PalMan

SuperRich is better than most, in fact never seen another place give a significantly better rate so far, especially if you're negotiating for a large transaction they're the best.

Sorry no specific advice for Udon, but I've traveled to many provincial towns and since Udon is relatively large, there is sure to be at least 2-3 western-standard hotels near the town center.

Ask the locals around the station which one is the best, and you'll probably find rooms very reasonably priced.

If you have much baggage and plan to comparison "shop", park it at the station while you go around on moto or samlor.

Won't take more than half an hour all up even if you check out three or four places.

Funny enough I find in those towns the short-time places are pretty nice and not expensive, and checking out the comings and goings adds an extra frisson to what's usually a pretty boring stay.

After checking in next stop is the local farang-hangout bars. Just like the forums here, ignore the fact that most are cynical old sexpats and ask around where to rent your bike without getting scammed, they'll set you straight.

I don't buy the line that they don't have enough to buy helmets, but somehow always manage to have the money to make sure the old man has his whiskey or beer every night.

I remember an article in the paper a couple of years ago and some Thai Minister of Something or other, was talking to a western journalist, and the subject of helmets came up. This man actually stated that it really wasn't important if Thai wore helmets, as they were naturally born with harder heads that other people, and that protected them. This same guy also stated that Thai were perfectly capable of talking and texting on the phone while driving cars and motorbikes, because their brains were developed in such a way that it allowed them to do this, while other people could not.

I would personally be very interested to see evidence of this interview.

For me, I'd rather phrase it this way - are there any major disadvantages?

IMO it's always good for the sake of flexibility to have multiple citizenships. You never know the future maybe you should investigate becoming a Thai citizen yourself if you're ever living here for a period of years.

And if you ever want to take advantage of being the spouse of a Thai national. . .

Finally, in her heart she'll always be Thai, I would be very surprised if a Thai would be happy to give up their citizenship.

People say that getting ripped off here is acceptable because foreigners have enough money to come here

I say, so be it but u must accept it when americans do the same whether at a nat park or buying a car

People say that as legal falang foreigners we have no right to complain about anything just keep our mouths shut

I say, ok then you must accept the same attitude from americans (regarding a specific race just like "falang" i.e. hispanics)

First of all Hispanics are a "race" only in your mind, from a scientific POV there is no such classification - even the idea of "white" vs "black" isn't possible to define or identify objectively - IOW it's a culturally taught superstition.

Second, Americans that are native to Hispanic countries - it's an issue of languages and culture - are just as much Americans as the anglos and blacks. In fact in much of the south and all of the west, the Hispanic settlers colononized those territories hundreds of years before the anglos took them over - all by force against the original occupants of course.

Most of the "local discounts" at tourist attractions worldwide - in the US just as in Thailand - are based on geography of residence rather than nationality, no more "racist" and just as acceptable as here, never heard of any American, Hispanic or otherwise complain about discrimination in that context. For example, Hispanic residents of Orlando get the huge Disney local discount no matter their race or nationality.

So I agree that the situation is the same, but I think we disagree as to what the situation actually is in the first place.

The local vs tourist pricing here has nothing to do with race, much less any racist "attitudes".

Palmal

I have never had the type of job that gave me breaks. If I'm not on vacation time then I am at work. I consider myself fortunate that I have a good job. No other options.

When I decide to quit there will probably be no going back. Another would have taken my place.

The decision to leave will be a final one so I have to be sure of my decision.

You always have options, but first step is to realize that.

Completely understand these days wanting to keep a secure job, but life is short if you don't enjoy it then actively prepare yourself to move on to something, ideally better but if not at least just better-because-its-different.

Anyway give it time, very few sectors are left that stable anymore, you'll probably find the landscape changes out from under you in a few years.

If you're just looking for a change and have time to kill, do the fast bus direct to Koh Kong then take the ferry boat service to Sihanoukville.

From there it's a very quick and nice trip (for Cambodia) to PP if you want, and if you're sick of surface travel by then you can pop back via Swampy, tickets are cheap.

Make sure you get to see Angkor Wat too at some point. . .

He was busy telling me he had been in Bangkok for 3 days spending up on hookers, he had a 35 y/o wife back on the farm. This really makes me wonder what drives these idiots, they obviously think with their small heads and marry someone young for nothing other than to make themselves feel good. How in the hell can someone that age still want to play around taking their chances with hookers when they have a young wife at home

Because many of us don't consider 35 "young" anymore, that's way past use-by AFAIC.

It's how young she is absolutely, as you get older in fact many tend to get closer and closer to the legal minimum. You might be looking at the age difference, to me that's irrelevant.

Which brings us to another interesting bit, when your fresh-from-the-farm cutie sees you're about to bring her into a place full of wealthy international people, and she starts to cry and shake and moan that she can't go in there, it's not appropriate for such a low girl from peasant stock to set foot in the valhalla's of the hi so. . .

Have to train 'em up slowly, build their confidence.

Or just stick to the places they feel confident.

The point is that it's one thing for an older man to have a younger woman for non-committal fun and games but it's another to dish out a stipend and seriously expect that type of woman to adhere to the rules of the game and get the hump when she invariably strays with a younger man . . . often for free.

So many assumptions, rules of what game?

I don't play monogamy, do you?

I find it's usually the girls who are pushing for that. I think it's important to establish from the start everybody's a free agent, what's good for the goose. . .

And I think most girls of the age I prefer wouldn't need to pay for their outside playmates, don't know about yours. . .

They wouldn't get away with this if Thailand had a bear problem

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Their claws and bile are too valuable all been killed off - now it's "no bears, no problem".

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Didn't realize this was actually a legal industry in China.

Sure hope not here. . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/world/asia/chinese-bear-bile-farming-draws-charges-of-cruelty.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Most of these "saiyasart" practices are shared in common with Cambodia:

http://www.vice.com/read/cambodian-ghosts-dont-believe-in-jesus

Since I am staying in Thailand and value service attitude over saving a few baht, I'll stick with FF myself. They definitely discounted for me when I asked nicely, in my case maybe because I was working for a well-known international school?

In general I've found choosing the absolutely lowest-priced vendor to be inviting problems, not worth it if the difference is only a few percent.

No idea about large bulk orders, thought we were just talking about normal retail here.

If you didn't enter it's a scam. Flag as such to your email provider, wouldn't bother doing anything else. Why would Apple care?

OT I know good critique of recent proposed changes to UK curriculum: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/17/to-encourage-creativity-mr-gove-understand

Here there's almost no allowance for any creativity within the classroom at all, all the focus is on memorizing content, no questioning the teacher (especially if the kid knows what he's teaching is wrong), no discussion, just regurgitate everything at test time.

The quality of English is usually so bad they'd be better off without it, as it stands now they have to unlearn a lot, which is harder than learning from scratch later on.

But the Thai Police! - watching FOUR kids on a scooter without a single helmet going home from school, or coming to school in the morning, all four underage = no licence! Thousands of them on the road! TIT...

Kids aren't given enough pocket money to make stopping them worthwhile.

He doesn't get much sympathy from me - sorry

Zero from me, dive in headfirst without looking - oh gee nice bird here, guess I'll fund the pig farm.

Get out there and don't actually take part help out, figured the up-front investment would him to spend the rest of his life sitting around.

Oh gee I don't actually like living out in nakhon nowhere? ok, head out for Pattaya.

The family was very kind to pay his airfare back.

Helmets for bicycles, wow. What next, wear a helmet whilst walking in case you trip and bang your head on the kerb?

Why stop there? Maybe some elbow and knee pads so you don't scrape them if you fall while walking? What about requiring steel toed shoes and safety glasses at all times. I have read about dengue fever being an issue maybe the government should mandate long pants and shirts?

Helmets are common sense if you drive a motorcycle, I would wear one if I rode but that is my decision. I think people should wear a helmet, however I do not think the government should make it a law. Life is full of risks and decisions, I don't expect the government to manage all of them, but some people do.

Elbow & knee pads are required at most western BMX and skate parks - no pads no play.

Not just legislator's fault, I'm sure insurance is an issue too.

Yes, wealthy Thais are a completely different culture IMO, much closer to ours in both bad and good ways.

And very rare to see a Thai drink without a straw.

The "Finns are disturbed" comment was over the top, regarding education they are right up at the top for decades now, as much as Singapore but much less heavy on the nationalistic discipline.

In any case my standard is dead-average government school in an NES country, and I'm sure most here would agree that's not very high.

I continue to maintain from direct experience as a teacher that only the top international schools hit that mark. I've yet to experience a Thai-managed place that does, although Satit Kaset's IP comes pretty close, but kids are pre-registered there from birth, doubt an expat could get in no matter how big a bribe they offered.

Sure some students come through able to get into good Western uni's but I'd say that's despite the system, and also due to the fact they're at the top of a very mixed bag of applicants, standards are lowered to have a wide range of countries represented.

If you have the opportunity to home school, then that to me is the only acceptable alternative to spending over half-million per child per year tuition if you want to remain in Thailand.

Don't know if there are any Steiner schools here, but many claim to be based on Montessori, which would at least be better than the standard Thai-system garbage.

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There are. Both my children attended one - started at 3.5 years. We were/are VERY pleased with the school.

Thai neighbors and family pushed and pressured us to start the kids at 2 and thought it odd that we wouldn't. Also thought it odd that we'd put them in a kindergarten that didn't teach them any academic stuff. They said our kids would fall behind their peers. The boy is in grade 4 now and has been a straight A student every year and among the top students of his large school.

Sure it's only one case (my daughter is still too young to be an example) but I personally recommend NOT going along with the Thai way - starting way early and doing book learning at 3 - wait and then start them in Steiner/Waldorf or something similar.

* In a bit of a hurry and didn't read the whole thread. Apologies for any redundancy.

Would appreciate contact info for any/all Steiner schools in Thailand for reference - since a positive review shouldn't be a problem to post publicly, otherwise please do PM me.

thanks for the cash & gifts

Actually in my case they won't have much left over, and they're young and cute enough they don't need to pay gigolos for it.

í meet so many girls who is having ther husband at home sleeping or working offshore and they shagging young guys becuse they only marry old farts to get money..

but i never say no to receive gifts from old farts money hahah..

no girl around 20-30 likes and old fart +50 they are boring its just about the money..

Yes we know already thanks.

And I appreciate your helping keep my teeraks happy, thanks for your help!

I'll be able to sleep like a baby having this perplexing scenario explained.

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sweet dreams

Could be just that they don't own a swimsuit.

Or maybe it's quicker than getting changed into a swimsuit......after all they are probably dry after 15 minutes anyway.

Ran these answers past the Thais with me and they all laughed, 100% consensus it's because Thais are shy about showing skin, protection from tanning a side benefit.

One mentioned the European habit of kissing people on the cheek when greeting each other, "even when they aren't lovers, and in front of other people"!! and that regular Thais (unfamiliar with Western ways) would all point and gossip to each other about that.

Mmmm.. Thanks for replied thus far. Sun tan I agree with but no one has fully sold me thus far.

Also, no one has attempted to explain the removal of skin tight jeans!!

It must be a task known only unto the wearer?

Thanks.

My answer is fact regarding normal poor/upcountry girls, not trying to convince anyone of anything. Many may become brave/shameless enough as they age, gain experience with westerners, but the only Thai virgins that would ever wear a bikini in front of mum and dad are those raised overseas, or one parent is a foreigner.

Re the jeans, they peel them off so they end up inside out.

Actually I imagine you're supposed to "help" them with that part. . .