RikDao

33 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

You know, Even Stevens could be your neighbour !

regards worgeordie

Oh, OK.

PS - Huh? Is that a good thing?

Well, seems to be not too far for us, and the traffic ain't bad to get there.

And we have gorgeous views of (presently) green rice fields that spread for a few miles, plus mountain views in the other direction, not to mention the beautiful sky.

Way off the highway, you can hear a pin drop out there, and there aren't any of those sad, scared, sickly dogs walking around. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE dogs, but how they're treated here is messed up.

Plus, we got a great deal on a great place, and I'll be able to do some organic veggie gardening, while my wife can grow her flowers and things.

Also, there's a Makro out there, which, if that hadn't been there, I wouldn't have wanted to move. I still like to get western food items now and then.

So, I guess it's full steam ahead! My wife already has the village shaman, a very cool guy, ready to come and anoint the place. 

Thanks for the replies!

With my Thai wife. Want to get out of the City. Have a car now.

Anybody have any good experiences up there?

Thanks.

One of the most clear and blatant rituals used to inculcate Thai males with a sense of entitlement is the penis-kissing of babies.

If you've been involved with a working-class or peasant (farming) Thai family, you either recognize EXACTLY what I'm talking about, or you're deeply in denial.

It goes like this: the mother, grandmother and aunties gather around the male baby, taking turns smooching its stomach, and from time to time, directly kiss the penis. Sometimes, they'll out and out suck it. And sometimes, if the little guy gets a baby stiffy, they'll applaud the event.

My girlfriend even commented on this treatment of her grandson (by herself and various aunts of the baby): "Oh, he just loves having his penis kissed."

Um...yeah. I think that statement applies to males of any age, pretty much worldwide. Duh.

Mind you...I am NOT accusing working class and peasant Thai women of Thai sexual abuse. For them, this activity is not sexual in the least. They're just "tickling" the baby.

But let's get real...in the male baby's unconscious, it is most CERTAINLY sexual. Psychiatrists would have a field day with the implications. Our very early experiences as children--yes, as infants--shape who we become sexually as adults in an undeniable way.

For me, the subconscious message to the Thai male is clear: "if my mother, grandmother and aunts would suck me off, well, any <deleted> bitch I meet as an adult damn well better be willing to...for I am the MALE, and I deserve to have my desires satisfied..." This goes a long way to explaining why a Thai man would, and often does, break the jaw of a woman who would deny him the genital servicing he became used to from a (VERY) early age...

The "baby stiffy" issue is interesting. What about the lil fellas who don't get one of those? Are they future ladyboys? Are they forever uninterested in sex? Are they, ahem, "normal?"

Hey, further research has shown that I need a Thai licence before I can get an international one.

Thanks!

Good morning!

I have a valid US driver's licence, and just took lessons to drive in Thailand. My question is: Can I get an international licence here in Thailand, or do I need the local variety? And if yes, then how would I go about it?

Please forgive, old timers, if this has been covered.

Thanks!

No way is the 27 to 1 accurate, but it is true that the women carry the biggest load in this country.

After I'd spent about three months here, it struck me: women run this show.

Impossible for Westerners to understand, and equally impossible for Thais to explain.

Actually, I could be wrong about that: they might think karma explains it, as well as justifies it.

And this is coming from a country with hundreds of thousand of half naked bar girls and street walkers...

did any one said double standards here?......

Hundreds of thousands? Gimme a break.

Anyway, there would've been quite a storm if something had happened to those girls.

After being here three years and loving Thais, with all their faults, I now realize that plenty of Westerners are trapped here, mainly for financial reasons. Of course, they are the most vocal Thai-bashers, and I used to think, Why don't these geezers just leave? Now I realize they can't.

Well...let's be honest.

mr chow makes some valid points.

And naboo: your rebuttal is mostly baloney.

That said, I totally agree with Denim; it's best to just quietly walk away, and don't look back.

Agreed 100%. I did the same 10 years ago, went back west. Some of his points have truth in them, although they are exposed way too bluntly for my taste, without finesse (to say the least).

My experience of living and working in Thailand was a nice one overall, but the drawbacks have gradually taken over the advantages.

I walked away, quietly.

I still like and enjoy the country as a regular visitor.

I may even consider coming back for my retirement.

I think that he forgot to list a serious issue, though, that may become critical: the worrying future ahead, with a real risk of seeing this country fall into complete chaos due to the deeper and deeper political divide. It still holds together today only because of a reason that will probably vanish in the near future...

Hmmm. Political, as in economic? I've been here three years, and the more I know about this country, the less I understand. And your last sentence, I guess you're referring to Long Live the . . .?

Yeah, really hard to tell what's over the horizon. They've been open, historically, to outside ideas about surviving as a somewhat thriving entity, Who knows if that will keep happening.

Oh yeah, as to OP's list: Whatever! Like a lot of places, they're being dragged, kicking but not exactly screaming, into the so-called modern world.

Fk the "adverse effect on tourism" these pieces of excrement need to be thrown in jail indefinitely. Being "drunk" is no excuse whatsoever for this foul inhuman behaviour. That could easily have been your or my mother getting punched to the ground and kicked in the head. If I got that guy in a locked room he's be f*cking dead now.

Yo Cap'n Crunch! You seem to imply that you'd kill him, is that it?

Of course you're exaggerating, but why say it in the first place?

I bought fresh growing horseradish in Khamtieng Flower market in Chiang Mai 2 months ago. Grow well, just avoid direct sun and limit water. May other fresh herbs - oregano, Italian basil, rosemary etc..

Hey thanks!

I'd given up, and even forgot about this thread...

Boots.

Does a Thai need a passport to go to Laos for two weeks, or will a Thai ID do the trick?

I've heard they can go to Vientiane (only) for two days (only) with just an ID, but ya never know.

Thanks in advance.

You kindle download the Kindle app, right? But maybe you have to do too much rekindling, er, I mean recharging.

My understanding of "basic economics" tells me it ain't the farmer, but the vast array of middlemen who are the problem.

I don't think you'll find much interest among British farmers in trucking a few lorries of their grain out to a Somali market in the hopes of making a sale.

'Middlemen' have always been what drives international commerce.

Wow. Your astute comment makes perfect sense on the face of it, but, umm, anyway, I was saying that prices are high not so much because of the farmer...

(Interesting and ironic that you chose Somalia as an example, as it's surely one of the poorest countries around).

How would they have found enough work to support their families much less the food to live on? The house we call earth is becoming too small to provide what is required to support in a comfortable style the growing population as it is. Personal freedoms are probable the least of the problems the upcoming generation will have to solve.

The world has mountains of excess food produced every year, always has since the start of the industrial age.

Staving people is caused by poverty, not lack of world resources.

Farmers grow food to earn money, if you can't pay for it, they won't give it to you.

All through my life I've read about, milk mountains, butter mountains, rice mountains, wheat mountains.

Food that's just left to rot, because nobody who needs it, has the money to pay for it.

You need a better understanding of basic economics, before you write nonsense about too many people in the world.

When what you really mean is too many poor and useless people in the backward countries of the world.

My understanding of "basic economics" tells me it ain't the farmer, but the vast array of middlemen who are the problem.

And hey, hat's off to the "poor and useless people" out there in the "backward countries of the world," indeed.

It's difficult to understand how the west has managed not to collapse when I think about the high quality individuals who have left the 'nanny state' to enjoy life in Thailand. Every where I go in Thailand I meet these guys, highly educated, highly qualified, high achievers, high contributors; the movers and shakers the west so desperately needs and must be hurting on account of their absence.

Even though not in the west, and perhaps not been in the west for a number of years, they have their finger on the pulse, they understand the problems, they have all the answers - they know precisely who to blame. They are a sad loss to their home countries.

But then they do at least quietly sneak home to 'nanny' when they need her.

LOL. At first I was "Whaaa?" But after a few words, I realized...

Vicious, but fair.

(That's the name of an LP by the Streetwalkers, whose singer was the GREAT Roger Chapman, of Family fame. One of the best singers that England ever offered the world, I'm not sure he ever made a decent dollar).

I grew up in the greatest place, in the greatest country, at the greatest time the world has ever known. I don't think it will ever be that way again.

Cheers.

Wow. So you're from Gary, Indiana?

Small world.

I haven't read all the replies, so forgive me if someone else has said this same basic thing:

It all depends on YOU, and whether you want to be a fluent speaker or just sort of get along in the stores, markets, and restaurants.

I've gone to the YMCA and AUA. Both have strong points. But you have to be serious about it, which means you have to STUDY, STUDY, STUDY! This is true if you want to learn in depth, or not so much... (The Chinese, Korean, and Japanese students were always the best ones in all these classes, because they studied).

(BTW, don't know from experience anything about Pantip or the others).

Only old Americans know anything about WW2, because they fought in one of the theaters, watched movie newsreels, read newspapers and listened to the radio during that era. Much of what they were told was myths, lies and exaggerations. There's a reason why WW2 documents have been sealed for 100 years. To give the allied war criminals time to die off. Today's generation of Americans don't care about WW2 anymore then they care about what is really going on at home and abroad. What they hear during 15 seconds of news watching as they are running out the door to work is enough for them. Many American kids believe, the U.S and Germany fought against Russia. Good luck with enlightening the Thai.

You might be right about a lot of the above. The last statement is humorous, and unfortunately, maybe true. I'd actually take it a little further by saying many American kids don't even know that Russia fought in WW II.

Oh, I wasn't aware that the Japanese had occupied Belgium, Holland, Denmark etc in WW II. Thanks for schooling me on that one.

The Thai Ambassador to the UK delivered a declaration of war to London, but a declaration was not forwarded to Washington by the equivalent Thai Ambassador. And yeah, maybe the Thai government (not necessarily the same as the Thai people, perhaps even you would agree) did help the Japanese; what would you have done? Fought against them?

You obviously need schooling on reading a simple statement in English. Notice those quotation marks on "offer they couldn't refuse"?

And your comment regarding the ambassador in English not forwarding a declaration of war from London to Washington? What absurdity! Perhaps they should have declared war in Saniago or Cuba? Declarations of war do not need forwarding from anywhere to anywhere else.

In the early part of the war, the government was supported by the Thai people, particularly during the Thai-French battles before WWII. The Thai newspapers glorified Thailand's participation. Yes, I have read those newspapers.

Try learning something from original papers.

The Thai government was instructed by the Japanese to declare war on the UK and the good ol' USA. The Thai ambassador to London delivered the declaration to the British like a good boy, and thus war was officially declared. However, the (equivalent) Thai ambassador to Washington refused, like a naughty boy, to deliver the official declaration to the Americans, stating that the Americans had always been friends with Thailand (unlike the British, perhaps?) Therefore, war against the USA was never officially declared. Perhaps my use of the word "forwarded" was incorrect; I should have said "delivered."

I made a snide remark about the Japanese occupying Belgium, etc, I couldn't resist. However, please notice I was able to refrain from attacking you personally.

The limit of my ex's and her family and village knowledge stopped at what was to eat,who was shagging who,she admitted she only voted for Thaksin because she got 200 b ,had no clue about his policies,new nothing of any history,except Thailand was the greatest country in the world,and could beat any other,she watched the news,but when something about syria,or something outside Thailand came up,no interest.Compare this to my friend in the Philippines,who not only can i have a proper conversation with,but knows about Syria,the refugee crisis in Europe,ww2,and heaps of stuff,her biggest dream is to travel,where as my ex mrs refused to ever leave Thailand[mainly due to the panic of no som tam],my freind in the phillippines comes from a poor family,but her EDUCATION has been so much better,and this is the crux of the matter the crazy face saving,and lack of a decent education,Thailand has and never will do anything but sit in it's own insular bubble as the rest of southeast asia draws further and further ahead and away,and the main reason for this they have better educated and informed populations,who actually want to learn about the outside world, i mean my local immigration office has no one who can speak good English,the immigration office.!!!!

"Nobody speaks English at the immigration office? Gee, too bad!" is what many Thais are thinking, and likely saying out loud amongst themselves.Could it possibly be that, unbelievable as it may sound, they're getting tired of us being here? Perish the thought!

Honestly, many of them are sick to death of farangs who come here and constantly denigrate them and their society. Don't think they're not aware of it.

"Don't like it here? Move to Guatemala! Likely you'll be begging to come back here within six months. Can't afford to live in your home country? Don't blame us!"

Boring, boring, boring.. Yet another of the "if you dont like it go home" brigade. When will you find a new song to sing.

People who live here are bound to make comments on the good and bad of living here, get used to it, it isn't going to change. Probably the same way that Thai people do when they live abroad and every other nation for that matter.

Wasn't singing, nor was I trying to express something that meets with your approval. Also, I have plenty of songs to sing when I'm in the mood, and I try not to rely on old, stale cliches when I reply to someone who disagrees with me.

Merely stating a theory as to why the immigration offices (some of them) seem to be getting bogged down, as in, it might be happening by design. Your attempt to censor me is amusing. Speaking of boring, why not try to come up with something a bit more interesting than the old "people who live here are bound to make comments" routine? Everybody knows that already.

I dont think many people even in the West realise Russias losses in the war and the fact Europe was just a side show for the Germans

lf Europe was "just a side show for the Germans" then pray tell where the Germans' main show was?

Russia's losses were at least 25 million.

I'm getting confused. Isn't the guy saying Russia was the main show for the Germans? Stopping communism and all that...

In answer to the OP; Simple: The US wanted an empire but couldn't beat Britain at sea. They engineered an illegal Asian and European war, and blackmailed a washed out British spokesman (hero in his early days certainly) to be the worst traitor in British history (that's saying something).

This post will probably be deleted because the victors claptrap is still widely held to be the truth despite the palpable absurdity to those who have bothered to check and do not have a vested interest in the establishment.

It's a sad story for us that inherited Churchill's price for hanging on to Chartwell and a place in history. Serving his mother's homeland interests more closely than his father's.

I think FDR was probably the biggest and most successful opportunist in history. Fair play to him; audacious and a winner, wish we'd had one.

I think that is succinct enough for a Thai.

Hmm, interesting opinion, stated as if it were fact.

Forgive me, I'm not British, I'm American, and I don't understand what you're talking about. I'm not denying what you say, don't get me wrong, and I'm not criticizing. I just really, really don't know what the deuce you're on about. Like, how was Churchill a traitor, again? For fighting the Germans? Hey, maybe you're right. Maybe Hitler knew Churchill was being blackmailed (for what, exactly? I have no idea), which might explain Dunkirk?

The limit of my ex's and her family and village knowledge stopped at what was to eat,who was shagging who,she admitted she only voted for Thaksin because she got 200 b ,had no clue about his policies,new nothing of any history,except Thailand was the greatest country in the world,and could beat any other,she watched the news,but when something about syria,or something outside Thailand came up,no interest.Compare this to my friend in the Philippines,who not only can i have a proper conversation with,but knows about Syria,the refugee crisis in Europe,ww2,and heaps of stuff,her biggest dream is to travel,where as my ex mrs refused to ever leave Thailand[mainly due to the panic of no som tam],my freind in the phillippines comes from a poor family,but her EDUCATION has been so much better,and this is the crux of the matter the crazy face saving,and lack of a decent education,Thailand has and never will do anything but sit in it's own insular bubble as the rest of southeast asia draws further and further ahead and away,and the main reason for this they have better educated and informed populations,who actually want to learn about the outside world, i mean my local immigration office has no one who can speak good English,the immigration office.!!!!

"Nobody speaks English at the immigration office? Gee, too bad!" is what many Thais are thinking, and likely saying out loud amongst themselves.Could it possibly be that, unbelievable as it may sound, they're getting tired of us being here? Perish the thought!

Honestly, many of them are sick to death of farangs who come here and constantly denigrate them and their society. Don't think they're not aware of it.

"Don't like it here? Move to Guatemala! Likely you'll be begging to come back here within six months. Can't afford to live in your home country? Don't blame us!"