Nayet

Not if you want to enjoy peace and harmony - then NO, if you have issues deal with the issues and respect her beliefs.

The only issue I see is the hypocrisy of a greedy person professing to be a Buddhist.

So others, like Christians, are not hypocrites? My next door neighbors are right wing, conservative Catholics and they sure do not "love thy neighbor". Is it hypocritical to expect Thais to be any better?

By the way do you two have premarital sex? That is not allowed so maybe you should stop luring her into breaking that tenant of Teravada Buddhism. IMHO

A lesser person might think that what you chose to "get" her on is because you are cheap. But I wouldn't think that.

Plenty of Christians are world class hypocrites, I have not claimed otherwise. I am not expecting anyone to be better than anyone else, I just hold people to the standard they themselves profess to subscribe to.

We do have sex, and we are not married, but as far as I am aware, Buddhism only prohibits "sexual misconduct" (which I don't see why it would include premarital sex). And even if it did violate any of Buddhism's tenets, it's not really a problem for me since I'm not Buddhist. If I stand to benefit from conscripting someone into being a hypocrite, so be it.

Give her the Bible (or whatever book would be associated with your birth certificate) and let her take a few extracts/ make a few digs, it's pretty easy........

No book associated with my birth certificate. I am not religious.

Do you not find great irony in the fact that what you are doing is not proper Buddhist behavior?

How so? I'm not a buddhist.

Pointing out some ones "hypocrisy" is not going to endear you to anyone in Thai or most Asian cultures and in fact will probably alienate you rapidly, if that is your goal, go right ahead.

No, it hasn't, and I don't use the word hypocrisy. I let her deduce it.

Not if you want to enjoy peace and harmony - then NO, if you have issues deal with the issues and respect her beliefs.

The only issue I see is the hypocrisy of a greedy person professing to be a Buddhist.

Do you ever do this? Whenever my girlfriend gets a little too greedy, I like to point out that, according to Buddhism, craving / desire is the cause of all suffering. Ever try this?

rule of thumb

normally all poisonous snakes will have a diamond shaped head....non poisonous will have bullet or square shaped head..

Not sure if this is a joke, but as an amateur herpetologist I can tell you it is completely wrong.

Is this legit? I had no idea one could get a 5-year visa, especially if you're not working, married to Thai citizen, or retired.

If it is indeed possible to obtain such a visa, is it really 500,000 baht for 5 years? That seems outrageously expensive for what the ad says it offers. I can get a one-year visa for $200US (approximately 6,600 baht). Am I missing something in the translation?

Furthermore, is it even worth it for me to look into such a visa if I'm turning 50 next August? [note: if it really is 500,000 baht, the point is moot -- I'm not spending that kind of money on a visa unless it comes with some great perks I'm unaware of. "Fast Track" at the airport and "airport limo" are not what I consider worthwhile perks.]

But as mentioned several times in the other thread you are very lucky to have got a 1 year non-O as most countries/consulates/embassies will not issue them unless you meet the qualifying criteria. Nothing wrong with being lucky but for most others unmarried under 50 the PE is a good albeit pricey option.

Are you saying there is a visa that is only issued in the US?

I can't (as far as I am aware) renew my Thai driver's license as I am now on a tourist visa and can't get proof of address from the immigration authority. I've seen these ads for international driver's licenses. Would that do me any good if I have to show my license to a Thai police officer? I still have my US license, but it is for automobiles. Is there a legal way for me to keep riding in Thailand?

Meanwhile, at markets around the country, hundreds of thousands of fish are being kept (barely) alive in little plastic tubs before they are sold as food. What is so different about them?

So you think one cruelty justifies the other?

No, but the outrage should be proportional to the cruelty being commited.

Meanwhile, at markets around the country, hundreds of thousands of fish are being kept (barely) alive in little plastic tubs before they are sold as food. What is so different about them?

Surely all the stuff he did in the 70s must be barred by a statute of limitations?

Thanks, craigt3365. Many of the most interesting critters actually come out after nightfall, so there is plenty to see. Unfortunately I have decided not to go today because the weather doesn't look too promising. Maybe next weekend.

I naively thought I would be able to find this rather basic piece of information on the Internet, but I can't find anything that looks official although www.tourismthailand.org suggests the gates come down at 5 pm. I'm planning on making the pilgrimage up there tomorrow but want to make sure I won't have to turn back to Bangkok when I get to the entrance.

Also, I assume that once inside the park, I'll be able to roam freely like before, when the park closed at 9 pm? Anyone with current information on this?

Thanks, ubonjoe!

My Visa says "enter before 12 April 2015", but I always assumed this refers to the first entry. Now I'm hearing that it actually includes both entries. Can anyone confirm? Also, since it says "before", does that mean I would have to enter on the 11th? I have a return flight from Cambodia on the 13th, but I guess I'm going to have to re-book now.

I have slept with a few LB,s so i know this to be quite true, you do get the occasional regular size tool but not too often

You must have slept with quite a few to have a statistically relevant sample.

lol

I know a few farang ladies who say Western men who are dating Thai/Asian women are doing so because they have small penis's.

Another way of saying they have over-sized vaginas.

I want to know who thinks the best use of their time is to conduct studies like this.

Thanks, KhunBENQ, appreciate your response.

I was planning to swing by the Department of Land Transport but realized they are probably closed as today is a Holiday. I wanted to have this confirmed and went to their website but could not find their Holiday schedule. This seems like one of the first things I would put on a website, but I absolutely cannot find it anywhere. It's probably too late now anyway, but for future reference, does anyone have their official holiday schedule?

It's real simple. You know converting from Islam is illegal. If you convert from Islam, you know you're breaking the law. As a result, you have zero rights when you get caught.

No sympathy from me.

Point is that the statement is only going to work in so far as the law is just.

Also, knowing in advance that the breaking of an unjust law brings with it the death penalty, doesn't entail that the person so breaking it deserves to die. Stupid perhaps, but deserving to die I don't think so. There would be no population pressure anywhere in the world if stupidity had that consequence.

Drunk drivers cause far more deaths, but there's no clamor to have those law breakers put to death. Perhaps we should?

They are drug dealers who got caught, tried and convicted

Before they were caught how many lives did the drugs they smuggled / sold ruin?

No sympathy from me either

If a countries law stated the death penalty for a drunk driver who causes death I would not argue

nor would I be sympathetic, as I feel drunk driving is one of the stupidest things a person can do

So consequently you have no sympathy for criminals in Islamic countries who get their arms amputated for stealing?

All the reasons listed in the OP are obvious attempts to rationalize laziness and/or ineptitude. Oh, the sweet miracle of willful ignorance.

This is bad news. Much of the most interesting wildlife comes out after sun down, but then I guess they can't stop you from going back to the beginning of the route or driving at a snail's pace.

It is bad news unless you are happier to have a one to one confrontation with a hungry tusker in the dark.Hope you have a strong car and a stronger set of bowels.

I actually prefer to ride a motorbike. Give the elephants enough space and you won't have any problems. On a motorbike, you even have the option of making a swift u-turn if things get dicey.

This is bad news. Much of the most interesting wildlife comes out after sun down, but then I guess they can't stop you from going back to the beginning of the route or driving at a snail's pace.

You can always stay in the park accommodation.

Last time I brought my own tent, which worked fine, except I woke up with a bunch of leeches attached to my legs the next morning. Problem is, the gates inside the park also come down at some point (before midnight) - at least some of them - so you can't just drive around freely just because you don't plan on exiting the park.