richard_smith237

As far as dealing with the Op specifically... Is speaking Thai necessary for a foreigner - the answer is no... Its not necessary as anyone can 'get by without it'. But, Life is also easier in any country when we speak the language. As far as the Op is concerned - I don't think there are any foreigners who've lived here long term who are incapable of ordering a Pad Thai in Thai.... But there are many unable to go beyond that. Thai is difficult and takes effort... thats understandable... but I think those refusing to make any effort are either lazy, have simply given up trying, or have some sort of superiority complex that they don't need to speak Thai...

Although loaded with facetious bias the question is valid... I wonder how many of the folk who 'refuse' to learn Thai are the same ones who refuse to Wai anyone.... That doesn't mean 'wai-ing' all and sundry everywhere, but being polite enough to know how to Wai and when, and also making the effort to speak a 'smattering' of Thai... even at a very basic level to show a basic level of respect. I think no one levy's any criticism at those who make an effort and tries to speak some Thai... even a little.... But those who make excuses not to make any effort at all and then gaslight and ridicule others who do make effort are not presenting themselves in a favourable light IMO.... ------ If someone can't speak Thai but gives it some effort and tries regularly... then fair enough. If someone can't speak Thai and just can't be bothered, then I think they are lazy. Someone such as myself... I'm lazy but have been fortunate to pick it up by ear so that I can get by. I know one thing for sure though, my life here would be richer if I were able to speak and read Thai fluently.

OK... these women are scum and I hope they are caught and penalised.... ........ but flippin' ek.... how hard is The Thaiger trying to drag out the 'foreigner's are bad' rhetoric.... ?? ... at least they tried to balance the scales by mentioning a theft by a Thai... but why mention either - the story is about these two women ripping off some items from a store.

Though they get terribly offended and spark 'netizen outrage' when the spot a little rumpy-pumpy out beyond the break !!!!

+1 with your comments - absolutely agree and like the 'plasticity' comment. One point this thread thus far makes abundantly clear is the is the 'respect' aspect to speaking Thai. Some folk living here give off the impression that they have no respect whatsoever for Thai's and those around them, so why would they bother making the effort to learn Thai - there is an element of 'superiority complex' to many of their comments, not just in this thread but in other threads too. I'm not sure what makes a person like this, but I think its a defence mechanism for being an outright pr!ck and knowing those around them can see through them. There are of course those who who make effort with varying degrees of success to mastering the language, to picking up a little. As mentioned many struggle to learn Thai for various reasons but a little effort goes a long way and those around us can clearly identifiy those prepare to 'attempt' to speak Thai and integrate and that goes a long way. Two distinct groups: 1) Why bother 2) Try I imagine the day to day lives of those who are prepared to give it [learning Thai] a try is more enjoyable than those who's attitude is 'why bother'....

Maybe also drinking and driving under the influence or under the influence of drugs who knows. The (probable) trifecta.... - speeding - drunk - not stopping at red traffic lights Repeated by many on here for the nth time..... Penalties for those breaking traffic laws such as this need to be enforced with such consistency it forces people to re-think their actions. The existing apathy of the Police only serves to enable further deaths.

Are you taking about someone suddenly slamming their seat back or motioning to you that there are about to do so ? ’cos your imagined conflict considers the most aggressive rather than a normal behavior… … almost as if you seek out the offense you you can retaliate. That said: The example you provide would turn me into an ayhole…. & like you I would react if the FA was if no assistance but I’d escalate through the FA first.

DLT app has our driving license and since Sept 2019 - it’s legal to show that if requested at a police stop. ATM’s can be used without a card (cardless ATM with your bank App).

I’ve never found a vendor who won’t accept cashless… They all have phones, all have prompt pay - even in a regular ‘wet-market’.

Concerns me too… But I don’t want to end up with 3 phones. 1) Financial phone 2) User 3) work phone

SCB shut their web access portal last July so app only. That is why I had to get a second phone as my daily is rooted and it was becoming harder and harder to get the app to work. Lacessit may well be old school & go into the bank itself to make a transaction which is fair enough if he has the time (again - it’s all about preference), But, I’d be concerned for losing my Passport when carrying it around.

I use the credit card as much as possible because I get point (airmiles)… … but guess what. That’s also cashless ! For smaller transactions, cash or QR / PromptPay / ApplePay / TrueMoney etc work perfectly well. For online - PayPal is excellent or as above, the credit card. Nope, I want both…. I don’t need to justify the usefulness of the phones - they do that well enough for themselves… … but it does seem anyone older than 65 yrs old has a massive aversion to the newer tech & seems to make up excuses not to evolve. That’s fair enough - it’s a personal choice, it’s just yet flawed excuse that I find entertaining. But you haven’t… You can get pick pocketed, have your accounts hacked… never paid for anything online ? Never seen a bank collapse ? (Northern Rock anyone) Chances are so little, your concern is the same as mine - extra unlikely. Cool - do you accept crypto payment ? …. Meanwhile the world evolves leaving you behind…. That’s ok - if you personally prefer cash… it’s just the flawed excuses for your choice that I’m querying - nothing personal. The bartering system worked for millennia, then coins started to come in. Agree…. You see no reason to change the way the use money - that’s fine. It’s is the logic & reasoning you are using I find flawed. if you prefer cash because you are unfamiliar with cashless & can’t be bothered to or are to tech adverse to learn - that’s fine…. It’s the made up silliness that’s, well, just silly.

Give over. I had a cyst removed recently at a rural government hospital by junior doctor. Just received a local injection and job done within 30 mins. Can't recall the exact cost but I'd say no more than 300 Baht. Removed the stitches myself it's that easy. Edited Monday at 07:58 PM by IvorBiggun2 Give over.... sounds like you had a zit you couldn't pop... and it seems you think that is the only type of cyst that exists and only your cheapo experience is valid.... Surprised you didn't tell the op to just cut it out himself. Conversely... I had 3 cysts on my scull and one on the leg.... Plastic surgeon dealt with it... (ended up with numerous stitches in the head and leg - 14 in total)... they had to make sure they got the root out too... then sent everything for biopsy (all ok). Price was about 40,000 baht (insurance covered it). Only a specialist can decided what needs to be done - and depending on the issue there is a likelihood that that either specialist dermatologist and plastic surgeon will want to consult with each other, especially if the area is close to any 'nerve clusters'.... But sure... go ahead and use an inexperienced junior doctor for the cost of a craft beer !!!!

Seats back at meal times = zero manners...... Agreed..... at meal service time my seat usually goes upright before... But its not uncommon to have to ask the Flight Attendant to ask the person in front. I had a cracker on a flight a while ago. Woman with her older mother sat in our seats.... (Wife Son and I - 3 seats in a row... in a 3-4-3 Economy configuration). The woman wouldn't move... She said that their seats were separate and that she needed to sit next to her mother, we could take seats allocation instread (and one of us sit in the 3rd seat). I asked why she felt she was more important than my son...Should a child now sit on their own because she failed to book seats next to her mother?... Find another row of seats was her response !!!... Flight attendant sorted it out and told the lady and her Mother to move.... But wow... It was like I was ayhole of the century with the dirty looks, scoffing and commnets under her breath that I was getting... Some people just don't know how to fly...... the guy commenting that he'll occasionally deliberately hit the seat in front is one of those types of people, ignorant and just don't know how to fly. Thankfully - my flights are BKK - Muddle East - Europe and the vast majority of people seem to fly well.....

So you can't lose a wallet because you don't carry one... But you do carry a cash and card, but consider you can't lose that becasue its not a wallet ??...... This is an example of the flawed justification going on in this thread - its nonsensical. Again, paranoid and sensical... All digital media is open to risk (of fraud) if you are not careful.... I get this fear - not for the risk for fraud, but for the risk of all the a hassle it would take to replace the apps etc on a new phone (as disabling all the old ones on a lost phone)... ... But some of these arguements I'm reading are similar to reading that people will never leave their home just in case they get robbed.... The National Health Service got hit in the UK too... You want to go back to the 1960's where all records were on paper ?... what about that big warehouse fire ?.... Cyber security is obviously big business because of the risk of hacking and fair enough, thats enough evidence for you.... But it could be argued your 'fear' is somewhat antiquated. I can carry my phone with me to most countries, and as long as I have access to Wifi (or a cell network) I have access to direct-payments with the simple tap of my phone.... It really is just a 'double-tap' and face recognition and thats it... just touch the phone to the counter-thingy.... job done... so simple... ... And that works in any currency - I just switch the Currency in the Banking App I want to use and were away... no need to worry about individual exchange rates for each transaction etc. Have you really?.... Because I've been using digital payments for as long as they've been around. I've seen a credit card terminal go down, they got another one. I've seen the BKK Bank system go down at around midnight, so I paid with SCB QR instead. None of it was a hassle.... Carrying around 10,000 baht in my wallet seems more of a hassle IMO. No... You don't sail through.... You are saying to do because you want to make a point on here... But in reality, if a 'terminal' is down, you are not paying with cash or any sort of payment because, the 'terminal is down'... unless you are in a mom & pop shop. Case in hand - 7-11 terminals are down... can't pay for anything anyway however you want to pay.... You could drop change on a counter and walk out, but thats pretty rude and they wouldn't like you doing that. When Thai's say 'farang think too much'.... this thread really is a good example of that.... As you do Lacessit - use whichever method you prefer, because thats what you prefer.... But when I read excuses to justify that preference I'm reading a lot of silly things.

It'll very likely be very similar... IMO - the primary difference on the dreamliner is the volume of the aircraft itself inside the cabin. Its quieter - I fly with noise cancelling headphones anyway (which IMO makes a large difference to the travelling experience).. Pretty much everything else the same... nothing much more or less to expect than your usual flights.

The Premium Eco varies between airline and even individual Aircraft. IMO for the most part its similar - Premium eco may have an inch more leg room and you will be seated in and around frequent flyers who in theory, know how to react more considerately (apart from Jaideedave above, who clearly isn't very jaidee at all !!). Some airlines have their Premium Eco on a 4 tier flight... With First, buisness, Eco Comfort+ and Eco... (i.e. Qatar who've borrowed those flights from Cathay)... those are the best Premium Eco seats I've been on. As another poster mentioned - stopping off makes the flight easier... especially when flying with family. Morning flight, BKK to Dubai, an ~18 hour lay over in Dubai (emirates), allows us to be in the pool just after lunch, having and early dinner, then bed and up again for an easy 6 hr onward flight.... hassle stress free, baggage all the way though to final destination (UK). from BKK.

Every Airline I've been on does that.... (asks the passenger to put their seat upright at meal times). There's also nothing wrong with putting the seat back (in eco) either, its their right to be able to put their seat back... just so long as the person in front is courteous about it and indicates that they are are about to do so (basic manners thats all). Thats one way to out-yourself of the forum (and on flights) as a grade A1 ayhole...

In April last year I sent about 300,000 baht to my UK Bank Account from my Thai Bank with DeeMoney. Worked well...

In April last year I sent about 300,000 baht to my UK Bank Account from my Thai Bank with DeeMoney. Worked well...

You worried about guys with more 'game' taking your girl ????

If you are close to war.... its ok... you 'mericans have your bunkers and arsenals of bumper-stock fitted assault rifles....... ... who needs cash then ?

I get your 'roll with the flow point'.... But I also disagree and there cases where we can press it. i.e. Hospital appointments - If I have an appointment for 2pm, I expect to be seen at 2pm. When making the appointment I tell them I have other things to do so have limited time.... thus, its 2 pm and if something has happend that makes the physician late... I want to be alerted of either the estimated delay, or I'll reschedule - to be fair hospitals are getting a lot better at their timing and keeping appointment times ( its rarely more than a 10min wait which is fine and I've got the 'silly checking my hight, weight and blood-pressure tuff out of the way). I'm obviously too impatient - but one of the things I hate here is the "please wait" comments.... my immediate response is... wait for how long, 5 mins, 1 hour ???.... I'd like to know with an answer that isn't a guess... then I get some sort of response, you are second in the queue etc so its another 15 to 20 mins... which I'm OK with, things slip past the time. My latest surgeon is extremely efficient with his time... we discuss what we need do, go through photos' scans, even medical journals that I've questioned and from those have plenty of questions etc... but I get 15mins or less - I've got what I need and know the Dr. has others who like me want to be seen on time and I respect that. When going for yearly medicals - its a 4-5 hour affair.... lunch in the middle..... I just say no time, morning or I'm going home ( I usually lie and say I have an afternoon flight ).... Things then get efficient. I don't want to be the guy who rushes everyone... but neither am I the guy to sit their happily while a Dr has is 1 hour lunch break from 12-1pm if I've been given an appointment at midday, so I pressed this issue on a few occasions. ------- Recently during my Son's passport renewal the computer system was down... We'd already faffed for 10mins... They didn't know how long it was going to be so we went for a bite to eat and the staff said they'd call us when the system was up. We got the call (in the muddle of our lunch), so we ate up and returned only to find that that specific officer herself had gone to lunch and may be another hour.... .... I wasn't pleased about that.... and asked why we had to wait while the other girl 'eats'... a supervisor stepped in and said they could take over the case and finish off the process.... it took another 5 mins because most of the process had been completed before the system crashed. .... there's no need to be rude of course, but patience also has its limits, things can be handled respectfully while also asking pressing questions - thats ok... its always been ok, but some foreigners here seem so very scared of saying boo to the ghost.

Middle to upper (hi-so).... and this doesn't bother the Thai guys in the slightest IMO and there are plenty of women available, just as there were in any country (or were before I met my Wife). 'Cos those others in the market are still well and truly in the market, and they are smart and of sufficient status not to worry about another foreigner of equal smart and sufficient status any more than another other guy.... Regarding the lower status females and males.... thats their issue... Its like fighting over a 10 to 2 bird in shi££y ritzy night club in a crappy backward UK town.... pathetic and not worth it.... we just have to be careful to 'judge the room' where-ever we are, because a lot of us struggle recognise the social dynamic. That said: if I was a hard working postal worker and some foreigner nicked off with my issues - I've be peeved and perhaps carry a grudge, so that aspect is understandable.

I like the opportunity of having both and never want to lose that duality even though I find cash-less far more convenient. So, if there's a shop or establishment that only accepts one or the other form of payment, that doesn't exactly endear me to repeat custom. But... this is were I see the difference: - If I were to leave home for a night out with the friends (and or wife) and got 500m down the road in a taxi and realised I'd left my wallet at home it wouldn't bother me... - If, in the same scenario I got 500m down the road and and realised I'd forgotten my phone, I'd get the driver to turn back so I could get my phone. The reason for that is multifold - but the phone does multiple things and now have various payment options amongst a multitude of other things. A wallet, has cash... and thats it.... Yes, you can lose a phone, but so can you lose a wallet - so that argument if flawed.... BUT... ...... the consideration I give to that is how powerful and valuable the phone has become, such that its seems worth while now to have two phones... one with the simple stuff on it to take out... and one with the various full on banking and other important stuff on it.