Thaiberius

Wasn't the fire tragedy in Ekkamai a few years ago due to a blocked fire escape?

I'm paid in £'s which my bank converts to THB for me and then pays this into my Thai bank. Glad to see I am now getting roughly 15 - 20% more baht for my money compared with a couple of years ago. Long may it last! A weak baht due to political turmoil suits this capitalist.

Hope you don't own any property or vehicles of any reasonable value in Thailand - in GBP terms they just got devalued by 15-20%.

please enlighten us why that devaluation

If the pound is strong against the baht then exchanging the opposite way negates the gains. In other words, more baht to buy a pound and less pounds to buy baht.

I'm paid in £'s which my bank converts to THB for me and then pays this into my Thai bank. Glad to see I am now getting roughly 15 - 20% more baht for my money compared with a couple of years ago. Long may it last! A weak baht due to political turmoil suits this capitalist.

Hope you don't own any property or vehicles of any reasonable value in Thailand - in GBP terms they just got devalued by 15-20%.

I don't own a car or property in Thailand. In the absence of a wife or children in the Kingdom I don't see the point in tying up capital in a volatile economy where, I suspect, there will be serious turmoil ahead in the not too distant future. Having said that I am a small investor in the Thai economy but my main income is from outside Thailand.

I'm paid in £'s which my bank converts to THB for me and then pays this into my Thai bank. Glad to see I am now getting roughly 15 - 20% more baht for my money compared with a couple of years ago. Long may it last! A weak baht due to political turmoil suits this capitalist.

These forum names are as well known to Thai's as they are to farang.

Some people are transparent.

Don't do it.

The link below gives details of GDP, unemployment, industries etc. However it is only valid until end 2012.

http://www.gfmag.com/gdp-data-country-reports/163-thailand-gdp-country-report.html#axzz31GtroQcq

Do any posters here have memories of Thailand in the 60's and 70's? I have watched movies on youtube and on the TV site of this period and it looks very very interesting. I guess the hardened attitude of many farang and Thai's hadn't developed back then and it was a more innocent time. Or am I just dreaming? I don't know if posting of pictures is allowed in this forum but if anybody has any links or personal memories I and I'm sure others would love to read about them.

Some of the videos and pictures I have seen are interesting to compare with today's Thailand, for instance Sukhumvit without the BTS, Walking Street in Pattaya finishing at the old tree near FLB, Patong being just a small village, Hua Hin being quaint etc etc.

Is it fair to introduce a breed with known breathing problems to the heat of Bangkok?

I've never seen a som tam bowl get washed apart from at the end of the day. How about the rats that crawl all over the street cafe's once they've packed up for the night? I always make sure any BBQ is hot and watch like a hawk if having something stir-fried in the street.

I change my lady out almost daily and they are all lovely.

Why are some guys obsessed with the social standing of their Thai wives/girlfriends? Seems pretty pitiful to me.

Not wanting to yank anybody's chain but I haven't worn a badge since I was 12.

Thought a beer condom was for drinking out of.

Politics aside, she is quite hot.

As farangs on Thai discussion boards we tend to think Thai's don't have opinions about us. Of course they do, they laugh at our habits, they criticise our behaviour much the same as we do to them. The only difference is we do it on the internet they do it face to face.

A smile, a little bit of Thai and confidence goes a long way regardless of how old or handsome you are.

A few weeks back I was staying in a hotel right in the centre of one of the STOP protests. It was more of a party atmosphere during the day with bands, music etc and at night the same but punctuated by televised speeches. Only friendly faces. There was free food for those staying in tents on site and more than once I was invited into the catering tent as I went about my daily business,

The big trouble is still to come and won't be related to Thaksin, Yingluck, STOP, red/yellow shirt.

Any reason why they should remember their past?

In western culture we are encouraged to be humble and respectful of our history. This has never been in vogue in Thailand. They love to be hi-so even if up to their necks in debt. Pretty shallow really.

I think you, like 90% of the people on this forum, have no real idea what hi-so means. It doesn't mean anybody who can afford to shop at Paragon or drive a car.

Your comment re. Westerners being encouraged to be humble is laughable judging by the behaviour I have witnessed over and over again in Thailand. I certainty don't see any sign of humility in your post.

Rather patronising sir. I think 90% of the people on this forum do know what hi-so means, very similar to nouveau riche or snobs or upwardly socially mobile with variable success. It isn't rocket science or are you looking for nuance where there is none?

I'm interested in your observation about westerners in Thailand, a infinitesimally small sample group of westerners in the world. I take it you aren't a data analyst by trade.

I can only talk about Thai's in the UK. My old town in the UK has a sizeable Thai population. They do tend to be quite insular as they will frequent Thai restaurants regularly and keep in touch this way. Outside of these environs it's rare to see them. One also has to remember the UK in places can be quite hostile to foreign people and therefore they tend to avoid mainstream gatherings.

As far as I am aware it's impossible for a farang to legal protection insurance in Thaland. There is a reason for that.

What is legal protection insurance? Or are you meaning liability insurance?

On my home contents insurance in the UK I have an add-on that covers me for any legal fees incurred should I have a civil legal problem. I have the same for my limited company as an add-on to my liability insurance to cover me for any legal issues arising such as unpaid invoices etc.

About 7 years ago I spent 3 months in a 2/3 star hotel in Bangkok. During this time I got friendly with the staff and often went out with them on their days off, temple, Royal Palace, dinner on the Chai Phraya etc. I've kept in touch with all of them and often go to visit when in Bangkok. Apart from one or two, the staff is largely the same as when I stayed there. One of the girls left about 18 months years ago to work in a hi-so hotel on Sukhumvit. I'd call it sumptious, the Sofitel. She now never contacts her old colleagues. I have popped in to see her on a couple of occasions and asked if she wants to go for dinner to see her old friends but she point blank refuses. I go to her old hotel and ask if they've heard from her but I am just met with silence. I don't enquire any further. Either they had a massive row when she left or she is now hi-so and has left her friends behind.