SparklingCascades

I don't understand why we have a 'prostitution image' - In Thailand regular bars offer an innocent drink with a bar-fine imposed for bad behavior; massage parlors offer regular massage with a tip for happy endings. Then we have go-go dancers wrapped round poles who offer private dance lessons for a learning fee or ping pong shows where the cast offer private tution for a coaching fee.

In case your still alone - caring Thai girls will bump into you or catch your eye : At airports, railway stations, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, Uni's, street corners and even in hospitals & outside some schools. Sometimes parents will approach you to offer their girls or brothers to offer their sisters. I don't include everyone but just a noticeable chunk of our people. The gentle no-pawblem, can-do style will chase you everywhere. It leaves many men freaked-out and smiling at our Amazing Lieland.

Now, I wonder why a 'land of smiles' would have a 'prostitution image' pawblem; especially when prostitution is illegal in our country.

Taxis displaying 'for hire' sign needs to go anywhere within a 50kms radius, otherwise do not display the 'for hire' sign. Would be a nice law to have. Sadly, having lots of nice laws is something we excel at. Enforcing laws happens rarely if ever in Thailand.

Up the pole in a parachute gives new meaning to the saying - Up the creek without a paddle. Takes a very 'particular skill' - found only in Thailand - for a boat to plant a para-sailor atop a pole, several meters away from the beach.

From experience - in Thailand - private schooling is the way to go with maybe the final two "finishing years" completed overseas eg: at a private school in Singapore. .State schools were always intended for people with no means who needed just the basics in reading & writing. To suddenly expect these state schools to offer top quality education at budget prices seems unreasonable.

It is obvious that many posters on this thread know nothing about Thailand’s public servant and public services infrastructure and continue to try and equate these services with those of the West.

As regarding the Thai police force, firstly, when a person joins he/she is told; there you are, you’re in, now go and catch some criminals and solve a few crimes and may the best men win.

There are simply very little resources available to them, unlike in the United States where they have the state of the art forensic sciences at their desposal, high tech computer and network communication systems, transports, top grade weaponry and crime expects all on the payroll. For example they could never make a Thai version of the series, CSI. I suggest that some of you, if interested and would like to discover the real facts for yourselves, should go and visit a few police stations and see what kind of crime fighting equipment they have to work with. In Hang Dong, Chiang Mai police station the police until recently were still working with Windows 3.1 on old antiquated computers that they had purchased themselves. Their communication equipment is almost antique and besides that there is nothing.

My son told me that last year his colleges and him were investigating a murder of a young Thai women living in a rented room. There were drugs involved and DNA plus blood samples to analyse. My son said the whole thing was a shambles and embarrassing, because they did not have the funding to carry out a thorough investigation and eventually the girl’s family gave voluntary contributions towards the investigation themselves, otherwise the police would have been at a loss to conclude the case. 7 weeks later the murderer was caught, it turned out to be a drug dealer who the girl owed money to. This was not corruption as all monies given went into the case, but desperation in order to bring a murderer to justice.

Sometimes the police don`t even have the funds to purchase writing and printing paper for their reports, ink for the printers and for other sundry expenses. You know, that many traffic police have died over the years, especially in Bangkok due to the traffic pollution, having been breathing in the fumes during their shifts.

It`s a <deleted> job only for the dedicated and many of the officers end up having to financially subsidise their everyday duties out of their own pockets and yes, some do try and scratch around or practically beg for money elsewhere, sometimes out of desperation to get the job done. Now even my son is considering leaving the force, as he feels the pressure is too great and impossible to do a good job without the resources to back him up.

And yes again, the system is to blame and not the actual staff themselves. I cannot foresee anything changing, not in my lifetime anyway.

Welcome to the third world.

The issue is bribe money which ex-cop Chalern says is fine for Thai policemen "to ask for" during Chinese New Year. The lack of police resources to solve cases or the absence of infrastructure to help a Thai policeman's work may be related - but is a very different topic to what is being discussed here ie: police tea-money for Chinese New Year.

The only thing ex-cop Chalern smells with accuracy is money.

Red envelopes with money inside are given to people as a mark of appreciation for Chinese New Year. They are for good luck. Our family gives one to each of our 300+ staff in the business. "Asking" or "requesting" red envelopes with money inside from people is definitely not part of Thai society & has never been a part of Thai tradition ie: unless one is a Chalern.

My present g/frd who is 16 yrs old has already lived in 4 countries & traveled a lot

Uhh. Sorry? Sixteen?

May I enquire as to how old you are?

Just finished high school & am at Uni. Not yet 21 - if its anyone's business.

How do we get rid of such trash from our police force ? Due process is time-consuming & witnesses often feel intimidated - something people in power count on when offending.

I wish you well. Maybe u shud consider a business in booming Asia, eh.

Friend, I am at loss to understand when U say - " I want to say goodbye to Pattaya......Losing job in UK so will be looking for a new job after 14 years working for government." Is it possible to be in the U.K and Pattaya at the same time ? or

Were u working for the British govt. posted to Pattaya for 14 yrs?

My present g/frd who is 16 yrs old has already lived in 4 countries & traveled a lot - as her Dad is some kind of British consular official. They are presently in T/land for 3 yrs. Good luck friend.

I no take blibe. Can do tea-money, nig-noy gifts and give to you bank account numba. Upto you.

I personally think Pattaya is the armpit of Thailand for the simple reason of a few ruining it for the many - Thats why I couldn't live there.

Pattaya appears to attract increasing amounts of the dregs of society (Western and Thai) ruining it for the many decent folk who choose to live there.

It is a real shame as Pattaya could be so much more. ...................

There is much more to Pattaya than the overwhelmingly objectionable ‘dodgy’ parts – But, this appears to be spreading along with the apparent crime levels.

Actually the dregs and the perverts were here decades before the first "decent" family folk arrived, and it is these johnny-come-lately decent family folk who are ruining the place with their banality and shopping, and also attracting all the crime which hardly existed 20 or 30 years ago. The more middle-class mass-market family tourists there are the worse the general attitude of Thais to them becomes, and it doesn't surprise me at all.

Speaking for myself - I like banal if it rakes in more money, love shoppers who point & pay, love middle class mass market looking for more than a cheap retirement or tight budget holiday. The changes in Bkok, HuaHin, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang.........are not all good but change is bringing in more dollars to Thai family-owned businesses; than the old business model of bar, brothel, beach & tight budget.

Is it any better than the 100B F&C at the Golden/Jolly Friar in Jomtien?

Sad to see farang nickel & dime, even over a meal. Never was the case few yrs back when I was at school. Noticed a change in farang-type.

There's worse; some have just become small-minded, condescending and malevolent.

And it seems to have escaped your attention that I was asking about whether it was better, not whether it was cheaper.

Your correct, how cud we miss it, you were only comparing with "the 100B F&C"! Farang-quality has changed from the Thailand I knew just five yrs back.

With the Village Chippy shutting down on 3rd road,not much to stay for really

Never been. When is it closing? Perhaps I should try it before it happens?

Is it any better than the 100B F&C at the Golden/Jolly Friar in Jomtien?

Sad to see farang nickel & dime, even over a meal. Never was the case few yrs back when I was at school. Noticed a change in farang-type.

]That's why Thailand doesn't rank on this survey. By inference, ALL global cities are considered for the ranking. If you're a weak contender, you simply don't rank. We're basically saying the same thing. Thailand is not competitively globally on quality of life for residents.

As far as cost factors, if higher paid employment and opportunity is widely available, a city being more expensive doesn't necessarily diminish its quality of life for most residents.

Uhhh...they did put Bangkok on the list. They just don't tell you where. You have to pay money to get the whole list. They only release a limited number of cities publicly and they don't allow journalists to publish the whole list.

They even specifically mention Bangkok on the mercer website, and that the political situation "continues to present significant security risks for locals and expatriates." I guarantee that resulted in a HUGE hit in the rankings when plugged in to their spreadsheet if they found it important enough to mention. Whether it's accurate or not you can decide for yourself.

In my opinion this Mercer survey is basically useless for most people. The HSBC survey I posted earlier is far more useful.

http://www.expatexpl...com/#/countries

They allow you to check dozens of categories so that you can specifically organizing the ranking according to what you find important. It's made from people who actually live in these places, and not a spreadsheet using information that may be inaccurate or misleading to begin with.

Excellent survey for anyone looking for information as opposed to just going off on how bad Thailand is.

Thailand is good for those looking for a certain lifestyle & work style, as Mercer confirms.

Who gives a crap what the 'people at mercer' think. 25million didnt visit Austria last year. When it comes to livable, Adelaide is better than Sydney in their 10th place that was already proven by Australians not by 'mercers'.

Is Adelaide in the same league as Tassy & Darwin?

Like some of the posts say - Thailand is my home. If we're gonna refuse entry to one Brit 'thug' what do we do with the so many other thugs (from various countries) who moved here or are on visit, after serving time in their country for theft, rape, violence & worse. If we are going to refuse entry lets apply it evenly - not selectively. Our tourist (and retirement visa) numbers will drop sharply. Besides, Thailand is all about quantity not quality if Patpong, Pattaya & Phuket are looked at.

Can't see what the fuss is about. Patong, Patpong & Pattaya have long existed to provide comfort food for hard-faced, heavy-duty, high-mileage farm girls & their rough-as-guts customers. Our tourist numbers would drop sharply if Thailand turned away yobs.

Thai lady like to care & share with many which farang don't understand.

Many Esaan lady I know believe more the merrier especially if farang pay then Thai can do.

No ploblem with naked truth.

You may not agree with the driver licence laws (for tourists and/or long-timers). You may find other road rules a pain in the axse. However, these are Thailand's laws and need to be followed by people who wish to visit or live here. Otherwise don't come !! Find some place you like the laws. Police with their thirst for tea-money are a corrupt breed and need to be called out; but the experience of 99.9% of people on bikes appears to be: if yr paperwork is fine, helmet on the head and vehicle roadworthy you are waved on - tourist or long-stayers !! Merci beaucoup.

Thai drivers are sensitive souls anxious to embrace the after-life when seated behind a wheel. We start off at age 12 on a moto; turning into heavy traffic without checking left or right whilst carrying 3 or 4 fellow students to/from school. We progress to other forms of transport in our eagerness for the after-life. Accidents (as farangs love to call it) are in fact always the fault of mystery moto drivers who appear & disappear quite suddenly or faulty brakes or a tyre which busted or a pot hole which appeared from nowhere or another driver who lost control or...... Speed is never to blame. Thats one drug we'd never touch.

I am a young Thai boy longing to be lured by ladies. Can police please keep safe distance from me and my hungry & eager Thai sisters please?

So funny. Explains underbelly of our Thai culture in a nutshell right down to G-forces in our ping-pong shows. Can we have more please is a phrase that's missing in this youtube clip.

Sharp rise in retirment visa's - Means more grandpa's & great-grandpa's hobbling about Patpong, Phuket, Pattaya, Patong.....one hand on stroller for balance & mobility, the other hand cupped firmly to the bottom of a tiny-Thai-teen. Geriatric farang's in paradise