Andrew65

54 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Nothing like a  polarising person such as Thaksin to keep the debate hot and running, More to come I'm sure.

Or a polarising person like Prayut...?

22 hours ago, Almer said:

But we all no landlords do everything not to return the deposit, so as the saying goes, what goes around comes around. 

Always got my deposit back in Thailand. Put it in a special fund in the UK so as not to be ripped-off by unscrupulous landlords.

53 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

The question is how many promises are they going to keep.

 

Higher minimum wage.  Also what effect does it have on employment and cost of living

20k minimum for every student with a degree

10k wallet to everyone over 16

Welfare for the elderly

changes to the military

referendum on constitution

quality of Life for most Thais.

Marijuana legislation

20 baht BTS MRT

 

 

I think there were so many promises made that it is going to be very hard to keep a lot of their non-diehard supporters from changing.

 

Rest assured that MFP will be there with the report card.  As well I think as people protesting int he streets.

 

Thaksin introduced the 30 Baht health scheme? A remarkable feat in a country run exclusively by and for the wealthy?

The new prime minister is from a party that never won the election?

23 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Ive done not very well paid jobs. Nobody gave me a tip.... for doing the job I was being paid to do.

I tip in Thailand, in situations when I wouldn't in the UK. I would tip in a bar in Thailand, but wouldn't in the UK. I realise that if people leave 20-40 Baht tips it's quite a lot to somone who's on very little money.

3 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

'We're not in Kansas anymore Toto.'

 

Percentages considered appropriate as a tip in one country doesn't necessarily translate as appropriate in another.

 

'Up to you' as we say here. Tip what you like. 

 

 

 

I used to tip 20 or 40 Baht. My check-bins were seldom more than 500 Baht, and that was often with something to eat as well as beer.

45 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

Whether it’s the norm or not is irrelevant, it’s absolutely right to tip for good service and it will always be appreciated. Those who are so vehemently against tipping are just too stingy.

An old (tight) friend once commented that tipping was difficult in Cambodia due to their lack of coinage. I did explain that a 100 Riel note is worth about 4 US cents. If I had 2,000-5,000 Riel left at the end of my trip I would give it to the airport tuk tuk driver as a tip.

I always used to have a roll of 20 Baht notes for tips and taxis. I always used to bear in mind that waiting staff get paid very little, and if most customers leave a 20-40 Baht tip that adds up to quite a bit extra for them. (I would never put a tip on plastic because I wouldn't trust a business owner to pass it on).

7 hours ago, Walker88 said:

How far might this Potemkin moral fiber extend?

 

Will Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy, Walking Street and LK Metro be closed down? Will the dozens of Thai-owned Escort Services be shuttered and taken offline? Will "Soapies" be boarded up? Will massage shops begin offering only 'traditional' massage and no happy endings? Will high-ups and government officials be subject to arrest for taking on university students as mia nois?

 

Will the business laws be changed and put "owning a business geared toward prostitution" on the same list as diamond polishers, hairdressers or wood carvers---jobs prohibited to foreigners?

There's been a 'rumour' going around for about 15 years that Nana Plaza will be shut down, I think there was a previous 'rumour' about Washington Square also?

Not sure about it being a big benefit using agents for this, if the 800k pa isn't a problem. 

56 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

We need a photo of her I would be able to tell if she has any scouser in her jeans 

"Calm down calm down!"????

You can, but bear in mind that there will probably be a 2-3% charge for using plastic. (Many years ago I would go to the bank to get the cash to avoid that when buying an expensive airline ticket).

9 minutes ago, BarraMarra said:

Has anyone seen bignok or Goat lately or have there internets gone down. I was hoping they would contribute to this thread.

There's a comment from bignok on page 4.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Different days, different behaviour for some. Many would regularly fall asleep peacefully, others get bolshy. A multi-day bender produces bad behaviour that is far from a person's normal. My behaviour changed as I got older, meaning the double digit nights had to be curtailed. 

I've known guys who're always a problem when they drink, one guy only when he got drank/got drunk on whisky (ok on any other booze). After saying that, I've found most are ok on it.

Many years ago I saw a guy wearing a T-shirt in Thailand that read: "Instant a****le - just add alcohol".

1 hour ago, MurakamiX said:

Weed can induce psychotic breaks and schizophrenic states of minds in certain people. I was within that culture for over a decade, and it isn't always smiles and rainbows. You cannot say a sweeping blanket statement that it's all good or all bad; reality is a very greyscale situation. Some people can react badly towards cannabis mentally speaking. 

Agreed. In a similar way alcohol is no problem for most, but turns a small minority into monsters or alcoholics (or both).

It's said that cannabis can have a bad effect if taken during adolescence.

6 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

Alcohol starts fights. 

Marijuana starts a jam session. 

This guy was clearly drunk or on some hard drugs like yaba

Many people drink and get drunk and never cause any problems. A small minority always cause problems when they drink.

47 minutes ago, Shocked farang said:

This Plat Deutsch sounds like the dialect of the uneducated to me. I can only understand a little "hoch Deutsch" if spoken very "langsam"... All other dialects of German are pure fiction for my foreign ears...

Sounds like a similar thing to British accents/dialect!?

Many years ago I was in a bar in BKK, a geordie guy announced that he was having one more drink, and then he was "Gannin' Yam for a ******* kip!". One of the Thai girls enquired which language he was speaking!????

Just now, soalbundy said:

Yes you are right, there are some lovely places in the UK but Joe Bloggs has to live where the work is, I don't mind rainy weather, in fact I quite like grey skies, everything seems greener, no it's the towns that are so depressing, the lack of colour, the boring conformity, the way they are laid out. The more ancient they are the better of course. It's also the way things are, there is no flair as in France or Italy, no beer gardens or beer halls as in Bavaria, just the choking boredom of 'the lokal, telly, or football.

Yes, very true. Thailand is 'exotic' and a "million miles" from our normal existence.

4 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Nowhere in Europe (maybe Finland) is as depressing as the UK.

It depends which part of the UK you're in. If you're in Henley on Thames or Esher (wealthy areas), it can be quite nice. If you're in the arse-end of one of the big cities it is depressing (in the winter anyway). Weather-wise, and old Irish friend who had lived in London assured me that the Irish weather is far worse than the British weather.

Also, I assume that you've spent time in every country in Europe to make your assessment?

Just now, soalbundy said:

Not in the UK, you get too depressed because it's just dismal, cheap fat women, a few pints of canned Lage and a spliff wont turn the place into paradise. The women here wouldn't give most of us a second look even with money (a friend told me that)

There are plenty of good looking women in the UK. It's just that they're not on the game/accessable (even if many look/dress like they are????).

Also, what you describe would be true of most countries in northern Europe.

Just now, PETERTHEEATER said:

You were Persona Non Grata?

No, in QLD at least a durrie is a cigarette IIRC.

PNG stands for Papua New Guinea, in this context.

5 hours ago, bignok said:

Most losers in Thailand get into trouble cause a woman ripped them off right?

After 20 years of living there, (and 3 visits in the 80's, when I was 20/21), I speculate that it's often the 'unholy-trinity' of booze, illicit drugs, plentiful supply of easy-to-get tarts????, that puts some guys "off the tracks". If the same things were as available in their home countries they would have the same effect.

Although as you say, women are the thing. also the fact that for many of us our experience with women there is of a 'transactional-nature' , they wouldn't give us a second look, if not for money.

4 minutes ago, bignok said:

Pattaya attracts a lot of low class people.

...thought I was the only one that noticed that!????