Alive

I meet plenty of Thais who hate Thailand and would like a better country. It's pretty much only the foreigners who come here with money, pensions or apathy to their financial future who are happy for a while. A lot of them eventually take some sort of hit and start complaining like a lot of the long term folks can. Wherever I go I just see the problems. Here the problems can be disgusting especially if you consider open human rights abuses. But I don't want to ruin the day and of course I can't talk about that here. Just be happy happy happy happy... for now....someday you may understand the other side of Thailand.

I have a friend whose step-son dropped out of school around 14. he was into the motorbikes drinking etc. At that time he would take money from his mother. Eventually they just had to lock things up and he had his own room. He got bored in the countryside and moved to BKK to work. He makes his own money there and seems to be getting by okay. I would guess he asks his mom sometimes for money and she gives him some. She wouldn't give a lot though. He has his own life. With your nephew around he may get bored in the countryside and eventually move back to the city again. This back and forth stuff is very common for most young people up in Esarn without great education or jobs. You should be very careful of things. My friend has a small but very heavy safe. Not that there is anything really valuable in it. It can protect your valuables from family at least. Why does you nephew have to live with you anyways? He should move out.

Well uber tried to enter the Thai market and has been beaten back it seems. You are waiting for Amazon but will get ChaoPhaya, a glorious website/company that offers everything those western sites offer.

You can get Starbucks in Surin after your go to the waterpark with your kids. You can see Thai people eating all the junk food and fast food that westerners love. You can't find small family-owned and managed shops easily. You can find traffic jams in most parts of Thailand at rush hour.

The most surprising thing about the opening post is he was in the military in the US but does seem to care about the freedoms he was supposedly defending. I never thought that way either when I was in the military. In Thailand for many, it's all about what you can get as a foreigner or for some a foreigner with money. It certainly can be surreal here in Thailand where you find some expats who made their money working for government lies and the military industrial complex sat down right next to the very people who would burn the flag right in front of their faces in praise of Communism. Well, that's Thailand and expats. It's an escape. It was for me too but I've changed. Personally, I wish I could have more freedom to speak the truth here online and in Thailand without fear of my post getting deleted for using a wrong term to describe a government or for fear of arrest because I spoke the truth. I'd like my kids to have more freedom and not be required to have personal wealth, family bloodlines, or connections to have rights and freedom.But if you like Thailand, you probably are okay with the system that allows some to get ahead and even abuse without fear of punishment by their cronies. I don't want to live with an elephant in the room. That's me, for others they will live happily with the elephant in the room until one day it sits on them or their family member or friend. Then suddenly their comfortable as an second-class citizen in Thailand will be over. They'll change. What's new. It is the Thai story for the vast majority.

Thailand is a different place in my opinion. When I was young, it was quite a lot of fun but now that I am older, I don't take as much interest in it, the culture, food etc. I haven't been back home for 8 years now? I can't even remember the last time. I've almost spent half my life in Thailand and really I don't have a lot to show for it. Anyways, things have changed at my work and I'm pretty sure I will be leaving in a year. I'll become a tourist like so many visiting on occasion. Glad to leave the lies and propaganda here too. Thailand is just one place and there is so much more to this world. Thailand will probably get interesting over the next year with all the changes going on and expected but I don't think it will be a better place for foreigners.

16mn baht is plenty but not if you get mixed up with women or other dependents in your life in Thailand. You need to be real careful here and there are many ways others can go after you wealth. Just have some sort of accident or cause one. Most people living in Thailand don't have that much wealth to retire on. My guess is your friend's simple life will not last long. Just look at home many events happen here to foreigners. It's easy to do something stupid here especially if you are here for a long time. Many people see their wealth dry up pretty quickly.

Maybe the temperature hasn't risen much but the rain certainly is less. If you live in Thailand, make sure you have water. Thailand's working classes are making more money and many are rural people. These young people are often building homes in their home villages which are already near max for water supply. If the droughts continue certain areas will have much larger water problems than others, especially those in the northeast which are a distance from large water supplies.

As for xenophobia, yes it is on the rise in Thailand and other places. Hate and fear by groups create polar opposites so I see the world seeing more overall. But something is going to have to happen here are there are so many mixed folks in this society. Eventually the mentality of the establishment here which can be see in the group now in power and its supporters, will have to change or else there will be conflict. Thailand is a diverse nation of mixed peoples now especially the cities where foreigners have had a long influence. Nationalism and patriotism are going to have to mean something different to the traditional military/BKK ruling class.

As for prices, well that's capitalism and expected. Only something really major and lasting in this society can bring prices down again.

Foreigners need better treatment as most of their nations give it to Thais in their land. This might be slow coming as most Thais themselves are treated as second-class citizens by the elite Thais who have always controlled this nation.

What exactly is the problem here

The fact that GF parents are well off???

The fact that Step son likes other women as friends????

The fact that GF family buy her a condo and car but she let's her boyfriend have it????

I have many female friends doesn't mean I shag them.

Perfectly normal for car to be used by other people.

GF mom and dad obviously like the lad and want to give him a foot up

So please what is the problem here

I don't think it is normal at all. But I don't have the problems some other people have. Maybe all those stories rich people claim about someone else driving their sports cars when they had the accidents were true.

My vote goes with the sanuk fading. Thailand certainly has change in many ways over the years and under the regime in power. Business boomed in the past decade and tech appeared in force into the lives of so many Thais. Money is more important that ever for what people see as normal. The western world of food has become more dominant in Thai lives as well. Thais travel abroad much more and know more about the world and people. Foreigners are nothing strange to Thais these days. Things are absolutely different. And of course as someone mentioned some of us are a lot older so that doesn't help either.

Education is much more accessible and taken advantage of.

Now rural people have lots of cars.

Some interest in the religion is fading. I know a few atheists.

Riding non-air buses in rural areas was normal in the past.

10 baht biils are gone.

Thais don't see foreigners as something special. Less starring and mouths forming the word 'farang'.

Young people are more liberated. Women drink more and go out with friends.

Eating at nice restaurants isn't just for the wealthy or for parties. Now teens can go out with friends and have the funds.

Many more Thais travel abroad on vacations. The international world is closer for all.

Health care and roads are better in rural areas.

People don't care as much about Levis.

The world cup isn't the only sport that attracts attention. Thai golfers have really come along.

Thai food has become a bit sweeter and of course now junk food is quite normal.

Coffee drinking has really come along.

Bread in the past was horrible and you could often only find pandan bread but these days there are much better choices.

2nd hand clothes were much more popular in the past.

The Skytrain wasn't there so buses were the way to get around. Traffic jams seemed worse too. That might have been because we were stuck on crowded buses.

Singh beer was number 1 twenty years ago. Chang probably is now.

I don't think Moo Ga-tah (neua yang) was around then. Now it is more popular than eating just Thai food in a lot of areas.

Laos wasn't so open to foreigners then.

There were a lot more Peace Corps and other volunteers still around.

Life was more laid back in general. Chiangmai wasn't as polluted.

Many(Most?) of the high tech companies in Navanakorn, Ayuttaya and other places weren't around. They were just starting to come in around 20 years ago.

The convenience store I knew before 7Eleven was AM/PM. It was in central and northern Thailand. Not sure if they had it in other parts.

Pleng Puea Cheewit was at a high with Carabow, Pongsit Kumpee and others big stars.

There seemed to be a lot more Suan Ahaan around where girls would sing the top songs while you ate dinner. they'd also sit with you and sometimes take a trip with you too.

I'd say there was a bit more wildlife/nature too.

People were much more innocent.

There were a lot more mia nois around too. I don't think women accept that so easily these days as they have jobs and power.

Of course, there is so much more to say.

"old German male, marries "

Hmmm, a age difference from 37 to 53, = 16 years is in my opinion acceptable

Based on that 80-year-old guy who married a 17-year old's opinion, there's no problem with an age difference of 63 years. Based on his opinion. I wonder if the Thai lady in the story was chasing a younger or older man.

There should be more choice for Atheists like me. There's an opportunity there. Crocodile party, sharkfest, or maybe acid bath. I believe sending your ashes into space is still an option too. Isn't that where Timothy Leary went?

I used to like the Londoner Pub's drafts. Anything 'homemade' or draft is better than something from a bottle. But if I have to choose by the bottle my order is Chang, Tiger then anything else. Lao is quite good but not Thai of course. If the AEC ever really develops it would be nice to see what other ASEAN beers are out there.

Don't remember where it was but the last time I stayed in a hotel in Pattaya or Jomtien a few months ago the staff didn't even ask for my information. They just took the money and gave me the key. It was a pretty good place. Not a run down joint.