wym

can't figure out what you're trying to say there ozzie

There are consumer laws, and a consumer protection board, the fact that the laws are not enforced is no excuse. They are not enforced because the enforcers are probably paid off by the businesses that have a monopoly in Thailand.

Not making an excuse, just pointing out that we have to deal with reality as it presents itself rather than how we'd like it to be.

Stupid people pay more, fact of life, no nanny state can prevent that without making life miserable for everyone.

Again, this is not about stupid people or overpriced items, this is about intentionally falsifying price labels.

I meant that stupid people pay more because merchants rip them off with impunity.

As a consumer you have to keep your wits about you and protect yourself, no one else will do it for you here.

And we like it that way, much preferable to a government trying to control everything.

Personally I think shopping for stuff in Thailand in places that clearly mark their prices is more likely to mean you're overpaying. Best prices can be found where you can haggle with the seller. But of course you have to know the going rate, ideally what he paid for it, and have to have your wits about you.

i have got a "lady friend" picking me up from airport soon, must stress "not a bargirl" ha ha!! has got a new car - house in chiang mai - nice 2 bed condo in rama111, i worked out she earned 84,0000 baht this month.,(probably company car and company house) yeah as if, her sister also very well off, their mum thinks they have a "good job" in the city, well they do ??, send loads of dosh home to ma ma, so she aint complaining too much me thinks.

Are you saying a bar girl earned 84,000 Baht in a month? that's impossible..

LOTS of girls earn that and more!

I know a few get that much just from the guys sending from overseas, not counting the money they actually generate from those they encounter in real life.

I know one got full title to a 25M condo within the first four months of hooking a rich Swiss guy, he sends her 80K just himself, only comes over 2-3 times a year never more than a week. She goes out trolling around Nana area all the time, total stunner and great at what she does, probably pulling down at least B120K total a month.

I think she's maybe 19 now.

The saddest part is these girls don't bank it for the future, easy come easy go. . .

All that pile of excrement means is you have observed that Thais often don't conform to YOUR view of "morality".

There's nothing wrong with taking money for sex, back home OR here.

Thank you for your very well formed opinion stated as fact. The reality is, that behaviors that are morally reprehensible- are morally reprehensible in all cultures. Guys like you have a vested interest in having access to cheap tang that's why you guys are the laughing stock of most Thais. They would never bring a hooker to their house- or tell her their name, phone number, etc. I full well expect to see you tomorrow parading around with a hooker dressed in 7 inch stilleto heels in the braod light of day. It's because your so cool! I can tell by the way you write. You have real gift for it! I wait with baited breath for your next words of wisdom- in which perhaps you will expound further on behaviors that "there's nothing wrong" with. Let me help you here, I think what you meant to say was, "There is nothing wrong with taking money for sex" as long as I am the desperate guy buying the sex for peanuts and the girl selling it is not my wife or girlfriend.

That would be bated breath.

And you're wrong, none of my SOs in Thailand have been sex workers for many many years now, and I never have gone for girls who dress up like that anyway.

And I have had wives and girlfriends, also blood family members, in the business, both back home and in Australia.

And there are MANY MANY (sub-)cultures around the world that don't take your neanderthal puritanical judeo-christian/islamic view of such matters equating "evil" with what consenting adults want to do with their own body.

Do you also think same-sex marriage is "wrong"?

Lots of people still think inter-racial marriage is "evil" too, or even divorced people, if everyone you knew believed that would you go along?

How about making moral judgments based on a rational system of ethics rather than what you were brainwashed with as a boy?

Maybe try the Paveena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women.

Yes - they do take action, and work with those police units that actually do something about it.

Empower is more for those in the sex industry, haven't heard of them broadening their mandate much, and more for ongoing education than legal interventions.

Best bet actually IMO is the embassy of the suspect, US/Brit/Aus/NZ all have law enforcement task force personnel here specifically tasked for that issue, as well as drugs - separate teams.

There are consumer laws, and a consumer protection board, the fact that the laws are not enforced is no excuse. They are not enforced because the enforcers are probably paid off by the businesses that have a monopoly in Thailand.

Not making an excuse, just pointing out that we have to deal with reality as it presents itself rather than how we'd like it to be.

Stupid people pay more, fact of life, no nanny state can prevent that without making life miserable for everyone.

As for his future: if he ends up being ANYONE's employee, then I failed. I raise my kids to be entrepreneurs. Hopefully, he will do that outside Thailand and my daughter will do that inside Thailand; and they will help each other where needed. TYVM.

Agree about the entrepreneurship, my daughter wants to be an MD, in the states that's running your own business.

BUT why the boy and girl growing up to live in separate countries?

And why that way around? If anything I'd hope my daughter would NOT end up in Thailand. . .

Someone who boasts in such to the content of this forum or out of reply to "girlfriends", "sex", "companionship", being single & unattached but stating happy with a house full of children, maids/girls/women (guessing, but leave the 'Michael Jackson' question open) living in the same house ("number of some girls that service me on a regular basis")...man, better keep all that to yourself in open conversations anywhere whether Thailand amongst foreigners or ...just anywhere West.

Do as I like speak as I like wherever I like won't I. . .

If I were doing anything wrong you can bet I'd keep quiet about it. But thanks for your concern.

A smattering of English is just used to imply a bit of "inter" status for the THAI market the ads are aimed at.

No one gives a toss if it's actually correct or not.

Or even if they did, the person responsible for "making sure" it is correct, everyone in the office believes their English is perfect and they could never lose face by admitting it might not be, therefore won't spend the price of a beer it would cost to get a NES to check it.

Really not worth complaining about though, not even noteworthy. . .

All this is fine and good for legal theoretical considerations.

In practice just do your best to correct the situation, get back onto the straight and narrow, if you don't have any assets to seize or US wages to garnish they can't get blood from a stone and actually getting penalized for stuff this minor when you've been under this limits the whole time you've been away are IMO close enough to nil.

Big Brother does enough fear mongering without us all helping him when it isn't warranted.

Very nice, thanks!

I think it's this company been making these for years now, always a major tug at the heart-strings.

Should be run free as a PSA. . .

Easy, cheap sex with much, much younger women and men makes up for a lot of obvious flaws, but requires vigorous obfuscating defense.

Makes up for everything.

Why would it require any defense? No one I care about (or even know these days) has a problem with it.

The more "productive" the country the LESS I'd ever want to live there.

Learn to relax dude, more to life than economics and getting stuff done, try enjoying it maybe.

Going into the military can also serve - used to be back home too. . .

Make no mistake about it -- Buddhism is a religion and the Buddha is prayed to as a god (along with a whole pantheon of Hindu gods and animist spirits). Westerns have deluded themselves into believing this fallacious 'Buddhism is an ideology and not a religion' mantra that they can't see the forest for the trees (ALL religions are ideologies).

That may be true as it's usually practiced, but true "pure" Buddhism specifically states it is not about worship, only self-examination and improvement through practice.

Of course it's an ideology.

By the way, Jesus Christ was also a man and a philosopher.

But that is ALL the Buddha claimed to be.

That sure showed them, made them want to improve their CS attitude toward farang I'm sure. . .

AA's got meetings all over, many per day.

Some in Thai (you didn't say)

Best IMO to work on that first, trying for more than one at a time isn't recommended.

Lots of online meetings as well.

But of course the addict needs to want (need) to change, not a matter of "willpower".

Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Rice, UCLA, etc. are never referred to as "colleges"

Yes they are, in the states more often than not.

Hate to tell you but you've adopted a "britishism" there

I disagree. I view it primarily as a cultural phenomenon. Among a large segment of the Thai population, concepts such as morality and ethics are either not recognized as being legitimate paradigms, or these considerations are patently ignored, with a particular demographic of Thai people deciding, if money is being made, nothing else matters. While this behavior is not restricted to Thai culture- it is often found in places where people have very limited knowledge of History/culture/Philosophy, etc., and in places where people exhibit a high level of Nationalism and feelings of cultural superiority. How many times have we seen Thai people extort their own countrymen and say, charge 3 times what something is worth? Very rarely will someone from their social group question their morality or ethics, choosing rather to believe that the seller was lucky, and that the buyer chose to buy at that price. The Thai cultural system often functions to allow it's adherents to avoid confrontation, reflexive thought, guilt, and accountability. There is a tremendous amount of latitude in Thai society because the laws are rarely enforced and Police are easily paid off. This often renders legal and ethical value systems irrelevant. When there are no repercussions for a particular action, there will be little or no fear of engaging in that action. Limited education and experience, coupled with lax enforcement of the law, exasperated by limited access to resources and the naïve nature of the Thai psyche, often result in sendind Thais into a feeding frenzy in which western ideas of morality, compassion, responsibility and the notion of fair play, have absolutely no meaning.

All that pile of excrement means is you have observed that Thais often don't conform to YOUR view of "morality".

There's nothing wrong with taking money for sex, back home OR here.

Above two posts are spot on, wish more would take on board the last's attitude.

Reminds me of the old story about the man who asked a high society lady if she would sleep with him if he gave her twenty thousand pounds. When she agreed he asked if she would still sleep with him if he only gave her twenty.

"What sort of woman do you think I am? she screamed.... to which the man replied, " I thought we'd already established what sort of woman you were and now we were just haggling over the price."

Bit like the old story...

Guy says to a look looking bird... can I bonk you for $10,000 ? She thinks for about 3 seconds & replies.. why yes.

Then guy says... can I bonk you for $10 ? She immediately says, what do you think I am ?

Guy replies.... we just established what you are... Now we're just haggling the price.

Over & out.

George B Shaw came up with the gist, just a bit more elegantly phrased.

Sorry, OP, you are in the wrong country and you have the wrong mentality.

You buy a house for your wife, because you can't own it, so to please not only her but most of all yourself.

Don't listen to "Wym" (never buy, always rent).

Completely different to have your own place than living in somebody else's house.

But again, you would have been paying for the rent, anyway.

Now if you are unlucky, and things don't work out, the fault can always be from both sides.

Life always is carrying on.

If you were living in Europe or the USA and got divorced with kids, you would have got exactly what you are getting here, nothing.

From what you say, you didn't even put any money towards the initial buying, you only paid the bank.

And you have the cheek to ask for money back.

No my friend, it doesn't work that way, and you have no right to ask for any money.

Good Luck, with your next wife or G/f.

Why buy?

Many reasons,

First because your home is your castle, you do to it what ever you want and you make it yours,

can you do that with a rental?

You can personalize it, add to it or remove from it. can you do that with a rental?

and if the fancy hits, set it on fire and play the violin while you watch it burn, Can you do that with a rental.

You generate equate,

Pride of ownership

And if you really love your wife and children, , and care what happens to her, one day when you die,they are provided with a house to live in.

-----------------------------

"Yes it's completely different to have your own place instead of living in somebody else's place"

The main problem here is that you don't live in your own place. But actually live in somebody else's place.

Spot on.

Again, if you're flush enough to buy/build a house every time you get married, or REALLY think this is the last one, go for it.

Just I see lots of guys put in too high a proportion of their retirement nest egg, and then feel like they can't afford to leave anymore if/when it's all gone pear-shaped and "have to" put up with miserable IMO slavery in their dotage.

Bottom line is keep your options open, Freedom ISN'T just another word, for nothing left to lose.

what is best for your kids development into good citizens / adults, depends on your individual circumstances

i think in most cases choosing the right school for each of your kids, and creating / maintaining a happy / positive / supportive home environment are more important than which continent you live

As the kids get older - the influence of peers and the surrounding (sub-)culture - school & neighborhood - takes over in importance and influence.

Witness new arrival families back home, often huge differences between just one generation.

Sure parents remain "important" but don't really shape the end result past, what, 13-15?

If you're on the other side of the world, you're not a BF anymore, either an ex or a sucker.

Well then the supplicants wouldn't be able to claim a full half day off to run that errand and where would we be?

Things aren't service-minded here, you think things should be organized for the poor peons that don't have a servant to send on such lowly tasks? Ha, you should be grateful they even give you the time of day when they do open their doors.

Thieving ummmmm....maybe more fool you for giving it to him....stand your ground

Too funny, people not even bothering to read the literal content, never mind actually applying brain cells to trying to get at the meaning between the lines.