PJcm

The popular Expats that populate the bars for years whether in the morning or evening or both, have lived 5, 10, 15 years or more still speak 100 words of Thai, can't read it. These are the people who should not be criticizing Thais as they took no effort to understand them or their culture. They should be ashamed but they are not, and that tells you more about them than anything. Ask an Expat what his girlfriend's name is? Yes her full real name, 90% couldn't tell you, What her real name it's Lek.

This type of post speaks more about you than "them".... oh and I bet some even were CARGO SHORTS with puffy pockets !

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I'm still trying desperately to work out what part of Hawaiian Pizza and Large Leo is Thai culture.

Surely if one is expecting to work in an expat or tourist environ then you would expect staff to speak the 100 words of English not patrons do an impromptu Thai language course. What is the Thai word for "pizza" anyway....my bad, apparently it's "pizza".

Then I move on to how many full names of Bar staff I know, and fail the standard again. Mind you I do not know the full name of all the staff at my local 7/11, petrol station, post office, bank etc but we do recognise each other, greet each other cordially with a smile, exchange pleasantries with each other.

Not knowing or caring to know a language does not excuse bad manners on the part of patrons OR staff. One would think it rudimentary for anyone in the hospitality industry to have relatively consistently good manners and hopefully overall demeanour.

I would not put up with a sh#tty attitude elsewhere so why put up with it there...it's not on the TAT promotion plan is it?

I find it curious that the name in "English for Tom Yam Kung is Tom Yam Kung. I can do this all night, English is a Germanic language with a vocabulary taken from the Norman French. Thai is a Sanskrit language from India. What's your point? If it is that words are borrowed from foreign languages yes they are, And the English Language to it's great credit and richness is the biggest borrower of all.

You are correct in that politeness and courteousness are the most necessary traits needed in the hospitality industry.

Having lived in Thailand for 40 years I am still amazed to this day how little the people who live here understand the cultures of this area. I of course wouldn't have paid the extra US$7, but you have to know how to do it. This alas is the problem with too many expats they don't know how to do it, and they never will. These expats are the same ones who say when they are back in their home country about immigrants: "they come here and live and can't learn English or respect are culture". Sadly they come here and do the same the are hypocrites

Of course you could but why would you want to. I live on about 40,000 a month, but I have no mortgage, my children own my house. I own two used cars and two motorcycles, all paid for. My monthly expenses for the home including utilities and food do not exceed 5,000. My children own the 6 rai of land we live on and we have 5 and half rai of rice paddy. My two children and I, my wife passed away many years ago, live on 35,000 a month but we do so frugally not cheaply. We plan everything and we have a big nest egg for emergencies and lots of insurance. US$2,000 a month would be a better earmark amount for a new expat coming to Thailand, finding your legs cost many and mistakes cost more money.

There was a funny video doing the rounds - just found it.

http://youtu.be/3v98CPXNiSk

Nong Gai would blow them all away. I don't think she can help it - so don't pick on her. Anyway, when my family are in town I throw them into Mad Dog so they can get their fill of heart attack on a plate. Their sandwiches hit the spot, and the pizza is not the worst.

To date - I ask for service - I get served. I ask for a particular dish, and always get it - which is good going in itself. I ask for the bill, and it's correct. I don't kid myself that I'm entitled to any special service, beaming smiles, or whatever. This is a food factory that serves beer, and the women in the place suffer from that wearied resignation of having seen-it-all before. Man, how many times do you think Gai has been hit on? And being so close to Loih Kroh - it will always be one of those pot-bellied sexual-demigods just off the plane, and flush from the success of buying an Akha girl out a bar the night before.

The bar reflects the clientele - and I'm one of them, so if anyone feels insulted, tough. It is what it is, and that's it.

When Gai worked at the old Escape when Irish Eddy was running it she was a miserable piece of change than, when she was 20, 20 years ago. Today she is a washed up going to be <removed>. I knew her way back, she hates her life and makes sure you get some of that hate every morning, even if you speak fluent Thai and she can't mutter something under her breath to you. Question, why has she been at the same place for 20 years?

I haven't been recently but I think the staff are okay. And as been mentioned they've been there forever, which is quite the achievement. So they're doing something right.\

Given the number of idiots they get in I don't hold it against the staff not not immediately smile like the Cheshire cat at every nutter who walks in. They're polite enough to me, though I also just let them get on with things early morning when they're cleaning and clearly working hard.

The reason the girls stay there is because there is a benefit to staying there, skimming from customers caught them red handed twice, nothing done about it, Nick's not interested, they pad the bill and then take the difference

Let's say I haven't been in for many years and the staff are the reason, I have brought it to his attention more than once but the owner doesn't seem to care and if you talk to the staff, especially, Gai she will give you a surly look as if you were in a bar in Loi Kroc and mutter something under her breath, and like the Loi Kroc bunch she will mutter when you don't leave an adequate tip for inadequate service. There is no friendly service from the staff, it's as if they have contempt for the regulars who come in daily. I don't think Nick is interested in fixing the problem so I have moved on.

Been here almost 40 years straight, every time I return to NY for a family thing I see the women, the size of them, they weight more than me and for some reason they believe they have an attractivness to them. They are delusional of course, who would want these land whales, with nagging blow holes and always willing to spend your money.

No way I've forgotten. For ME,Thai women are great for fun and casual dalliances but for anything meaningful and enduring, Western women win hands down every time.

Less to do with language, much more to do with outlook, experience and a curiosity about more than the number of megapixels on the next iPhone's camera.

Oh and, contrary to sour grape, farang-folklore, the West is teeming with slim, toned and firm women.

When a poster says "Western women are so big and lack femininity, the forum software should automatically change it to "The Western women I CAN GET are so big and...."

................ ....................

How old are you......?

Clorox

Was there last week and I saw a friend's wife so I picked her up and we went to a short time hotel 1,000 donation, great body. Oh the friend's back in the UK for a family funeral.

Good to know. Thanks.

This is an old quote from a long dead Expat who died here in the 60's. his name was Sgt. Bilko; "If your cat or dog doesn't eat rice in Thailand the animal can go hungry."

Is there still any reason to plan a holiday to Chiang Mai? I defenitely DON'T come for elephant rides.

Unless you're coming for trafficked women or underage girls, nothing will have changed.

You must be kidding. You`ll be lucky to find women of ill repute under the age of 40 in the Loi Kroh road and surrounding areas. In those areas women less than 35 years old are considered underage and females in their 20s as absolute cradle snatching. Most of it is crap, but now it seems they`re even taking the crap away. Heartless swines.

I have been warning for a long time that the clamp downs will progressively increase in Chiang Mai, having first hand word of all the rumours well in advance. In fact I was giving out tip offs as to what is to come. I estimate that within the next 5 years, perhaps less, that the adult entertainments scene of Chiang Mai will be totally eradicated. Replaced by more eating establishments, unneeded shopping malls and boring yuppie market walking streets.

Another tip off, for those considering opening beerbars in Chiang Mai, beware, you are investing in a loser, go south young man.

Don't go South young man that will end too, go East to Cambodia where life is cheaper, the girls were kinder, visa at the 7/11, food is cheaper and cheese and wine are cheap. Reminds me of Thailand from the 70's

If this happens, public transportation, it will take 20 years, 20 years ago that started the planning with the help of the Japanese Gov't What the city should do is have an underground Cable car system similar to San Francisco, very easy to maintain, maintenance for the cable and little for the cable cars as they only need brakes.. It would be charming and fit in well with the major town areas. But alas there is little money to be made by the politicians so you know that this will never happen. Some day Chiang Mai will have an ugly overhead subway destroying any charm left in Chiang Mai. I hope my ashes will be strewn to the wind by then

I am always amazed by these question original OP. The QE by the ECB is to stem off the possibility of deflation of the Euro. For anyone that gets paid in another currency, you follow it but you have no control you never will. There is no reason to complain or rejoice in the currency market, My father who was a currency trader for a large Wall street Bank said; It's easier to eat soup with a fork than to make money in the currency market.

tgeezer, on 24 Jan 2015 - 11:20, said:

When Tiger Woods came to Thailand friends were excited and proud that he was half Thai, they changed their opinion of him very quickly when he equivocated in an interview.

I don't see how he could equivocate, the facts are undeniable. He has also spoken out with conviction that he is half Thai and half Black not 100% Black as many people tended to think.

The then Prime Minister Chavalet proposed making him a Thai citizen since his mother was Thai, there was a big uproar in The Expat community and in the Thai media, eventually like all bad ideas by Prime ministers it was forgotten.

It was 1976 and I was travelling up to the US listening station on Doi Inthanoon, the sun was out it was a bright February day about 3 in the afternoon, The Thai Air Force guard at the gate was freezing and it started snow flurries, the flurries dissipated at contact with the ground but stuck for a few seconds to hair. It was real snow but not a storm just flurries for about 5 minutes, rare but not unique, as I was told by others at the station.

I hate to admit it but as a 35 plus resident of Thailand I have after many years of resistance been recruited by the 3 in 1 crowd and now look forward to my morning of hot water, sugar, non dairy creamer and a pinch of coffee. They wore me down and I have now grown to like it. I turn my nose up at Starbucks and all others that sell good Arabica coffee to mellow in my java of a 3 in 1 Nescafe. Viva Suisse

60° is cold? After spending a winter in Duluth/Superior, not much is cold.

However the homes are heated to a comfortable 72 F and the cars have heaters, sleeping when the temperature is in the 30's F with no heat, well you don't do that in Duluth do you?

it will confuse the 7/11 staff, how do you put a 90 day report in a plastic bag?

with a straw for your beer

Chiang Mai is still a great place to be retired.

Chiang Mai; A country for old men.

Pay the authorities to plant some illegal substances on him and send him to prison, do not I repeat do not tell your wife. Probably be in jail for 4 years he comes out is an adult and no more responsibility. Your other option is to have him emancipated but I don't know if this is even an option in Thailand should speak to a Thai lawyer about that.

I feel sorry for some of the members on here...

I don't consider living here a sentenced given by a judge, it's more like a manageable house arrest with occasional overnights to haunts forbidden.