4 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

As in the words of a Judge I just knew you were going to say that. 

Einstein has a lower IQ than me. 

I Doubt That

I replied today as you will read below to another post today about "Have you ever been a victim of violent crime in Thailand?"

Sorry if you read this already.

However, on reflection I realise that my reply was probably not directly relevant to the question, but I feel it deserves an airing in its own right and welcome your replies if the moderators post it.

The only violent crime I have experienced personally was being kicked in the shin by a ladyboy with platform shoes (which caused internal bleeding leading to cellulitis and 11 days in hospital on IV antibiotics) and a 20,000Thb bill.

However, I have been the victim of other "non-violent" Thai crimes.

I was threatened by a street vendor with a knife for unwittingly parking my car on his patch just as he was arriving with his "Mobile Restaurant". When he pulled a knife I jumped into my car with him yelling some Thai unutterables...mostly E-HEEYA (however you spell it)? and as I drove off he knifed my car leaving a forty inch scratch across 2 door panels.

Another time when my passport had been lovingly laundered by my girlfriend with my shorts, I got ripped off for a bribe at Samui immigration by "Mr. Angry"  the Head bloke (whom I believe is now in Jail for corruption? Please feel to confirm or disagree....just a rumour I heard).

I went to get my extension of stay based on retirement. At first he refused to give me the extension as many of the the stamps had been washed out. After getting my friendly Visa Agent involved (H****rt) if you live on Samui you will know who I mean......he agreed to do it,

but charged me 11 Grand....A non-violent crime?

My original reply was as follows:

51 minutes ago, Poottrong said:

"Why do farangs come to Thailand if they dislike Thais and "Thainess?"

 

Well I don't think people come here with that attitude, rather it grows over time.

 

Here is a list, not in order and not exhaustive:

 

- endemic high and low level corruption

- questionable work ethic

- the lying, trickery and low cunning that Thais readily use not only to foreigners but also among themselves

- racism (if this word is too strong replace it with something else) towards non-Thais

- inability of the society and culture to evolve over time and lack of intellectual curiosity

- cruelty towards animals

- endemic littering

- low levels for community spirit and cooperation

- lack of consideration for society at large with intense focus on the narrow confines of family matters

- prolific amount of illegitimate children and absentee fathers

- the selfish and inconsiderate way that they can treat people close to them who have money

- the pathological way that people of good will can be taken advantage of

- the terrible schooling system

 

A couple of caveats: these are generalisations and not all Thais are like this, there are plenty of exceptions and I can think counterexamples to each one however even Most Thais I know will agree with the above general descriptions though. Also, uptight Westerners and grumpy old man syndrome are real things and we can get carried away.

 

Now all that said, there are plenty of problems in the West: nanny statism, PC culture gone mad, multiculturalism, welfare induced entitlement, over regulation and taxation, insane cost of living etc etc.

 

When all is said and done I prefer Thailand, despite its problems (I could do another list with all the positives) but I would suggest that people who don't see any problems with Thailand and Thainess have either not been here long enough to understand the culture and language, have not thought about it deeply, or are just being willfully ignorant.

 

Also, as posters have already pointed out, many of the things that are problematic about the country are interlinked with the positives and fixing one would impact the other. It is what it is.

 

 

 

 

 

Well said

Been here (mostly Samui) 12 years on and off.

About 5 years ago I picked up a bar girl and we "got on" pretty well or so I thought and she became a regular over-nighter.

Then she left Samui but called me several months later from somewhere up North and said she wanted to come for a holiday on Samui to see some friends and asked if she could stay with me for a few days. So I said okay.

So she came and we had fun for a few days but shortly after she left I was at the ATM and noticed my Balance was much lower than I expected.

So I went to my bank and got statements (KTB do not issue them automatically) and went through the transactions and noticed several withdrawals of 20,000 Thb around the time she had stayed with me. I always keep a minimum of 1m Thb in my account for retirement extension purposes and I noticed that suddenly I was down to about 900k.

It transpires she had watched me at the ATM and secretly took my card, stole the money and returned the card to my wallet without me knowing. The mistake she made though was I had put a maximum withdrawal limit of 20k per day on the card and just before she left she got greedy and did an ATM transfer for 60k to her own account. In total she had taken 160k.....could have been much worse.

So I went to the tourist police in Chaweng about 10km from where I live as the local police do not speak English and were not interested anyway. I devised a sting to catch her and they agreed to do it.

So I invited her to come back to Samui for a few days and arranged to meet her a a local bar in Lamai at 1:00pm. The plan was I would buy her a drink and once she was settled go to the toilet and call them (they were waiting round the corner).

So she arrived and it went like clockwork. When they arrested her she went ballistic screaming she was innocent and they struggled to bundle her into the cop car. She even jumped out of the offside door to try and escape so I "rugby tackled" her and stopped her. They were going to her back to Chaweng to charge her and asked me to sit in the back with her.

I politely refused as by now she was a "wild cat" and said I would go on my motorcy and meet them at the Police station in Chaweng some 30 minutes drive away.

I duly arrived but there was no sign of the cops or the girl. After waiting 20 minutes or so I asked the desk sergeant what was happening so he called them and they said they had been delayed enroute. I waited another 30 minutes and still no sign so I said to the DS I was going for a coffee round the corner and asked him to call me when they arrived,

After another 30 minutes or so I had not heard anything so I went back to the cop shop, The two cops were there but no girlie. They told me she had got out of the car and run away when they had stopped at some traffic lights (they had not handcuffed her).

I let them know that I thought they were bullshitting and had taken a bribe at which point they "Advised " me to leave or face arrest myself.

Admittedly this was not physically "volient" but it will be if I ever see her again.

Never heard from them or the girl again and KTB said it was my fault and refused any compensation.....what do you think??????

Should have gone to SpecSavers! 

2 minutes ago, joeyg said:

Didn't as far as I know. Everybod

• Quote

y tells me I'm still the life of the party and why don't I ever take anything seriously... 

Well I was joking but it obviously went over your head....Must be my English sense of humour ...Sorry!

2 minutes ago, joeyg said:

This is an open forum with an open exchange of ideas and opinions if you don't like it please don't participate and contribute useless comments. Thank you

Hey joeyg....when dd you lose your sense of humour????

So has everyone finished?.....thank <deleted> for that!

To the OP....why don't you ask the question again, but give some more indication about where you will be and when?

Having said that I think it is pretty clear from most who have responded that the weather patterns have changed in most places in the last few years and accordingly impossible to predict with any certainty....so it's like I said in my post "Depends on the weather".

On Samui you never can tell..."Depends on the weather" as they say.

I have been coming here for 12 years and lived here permanently for 8 years.

We have had everything from severe drought with chronic water shortages to floods and it doesn't seem to matter what the month is anymore.

Definite change from when I first came when there were 3-ish seasons...Hot, dry and rainy.

Sorry I know this doesn't help whether you are planning on a Samui trip or not.

Where are you going BTW....perhaps someone from that locale will be better informed?

"When I recover I'll be back in the sea," he said adding bravely: "No shark is going to stop me!"

Oh REALLY????

On 4/12/2018 at 1:36 PM, siam2007 said:

Malaysia Airlines

That's because it's a "Oneway Ticket" so they don't give a "Deleted"

On 4/12/2018 at 8:42 PM, mstevens said:

In 10 years time from now, the year 2028, my predictions for expats in Thailand are as follows:

 

- The cost of living in Thailand (particularly in Bangkok) will be significantly higher due to inflation running at a higher rate than the West and the baht increasing in value against all major currencies.  Thailand will not be the bargain it once was.  Central Bangkok rents and the general cost of living will push many expats out in to the suburbs and expats living in central Bangkok will be those with money / professional expat positions / those who purchased property back when prices were much more reasonable.

- The retirement visa age and financial requirements will be revised with the age pushed up to 55 or 60 and the financial requirements doubled, reflecting the increasing cost of living and the simple fact that Thailand's booming economy is not reliant on income from retirees.

- Thailand will be in the top handful of countries in the world for visitor numbers with in excess of 60 million visitors per year, more than half of whom are Chinese.

- The influence of China on Thailand will become greater and more visible with more investment from China, Chinese tourists dominating visitor numbers and the Chinese language becoming more important and being taught more widely.

- Infrastructure in Thailand will be creaking with the airports, mass transit systems and the roads struggling to keep up with demand amid talks of massive infrastructure investment needed.

- There will be heated debate about immigration policy as the issue of demographics and the projections that the country's population could polarising the country.

 

Just a few things off the top of my head.

 

 

Well thanks for the "Brightside"...

11 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

UK as well.

 

Yes it would be better for everybody if you think in a pragmatic way and your analysis of situations is based on logic, but I'm looking at it in a more of ideological way.

 

I think you have to let people live their lives.  With a couple of exceptions - drugs and les majeste/other defamation laws - Thai people are truly free.

 

Just today I saw an accident after a guy had been doing wheelies outside Seacon Mall in BKK.  He was probably drunk.  I think that wasn't very smart, but I fully support his right to do wheelies on a soaking wet 3-lane highway at 90kmph whilst drunk.  He is a fine example of a truly liberated person and I respect his country for allowing him that freedom.  Similar scenes are no doubt being repeated across the country right now as I type this.  And it's such a contrast to the UK where you would more than likely end up in prison, or at the very least heavily fined and banned from driving (and the ban enforced).

 

Perhaps in the islands it would be prudent to warn people of the risks before renting them a scooter, then if they want to go ahead and drive it, let them.

 

But don't tell them not to rent it when there is no public transport and your only other options are expensive taxis or walking.

 

Phuket has just introduced a new beach to beach bus service which also calls at the airport.  It's run by the same people who run the BTS in BKK.  If Phuket of all places can do it, so can Samui.

I agree with you about lack of public transport on Samui, but no doubt the "taxi mafia" are influential in that.

However, the cost of taxis whilst a rip by Thailand prices are a fraction of the price you would pay in the UK or any other European country for a similar journey and are insignificant as part of a holiday expense.

You can get a motorbike taxi for peanuts (admittedly not my preferred mode of transport) if you want to save a few Baht.

However, you seem to be missing my point which is I don't care if some idiot gets on a motorbike, with no license, no experience, often drunk crashes and smashes himself and/or his is girlfriend up.

But what if he crashes into someone else causing death, injury or permanenet disabilty as a result? What if they hit you or your kid or one of your family?

Do you own a bike or a car and would you rent it out or lend it to someone with no licence, (thereby invalid insurance) who is on holiday and most likely to drive after a few scoops on extremely dangerous roads?

If your answer is yes than please do not reply....Hope you stay safe Dude!

4 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

For me it's more important that society remains free to do whatever they want to do.  There are many options for the people who are used to and prefer to live in nanny states.

Anarchy rules YO!.....I am no "Goody Two Shoes"...always in trouble at school, had more than a few "Run-ins" with the law in different countries over the years and always bend the rules, but never been a major villain....I am from the UK and hate their "Nanny State" mentality and enjoy the liberal law enforcement (or should I say lack of), but from a purely logical perspective when it comes to idiots who have never ridden a bike before, have no ideas how bad the driving is on Samui (and Thailand generally) it would probably be better for all concerned if they refrained ???

Get my Drift?

BTW which "Nanny State" did you escape from to come and live in LOS? Love your sentiment, but question your judgement!

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

A number of posters have pointed out how they 'don't want Thailand to turn into a nanny-state' ....

 

 

 

But, regulation doesn't have to be 'over-regulation'....  it's simply enforcement of existing laws which would save lives. 

 

Some people think that riding or driving around without a licence and insurance, and ultimately without any culpability for their reckless actions is 'freedom'... but that idea of freedom is flawed, is not actually freedom, its lawlessness, why not let these same people run around with guns... 

 

A healthy balance needs to be applied... some cross too far over the line and all too readily place the lives of others at risk - Policing this is not 'nannying' is simply policing those who present a danger to others... (the Policing needs to be much better of course)..

 

 

Well said.

On 4/12/2018 at 8:09 PM, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Disagree.  Would undoubtedly result in safer conditions on the road, but I don't want Thailand to become another nanny state.  Let people do what they want.  If they crash, let them suffer the consequences.  If you are worried about them crashing into you, you can consider not driving motorbikes.

Inexperienced riders are not only a danger to themselves, but also other road users and pedestrians and that is why they shouldn't be allowed to rent bikes.

Also I don't want them to crash into me whether I am in a car, on a bike or on foot.

1 hour ago, Golden Triangle said:

You're wasting your breath unfortunately, 99% of all tourists will never read this along with about 99.9% of Thais so you are effectively preaching to the converted - us the regular Thai Visa contributors, and as I know only too well, the driving skills in the rest of Thailand are exactly the same, so stick with your car if I were you, airbags, seat belts and a steel cage offer far more protection than any set of leathers or helmet  

Unfortunately GT I also agree with you 100%.

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

I've been driving here on Samui for 17-years now – one day on bike, and 16 years and 364 days in car – my experience after that time is that foreign tourists, and wannabe motorbikes, are the most dangerous counterparts. The Thais, with all the "stupidity" we aliens may think Thais perform when driving – we aliens obviously don't do the right Thai-way-of-thinking, so we regard it as "stupidity" – I can normally read them, probably because I got used to them after so long time here, whilst foreign tourists just do utterly stupid acts, they would never have dreamed of doing at home; including driving without (any) experience and/or proper driving license, and driving without helmet, and driving without travel insurance (they might have a proper license, however), and drunk driving.

 

The last very sad fatal case with a young Australian is just one of numerous examples of that.

 

The "wannabes", which can include both expats and Thais, drives too fast, and take too many risks by overtaking both to the left and to the right, often shifting down the road. Even when I'm driving 60 km/h – which is said by police to be the maximum allowed speed on the island – the wannabes overtake fast and noisy. And yes, we have experienced numerous accidents, also fatal, caused by speed, especially as the motorbike cannot brake in due time before hitting some obstacles; Maenam soi 1 recently seemed a case like that.

 

Some has mentioned, both in this site's forum, and in other forums, that the fault for many a foreign tourist's accident is caused by Thais, because they don't check for a proper driving license and insurance (travel insurance?) before renting out a bike. I disagree, it's the tourists own responsibility to know, that without a proper license one cannot legally drive a vehicle – even in Thailand – and without an insurance one takes a huge risk, and can put one's own family in an extremely difficult financial situation if something happens. Furthermore, it should be common knowledge to everyone that you cannot both drink (heavily) and drive.

 

And yes, traffic has increased on Samui, especially during the last decade, but the roads are in much better condition than before – the infamous "black holes" and sleeping dogs – also before the last decade's traffic boom I experienced numerous dead bodies on the road, sometimes almost daily, and even more than once a day (a tour round the island with three accidents where I saw covered, and presumably dead, bodies, five in all). Thailand has for ages – since the 1980'ies tourist boom – been well known for motorbike accidents; I don't think it's percentage worse now, but with many times more foreign tourists, the number has increased.

Well said KhunPer...I agree with you 100% on everything.

2 hours ago, weri said:

same here been riding motorbikes since age 14 and driving cars since age 17, became professional driver with trucks and buses, now at age 76 am still driving and just returned from Thailand where I was riding motorcycle in Samui and hired car in Chiang Mai to drive to Chiang Rai, however I don't agree with Mario 666, I feel perfectly safe driving in Thailand, as my rule is: " Always expect the unexpected" and just flow with the traffic and you're safe where ever that may be 

Thank you for your post.....As i said in my OP I drive "very defensively" , but I still think that with some of the idiots on the road it is still dangerous......If a jumbo jet landed on your head it would be unexpected, but how can you defend against that?

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

Because i only agree with 90% of your post

Sorry if I am being dumb....but which 10% don't you agree with?

19 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Yes, you are right (except that a car is of course safer, the chance to have an accident might increase, but the outcome for yourself would be way better than on a bike)

Probably everybody here will agree with you, so not much to talk about here

You are agreeing with me so why did you say "except"?

On 4/8/2018 at 5:39 AM, jenny2017 said:

Why Thailand? The shops must offer a special insurance that covers all expenses, including hospital and damage to the bike.

And bikes for rent should be checked every three to six months if the brakes, tires, chains, etc are good.

The cops must check on these shop owners and if they don't follow, a hefty fine should change their mind.

And of course no bikes for people without a license, a helmet of good quality a must? Would that be too much? 

In Thailand.....Dream on!