richard_smith237

I’ve just done exactly that… & stuffed up the process. Took a sleeping tablet at about 11pm… slept through to 11am !!!! That pushed my ‘time re-assimilation’ in the opposite direction. Travelling Eastwards It takes a week IMO ( from UK ) and going to the UK it takes 3-4 days to kick jet-lag. I didn’t want to hit the sleeping pills for a load of consecutive days so I gave up & just dealt with it… then a week in took a ‘gummie’ (cannabis) which helped me nod off & get a solid nights sleep. So, I’ll try the gummies next time.

From a sporting perspective very much so.

@ Kwilco... personal observation makes it clear to me that the that the 'eyes not believing the ears' thing is very real... ... not just my personal examples, because, as you point out, my Thai is often flawed, although I believe in such encounters I can recognise so, thus when I identify this issue I am confident I am not the source of of the 'failure to comprehend'.... its could be me but I don't think so.. why... ??? .... because, my Thai friends, dual nationals, native Thai speakers etc of international appearance, Wife and her friends of a somewhat non-stereotypical Thai appearance.. When the conversational recipient fails to recognise that conversation is initiated in the their native language the explanation is quite simple... ... the person being spoken when the conversation is initiated is trying so hard to pick out a key 'English' word that they don't recognise the Thai... Or.. they panic into an 'I don't speak English frenzy' and go into 'cannot cannot mode'...

Can you block purchases after they have been made when you don't even know about them ? Or, do you activate and de-activate your card when you use it multiple times per day ? Most of the hacks I've had in the past are from what I believe to be data leaks from online payments. Before that, use an old fashioned 'paper transaction' in Malaysia and it was a sure fire way to get your card used in HK within 24 hours !! We (wife and I have Thai CC's)... Wife gets hacked a couple of times per year usually... I think its from online transactions (I suspect a particular online 'shop' ee as my Wife's card gets hacked more than mine, I hardly use that online retailer)... no issues though.. We get messages to our phones when a transaction is made... so can tell as soon as a transaction thats not ours is made.... Wife calls up and the transaction is cancelled and new card arrives in a day or two... Seems to be a relatively regular process, irritating. Now with overseas (UK) accounts / cards I we have to authenticate on the an app... PayPal too. Bit annoying if we loose our phone then ! BUT.. when overseas we need our Thai Sim card to receive Wifi calling (sms over wifi) so we won't know if our card has been hacked after using it at a point of sale because we wont get the message. Removing the CCV stops someone copying it and using our CC account online - So, good advice. Personally, I believe we shouldn't even have our name on our cards... we know who we are right. Pick up a 'lost card' and us it online, we're asked to 'in put our name as it appears on the card'.... If there's no name.... Thats just internet banking... a bit of a faff to change limits all the time. Erm... er... ok.... just a risk for anyone else who doesn't hang around their hotel room in the day time to make friends with the cleaning crew then...

You may have misunderstood seat pitch for leg room... Seat pitch is the distance between your seat and the seat in front... this stat is distorted by the 'staggered' layout of modern cabins.... Also note, 3 of the 777 layouts are 'angle-lie-flat'... something you don't want to be on unless its a free upgrade from Eco !!!.. I've not seen the 'angle-lie-flat' for a while... the seat-guru info is dated. I had this issue (seat guru info dated) when choosing an Eco Seat for Qatar... (business upgrade was 39,000 baht and I didn't want to pay that)..... I chose a '*2nd row exit seat' but wanted to be sure... (I wanted to stretch out)... seat Guru had no info on this... The seat Map on the QR website was accurate. (*I'm not sure how to word that better, usually an exit row A380 has 3 seats, in this configuration because of the bulky door the exit row had 2 seats and the window seat in the row behind had no seat in front of it... and thus... the no one tripping over my stretched out feet while I'm sleeping - PJ71 is going to we in his panties a little at the specifics here !!! ) (Image below - not QR - but it explains the missing front row seat and the leg room in the row behind - IMO a quieter and better seat if not going business).

... don't you understand that the vast majority of people learning a language can understand more of it than they speak ?... Particularly when there are tonal complexities one may not yet have verbally mastered, context, key words and body language... How daft can you get, indeed, Kwilco !... haven't you had trained in linguistics for decades ?

Interesting.... how many multiple decade careers have you had - props to you, particularly if you were successful at them all. I do agree... I certainly am limited... just the one career so far. You do make a lot of valid points in the road safety and communication discussion, but you mask them when you object and refute singular factors mentioned individually and not explained with an encompassing multifaceted understanding when in reality there perfectly valid opinions that don't require interlinked, complex understanding.... you miss the 'occams razor' principle in such discussions... ... sometimes 'it just is what it is'... and that is so in this discussion regarding Neeranams initial observation that seems to have been targeted and objected to because his initial statement was somewhat uncomplimentary to the subject of the Op... ... 'it is what it is'.... a perfectly valid observation... sometimes Thai people don't recognise we are speaking Thai and thus don't understand because the 'eyes don't believe the ears'.... With your decades of linguistics, when 'race' is also brought into the mix its an understandable and perhaps recognisable mistake we witness - there's nothing more complex and nothing further to shoe horn into the melee... the expectation is that we can't speak Thai, so when we do, for some Thai's it simply does not compute...

Fair enough... You've been and made an informed decision - no criticism there. That said, I'm only interested in going watch a game a few times per year... it would the same in the UK or for any regularly held mid-season sporting event... similar here... still fun though. Again, no detraction from female football.... I'm definately making sure I watch the final. In fact after Martinez' outburst after winning the golden glove in the mens WC, I wonder what the reaction will be of the female WC golden glove winner !!!!

Sorry, but that just isn't true. I agree with most of your comment but, Thai football is not enjoyable. Have you ever been to a Thai stadium and watched it ??? - give it a try, its fun. I do agree, the quality is of questionable standard when compared to international leagues of a more elevated status, yet it's still very enjoyable. Going back to Women's football... Sam Kerr's goal was quite exceptional, I defy anyone questions that level of talent in a male or female - to do that under the pressure of a WC Semi final at home... what a stage to showcase the potential of football.

As both a father and a son, this one caught me out... l Lyrics and raw hurt expressed in the performance - he'd just lost his father. Yes... I know its a cover, I know its a competition etc... yet still... give it a listen and if you are not moved, you're made of cardboard !

Yes, Emirates is often a 777 from Dubai on. Although Swiss air has single seats in 777/300 , which I had , wonderful. Great as the Zurich Bangkok flight is direct so you really get the full meals , great drinks , rest on nearly flat beds , etc. Have definitely abandoned Emirates unless no other choice. Emirates last week into Bangkok was an A380. The departing flight a few weeks earlier also was. In fact... of the 5 flights per day (BKK-DXB and DXB-BKK) 4 of them are an A380. Onwards - that depends solely on the destination... and also what the airport is set up for. Heathrow - All flights are A380 Manchester - 2 of 3 flights are an A380 Birmingham - 1 of 2 flights are an A380 All can be checked when looking at the website... Agree with you both - A380 is definitely better than the 777... but we can easily find out. (*last min tech difficulties and switches aside of course).

Flawed logic... The women's Olympic final 100m, 4x100m or 4x400m relay is still an incredible spectacle... yet before 1900 they could not compete. The men are faster and considered the pinnacle because they are ultimately faster, fastest, that doesn't detract from the prowess of the female athletes... Similar with football, I know its a bit of oranges to apples as a comparison, however, women are not competing with men, they are competing with other women and there is some enjoyable football to be watched.... .... just as there is some enjoyable football to be watched when going to a Thai stadium, and watching Thai teams play, the standard is not has high as the premier league etc, but neither is it horrific... its enjoyable. I think those who use the above argument as JonnyF fail to get the point. Men will always be stronger, faster, more agile etc... but that doesn't mean the female game cannot be enjoyed.

I fully understand why I suggested/asked it to be closed! As you have just said; "the direction it has taken. " away from the topic! I suggest you go and start a new topic about who has perfect Thai etc and let the petrol pump attendant get the kudos he deserves for his efforts! Interesting how you think you decide the how manner in which a thread meanders and evolves is acceptable or not.... pompous perhaps ! ... The thread is about speaking a foreign language, it still is - if you want the thread to remain about British tik-tokers complimenting a petrol attendant English language efforts then it becomes quite limited... - Kudos to the pump attendant for learning some English and practicing it. - Kudos to all Thai's who are learning or have learnt to speak English or another foreign language. - Kudos to all non-Thai's who are learning or have learnt to speak Thai. Is reading and writing too far off topic or, kudos there too ??? Are you deserving of any Kudos in your efforts to learn Thai ??? have you made any effort at all ? Not with some of the posters on here who will say the Google translation is not as good as their perfect Thai which nobody seems to understand!! Thank you... you have highlighted what little idea you have. Google translate is excellent at translating signs, menus etc... and can definitely help, it serves an excellent purpose and definitely a 'better to have than not to have'... its serves as extremely rudimentary translation... a pretty basic level of Thai is going to get you further and could be complimented with google translate when further vocab is needed, but most definitely speaking basic Thai cannot be replaced. And thats for basic translation now consider humour, idioms, metaphors etc

Exactly.... this is also not uncommon at all... Someone who trained in languages for several decades will now highlight some form of prejudice, or that your imperfect Thai was understood by one but not the other because it was imperfect and nothing to do with you looking non-Thai and them not simply struggling to reconcile that their eyes are seeing a foreigner but the ears are not hearing foreign speak !!...

Not $HL or £edEx..... those are notorious for getting hit with import / customs tax... Obviously it depends on the value of the items getting posted... But usually, I would get something sent to my parents address, have them de-label it and repackage it into something innocuous (brown packaging back) handwritten label... and post normally. I've sent numerous items this way - medication... (decent football boots etc)... Never an issue... I ordered some Pyjama's from Next Thailand (for my Son)... they were about 1100 baht... We got hit with an 700 or 800 baht customs charge, never quite understood it as it was below the taxable threshold... Ultimately, these guys (customs) are an utter law unto themselves, but when they flag something that it, the only option is to play their game or loose it. The $HL or £edEx are ultimately the biggest flags for them, as is a professionally looking package !

I hope you miss posted the above in this forum and that it was meant for the "bad taste joke section" where it belongs! I wonder if we need a 'PG for threads and posts... so that some snowflakes don't get too upset with a harmless attempt at adding a little ebullience.

A bit pompous of you to suggest a discussion is closed because you don't understand the direction it has taken. I explained my response twice for you... I can't understand it for you though, you'll need drop the 'I got butt hurt' attitude to open up to understanding that... You still haven't answered if you can speak Thai which may highlight the degree of understanding you are capable of in this discussion (which has taken evolution from the original topic yet remains pertinent as threads often do as they evolve - we are still discussing speaking foreign languages and the effort it takes to understand then, our level of understanding and that of those we communicate with in the newly learned language). ---- Well done to the pump attendant for speaking English and trying... if they are the only comments its a very short thread.

I thought'd you'd trained in road safety... you did that too right ? I don't disagree with what you state, but suspect you are jumping in way too quickly with the conformation bias and prejudice argument in much the same way you jump in with the 'its not about poor policing, its about road design and many other facets' argument when there is a discussion about road safety and you accusing many posters of their prejudice in blaming the police after they complain about someone driving drunk the wrong way down a one way street and killing someone... You'd be right, but also wrong... its still about policing... and in this discussion about communication in different languages in a different race nation there definitely exists an element of "the eyes not believing the ears" ... its just something that happens... I've witnessed it happen to native speakers who don't look stereotypically Thai.... Sometimes something is confirmed because it's so readily confirmable, whether if conforms to our bias or not. I used to suspect 'it was me' and my Thai was just so rubbish... it obviously was in earlier years. I sometimes found a taxi driver would easily understand me, at other times another taxi driver didn't... that it was down to my miss pronunciation and the 'adaptability' (intelligence) of the 'listener'.... perhaps down to their exposure of foreigners speaking Thai... .. thats easily understandable. BUT... what I have also experienced is the 1000 yard stare... asking a question in Thailand and the other person (Thai) has no idea what I've asked, no idea that I'm even speaking Thai... .... sometimes the penny drops and it like flicking an "oh he speaks Thai switch" and the conversation ensues, my question is answered etc... its like the other party has to first understand that I am speaking Thai before they recognise that I am speaking Thai.... My Thai is far from good... but I know when and where my Thai is good enough that when I encounter such an 'its not me, its them' issue and I also know when 'it really is me'.... No confirmation bias... no prejudice... just an example of what life brings when communicating in a foreign language different race nation... Sometimes, "it really is just them"..... you don't like that and want to argue it, but it's a reality. At other times, "it really is just us"... and thats also quite understandable but it seems thats the only argument you want to accept.

Wife is good in this stuff... After one of our AC's irreparably pooped itself we were looking at HomePro... it turned out the same AC we were choosing was available direct from Samsung including fitting / warranty etc. They came and did an excellent job. But, with the AC in a different room, we've also had a 'local guy' tell us the 'refrigerant line' (whatever its called that carries the cool gas (freon ?) from outdoor compressor unit to indoor fan / ac unit) was leaking... They'd need to run a new 'refrigerant line'. I disagreed... owner of local company comes. Explains to me that they checked everything else. I want them to re-check, they do... I asked are they sure there is no leak at the compressor (outdoor on 2nd floor, difficult to get to). Owner of company reassures me its the 'refrigerant line' leaking (somewhere inside the walls)... I conceded (knowing little about AC )... they run new exterior pipes to the compressor, drill a 5" hole in the exterior wall to run it through to the compressor etc... AC works fine for half a day... they come back... re-charge the freon. I make them stay and check the pressure an hour later, it's lost pressure. They concede, take the compressor unit away with them... find a leak, repair it for free and re-install the compressor. All good - except I've paid for a repair which was never needed, have external ducting I never needed, a 5" hole in the wall I never needed... and only ever needed a new coil on a compressor unit !!! Summary - we're in Thailand !!!... Its luck when we don't get complete chancer !!! (this guy was recommended by other people in the moo-baan !!!).

Are you suggesting every safe has a code to open and its the same code / sequence ? If I've driven, I leave valuables in the car... (I'd never do that in the UK) but here... This is excellent advice (removing CCV number) ... I never even thought about it (but will follow it).

Genuine questions... - How many times have you had something stolen from a hotel safe in Thailand ? - How many times has someone you know (first hand) had something stolen from a hotel safe in Thailand ? ------ The answer for me is zero to both... But thats not being a Thai apologist, just my experience here over two decades. I do know of 4 encounters where a female had their handbag snatched, and one had the phone lifted from her handbag. I know of 1 encounter were a friend caught his made thieving (he suspected and set up a cam). I've had maids for over 20 years (different maids) and never encountered a theft. Luck comes into, but I wonder if 'where we stay' and the standards of the place come into it....

To be fair to all Thai's in the service trade... I have never had anything stolen from a room, but understand, it happens. To be fair to all Thai's in general, I've never had anything stolen.... but understand, thieve and scammers are all around us. I understand some Thai folk to be exceptional opportunists.... leaving something lying around and it can go missing... hence, out of sight out of mind... but really, just like most of humanity, the vast majority of people here are honest. I use the room safes for iPads, Passport etc... or lock them in my baggage. Both are easy to get into...baggage with zip... only a simple pen is needed. So, to answer the Ops question: - usually locked in my bag or the room safe. It's been a long time since I stayed in a hotel that offered a 'main safe' in reception. ...those were more 'back-packer' times travelling around. I guess I've been lucky.

did you ever say one positive thing about thailand in your posting history? i bet you would complain about the sand on the beaches if someone started a thread about that. Erm.... you were saying....

THat is just a claim by arrogant foreigners who overestimate their ability ti use Thai language Then why (as Neeranam mentioned) it happens less on the phone with him ? Why does a Thai who may not have the clear appearance of a Thai encounter something similar ? My Thai is far from perfect, yet I have ordered a GrabTaxi and received a call from the GrabDriver for directions, even though my name is clearly Western (on the App), when I get in the car the driver has expressed surprise that I'm a Westerner (this one baffles me as my Thai is not that good, perhaps during the limited conversation the accent was clear)... Yet, I can find times when a person right in front of me draws an utter blank when I'm speaking relatively simple Thai. It's obvious to me that the 'eyes not believing the ears' is not an uncommon occurrence here. But of course, go ahead and assume its arrogant foreigners... couldn't be anything else could it ??? I am intrigued however, I would have thought that in general those foreigners who have taken the time to learn Thai and integrate into society here are less likely to express arrogance than those who simply expect everyone in a foreign country to speak English..... (not all of course).

i hope you didn't try and tell the you like eating snow-fish ????