rene123

How stupid can this get? Do we want the whole world to be one big, amorphous mass where all the shops, food, movies, culture etc are all the same?

One of the reasons I have enjoyed travelling and living in different countries over the years was that I saw and experienced something different; I was tired of walking around towns in the UK that were essentially all the same (many of the old shops of character had died out).

If you want sidewalks, go to a country that has sidewalks. Don't try and change Thailand to make it fit what you want. Either love it or leave it.

I thank you.

using your line of reasoning then you would agree with how Nepal handles their rubbish problem. Check it out on youtube.

seriously, garbage in nepal is as much the equivalent to sidewalks in Thailand as the holocaust is to schoolyard bullying.

in fact, the parallel between hitler and the school yard bully is stronger.

this isnt BC, you need to accept that, but it will get there in its own time

The implication by BoonToong is that everything is perfect in Thailand and foreigners should butt out with any sort of criticism. If that were the truth then someone in Nepal should say everything in that country is also perfect. It's not, nor is it perfect in Thailand.

However we all have the opportunity to improve if we CHOOSE to do so. If we choose not to improve then we should also accept any sort of criticism. Just because someone chooses to accept the problems of Thailand because of Thailand's other attributes does not mean those problems don't exist. I don't really care if Thailand does not have sidewalks. I don't care that people can park their vehicles anywhere while at the same time, blocking passageway on the roads and sois. I don't care that the police in Thailand are corrupt. They are paid so little that they are forced to be corrupt. I don't care that the Thai schooling doesn't teach their children the concept of a simple map. I don't care that the Thai people believe in some mystical entity that will solve all their problems. I just enjoy the country for what it is and accept it for what it isn't. That doesn't mean I don't recognize problems wherever I might travel. And, if I see problems then I will comment on them... where it is legal to do so.

I just knew if we added a few silly comments that someone would come up with a good reply. Thank you for the information, wigantojapan.

The elastic band that only Thais can untie.

That was a sneaky and racist invention if ever there was one.

Now that IS funny because it is so true

Really...you cannot untie the rubber band ?

Thats something...

No I cannot. Once a bag has been sealed with a rubber band, I can only get in with the aid of scissors or a knife. It's nice to know that I am not the only one that has this problem.

I can't help but laugh. I guess I'm not the only one that can't open them. I use a razor blade and just cut the wretched thing.

How stupid can this get? Do we want the whole world to be one big, amorphous mass where all the shops, food, movies, culture etc are all the same?

One of the reasons I have enjoyed travelling and living in different countries over the years was that I saw and experienced something different; I was tired of walking around towns in the UK that were essentially all the same (many of the old shops of character had died out).

If you want sidewalks, go to a country that has sidewalks. Don't try and change Thailand to make it fit what you want. Either love it or leave it.

I thank you.

using your line of reasoning then you would agree with how Nepal handles their rubbish problem. Check it out on youtube.

All I can say is buyer beware. The fake goods may or may not work. Your savings could be lost in the blink of an eye. I doubt if you can even buy an original piece of electronics in Mae Sai or Tachick on the Burma side.

It is probably a combination of the mentioned factors.

In the long run this is worrying, though, because Chiang Mai is on its way to regular gridlocks. All the ingredients are present: fast urban sprawl, growing number of people and cars, poorly planned road network with overburdened main arteries, non-existing or dismal public transportation. Not exactly a new situation in Thailand (and in Asia).

Cheers, CMX

At least we have the ring roads

That WAS good planning. There are many cities that haven't planned as well. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada did not plan as well. Vancouver is congested and constricted. They didn't make allowances for growth in the Fraser Valley. Getting off the main east-west highway and going through Surrey to the ferry terminal at Tsawwassen is a convoluted nightmare.

I believe there is an expression that covers it; has something to do with pearls.

Pearls of wisdom, Kelly? Hey, ladies like pearls! I could use a whole string of them. Wanna buy me some real ones?

Any people who throw live octopuses at sporting events should not talk about odd customs.

I think that is a Chicago Blackhawks tradition. But, those idiots are all bickering about salaries so out of control it makes no sense in the real world. May they all rot in hell for all I'm concerned. Billionaires arguing with multi-millionaires about who gets the biggest piece of the pie, and screwing their fans in the process.Oh, and their referees DO blow whistles. Just not constantly.

I was driving to work on the canal road to the university and was thinking to myself how great the traffic was and no long lines at the canal/Suthep intersection. After driving into the university and also thinking how nice there were so few motorcycles, then arriving into my parking lot seeing only one car there - realized it was a holiday and had to drive back home. At least the traffic was light that way too.

Thanks for the laugh, Tywais. I can identify.

And thanks to onthedarkside for editing my insult, but my red head dander got up when I was told to "grow up" by True blue. His remark was also an insult.

I would think being in a wheelchair is even worse.

For sure it is.

Especially if you use one of those wheelchair ramps they made on the footpaths in Pattaya and find a lamp post in the middle of it.

I think I remember seeing that one and just shook my head in wonderment.

I believe there is an expression that covers it; has something to do with pearls.

Pearls of wisdom, Kelly?

Hey, ladies like pearls! I could use a whole string of them. Wanna buy me some real ones?

I don't see your point.

There are a huge number of restaurants in N-America where they don't use spoon/fork (or chop sticks) either, but knife/fork instead.

The whistle is used for a purpose on this continent. Easy as that.

If you don't know how to drive then someone with a whistle is not going to help you. Whistles are actually good tools when used properly. In logging they use whistles a lot. One toot to stop. 3 toots to go ahead. 2 toots a pause and 2 more toots to go back slowly. A series of toots to slack the rigging. A big vehicle that is backing up often has a series of light toots to make everyone aware. Hand signals with whistle toots are valuable if everyone knows what is happening. BUT! A long, continuous series of ear splitting whistles is useless.

Every man that has grabbed me in the street I've hit with a solid right hook, and after he went down, I followed that up with a kick to the crotch. i don't have an anger management problem. I just don't want my privacy invaded. I'd feel the same if I was a man at a urinal. I'd tell them to <deleted> off. I don't care what country I'm in.

Too many tough brutes one here....but, you did say 'if' I was a man.....so presume you is not.

No, I am red headed, Canadian female of Scottish descent. My father taught me how to defend myself when I was very young. I would not want to be punched by me, and neither has anyone else that has invaded my privacy.

Nice.

How far does that privacy bubble extend...just in case like.

If you need to be told, you are too close. Eye contact is the secret. If you can't read someone's eyes you better stay clear.

I am a US war veteran with a war connected disability and I came to Thailand because I am treated better here than in North America. Just thought I would mention that..

Good for you, Chiangmaikelly. I commend your ability to make a life choice and accept it. And yes, there a many things better in Thailand than North America. However, you can't deny that if Thailand had sideWALKs that it wouldn't be easier for you to get around. I'm reasonably young and fit and I can dance around in Thai traffic without getting mowed down by some truck roaring down narrow sois at excessive speed. I have learned to be aware 100 percent of the time of everything around me at any time of the day or night. I never trust traffic to obey traffic lights or crosswalks. I don't normally think about it from other's perspectives until I talked to the war veteran the other day.

Vehicles being parked anywhere at any time is the major problem. Recently affluent Thais, who used to only own scooters, now buy cars and trucks without any place to park them. So, they just park anywhere they can without any thought about traffic. Service vehicles, songthows and those bloody silver vans feel it is their right to double and triple park along thorofares. Same goes for those huge tour busses. And, the local police just let it happen.

you will be advocating wardens and meters next,grow up this is thailand,not some political correct nanny state.

I'm not advocating anything. I'm just explaining the problem. If you want to drive a vehicle in Thailand then accept the consequences of traffic jambs. It's only going to increase. I ride a scooter and get by just fine. If I need to pack any luggage I'll hire a taxi and travel at not busy times of the day. Traffic problems are just one of the reasons I'm not living in Bangkok.

And yes, Thais do say sorry. At least my husband does.

Could be hormonal, could be she is lonely and depressed living far from home in a cold wet miserable place with a husband who goes out with his mates and leaves her alone to take care of the baby. Just sayin.

I would agree with sbk. If your wife speaks limited English and she is living in a cold climate without family and friends it is understandable that she might be angry. Even young children get angry when something is bothering them and they can't understand why. I think I would be angry if I was in a foreign country I didn't like and had no means to fix the problem. There ARE advantages to being single as I am finding out more each day.

So the villagers were correct. It was Sunday and nobody was working at TOT. The technician came around today and fixed the problem. It is the same at our hotel if problems occur on a Sunday or holiday.

Recently, a retired US war veteran with a physical disability moved into our Thai hotel. There is no elevator, so he is stuck on the ground floor. He can get around, but only with a walker. To go any distance he has to hire a tuk tuk or a taxi. He is a pleasant gentleman and we've talked a bit. I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him having to deal with the problems so common in Thailand for anyone with a disability. There really are no sidewalks in Thailand. They are all used to park motorbikes or display merchandise that keeps creeping further into the streets.What we take for granted in North America is not so common in the rest of the world.

Every man that has grabbed me in the street I've hit with a solid right hook, and after he went down, I followed that up with a kick to the crotch. i don't have an anger management problem. I just don't want my privacy invaded. I'd feel the same if I was a man at a urinal. I'd tell them to <deleted> off. I don't care what country I'm in.

Too many tough brutes one here....but, you did say 'if' I was a man.....so presume you is not.

No, I am red headed, Canadian female of Scottish descent. My father taught me how to defend myself when I was very young. I would not want to be punched by me, and neither has anyone else that has invaded my privacy.

In truely teasing fashion, here is a photo of one of them... unfortunately the battery is flat on the camera, so you'll all have to wait for the photo of the other one...

They've suffered a bit in the rain in Dubai

SC

Those look like one of mine that I left back in Canada. But, the other cool night coming down from Doi Suttthep on my scooter i actually felt I could use them. Anybody know where I can buy cheap motorbike gloves? The ones I see at the Honda dealer cost about 3000 baht or more.

Vehicles being parked anywhere at any time is the major problem. Recently affluent Thais, who used to only own scooters, now buy cars and trucks without any place to park them. So, they just park anywhere they can without any thought about traffic. Service vehicles, songthows and those bloody silver vans feel it is their right to double and triple park along thorofares. Same goes for those huge tour busses. And, the local police just let it happen.

Mosy of you lot really are newbies or yobbos, it used to be everywhere in Thailand. They are not there to grab you by the tackle, not on the menu. The routine should be a shoulder massage at the urinal, sometimes with a battery vibrator, this followed by a neck adjustment that is usually quite proficient, then flush the urinbal for you and turn on the tap at the sink, after washing your hands you receive a hot towel and finally a range of aftershaves are provided if you so choose, tip as you wish.

It is called service, something that disappeared in the West yonks ago. Enjoy a small indulgence in how the other half lives, give a tip to someone that works for a living in a country where there is no welfare. Jeeze, you lot will whinge about bloody anything.

It's in most cheap nightclubs in the UK as well where they are usually earning another way at the same time.

It's not service, it's harrassment for money. You think how much those guys make (ok they must give a percentage to the club or maybe on a wage ) and then compare it to someone who does a 12 hour shift. If someone grabbed you in the street and expected money for it you would tell them to get lost.

If anyone ever grabbed me in the street who was unknown to me, I would deck them and then make sure they stayed down. This would not apply in Thailand as I don't fancy taking on six cowardly Thais.

Have you considered anger management classes? they might help you get over your problem.

Every man that has grabbed me in the street I've hit with a solid right hook, and after he went down, I followed that up with a kick to the crotch. i don't have an anger management problem. I just don't want my privacy invaded. I'd feel the same if I was a man at a urinal. I'd tell them to <deleted> off. I don't care what country I'm in.

Guess earnings are not immoral if you are doing something for the greater good. Evility/immorality remains trivial.

Fact is more farangs are in the immoral business then the thai girls.

Ain't that the truth. And, whose business is it when it is a private deal agreed to by both parties?

The person that runs the business ?

As the hooker said to the client... "It's been a business doing pleasure with you."

I've kind of grown immune to all the constant noise associated with Thailand: roosters crowing at all times of the night, karaeoki bands playing until all hours of the night, small villages with town speakers that begin their propaganda at 6 AM and blare on for 2 hours, slow moving trucks with their huge megasound systems promoting this or that while blocking traffic. Oh, and the constant whistles blowing at every parking lot.

I live on the south side of town and I regularly ride to Doi Sutthep area. I'm always thankful that I ride a scooter like a Thai, and weave in and out of the vehicles that all seem to be "parked" along the route. I timed the light at one of the main intersections and it took 5 minutes before my lane was allowed to proceed. Thankfully I was on a scooter and not "parked" like all the cars and trucks waiting to go through.

I was always hesitant to buy hemp clothing, for fear that when traveling by air, the 'sniffer' dogs would react to them, making my time with Airport Security people even less enjoyable.

Wouldn't THAT be a hoot! I'd fly back to Canada and all those thuggish security guards would go nuts when the sniffer dogs went on point and I stripped naked in the airport in front of a thousand tourists. Some people would pay good money to watch that! I'm not shy about nudity and I've spent some summers naked on a beach on Hornby Island. The cel phone cameras would be flashing everywhere.