srchino

Don't confuse love with loyalty.

In general (but with many notable exceptions) I would say western women are more capable of loving; and Thai women are more capable of being loyal (oftentimes confused by the westerner as love).

They are both equally bad at the other. All that being said, any woman would probably slit your throat in your sleep if she was guaranteed to get away with it and has someone else better lined up; they are settling for us just like we are settling for the best we think we can get- which isn't necessarily a bad thing unless you're delusional and ignorant of these things.

This sounds about as effective at preventing crime as those metal detectors at the mall entrances.

"I hereby salute you, person carrying metal objects!"

There is some strange thing about life insurance in Thailand. Even banks bundle it with account features that seem totally unrelated, like sms notifications and such.

I can empathize with Mr. P

His reactions to people who don't immediately believe in/agree with him are nearly identical to how mine were..... when I was about 6 years old.

Isn't this just in line with the Thai way? Say and do things to great public fanfare, gaining face, posting to Instagram, etc. - then do the complete opposite later, when you can't be held accountable. Par for the course.

True is one of the worst companies I've ever dealt with. Makes Comcast seem like a company focused on customer service.

Anyone who has ever used a Microsoft product knows that they're buggy as hell (say what you will about Dropbox, but it just works). That and the fact that this offer is only valid for one year of storage and it goes right into the spam folder, to be deleted.

Hi All,

I'm wondering what's the best way to convert THB to USD while traveling in the United States, using a Thai bank ATM card? I checked with the Thai banks and they say they use the Visa conversion rate and charge a 100thb fee per withdrawal. IF that is actually true (you never know about the info you get from people sometimes) then that isn't too bad. The US ATM machines typically charge $3-5 per transaction, so combined these fees won't be that bad if I'm able to withdrawal a large amount per time, like say $1000.

Does anyone know of a better way to get access to the THB in a Thai bank account from the USA? Wire transfer and such is very expensive, takes time, is inconvenient, etc. Bringing some cash for exchanging already. I need a way to depend on over the long term.

Cheers and thanks for any help based on actual experience. Trolls please stay home.

Another Farang who ran out of money, nothing new, move on.

Of all the problems, that is definitely not it.

Meanwhile in Thailand living with cops piss testing foreigners (later found to be illegal) right on the street at my doorstep, it just felt uneasy.

Sounds like you just need to move out of the tourist bar area and get into real Thailand, never understood why people come all the way here to live along side a load of overweight white sock sandle wielding tourists in a smokey bar.

I must say, since leaving Bangkok and moving out into northern Thailand things are much nicer.

Actually I lived in the Thai bar area, one that I really loved living in for many reasons beyond the nightlife. I'm not a fan of the fanny pack, cheap beer sois I think you're referring to, either.

Like I said, I did consider moving to the north and I do like it up there, but in considering a change of scenery as a whole and all the factors involved I was drawn home, and it's a tremendously good feeling. I land in less than an hour!

Some of you make some very valid observations and raised some good questions.

Some of the problems I cite do indeed exist in my home country to one extent or another, but on the scale that might affect me there is a legal pathway for recourse. Like any legal system it's inefficient and could be improved, but there is one that is available to the general public and not simply rich and connected people.

I also have had a very good feel for what's been going on in my home country over the span of my time in Thailand, I went back and forth often and this past visit there I really started appreciating the stability and growing trends in the right direction. Meanwhile in Thailand living with cops piss testing foreigners (later found to be illegal) right on the street at my doorstep, it just felt uneasy.

I'd say that there wasn't any single one thing, but it was an accumulation of a thousand little ones. I came to Thailand before the era of the selfie existed (okay maybe there was a random one with a crappy little Nokia here and there), and the narcissism that has erupted to modern day selfie stick culture just kind of disgusts me. People aren't as aware of the people in their immediate surroundings, but rather obsessed with carefully sculpting their image for the Instagram persona they have crafted as a "brand".

No, this phenomenon isn't what made me want to leave, but out of all those selfie taking, insular Line chatters on the BTS, used to be an occasional "hello, where are you from?" Friendly exchange, that sorta stuff is pretty rare these days (i.e., from people who aren't looking for money from me in some way).

Down in the south I'd say people are not as friendly as I remember either, and many more very unpleasant tourists in the Russians and Chinese. In the north of Thailand I still find it to be very nice and the people there haven't changed as much. I did consider moving there- but a combination of factors collectively pushing me away from Thailand (none of them immigration related) PLUS many very appealing things happening back in my home country just sort of made me wake up and realize that life would be better on the other side of the water.

I hope to return someday and find it still a wonderful place (also I'm going pretty serious with a very nice girl from Thailand so there's that connection as she's from a very big family there). Like someone said above, just been listening to the same mix for too long- on toward the next phase in life, and very much looking forward to some little things, like considerate motorists!

elephant polo

How it is

This just made my stomach churn. As someone who hosts a lot of friends from overseas here in LOS, elephant rides are one thing I will definitely be educating them on and discouraging.

To those Thais in the business of doing this to the elephants, <deleted>.

So why not allow Uber to operate alongside regular taxis and then everyone is happy. People like me can pay a little more to avoid extortion and the ridiculous practice of asking a taxi if they will take you here or there (to be refused a lot of the time) and people like you can stick with the taxis that ostensibly single you out as the one person they're going to treat courteously and according with the law.

I can't say I've used taxis in every country but at least 90 of them. And so far, my non-scientific survey based on personal experience yields the opinion that Thai taxis are the worst overall. Yes, some in South America will try to kidnap or rape passengers if you hail them off the street and there is no record of you as a passenger, but it happens in low percentages and everyone I knows calls them from a registered service anyways, because they actually show up and the wait is not too long.

Thailand taxis are the worst in the world. For most visitors to the "Land of Smiles" the first Thai they meet is their taxi driver, who promptly rips them off, and in doing so colors their impression of the rest of Thai society, which unfortunately is not a good representation of the people here. Outside of taxi drivers, police officers and politicians, most Thais are very kind and generous people. Too bad foreigners have contact with the first two groups in ways that all too often leave them with a horrible impression of the folks here.

As evil a company as Uber is, anything is better than dealing with the crooked taxi mafia. Too bad for this inane decision by the powers that be.

Well for some reason I can't post to the news forum, but THIS article seems to be quite newsworthy:

http://www.jimalgie.com/thai-police-scandal-top-cops-go-down-in-blaze-of-allegations/

sort of like shutting down Disneyland at noon ! Keep this up and Pattaya will become a quiet fishing village again.

Some people (myself included) would consider that a great improvement to the place [emoji8]

"More than 25 per cent of Thais use social media. They spend roughly 3.37 hours a day on social media," he added.

Is that 3.37 hours a day after or during work?

Taking selfies.

That is one sick puppy.

Sketchy at best, and no recourse if something goes wrong, in which case I'm sure the "doctor" will be more concerned with saving face than saving YOUR face. Save up longer and do it in a country with board certifications and a heathy system of accountability.

Anyone know of some good sports bars to watch NFL games live in BKK, specifically somewhere along Sukhumvit area? I know quite a few sports bars will be helpful in changing the channel to an NFL game if they have that channel, but I'm just wondering if any NFL fans gather regularly at any of the local watering holes. Would love to catch the Chiefs game late tonight (well, early tomorrow AM).

Why are you still trying to prove this? We all already believe that anyone defending the integrity of the investigation has some surreptitious reason for doing so.

The 'Glee Club' as you call it has already dug in its heels for whatever reasons. They're not gonna own up to any conflict of interest or what have you at this point. Just ignore them. [emoji6]

You are apparently not able to understand what a vested interest is. Your continued assertion that I have vested interests is just an extension of your other conspiracy theories and just as sad as those theories.

As far as I am aware there are no cheap businesses on the island but it doesn't follow that that is your goal.

Lets phrase it this way then, your interest in this case, along with a few other members of the RTP Glee club, goes way beyond just debate and discussion of the topic, this is evident from the posts both yourself and and other members of the "Glee" club make on TV...

Call it "vested interest", call it "conflict of interest" call it what ever you want, but what is very obvious reading the vast majority of the posts by the "Glee Club" there is an agenda being played...

it has already been stated on one of the threads that one member of the Glee club apparently has a telephone shop on KT, you yourself have admitted direct connections to people on KT, so the links are there, further every time KT and this case are even mentioned in a thread, even if not directly a "KT murder" thread you or other members of the "Glee club" are in there posting stuff "in defense" of the RTP, you seen to be at a point of obsession with these murders and one can only question why ?, what is the motive people have posting what they do ?

therefore based on circumstantial evidence, one could conclude that the members of the RTP Glee club, including your good self, do have a vested interest in some shape or form

and this time, don't remark about "financial gain" being a criteria for defining "conflict of interest" its not the only criteria...