Roomuck

If they are so clever, why are they the second worst drivers in the world ?:

Not true. A thaivisa often repeated myth.

Hate to break it to you but it appears even the thai press and world authorities disagree with you, perhaps you should try checking your facts or lack of them, try google, it is your friend, maybe the only one you have:

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has earned the dubious distinction as the country with the second most dangerous roads in the world.

Surely coming as little surprise to anyone well acquainted with Thailands roads, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has found that the Kingdom has the second highest road deaths per capita than anywhere in the world.

36.2 people per 100,000 die on Thailands roads every year alarmingly more than the 2.9 rate in the UK or 4.3 in Germany, although much lower than Libya, which boasts the dubious title of the worst country for road traffic fatalities, with 73.4 road deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.

Nah, it is BS. What you are quoting conveniently left out a whole lot of countries. Makes for a good story though.

Don't believe what you read in the Thai press mate.

But I did Google it as you kindly suggested.

Thailand can't even make the top ten.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

Roomuck , what if your sudden braking was due to the avoidance of a kid running out of the road ?

Legally, the girl who rear ended me.

But common sense, it was the parents of the kid for not supervising the kid that CAUSED the accident.

In that case, not my fault, not her fault. The parents fault.

Clever people these Thais.

If they are so clever, why are they the second worst drivers in the world ?:

Not true. A thaivisa often repeated myth.

Roomuck , what if your sudden braking was due to the avoidance of a kid running out of the road ?

Legally, the girl who rear ended me.

But common sense, it was the parents of the kid for not supervising the kid that CAUSED the accident.

In that case, not my fault, not her fault. The parents fault.

Clever people these Thais.

Assuming there is a shared, singular, all-encompassing, one-size-fits-all Thai mentality is part of your problem.

Start thinking of Thais, as you would of individual people in your home country, as individuals.

If someone in your home country says or does something quirky, you don't immediately think of what they did or said as farang mentality. Even in Thailand we all know rational, normal farangs despite the depressing impression of "farang mentality" one could take away from reading so many posts on TV.

That`s exactly how I think about Thai people. All races and nationalities have their good and bad sides. I don`t judge people by race, people are people wherever they are.

The short time I have been posting on these forums I have been shocked by how too many posters seem to be anti Thai and also noticed the most critical get the most likes. It seems that to become a popular poster is to slag off the Thais and Thailand as much as possible. What is it with these people? Are they just sad old loners disgruntled with the world or with themselves, or what is it? What`s their problem?

Sad old loners? Yeah.

The thaibashers I know personally all have the following traits

1) no male Thai friends.

2) no one from their own country ever bothers to visit them here. (So no real friends back home either)

3) girlfriend/wife comes fro the "entertainment" industry. ( once again, not real)

4) they have poor Thai language skills, so rely on their rented girlfriend for even basic things, if something doesn't go exactly as they want, they spit the dummy.

No one likes them, they are insecure, intimidated by happy people with friends and they constantly complain.

They can't hold a conversation that is positive for longer than a minute, they manage to turn the most positive things into a complaint somehow.

They are always farangs. I am yet to meet an anally retentive Thai..

Pretty accurate description of the typical Thai-basher on TV. They think they have refuge here on TV where they can mindlessly bash the Thais with impunity. So when they're caught out, they screech and whine/whinge like a bunch of little girls.

Yeah.........brilliant post

Refutes one generalization by using another.

No. I didn't say all, that would be generalization because I don't know them all.

I said the ones that I know personally. That is not a generalization.

youre right the girlfriend uses the normal "Thai get out" excuse , she was too close, first rule is to allow enough space to stop in any conditions.

The law will say that if you hit a vehicle from behind, then you are automatically at fault, but there are times when it would be unfair

to blame the person who hit the vehicle traveling in front. Think about it.

Exactly.

Legally the girlfriend was in the wrong, but in reality it was the stupid driver.

I did the same thing about 5years ago. I was looking for a bar, saw it as I drove past it and slammed on the brakes. A bar girl rammed into me on her bike. It was my fault, but not legally.

She was justifiably pissed off. She was going to be late for work, so I paid her bar fine and told her to go to a repair shop, and if it was under 2000 to get fixed, I would just pay it. More, then we use my insurance. She was quoted 4,000, so we went to the broker who was only 1km away.

I told her to say that I backed into her. I thought she understood why.

We wet to the broker, I told her "happened" but she said we had to wait for the insurance rep to come and look. It took about an hour for him to show up. I told him what happened. Then he started speaking to her.

To my horror she started telling him the truth.

It was unravelling, so I have tried to tell her discreetly "go hok" lie. She then started crying and screaming that she wasn't lying.

So the insurance bloke said he wasn't paying and I got exposed for insurance fraud. Luckily he just left, and the broker who saw it all was also cool.

The girl, mustn't have known legally it was her fault, much like I expect the the OP's girlfriend didn't. Legally, she was wrong, but in REALITY it was my shit driving that caused it.

She won't admit she was wrong, because she actually wasn't wrong. She will be questioning the OPs farang mentality.

Which all goes back to ....Aren't we suppose to keep a SAFE distance from the car in front ? The Law ? Common Sense ?

Legally I was 100% in the right.

Common sense. I was 90% in the wrong.

I caused the accident. My stupid maneuver caused it. Lucky she wasn't injured.

I ended up giving her 3000 baht, and my mate who I was with chipped in the other 1000.

It would have been wrong for her to be out of pocket. She was a battler, she was a bargirl, and not the prettiest.

Or the brightest, as I discovered when we were attempting the insurance fraud.

To deny that it was my fault would have been morally wrong, even if legally correct.

Common sense prevailed.

Assuming there is a shared, singular, all-encompassing, one-size-fits-all Thai mentality is part of your problem.

Start thinking of Thais, as you would of individual people in your home country, as individuals.

If someone in your home country says or does something quirky, you don't immediately think of what they did or said as farang mentality. Even in Thailand we all know rational, normal farangs despite the depressing impression of "farang mentality" one could take away from reading so many posts on TV.

That`s exactly how I think about Thai people. All races and nationalities have their good and bad sides. I don`t judge people by race, people are people wherever they are.

The short time I have been posting on these forums I have been shocked by how too many posters seem to be anti Thai and also noticed the most critical get the most likes. It seems that to become a popular poster is to slag off the Thais and Thailand as much as possible. What is it with these people? Are they just sad old loners disgruntled with the world or with themselves, or what is it? What`s their problem?

Sad old loners? Yeah.

The thaibashers I know personally all have the following traits

1) no male Thai friends.

2) no one from their own country ever bothers to visit them here. (So no real friends back home either)

3) girlfriend/wife comes fro the "entertainment" industry. ( once again, not real)

4) they have poor Thai language skills, so rely on their rented girlfriend for even basic things, if something doesn't go exactly as they want, they spit the dummy.

No one likes them, they are insecure, intimidated by happy people with friends and they constantly complain.

They can't hold a conversation that is positive for longer than a minute, they manage to turn the most positive things into a complaint somehow.

They are always farangs. I am yet to meet an anally retentive Thai..

youre right the girlfriend uses the normal "Thai get out" excuse , she was too close, first rule is to allow enough space to stop in any conditions.

The law will say that if you hit a vehicle from behind, then you are automatically at fault, but there are times when it would be unfair

to blame the person who hit the vehicle traveling in front. Think about it.

Exactly.

Legally the girlfriend was in the wrong, but in reality it was the stupid driver.

I did the same thing about 5years ago. I was looking for a bar, saw it as I drove past it and slammed on the brakes. A bar girl rammed into me on her bike. It was my fault, but not legally.

She was justifiably pissed off. She was going to be late for work, so I paid her bar fine and told her to go to a repair shop, and if it was under 2000 to get fixed, I would just pay it. More, then we use my insurance. She was quoted 4,000, so we went to the broker who was only 1km away.

I told her to say that I backed into her. I thought she understood why.

We wet to the broker, I told her "happened" but she said we had to wait for the insurance rep to come and look. It took about an hour for him to show up. I told him what happened. Then he started speaking to her.

To my horror she started telling him the truth.

It was unravelling, so I have tried to tell her discreetly "go hok" lie. She then started crying and screaming that she wasn't lying.

So the insurance bloke said he wasn't paying and I got exposed for insurance fraud. Luckily he just left, and the broker who saw it all was also cool.

The girl, mustn't have known legally it was her fault, much like I expect the the OP's girlfriend didn't. Legally, she was wrong, but in REALITY it was my shit driving that caused it.

She won't admit she was wrong, because she actually wasn't wrong. She will be questioning the OPs farang mentality.

I am on here a lot because I like to bash the thaibashers. I ignored it for 6 years, but just couldn't stand listening to racists any longer without responding.

I won't be posting for much longer because I realize it is a waste of my time.

I totally agree with you regards me being a big know it all. That's why the Thais call me Roo muck.

Good that you can read Thai, but I think most of the posts here are saying that recalls are common, you stated the opposite. It was wrong. Another thaivisa myth.

Your neighbors know a hundred times more about Thailand than thaivisa posters.

But, you are probably a good bloke anyway, so sorry for upsetting you. Jing Jing.

Hey! We're kindred spirits! I like to bash the Thai bashers too!

Please double check my OP. I wasn't pushing an agenda, just asking an honest question about why it seemed like I never hear about product recalls. It was very comforting to hear from so many people that there are product recalls, especially automotive ones which was a growing concern of mine.

Thanks for not turning our minor spat into WWIII.

Keep bashing mate. I am retiring soon.

I have been posting heaps the last three days as I have had a serious case of diareah. It has probably affected my mood.

And I would think that some members would think that what comes out of my mouth is very similar to my current condition.

I also have to concede I was wrong as asking here you did get good answers.

I ate at a farang's restaurant the other day, I suspect the b...stard didn't wash his hands before touching my food, you know what they are like.

Cheers

I guess Gecko123 nevers hears about product recalls in Thailand because he doesn't consult & understand Thai news.

It is funny the comments you read about on thaivisa from posters who don't have a clue of what is actually happening and assume they know everything.

A poster on the 11 killed on the motorway thread just claimed " that the Thais don't have any education" referring to road safety ads. I posted 3 for him to watch. I see them all the time.

It also astounds me many of the questions people ask other farangs on thaivisa when it would just be easier to ask a Thai and receive a much more accurate answer than some of the imagined myths that are posted here daily. TIT

If you're as fluent as you imply you are and find Thais can easily give you accurate information to most all of your questions, it does beg the question: why are you on here all the time? BTW, you sound like a pretty big know-it-all yourself, if it's OK with you to say so.

P.S. You probably already know this, but perhaps you would benefit from being reminded that there is a social component to these forums which goes beyond just getting answers to questions. Is it OK with you to think this way?

P.P.S. Just for the record, I've been spot reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai language news for years and I can't recall ever seeing a product recall being reported. I live in a small village and talk to my neighbors regularly. Product safety recalls isn't something I thought my neighbors would have much useful info on. Maybe I'll go talk to my neighbors after getting input from TVF. I hope that's OK with you.

I am on here a lot because I like to bash the thaibashers. I ignored it for 6 years, but just couldn't stand listening to racists any longer without responding.

I won't be posting for much longer because I realize it is a waste of my time.

I totally agree with you regards me being a big know it all. That's why the Thais call me Roo muck.

Good that you can read Thai, but I think most of the posts here are saying that recalls are common, you stated the opposite. It was wrong. Another thaivisa myth.

Your neighbors know a hundred times more about Thailand than thaivisa posters.

But, you are probably a good bloke anyway, so sorry for upsetting you. Jing Jing.

I guess Gecko123 nevers hears about product recalls in Thailand because he doesn't consult & understand Thai news.

It is funny the comments you read about on thaivisa from posters who don't have a clue of what is actually happening and assume they know everything.

A poster on the 11 killed on the motorway thread just claimed " that the Thais don't have any education" referring to road safety ads. I posted 3 for him to watch. I see them all the time.

It also astounds me many of the questions people ask other farangs on thaivisa when it would just be easier to ask a Thai and receive a much more accurate answer than some of the imagined myths that are posted here daily. TIT

Ask Thai people what they think about the police.

90%+ hate them.

In Australia the police arrest thieves, in Thailand they are the thieves.

But I sort of agree they are not too bad at catching crims if they want too. But they don't have to play buy the rules that cops in other countries do. Torture is acceptable, planting evidence and blatant lies also.

Real crims in Oz generally are not give ups because they are scared of other crims more than the police. Not so much here. The cops here are good at working up the chain, but not all the way to the top.

Eg. a drug user gets caught here with a couple of yaba pills, he gives up his small time dealer, who then gives up his mid level dealer, but that is where it often ends.

In Australia if arrested you just can, and should, repeat " no comment" over and over again and the cops can do nothing about it. Not sure how that would go down here.

Yes

I went to the beach down there for a queens birthday a few years back.

In a pick up with three Thais. The soldier at the entrance saw me, and said that I couldn't enter. I told the Thais no problem, I would just get a taxi back, I didn't want to ruin their day.

But one of the Thais knew a back way to the beach over the hills on a dirt track. So we got there and it was full of Thais on the beach, drinking , eating and swimming. Plus there were soldiers running around doing drills.

I was the only farang there. I spend the whole day expecting the soldiers would arrest me. But nothing happened and all the Thais were friendly.

This is Thailand, the Thais make the rules. If you don't like it, then leave.

If you live here, why are you staying in a hotel?

Yeah.... I had to "explain myself" on another forum also.

It's simple. I live in my GF house. It is a bit uncomfortable, so on weekends I will book a hotel.

I get a lot of points through my business, so those hotel stays amount to very little actual money spent.

Is your wife, to whom you said (on the 24th March) you were happily married, OK with you living in your girlfriends house?

As Damon Runyon might phrase it "So now I am thinking that from what he is saying he is no little, and quite some, a guyfromanotherplanet".

Hmmmmm, it was reported somewhere recently that there are quite a few fakes on thaivisa. People using several names, completely making situations up and even talking to themselves using different names. Well spotted! The posters who were named stopped posting.

Looks like we have another one!

Are you married happily or not? Do you also have a girlfriend? Wanna come clean?

Thais cop double pricing in Australia, and don't whinge about it.

That is if they can even get a visa to go there.

And like in Thailand, it is not a racist thing as some are claiming, all foreigners have to pay more than the Aussies.

If a Thai wants to go to a government school, primary, secondary or uni, they must pay thousands more, not just a couple of dollars. And I reckon fair enough as I reckon fair enough that the Thais do it.

Another point is I believe that to get a work permit a farang minimum wage is 40,000 per month. So while there are many Thais who do earn more than this, most don't. Tourists, if they can afford an air ticket they can afford an extra couple of dollars.

Sri Lanka also does it. But ten times more. Went to the zoo, and two of us had to pay the same price as twenty Sri Lankans. I tried telling the ticket seller I was a born and bred local Sri Lankan. She asked to see my passport. I told her I didn't have a passport as I had never travelled abroad. She was having none of it, so we had to pay.

The post above also says it is the same in Chicago.

Another point is Thailand is so cheap anyway, I save thousands by living here. It honestly doesn't bother me to not receive the Thai discount. Going to the cinema here is about a tenth of what it costs in Oz for example. To see the same movie.

Maybe they just do it here to annoy the cheap Charlie's.

Your wrong on more than one of your points

Minimum wage? I said I "believe". I stand corrected, how much is it?

What other point is wrong? I have no problems admitting if I am wrong, but you have to tell me.

Thais cop double pricing in Australia, and don't whinge about it.

That is if they can even get a visa to go there.

And like in Thailand, it is not a racist thing as some are claiming, all foreigners have to pay more than the Aussies.

If a Thai wants to go to a government school, primary, secondary or uni, they must pay thousands more, not just a couple of dollars. And I reckon fair enough as I reckon fair enough that the Thais do it.

Another point is I believe that to get a work permit a farang minimum wage is 40,000 per month. So while there are many Thais who do earn more than this, most don't. Tourists, if they can afford an air ticket they can afford an extra couple of dollars.

Sri Lanka also does it. But ten times more. Went to the zoo, and two of us had to pay the same price as twenty Sri Lankans. I tried telling the ticket seller I was a born and bred local Sri Lankan. She asked to see my passport. I told her I didn't have a passport as I had never travelled abroad. She was having none of it, so we had to pay.

The post above also says it is the same in Chicago.

Another point is Thailand is so cheap anyway, I save thousands by living here. It honestly doesn't bother me to not receive the Thai discount. Going to the cinema here is about a tenth of what it costs in Oz for example. To see the same movie.

Maybe they just do it here to annoy the cheap Charlie's.

Farangs pay the normal price.

Thai people get a discount. Sometimes the farangs get a discount also if they show their license or work permit.

Still very cheap, doesn't bother me the Thais get a discount.

Last week at the Royal building near the zoo, Thai girlfriend paid 150 baht, I paid 75 baht. I got the 50% discount because my phone is with AIS. They didn't even bother to ask me for a license.

At the zoo we paid the same. I can't remember if there were two prices there or not.

The answer to the OP is........ It depends.

I believe the mere presence of a foreigner has most of them shying away from the foreigner for fear of not understanding what the foreigner wants or what he is saying as 98% of them do not speak English and never will.

They do not meet many foreigners that can speak Thai well or well enough to understand what the foreigner is saying in English so in their minds they can not really help you before they even try to help you.

Usually they will tell another worker to take care of the foreigner while often enough you can see a group of them backing off and or pushing one of their work mates towards the foreigner while also, often enough, you can hear them saying: Koon Chew-Woy Falung ( You help the Falung)

Sometimes when I have been walking around one of the big construction materials supply stores and can not find what I am looking for and then it always seems that there is no floor staff any where around to be found, I will eventually come across a group of them all sitting around or standing around chatting away and I will walk up to them.

I will stare at them and eye them up and down as if I am angry while no one says anything at first but usually one of them will say hello:

Sa-wa-dee

Then I will say: Everyone here works in this store right ( Took Khon, Tam-Ngan Tee-Nee...Chai My?)

Chai Cap or Chai Kah.( Yes )

Then I will say: Very good ( Dee Muck Loy )

OK...Who here is really, really smart and knows everything about this store and all the products.

( Khon Nie Tee-Nee, Lroo Jack Took Yang....Khon Nie Cha-Lat Muck, Muck )

That usually has them perplexed as to why the Falung is asking them this or like this.

Then I will point at one of them....Usually a girl, and say: This one here is real smart, correct and uses her brain well, correct

( khon Nee...Poo-Ying Nah Lack, Chai Samong Kheng, Chai My..... Kow Chalat Muck, Chai My?)

That usually has them smirking and or smiling while they all point at one another saying:

My Chai, Khon Nee, My Mee Samong ( No way, this one or that one does not have a brain ) while everyone is joking.

Then I will say: OK, then everyone come and help me...come with me.

Kawh Took Khon, Mah Nee Noi...Mah Chew-Woy Pom Noi.

Usually all of them will come or most of them and then I have several of them trying to help me while I can see some of them have no clue while some of them or at least 1 of them is using their brain and helps me best they can.

Usually they are curious to know why I can speak Thai and think I must be married to a Thai woman... right.?

I tell them I have a lot of girl friends and learn fast.......but just joking. ( Mee Fan Yueh ..Lah Gaw, Falung Khon Nee, Lee-En Pasa Thai Lay-ow Muck Di.....

My Chai...Pood Lehn.

While I am there I always try to learn a few new Thai words ( specifically the Thai name for the product I am looking for ) and ask them what is this or what is that and what is the name in Thai language and how do you say it in Thai language while they usually ask how do you say it in English.

So...point is, you can usually have some fun at the same time and learn some new Thai words while trying not to show your frustrations.

Cheers

This is the best post I have ever read on Thai visa!!!!!

Me and a buddy were at a restaurant and he ordered chicken cordon bleu. "Mai mee mister." So he ordered something else. When it came time to pay the bill we looked over at someone else's table that another waitress had just served and there is a pipping hot plate of you guessed it. He called the waitress over to ask her about it and she gave him a look of disgust and just marched off without saying a word.

Sounds like she didnt understand him, or do,you think she was being evil. It amazes me sometimes how foreigners complicate sentences when asking Thais to do something.

How are your Thai language skills?

Great point! It never ceases to amaze me the number of English speaking foreigners living in Thailand who expect Thais to converse with them in English. And then they get all pissy when they don't get exactly what they want.

Upcountry in the sticks i don't expect them to speak english but in the biggest malls in BKK i sure expect that.

Also in Foodland i think they should speak english. But i found a good Makro where they speak english so i don't care anymore for other shops.

And i don't like to speak to any Thai personell, i will find it myself or by something which comes close to what i need.

Even in Siam Paragon nobody speaks english, funny to see Hongkong chinese or Singaporeans speak to them. But they always have very young uneducated personell in the shops, i wonder why or it's only about the money probably.

I like to buy online or from overseas and bring it. Tired of stupid personell.

Sounds as though you need to relocate to a place where your Mother tongue is used as the normal means of verbal communication.

The sheer arrogance of those who believe that everyone "should" speak English is overwhelming !

i

Jing thing and Thian are always going to struggle in life. They EXPECT Thais to speak English in low paid supermarket jobs. They fail to see the small picture or the big picture.

I might be wrong, but they sound as if they come from England.

Should you also expect all supermarket workers in England (or wherever you are from) to be able to speak Thai? Maybe instead of 66,000 whining posts on thaivisa, perhaps your time would be better spent learning Thai, since you are in Thailand!!!

Everyone should learn your language to speak to you? In their country? How many languages do you want them to learn, chinese, Russian etc.

With no due respect, you two are deleted wits.

Some very funny responses here.

My twenty cents worth.

Do use google translate, with Thai it is hopeless. Absurd sometimes.

I think forum rules ban me from giving links, not sure, but just google Thai language, the first one that comes up is the best.

Piece of piss. Just needs 800,000 in the bank if single, 400,000 THB if married (I think).

A couple of days ago there was a mass of thick smoke/smog in Jomtien all day. Cant say that I remember seeing that before, at least not to that extent. It was so thick I didn't leave my condo at all, or go onto the balcony.

Apart from that there is quite a lot of fine black dust that deposits itself on my condo balcony, in spite of the wind often blowing from the sea which is very close to me. Another reason to keep the aircon on and the doors closed.

If I lived somewhere like Chiang Mai I would probably go elsewhere during the couple of months when they have the annual crop-burning.

It is being caused by burn offs. All the hills along the motorway were burning. They were just the ones you could see from the road. There wasn't much visabiliity but I assume it wasn't just these hills but the hills behind them also.

There are many second hand shops along sukumvit road in Pattaya selling what you need. You must haggle hard with them though. Get the best price and then tell them you will also look elsewhere, they eventually come down. It is a good idea to have an idea of prices for new stuff as well to compare.

However when it comes to staff it is best to pay them well if they are good workers. Many farang with businesses here churn through staff simply because in Pattaya has lots of opportunities and like any human anywhere in the world, they will go for a job that pays more. Then the tight farang bitches and moans that the staff leave all the time usually without notice and blame "thainess".

If you pay above the standard rate they won't leave. Pay average and you will have constant problems. Thais can actually be very loyal if you look after them. Feeding and housing them on the premises is a great idea if they want it. Harder to come up with fake excuses if you see them all the time.

Crunch suppliers, save on costs everywhere you can, but look after your staff. Learn as many Thai words as you can also that are related to the business. And be very hands on with the finances. Do daily checks and this will reduce opportunities for staff skimming. If they know you are "on to it " they won't even try ( in most cases).

Don't be scared to sack those who are incompetent. Pay them well and demand a high standard.

Good luck.