richard_smith237

erm.. no... the guy disappeared... He was never a friend in the first place...

Thats Sociology and Psychology not Physics !!!... But... anyone for whom money has any form of influence on friendship is not a friend, of course, everyone knows this. I recall a Western friend, years ago... He became 'good friends' with a Thai guy who worked in a bar (a regular pub type bar)... a month passed and the Thai lad asked to borrow some money (I can't recall the amount but it wasn't a lot, maybe about 5000 baht)... When I heard this I pointed out that he'll never see the money again... it was no surprise that the Thai guy disappeared. Over two decades - none of my Thai friends have ever talked about or asked for money... it helps that they are financially independent and most likely wealthier than I. Thus - I think one of the key factors in establishing good friends here is understanding underlying intentions, or rather, being able to eradicate less than honourable intentions - thus, if establishing friends with someone of similar means the 'financial' stigma disappears*. (*caveat - wealthy people also rip others off - so care still needs to be taken when friendships with those of any nationality is evolving).

Absolutely... and thats also true of Thai with Thai interactions and foreigner on foreigner interactions... All part of the spectrum of interactions and encounters.

Absolutely, I have developed many close friendships with Thai people, most of which began in my early twenties. However, I’ve also come to believe that forming genuine friendships becomes increasingly challenging as we grow older. This challenge is amplified when it comes to building cross-cultural relationships, especially for those who move to a new country later in life. Adding to the complexity is the influence of location, along with the stigmas and socio-economic dynamics tied to it. In areas like Pattaya and Phuket, for instance, ingrained stereotypes can create underlying tensions. These tensions stem from noticeable socio-economic disparities, making it harder to foster authentic connections. Many foreigners encounter Thais who appear to have ulterior motives, while some Thais meet foreigners who may carry an air of superiority or a reluctance to engage genuinely.... Consequently, such dynamics create barriers to forming meaningful and mutual friendships. Further compounding this issue are behavioral and social dynamics within specific socio-economic and educational brackets. The ability to mix with individuals from a similar background plays a significant role in the quality of social interactions. A commonly heard piece of advice - “don’t drink with groups of poorly educated Thai men” - reflects a harsh but often accurate observation. Alcohol can exacerbate underlying tensions in such settings, making it even more challenging to navigate social boundaries.

Unbelievable... You also forgot to victim blame and suggest that the 80 year old must have done something to warrant such an attack....

The insurance companies here are a strange beast... I recall claiming for a rock damaged windscreen.... (the cost was relatively high at 50,000 baht and it had to be imported from the UK)... subsequently my insurance premiums increased quite a lot. I just changed insurance company to another reputable firm who's quote was in line the premiums I'd paid the previous year.

Thanks for confirming... I wonder how the deceased suffered such massive head trauma if the other parties involved suffered minor injury. Open face helmet ??? Sorry if this was someone you knew.

If you are referring to the same 'style' of body scanner that one passed through when undergoing security screening upon departure, the answer is no - there is no body scan that anyone goes through on 'standard arrival' (when not in transit). The only 'body' scanning that I have ever encountered on arrival are 'thermal' scans conducted my the MoPH (Ministry of Public Health) when checking for Covid and Influenza at times of outbreak. Also note: There are 'x-ray' machines for baggage when going through customs on arrival - sometimes (very rarely), customs will ask you to scan your bags. IF you are in 'transit' and will transfer onto either Domestic or International flights, then yes, you will undergo further security screening which will include body scans. My AI (chat GPT) - also confirms this... Thus I would suggest the question asked of AI lacks a certain clarity.

Did the news article say that he did not wear a helmet? The news article stated that the deceased suffered serious head trauma, whereas the other parties suffered minor injuries. While it may be incorrect, there is also no information that states the deceased was wearing a helmet - given the content, and behavior of a number of folk in Thailand not wearing helmets, I think the assumption that no helmet was worn is not an unreasonable one. (treetops may have more solid information on this - if he knows something we do not)

Here, where ?... In Bangkok I very rarely if ever see foreigners riding without a helmet, whereas on the main roads its abotu 25% of Thai's without helmets, dropping to 50% on Sub-Sois. Are you in an area such as Rawaii where there are lot of 'relaxed' foreginers ? 80% seems extremely high.

How do you know ?... There appears to be no information or sources that back-up your information, unless you are personally connected to this loss and have direct information. Its certainly strange that the deceased suffered massive head trauma, while the other parties suffered minor injuries.

Deflection...

Which part of America ?

What nonsense are you posting now? You seem to be infamous for that around here. Stating something is "somewhat educational" is a world away from the cage rattling in this thread. Now get back in your cage 😊 If you consider your comment 'somewhat educational' that lends to questioning the standards of education you received...

Yet you rattle your cage at those you accuse of rattling their cages....

do you lump yourself into that category, richard? Of course, its often quite enlightening to witness such dazzling displays of ignorance - truly a reminder that stupidity knows no bounds. Thank you for reminding me of this. As if the reality that half the population wallows below average intelligence weren’t enough, the contributions of certain forum members suggests bell curve isn’t just shifted - it’s been distorted by the weight of mediocrity.

One of the excellent facets of this forum is that it exposes us to the stark reality that there are some grade A1 fools out there... Its good for us to be reminded of that...

You're a ghost? Its a valid point - we read of way too many news stories where a relatively trivial event escalates into a fatality due to an inability to deal with verbal conflict. The 'concept' of never arguing with a Thai male is sound advice and could be perhaps extend to simply avoiding conflict with strangers full stop.

It could start the heart and breathing again! Agreed... at least it could keep some oxygenated blood circulating to the brain. The objective of CPR and the way it works in most cases is just to keep blood circulation until better medical equipment arrives - however with a catastrophic blood loss little can be done in time.

Lots of comments on the 'price'... and the mentality to compare Steak to a burger is rather daft. If you want to compare the prices compare the Burger at 690 baht to Shake Shack at 400 baht if you will... A 250gm Dry-aged Wagyu Rib-Eye Steak with a marbelling grade of 4-5 costs THB 2,500.00 https://www.opentable.com/r/bskicon-khet-khlong-san?originId=914120f6-45e0-48e0-a3a0-84f8210cafbc&corrid=914120f6-45e0-48e0-a3a0-84f8210cafbc&avt=eyJ2IjoyLCJtIjoxLCJwIjowLCJzIjowLCJuIjowfQ Agreed - prices are in line with other similar restaurants in Bangkok such as Cocotte etc... It seems some people just like to be negative and bitter.

Again, further and unnecessary tragic loss of life due to the continued lack of enforcement of one of Thailands major issues - DUI. Also, a lack of defensive riding by the Policeman to slow down to a near stop like that in the middle of a driving lane - thats not to victim blame, but highlight the dangers of making ourselves so vulnerable when out riding.

100% agree... behaving like that [swallowing the ticket] was a ridiculous thing to do, but also a rather trivial offence. The over-reaction by the BiB is also ridiculous, is rather pathetic and screams of face. It seems these days (or perhaps always) the Police only take serious measures when there is media attention, but this should be filed where it belongs... 'in the don't be silly bin'... the guy fined for not wearing as shirt or helmet and told to get on his way before more resources are wasted. He was stupid - but this is hardly a deportable crime as some fools are suggesting.

Don't get into discussions with stupid people.... (oh no... guilty)....

Your 'consideration' is somewhat irrelevant when it lacks accuracy. Chinese can mean different things based on the context: a person’s nationality, their ethnic background, or their cultural affiliation. In the context of this thread... its obvious what 'Chinese' means... The Ops Wife is a person of Thai nationality with Chinese heritage, i.e. lineage is direct to Chinese ancestry. The Thai-Chinese (Descendants of Chinese immigrants - Teochew, Hakka, and Hokkien) are just one of the ethnic groups that make up the population of Thailand which also includes Central Thai (Siamese), Northern Thai (Lanna/Khon Mueang), Isan (Northeastern Thai), Southern Thai, (Descendants of Chinese immigrants - Teochew, Hakka, and Hokkien), Malay Thai, Hill Tribes (Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Akha, Lisu, Yao (Mien), Khmer (Cambodian) Thai, Mon, Indian Thai, Viet Thai, Sea Gypsies (Moken and Urak Lawoi). All are Thai but have their own ethnicity and subculture predating Passports.

Has anyone ever had a 'traffic fine' that has not been 'collected' in this manner ???? The only issue here is the is that it was caught on video... ... whoever published the video might now expect to be charged with brining Thailand into disrepute and some made up crime of filming and official and that being a breach of the computer crimes act or some such similar face saving measure...