Jonathan Swift

Having been ticketed twice in Thailand for no license while on a small rental motorbike I can attest that you need a Thai motorbike license or International license including motorbike. In either case, it's so cheap and easy to get that it's a no brainer. But anyone that doesn't actually know how to ride, including a lot of stupid foreigners here, should not even consider driving without an actual license and having passed the necessary tests

"considering Phuket is an island that is based on tourism and needs the tourist dollar to survive - you would think the locals would be happy about them being there," You reveal your "you'd think they'd be happy to have us" attitude, like they owe you a debt of gratitude just for your being there. That attitude is not welcome here. Maybe it's YOU. Did you consider that maybe they just don't like YOU or some other attitude you display? I don't experience anything of the sort when I go there, and I've been going once a year for 9 years. Covid changed the tone of things, but I don't take any of that personally. I HAVE experienced anti foreigner sentiment in some places, very rarely, but I don't take it as some big injustice. I can understand it on a human level, it happens in every country and has only gotten worse in the west. And your citing of facebook is really meaningless, there are forums for everything from the flat earth society to cannibalism. That said, I suspect your ability to interpret subtle intercultural social interactions is somewhat lacking. But by all means do try, I'll give you credit for that. Just don't presume you will ever really understand Thai culture.

I guess the only reason I read the comments is curiosity as to how many people of actual intelligence and common sense exist here (on Aseannow). The Dunning-Kruger effect: people too stupid to realize how stupid they actually are. People who love making loud noises but otherwise don't care much about what exactly they say. Just another constant drunken verbal brawl to them. So, due credit to you sir, as today's only adult in the room. I daresay I would buy you a pint any time. As to me, even having been here 10 years I don't consider myself credibly well informed enough to have a valid opinion on anything but my own country of origin (which I don't discuss here, see Dunning-Kruger) , and am not very prone to even speculate, although at LEAST I know that it IS speculation.

Your home country is better in what way exactly? Oh, they are better at hiding the corruption from the general public. I guess that counts for something.

I've had similar "made up on the spot" rules happen to me, although not recently, so do not be surprised. They seem at times to like sending people on treasure hunts and wild goose chases. They are relatively free to make up their own rules, after all it's a pretty boring job and that's all the excitement they have. I once had two immigration police officials come to my apartment to physically inspect it. Then it turned out they were two beautiful Thai ladies. When they saw my guitar collection and were surprised I picked up one and played a tune, then it was selfies all around. You could run your situation by a supervisor for clarity, I have several times had the demands and statements of lower officials reversed by superiors. Lastly, I am only speculating, but due to changes in income tax enforcement this may be the result.

And because that's how you got here then it's also why millions of others are here, and the commenter is therefore wrong because you say so based on your own experience of one person? I suggest you take one of those cognitive impairment tests, it appears you do not understand what you are reading.

Right, in that case maybe only 8 times each, depending on the guns used by the cops and how many cops. In actuality (American here) it very much depends on where in the US happens and whether it is a reputable police dept (yes they exist) or some rogue racist dept. More likely though, tased or dog bit if they didn't immediately drop the weapon.

"slapped with five charges". Rather cartoonish choice of words.

So you’re one of the ones who thinks the perceived imaginary anti farang attitudes are so unfair even in the face of something like this, and serving up the justice they deserve, and doing it publicly which they also deserve, amounts to lynching? I think you should leave, you’re not helping. You’re not doing yourself any favors either with such absurd comments.

Well why don't you just march your indignant little farang fanny into their offices and demand an explanation! Tell them you're Donald Trump, I'm sure they'll be impressed.

Awww, don't spoil the fun of blaming his woes on others, and especially don't spoil the fun of complaining about things he doesn't, and never will, understand. People who love to complain and blame rather than take responsibility for their own lives and their own happiness. Complaining is all they have because they never built anything out of their lives.

Awww, reading carefully is too much work, complaining is more fun, so is blaming others for your own misfortunes

Listen to all the American Karen style babies here whining about being picked on as foreigners. Make no mistake, that's what you sound like, that's what you are: whining babies. If this is so unfair do us all a favor, law enforcement included, and leave.

Wahhh, are they picking on you and your drinking buddies again? One snarky comment reveals you so succinctly, amazing. So entitled. Like an American Karen. How old are you? Pointing the finger like a 5 year old at the other kids as if you're personally being singled out? "But Johnny Somchai did this, Sally Wongsuwong did that". Wahhh. BTW, you have one thing right - Thais ARE citizens, and 99% of them ARE model citizens. So as citizens there is no deportation for them. As it should be. Wahhh so unfair. If you're not a citizen Thailand has every right to hold you to a high standard of behavior with stiff penalties for transgressions. You're trespassing in someone else's country. How does YOUR country treat immigrants? In my 10 years here the worst offenders I've seen have all been foreigners. I see disrespect to Thailand by foreigners all the time. Probably farang just like you. My suggestion is you further your education in order to avoid further embarrassment to yourself with comments such as this. Maybe you can find a Thai elementary school that will take you. The kids can give you the basics on "model" citizenry. Or, just self deport. Thailand really doesn't need you or your attitude. And most of us ex pats would not be sad to see you go. Lakon, don't let the door hit you on your way out.

The problem is insatiable lust for wealth, and a willingness to do anything to get it, not that there is "no money in being good". What does wealth mean if you are such a reprehensible person that you would rob and cheat to get it? When I see expensive cars I just think of people like that Red Bull kid, or Bernie Madoff, people who are so hollow inside that they have to constantly try to prove otherwise with their gaudy and tasteless display of wealth, and the people who buy these watches are of the same cloth, just not willing to risk prison by breaking the law.

I don't understand why you would come here with a question like that. It's 90% hearsay here. Why do you not contact the Thai embassy, or Thai immigration with a question like that? And why are YOU doing this? She's responsible, it's her passport, and she speaks Thai, duh. It's not your place. This is too important to engage in page after page of banter with non experts. It sounds like you already do too much talking to the wrong people, else you wouldn't have to ask this in the first place.

It's a big mistake to ever think that anything in Thailand will remain the same over the years. That's actually one of the first things I learned about the place. What you describe as to Khao San Rd is no different that similar changes everywhere, especially after Covid forced everything to wilt, reseed, and regrow. Someone said that well, son, you grew up, it's a young people's place now. That may be partially true, but the sense of change isn't simply because you can't change with the times, the times are changing faster than anyone can fully keep up with. You just have to let it happen, whether you join in or not. There are still plenty of worthy things and places in thailand, just cross this one off your list and move on. I've been living here 10 years now, first went to Khao San in 2013.

False equivalency. The App companies have an option to cancel without penalties, including Uber, from whom your money gets returned to your card or whatever you used to pay. You usually give the reason for the cancellation. We don't know if she canceled via the app. But since the driver called first she most likely did. As to your comparison, these drivers have plenty of fares coming in all the time, he wouldn't have lost anything just moving on to the next fare. And his behavior was criminal, attempted kidnapping. In another country he would be in jail right now. All for the cost of a fare.

The App companies have an option to cancel without penalties, including Uber, from whom your money gets returned to your card or whatever you used to pay.. We don't know if she canceled via the app. But since the driver called first she most likely did.

No point whatsoever to the story if the ride company isn't named. People have a right to know. The company needs to get its nose bloodied in order to clean up its act. Otherwise this is not the only time it will happen. These are big companies, they need big motivation. I speak from experience taking on companies from LAZADA merchants to the airlines to online hotel booking agencies.

Overthrow the government? Like in 2014? This is the road to follow to have that happen. I think maybe it's about time. But what do I know? Not my country, just another silly farang whose opinions mean nothing.

They're getting as bad as the US. No, wait, still nowhere near as bad. No Thai leader owes half a billion US dollars in legal penalties or is on trial for 91 felonies.

Maybe he grew up on a farm and he was trying to breed it.

If I were you I wouldn't go to forums like this for medical advice. Go online and search exactly what you posted as your question. You will get EXACTLY what you need, directly. All you get here is hearsay from non experts. That said, I have gotten excellent care at highly rated Phaya Thai hospital, Bangkok, very affordable, and I'm sure they could send you to an excellent specialist. Treatment for Non Hodgkins has been around a long time and I'm sure most everyone is up to speed on it. You can check the credentials of each doctor online. All the best and good luck to you.

Because they always make the news. I have never seen one in person, have you? How many foreigners WITHOUT mental illness have you seen? Then do the math. There is undoubtedly mental illness among Thai people, but they are just better behaved that foreigners in general, plus mental illness is not as widely understood and recognized in Thai culture. Most mental illness is not visible to other people until they go over the edge. I have Bipolar II disorder, a recognized mental illness, but my symptoms consist mostly of depression, in which case I don't go out or do much, or anxiety.