Thunderbirds20

1. Greek

2. Italian

3. Mexican

4. Szechuan

5. Indian

Isaan food is at the top of my not like list

This is no longer a safe place to be for foreigners, especially Farang, .... Never go out at night alone, never wear gold jewelry, never carry more than a few thousand baht and never get drunk, ...all of these make you a target! Sad that we have to take precautions like this now, but the world is a lot more dangerous place to be than it was 15 years ago

I live in Jomtien Beach and see this every day, ..Russians promoting tours and acting as guides that before only Thai people were employed to do. If I did this, I would be in jail so fast my head would spin, but Russians have been doing this for ages with no consequences!

Thailand used to be a safe and welcoming place for Westerners, but it seems there is a Westerner death every day now, ..in either suspicious circumstances or suicide! How I wish I could go home! ... but Thai wife got all my money and everything I ever had, so I can not even go out for a meal.

Welcome to Thailand!

When I moved to Jomtien Beach 6 and a half years ago, it was like Heaven. I felt safe anywhere, any time of the night or day, ... but now it is getting very bad. A reflection of the tough economic times, coupled with a drastic change in tourism demographics. Lots of Westerners were here and they went to restaurants, shops and bars, pouring their money in to the Thai economy, but now we are not so welcome. For some reason the preferred tourist is now Russian or Chinese, ...two nations that could care less about Thai Culture, Customs, Food, Religion or even people. The number of tourists is up, but most businesses are suffering, many have closed because the new breed of tourist does not go to Thai Shops, Restaurants, and Bars like Westerners did.

I no longer feel safe as an older person on my own. I have had attempts to steal my gold chain by drive by motorcyclists at least 3 times, .. been held up at gun and knife point, had things stolen from my room by supposed friends, ... this is not the best place to be any more.

My advice in one word, ... Don't!

I did this several years ago. the house was supposed to take 6 months to build and cost 1.5 to 2 million Baht, ..... it took more than two years, did not quite get finished before I ran out of money, .... it cost me over 7 million baht. the land was in her mother's name and we were going to transfer the title to my wife, ...... the land was not properly registered with the Department of Land, so no transfer could be made or lease given until it was properly registered. They said we had to get permission from the three people that owned adjoining land, ... one lived outside Thailand and was impossible to contact, ... it also needed to be surveyed, ..... when they discovered a farang was involved the cost to survey shot up to 100,000 baht.

Take my advice, .... buy a condo in your name, ..... get a Thai will made and make your wife the beneficiary. You can live in it yourself or use it for rentl income and when you die ... she can sell it and go through the headaches of building in her village herself.

I also live in a Condo in Jomtien Beach. I have been here 7 years as a renter, but am constantly plagued by short term Russian Tourists that rent the room below mine and insist on smoking on the balcony. When I first moved here there were signs up everywhere saying it was against the law to smoke anywhere in the building, but at some point that changed to a polite plea to not smoke in common areas or the balcony for the safety and good health of others.

I have to re-fight this battle every few months as a new Russian arrives for a one to three month stay. They ignore rules and do as they please. I have to ask the new arrivals to not smoke on their balcony as the smokes come directly in to my room and causes me problems as I have Emphysema. It is like talking to a pile of bricks! The pleas turn in to a report to the office, which then tells me, they can not do anything to stop people smoking.

The newest arrival is a rather portly Russian woman that does not understand a word of English or Thai. When I pleaded with her to not smoke, she got loud and apparently abusive in Russian. I continued my pleas until she arrived at my door, kicking it so hard, she sent a 5 liter bottle of water I have propped against the door to keep it from rattling in the wind, skittering across the floor.

I went down to the security desk and reported her for smoking. The guard made a note of her room number, but did nothing else. The next night, I yelled down to her to PLEASE stop smoking. She waved her cigarette at me and spewed more abuse in Russian, ... then arrived at my door with the Thai woman that rents to room to her and the same guard I complained to the night before.

I started to explain why I wanted her to stop smoking but the Thai woman cut me off, started yelling that if I did not like it here to move to another place! The guard took my photo and they stormed off saying what a bad man I am. This morning I made my case to the office, ... but nothing will come of it. I will have to adjust my life to suit them. Why does she not smoke in her room? Probably the Thai woman told her not to because it makes the room smell! .. so, .. better to stink up my room and threaten my health!! Welcome to Thailand!!

Thailand was one of my stops on a 'Round the World' one year plane ticket. I met a thai girl shortly after I arrived and ended up married, .. I did the same thing so many of us so stupidly trustingly do, .. built a house and helped her family many times, .. but also like so many others, as soon as my money was gone, ..so was she, .. sleeping with another farang while we were still married. I never slept one night in the house I built near her family home, but everything I owned was stored in it.

When I tried to get some of my things, I was denied access as the house is not mine. They kept everything, .. even my clothes. I was under 60 at the time and had no pension, so I was in a very tough spot. Luckily for me a friend helped me with some money to get by. My pension is very small, and getting smaller as the Canadian Dollar continues to drop in value, even against the Tai baht. My pension used to provide me with 22,00 baht. Now, it is not quite 17,000 baht.

I can not afford to go anywhere or do anything but pay my rent and buy my food and medicines. No way I can go for a holiday .. even overnight so there is no way I can relocate to another place or return to my own country.

This is why I am still in Thailand at 68 years old

It seems there is at least one death every day now, .... suicide, murder, accident, ... Pattaya is becoming a very dangerous place for Westerners to Vacation

It is about time!! Try looking at other Russian businesses, like tour companies and restaurants. I have lived in Thailand more than 10 years and until the huge influx of Russians, .. and now Chinese, I have never seen anyone but a Thai serving in a restaurant or working as a tour guide. I have even seen Russians in kiosks on the main streets handing out brochures, ...another job that was Thai only.

They are here because it is easy to come here and take over. They do not care about Thai Culture, Customs, Religion, Food or People. Immigration made a big mistake welcoming those two nationalities over all others

that location has been a dud for several other food outlets. I'll have to give this newest venture a go

Looks like the scapegoats have been turned in to sacrificial lambs

Take it from a guy that learned the hard way, .... buy a condo in your own name and pay the extra for professional assistance. I built a house and lost everything when my wife decided I had outlived my usefulness. you might think you are different, ...that is what I thought

A condo in your name protects you!

I renewed my Retirement Visa in August and did my 90 day report at the same time. I checked the visa was correct but neglected to look at the 90 day report slip. I pulled out my passport in mid November to see when I had to report and discovered they had stapled the old slip in my passport dated August 26. Cost me 2,000 baht for their mistake because Thais never make mistakes, ..that would mean losing face

Move to Jomtien Beach. It does not rain as much as it does in Pattaya ..... really!!

Go by BTS to Bangna, or take a bus. As for vans to other areas of Thailand, ..go to Victory Monumnet and walk around. They have vans to many places from there, usually leaving every hour

There are tons of Russians working illegally in Pattaya, .. tour guides, tour promoters, sales agents, not to mention the bars with Russians in Walking Street! Wake up Thailand and stop welcoming these people that do not respect your customs or culture. They do not like Thai food or thai people, .. they come here because this is the easiest place on the planet for them to come, .. you are now the only country that allows Russians in without first obtaining a Visa.

Do you ever wonder why the rest of the countries require them to apply for a visa first?

Get your first Retirement Visa at the Thai Embassy in your home country. They only require proof of funds in your country. Once you get that visa, you can open a bank account here in Thailand and get ready for your application for the second Retirement Visa

Sadly, ... Thailand seems to be discouraging people that respect Thai Culture and Customs, come to eat Tahi food and meet Thai people, .... namely Farang from Europe, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and prefering to entice people that come here because it is easy for them to come ... they do not respect Thai culture and Customs and do not even like Thai food or people, ... namely Russians and Chinese, ...

I am sure your numbers of tourists is up, but I also bet your revenue is down as these people tend to patronize their own hotels, restaurants and tour companies and spend very little in Thai owned businesses.

Walking Street in Pattaya is world famous and also infamous. I was there a few months ago and sat watching people walking by, .... in 15 minutes, I saw thousands of Chinese, all in guided groups, gawking and snapping photos then moving on, ...not one baht was left in Walking street, .... there are more Arabs and indians and even Black Africans than farang now. In the same 15 minutes, I saw 5 yes five Farang walk by

I have lived here more than 10 years and have never seen any bars other than Thai in Walking Street, ..no Korean girls, Japanese girls, Aussie girls, Europeans or American, ... but now there are at least 7 bars with Russians, .. yet you will never see a Russian in Isaan or Northern Thailand, ..only in the beach resort towns.

But there are many Farang living in nearly every village in Thailand, and helping support a Thai family, ... but we are out of favor now!!

Why does anyone have to ask this question? The answer is simple, ..... Farang are big, stupid buffaloes with lots of money. All they think is what will I have to do to get his money

Thailand is poving to be a very ignorant country!! Now you welcome Russians with a no visa requirement, ...and are the only country in the world to do so. Turkey used to allow that too, but the conflict in Syria stopped that! ... and the Chinese??? What are Thais thinking!??

So much for free speech!

I quit drinking more than two years ago, but still go to a bar with friends sometimes. What bugs me most, is that a 7 baht bottle of water often costs more than a bottle of beer

Most of the young Thai men I have seen are a waste of space, ..lazy, self indulgent and disrespectful. They could use a good dose of military training. Maybe some of them would learn to take responsibility for their actions, ..like caring for children they sire!

Knowing what I know now, ...No, ..definitely not!! I am tired of the double standards we face in every day life ... from inflated prices for us for almost everything food in the market, rentals, tourist attractions, Muy Thai fights, you name, ...we pay more!!

Also the fact that Thai men make babies and leave the woman to raise the kid on her own and no one says a thing about the flaky Thai guy, the girls say, oh he have new family, mai pen rain na!! ...but Farang come along and we must pay for everything, her kids, her family, buy a house, car and buffalo, ..or we are keeneeow, stingy or cheap!

Never get in a dispute with a Thai, ..you will lose every time. If you hit a Thai with your car, ..back up and run over him again to make sure he is dead, it will cost you less!

I have been to 40 countries, experienced several different cultures. On the surface Thais are friendly and polite, but most of them are not. They gossip about everything you say or do, ..try to cheat you or deceive you. I have been robbed at gun and knife point, had a gold necklace ripped from my neck by two guys on a motorbike, had things stolen from my room by supposed friends, been a target of pickpocketing on a songtao, ..... overcharged and short changed many times, ...... more so in Thailand than in all the other countries I have been to combined!

We are not welcome here and the ever changing rules and regulations governing us in Thailand prove that.