StayinThailand2much

Still tens of billions lying around, to be used for new toys... Never mind the sorry state of infrastructure, education, pollution, etc., etc. What country are they planning to invade/be invaded from that they need submarines?

Still pondering, whether I'd like to do some travelling there. But for seeing the nature there's probably not enough transportation, and I'm not keen on seeing slums. Might decide on Egypt, perhaps.

Nor does the TAT, obviously. As the problem has been known for decades.

Correct. I used some of those buses between Phuket Town and the beaches 25 years ago. There is nothing new about this. The (mafia) problem is transportation in each resort, and between beaches.

Wait! Didn't they just announce a 5%-growth rate? How is this "under-performing"?

What lottery numbers relate to this event? (Asking for a Thai friend.)

Wonder, what is more likely, TATs high-flying tourist numbers adding up, or snow in Bangkok...

I would define it by how people interacted with me, and treated me in different locations, sometimes going out of their way to help, not to mention being friendly. This is entirely based on personal prevalent experience, e.g. when travelling 'Down Under', I found Aussies to be much more friendly, helpful, and interested in having a conversation with me than, say, Kiwis. The same is true for Malaysia, or Cambodia, compared to Thailand, Malaysians vs. Singaporeans, etc.

“The only statistics you can trust are the ones you have falsified yourself”. (Winston Churchill) I haven't been to the top-ranked countries of that survey, but I certainly disagree about Japan's low rank. I personally would rank Japan as #1, and I know many people (incl. Thais) who would rank the Japanese there too. Further down, I'd add the U.S. (based on all the Americans I met over the years around the world), Australia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Austria, and Czechia, to name just a few.

Political correctness is a 'foreign concept' in Thailand, and human rights depend on what is in your wallet...

Headline after they catch him: "Cops caught him with his pants down".

Actually, my opinion is that after 2000, or so, people started to go bonkers... Reason in Thailand was Thaksin (blaming foreigners for all of Thailand's ills), and internationally, dunno, 9-11?

Seconded. I had no non-positive feelings towards people of any heritage until I moved to Asia. Back then I was actually heavily biased towards Asian peoples. Living, and travelling extensively in Asia, my feelings towards peoples in most countries got even more positive (if this was possible), while for people in only two countries my opinion went south thanks to a multitute of extremely negative experiences in these two countries.

I didn't complain that people (incl. Thai people; that's why I did put 'Thai' in parentheses) can be annoying. I just stated it. Also, if you read my post carefully, I mentioned an annoying compatriot too, but, yes, naturally, most annoying people I meet in Thailand are Thais...

Malaysians; Thais can always rely on them. (Actually, when I lived in the South, I knew a mixed-race Thai girl, who claimed that her ex-boyfriend arranged a gang-rape of her, but she escaped, and went to the cops, who, supposedly said: "We can't touch those joining this, as they are Malaysians." - Can't vouch whether the story is true, but knowing the girl, perhaps.)

1. Where did I 'complain'? 2. That I managed my life better than 'them' is not thanks to them or their country. (F.Y.I., I have managed life well enough in a few countries on two continents, not just in Thailand.)

Sorry to hear that the expected tens of millions of Kazakhs, Russians, and Chinese didn't arrive...

Confused; wasn't the word that they get a frigate instead? Also, if they love China as much as they do, why don't they get a submarine with an engine Made in China?

Hear, hear... Higher food prices due to limitation of less expensive imports for any reason, thereby eliminating competition. But what do the digital wallet plans have to do with it?

I just had a very disappointing experience with a compatriot today, making me wonder whether there's something bad in the water here... No, seriously, (Thai) people are very annoying, but the way to deal with it seems to be to outright ignore them. I say these days that I'm not living here because of Thai people, but in spite of them. Many seem to have 'big problems', and knowing that I manage my life here much better than most of them gives me satisfaction every day...

Back when I opened it, the clerk told me: "No interest for you as a foreigner." - As I needed an account with KTB back then, I reluctantly agreed. Just another discrimination of foreigners in Thailand. Then again, they didn't get a happy customer, and I have only kept the minimum balance in that account most of the time, so a small loss for me, but a much bigger loss for them...

After having spent two decades on and off in Thailand, I still have to see a Thai writing a letter, or a postcard, or even saying that they like to write/have written postcards, or private letters.

Or the one translating the Thai article used Google Translate...

400K would be for marriage. That you are confused / don't understand it isn't the OP's fault True. Non 'O' for tourists?? Had to be for either marriage, or retirement. And the former seems right, as this is the funds needed for an extension in Thailand. - I presume, if they offer(ed) visas for retirement, they'd want to see 800,000 baht in the bank?

Glad to read news about this every other day. Yes, Thailand loves the Russians, I get it! Hope, we get to to read more news and info about destinations that also welcome non-Russians for longer stays...