StayinThailand2much

Pesky tourists! Why can't they behave according to the requirements of Thailand? First order: hand over all your money NOW, next: get out... 😆

It seems to be for currency trading. The baht has been pretty stable for the past 18 years.

17 United Kingdom 310.2 There you go; the UK has slightly higher gold reserves than Thailand (234.6 metric tons). The U.S. has a GDP 54 times that of Thailand, but barely 35 times the gold reserves, not to mention foreign currency reserves; Thailand: US$246.900 billion (March 2025) vs. the U.S.: US$243.610 billion (Nov. 2024).

Good luck to Thailand's exporters! 😆

Rank Country/Organization Gold holdings (in metric tons) Gold's share of forex reserves 1 United States 8,133.5 74.9% 2 Germany 3,351.2 77.1% — International Monetary Fund 2,814.0 —[a] 3 Italy 2,451.8 74.1% 4 France 2,437.0 74.7% 5 Russia 2,332.7 29.5% 6 China 2,292.3 6.5% 7 Switzerland 1,039.9 9.6% 8 India 879.6 13.4% 9 Japan 845.9 6.6% 10 Turkey 623.9 43.6% 11 Netherlands 612.4 64.9% 21 Thailand 234.6 9.5% Thailand: almost 1/4 of gold reserves compared to Switzerland, and almost 28% of India's holdings (despite having a much smaller economy and population)!

Even better; sometimes I put my bag on the empty seat on the train. However, if the train gets crowded, there's always someone who wants to sit... The people who don't sit down (or even change seats) seem to be younger women. A 'sex tourist' prejudice? (Ironic, as 95% of Thai women on certain dating websites seem to be there just looking for customers.) 😆

Thailand has huge gold and foreign currency reserves (particularly compared to its GDP), and the gold price is up lately, which might (at least partly) explain it.

Didn't they store part of it like for twelve years, then (tried to sell it) cheaply to buyers in Africa in 2023?

Haha, big brother probably has to bail her out (if she ever really has to pay that). According to Google, her net worth is 'only' US$25 million... 😆

The biggest problem occurs if you take a Taxi 'Meter', but as soon as they leave the airport, they tell you that they won't use their meter, but, instead, charge you XXX baht. There you are, heavy bags in the trunk, and fleeced at gun point. That's why I stopped using them, esp. if I have luggage.

Where was this report, warning me, 28 years ago? 😆

Why didn't you complain to Grab? (And if you did, did you get a refund?)

Same here; I like that the drivers understand, or even speak English. I don't have to haggle about using the meter, or about the price. I also like that I know the price in advance, and not feel cheated. And, lastly, I like that I don't need to tell the driver how to get to the destination, as all Grab drivers know how to use their GPS. If I pay a few baht more than for a Taxi Meter that I have to hail down, and that may not stop, or 'not like the destination', so what?

Ban all foreign fast-food and cafe outlets, together with the convenience stores... A third of all shops will have to close, as 7-Eleven and Starbucks are sent packing... 😆

I recently booked a Grab ride, and was very surprised when, instead of the usual unmarked car, a Taxi Meter arrived.

I wouldn't necessarily call it 'far-right', but rather anachronistic, or 'behind the times'; not primarily in the sense of not using modern technology, but more in a medieval sense, with backward social structures, morals, mannerisms, educational system, etc. (But with nationalism reminiscent of the early 20th century.) - Take away mobile phones, the internet, subways, and flashy shopping malls, and you could easily think you're in the 1950s, or so. Still, different to Western countries, I don't think that there will be any 'liberal', or 'green' political party in the foreseeable future.

Same here; so only animals that suck my blood, eat my food, or damage my clothes, etc., meaning cockroaches, moths, mosquitos, and ants (if they get too numerous)... I leave spiders and little geckos alone, as they're useful in killing the former. As for little drain flies, I kill them sometimes; I don't know why. For large weird flies, or the occasional wasp, I open the window and drapes, so that they can find their way out. Bargirls, or other pesky girls, I currently keep out of the house, but if I let one in again, she'd have to be up for a thorough soapy right after entering... 😆

Correct NZ is not safe as it was, murder is every day and gangs peddling Chinese meth everywhere NZ is one of the countries, I felt very safe when travelling there, right in second position after Japan, and before Australia.

The conflict most probably didn't arise because of the German 'disrespecting the monarchy', but more likely because of a fare dispute... 😆

Yeah, Pattaya the wannabe 'family resort'... 😆 Personally, I try to stay far away from Win motorcycle-taxis, esp. in Pattaya, preferring Grab and Bolt. Arguing with people who want to rip you off, esp. at night won't end well in Thailand.

Yes, I don't mind seeing the odd gay couple in movies and TV shows, but it seems to be the "law" these days that there 'has to be' at least one gay, AND one lesbian couple in each and every TV series, incl. historical dramas, House of the Dragon, etc., etc.

What's going on recently, with the dollar dropping like a rock towards 32 baht?

If you look at the numbers, yes, Thailand still gets more tourists than Malaysia, but per capita Thailand is losing out, with Malaysia receiving 1.1 international tourists per capita. (Try for 79 million international tourists, TAT... 😆)

They had to blame it on someone who is not Thai...

So, you're suggesting sex change is the answer? 😆