SoiBiker

You are outing yourself

Huh?

I think it makes sense to learn at least a bit of the language, adopt whatever local customs you feel comfortable with whilst respecting the rest, and not get all hung up and bent out of shape about whether the Thai people love you or just 'tolerate' you.

If 25 baht a week on gas seems expensive, can you actually afford any food?

Seriously..you think those of us that talk down about certain sides of Thailand really infact secretly wish to have it in our own lives..?

Are you on planet earth or what...?

As it's impossible for any man to understand women, and visa versa, I speak only for men, but yes.

You don't speak for all men. You certainly don't speak for me.

I hear ya. But Thai Visa seems to have a monopoly on men who have other reasons for being here as far as I'm concerned because I've never met one in person. I did meet some Canadians who said they came for the Curling but they were an exception I think.

You should get out of the bar now and then, maybe?

You mean you don't know some men prefer Thai women over others? That is the reason men move here. I don't think there is anything non PC about that yet.

That's the reason some men move here. Many of them seem oddly unable to comprehend that not everyone is here for the same reasons.

I don't use aircon and I leave the windows open the whole time. I'd be pretty puzzled by your insistence on keeping them closed, too, so I don't think this is really a Thai thing.

This has to be a whoosh.

The Thai teachers in my office insist on opening a window when the a/c is on, claiming that the a/c unit "pushes" the hot air out the window. Apparently they think that an air conditioner can magically create new cold air out of nothing, therefore the hot air needs to be vented out of the room.

Two years ago I converted my in-laws' unused garage (well it was being used for junk storage) into an office/workshop for myself. I installed a ceiling-recessed a/c unit which they all assured me was way too small. But after I replaced their louvered glass windows with fixed-frame, and added a second wall (dura board) to create dead air space for insulation, this small a/c is more than sufficient. I can turn it on for an hour, then turn it off and the room stays nice and cool for a good two hours afterwards.

I also installed a wattmeter inline with the a/c unit, to monitor my usage and compensate the in-laws fairly. I'm in that room all day and use less than 5 kWh (about 20 baht).

If they would just use a bit of energy efficiency smarts when they build houses, a little a/c would go a long way.

But we were talking about a room without aircon.

I don't use aircon and I leave the windows open the whole time. I'd be pretty puzzled by your insistence on keeping them closed, too, so I don't think this is really a Thai thing.

If you're not from a warm climate, AC is a must at this time of the year.

I'm from the UK. I don't use it.

Nope. I haven't used mine for a month. Prefer fans. Plus I find if you get used to air con the heat is much harder to deal with when you do venture outside.

"Let me tell you all there is to know about this place I've completely failed to build a happy life for myself in"

Most of the people on here seems to be of the 'lived here for ten years, hated it for nine' persuasion.

A more likely "perhaps" is that aside from the odd junket here you don't even live here.

You and remarks like this are the cost of shooting the squid in this barrel :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Because nobody can possibly have had a different experience to you?

This place amazes me sometimes.

Fairly easy to guess from your references that you are quite well on in your years, SC. As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the factors that affects this phenomenon. If you and your mates are on in years, one might assume you've either successfully arrived or don't care much anymore as not much can be done anymore anyway.

Has a profound impact. The older guys seem to generally fit this description.

I can't speak for Mr Cowboy, but the people I know here who like the place are generally at the younger end of the scale.

Like I communicated last post, you don't follow. Despite this, I'll refrain from making judgment about your intelligence or character.

'night

If you mean I choose not to follow you down yet another digressive path that's irrelevant to the topic under discussion, then yes, you're spot on.

Nice bit of name calling and running away, though. Classy stuff.

Huh?

I see you don't follow. It's OK. We're all just human.

Check the thread title, dude.

If your friends are doing well here, soipiker, they must be running a boiler room scam, selling fake investments or something.

Next time I need a perverted dickwad, I'll call you. Wait by the phone, okay?

No - they just have jobs.

What's with the random insult, by the way?

People are on guard because life is hard and it is not easy to switch between the hard external shell, if you will, and the relative vulnerability to open up to complete strangers.

That's the point and what it has to do with the thread.

That might be true for a sensitive soul like you. But I think for most a more likely explanation is that when you live in a big city, you don't waste your time talking to every Tom, Dick or Harry you happen to cross paths with.

Now you know me? Interesting.

How would you explain the obvious contrast that we see with Asians in Thailand? The Japanese seem to be more willing to open up and interact with strangers of their own nationality. Same for the ethnic Chinese here. Just 2 examples. I suspect that many of these Japanese are from some of the largest cities in the world.

Indeed a Japanese exec I chat with occasionally says that this unwillingness of Westerners to "stick together" is one of the things that baffles Asians.

Can you explain that using your theory?

The Japanese are Farangs now?

People are on guard because life is hard and it is not easy to switch between the hard external shell, if you will, and the relative vulnerability to open up to complete strangers.

That's the point and what it has to do with the thread.

That might be true for a sensitive soul like you. But I think for most a more likely explanation is that when you live in a big city, you don't waste your time talking to every Tom, Dick or Harry you happen to cross paths with.

Sure, they may live it here taken as a whole, but it doesn't mean they don't face all sorts of challenges of being a foreigner here trying to work and continue a career in a place we all would agree is rather insular and nationalist.

Many of these guys (especially those not close to retirement age) are stressed out. They'd be stressed in their home countries but more here for sure

Life has it's challenges wherever you live.

I'm not sure what any of this has to do with saying hello to people at the gym. Must we do this in every thread?

For the love of Pete! 'Whiners' is how it is spelled! http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Whiners

'Whingers' is that perverted guy that helps you try to score with some slutty chic, who would probably do you anyway. (for a few baht)

Everybody got it?

Whiners; people who complain constantly..

Whingers; perverted dickwad you didn't need in your game, but thought you did.

BTW, I don't agree with your comments, soicowboy, or whatever your name is....

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/whinger

We are in a rather nasty country, always under various threats from the locals who would mostly we rather not be around. It's a tough environment and not always easy to step outside of that and become as easy going as we might be in countries where we are not under constant pressure. Nobody wants to be vulnerable.

Speak for yourself. The country I live in is rather nice.

I'll speak for most expats I know who are involved in serious professional career here. The guys doing several hundred thousand a month and up. Competitive but not in a reasonable way.

How many guys you close to who make their money working in Thailand (not remittances from overseas) who do very well and who don't complain about how nasty the business environment is?

I know plenty of people who earn their living here and do pretty well for themselves. Most of them tell me they love it here. Certainly none of them describe it in the terms you do.

Maybe the country isn't the problem?

We are in a rather nasty country, always under various threats from the locals who would mostly we rather not be around. It's a tough environment and not always easy to step outside of that and become as easy going as we might be in countries where we are not under constant pressure. Nobody wants to be vulnerable.

Speak for yourself. The country I live in is rather nice.

Not everyone came here to get laid, chaps. Although I suspect we're in for several pages of people rolling their eyes at anyone who claims otherwise.