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On 10/30/2022 at 8:52 AM, nigelforbes said:

Of course there are some poor quality cops out there but there are plenty of very good ones also.

Very good ones? really? Can I see some evidence of this?

On 10/30/2022 at 12:30 PM, Gecko123 said:

hostility to BLM

That made me laugh.

5 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

I was joking. Sad you think everything is serious.

Of course you were.  

On 10/28/2022 at 5:49 PM, Gecko123 said:

You keep agreeing with all the Thai bashers, so I'm a little uncertain whether you genuinely want insights is or if you're dreaming up thread topics to help while away the hours, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for the moment.

 

Thai men are neither coddled prima donnas nor suffer from a collective inferiority complex. What they do feel is resentment about the unfair competitive financial advantage that many foreign men enjoy, and the arrogance and dismissive attitude which many foreign men exude towards Thai men. Rightfully so, as you'd be resentful as well. In fact, compared to white men's possessive attitude towards non-white men becoming sexually involved with white women, Thai men are downright welcoming towards foreign men's cathousing in Thailand. They are also probably somewhat confused on some level about why Thai women are so sought after by foreign men while Thai men seem to enjoy far less romantic interest from foreign women. They are also probably shy and hesitant about making social overtures towards foreign men because of a lack of self-confidence with their English language skills. But with that said, many, many Thai men are affable, approachable, have great senses of humor, and have much to offer in terms of knowledge, life experience and insights into Thai culture.

 

They are often keenly observant and highly intuitive. They can tell a lot about what you're thinking just by looking in your eyes. They are not stupid and are good judge's of character. Foreign men who act like they're god's gift to Thai women or who give off vibes that Thai men are scum are obviously not going to quickly be befriended. They can see through a phony smile in a heartbeat, and if you think you can spend all day bashing Thai men on social media and that won't bleed into your demeanor when you encounter a Thai male in real life, you're kidding yourself. That condescending attitude is easily sensed just by looking in your eyes, and at the curve of your mouth.

 

In general, the Western model for male-male friendship doesn't work here. For the most part, the exalted Western model for male-male friendship is a fantasy anyway, filled with fake  commitments typically followed by disappointment, betrayal, and backstabbing. The Thai male-male model is a far more pragmatic, sensible, honest, and truer to human nature than the nonsensical friendship ideals we were all fed back home.

 

Thai men essentially bond over shared common experiences and interests. The "blood brother" "I'd take a bullet for you/donate a kidney for you" BS that very few people truly ever experience back home isn't even aspired to here. That goes for Thai male friendships with other Thai males as well. It's all about shared common experiences and interests built up over time. Period. Nobody is looking to share dreams and darkest secrets, or intimate details about your medical history or sex life. The Thai friendship model is absolutely more honest, and generally speaking you have a better idea of where you stand. The Western model for male friendship - which in many ways is a facade - needs to be thrown out the window.

 

It's all about finding common interests. That's it. And because you are in their country, you have to make more of an effort to find those common interests, if only because they may not really have a very good conceptualization of what interests you may have. I can't speak for an urban setting, but in a rural setting that means having some kind of interest in the land because that's ultimately what everyone's life centers around. Farming, gardening, food, sports, repairing, construction, health issues, diet, etc are they types of common interests I have managed to develop with the people in my moo ban.

 

Thai language skills are critically important not just to communicate, but to gain insights into the culture and to show cultural interest and respect. If your Thai is rudimentary it's probably going to be tough. 

 

Humbleness can't faked.

 

Smiling and having an affable nature - something I'll be the first to admit I need to work on myself - are very important. Convey a measure of concern and interest in those around you. That includes helping those in need from time to time and showing a willingness to pitch in. That doesn't mean you have to be constantly giving people handouts or be trying to buy people's friendship. That's not going to work.

 

It's very important to get on the same circadian cycle as those around you. Again, having a connection to the land not only builds common interest, but shows respect and a shared work ethic.  You do not want to be perceived as lolling around in a hammock all day while everyone around you is slaving in the midday sun.

 

You don't have to feign an interest in going to the temple on holy days, or pretend you're interested in cock fighting, or to be buying round after round at the local drinking circle if these things do not interest you. It's simply a matter of being yourself, finding common interests, and building up mutual respect and camaraderie over time.

 

And the final advice I would offer is to make your friendship with the Thai male your focus, as opposed to quickly shifting your friendship focus to his girlfriend or wife. It is my observation that Thais don't do "couples" that much, certainly not out in the countryside. Men have men friends, and women have women friends. Maybe urban more westernized couples do couples activities, but my sense is that even though you might see this on TV shows and commercials, I'm skeptical how much of this really goes on. I'm not saying Thai couples never interact as couples, but you as a foreign man, will encounter considerable leariness from the Thai male if you start getting overly friendly with his girlfriend or wife, especially if you shift focus right off the bat.

Basically disagree with everything there. Thai = good, western = bad. Typical wannabe comment.
In particular, this is laughable "Thai men are downright welcoming towards foreign men's cathousing in Thailand."
Oh, please!

On 10/28/2022 at 4:24 PM, Sparktrader said:

In hotels I make friends with cleaners and receptionists, all female though. You get better deals. You never know what extras might happen.

That's plain sad.

On 10/28/2022 at 4:18 PM, bbi1 said:

Try making friends with the security guards at your condo. Start local in your building.

You're kidding, right?

On 10/28/2022 at 4:01 PM, marin said:

Lots of Thai men friends,

Gotta call bs on that.

".He then tried to evade a truck that was entering an alley and crashed into a power pole. "

Let me guess. Truck didn't look or signal before entering the alley, probably crossed 3 lanes of traffic and cut up the biker?

On 10/28/2022 at 3:21 PM, Sparktrader said:

I went to NK made friends with a Thai. Just talk normal. 30 years no friends must be you.

North Korea?

4 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

A wholly unnecessary comment based on zero first hand knowledge.

It was a perfectly reasonable statement.

Do you know anything about how the RTP actually operates?

Have you seen the news over the past few years?

SMH!

On 9/12/2022 at 11:06 AM, radiochaser said:

I see Thai's taking tuk tuks almost every time I am in Thailand.  I have seen more Thai's in them than foreigners.    

 

Except someplace where tuk tuk's run hotel guests out to Sukhumvit from a hotel that is at the end of some small alley.     

I never see Thais in tuk tuks im Bangkok and have been here for over 20 years. Maybe they're sometimes used in provincial towns instead of songtaews but in Bangkok, well maybe some in the suburbs.

On 5/19/2022 at 2:24 PM, Archie Baker said:

Your mad. Cats dig up gardens and <deleted> in your flower beds and kill your plants.  Male cats spray their urine everywhere and kill my plants.  All I can say is slingshot

Plants?

A little girl was savaged and you're prattling on about plants?

SMH!

23 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Compared to dogs, how many Thais are killed on the roads yearly? Should they stop allowing Thais to drive?

It's not the dogs but the owners that are at fault.

It wasn't the owner who attacked her. Though he should be held responsible for not containing the dogs.

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Before spending that amount of money I would have asked the company for 'references', names of customers that had used their services. Before I had my house remodeled I saw one I liked and wanted to ask them who did the job so I could use them too, but that idea was too alien for the wife to agree to. Instead, we used a relative and his crew and it was only after they had done a less than stellar job that I was told they had no qualifications whatsoever.

What happens when the wife wears the pants.

On 2/14/2022 at 10:49 PM, BayArea said:

Bang Rajan

The Legend of Naresuan Pat. 1 and 2

The Legend of Suriyothai

 

I believe their historical movies are their best work.

They were pretty awful.
I'd say Thai's are quite good at horror.
Slice and Shutter to name two.

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Don't confuse Thai movies with Thai soaps. The Thais have made some excellent movies.

Which ones? I can think of 4 or 5 

4 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

If the penny finally drops with Thai film makers that not each and every film MUST have a token villainous transvestite, foul-mouthed maid or ridiculous ghost woven into the story... that might be a good start. Oh, and please do away with the comically melodramatic over-acting that is so prevalent in Thai films. Good looks alone shouldn't be the sole criteria by which to choose the main cast. And because cinematic movies are no low-brow soap operas or childish game shows, the assorted cartoonish sound effects (bang, clang, hoot, whistle!) are superfluous, too.

 

 

And Thai TV still features the mentally-challenged in comedy skits.

 Soi 7. 

New hotel Black Woods open as is Flipper. Eastiny 7 closed.

A few bars near second road open and some on the left half way down towards Beach Rd in what was the main strip but most closed. A shadow of its former self but action can be found.

A few of the German-type bars near Beach Rd are open.

Soi 8

Flipper and Eastiny Inn hotels are open.

The Sailor Bar is doing good business and Rolling Live is open with live music and about 1/3 full.

Towards Second Rd, 5 or 6 bars are open but few customers.

On 12/13/2021 at 10:52 AM, nickmondo said:

agreed.  I am in a very happy relationship and do not use the bars anyway.

im not into bar girls and being surrounded by hundreds of smok

On 12/13/2021 at 10:52 AM, nickmondo said:

agreed.  I am in a very happy relationship and do not use the bars anyway.

im not into bar girls and being surrounded by hundreds of smoking, moaning, expats anyway.

ing, moaning, expats anyway.

Yeah. You're so superior  aren't you?