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Runamile
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Posts posted by Runamile
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@ Beetlejuice
Lack of posts may have even more to do with everyone wondering quite where CM is!
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You are quite right Bangkok Barry.
I, too, have simply brushed security aside on occasion.
Security levels are at zero here.
Maybe, though, they've accidentally discovered the point of the global security industry. Job creation. No more, no less. Oh, and corporate profit-provision. Never mind the guys we see day-in, day-out. All those security advisers don't come cheap. The security industry is one huge global vested interest.
In Thailand, it's been proven (in fact, by the army) that push money down South, get new businesses created, more jobs, and the insurgency declines. Maybe that would be a better way of spending money!
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@ petedk If you insist on wearing Thais, no wonder you might have a problem at security. That's a bit colonial!!!!!!!!!!
@ All I've not been stopped in months and months. Yep I set everything off. Yep all the Thais set everything off!!!!!!!!!
Purely anecdotal, this, but is it only my impression that use of MRT has, fairly suddenly, gone way, way up. If that were true, maybe they've had to become more lax to sustain the throughput. Whatever, it's become, recently, way, way more lax than it was, whether that be with Thai or foreigner.
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Muirton, I'm not so sure the day will come when he can return here. I don't see things changing, but RedandYellow had it right. There's a broad-based need to be courageous, believe there are such things as right and wrong, then speak and act out accordingly. At the moment, it's easy to feel that the battle isn't simply against criminality, but against conspiracies of silence by both Thais and farangs in a number of locations. To take the obvious example of Koh Tao, I won't go there. I don't want to support tourism there, because I'm finding it too hard to work out who, if anybody, there is on the moral high-ground. Assuming that the "if anybody" is being overly dramatic, that is very sad for the genuine people there, trying to eke out a living, trying to keep a business running. I should support them. If they're there. The problem is that when a society starts going down the pan, our best assumption, possibly natural assumption, certainly safest assumption becomes negative. That's a big problem for a tourist economy.
I think it's of no relevance that things are worsening rapidly elsewhere. People aren't thinking of holidaying or retiring in Afghanistan, Pakistan,Iraq, Syria ...... or even Glasgow!
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As shown in this thread, it was very clear from the original begging letter that he had no travel insurance.
There's another one doing the rounds. Again, no travel insurance.
Are people totally deranged?
Beyond that, why do they refuse to take responsibility, even after the event.
A story known to me, because I know a Mum. A group of lads, in their thirties, decided on a holiday in Thailand. Not rich kids, but ok working guys. Stupidly, none of them took out insurance. One, a thirty-five year old, had a heart attack. Inevitably there was a group leader, who did all the arranging, including not arranging travel insurance. He immediately sold his pride and joy, a BMW. Within the group, another BMW was sold. Others of the lads chipped in as they could, as did parents, other family and friends.
All these guys seem very much like the lead guy in this story, as do the families. Not rich, but OK working people. Let's face it, that has to be the profile to afford the holiday in the first place.
Just wondering how we keep getting all these begging stories, not to mention the story of the Czech guy who was busking to raise money fro his family to stay on in Thailand, while his daughter is fully-repaired/recovered from a road traffic accident. Insurance would have covered that (hospital costs are being paid by the negligent Thai driver). So, it looks like the little girl wasn't insurance covered. Fair bet, then that her sisters also weren't covered, never mind the parents. Responsible parents? But someone else will take up the slack, if only by contributing to Dad's busking.
The levels of irresponsibility among tourists just amaze me. Particularly, Thailand isn't a wildly safe place (as the road traffic accident proves). If the young think they're immune, unbeatable, try looking at a few stats. For instance, sudden heart attack through arhythmia is at a peak in young women in their twenties.
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Tourist economies, in general are in for a bad time.
Thailand's position, though, is particularly weak through its rising reputation for violence and criminality, with tourists particularly involved. The Western media is not allowing this to be forgotten.
Additionally, Thailand's position is weak through the ongoing belief in Thailand that Thailand is Amazing (now, rapidly gaining a different meaning), something that all Thais simply know. It's kind of God-given.
It's good to have self-belief, but when it means you do no competitor analysis, disastrous, eg:
Visas - try Cambodia.
Beaches - try the Carribean
Non-specific Thainess, yes try Thailand, but, whilst ordinary Thais are often the nice people they always were, that may be less true of the Thais tourists actually interact with - taxi and tuk tuk drivers, jet ski guys, etc, etc.
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Size matters!
Nice one to explain to the insurance company!!!
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Russia faces the perfect storm. I'd feel sorry for them if it weren't for the fact that support for Putin is so strong. Reap as ye sew.
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Timing to coincide with Boxing Day Tsunami 10 year anniversary, even Christmas, but, more particularly New Year. Classic media manipulation to try to keep it low profile. That, in this case could mean "get away with it".
Trust me, that Met Police commentary, factoring out the language of the diplomacy, means: "One unholy mess".
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No problem. It was just their MBA business project. Or, at least, that's what the Court (if it ever gets there) will accept!
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Exactly the point, lildragon; and one you could, interestingly, make in exactly the same way for the development of mass tourism from many European countries.
Hawkman, yes, it does depend who exactly you meet, and, also, where you meet them. I'm aware of negative comments about Russian tourists in Thailand and I've certainly heard of some very negative events, around, say, Pattya. However, the only Russians I've ever met here were on Koh Chang. Delightful little families of pleasant people, if anything a little unsure of themselves, and, certainly, very polite. I don't get the sense that's the general stereotype of Russians, never mind the particular stereotyping around Pattya or Phuket. Maybe it's as simple as those areas attractive different Russians from Koh Chang. Oh, the dangers of stereotyping!
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China is simply survival of the fittest. No more, no less. There's no reason why, these days, it has to be, but that's what China is - for the Chinese. As foreigners, we're often very privileged in China. For instance, I can say that I've experience unparalleled high service levels - I doubt something many Chinese could say. I've also experienced being treated as one of the mass; and I can say who consistently does that - older people.
The self-same older people who are so, so often an embarrassment to their children, but, nonetheless, have brought them up; and are bringing up their grandchildren (as both parents work). You have to feel sorry for older people, having lived through the Cultural Revolution, Long March, etc, but that doesn't make day to day survival of their behaviour particularly easy. They are selfishness personified - it was necessary to survival - and are passing that on inter-generationally. They, often, create the Little Emperor more than the parents; and certainly, if you have their behaviour and a Tiger Mum - watch out for that little eight year old (who may well expect, as his parents may well expect, that at school his backside is wiped by teacher - true example).
Not many know, but Chinese regard those, including traditionally, outside their family and guanxi system as ghosts. They have some slight notion that they're there"ish", perhaps something of a nuisance, and certainly no obligations to them.
If you think the Chinese are bad, try them at home - and, remember, I was privileged. Even some of those older people were fascinated by the idea of a foreigner coming all the way to China and helping. I particularly found that from old men, some of whom would even offer me their bus seat. Old women, another story. Fearsome. If someone elbowed you, kneed you on the bus, you didn't have to look to know it would be an old woman. Ghastly people, who still believe they have to fight every inch of the way for their family, with that thought infiltrating every aspect of their lives. Family justifies everything, even if the event has nothing to do with family.
Anyway, quite a lot of older people have money or have children who have - children who, increasingly, disfavour the Chinese stay at home approach to holidays. They want to travel. They often take parents with them. Sometimes, it's the other way around, if it's the parents who have the money. There's still, though, a fearfulness about travel and certainly a worry about making your own travel arrangements (and, sometimes, it's difficult in terms of visas) - which brings us to the fiendish Chinese tour group, composed mostly of older people, often of women (as more adventurous than men) and sometimes with their daughters. Unbelievable bad behaviour. I've been staying in Chinese hotels for many, many years, but to stay in a Chinese hotel in recent years, seems always to involve arguments over behaviour. The first thing is that the group opens all doors to create a communal area. People occupy the corridor, people shout across from room to room, televsions blare out. Reception is carnage as they check in.
That said, even couples can be bad news at reception, as the male wishes to assert his (new) status in front of partner. Queue? What queue? Push, shove, jostle. Just like the supermarket, in fact. Of course, within bounds you take it, have to. But, I do have a strong sense of boundaries. That can lead to open confrontation, or at least giving as good as you get - and I'm supposed to be innocently shopping or enjoying my holiday.
Now it's these self-same people, except with a little more money, who form the tour groups going abroad. So, if that person felt entitled in that Chinese hotel, how entitled do they feel in this foreign one? What we need to understand , though, is that the rise of the sense of entitlement, notice entitlement with no sense of obligation (as was traditionally the case with those who have money, status), is a global phenomenon this century. That Thai new money, scribbling on the Great Wall, speaks the same language - I'll do exactly what I want, I'm entitled to - as that new Chinese money. And Westerners are, also, not above bad behaviour, either, though things are particularly accented in Asia, through the suddenness of economic development, just how quickly many people arrive with way more money than they could ever have guessed. Culture had no time to adapt - all that happened was the worst characteristics of what was already there were accentuated.
Note that Chinese couples, even the odd single (though not to Japanese proportions) travelling abroad can, simply, be the most delightful, pleasant, self-effacing of people you will ever meet. In fact, I worry for them. Their naivety, lack of life, never mind travel experience, puts them in a weak position. In fact, generally, including at home, where Chinese can be very critical of foreigners, they also seem to trust them way too much.
So the overall conclusion? New money from whatever nation can be terrifying. Any tourist destination should profile the tourists it's trying to attract, way beyond just nationality. So, maybe, Chinese weddings in Thailand, brilliant, but tour groups, wowa. Chinese tour groups, notoriously, spend nothing, anyway.
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Humbling. A tear passed my eye (right one, if you must know!).
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Another great one for Thai tourism. Let's see - if the Mafiosi or monks don't get you, seems the police will.
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A few thoughts:
1. Does the German Embassy have a straightforward hardship fund? They will, inevitably have a welfare officer, through whom contact can be made.
2. What about whether any health insurance companies could be persuaded to get on board, paying costs, as an act of corporate social responsibility or to glean direct positive publicity. I know that Thai companies don't seem to be wildly pro-active in trying to attract a farang client base, but I get the impression that Thai Life (Thai Health Insurance Public Company) and BUPA aren't entirely dead to the issue.
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I fully appreciate the lady's desire to just fade out, but there might be some attraction to a family environment, anything but a hospital.
Given the passport issues, etc, I'm not really sure how she can stay with people, but focus on a final, family, Christmas with her "Samui family" might , eventually, be appealing and give her some final happiness, not to mention the inevitable fact of finality.
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Perdido Get a Quote isn't working off it's own first page button, but go to type of insurance at top of home page, navigate to that type, then get quote will work from the particular insurance type.
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Try looking up Globelink on the net.
They are a UK company, but provide insurance to anyone domiciled anywhere, with repatriation to that country. I don't think over 70 a problem, but speak it through with David. They're based in Cambridgeshire.
Of course, I'm assuming you are Thai domiciled. Another UK company, but I think you have to have been UK-domiciled for at least the last 6 months, that is very well-known for insuring older people is Staysure. Again, hit the net.
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Is it just me - but I've always felt at risk down at the Asoke Junction. Seemed that either the traffic or police would get me.
Anyway, bottom line has been avoidance.
What would be really useful now is if anyone knows the coverage of Thonglor Police Station, or of any other hotspots in that area?
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Lots of good advice here. I'll quickly whack in a few things not mentioned - have sex early in the morning and cool Johnson down first.
A lot is just general health stuff around keeping fit - so good exercise and diet regimes and supplements, as already mentioned. What hasn't, specifically, been mentioned is whether you are overweight - if so that should be addressed as a specific issue.
The point on variability is correct. Did I read somewhere that, apart from time of day, the main variable is changing anxiety levels...........
So could be time for a romantic holiday, of decent length. Yep, the holiday conception thing is true.
Good luck!
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Think the generality of this thread shows you guys have got it! Elsewhere there's this mythology among older people about how amazing the young are with computers. My last posting was teaching in a Chinese University, where students avidly used QQ every minute of every day. Social media, fine. Download a movie, fine. Buy online - boy could they buy online. All they ever did during long evenings in the dorm. However, another lecturer and myself spent the best part of a semester trying to persuade students there's a difference between an e-mail address and a website address. They were never really convinced, not least because e-mail, to them, meant a QQ address. I'm talking students 18-23. Truth is, they simply didn't have IT skills in any meaningful sense. I see little reason why Thailand should be any different.
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Many thanks for all your advice, guys.
On student cover, I did enquire with the University, but they stopped what they did have available, which, I think was a group membership of a Thai scheme. My guess is that, on the one hand, Thais are accounted for, and on the other International students tend to use some kind of "backpacker" insurance, probably with an age-based assumption of one-off incidents the only potentiality (and, possibly, small ones at that).
I note the points about remembering that Thais have the universal health care system as a back up. I also take the point about talking - not least because, now I'm reminded, I've heard of companies running "bucket" groups into which they, can, in fact, feed individual clients, so gaining business that would otherwise be lost. Obviously, from the client's point of view, the group discounts are, normally, very high.
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The story before the melt-down of my computer hard drive was that, suspicious over the confusions of the Thai Government Scheme's applicability to foreigners, other than migrant workers, I'd set aside full details of a Thai private insurance scheme that fitted the bill, both in terms of price and cover and accessibility to foreigners Those details are now lost.
Has anybody any ideas, or good experiences? I don't want expat cover. Prices are ludicrous; and I don't require major components, such as repatriation. I just want to buy into what Thais would use by way of private medical insurance - the key issue, thereby, being that the company will allow foreigners to do precisely that. I'm in Thailand on a student visa, studying for a Masters.
Many Thanks
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Jeeze. Not another. How many bodies are floating around down there?
Farangs need to pass "Thainess" course to get teacher license
in Thailand News Headlines
Posted
Given a major part of Thai culture is tea money. How much?