Keith67

If she is being paid a monthly salary as many of them are then damn right she should earn it, if she is not i find it very hard to

believe she would put up with that kind of behaviour. My wife gets no salary from me so i don't ask for these kinds of things.

If she demanded a monthly salary she would then be an employee and yes treated exactly the same as your friend did.

A 13 yr old girl and her mother from a fairly well to do family have just gone away from my village to visit relatives for a few months,

an announcment was made that the mother was pregnant after she left.

These things happen all the time and it's never questioned, the advice in the first post is what you should do.

Just tell your buyer to do a bank transfer, that can be done at any ATM, if he declines you decline the sale with him.

<< Off topic post deleted from reply >>

just pay the 100B as each drink comes....

just pay for the 100 baht drink as each one comes. lol you've never been to karaoke before have you?

Every night my wife owns 1 now, but you don't read posts properly do you? he is talking about a bar in Patpong not a karaoke....

To the OP.

If you want to return to Thailand you'll need a Thai passport. Best place to get it issued is in the UK via the embassy in London. Then you can enter Thailand on the Thai passport.

If you are staying long term, then you are eligible for conscription.

If you are just going to Thailand for a few months, then going back to the UK, then you should be fine on that front.

I don't think that it's been established if he's eligible for a Thai passport yet,has it?

Sometimes people should think before posting on the more sensible threads here.

Not every little nitpicking point needs to be discussed.

OP has at least one Thai parent....that much is clear to the majority of us.

Also think seriously about what he is asking as it makes no sense atall.

• Asking if he can work in Thailand as a Thai national..........!!!!!!!!!!
• Asking about national service and his father is in the army......!!!!!!!!!!!
• Born and raised in Thailand for 11yrs but now speaks no Thai although he lived in the UK with his Thai mother......!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, hotel security told police to go away

Whats next? pigs can fly

Probably didn't tell them to go away but just explained to the police how much the hotel pays their boss for protection every month..........

The first car i bought in Thailand had a 60% tint on the front screen first trip out at night then next day to the shop to have it removed,

1) If Want to go back there for work/live will this be a problem? (I Think so?)

Not if you use your Thai ID

2) could I get Visa as a Brits to work?

Why if you have Thai ID

3) Will I need to do the army service?

If you are Thai you go in the Lotto same as every Thai national (or jail if you don't want to go)

Regardless of your British citizenship you are still a Thai natonal and as such fall into the same catagory as any Thai national so yes you would have to take your chances.

If it's the firt time minimum 5 working days if not first time usually 2-3 working days.

This guy would have been free from 90 day reporting in your system....

http://www.thaivisa....-thai-children/

What was the point of that post?

Can you show me any evidence of a link between criminality and 90 day reporting?

Are you suggesting that being relieved of the burden of 90 day reporting will see a surge in Geriatric crime?

Incidentally, your wrong anyway, he retired to Thailand, soi he wouldn't qualify for exemption under my suggestion, only people who lived and worked here for a minimum of 10 years would qualify.

What is the purpose of 90 day reporting?

I assume it's not just to inconvenience an individual, i would assume it is to record who is in the country and where they are as you have to provide an address.

Under your system anyone over the age of 65 could report for the last time and then move anywhere within the country whenever they chose.

Maybe someone could tell me as i have reported at the same location every time and the closest point to my home, If an individual reports in a location far away from their residential address when there are checkpoints closer to their home are any questions asked?

I am only suggesting relieving the 90 day report would give an option to criminals, unless you are suggesting there are no criminals over the age of 65 which would mean there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

If Thai nationals need medical treatment in the UK they get it for free. The British taxpayer has to pay the cost into the National health service.So, why cannot I as a British citizen get free medical treatment in Thailand? It isnt fair. Another example of how the British government does not stick up for its own people.

Because the majority of Thais don't pay tax, when was the last time you saw a bar girl or farm worker filling out a tax return?

^^ First of all, it's Mr theblether.

Okay, many of the older British members of the forum will remember the founding on the National Health Service, it was a monumental day for British society.

For all the faults allocated against the Dubai Dodger, he will go down in history in Thailand for introducing the 30 baht scheme. Bringing healthcare to the poor should be celebrated.

These are two monumental achievements.

Right........

My point is, and I will not stand down from it, the Thai public health service is underfunded, and the poor that use it, grateful as they are to have it at all, have no choice but to take what they get.

Then swan in a contingent of farangs who think, happy days, cheap healthcare!! All the more Leo's for me!

That's not on......it's our decision to be here so therefore we must make adequate provision for our healthcare needs without turning to a service that is underfunded, and where the clients are already being forced to wait for hours every day to see Doctors.

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

Now a second point, I do have empathy for people who have made their homes, their lives in Thailand with their Thai families. I am of the opinion that the current Thai government policies are cruel and destructive to family life. A natural part of family life is the ageing process and so it would be particularly cruel to cause family dislocation when a farang elder falls into poor health.

So here's theblethers very clever solution to this conundrum........

Insist that all farangs of a working age have private medical insurance, who could argue with that huh?

Then bring in a variation of the Thai Elite card where the farang could pay an annual premium, ( let's say 10,000 baht ) over a minimum qualifying period ( let's say 10 years ), and once the farang hit's an agreed retirement age ( let's say 65 ) he can then get access to the 30 baht scheme. On top of that he should be excused the requirements of 90 day reporting etc as he has shown a track record of living in and contributing to Thailand.

I think that would be a fair compromise..........and to me there is a big difference between people who have lived and worked / raised families in Thailand, and those who have chosen Thailand as a retirement destination. The former should absolutely be recognized for their commitment and contribution to the country, the latter should be held to a different standard.

That's my thoughts anyway, I'll gibe Yingluck a call later and tell her to get on with it.

The only problem with your system is it is medically proven that most pensioners suffer the expensive medical issues post retirement, thus your system would allow the more costly medical treatment after they receive the B30 card in turn draining the system that was designed for Thai's. There should be no B30 card at any age and no exemption for 90 day reporting.

A criminal can be unrecognised for years look at cases of serial killers, rapist and paedophile rings that are never heard of for 20-25yrs then start up again, your system would give the likes of this type a place to hide until they no longer have to report their location..

My system recognizes people that have been committed to and working in Thailand for at least 10 years. I think it's only fair that their contribution is recognized, and that they should be given some relief post retirement.

Your second point is OTT

This guy would have been free from 90 day reporting in your system....

http://www.thaivisa....-thai-children/

 

I did it the easy way.

Her land.

Her house.

I paid.

I live there.

No problem.

Awesome. I've read dozens of threads and don't hear this enough. I concur poster

 

Well, if you prefer to live in a foreign country without any rights, "up to you". What if she dies of heart attack sooner than you, will you enjoy the fact that her family/heir can throw you out anytime?

Actually FYI if my wife dies before me the house and land goes to my son and I am his legal guardian as he is only 8 so yes I will stay here and no they cannot throw me out.

Sorry to disappoint you.

Out of curiousity where do you live?

The only issue for you is he cannot take legal ownership of any property or land until he reaches 18.

The same applies to my 2 daughters.

Keith 67, I am really not interested in some sort of bizarre pissing competition about who is better educated or more intellectual.

To "disprove" the illegality of euthanasia would require showing you every Thai law, proving that I had not left any out, and your reading them all. We both probably have better things to do, so it would be considerably quicker for you or one of the other experts here to simply quote the relevant law (or not).

Amother irrelavant rant by you , you obviously missed the comment "Now, base this on Buddhism and the difference in the way Thais explain their belief of what is legal or ilegal, right or wrong:

Illegal and immoral are far from the same thing; maybe you should consider the possibility that it is far simpler for a vet who does not want to euthanise an animal to say that it is illegal than to say that it is immoral and face a lengthy moral argument? You could also consider the point that while a Mahayanan Buddhist vet may try to convert you and to explain their beliefs a Theravadan (Thai) Buddhist vet is far less likely to as Theravadans, to put it simplistically, believe that it is up to you to find your own way, not up to them to try to convert you.

Read comment above, is my comment not stating exactly what you are trying to tell me?

Your article on euthanasia in Thailand is incorrect, as it is out of date. This was amended by the Thai National Health Act, article 12, part 1, dated 20 March 2550 (2007), which left the option of prolonging life artificially up to individual doctors and legalised the removal of life support subject to legal living wills or next of kin (and the ability to pay the bill!).

As the topic is about vets and not doctors and i clearly made a comment about the Buddhist element, obviously i wrongly assumed that peope would realise i was not refering to the relevence of euthanasia i was using the buddhist reference.

Its the same situation for vets - whereas in the west there's a legal obligation for vets to euthanise animals, under appropriate circumstances, just as there's a legal obligation for doctors to withdraw life support for people under appropriate circumstances, there are no such legal obligations here one way or the other and its entirely up to the individual doctor or vet.

I hope that's intellectual and educated enough for you.

Absolutely if you disregard all but the last paragraph due to that being the only relevant answer. As for the rest of your rant amusing as it was.......well

It's not a law just a govt request not to sell, nobody has ever been prosecuted for ignoring the request. Small shops, warehouses and even some 7/11 just ignore this nonsense. Also you can buy booze at villa markets all through the day as well as at foodland.

What about the Kings birthday or Baddha days is that a different law?

^^ First of all, it's Mr theblether.

Okay, many of the older British members of the forum will remember the founding on the National Health Service, it was a monumental day for British society.

For all the faults allocated against the Dubai Dodger, he will go down in history in Thailand for introducing the 30 baht scheme. Bringing healthcare to the poor should be celebrated.

These are two monumental achievements.

Right........

My point is, and I will not stand down from it, the Thai public health service is underfunded, and the poor that use it, grateful as they are to have it at all, have no choice but to take what they get.

Then swan in a contingent of farangs who think, happy days, cheap healthcare!! All the more Leo's for me!

That's not on......it's our decision to be here so therefore we must make adequate provision for our healthcare needs without turning to a service that is underfunded, and where the clients are already being forced to wait for hours every day to see Doctors.

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

Now a second point, I do have empathy for people who have made their homes, their lives in Thailand with their Thai families. I am of the opinion that the current Thai government policies are cruel and destructive to family life. A natural part of family life is the ageing process and so it would be particularly cruel to cause family dislocation when a farang elder falls into poor health.

So here's theblethers very clever solution to this conundrum........

Insist that all farangs of a working age have private medical insurance, who could argue with that huh?

Then bring in a variation of the Thai Elite card where the farang could pay an annual premium, ( let's say 10,000 baht ) over a minimum qualifying period ( let's say 10 years ), and once the farang hit's an agreed retirement age ( let's say 65 ) he can then get access to the 30 baht scheme. On top of that he should be excused the requirements of 90 day reporting etc as he has shown a track record of living in and contributing to Thailand.

I think that would be a fair compromise..........and to me there is a big difference between people who have lived and worked / raised families in Thailand, and those who have chosen Thailand as a retirement destination. The former should absolutely be recognized for their commitment and contribution to the country, the latter should be held to a different standard.

That's my thoughts anyway, I'll gibe Yingluck a call later and tell her to get on with it.

The only problem with your system is it is medically proven that most pensioners suffer the expensive medical issues post retirement, thus your system would allow the more costly medical treatment after they receive the B30 card in turn draining the system that was designed for Thai's. There should be no B30 card at any age and no exemption for 90 day reporting.

A criminal can be unrecognised for years look at cases of serial killers, rapist and paedophile rings that are never heard of for 20-25yrs then start up again, your system would give the likes of this type a place to hide until they no longer have to report their location..

My system recognizes people that have been committed to and working in Thailand for at least 10 years. I think it's only fair that their contribution is recognized, and that they should be given some relief post retirement.

Your second point is OTT

Agreed and maybe rightly so.

What would you estimate the cost of a hip replacement or bypass heart surgery?

The last point is OTT but still possible.

^^ First of all, it's Mr theblether.

Okay, many of the older British members of the forum will remember the founding on the National Health Service, it was a monumental day for British society.

For all the faults allocated against the Dubai Dodger, he will go down in history in Thailand for introducing the 30 baht scheme. Bringing healthcare to the poor should be celebrated.

These are two monumental achievements.

Right........

My point is, and I will not stand down from it, the Thai public health service is underfunded, and the poor that use it, grateful as they are to have it at all, have no choice but to take what they get.

Then swan in a contingent of farangs who think, happy days, cheap healthcare!! All the more Leo's for me!

That's not on......it's our decision to be here so therefore we must make adequate provision for our healthcare needs without turning to a service that is underfunded, and where the clients are already being forced to wait for hours every day to see Doctors.

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

Now a second point, I do have empathy for people who have made their homes, their lives in Thailand with their Thai families. I am of the opinion that the current Thai government policies are cruel and destructive to family life. A natural part of family life is the ageing process and so it would be particularly cruel to cause family dislocation when a farang elder falls into poor health.

So here's theblethers very clever solution to this conundrum........

Insist that all farangs of a working age have private medical insurance, who could argue with that huh?

Then bring in a variation of the Thai Elite card where the farang could pay an annual premium, ( let's say 10,000 baht ) over a minimum qualifying period ( let's say 10 years ), and once the farang hit's an agreed retirement age ( let's say 65 ) he can then get access to the 30 baht scheme. On top of that he should be excused the requirements of 90 day reporting etc as he has shown a track record of living in and contributing to Thailand.

I think that would be a fair compromise..........and to me there is a big difference between people who have lived and worked / raised families in Thailand, and those who have chosen Thailand as a retirement destination. The former should absolutely be recognized for their commitment and contribution to the country, the latter should be held to a different standard.

That's my thoughts anyway, I'll gibe Yingluck a call later and tell her to get on with it.

The only problem with your system is it is medically proven that most pensioners suffer the expensive medical issues post retirement, thus your system would allow the more costly medical treatment after they receive the B30 card in turn draining the system that was designed for Thai's. There should be no B30 card at any age and no exemption for 90 day reporting.

A criminal can be unrecognised for years look at cases of serial killers, rapist and paedophile rings that are never heard of for 20-25yrs then start up again, your system would give the likes of this type a place to hide until they no longer have to report their location..

1. It should be mandatory.

2. Under no circumstances should they extend the 30 baht scheme to farangs.

It's a scheme for the Thai working class and poor, not a scheme to assist farangs in lifestyle decisions.

I think it's ridiculous.......RIDICULOUS!......that anyone in all conscience would try to use up the few precious resources available to the Thai poor.

Just in case your confused, I think it's ridiculous.

Just so you know.

I suppose I better go put my flame proof suit on now. Oh well.

Mr Blether

You and i had a recent disscussion with regards to the healthcare situation in Thailand and the eventual outcome was basically some Thai hospitals for local Thais were good some were not due to under funding and other issues, so how could the not so good hospitals be improved?, in my opinion quite easily, here's how.

As you stated in our disscussion Thai hospitals are underfunded and understaffed for reasons i find include;

• The average Thai pays no healthcare costs apart from the option of the B30 card, this works well as i stated in some cases.
• The average village located Thai works for B2-300 per day, this money is paid as a cash in hand payment with no Tax or national contribution to healthcare.
• The Thai health syatem will rely on payouts from the government to subsidise these local hospitals but without the goverment obtaining payment for earnings from the vast majority of the population.

So based on these points if a system were to be put in place where Expats could if so desired apply for a similar system to the B30 Thai system with a monthly premium of maybe B100 it should generate a substantial amout of funding toward the streched Thai system, the system would cover sickness but as with Thais accidents would incur costs.

A system of this nature would in effect need a large number of expats to join to make it work, this would only happen if the hospitals in their area were to a standard where cleanliness and care were an acceptable level. My opinion being a system of this nature would mean the hospitals that fall way below the cleanliness and care that should be reasonably expected would have work to do the ones that do not then their previous efforts would pay off.

A system of this nature would also benefit the Thais as their hospitals should theoreticaly improve, also remembering the expat element in Thailand are not usually the type that run off to the hospital because they sneeze 2 times in a day.

I could have built the house i wanted and where i wanted from the start, the reason i didn't was due to the fact that family is a large side of Thai culture and i respect that, the youngest daughter will never move far away from my wife’s family in my opinion but i may be wrong, the eldest daughter will definitely not stay in the village, when they both reach the age where the house can be put into their name then yes it is then their choice to sell the house and fund their own projects or keep the house, if this was to cause problems 1 wants to sell the other doesn't then we will have to look at that situation as and when

it arises The eldest speaks excellent English but the youngest virtually none i have helped both to learn English but the youngest just doesn't want to learn

and i will not force the issue.

The house i will build for myself will be away from the family and nearer the city, i am currently and for the next few years living in the village location which does sometimes get very difficult, daily interaction with Thai society is fine, but as an expat interaction with an expat community is just as important, i leave the village regularly and visit expat areas and not for sex as i have never been unfaithful just for the conversational value.

@Keith

The children have no future in a rural village, apart from being subsistence farmers.

Best to build a house where you want to live and the children have the chance of an education and a modern future.

Don't ask children what they want, they don't know because they are children and naturally fear the unknown.

@Amykat

The value is in the land, it doesn't matter what the condition of the existing house will be in 30 years.

Somewhere for the children to live without overheads is a big advantage in a country without property tax.

Earning enough to feed yourself is never a problem for Thai nationals.

As a grown adult i don't often find the need to ask advice on house building location from 10 and 14yr old children although i understand what you mean.

Tthe decision was mine based on my experience, the older child has an excellent education and is top of her class in all subjects, the topic of further education for her has already been discussed and is in the planning stages and will require a move, the youngest also attended the same school but with lesser results after lengthy discussions with her teachers and some medical tests it was decided that she has some learning difficulties that have never been picked up, this is the reason for not pushing the education or learning English issues with her, i help her every day to try and at least give her an education the will eventually avoid her being ridiculed but it is difficult.

Weather she has a future in the village is yet to be seen, at the moment she is happy and has many friends there and that is good enough for me.

As for the house well we will wait and see as i said when they are old enough they can make the decisions for themselves as by then they will no longer be children.

Maybe it's needing spanked.

That's how I keep my monkey in order.

That's how I keep my monkey in order.

You three gents are an absolute disgrace showing absolutely no respect for Thai women in...........oh hang on thats another topic where we all have to say that sorry my bad...............................

If a farang speaks Thai, even not very well...IMHO for many Thai he is not the same farang anymore, at least the common citizen, (well off probably not) as fare as I am concern I certainly do not speak Thai fluently, but since I learn every days for one year I know a few hundreds words, so if I know the Thai word I do not use the English one or when I pay for something as a farang I am told the amount in English when, giving the money I repeat the amount in Thai as if I was not sure, most of the time I have a kha/khap with a bigger smile, in the plane for Paris, yesterday, when the air hostess came with drinks on a tray, I answered in thai, Kap, nam som kopunkap,I am not stupid, of course I could have said it in English even in French in a plane for Paris, (maybe I am wrong) but it seems to me she appreciate. As for my wife, she says to every one, teelak speaks Thai, for she his very proud, so yes it is probably important an effort is being made to at least speak a little Thai.

(rant)

Why does everyone that 'speaks Thai' give trivial examples that a tourist after one week would should be able to say?

Jeez someone, impress me!

How about making it more interesting, and actually demonstrating some knowledge of the Thai language. like this.

When the air hostess came with the drinks she was looking a bit moody so I said, "yim noi see kap."

So she gave me a really big smile and I added, 'yim mee sanaay"

I'm beginning to wonder if anyone posting on the "for learning Thai" side ever got past page one of "Thai for beginners"

or in Thai 'took kon tam hai pom hua ja rabert' or 'pom ot ton mai wai lery'

(rant over)

(start of another rant)

Oh, and if I had a wife and she called me 'farang', the response would be 'paw mung dtaay'

Oh, oh, and if a white guy called himself 'farang' in front of me I don't think I would be able to resist 'mung bpanyaa kwai wa'

Hey guys, I can speak Thai, "farang, ting tong, mak mak", have I impressed you all?

(finished, I think, sorry bad morning, too hot!)

No.......

Now if you said the Thai with (English) in brackets i would be awestruck.........lol

-snip-

You are the prize, never ever lose the control battle. Ever.

.

In a happy relationship, I'd venture that each thinks *the other* is the prize. If either one thinks *themselves* to be the prize, that right there is the seed of a failed relationship.

I read somewhere that "to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved." If there is mistrust in a relationship, then the more urgent matter to attend to is to stay home and build that trust before worrying about the third beer. Why does a marriage have to be a constant battle of who's on top?

T

Thakkar, I think I always agree with your posts and this one makes good sense, but MY experience with Thai people, is that (I have decided ...but I may be wrong) that Thais don't deal well with equality. It may be totally an unknown experience for them, and we Western people, just assume they will enjoy it, live it, and deal with it well ...I think many Thai people cannot deal with it at all! They seem to always be measuring who has the power, and when they feel they have it, they don't usually treat others "equally".

I THINK they thrive on being unequal, and when they have the power, or THINK they have the power, they usually don't treat the inferior person well or equally, or how that person treated them before (if that was well when they had the upper hand.) That is maybe why some people see this power shift, which seems like a joke (if you bought her a house in her name already) but really isn't a joke in many cases. Once they get the house, the car, the visa, the whatever, and they don't see the future "stuff" coming as still valuable, there is often a power shift in relationships here. This works this way, not only for love relationships, but all relationships, employees, too ...according to me, but that is just my experience. But looking at life this way, here in Thailand, has helped me in so many ways, to deal with life here, in a better way for me! I'm sure everyone isn't this way, but I think mostly, this is true.

i agree with you 100%, my wife worked in a restaurant beforewe met and said that Thais were particularly impolite and treated the waitresses with little or no respect, now when we go to a restaurant i sometimes have to remind her of this point when she orders her food as the way she speaks is in my opinion quite rude.

But you seem to be unwise to the ways here grasshopper.

Not really i built my house in my wifes village but the only reason was it was never built for me it was built for the kids, as the kids are too young to have their sole names on the book it is in my name until they are old enough and then it will be changed and i will build the house i want and where i want it.

If me and my wife did have problems and split up i would leave the village with no problems maybe a sigh of relief, but the house would still go to the kids when they were old enough.

Just wondering why you couldn't build the "house you want, where you want" to start with? And that would be for the kids too eventually. I'm guessing the house "in the village" is a rural area, or not a big city, and maybe your kids will NOT want to live there ...for school, for jobs, maybe not until they are retired...if ever? If they are half-farang,, speak English fluently, have a better education, can live in your Western country some day, chances are the best place for them later, won't be in some Thai village?? Even just for investment, as a rental or something, a main city would be better right?

I'm also confused why so many men here claim they are buying houses for their kids, when the lifetime of a home here, isn't very long, generally, the houses are going to be in pretty bad shape, 30-50 years from now, but Thai ladies ...even the ones living in the West, seem to using some excuse, some manipulation to convince men to buy/build a house in their village "for the kids", later, "for retirement later", in 30 years, and lots of guys seem to go for it. Guys who have been in relationships for a total of a year, are building/buying homes, for "whatever reason" to be used in 30 years!!

I'm not trying to attack you, just asking the question.

I could have built the house i wanted and where i wanted from the start, the reason i didn't was due to the fact that family is a large side of Thai culture and i respect that, the youngest daughter will never move far away from my wife’s family in my opinion but i may be wrong, the eldest daughter will definitely not stay in the village, when they both reach the age where the house can be put into their name then yes it is then their choice to sell the house and fund their own projects or keep the house, if this was to cause problems 1 wants to sell the other doesn't then we will have to look at that situation as and when

it arises The eldest speaks excellent English but the youngest virtually none i have helped both to learn English but the youngest just doesn't want to learn

and i will not force the issue.

The house i will build for myself will be away from the family and nearer the city, i am currently and for the next few years living in the village location which does sometimes get very difficult, daily interaction with Thai society is fine, but as an expat interaction with an expat community is just as important, i leave the village regularly and visit expat areas and not for sex as i have never been unfaithful just for the conversational value.

.

Quite frankly, you are speaking out of your rear end.

And another educated expert opinion rolls in.......

The last thing your inane post deserves is either an educated, or expert, response.

One of which i feel you would be unable to provide through your rose tinted Perth spectacles......

Please do name the numbers on the list that apply to Australia, and then tell us where you lived in Australia.

Hm, I guess you are missing a few vital points. Having the majority of your citizens stare at the displays of their iphones and ipads while they walk, drive or ride through the streets of your capital doesn't make your country a "first world" state. Nor do it record sales of automobiles - which are then crashed in record numbers of accidents - nor American junk food restaurants at every corner and an increasing number of obese youngsters.

Being "third world" is (in my humble opinion) defined by:

1. open display of disregard for even the most simple laws and regulations

2. having 2/3 of the population considering corruption a positive asset "when it allows you to participate"

3. a police force which is unwilling to enforce the law and is more interested in collecting "tea money"

4. a justice system that allows the "upper class" to break the law without having to face any consequences while coming down like a load of bricks on the poor sods.

5. a situation where every local cab driver can take you to the nearest illegal casino while the local police force is unable or unwilling to close it down

6. losing 30 to 50% of every taxpayer's baht spent on government projects to corrupt officials and politicians

So what has changed in Thailand over the last 5 years that makes it "first world"?

edit: added one item

Although your humble opinion of a third world county maybe correct in your eyes it doest not make Thailand a third world country as in your words shopping malls new car sales or american fast food chains don't.

Third world is a cold war term to describe countries neither allied, or enemies of NATO. NATO allies being first world, Communist Bloc allies being second world. Switzerland and Austria are officially third world countries.

Your views on third world would place America, Australia and most of Europe in a third world bracket also, as many of the points on your list are daily occurances in these countries also.

Australia would be 1, 4, 5 and 6. Perth, Sydney and Brisbane.

There may be 1 slight alteration required for Australia, in number 5 if you change casino for brothel.

Quite frankly, you are speaking out of your rear end.

And another educated expert opinion rolls in.......