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I just recently flew YVR-BKK one way and was asked for my onward ticket by JL airlines. Showed them my e-ticket on phone. They seemed bothered but did not say anything.

In previous flights out of Vancouver have always been asked for onward ticket when flying one way. 

As I am not bothered by the amount I usually just get an AirAsia ticket from BKK to the cheapest destination, usually Cambodia. Think the last one cost me $40. Not a big deal. 

Not so much the noise, but the actions associated with it.

Just this past weekend had a party with the locals again. Neighborhood Thai music DJ sets up. Cranks volume then proceeds to try and talk to me.

Now my Thai is not great but I can chat a bit. However it is nearly impossible for me to understand Thai with blaring music. 

Tell the guy can't understand with loud music so he just shuts up and drinks.

Ask wifey why play music so loud if you want people to chat. She couldn't hear me so I walked away.

The screeching ladyboy sounds have got to be the most annoying of all though. 

But all in all as I've aged I have found it does not bother me too much.

In most cases the victims are, as noted above, desperate and uneducated.

They are clinging onto a business that is most likely losing money however, like in the Western world, are holding out hope they can make their business profitable with a small investment.

My understanding is the first contact person (money lenders) come across as being sympathetic and understanding. It is not till money changes hands and contracts are established that the sharks come out.

Wife has distant relatives who have gone into hiding for years at a time to avoid. 

The couple in question have really brought this on themselves. For some the stress is unbearable & relentless. One can still feel sorry for them.

There are certainly many positive stories such as yours happening. Just seems the dumpy stories make better headlines.

Still, congratulations are in order. Well done. 

16 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

I have no idea what that means,  sounds like a woke word to me .  look pal it's obvious from your incoherent ramblings that you are seriously in need of help.  I'll leave it at that 

"Disingenuous questions in an attempt to engage in unwanted debate as a form of harassment.” 

I had to look it up

34 minutes ago, kwilco said:

Why is it that people think that just because they drive or have driven somewhere they consider themselves to be in a position to comment of road safety?

 

BTW - I have driven in Edmonton, Alberta and Vancouver BC, as well as Washington, Oregon and California.

I've also driven in Australia, Morocco, Italy, Spain, Portugal Germany, France Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg Austria

I've driven FURTHER than you in Thailand and also in Laos and Malaysia. but that doesn't make be an expert of road safety - it is the analysis I get from critically thinking about road safety and working in a traffic engineers department that helps most.

 

People are incapable of interpreting what they see - what they call "experience" is in reality just an accumulation of bad habits backed up by confirmation bias and a liberal dose of cognitive dissonance.

I get the feeling you could be a little too tightly wound up to be driving. I suggest before getting behind the wheel of your vehicle on your next trip, smoke a little weed, relax, I guarantee life will be more enjoyable.

14 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Me personally the only time I might buy coffee is on a road trip or Airports in which case I don't care about cost. I make drip coffee at home. Your comment begs the question, What's the salary line between poor and not poor. Is 25K/month poor? And I know ladies who are in that income bracket who frequent these coffee places daily in the morning, which is roughly 10% of a daily wage.

 

That's like me when making good wages and I spend $50.00 on a cup of coffee, well that would be nuts by any standard.

Poor is people making less than 10,000baht/month here. 

As a percentage of "salary" yup it is crazy. 

I refer to a portion of the Thai population who make 100,000baht and up. Perhaps I swing with different crowds but many of my daily interactions are with people in this range. Same people who drink Red Label vs Lao Khao. Or those that own a Hilux vs driving a TukTuk.

On a side note, I oversee a Starbucks operation in Canada and the counter staff make between $16.50-$19.50 per hour (Canadian). This works out to roughly 3,000-5,000baht per day. Compared to a Thai rate of 400baht a day in a Starbucks in Nong Khai.

A Grande, Caramel Latte in Canada is about $9 (my location which is in a tourist town) which is about 225baht. In Nong Khai similar drink is 155baht.

Not sure of all details in the Thai operation but revenue vs labour seems very favourable here (Thailand) vs Canada.

9 hours ago, kwilco said:

 

Rubbish post - you are not even beginning to understand how road safety works - you are not offering any verifyable evidence to support you purely subjective  claims - I suspect you don't even begin to realise how facile they are.

Omg....

I live & drive in Canada (Alberta), Ireland and Thailand. Have vehicles in all. Drive in all. Insurance in all. When the Calgary Police Service sits in wait at playground zones, operates check stops all year round (not just the 7 daily days), speed traps on highways, pull over vehicles when not using indicator light, pull over vehicles for violations (broken windshields, missing lights, worn tires, other mechanical issues), non use of seatbelts, use of cell phone in car, smoking in your car, and others. VS. Thailand the RTP conduct check stops pulling over Laos drivers because most do not have valid insurance for Thailand because they can fine them and collect money for their pockets....it is absolutely clear this country, Thailand, do not give a damn about people dying on their roadways. The Thai people really don't care as they just need to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. 

Road Safety, bah. You come off as a rent a cop, like one of those $14/hr security guards who drive around a work site with a finger up your nose and one hand on your flashlight. 

Funniest thing ever was getting motorcycle license in Ireland. Following behind an "instructor" hooked up to headsets listening to instructions..

"turning left, put your indicator on 5m from the turn"

" gear down when approaching school zone"

Following some guy in a yellow safety jacket like a moron for 3 months to get a driver's card. 

There is absolutely no chance of policing Thailand into a road safe Country. Will never happen. Impossible to alter the driving habits of 25,000,000 people who begin driving motorcycles at the age of 8 or 10. 

No government today, or tomorrow (100years from now), will be able to fix this problem. Period.

Just my opinion.

2 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

And so this carnage continues with not a care from the cops or Ministers- who are cocooned in their cars with motorbike outriders. Take a mini bus Minister and see the real way millions have to endure with freaked out drivers. 

Is it really that difficult for the BIB to actually patrol the roads and issue tickets?

O, sorry TIT and it is. 

Yes, and become like other Western countries with their enforced rules. Other than the families of those that have been killed, who really cares? Serious question. Rising cost of insurance rates? Check out car insurance rates in Canada. Some places more than the car itself.

Do you see 284 people dying in Canada during same time period? No. 

I see people here in Thailand driving thru 50km school zones doing over 100km. Try driving thru a playground zone in Canada at 33km/h and they impound your car! Not really but seems like it.

I enjoy riding my bike without a helmet. My choice. No seat belt sometimes on a quick trip to 7. Not a problem. Cranking it up to 180km on some straight stretches, ok.

Some freedoms come at a cost. 284 deaths is a minor cost. In my opinion.

Sausage party with two servers.

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm always amazed at how hard working folks spend their money on crap. Especially the wages Thais work for. All my years in US punching a time clock, I brought food and coffee from home, hardly ever, ever did I eat out. So, here in Thailand a guy making 500 baht a day spends 50 baht on lunch, that's 10%, to me that's stupid. The mentality of living life day to day is why so many Thais have nothing when they're old. Much the same as US I want to add.

 

Which is why it boggles my mind when a place like Starbucks is so popular. 

 

 

Place like Starbucks is so popular is because not everyone in Thailand is poor! Believe it or not there are people making more than 350baht a day. I do not buy Starbucks, not because of the cost, but because I am not keen on their Coffee. But paying 100 to 150baht on a decently made coffee does not offend me. 

Next week's headline news, local man unable to pay loan sharks back money borrowed for bail. Wishes he had "friends" gun back!

Probably noted already, but I believe the reason the Thais' are going to Germany is to get info from the German guy regarding who he paid off. So the can investigate issues here in Thailand.

So the Thai officer in this story will get punished for a possible PR stunt, but take a 1,000,000 baht bribe to let a suspect flee the country, and....

I see nothing ie Sergeant Schultz

Just did the test in Nong Khai in February. Nearly fell asleep during the video. About 50 people, 40 Thai, 2 English, and a couple of others not sure what language their tests were in. Scored 49 and got a big thumbs up from staff. Results are shown at the end if you want to review. Nearly every question was covered in the video.  

Staff at Nong Khai could not have been more helpful. The driver test lady spoke great English and we had a good laugh at two Thai guys doing the motorcycle test who could not stay on the raised beam in a straight line. Both fell off multiple times half way through. She was making fun of them in a nice way in English and they had no idea what she was saying. Overall not a bad day. Have had a license for about 10 years before covid, but expired for more than three years. At the end there was a small box right hand side of the screen to click on to see wrong answers. I remember as after completing test I still had time for review and you could pick which question or questions you wanted to review. I did and after rereading some questions changed my answers. 

20 hours ago, ezzra said:

6.9 without the dot is actually my favorite position.

Without the period is mine!

Perhaps every dog and its owner shouldn't be opening a hotel, motel, or guest house.

In my little sh*t hole of the world near Nong Khai there are no less than like a dozen new hotels etc. Most completely empty. Some banking on the Chinese. Some rent by the hour. Most opened cause they could build 5 or 10 rooms and people would come. Free breakfast????. 

Twitter, Meta, Hotel Tycoon, must be tough losing billions of dollars in a tough economy. No more free loaders. 

while we are at it.....

Why should anybody in the medical field be required to wear masks. Doctors, Nurses, Dentist. They should be given the option of wearing one while performing surgery on you, or sticking their fingers in your mouth pulling a tooth. Gloves, hand washing and sanitation...optional. 

A person should be free to go take a <deleted> before operating on someone and not have to bother washing their hands again....they washed them once in the morning that should be good enough. 

And food production. Dont get me started. That last thing I want to do before making a meatball sandwich for a customer is wash my hands and slip on a glove? Rinse the Salad. What the f*#k for, it just came out of the ground, created by God which is packed full of nutrients. Cough on your food, slip a finger into your soup, perhaps a few finger nail clippings in the salad. 

Or just imagine the next time you are at a restaurant here and the cook takes a <deleted>, uses the bum gun which causes fecal matter to go flying all over including his or her hand and then they come out and prepare your Caesar Salad. That anchovy flavor was probably from the sumtam they just washed away from their butt hole. But by God they are forced to wash their hands. Barbaric!

Hell the guy cooking meth next door to me had some ppe on, I told him he was a fool listening to the "MAN" about protecting his body. Told him not to fall for their bs, he has the right not wear that garbage. 

Barbaric Behavior! I should be allowed to drink and drive without penalty, kill anyone with bad breath who speaks to me, the worst and I do mean the absolute worst violation is prohibiting my kid from taking peanut butter, nuts or other allergens to school. My kid loves peanut butter, but just because some spastic classmate whose parents couldn't give birth to a normal child mine has to refrain from taking it to school. Some days i just want to roll their backpack in peanut dust, smother it peanut butter and send them off to school. 

Oh, and ban EpiPens from public places as well....sticking people with needles without their consent is inhumane. 

Good god, I was just dreaming about this the other day. Wife asked me why I seemed so hapoy.

Unfortunately I am not that lucky to have this happen.

On 4/21/2022 at 12:43 AM, ThaIrish Sean said:

I understand the bit about her giving you a hand but I've never heard the euphemism planting tulips ????

She is planting her tulips around old Mcgintys stump (ie. Hummer).

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I have been saying for a long time now, some of the youth of today are very scary people. They have little perspective on anything, and it seems that most parents worldwide, have lost the art of parenting.

 

I feel very, very fortunate to not have children. But, if I had them, I would be very strict. Children need boundaries, much like pets. They will test you, to determine where the limits are, and will try to find how far they can push you. These days parents are so hung up on trying to be "friends" with their kids, they hesitate to show them the limits. I see that everywhere I go these days. Here in Thailand it is very pronounced. I hear it is worse in China, where the parents spoil their kids rotten. It is very bad in the US.

 

If the kid gets really out of bounds, he would be locked in his room for days. No school, no play, no TV, no devices, no screens. Kids learn fast. Deprive them, and they realize mom and dad are not passive doormats. 

As I mentioned to another poster, your potential child is very thankful you never had them.

I am sure you interact with many families. As an actual parent so do I. Nearly all have similar child raising ideals. My child has been raised in Canada, Ireland, US, and Thailand. And other than the odd exception all her friends have been good. Of course we see the naughty ones, but why would we encourage her to play with them?

One does not have to be "strict" to establish boundaries. One just has to be consistent. 

I use soda drinks as an example. My child has only had a small glass of Coke once in her life. From day one we have encouraged her that the health benefits of not drinking pop greatly out way the brief enjoyment of drinking one. Easy to do?No, not really. But she would rather have a cold glass of water over anything else. She can sit at a birthday party with many other children and not take a drink of it. Even when she gets teased. She just laughs it off. 

Not that it has been all laughs, child raising is difficult.  It is certainly not for everyone. I am glad to hear that some people have decided not to have them because they would not be good at it. 

I just wish more people would have come to the same conclusion as you did, prior to them having children.

2 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I have been to Kathmandu 4 times. All long stays. If I had kids, that would be zero times, and I wouldn't exactly have been killing myself to take them to sports practice or whatever. Don't they have a bus for that?

 

So no Kathmandu and much resentment for being a slack father -where do I sign up? Oh wait, I didn't.

 

My siblings, my wife's siblings (and her own situation with her not that nice daughter), my friends -I'm going to put it at one in ten that feels happy about their relationship with their kids by the time they're 25.

 

The blow off factor from the kids is monumental, or worse, they they become dysfunctional dependents.

But popping in to help with some chore involving a ladder or just for the hell of it? That's a never, Dawg.

 

 

Not a problem. You are certainly doing any child a great service in not having them. To this I say, good on you! And probably a very thankful high five from the potential child.

48 when i had mine. First wife could not have children, resigned myself to the fact would not have any. Unfortunately first wife passed away from cancer.

Years later remarried here in Thailand, 12 years now, and have an 8 year old daughter.

having a child is easy. Insert penis into vagina, repeat until finished.

Raising a child is not. In my case it is the single greatest joy I have ever had. It has also been, scary, lonely, funny, sad, and a full host of other emotions. But never dull!

To a few of the posters I am sure the potential child you could have had are relieved you never had them. Some people should never have a partner, let alone be allowed to procreate! And yes i am judging.

A couple of points brought up:

Expensive - no more than anything else. You do not need a million baht school! The parent/s need to put in some effort to assist in educating your child.

Girl vs Boy - read a comment or two about not wanting a girl because they would worry about them. I do as well. I worry about people like some on this forum. It is again teaching your child about good and bad people.

Can not tell you yes or no. For me. A resounding yes.