are interested or want to talk about those subjects.. Same as you talk to your male friends about sport.

You are SO RIGHT.

Most Thai girls have no idea about saving for the future. Have today = spend today. But hey a lot of western girls are the same = some guy will provide for me.

Hmmmm. Bad memory - I see I posted similar comment some days ago at #127.

Difficulties you encounter with your Thai partner................where to start?

Luckily enough I am now single here in Thailand although I did live with a Thai lady for some five years, and before that I had a six-month relationship with another lady. I have to add to that that I have made a lot of single Thai lady friends, and that's all they are, so I do have some experience.

The difficulties are many-fold: – for example communication is just about a no-no on anything other than a superficial level. If you want to talk about politics then it will end after a couple of sentences either related to the reds or the yellows; the state of the country with regards to anything ranging from GDP to finances, markets etc will draw blank stares; discussions about The Monarchy will get short shrift, after mentioning that so-and-so is liked, and so-and-so is not.

Try to talk about anything that is going on in the world and it will be lost on them......... the state of the US economy, the euro, the GFC and how it could affect Thailand and your income and so on, mean absolutely nothing.

I could go on and on however suffice it to say that any discussion on anything other than the price of vegetables, the local gossip and who is doing what to whom, is totally lost on these people.

Financially, many of them are hopeless and it is all about spend for today, because tomorrow there will be something which will turn up. "Who knows what the future will bring" is a lovely start to a sentence about planning for the future, which basically says they don't bother with it, and that is very true.

If you just want someone who fills up a space in a house and someone to have sex with, then all will be fine PERHAPS, until one of you gets tired with the latter.

So in summary, the difficulties I find are in meaningful conversation, entirely different beliefs and values, the complete lack of understanding how things and the world works, and the fact that they are only really interested in themselves and in doing what they have to do to ensure they come out of the relationship with more than they went in with.

If you are after a superficial relationship, don't like to be alone and think that the hot sex will last for ever, then you are in the right place.

What happens in the western world are the subjects to talk to your western friends about. Talk politics or economics or religion etc - talk to your western friends over a beer. Talk to your Thai gf or wife about the immediate issues that are important for that day. She has no interest in the events of the western society = just as you have no interest in Thai history and politics.

Translated into western society - there are those you can talk to on a range of subjects and those who you cannot discuss matters with.

In my estimation 90% of Thai - falang conversation is just the day to day stuff which a falang and Thai GF can negotiate quite easily!.

I live on Samui since 1986 and I paid 30 baths for a bungalow on the beach (yes I can remember) and I paid 10 baths for a plate of rice with something on top. Then they built the airport and it was the beginning of the end. Then we got the tourists. They wanted to eat the same food they have at home but Thai food is delicious. Much more than the Mc Donald's rubbish, they wanted air-con (if it's to hot they could stay at home instead of coming here and spoil the island. They also wanted swimming pools a few meters from the sea. I just don't understand these people who travel far to get what they have at home. If you come to complain, just stay at home, easy no? then after this we got the worst: THE RUSSIANS. I really miss the time without tourists, it was a great time.

Even back in 2000 it was ok. The main problem as I see it was the dirt road suitable only for motorbikes has become the main road which is built out on both sides by hotels on the beach side and businesses on the other side. Absolutely no chance to widen the road. Now there's a massive amount of traffic and the road cannot handle it.

The lovely hotel / bungalow complex I stayed in at the southern end of Chaweng has now become a 5 star resort. Completely out of my price range.

Brother and sister. The parents will be devastated. No need to pile on them. The parents paid a high price. The children paid the ultimate price. Sad Sad.

The main beach is very long and very shallow. Never a danger. But the canal where the boats travel is completely different. Maybe at that age, 12 and 14, they wandered off with their friends, unaware of the difference in depth of the canal and the currents present there. It's a nice walk at low tide to the "islands" there. Maybe they stopped off for a swim on the way back.

Good thread.

@ oneday - if you plan to relocate to the USA on a permanent basis why are you building a house in Isaan and not just continuing to rent?

Sorry if I am being nosey.

Some of you seem incredulous. I live in Hua Hin, and I can tell you that plenty have done as well as she expects and better. Of course plenty have left town empty handed - but she wouldn't be the first to get that - and more. Not by a longshot.

I get the impression that Hua Hin is a well-to-do person's place with a relatively small bar girl scene so a girl who presents herself well may have a good chance.

But, do rich guys in Hua Hin really go looking for real girlfriends in the bars near the train station and Soi 80?

There are a lot of bars near the two 5 star hotels next to the beach. Maybe she was hoping to met one of those guys. If they can afford a 5 star hotel room maybe they could afford her! But then again they probably got to such a position by not wasting their money on bar girls.

@ Malleebull03

Have sent you a very long PM. Hope it answers most of your concerns, queries and options.

Hi I will not have my thais family come and stay with me it is not on and if I am back home in Australia and some of her family stay at my home I am ok with that but when I am in my home living in thailand they can't stay the first time I come back after I have been away for a long time I put on the food but outside not in my home and then after that I don't see them I mite see her mum and dad walk pass but not come in my home my home is of limits to the Thais family I told her from day one I not like people come to my home and no kids as well last year I had the kids sitting out the front and told her to tell them to go away and the next day no kids it is my home and not the Thais family's home and yes some of you will say you can't own a home in thailand and yes I can't own it but I have a 30 years agreement on the land and I paid to build the home and if she is good to me and she has been good to me in the last 6 years she can have the home but if she plays up and piss me off or go's and has a boyfriend behind my back then the home will come down to earth and I will put it on YouTube but hop it does not come to that I am the boos I pay for everything and she no's that , it has taking me some time to get her to understand who pays and now she understand and I will not give her money when I am in thailand but I do send her money every month when I go home to Australia but and I say this I WILL NOT GIVE MY THAI WIFE MONEY WHEN I AM LIVEING IN THAILAND NEVER AND IF SHE DOSE NOT LIKE IT SHE KNOWS WERE THE DOOR IS .

Wow! You are just bubbling over with kindness and goodwill eh!

And all in one sentence.

What does MIFL mean anyway?

I used to work in a Government department in South Australia (SA) Australia. One of the duties was to collect outstanding debt in both SA and the Northern Territory (NT).

It was mooted at one time to have the two divided -

Collection Unit (SA) and Collection Unit (NT). The acronym was -

CU(SA) and CU(NT). Once this was looked at the penny dropped and the name was never used. This is a true story.

My mother's house in USA has always been a ”shoes off” house.

It surely helps to keep the house cleaner, and why the hell does one need shoes on in the house?

Due to being 'Mom trained' in this regard, I was removing my shoes when entering anyone's home long before my first trip to Thailand.

For those that insist on a "shoes off" policy inside the house, as I mostly do, house slippers, or similar, should be provided to wear inside the house. So no unsightly feet are seen. I love padding around the house barefoot.

Also it's a good idea to have a few pairs of flip flops / crocs by the back door as outside shoes for when you step out to the backyard for a short while.

You'll notice in all the Thai soaps, no matter how well attired they are, inside the house they are wearing house slippers.

OP, only have been here for 7 years and as you, never had any problems.

I think people create problems for themselves, so they can cry on TVF.

Yes the last one applies to me.......I got........married and am happy ever after.

Fortunate. In my 47 years of traveling to and living in Thailand; I too have never been ripped-off, scammed or attacked. However, I have been robbed--which may be all of the above. Now, before the normal assumptions/accusations arise, allow me to say I was riding with my non-Thai wife at 7pm in a nice residential neighborhood. A couple of yayhoos came by on a scooter and snatched my wife's handbag. No problem, I thought, I'll just catch-up to them and kicked them off their scooter. As I approached, the thief on the back drew a pistol. Needless to say, I accepted their right to have the purse. However, that was six years ago, we are still here. Things like this happen in all countries; yes, even with the gun.

Now, a second question about being ripped-off, scammed, or attacked. Have any of those happened to you at the hands of a non-Thai, while here in Thailand?

I believe there are hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of expats and Thais that have been ripped off by those ar**hole ATM skimmers. They are all non-Thai. I hope they all get a non curable intestinal worm and diahorrea forever.

Songthews are so cheap.They have been so low for so long.With the price of gasoline I'm surprised that they aren't charging 50 baht.

I believe if I was A Songthew driver I would charge farangs more simply for the reason most of them have more money than

The average thai and can afford it.

I had an interesting experience once on Second Rd daytime. The baht bus driver politely ask me to leave his baht bus - no charge. I was the only one on board and about 3/4 km away from my destination. He spied a large group of well dressed tourists, possibly Russians, 50 metres ahead. I got off and he sped off like a demon to pick up these tourists. A very full load indeed and probably a profitable one.

No problem, no charge, just hopped on another baht bus a minute later.