Expat Tom

Pattaya does have law enforcement of sorts. At least 3 to 4 days, on my walk on the beach side of Beach Road, I see Pattaya Police hard at work. Right in front for the Police Headquarters (Beach Road beside Central Festival) the police stop every motor bike ridden be a farang to check papers and enforce helmet laws etc. If you stand there and watch as I have many times it is easy to see that this law enforcement completely targets and discriminatory toward farang. NO ONE Thai is stopped , not even the ones with 4 people on one motorbike none with helmets. Is this the way Thai Tourism attracts people to Thailand? It seems the the Tourism Authority and the Thai Police are sending mixed messages. I politely asked a Thai police officer writing tickets, in the Thai language, why only farang were being stopped. I got no answer and left the area before I could be arrested and jacked up for a 1000 baht fine. I live here and have for years. The nonsense doesn't affect me that much . I keep a 1000 baht note paper clipped to my motorcycle papers under the seat . I have NEVER been ticketed. I have had to replace that 1000 baht note several times. However, this targeting of farang might affect the decisions that tourists make regarding their next vacation destination. Just for fun, visit "transparency.org " and see where Thailand ranks on the "World Corruption Index". I'll save you the time.....108th! Maybe that is why the Russians come here. Russia ranks 141st on the same index. The Russians feel at home in Thailand.

My grandmother always told me that a fool and his money are easily parted. Who would wear a real gold neckless around Pattaya? Asked and answered....A FOOL!

Visit "transparency.org" and check out where Thailand is ranked in the "world corruption index". I'll save you the effort ...Thailand is ranked 114 th most corrupt country in the world but don't take my word for it. Check it out yourself. transparenct.org I am working on my 2025 exit plan from the land of smiles. BYW, the reason the Russians feel so at home in Thailand is that Russia is ranked 141 st on the world corruption index.

I think that's great! When will the authorities get to the bars on Walking Street advertising in bright neon," Russian Women"? The quick answer is NEVER! They are a protected well funded operation that most likely have "partners" in high places in Thailand including the police. These places are not hard to find. They are directly on Walking Street, have bright neon signs and Blond European ladies standing out front. I am glad to see the low life African ladies gone from under the trees. Please don't take away my lovely Thai ladies. My next wife might be waiting for me there. : )

If you walk down Beach Road in Pattaya you can see an almost daily even in front of the Thai police station by Central Festival. The police are hard at work stopping every motorbike driven by a farang while stopping no bikes driven by Thai's. So, we know that the police here are good at targeted enforcement. They attack farang with official uniforms, the rule of law and ticket books. The only difference between this daily mugging by the police and the poor 80 year old bleeding from knife wounds is the knives. The mugging has the same effect. Farang are relived of their cash. Don't believe me? Take a walk on the beach and see for yourself. Many Thai people and a majority of the police see farang as "Walking ATM's" Welcome to the Land of Smiles.

Because the man was going into a pot shop he had not yet used pot? Who ever wrote that piece of brilliant logic was probably smoking something. Years ago I smoked pot for fun. After I became a licensed sea captain I was subject to random drug testing. I stopped smoking with not withdrawal symptoms. Everyone is different might, therefore, react differently but in my 70+ years I have seen lots of alcohol rage and steroid rage but I have never seen pot rage. Pot usually mellows people out unless mixed with something else like speed or coke. Usually the worst effect of pot is the desired to eat every cookie and potato chip in the house and then go to the store for more. (Biscuits and crisps for those bound by tradition and who shun progress) : ) !

"International Living Magazine" and "Live and Invest Overseas" both produce a yearly top 10 list of countries to live and retire in for expats. Thailand is on the list. However, Thailand is not ranked as number one and there are 9 other countries on the list as well. Many of those other 9 countries offer expats with retirement or long term stay visas DISCOUNTS on a variety of goods and services rather then charge them more. In Thailand a farang can not own a house with land without going through some quasi-legal corporate structure. Many other countries grant long term visas to those who BUY real estate and make their homes there. If you chose some of those other countries on the top 10 list of countries to live and retire in you are allowed to participate in that countries national health care program at a very very low cost. In Thailand you are on your own and have to buy expensive expat insurance. If you visit the website, "Transparency.org" and view the yearly , "World Corruption Index" and cross reference it with the "Top 10 Places to Live and Retire" you will notice that our beloved Thailand is ranked as MORE corrupt than the other 9 countries on the list. It be VERY clear, I have lived as an expat (legally) in Thailand for over 15 years. I love much about Thailand notwithstanding the morons who run the Thai government. I have traveled to over 70 countries and lived for months in 11 different countries. My advise to all expats, "We came here by airplane (at least 99% of us) and the last time I checked, airplanes fly in both directions". We are all individuals and have our own likes, dislikes, tolerance levels and resources. There is NOT one size fits all in the expat community. We all have choices. I will be very sad to leave the land of smiles but I do have an exit strategy and so should you in case the stupidity out of BBK becomes unbearable. The Thai government needs to fully appreciate the economic impact of the expats living here. They further need to realize that tourism dollars will decline if the government levies too many stupid regulations on expat residents. I have had many friends come from abroad as tourists to visit me over the years. They can just as easily come for a visit to my new country of residence. Let me sum this up by repeating that there are 9 other countries on the list of the beat places to live and retire . The Thai government needs to wake up and get competitive unless they want to be the worlds capital of Russian, Chinese and Indian tourism.

I am not Thai. The country, presumably, belongs to the Thai people. I am just a guest here and don't have a horse in this race or any axe to grind. But, as a casual observer, it seems to me the the Taskin family and their minions have near absolute control. There will be some eye candy accompanying Khun Yingluck's return just as with her father. He will be given a luxury suite somewhere under police supervision while the family patriarch dispenses money and political favors to smooth her transition back into the power circles of Bangkok. As for me, I could care less. Who holds the reins of political power in BBK has no affect on my life. I hope for the best for Thailand and my man Thai friends.

Taksin completed a successful silent coup and seized control of the country he was exiled from. Maybe its a good thing and maybe not but the fact remains that the Taksin family and their minions run Thailand. Anyone who actually believes that his daughter does ANYTHING with out his council and direction is just naive. As an grateful and happy expat living in this fascinating "land off Smiles", I don't have a horse in the Thai political race. I am just an bemused observer and hope for the best for all. Obviously, Thailand belongs to the Thai people and any farang living here is a guest. I am sure that 99% of the farang living here arrived by airplane and if Thailand no longer suits their needs the planes fly in both directions.

Every time I read crap like this or a story about some other foreigner behaving like like a jerk I say a small prayer that he/she/it isn't an American.

Noting good EVER comes from excessive drinking. I wonder if some of the people who get drunk and behave badly in Thailand do the same in their own country?

People travel to learn new cultures and have new experiences. Maybe he should have spent the night with her/him. He might have enjoyed it. Who knows? Maybe he knew he was taking a ladyboy to his hotel and sobered up or lost his yearning for adventure when he got to the room. : )

Every time I hear crap like this I pray that he isn't an American.

Much of my career was spent as a transportation safety consultant. My specialty was high way safety analysis and accident analysis. Thailand may not have the most dangerous traffic situation in the world but it is certainly one of the worse. Basically there are three root causes for traffic accidents: 1) Poor engineering, design and construction to include signage. 2) Poor driver education and licensing 3) Poor law enforcement. In 99% of accidents one or a combination of these causes are involved. You are in danger just crossing the street in a designated cross walk and there are very very few stop or yield signs. If there were stop signs the Thais would just ignore them. If you live here, look around and form your own opinion.

Part of the local color? At least it isn't a drunken farang trying to sucker punch another farang.