soc

This is why I'm a cat person.

So am l.

Also found cats to be more intelligent than dogs.

Although Border Collies are quite smart.

Slightly off topic, but l used my Australian Credit Card to withdraw cash from an ATM in China & not only was there no problem, the machine was far quicker than any ATM l've ever used & l got a great rate on the conversion. Even taking into account the transaction fee, l was still better off!

Won me over.

"Won you over" to what exactly? Being in China instead of Thailand? Just curious.

l probably should have explained it better.

l took my daughter with me to the Shanghai Motor Show.

Before l left Australia l bought some Yuan(Chinese currency)from 2 local banks.

The rate that they gave me was 4.45 Yuan to the Aust $.(l remember when it was 6.2!)

When l withdrew cash in China they gave me 4.91 Yuan to the dollar.

You get quite a few extra Yuans when you change a large amount of dollars.

l think that l was charged $11 for a transaction fee.

The reason that l used 2 Aust banks was that the first one would only supply Y100 notes(about $22)& l wanted some smaller denominations for coffee, taxis etc.

Thieving Australian banks want it all their own way!

Recommend Shanghai.

Slightly off topic, but l used my Australian Credit Card to withdraw cash from an ATM in China & not only was there no problem, the machine was far quicker than any ATM l've ever used & l got a great rate on the conversion. Even taking into account the transaction fee, l was still better off!

Won me over.

Thank you all for the entertainment value re visas.

The insults made me laugh.

OK, but they are not really British, are they

l certainly don't regard them as British.

They are ungrateful bludgers that live in a better country than where they or their parents came from & want everything in their new country changed to suit them.

OK The experiment failed.

Expel the lot of them.

l'm the Year of the Pig.

My Chinese friends tell me that a Pig is "veeery lucky" "always have plenty money!"

Well l might not have plenty money but l'm not broke.

Visited a temple in China with my adult daughter & the girls selling jade figurines asked my daughter & l what year we were.

Shes a Tiger.

When they heard l was a Pig, they asked to touch me for "luck".

l told them to go ahead "Where would you like to touch(snigger)?"

Got a response from my daughter, a disapproving, "Dad!"

Yes bring Abbott back onto the Front Bench and make him a Cabinet Minister. Then let him challenge for the Leadership and become Prime Minister again. A sure fired way to lose the 2016 election.

Abbott and Abetz have to understand their extreme Right Wing hateful, spiteful, mean spirited 'rob from the poor and give to the rich' political ideology is absolutely unelectable in Australia. The current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (Centre Conservative) has a real problem on his hands. He has a number of extreme Right Wing ideologues who want their way. Increase taxes on the poor, remove taxes for the wealthy and Corporate Australia (most pay no tax now), dismantle publicly funded Medicare and have an American style health system, remove work overtime awards, create an unrepresented workforce by removing all Unions, remove 'unemployment benefit' safety net, dismantle publicly funded Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS), de-fund and silence the public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABC) so only Right Wing media broadcast is available that support the Right Wing ideology, remove accountability / transparency and 'whistle blower' legislation so anyone who speaks out against a Right Wing government is threatened with gaol sentences, use the fantasy threat of ISIS to enact public surveillance, create a generational poor majority class of people exploited by the wealthy, ensure the wealthy can transfer their wealth between generations keeping the wealthy rich and the poor poorer.

The Australian electorate got a small taste of the extreme far Right Wing agenda and it led to him being thrown out on his butt. If he makes a come back in 2016 the Australian electorate will 'guillotine' him for good just like his little mate ex Prime Minister Johnny Howard who attempted to force draconian Work Choices on the working poor of Australia.

Thats it in a nutshell up2u2.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

All you forgot to say is that the extreme right think that they are "born-to-rule"

The 19th century British upper classes are pinkos compared to the conservatives in Australia.

Remove all non whites from Europe.

Problem solved.

...... oh, but hang on that wouldn't be fair.

But it would solve a lot of problems.

The only answer is to deport thin to Syria wit out passports or ID. Then they have no country. And they can't get out.....

l'd say a lead pellet(.45") right between the eyes would be more fitting gift.

Stayed in a hotel in Pattaya & when l booked out they said that they would refund the 500 Baht deposit when l produced the receipt.

l did so & the TWO receptionists looked very disappointed. One gave the 500 Baht to the other(instead of to me)& the other girl asked me if she could keep the 500Baht.

When l insisted on the money, she reluctantly passed it over & asked again if l could "give it to her".

Positive that they were hoping that l'd misplaced the receipt.

Plenty of cheek.

Love Aussie meat pies.

l believe a couple of Aussies are also now making pies in California & they are selling like hot cakes……er make that like hot pies!

How can we get your money

Thats most women, not just Thais.

Without seeing ALL the evidence myself, l cannot make a decision.

My gut feeling is Not Guilty.

Does not sound like you have done much planning. Nothing wrong with marriage but if you have only seen her on vacation...life is quite different in real terms. You should move to Thailand for 9 months to a year. Spend every day with her and see if you still want to marry after that. Trips and 2 months in Poland not enough....and BTW...a Thai woman will go crazy in Poland in about 6 months ...Thailand is in her blood...she can never leave it forever.

Tonray is absolutely right. There are plenty of advantages in marrying a Thai woman, but don't rush into it. Live with each other first. (Life is very different from what is was like for our parents and grandparents when you got married first and then had a life together. Many Thai women still believe in this notion... and they usually get burnt also.)

You need to check the law about marriage and divorce in Poland, and you can probably get her to sign a prenuptial agreement.

In Thailand, it's very different. Thai courts can obviously not make any rulings about your assets or obligations in Poland, but you are very much responsible for each other in Thailand. In the case of a divorce, she will be granted at least 50% of anything you own in Thailand. All property you buy will be 100% in her name (this fiddle of buying property through a company 51% owned by her or some other 'trusted' Thai is very fragile). There are ways to own property in Thailand, but it's never permanent: your wife and Thai family or children will always be the ultimate owners. And keep in mind that you are responsible for all her debts also, so try to get a feeling as to whether she has or is likely to borrow money from loan sharks or buy a fancy car on finance. (Check out her family & friends also - because they may use her name to borrow money, knowing that you will pick up the tab if it all goes wrong, and she will probably comply under pressure from them...!)

Tonray's warning about bringing her back to Poland is crucial. Poland is a cold, lonely place for a Thai woman. And she'll probably hate the food. She will be miserable there if she had to stay there for longer than a couple of months at a time - avoid the winter months (unless it's for a skiing holiday maybe).

Go slow. Stick to 3-month tourist visas (for her in Poland and you in Thailand) for a few years before deciding. Spend at least a year living together in Thailand with her if you can with the odd excursion back to Poland. And if you're going to buy property in Thailand then do the paperwork before you get married. A good lawyer will advise you, but don't trust him either. Thai lawyers (perhaps in collusion with your wife or her family) are notorious for signing away what is legally her property or forging your signature and selling off your property while you are still living in it. Maybe better just to rent long-term instead.

And a final bit of advice. No matter how honest or faithful she may be, keep your bank accounts and assets private and out of reach. You can pay her an allowance into her own account, but don't share a bank account and don't let her have access to yours. (That means pin codes and internet banking also!) It's too much temptation (if not for her then for her family, friends or lover). It's better that she doesn't know how much you are really worth - live your life as you have an income of a million baht p.a. no more - that's already considered 'affluent' in Thailand. Know this too: any signature will do when purchasing items with debit or credit card! So have a separate account which has no card for your money, and just transfer what you need for weekly expenses to your 'card account'.

PS Learn Thai. You won't be quite so vulnerable and ignorant if you can communicate with her and her friends and family and neighbors...

Very good advice.

If i had a dollar for every time ive been told by a freelance thai lady that she owns a beauty salon, id be truly wealthy.

My suggestion....send her some polish kielbassa on a regular basis....and avoid trouble.

Living together is indeed more complicated than playing "Hide The Kielbassa" on some romantic island.

She will never forgive you for not sending money to her family....the parents will be bewildered, when no money is in the mail. Your phone will be ringing off the hook at 1 am....and your wife will be sobbing herself back to sleep.

It is part of the package.

Similar to the Philippines, l've had that experience!

Must be a S.E.Asian thing.

Get a polish bird, they look much better.

Have to agree.

Most Polish women that l've met have been very beautiful.

Don't know much about their characters though.

Get a polish bird, they look much better.

Have to agree.

Most Polish women that l've met have been very beautiful.

Don't know much about their characters though.

When asked where I am from and I respond that I am an American, at times I get :"Oh...you Americans!" in a quite derogatory nature, almost spitting out those words.

I respond by saying: "Which Americans do you mean? The Irish Americans? The Polish Americans? The Italian Americans? The African Americans? The Hispanic Americans? The Japanese, Chinese or Thai Americans? How about the French, German, Russian or Dutch Americans? Could it be the Conservative, Liberal, Socialist, Capitalist, Progressive or even Communist Americans? So tell me, which Americans did you have in mind with your "Oh...you Americans remark?" "

It usually either shuts them up are we can progress with an adult and meaningful conversation.

That said, who I find difficult to deal with are the Mid-East Arabs and Mid-East Muslims.

Oh you Americans! LOLZ.

Agree with your last sentence.

I guess it shows how simple minded certain people are.

Russia/Ukraine conflict downed a flight full of Dutch people, should I hate Russians for that? Don't think so.

Turkey downed a Russian jet last week which was absurdly unfair, actually I'm quite fond of Turkish people so should I hate them now? Sure not, do I hate Erdogan, yes definitely.

Also I hated it when the UN/NATO couldn't interferre in Syria due to Russia, Iran and China blocking it, Soon after I met a guy from Iran, had a good conversation with.

As a matter of fact most Iranians hate their government, most Turiskh people hate their government.

Russians on the other hand probably love their government but that's just an odd breed, I don't like Russians in particular but that's more cause they don't seem very social, has nothing to do with politics. Americans I find a bit obnoxious in general. I guess people that are from the largest nations on eath have some superiority complex or something, they theirselves would probably call it being proud of their country or whatever. Look at the Chinese as well, also behave like they don't give a shit, don't believe me, ask hoteliers.

Last thing: Go Trump, would love to see him as president

Actually I don't like Germans, French and people from the UK either.

Do you like anyone??????????????????

This crosses my mind every time Im in a taxi whizzing down to Patters.

Especially if the guy is talking on his mobile to someone.

Surprised it doesn't happen more often on that route…after all, any tourist on the way from airport to anywhere has got to be carrying more cash than a poor burmese labourer.

Take the bus.

Air con, allocated seat, up high can see much more or have a snooze.

B134 from Swampy to South Pattaya.

Took a taxi once, B1500(Lady at the counter said B1200)driver didn't know Pattaya & couldn't find my hotel.

l saw it as we passed by.

And he tried to get me to pay the Tolls when at the desk they said Tolls included in price.

Another taxi in BKK wanted B140 when the meter, which was working, said B98.

Ah well, TIT.

Thais Drivers no worse than any other Country

You should try driving in Indonesia. Worse than Thailand.

Car drivers in Thailand show very poor skill, any fool can learn how to ride a motorbike, but you have to be taught how to drive a car properly

They often drive at 10 miles an hour in the middle of the road, give no signals when turning, and yes double park and cause big bottle necks, and watching some go round a corner is hilarious

Ever watched a female reversing in a UK supermarket car park?

Not just the UK.

Australia too.

And driving at 80kph & blocking lines of traffic on a major road where you can't overtake. grrrrr!

My mysoginist mate reckons that women shouldn't be allowed to own cars! lol!

l like Pattaya.

As one poster said on here, it has some great restaurants.

l have to agree with poster jomcondo.

While l understand the OP's good intentions, it will be seen as "showing up" the people who should be fixing the roads & he will be seen to be stepping on their toes.

Almost positive something will come of all this & l doubt that it will be better roads.

Why are they being "shown up" Oh yeah, they do a half assed job when they actually have to work. Imagine if they actually did a good job, they wouldn't ever be "shown up" or have to lose face. It's the idiots own fault for losing face by either not doing what they get paid to do, or by doing a crappy job. End of story.

l doubt that it is the end of the story.

And as its their country & not yours, its up to them whether they do a crappy job or not.

l understand the OP's frustration(& it would seem, yours!)but he is leaving himself wide open for some sort of comeback.

l have to agree with poster jomcondo.

While l understand the OP's good intentions, it will be seen as "showing up" the people who should be fixing the roads & he will be seen to be stepping on their toes.

Almost positive something will come of all this & l doubt that it will be better roads.