Kenny202

Never a truer word was spoken! I mean physical laziness is one thing but I can't abide mental laziness. My wife has an utter aversion to sit and think through anything for even a minute, when she has nothing better to do apparently than scroll through Facebook for hours investigating other peoples lives. Forget planning, they seem to give every opportunity in life to set them selves up for failure. Have you ever seen 2 Thais organizing to meet somewhere? Meet you near Lotus on big road (the big road is 15km long and has 7 Lotus shops). I miss not having someone to bounce things off or give ideas.

So true. And I pity the poor buggers much of the time but really in my experience they seem to pess it away as fast as they get it. Many businesses have a few good days and then shut for a couple. Only work when they need some money today. They just never get ahead and I don't know how you can help people like that, which covers certainly a majority of the rural people here. They are lucky they can return to their villages and live on literally nothing but rice, and plenty of other stuff can be readily foraged. Usually some family member will put them up. I really don't know how Thailand has survived thus far, particularly 2 years on. The Isaan and rural people working in the tourist areas sending money back home. Thats all dried up. I thought I could feel the economy starting to bite up here a few months ago but was in Makro yesterday and busier than ever. Makes no sense to me. One of the economic strengths of Thailand was before they had virtually zero employment and zero inflation. I don't know if anyone has noticed but general items here increasing monthly. Little by little but over a few months everything seems to have gone up 30-40%. Now CP has control of everything should come as no shock I guess but if there is going to be a nail in the coffin of Thailand I reckon it's going to be inflation

Thanks for the replies guys

Surely not, currently 25ks away in a village. What a ridiculous thing to say. Last village I lived in was further away. have you ever been out of Pattaya? There isn't a 7/11 on every corner up country. And what with the 2014 TV/ AN Lol? What is that supposed to mean? Normally not a drinker so wouldn't know what time booze is available off hand. You blokes live in your own little world and think everyone is the same.

I know Makro has it but don't really want a full carton and a bit of a drive as well What time is grog not available these days?

How true this is! Your replies to this post should be pinned......

100% agree, they get done with Sinsod, get on the endless cycle of gimme gimme gimme. Psycho women they usually belt them, and as much as I hate to say it probably what many need, in fact crave. But they do understand them a lot better than we do and most with any sort of money or position will be very careful about who they choose. Not sure those options are available to us. A relationship or marriage with a farang in Thailand isn't considered an upgrade that's for sure. A village girl might be considered "lucky" for bragging rights as she is sure to receive riches beyond her wildest dreams but I doubt all things being equal your average Thai woman would prefer to be with a farang over a Thai man. They all have stories how they drunk, boxing etc but most seem to end up going back with a Thai. And also what you said is true. Have fun and enjoy the relationship for what it's worth. Don't expect a western style supportive loving relationship (if there is such a thing). I got mates here go on the dating sites and they are pretty much after one thing. And good luck to em but keep it real. I mean 65+ yo guys dating 20+ girls and always seem to get their feelings hurt when its clear the girl wants money or something more than their crusty old body from the relationship. Funny guy used to post on here all the time, very dry and blunt but always spot on. He told me early on about his relationship. I said OMG sounds like living with a rattle snake! He said that's exactly what its like. But I like sex in a small pretty package. I try to <deleted> her and she tries to <deleted> me, just in different ways lol

Yep, always advise guys not to move into her village unless you been here at least a few years, scope out what's going on, what her family is like. Most have a lot of past in their villages...old / current boyfriends they can run to at the drop of a hat, family walking in and out and "borrowing" what they please, gambling temptations. Recipe for disaster. Start off on neutral ground. I knew straight away there was something wrong. Just the way people seemed to be with her (didn't like her) and the blokes we kept bumping into at the markets etc, her eyes would immediately dart to the ground. Blokes following us around at events like lovesick puppies...who's that....oh cousin. Uhuh. Blokes sitting across the road from our house watching our every move. The thing I remember the most is me hanging out the washing out the front and them pi$$ing themselves laughing behind their hands. In hindsight was probably pretty funny me being the considerate husband while they were doing the business lol

If the guy deliberately walked out deserves everything he gets, but none of the story adds up. Even if someone was the selfish, who in their right mind would blatantly break the law like that knowing there must be consequences.... in a foreign country? Doesn't make sense

I was burnt badly by my first one here. Bargirl. Saw all the red lights, warning signs etc but just kept making excuses for behavior as cultural etc. Wanted it all to work out so badly and put so much of my life into it but she never lifted a finger to make the slightest effort. Had some of the happiest and worst times of my life with her but it was mostly a sham looking back. Long story short while I was back home selling up to come and live with me she was taking care of most of the young guys in the village, all the while monitoring my every move and accusing me of all sorts of infidelities. I stupidly thought there was none of that sort of stuff going on in a village haha. I have since come to learn the goings on in many villages would make Pattaya look tame. Lived in three villages now, and always a few women, usually ex workers rinsing some farang guy for all they can. As soon as they farang leaves and goes back to work the Thai BF or husband moves back in. The other villagers see no wrong in this either by the way. I asked a girl I was living with "don't these people think this is wrong"? No she geng! (smart). What if she was doing the same thing to a Thai guy? Ohhhhh nooo good. it was then i realized they see us as some sort of other alien being or maybe a refrigerator or something. Anyway, I stupidly pushed on with the first one for 5 years. She was never settled. Looking back there was obviously a drug or gambling problem I never knew about although I never saw evidence of it living with her. Was packing her bags every other week to leave though never did, The last time she actually did leave. She got about 2 hours away on a bus, called me and wanted to come back. I locked the gate and that was the end of her. Straight back to work in Pattaya. Left me with a beautiful little boy 3 months I have raised and adore but lost a house and a whole lot of emotional damage. 5 years on and she is still following me like a ghost. Her penniless in a village with HIV. There is some karma. I think the best relationships...here or back home are formed when young at school or in the workplace, and unfortunately here that excludes us. I know Thai guys here, middle class educated and they seem to have normal girls who contribute to the relationship as you would normally expect. I was talking to a Thai friend of mine about it and describing the sort of girls we tend to run into. The low hanging fruit. He was telling me Thai guys are well aware of these sort of girls and avoid them. Their mum also has quite a say in the sons choice of girl also even if he is only thinking with the little head. I was on the dating scene for quite a few years and went out with all classes....Doctors, nurses, government workers, village girls etc and all seemed to have some expectation of riches and Hollywood...... whilst bringing nothing to the table themselves, apart from a lot of baggage, family problems and debt. I asked a few in frustration what are you bringing to the relationship?...and the answer was always "you get my body" or "I live with you everyday". Often also a puzzled look on their face like they never even considered what they were giving, only what they are getting. The ones I have met in the past and most of my friends here meet come into a relationship with only one thought. What they are getting and if they can get a better deal somewhere else. As a friend of mine calls them....vine swingers. Just leads to a bitter unsatisfactory relationship for both parties, both feeling like they were cheated on their expectations. As politically correct as you want to be, sex and money do seem to be intertwined here somehow. It is imbedded in their culture and I for one can't get my head around it. I heard someone complaining about Thai women, lazy...money hungry etc and another guy said you should be thankful for that as they would have nothing to do with us old buggers if they weren't that way....and there is a lot of truth to that. So I think for Thailand which has a hell of a lot going for it in some ways, is take all the good parts available and skim over the surface. Don't get too involved with them and that includes long term relationships. We just don't have anything in common with them, particularly if there is a huge age difference. the only relationships here I have seen work long term are where the guy is loaded and happy to pander to his wife and family's many whims and needs and keep paying the piper. More power to you if that is your thing but financially I can't afford to make any more mistakes. I will have a relationship here...and I think I am kind and considerate and generous to a point, but beyond that I don't make a door mat of myself anymore. I don't do temples, families, funerals etc anymore but my girl is more than welcome to.

That is so very true and a simple fact of life....

Isn't it funny how they all seem to end up right back where they started, penniless and living in a village, no matter what good fortune fell in their lap. Gambled the houses and cars and whatever else they managed to scam from some poor saps hard earned life savings. Easy come easy go. And still shamelessly going to the temple making merit, all the while believing they were entitled to all those millions of baht they never earned, living with a guy 12 months to a few years. And the hardest of it to listen to is how they never lucky lol

It seems the tests are obviously very inaccurate. How can you test negative...get on a plane, then get off the plane test negative again and still somehow be sick? But this seems to be a common occurrence more so with Omicron

I dunno if anyone is supporting him or anyone who would selfishly flee quarantine. It's more the information being reported doesn't add up, sound factual or is contradictory. It does reek of a$$ covering after the fact, or just plain old bad reporting (or all of the above as usual)

Whatever the case, he is going to be the poster boy scapegoat for all future Omicron cases in Thailand....dirty farang!

Once again have to agree. First came here 2012 and it was amazing. I would say the rot set in about 2015. Also the start of a very sharp decline in the service industry (Tourist, sex, and otherwise). I often wonder if its me getting jaded living here so long but for me some of the magic has definitely gone out of the place and I don't think it is just me. We went away a few times every years the 2 years just before covid. Islands, Chiang Rai...few other places. The accommodation was ridiculously cheap and they had very few customers, and both times right in the middle of high season. No advertised buffet breakfast at most places....which I kinda get with so few bookings but I doubt someone who flew 2000km is going to be so understanding. Worst thing was they had a set menu, which showed a photo of eggs, hot dog things, ham...cheese and toast. Was no ham or cheese (Finish...7am in the morning finished?) and we had to ask for the toast. Stuff like that costs little but does immense harm with online reviews, social media etc these days. I have had several family members and friends visit me over the last 5 years and opinions of Thailand were so so at best and no they wont be coming back anytime soon. What has happened now, based on a recent stay to Koh Chang and other places is that many places even before Covid were already suffering from a lack of any real maintenance and looking tired. 2 years on with no bookings and no income things have become really bad, understandably of course but we all know Thais and there is no forward planning or contingency for bad times. So even if things do spring back and the tourists arrive in numbers. What happens when they get to these tatty hotels with several issues in the room, lack of staff and service etc. Unsafe conditions. People aren't going to spend their hard earned and sympathize with these places trying to get back on their feet. they are going to be bitter and resentful for wasting their once a year vacation and money and wrote reviews that will reflect that

Nailed it!

I think you are right re Vietnam and they completely by passed the sex tourist route and went straight for the middle class market and have done exceedingly well. They were having issues with their taxi driver scams etc and cleaned it all up. Vietnam is quirky, interesting, old school and lots to see. A very charming place. I love living in Thailand for other reasons but as for a holiday destination I would rather go to Vietnam any day of the week. Some of the nicest, smartest most genuine, welcoming and motivated peoples I have ever met, even in the face of so much adversity in the past. And its not for the high end hotels or resorts. It's for all the things I would not have or see in my own country. Apart from the handful of generic overcrowded landmark sites in Bangkok, and millions of temples of every size and type, there is very little Thai culture, heritage, architecture etc to be found here. And they must have a rich history. Vietnam do very well with village tours. I don't think I have ever seen anything like that in Thailand and Western people love that stuff. I doubt Thailand has ever done any real research re demographics, target markets or customers needs. The first negative or constructive criticism they got they would have got defensive, started finger pointing and made excuses. And lets face it. it was all so easy for them back in the 80s, 90s. It just all fell in their lap. As an Australian, we already have resorts and beautiful beaches, with decent food of all cultures. Coming to Thailand with a family to second rate beaches, resorts with average at best food and service, unsafe transport.....that lets face it are not much cheaper than back home these days ain't going to cut it. I am sure the Thai smile and welcoming attitude of the people that used to be in these tourist areas has long gone. Middle class Europeans / Eastern Europeans as well as the Chinese should be Thailand's target market. But then again how does Spain / Portugal / Yugoslavia etc compare in Europe value wise and quality of service.

You would only have to look at the Philippines for the life lesson here. It was the go to destination in the 70's early 80's. Pretty much what is happening here happened there, and Thailand took over their market nearly overnight....never to return. The Philippines are still struggling to recoup their tourism back 40 years later. If Myanmar / Cambodia (both have coastlines) ever get their act together, get some investment, build some truly world class resorts and facilities.....Thailand with its old tired same ol same ol are going to be toast. I applaud Thailand in one way for wanting to attract a better class of Tourist, they have a lot going for them, but high end no way and no time soon. Walk before you can run. Cheap food and girls are one thing but that can easily be taken away by some of these neighboring countries. As someone noted middle class family type people from cold countries who don't have natural recourses, beaches and islands. Even that's a pipedream the way things are at the moment with little safe infrastructure or decent facilities.

Typical Thailand. First rate high spending tourists but 3rd rate accommodation, service, safety and scammers. As usual dreaming. You don't get nothing for nothin, and near enough is good enough and a lot of talk ain't gonna cut it. I remember Thailand Tourism was well on the wane before Covid and any hotels I been to in the last few years may have had a nice facade and front of house but go to your room and it was back to the 90's. Many of these places have had little maintenance or upgrades (apart from a lick of paint) since opening. I note 3 lines down in my newsfeed the headline "Taxi driver charged with negligence in death of tourist" lol. I hope Thailand never goes down the route of our foreign Nanny states but if they want to attract even middle class tourists they are going to have to up their game with some basic regulations and high penalties particularly with regards to safety. Last "tour" I went on down near Hua Hin, picked up to go on a boat in a dirty old ute with seats in the back. The driver was an imbecile 80km hour on dirt roads. Cut the corner and slid out. tree branch came in through the back and cut up my wife's arm. That was the end of that dropped on the side if the road. That night at dinner we were told by people that completed the "tour" an elderly man fell down into the water and hurt his leg when the ramp to the boat gave way. Not my first experience of this either. Sitting in a speedboat off Phuket in a speedboat going to an island, 1 meter swell and these fools flat strap with 2 x 250hp Yamahas on the back. Plenty of terrified old people on the boat too and nothing to hang on to. I don't know what was worse that or the night mare transfer back to the hotel in the van from hell.

Funny you say that Crossy, just went out and bought the stuff and did exactly as you said lol....to a tee. I had 2.5mm twin at home. It's so small I thought it was less than 1mm 5555. Must be great insulation! Thanks mate

Didn't know there was an electrical forum lol. Thanks Joe

Probably a question for Crossy. Doing a small kiosk / shed for my wife's restaurant. Running power to the shed (small distance no voltage drop issues) and wondering what cable to use. Max demand very low, the only major appliances will be a small fridge. The rest a couple of LED fluros and a few outlets for phone chargers, a fan etc. All cooking, heating etc done with gas. Nothing much at all. Will have a main switch / CB of course before power goes into the shed. Just wondering what sort of cable I should use? As you know back home we use 2.5mm for power and 1.5mm for lights. Really we are just moving power from the old shed to the new and looks like old she wired in 1mm for lights and power. What cable would you suggest Crossy? And what size breaker? I don't think I'll worry about a power and light circuit. Just have everything going through the one breaker.

Well its at least double the price of soy oil. If I was going to spend the money on more expensive oil I'd get peanut myself

As annoying as it is, particularly where you are not in the wrong, you will have to make some small effort yourself. This is Thailand and you can imagine how many people would be claiming non delivery if it was that easy to get away with. Did you have a good look around the front of your place? Our drivers often toss the item over the fence or leave it on the gate post. The only item I ever thought was a no show I found in the back yard. Dried sausage skins for sausage making. My dog nicked the package, ripped it open and had strewn them all over the back of the house. Other than that with hundreds of deliveries I have never had someone claimed an item was delivered when it wasn't