ChrisKC

Why spend time looking around? You could be doing that and missing one under your nose. A good example of why asking ANY Thai person around where you live will know - Easy!

I don't think "normal" people go to churches anymore, do they?

Expats come in many flavours: If you live in Thailand in what I would call an enclave of other expats and your main contact is with those expats and nefarious Thai women, then you can manage with little or no Thai language skills. In my case of over 20 years living in Thailand, I have always been inside Thai culture, accepting that in order to be successful here with the people there is need for culture compromise, that is, adjusting my outlook on life for getting along and keeping the peace between us. I can speak a lot of Thai language but do not claim fluency, though I know for sure I should do. For all of my time here, I have found that engaging with Thais as much as possible with some Thai language that I am well liked for "trying". I know enough to get me into trouble and enough to get me out of trouble. In fairness, currently, my Thai wife needs to help me facilitate certain things that require more detail and accuracy. I never call Thai people stupid when they don't understand me and they never say to me anything negative with my Thai.

Don't want to pour cold water on this show of strength but... Unfortunately, there is very little in prevention of crime and of road accidents (at any time); only to "rush to the scene" when it has already happened! Guarantee is a an absolutist term that cannot possibly amount to reality. And there will be plenty of stories over Songkran for us to read to show it. I sympathise in advance... for those who will be adversely affected.

Paid B500. It was worth it because my regular Agent said could get one for B3,500!!! It was also worth it because I have wanted for a few years to get all my ducks in a row with my local Immigration Office that is extremely easy for me to get to. They offered to do my 90 Day report there as well which was free and only last week I did my retirement extension there. It is not a good idea to bribe Immigration Officers. I accepted an offer of help via an another Agent that I accepted.

Unfortunately, using the word "cheap" on this forum is a mistake that invites unhelpful comments.

Two months ago I renewed my Thai Drivers licence that required a Certificate of Residence. Acquiring such a thing should be easy assuming you have some kind of extension and regular 90 day reports that show a current address in the same Province as the Immigration Office you use. There is no official fee and if you are charged, don't expect an official receipt. If the Agent you used for your extension and subsequent 90 Day reports is in a Province outside of where you actually live, there is a conflict that I think you can imagine. This happened to me and I managed to get a Certificate of Residence from my Local Immigration Office in spite of my extension and 90 Day reporting being 500 kms away! And THAT did cost me - but not so much!

Just more unnecessary opportunities for Thai people (to increase their problems of debt) as well as tourists, to line government and big Business coffers. And of course, there will still be illegal gambling carrying on as normal.

No, not for me. I have too many interests in my life that I think of as more important. In any event, I don't claim to qualify. I think I read somewhere a long time ago, Moderators are invited by their peers, arising from the content they read on the forum over a long period, that demonstrates clearly their personal qualities that include fairness and justice and upholding the rules of the Forum.

And tests for Mrs. Smith

I would think a Moderator should have the qualities of being moderate and have stability in their persona online in the forum. You have had at least three different profile pictures in the last week, none of which are you I guess - that shows instability to me. So the answer from my perspective is, NO to being a Moderator for any amount of time that includes forever!

My point is that you should understand a "brush off" when you see one! It doesn't matter what "level" either of you is on, only that yours is miles away from hers. Carlotta can speak for herself, though.

Can't you take NO for an answer?

That Thai Doctor was kicked. Copying that guy is a sure way to get yourself into having your visa revoked

I don't know which emoji to use, confused, sad, funny peculiar, unnecessary, ignore it! Bob, how do you manage to become "stressed out" by somebody leaning on your gate? That's how it started but it seems you "mountained" it from the "mole hill" Or the Weather Forecast of storms to come were of the "teacup" variety.

Hello Bob, It matters not to me if your stories are true or not - I am unaffected but I have an observation to make: The two most important words I notice in your threads have only three letters between them: "I" and "me". These add up to another three letter word: "ego" If your ramblings here are termological inexactitudes, then let us be generous and refer to them as "romanticising" but without the 'romance' - or, If they are true, then it is a very poor reflection on your philosophy of life and certainly not much I would wish for myself! Mr Chris, here, not perfect but in matters of honesty, sincerity and integrity, he tries to be!

Irrespective of the rules of the dowry game; a foreigner is entitled to his own "culture and traditions" to play a part of the "deal" After all, it is HIS money Let's get something straight: Dowries are NOT obligatory, if they are agreed to, the idea is for it to be a show of good faith in terms of the ability for the new husband to be financially sound - basically, it is a formality. In Thai rak Thai cases, sometimes the parents of the girl will deny marriage to those men unable to show willing but in many cases also, if the man is known and respected the dowry won't be pushed. I have been to a few weddings of both persuasions, Thai/Thai, Foreigner/Thai, where dowry has been a feature. I have seen all the money on the ground in front of the couple where beforehand they went to the bank and had it all changed into B20 notes to look like a lot of money - this is accepted with good humour. In many cases the money is given back to the couple as it is anticipated that while it might all have originated with the husband, it will later be shared as part of the spirit of genuine compatibility between them. Dowries should not be considered at all if the bride has been married before and/or is not a virgin, so this obviously excludes any children. This does not stop those parents (often in league with their daughter) to extract what they can from a gullible or uninformed foreigner. "Love" might be tested to its extreme in these situations

Do you really mean EVERY aisle?? I have more trouble with Shoppers and trolleys that think they are the only ones in the store, often leaving their trolley in the middle of the aisle while they go 'awalking'

Or a Press Button A, Press Button B public phone box. Cannot reminisce on the good 'ole nursery rhymes either: Mary had a little pig She couldn't stop it gruntin She took it down the garden path And........ Jack and Jill went up the Hill To have a bit of fun But Jill forgot to take her pill And.....

A Peacock is ONLY male, the female is a PeaHEN

Patient to Doctor: "I think I lave lost my memory" Doctor to Patient: "When did you lose it?" Patient to Doctor: "Lose what?"

What about your poor wife, does she get anything beneficial from this move of yours?

You are trying to impress us again, Bob But I think its not working!

Maybe that is 1,000 people in 1,000 hotels and that is only one million!

Attractive women is not the preserve of places