swissie

A long way from the Yucatan Penisula to Thailand. At 70 I would want to spend time in a solitary retreat, as I have done and seen everything, preferrably Canada. Talking to bears and nobody else. But, as a solitary retreat I would not choose Thailand. In connection with Thailand, something you want to tell us, so far afraid to tell us? Between Yucatan and Thailand, there is a time "gap". Care to fill in the gap?

I always found you spend too much time "online" in your room. Glad to hear that you have "hit the streets" finally. What you describe is something that happened over the last 50 years in Thailand. You should have gone out more often. A cleaning lady/girl at your hotel (erning 6000 Bht) will be thrilled to meet a ugly foreighner. As a matter of fact, her girlfriends will tell her that she has won the lottery and envy her accordingly. Those ladies/girls do not feel "enslaved". Quite the opposite, if something like this would lead to marriage with the ugly Farang she really has hit the "jackpot". You really should go out more often. Thus discovering that something like that is just normal procedure in tourist hot spots. Try it. Go out. The real world is so much more exiting than a 24/7 online existance.

Sorry to say, but I have turned my elephants into a bunch of spoiled brats, refusing to work and threathening to join the "Labor Elephant Union". = LEU. . Some neighbors tell me that my spoiled elephants resemble the youth of today more and more.

I am a bit disturbed. 15K to feed your wife? For this amount I can feed my 3 elephants that I keep as pets. Eighter your wife is very hungry or my elephants are on a voluntary diet. OR: For 15K you could enjoy the homy athmosphere of a parlor every second day of the month. All in good humor. I am on your side.

True English Gentlemen will not go to the toilet to do this. They do it on the matress while singing "God save the King". Much to the pleasure of onlookers.

None of the above. Trump will give tax breaks for the rich. = Boosting the federal deficit. Harris will increase benefits for "the poor". = Boosting the federal deficit.

Holy smoke. Never show up with the "Financial Times". You will be considered as a wealthy Farang. Price goes up immediately.

Always take a thick newspaper with you to the parlor. Spread the newspaper all over the matress, thus avoiding former bodily fluids. On top of that you will gain respect as a newspaper reading intellectual.

Dear Dr. Watson, your conclusions are not correct, but I admire your effort. Greetings, Sherlock Holmes.

A possible difference could be that "western women" increasingly earn their own money, therefore less need to marry a "wallet". As opposed to a large part of the Thai female population.

Maybe we should start to realise that the century of US/European dominance of the world is coming to an end. Politically and economically. The next century will belong to Asia, S/E Asia. No wonder that those currencies are starting to reflect this fact. Currency exchange rates of 20 years ago will never come back again. Period. One can "hedge" the future decline of "western currencies" at an insurance premium of 5% per year (average). The other "hedge" is Gold. Unfortunately the Gold hedge also costs you about 5% per year (carrying charge). Rats! The devil never sleeps.

Surely, too much of something can become boring. Even the "charms of the ladies". My observation is, that few Farangs engage in activities that benefit the local Thai folks. Some are starting to look for a "stable relationship" as an anchor in their later years, after having explored all the possibilities of short term aquaintances. Often resulting in "marriage". This may work but statistically it does mostly not work, at least not for the Farang. IMHO best for Farangs is to post on AN during the week, (relentlessly) and hit the town over the weekend. Some of us do just that, I never got the impression that they get bored. Way to go, before considering marriage.

Correction: It must read "even in a buyers market".

I started investing/trading when I was 23 years old. I found FOREX trading the hardest. Trading by fundamentals: Tons of data must be interpreted. (Including the guesswork what central banks want to do with their currency). Trading by "technicals": It seems currencies do not "obey" standart patterns. In no trading arena have I discovered more Bull or Bear traps. Looking back, Real Estate investements in good locations would have yielded more than anything else. Able to apply "leaverage" at it's finest. As long as one is able to pay the mortgage, even in a sellers market, the Banks will leave you alone. Very much opposed to your stock/commodities broker, serving you a "margin call" if things go south. Therefore, "leverage" in R/E makes a lot of sense. "Leaverage" in stocks/commodities? = Handle with care.

Let's suppose you married your Thai Wife when you were around 40 years old. The both of you are now 20 years older, living in Thailand. Always assuming you are still together, what made it last? Your and your wifes physical atrraction has not increased over the years. So, what is the "glue" that held it together for the last 20 years?

Your children about 20 years old? Talk to them like a dutch uncle: Start a (monthly?) retirement savings plan now. "Time" is the greatest wealth builder. Speak to them softly: "To start a retirement plan at the age of 55 is pointless". By convincing them to act accordingly, you may have given them the greatest gift you could ever have given them. Especially as the state based "retirement-concepts" would have run it's course, due to "underfunding".

Some post show me clearly what a bad person I am. I am considering self flagellation. Between 1996 and 2005 I really thought Pattaya is the paradise on earth. The ladies and the tourists were friendly. No cause for aggressiveness as everything was plentyful at a reasonable price. Therefore, few "barroom braws", relatively low crime rate. It seemed, that the "competitive factor" (a reason for much grief) was not present. The male visitors did not have to "fight" for the charms of the ladies as anwhere else. Everybody happy. Almost something like a "brotherhood of man". Every time I made the aquaintance of a lady, I knew that somewhere in the Isaan, a houshold would be able to buy a TV. The ladies as well as I, found nothing wrong with that. There were times, I thought I did more good than mother Theresa in the black hole of Kalkutta. Gradually, things changed but not for the better. Not ashamed to say, that this was the closest thing I ever encountered resembling a "paradise". Not sure if a "heavenly paradise" could top it. But then, nothing lasts forever. Today, for me, it's a "lost paradise". Adam was thrown out of paradise for the second time.

Overdue "technical correction" taking place currently. Fine with me.

Every Pharma Company producing BP medication must be thrilled.

I am uneducated as well. I drank and smoked tea plenty. But I never got "high". What am I doing wrong?

Rats! I diden't live according to the "laws" of a oriental (hebrew) God. Should I still make it thru the "pearly gates", I surely would hope to meet God. The first 2 questions I would want to ask God are: a) Which God are you? (We humans worship a multitude of Gods). b) Where you come from? Or, who made you? ------------------------------------- Quote: "I believe from faith, common sense and hope there's something better than all the sh*t we see daily. =This train of thought is the cradle of all religions ever dreamed up by man. I happen to believe that God diden't create us. We (our brain) created God. But, best not to argue about it. It's eighter one want's to "belive" or one wants to "know".

Afraid that this would turn into a "afterlife" discussion. Please not. The question remains: "What sort of paradise would suit you best"? A serious question, as the 2 main religions promess a "paradise" after death. In what sort of paradise would you like to end up?

I am certain that more input will be forthcoming, as this concerns everybody including my Gold-Hamster. I am sure, more spritual "insights" must follow. If not: Where do I sighn up considering your vision of "paradise"? Quite tempting! Especially as I speak Korean fluently.

Between 1991 and 1996 I worked for "Credit-Suisse". Main branch, "private banking". To enter the kingdom of "private banking", you really had to be a "financial heavyweight". We got the results of their "research" departement first. To be distributed quickly to our "financial heavyweights", several hours before those facts became "common knowledge". Incredible amounts of money were made in a matter of hours, due to "advance knowledge". To believe, that such "immoral" financial behaviour has come to an end, due to "stricter legislation", is the equivalent of believing in Santa Claus. Nothing personel, just rejuvenating memories. Realising that nothing much has changed. "Immoral" behaviour just harder to track than before.

After a rather unpleasant life on earth (for most people, especially having lived in a third world country), major Religions offer a better life after death. Commonly known as "paradise". What should "paradise" be, according to your wishes, so that you would really feel unconditionally good in paradise? What would make "paradise" better than your life on earth? Hamburgers for free? Free lodging? 72 female virgins awaiting your arrival? Talking to God over a cup of coffee? Come on, what should paradise look like according to your wishes and hopes?