Donnie Brasco

Last weekend I went to visit an old farang friend out in the sticks.We were sitting at the table having a few beers when he called his wife downstairs.When she came down he said " get us a few beers out of the fridge".The damn thing was only 5 feet away but he still got his wife to do it .She got the beers out and put them on the table and went back upstairs.I've seen this type of thing before,but I was pretty disgusted about his behaviour.I asked him about it and he said "that's what she's here for".When them beers were gone,I got up to go to the fridge and he went a bit mental,called his wife down and told her to get the beer out of the fridge.Needless to say,the next day I packed up and left.Was supposed to stay for 3 days,but only stayed one night.I couldn't stay another day in a house with somebody who treats their woman like that. ​

I do my fair share of things around the house.I don't sit there waiting to be waited on hand and foot.If I want something to eat or drink,I get it myself.My woman does a lot for me but some things are just easier to do myself.So this brings me to my question.

How many of you out there are the type that expects everything to be done for you.The type that thinks that your woman is only there to look after you ?.I'm curious if anybody would own up to it ?

Why are you still friends with this lout ?

Occasionally, when I see bored Chula gals falling asleep on the BTS I swing off the stanchions and overhead bars and clamp my sweddies over their faces.

I have to spend half the morning in the executive bog scrubbing all that pancake and foundation off my gabardines but all the same I know that it definitely spices up their commute.

Conspiracy theory.

@Steelejoe

Sorry if I appeared to suggest that Thailand's entire criminal zeitgeist had germinated from the red-hand blabbings of one (very, very lucky) ladyboy.

A close reading of his/her excuses is quite different from the "I dint do nothin' " or "I doe know how DAT got dere" you refer to. The

Thai excuse brand is quite different.

It sounds more like something you'd get at trial or when speaking to sentence.

That being my impression derived from regular morning news views and newspaper accounts where what amounts to a preliminary hearing gets conducted for the press before cameras.

It's that unique appeal to the xenophobic underpinnings of societal stability here that I tried and perhaps failed to identify.

In the west we tend to use different flavors and hot buttons to appeal the common consciousness but I'd hoped here in confining the comment to Thailand, and what on many levels I see in play here, to identify a uniquely Thai issue as opposed to a mere denial of the crime.

Sorry for the confusion.

I, too, am just killing time with a little TV commentary workout.

I sincerely hope that people don't judge all Lady-Boys by the behavior of a few.

During my 20 odd years in Thailand I have actually met a few of them and I must say that this is not a phenomena to be joked about; how would YOU like to be born a physical "male", yet inside you feel completely like a "female" - I don't know about any of you guys, but I find life touch enough as it is, without THAT extra baggage to lug around.

I am not saying that there are no 'crazy katoeys' around; but at least I try (successfully !) and feel compassion for those who are not . . . . . .

Well, this shopworn excuse that "there's a woman inside me just screaming to get out" may be true in some cases but in many others it's merely an easy alibi they use to indulge themselves in ultra-narcissistic behavior and make some easy money.

It's highly likely that a significant percentage of these guys are little more than lazy Thai village boys who after they talk to their village sisters see an easy way to make money. This self-mutilation and body modification is merely a group identity ritual for them. More than a few Thai male sex workers have women as primary partners and work gay foreign tourists to support their kids. They make regular appearances on the BTS and get off for the Silom gay action or they're with their "Kevin", their "Otto" or their "Bruce" as they "to and fro" from the Soi 3 clubs and show bars.

Their BTS "ride of shame" is palpable in the early evening.

They need money and this works for some of them.

Others are better able to convince themselves it's working for them by modifying their bodies and camping it up.

But my point here is that more than a few, transsexuals, tops, and bottoms would better be described as "lazyboys"

I'm reminded of a TV OP a month or so ago which declared he'd been to many countries; more than a few more "impoverished" than Thailand but he had *never, ever* met a populace so prepared to do ** anything, absolutely anything** for money to the extent that the Thais will.

Casual conversations with Koreans, Japanese, Malaysians and Singaporeans will bring this out as a common thread.

From the photos we can see that beating he/she received was measured and restrained and the Russian "victim" had the civility to call the police.

The ladyboy's excuses are symptomatic of an extremely toxic morality here.

The Tom yam or "wanting money to use" to finance his ongoing career is about all she/he could cobble together in such red-handed circumstances but he/she was stoopid or desparate enough to advance it as an excuse. "Excuses" of this nature are offered on a daily basis. The daily news is riddled with scumbags who murder for hire, slit the throats of some poor sod for his mobile phone, sell their children into the clutches of peadophiles, swindle, cheat, scam and commit all manner of vile crime "because they want money".

This excuse is fielded in place of any remorse or any feelings for victims or their families.

The alacrity with which this lying human toilet of a ladyboy turned the story so that he/she could posture as a victim is further evidence of his/her expectation that he'd be able to turn the tables against a non-Thai. The underlying contempt, jealousy, and cowardice embedded in the officially sanctioned xenophobia produces Thai crims who expect to be able to do this.

In other words there's always a decent chance that the crim could get some traction with this kind of excuse.

The ugly but inescapable truth here is that crimes against foreigners, be they Burmese laborers, package tourists or expats are viewed by the cops as an annoyance that police wouldn't have had to bother with if this alien had stayed in his own country.

If he'd actually rearranged the face of this thieving whiner and broken his arm as warranted there'd have been a tag day for the lazy good-for-nothing waste of space.

The blazing afternoon sun has assisted the ,ainstream PTP in purging a radical faction.

Going almost unnoticed during the run-up and actual deployment of this " choom-noom" the leader was able to gas a coupla websites she didn't like.

No outrageously severe sentences mind you but this *is* an example of the morphing process whose end result is " plus que ca change, plus que c'est la meme chose.

Clever gambit.

Unlike many TV members, I am not close enough to any high-powered Thai players to get inside information. Neither do I have the financial acumen to predict a policy change like the one we saw today.

But I like to think I do my best

The push-pull between Thai exporters and insiders who benefit from a strong baht was easy enough to time and to follow but it was always going to be difficult to know just exactly they'd firm up the rate.

In spite of this, I'm still smiling (see ;-?) about a fairly large trade I made early this afternoon.

I was given current top rate for a sight bill early this afternoon. However, in the ten minutes it took to get from one department. to another, my home currency popped a few more pips.

When exchange girls downstairs finished updating my passbook today's transfer had not yet appeared.

They called upstairs again and the guy who was doing the trade actually told us that if I waited a few minutes I could get the best rate of the day.

The decision to wait would be up to me.

Perhaps it was his way of saying thank you because I'd spoken clearly to him in English as his boss had looked on, but I thought that it was mighty cool of him to hold the deal for my best rate.

Red Shirts "street work"= stalking horse for any radical agenda that may be hovering in Party Ranks.

It'll will stmble out into the blistering hot sun and onto the proving grounds.

It will collapse.

The Peua Thai leopard will changes a few spots in order to conform to traditional hierarchy patterns

The names and the faces change.

Peua Thai morphs gracefully into the new "armnaat".

Forty thousand Baht isn't enough anymore ?

Why does this and/or rumors and complaints of this come as rockin' good news to some of us.

Thailand on 40k THB ?

Of course you can. Good honest hardworking Thais from the emerging agrarian classes do it all the time and on much less.

They also manage to live happy fulfilling lives.

It's about managing one's expectations as well as one's money. Learning to speak read and write proper Thai costs nothing but delivers massive returns and respect. Learning to eat properly and appreciate and be grateful for what one has is a big part of it.

Hanging out in Nana, Cowboy, Club Rao, the Florence?

Hey, fuggeddaboudit.

;-)))

And yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know that Yaowarat gold, even Thai bullion, is only 23 kt.

It's not bullion as such.

Kitco will take it on after they assay it in their smelter at your expense and their are *still* line-ups of Thais who want to to buy it as a storage of wealth.

The price of gold and silver bullion, 999 Fine Gold bullion has been corrupted by massive dumplings of paper positions most notably naked shorts and paper positions that never entitled their holders to delivery of anything.

The big attraction of paper is that you can buy it on margin.

BMO was offering 10/1 four years ago.

You want bullion? You get a few weeks credit but you don't get credit until the check clears.

You try to kite the deal like you effectively can with paper gold and derivatives and they will send you to jail.

Paper positions the same as 999 London Good Delivery List bullion ???

Hey, fuggeddaboudit.

Why are people trying to argue about what's already happened?The answer to the question of 'How much of an effect will it have on the market?',is the biggest single one day drop in gold bullion in three decades!

That's how much of an effect it had,only on Thai Visa could people argue it's a drop in the ocean and nothing will happen when it just has!

What's the follow-up thread,'Is Black really White?'

Your "biggest single day drop in gold bullion" is false.

Bullion didn't drop.

It's the paper position (ETF, Derivative, Futures) margin buying paper hangers that took this hit.

The bullion market is another kettle of fish.

Please don't come back with another opinion here.

Facts.

Possibly the most ridiculous statement I've ever seen,spot gold is the price at which gold bullion is bought and sold.If you don't understand that you really have no business posting here!

Ok, eesat, some people on this thread would like to know where they can buy .999 London Good Delivery List physical gold (bullion) for "spot".

Been to Yawarat to see what's for sale lately? Chains and trinkets

Have you read anything about mainlanders from PCR mobbing Hong Kong's gold dealers?

Have you noticed that Tulving, Gainsborough, Kitco and the other big dealers have pulled their physical gold off the market.

Have you noted that the premiums on physical gold and silver have increased dramatically in response to demand for physical on

(What was it?) paper ????

Before you order a poster off the board or out of a thread because he does not agree with your opinion on something you know little about I would advise you to learn something about the subject at hand.

You and gold ? Fugeddabowdit

And *me* and what *I* know about buying and selling gold ?? Fugeddabowdit

This might come as a surprise to you, but the origin of pizza is actually Italian.

No, the origin of pizza is pan- Mediterranean.

The double "Z" in this word is pronounced "tz" as in Vizzavonna " Vitzavonna" in some regions and "T" in others.

Pita, pitza, pizza = a flat peasant bread round, covered in tomato sauce, cheese, olives, onions, even eggs, ground meat, sausage etc, or practically any regional preserves like *just about anything". It's laid down in an oven from which it is pulled when its ready.

We all know about that.

Each Mediterranean region has its specific name for this ageless assembly of whatever is around the house but to suggest that pizza is uniquely Italian makes no sense at all.

Pizza ? Italian ?

Frankfurter, Hamburger, American?

Hey, fuggeddaboudit.

Well, mister Google, the pizza as we know it has its origins in Naples (Napoli in Italian) which is a city and region in Italy, hence the origin is Italian.

I suppose if one restricts one's frame of reference and one evidence so that one's conclusion fits one's postulate ( "as we know it" ???? really?? ) then in the realm of one's woefully stultified reference field one is going to be right all of the time.

As in "the Neapolitan pizza is Italian"

Fughedabouddit

Isn't the real question 'does Thailand fancy itself to be a tourist destination, or are all f'lungs adventure tourists & should be made to eat som tum poo 3 meals a day?'

No

This might come as a surprise to you, but the origin of pizza is actually Italian.

No, the origin of pizza is pan- Mediterranean.

The double "Z" in this word is pronounced "tz" as in Vizzavonna " Vitzavonna" in some regions and "T" in others.

Pita, pitza, pizza = a flat peasant bread round, covered in tomato sauce, cheese, olives, onions, even eggs, ground meat, sausage etc, or practically any regional preserves like *just about anything". It's laid down in an oven from which it is pulled when its ready.

We all know about that.

Each Mediterranean region has its specific name for this ageless assembly of whatever is around the house but to suggest that pizza is uniquely Italian makes no sense at all.

Pizza ? Italian ?

Frankfurter, Hamburger, American?

Hey, fuggeddaboudit.

Reading your account of the way you treated a probably 45kg shop assistant and and reffering it to a ' battle '. ( how childish ) and then seeing you were a great military hero and manager I personally think you are an out and out bully and hope one day a taxi driver gives you a slap.

Loved it, Mr. Buffalo ;-)

I just *loved* it :-)

If you're looking for a stoopid answer to a stoopid question arising from some stoopidity that you could have avoided by

a) staying sober

not trusting an impoverished local who knows they'd been dealt a good hand as soon as you poked your head around the corner

c) waited a day before handing over the money

d) treating a local with the respect you should treat all strangers (this does not involve giving away money)

e) asking yourself if the local would have dealt, acted or charged a Thai man of your age and status in a similar fashion

Etc., etc, etc, ad infinitum . . . . . .

You have definitely come to the right place.

There will be no shortage of unbelievably stoopid suggestions from a sector of predominantly male TV members who have (several times within recent memory) done stoopider things.

Most others will laugh at you for your stoopity or in a half-@ssed stab at identifying themselves as an exceptionally droll chap of unusual wit and background, to whom a visit to some gawd-forsaken dust-bowl mansion would be well worth the time you'd spend getting there.

You are trolling for cries from existential hell.

I see you have had a rather good response.

Donnie

This is a great idea.

You should see them try to pour champagne at any of the big Thong Lor clubs. Even with a bottle of Dom they'll pour it out like whiskey.

Had a bottle of Dom at the 4 Seasons. The wait staff opened the bottle before they put it on ice... needless to say we got the manager and requested a new bottle. Don't wanna know who's paycheck that came out of. Best to just keep the bottle away from the wait staff.

One must take unusual precautions here when ordering a decent drop.

Ever wonder why the heavy reds like Amarone, Cab Sauv, or some of the heavy Australians and Chileans taste like sherry ? Well, it's probably a storage issue. The air-con goes off at night. And a few weeks of roller coaster temperature regulation plays real havoc with the reds.

You can bet that you'll be getting the bottle that's seen the most storage abuse.

A properly chilled Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc is a lost cause from waitstaff who have already tried to tell you that the Baramundi you have in front of you is sea bass.

Your carafe wine will be of the bagged variety and your waiter will be jamming that witch's p1ss into your class at every opportunity.

Then there's the non-stop affirmative noddie-bobbing to get you to accept some barstewardized concoction of cane whiskey, carmel and vanilla is the Bourbon you ordered. He'll even bring over the bottle to persuade you to accept this nonsense.

It's insulting.

Just ask yourself. Would any well-travelled Thai be put through this ordeal. And be expected to swallow that all this pushy jamming behaviour was "service" ???

If you have been made to bend over backwards in homage to some arcane wai-ing gesture or some other "Thai culture" nonsense rule but made to put up with this kind of cr@p it's time to grow a pair and shut this jive-@ss double dealing down.

Just keep smiling and speaking quietly and requesting to speak to the European in charge. (Always works)

There's Yelp as well.

Pull out your phone and let that screen come up in a Five Star hotel and your legitimate complaint will be addressed.

You are in control here; not some skiing, lying, drink-pushing, fool without the sense to realize that a patron who can pay upwards of 15K baht for a bottle of Dom knows how it should be served.

Did the guy shake it vigorously before firing the cork into the ceiling fixture?

Has anyone found a diplomatic way of bridging this gap between driver & the Thai wife/gf?

As "the man" in Thailand interacting with such people is your job, not hers.

You speak with the driver, she stands quietly in the background.

She shouldn't be speaking with the driver when out with you, and she knows it.

She owns you in all your foreigner glory and she wants this taxi driver to know it.

I'm not going to push her into a confrontation with a fellow Thai;

Firstly, why would you want to push anyone into a confrontation with anyone, irrespective of their nationality?

Secondly, you have your own, kinda 'these are the rules, I'm gonna make people stick to them' way of getting taxis, but your wife and plenty of other people (myself included) have their own way of doing things.

Why do you want to change her behaviour? What difference would it make? If you flag a taxi down, state your destination and you get "ไม่ไป" as the response, get another one.

Relax. This is small stuff. You could, if you wanted to, turn it into big 'I know I'm right and I'm gonna prove it' stuff, but where would it get you?

It might get you to where you're going slightly quicker, but it might also get you nowhere, fast.

Why pick a fight over taxis? Hardly worth it really. Attempting to modify other people's behaviour is, in my opinion, rarely successful, contentious, argumentative, annoying, and slightly egotistical.

Many things are cultural differences, some things are just differences in the way individuals behave.

I think this is the latter.

"White-Man's-Burden-itis"

I really don't care if they are legally obliged by the terms of their licenses to take you where you want to go.

Who really wants to get into a taxi and make him go somewhere he has said he would prefer to stay out of ?

Wait and take another one for gawd's sake.

Bangkok taxis are about the world's cheapest.

This is just one more example of your basic silly TV reader tosspots who get into a snit because hey can't "enforce" the standards and practices from over 'ome, over 'ere. The wai things ah doon in the Youuu Kaaay.

Most taxis, even the drivers who can speak a little English can't understand the fractured pronunciations these idiots bring to Thai place names anyway.

A profanity post has been removed as well as a reply. A troll baiting post has been removed as well.

Yeah, thanks, I don't know what got into me.

Why are people trying to argue about what's already happened?The answer to the question of 'How much of an effect will it have on the market?',is the biggest single one day drop in gold bullion in three decades!

That's how much of an effect it had,only on Thai Visa could people argue it's a drop in the ocean and nothing will happen when it just has!

What's the follow-up thread,'Is Black really White?'

Your "biggest single day drop in gold bullion" is false.

Bullion didn't drop.

It's the paper position (ETF, Derivative, Futures) margin buying paper hangers that took this hit.

The bullion market is another kettle of fish.

Please don't come back with another opinion here.

Facts.