Gecko123

Should have checked thoroughly with people in the area before taking the cat. I'd be pissed too especially as there was every indication that the cat was not a stray.

This is the point I was trying to make earlier. There is a power dynamic and sexual undercurrent at play in the tipping ritual, particularly in a sex tourism setting where it is mostly foreign men who are the tippers and mostly local women who are the tip recipients.

You sound like a decent guy. I assumed you were in Pattaya because you posted in Pattaya forum.

Actually, in some circumstances tipping can be a demeaning reminder that the person tipping is of a higher socio/economic status than the person receiving the tip. This thread is about tipping in Pattaya, which as many posters have pointed out, does not necessarily reflect patterns elsewhere in Thailand. Sure, it's endemic in Pattaya's bar scene (lady drinks, tip anyone who comes to your table, tip the bartender, etc.), but let's take a look at tipping outside of the bar scene. The examples of the people the OP says he tips are mostly men (parking attendants, gasoline vendors, doormen) which, if true, is commendable. But, given the contempt voiced so often on this forum towards Thai men, I suspect that most commonly it is Thai women who are receiving these tips, often handed to them with a hopeful gleam in one's eye that perhaps this largesse might lead to some romantic encounter with the chamber maid, front desk clerk, waitress, soft drink or grilled squid vendor, or that at a minimum you will be rewarded with a broad smile, genuflection, and perhaps a hint of tears welling up in her eyes for your 50 baht tip. I strongly suspect that much of the tipping of women that goes on in Pattaya outside of the bar scene is often little more than a predatory sexual overture done more out of an attempt to suss out potential economic vulnerability than any genuine humanitarian impulse. And just as a reminder, there are many other ways besides tipping to contribute to the welfare of the community (donations, volunteer activities, etc.), so stop acting like tipping is the sole barometer of a person's generosity. Also, even in Pattaya, there are certainly many, many Thais who have the same wealth and income as many expats, and I highly doubt that their pattern of tipping their fellow Thais follows the Western pattern of tipping.

I realize this thread is in the Pattaya forum and tipping is probably more prevalent there than it is in many parts of Thailand. In rural Thailand I don't interact with doormen, or security guards because there aren't any. There's a security guard at my bank who holds the door open when I enter the premises. It has never even crossed my mind to give him a tip, and I'm sure it has never crossed the mind of 99.99% of the Thai customers either. Same is true for Thai customers of hole-in-the-wall noodle shop restaurants. I give New Year's tips to bottled water delivery, septic pump, and package delivery guys. If someone hops on their motorcycle to guide me to an out of the way place I'm looking for, I'll certainly offer them a tip. It's not a question of being a "mean lousy tight a$$," as you put it, it's that the culture in smaller towns and villages is different. Of course, on some level, everyone appreciates being handed money unexpectedly, but as I pointed out in my earlier post on page 5, indiscriminate tipping to "grease the wheels" so to speak, does raise expectation management issues over time. It's not Just all rainbows and unicorns as the OP's post would have one believe. Not that it's likely to change your point of view, but Google is telling me that the minimum wage in Pattaya (high tourist area/elevated cost of living) is currently 400 baht a day, based on a 8 hour work day, and just as a reminder, there are probably some broke-ass foreigners in Pattaya living on not much more per month. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that you might want to tone down the self-righteous knight-in-shining-armor rhetoric.

After years of on-and-off experimenting, I can't say I'm a big advocate of tipping. Yes, I still do it in certain situations, but I'm not known as a tipper. And I'm comfortable with that. First of all, it's not really a part of Thai culture - even today. You may engender obsequious and servile faux gratitude for handing out tips, but in general, unless you do it very consistently and steadily ramp up the amount given over time, you are just as likely to engender well-justified (albeit hidden) resentment that you are only doing it to play the good-hearted farang and to feel better about yourself, rather than being motivated out of goodwill for your fellow man. Another problem, especially in a close-knit community, is that it can breed resentment amongst anyone who hears about your generosity but has never been on the receiving end of your largesse. While no one is going to say this to your face, it is also entirely possible that your tipping will not so much be perceived as generosity but an attempt to "buy" social stature and acceptance, or raise questions about whether you have a pitying attitude towards them. Also, it can make you a target by making you appear to be a "soft touch" when it comes to being asked to loan money which will likely never be paid back. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from tipping here, but I'm less than convinced that tossing money around in handouts is the route to establishing mutually respectful relationships between foreigners and locals.

Amateurs, which further points towards inside job spur of moment crime of opportunity. Phones likely ditched out of fear of tracking software or unusable due to face recognition/passcode software. Cops likely suspect girlfriend, as do I.

When BBK first started to pressure me to get a house registration book, there was a period of time where I could have closed my daily account and moved to another bank and that would have been the end of the story. The problem was that I had several term accounts (3, 6, 12 and 3 year) all of which would have come up for renewal during 2026. I most likely could have cancelled all of these accounts early on, but this, no doubt, would have resulted in forfeiting the earned interest on the accounts which is something I didn't particularly want to do. I had several conversations with the branch manager about just letting me wait for the term accounts to expire over the course of 2026 without getting a yellow book, and the manager clearly told me that that would be acceptable. This was definitely not a case of me misunderstanding what he said due to language barrier problems. But in January when I attempted to begin the process of closing the first of the term accounts, I was abruptly told that I couldn't do this (transfer funds from a fixed account into my daily account). I was still able to withdraw funds from my daily account, which I immediately did, but I was prevented from transferring funds from one account to another. Regarding getting the yellow book, if your amphoe is anything like mine this is a very cumbersome process which involves getting a letter from your embassy verifying your passport is genuine, and then contacting the Thai foreign affairs office and getting some other verification from them as well. Not to mention the hassle of getting the owner of the property and the puu yai involved as well. Bangkok Bank did show me an internal document which showed that BKK would accept several alternative documentations other than a yellow book, including simply obtaining a letter from your embassy verifying that your passport was genuine. I was able to do this relatively easily by mail (1600 baht processing fee plus return courier 100 baht fee) with the US embassy with less than a week turn around time. I didn't see any benefit in obtaining a yellow book, as BKK bank is the only time I've ever been asked for a yellow book in 25 years of living here. Even though I have satisfied BKK's demand for verification of the authenticity of my passport, I am still leaving BKK bank for the following reasons. BKK's demand that I verify my passport (after 23 years of doing business with them) struck me as extremely high-handed and somewhat xenophobic. My understanding is that BKK experienced some problem with foreigners opening bank accounts with fake passports. I get that that is a problem, and banks have Know Your Customer requirements, but demanding that all foreigners go through the process of verifying that their passports are authentic, struck me as overkill and punitive towards foreigners. I thought to myself, would BKK be demanding that all Thai nationals verify that their national identity cards were authentic if they discovered that some Thais were using bogus id cards to open accounts? Of course they wouldn't dare do that because they know full well that there are a dozen other banks out there that a Thai could move to with the drop of a hat. BKK seemed to be banking on the fact that changing banks is a more cumbersome process for foreigners. And the thought that they would dare freeze or threaten to freeze accounts of ordinary Thai customers I find laughable. As I told several locals, if a bank pulled a stunt like that with Thais, Thai customers would be in the bank armed with machetes and pitchforks. The freezing, and threats to freeze my account as a foreigner living oversees was so jarring and traumatizing that it deeply shook my trust in BKK bank. I asked myself, if they were willing to do this to coerce me into complying with their high-handed demands, were there other circumstances where they would feel entitled to freeze or limit access to my bank funds, i.e., during a banking crisis? The other major turn-off about how this handled, is that there was never any effort to explain in English WHY the bank felt a need to do this, the proceedures needed to fulfill their request, or a full disclosure of what options customers had to fulfill the authentication requirement and what the deadline dates were. Another thing which stuck in my craw was that I was initially told by BKK's staff that getting a yellow book was a government regulation, and it was only after checking around with other banks that I found out that it was only BKK bank who was requiring this. All in all, I thought the whole thing was handled in an unprofessional, high-handed and arrogant manner which left a permanent bad taste in my mouth, and made the decision to leave BKK final.

I would say the biggest damage the SCOTUS ruling has inflicted on Trump is that his iron grip on the lackey Republicans in Congress has been broken. In order for these newly implemented tariffs to be extended beyond 150 days will require the acquiescence of Congress. Given how unpopular these tariffs are with the American people it is difficult to imagine Congress going along with extending them, especially on the eve of the mid-term elections. Once Congress balks at doing Trump's bidding over the tariffs, it's gonna open the floodgates in terms of challenges to his authoritarian grip on the government. You may be about to see a "panic in needle park" effect with Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from Trump in order to save their own hides. This morning's selloff in the crypto markets may be an early indication of a drop in confidence that Trump's ability to ramrod crypto friendly legislation through congress has been significantly diminished.

Fewer additives, gentle, pleasant alternative to major brands

I am absolutely convinced that Lamar Kendrick's half-time performance last year will end up being regarded as the best half-time performance of all time. It's current 4th best of all time rating by the critics does not do it justice. If you watch that performance with an impartial eye, it is nothing short of amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDorKy-13ak&list=RDKDorKy-13ak&start_radio=1 Half time show lyrics: https://www.google.com/search?q=lamar+kendrick%27s+superbowl+performance+lyrics&oq=Lamar+Kendrick%27s&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggBEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg5MgYIARBFGDvSAQg3NTEyajBqMagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The question you need to be asking yourself is what does it say about YOU that you can't understand the lyrics of songs sung by your fellow Americans. How is it that these rap and latin sub-cultures have thrived in your very midsts without you knowing the first thing about them? What does that say about YOU? Is it only the other guy's duty to assimilate, to master perfect English diction, while you exercise your prerogative to sit in judgement? Who the F appointed Trump (who has singularly terrible taste in just about everything) and the MAGA movement the Grand Poobah of what represents American culture? 50 million people in the US speak Spanish. What does it say about YOU that you haven't bothered to learn the language? Belgium and Switzerland have both French and German native speakers, and the majority of their citizens can speak both languages at least to some extent? Why is it that you think it is beneath you to learn Spanish? Again, what does that say about YOU?

Smart man. I'm in the process of doing the same.

Thank you for your response. That's an unusually large number of siblings still on the family farm, mostly one or two end up working the farm, the others leave to work away from the farm, perhaps only returning seasonally. If some of those siblings start doing things like selling kids pajamas, running food carts, working a farmer's market circuit, or engaging in stints doing migrant farm work, that could significantly limit their availability down the road.

What I am still scratching my head over is your claim that "multiple in-laws will be available to gather round and help." Can you clarify exactly who these people are who you say will be available to attend to your geriatric needs? You indicated in a later post that there is a 40 year age difference between you and your male partner. I can certainly understand that he will likely be physically strong enough to provide a great deal of assistance to you. But what I am trying to understand is who is this supporting cast of helpers who can be relied upon to pitch in any time help is needed. Presumably you and your partner do not have any children together. If your partner is somewhere between 35 and 45 years old, aren't his parents rapidly approaching an age where they will need assistance in their daily lives? There must be additional extended family members who currently or soon will require assistance, aren't there? Do you see a fist full of baht moving you up to the head of the queue whenever needed? Another thing that doesn't add up for me is that typically everyone in a rural family has familial or occupational responsibilities which more often than not are time sensitive, i.e., picking kids up from school, planting, harvesting, etc. People aren't sitting around twiddling their thumbs most of the time. How can you be so confident that your needs will take precedence over those of their immediate family? The point I'm driving home here is financially incentivizing your Thai in-laws to attend to your needs is not the same thing as imagining that you have so thoroughly endeared yourself through goodwill building to your Thai in-laws that they will put your future elder care needs ahead of all else. To me it sounds like a much more transactional relationship than you are willing to admit to yourself.

Went back and had another look at Kendrick Lamar's brilliant and electrifying performance last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDorKy-13ak&list=RDKDorKy-13ak&start_radio=1

Yesterday, every time I did a U-tube search for the half-time show all that came up were these chopped up out-of-sync compilation which were a horror to watch. Finally, today I found the official Apple music Bad Bunny half-time show, and it was a relief to see that the production values were so high and the great flow to the performance. The PBS video posted above gives insights into the symbolism and cultural significance of the vignettes of the performance. What ever happened to the America where getting introduced to something unfamiliar was treated as a welcome opportunity to find out about something new? Official NFL apple music bad bunny half time show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6FuWd4wNd8&list=RDG6FuWd4wNd8&start_radio=1

Below analysis of symbolism behind the half-time show might help coax you away from your dismissive low IQ verdict.

Anti-inclusion has got to be the ugliest and most un-Christian element of the "anti-DEI" mantra, which MAGA and the Christian right has embraced. "Inclusion is considered a foundational Christian value rooted in the belief that all people are created in God's image, possessing inherent dignity. Jesus’ ministry modeled radical inclusion by welcoming marginalized groups, including the poor, Gentiles, and women. While the mandate to "love your neighbor" drives this, perspectives differ on whether it requires affirming all lifestyles." Trump has disemboweled American culture. America's rich cultural diversity will continue to thrive, but the toxic, soulless, AI generated, corporate sponsored, Christian National shlock "culture" promoted by Trump's ministry of propaganda will be as unmemorable as the vapid cultural garbage which Nazi Germany generated between 1930 and 1945.

If you can't access the on line reporting system, chances are it's because your computer is too old (anyway that appears to be what prevented me from accessing the on-line system.) Besides, it was never a requirement that the report be made in person; mail-in reporting has always been an option. Once you access the on-line system, 90 day reporting is a breeze.

My comments were not a general comment about all of Thailand. Of course, the quality of care in more urban or wealthier areas is going to be of a higher quality. My comments addressed the quality of care in rural Thailand which is where the poster I was responding to lives. What I said was: "I'm not suggesting that the elderly are neglected, although by Western standards they, in fact, are. It's just that because of low-incomes and lack of sophistication about elder care, the standard of care is most often rudimentary. The issue about the extent to which a foreigner would receive top quality care from the extended family is really a non-starter for me. This is based on the rudimentary level of care provided by Thais to other Thais which I have observed on multiple occasions over the years provided to even the most beloved and revered members of the family, due to lack of resources and lack of sophistication about elder needs. That standard of Thai-to-Thai care has to be treated as the benchmark for whatever care a foreigner would receive. Now, if a foreigner had the funds to buy a wheel chair lift transport van to transport himself to Bangkok's top rated hospitals, buy all manner of convalescent equipment, pay for at home nursing and physiotherapy, the latest medications, recreational outings, etc., and retained the ability to direct his or her level of care throughout his convalescence, well, that would be a different story, but in my experience, that is rarely the case. I am also strongly of the opinion that family values and intergenerational ties have eroded significantly in the past half century in Thailand, and the notion that the elderly are cherished above all else is nowadays more often an aspirational cultural value than one which is vigorously practiced. I furthermore have seen little evidence that foreigners enjoy anything more than muted benefit from this value, especially, as it is sometimes claimed, from the extended family. I have seen marketing material from assisted living facilities in Thailand which claim that the staff have culturally engrained nurturing instincts, and I think this is mostly outdated BS.

I would say romanticize Thai family values and respect for the elderly, particularly as to the extent they extend to foreign in-laws at your own peril. 99% of elderly Thais in rural areas who are no longer able to care for themselves end up disappearing into the house, rarely, if ever, to be seen again. They quickly become bed-bound. Physical assistance, therapy, recreational activities are quite limited. Dietary, medicinal and medical access is minimal as well. I'm not suggesting that the elderly are neglected, although by Western standards they, in fact, are. It's just that because of low-incomes and lack of know-how, the standard of care is most often rudimentary. If you want to explore what the realities of elder care in rural Thailand is really like, I suggest seeking out and visiting a family or two in your community who are caring for an elderly relative.

Since 2017 I've kept a log entitled "thoughts on relocating" , which essentially weighs the pros and cons of staying in Thailand versus repatriating or moving to a new country. One pattern I've noticed is that the decision to leave has been repeatedly postponed as I favorably reassess my health, and take stock of what's going on here and around the world. Future reliability of social safety net payments as well as climate change are two significant factors weighing on the decision. It looks to me like I will probably hang tight here in Thailand for at least a year or two more. On paper, financially speaking, things look quite rosy, but there's so much uncertainty about the future, I find myself unable to walk away from what is essentially a free housing situation here until I am absolutely certain I can take that risk. I am well aware that I may end up paying a hefty 'opportunity cost' by being overly cautious in this regard, but that's life, right?

I think you got my point that just because you are able to pass a Thai driving test doesn't necessarily mean it is advisable to continue driving at an advanced age. Self-assessment of frequency of near misses, minor fender benders, slowing reaction times, confusion and difficulty orienting, the degree to which passengers feel safe with you behind the wheel, assessment of health problems which aren't necessarily screened for on a Thai driving test, and feedback from friends and family about your performance behind the wheel is what I was talking about.

Would just add that whether or not you can successfully obtain a drivers license in Thailand, an honest and objective assessment of your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle needs to be periodically made in order to protect the safety of you, your loved ones, and the general public. Please don't lose sight of the fact that the driver license screening process in Thailand is less than optimal, and does not involve an on-the-road evaluation of your driving skills, as is the case in many Western countries.