PapaGus

Finally, someone with some sense! I agree with pretty much everything in the OP. Having driven in the USA, as well as some other Asian and Latin American countries, I find driving in Thailand to be just fine. And the stats you quoted are correct. Most of the fatalities in Thailand are on motorcycles. Funny how the Thai-bashers are always quoting that fatality statistic without ever considering the reasons. On any given day--and very similar to the US--I find maybe around 5% of drivers are aggressive jerks. The other 95% are just fine...although something that irritates me even more than the aggressive drivers are the slow and meek drivers. I think some farangs in Thailand may be in that latter category.

Something people aren't willing to admit is that for a country with very little traffic enforcement, the Thais do very well in policing themselves. And yes, this does mean a lot of "common sense" maneuvers which some may find reckless but really is not if everyone understood the unwritten rules of the road. I personally find driving in Thailand to be preferable to driving in the USA and truly dread the day the police start enforcing traffic laws more, such as speeding.

No matter where I drive, or what I drive - and I used to drive cab in San Francisco - I always figure that every swinging dick behind the wheel or handlebars of thier vehicles is out to kill me - and thus drive defensively. Maybe this is why I have not had an accident in 40 years.....knock on wood - (my head).....I sure as hell don't tailgate - and on a bike, don't ride the white lines.....I am gonna get where I am going all in good time - and in once piece.

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Glitter, sweetheart, "Looking for normal people ... to hang out with". Why? Normal people are dull, predictable, hidebound, routine-driven and, thanfully, fairly scarce in this great city. Seek out the weirdos, the square pegs in round holes, the ones

who secretly play chess in go-go bars and you will find joy. Just keep your eyes open and you won't get hurt. Yes,

the frisson of danger around the whacky is alluring.

A recovering-relapsing-recovering-relapsing addict and a homeless guy who had been writing the great American novel for the past 12 years were probably the most interesting two people I knew when I was at school in the States. I cross the street to avoid

"normal" people.

LOL....your adventure? Playing chess in gogo bars?

Hmmmm..."normal" throws me. What is your definition of "normal"? Let me see, for 3 months earlier this year I traveled all over the Rangsit area on a scooter my Thai family gave me...I put over 800K on it - had lunch with monks at an out of the way Wat.... had a wonderful time. Normal? Me? I dunno, I just turned 72, lived with my "adopted" Luc Sow/Lac Sow, and Ta in their home - attended all kinds of functions - spent damned near every day exploring Thailand....had a blast. Screwed up and didn't get a visa for my second month - cost me a pretty baht when I flew home to America Dec. 29th...and I plan on returning in May. Gonna go for a Retirement Visa this next trip. I loved scooting down the road with my Bose bluetooth speaker belting out Dixieland and Country and Western sounds...got some thumbs up and some frowns, but what the hey, I was enjoying myself. This next time I am bringing me a backpack fishing rod. I stood out - western denim vest, Confederate Slouch hat....and moccasins. Frang's are rare creatures on the highways and byways I traveled - and I saw a lot and did a lot the average tourist never gets a chance to experience. Who needs normal when just plain enjoying the hell our of life is enough.

My Thai "daughter" introduced me to a number of gays, including the International Thai Champion Hip Hop dancer. No, I am not gay, just live in the Bay Area here in California. He's going to be here for the International Hip Hop competition in Vegas.

Let me see, the dance classes the Aom, my adopted grand daughter takes, is taught by a gay man, and always sitting watching is his partner who obviously did not like me even though I attempted to be friendly.

The only thing that really bugs me is that he has a high nasal and VERY irritating voice.

I am coming to Thai on in a few weeks to spend awhile with my family (Thai) and bringing my computer.... a wireless HP Touchsmart 610. I understand there is now free wi-fi in all provinces. Is this correct? Will I need to load any software? What problems can I expect to run into? What internet provider is best? I also have IOLO System Mechanic I plan on loading on daughters laptop to clean it up and improve performance. Any suggestions? Since I am heading into unknown territory, I'd appreciate a guide who knows the lay of the land.

I have a subscription to Netflix here in America.... have it on my iPhone, iPad, and of course my computer (not Mac)....will it carry over to Thai? It is paid automatically from my account in the states every month.

I will have to try the English to Norwegian to Thai.... but it will be a pain in the ass. I use Google and translate back and forth until I am satisfied. But it takes a long time.... even then it is not always exactly understood by my correspondent.

Question I have - am returning to Thai on the upcoming 3rd. I am planning on staying with my "adopted" family....and to stay 90 days or more... (a friend of the family has offered to marry me)... is about learning Thai... books, dictionaries... english to thai... where can I obtain them. The last bookstore I was in had no english language books whatsoever.

Translation only ?? Has anyone on say facebook reading a Thai typed comment, and pressed the translate to English button ??? it is complete and utter near non readable rubbish that does not even equate to English---example Bing. Anything in this land translated is never near the original, how on earth can posters here on TVF reply correctly.

I will be returning to Thai the first of the month, and this time I am bringing salt, pepper, garlic sea salt, and a few others I could not find here last time. My southern fried chicken recipe was a disaster since most of the ingredients and spices weren't available. I never did think to find a forum such as this one to ask advice.

I following the comments, and everyone seems to overlook that rape happens to young women all around the world....and it is a horrendous crime against women. Cultural differences be damned, there is never an excuse for rape. In my country, and not all that long ago, a rapist was hung from the nearest tree when caught.

I'm 71 and got me a 50-year-old is that way. However I talked to my doctor and got his prescription for Viagra. I'm Gonna die happy. What's your complaint?

Not too many people seem to remember that several years ago, a decade or more, illegal immigrants from Mexico were given citizenship in the US. There were literally millions of them. All that did was to encourage mass illegal immigration since then. Now we are faced with the same "crisis" as before... and our answer is to give them citizenship. Sure... and the masses of people applying for legal immigration find all kinds of blocks applied to their goal of becoming an American. Hell, just applying for a visa to visit is nearly an insurmountable task. My "adopted" daughter, even though she is a property owner, has family, and is employed as a supervisor for a municipality, has been unable to get a visitor visa... and she has to put up a bond of 500,000 TB. America, Land of the Free - is no more. And the Statue of Liberty proclaiming "Give me your poor, your huddled masses..." is now "stay the hell out".

face covered up, picking on a woman alone, very brave... i´d like to see him try that with a few big russian geezers sitting on the sand

Naw, a-holes like him only pick on who they consider weak. Had something like that happen at Samset to me, the idiot thinking I was old and using a cane.... until I told him I would l cut his throat and piss down it and "accidently" hit his shin with my cane..... my very heavy very thick very hard cane. Confrontation over. You know that old adage, you can't tell a book by it's cover......

Seems to me that everyone is overlooking the poor economy, the lack of good jobs available, and a whole host of other things. You do what you have to do to survive in a world that doesn't give a damn whether you live or die. And a lot of you left a world behind you to live in Thai. Accept it and go with the flow.

Go for Win8.1 64 bit, it's faster and safer than Win7.

My next desk top will be that or 9?

Admittedly Win8 was a flop when they launched it, they thought that everybody was gonna use a touch screen based platform.

Well as long as I can buy a desk top pc I gonna keep buying them and I am not the only one.

Go for 8.1 It has been bug free for me. I have a HP610 Touchscreen...wireless. Computer contained in the monitor...large screen... fast... trouble free .... though I do recommend you buy and install System Mechanic Pro by Iolo... works in the background to keep everything clean and operating at max...as well as acts as a firewall/anti-virus screen. Haven't had a problem in 5 years now using it... and they automatically upload and install any new fixes or upgrades.

I would stay away from Norton... it's as bad as any virus and getting it to uninstall is a headache.

Interesting. I am new to this forum, sort of feeling my way around. My situation is that I came over to Thai back in May and was a houseguest of a woman who regards me as her "father". We traveled all over Thailand, went to Samset, and I was introduced as family. I also taken to meet and chat with a monk at the Wat on the grounds of the Royal Palace... Ven. Pichtir Thitavanno. I was not allowed to spend any of my own money. One of her friends has offered to marry me so I can stay in Thailand. She owns two homes side by side and would put me up in one. There is a whole bevy of young people who call me "grandfather". I have been with them while they performed at various exhibits and functions, even a very formal funeral for an elderly lady. Strange feeling being the only white face in a huge crowd with all kinds of dignitaries and monks running around.

I mean, I can go on and on about the way I was treated... and now I am wondering just what I have gotten myself into. I am back home in the States and I am being told I am missed and I need to return to my "family".... which will be happening in mid-October.

So, the question is: What in hell is going on here? I am 71, a LONG way from being rich....