PingRoundTheWorld

Having lived in Patong for over a year, I have never been back. **** that place. The taxi mafia vermin have a lot to do with it, but the whole place stinks from the top down - they care only about money and give zero fs about customer welfare. Taxis are 10x times overpriced, nightlife is overpriced, bottles expire after 3 days. They simply don't care about you, period.

Probably because he was busy not being stabbed??

When I lived in Phuket every year around high season Phuket was full of various French (Algerian) gangs, resulting in daily fights and problems. Probably same guys. Absolute filth that Thailand does not need and should not tolerate.

What a joke. Thais literally stab each other on a daily basis and get off with 500 baht and a wai (ok not exactly but very little enforcement done), yet when a "rich" foreigner butthurts a "doctor" she goes to the supreme court? The guy already paid more than enough surely. There is no need for this vindictiveness or waste of public resources for something that amounts to hurt feelings at best. She was not injured. Move the **** on.

You're the 1%. Almost everyone at nightlife venues just assumes it's ok. A big pet peeve is friends who I specifically ask not to vape around me but they do anyway when drunk because they forget I asked.

For all the people saying cheap charlie - if the condo is next to the shop (no significant transportation time or cost), there really is no need to charge 1000 baht instead of the regular 600. That's a huge markup for no real reason. If there are tranportation costs sure charge 100-200 more but not 400. But yes- the obvious solution would be to find someone private willing to do massage at home for that rate. I wouldn't bother with the shop employees as they cannot leave the shop during business hours - you want a freelancer massage girl (that isn't looking for extras).

You can find anything you want in Pattaya if you have money. Sounds like he doesn't really offer much to a potential mate here. No money, no youth, no looks - it's a pretty tough sell. You're right- he might fare better in Philippines as age disparity is less of an issue there, and the economic disparity is greater which makes him more of a "prize". He could probably find an older lady here (think somtum seller types), but unlikely what he's seeking. Good luck.

Of all the things that didn't matter today, this didn't matter the most. Amazing that it got to the mayor. No other things to handle? like proper drainage for example?

Corruption? possibly. Scam? no. Sounds like an excellent price for the "service" actually.

Ahhh here we go again. Give it to Democrats to attempt to pervert election results by allowing noncitizens to vote. That shouldn't even be a question! Prove you're a citizen, or don't vote, period.

So in other words- never. I wouldn't be so quick to put a doomed slogan on it. With all it's faults and corruption Thailand has still managed to be one of the nicer places to live in the region. Things might get done backwards and with a lot of flip-flopping, but eventually get done for the most part. Exept for proper drainage.

Do you have actual examples of this happening? other than sob story propaganda? if anything I've heard more about extreme climate events in developed countries like hurricanes. Rising sea levels may or may not happen, but if that happens all coastline cities will be affected - including developed countries and including Thailand. As for Tuvalu. At least at this point in time it's a threat of what MIGHT happen IF sea level rise frequency increases for decades. This isn't something that already happened, and so far sea levels have risen centimeters. Not saying it won't cause problems in the future - but it's not like tomorrow they will be underwater - that's just propaganda.

Have you actually been to Phuket? it is nothing alike what you envision. It's quite a big island with many separate areas that are not really connected beyond roads, mainly due to terrain. It's imposssible for it to become one big metropolis without literally removing mountains, not to mention local politics. And as for Phuket finding a reason to exist other than tourism- that's about as funny as Pattaya officials' wet dream of rebranding it as a family-friendly destination. Having said all of that: it's obvious the problems are due to poor planning, over custruction, and lack of proper drainage. Other countries a fraction the size of Thailand can manage drainage and rarely flood - so why do so many areas in Thailand every year, multiple times a year. Pattaya again comes to mind: second road becomes second river every time it rains heavy - it clears out within a few hours but meanwhile it's barely useable - for a city that is one of the richest in Thailand it's amazing they cannot handle a little rain on THE main road for transporation. Just dig it up and install proper drains - not that hard.

Between this, and arresting the Dildo Crime Ring, I feel safer already. Keep up the good job BiB. How about they go after real crime? like violence and vaping?

Again- EVs are not green unless they replace fossil fuel burning electric plants with renewable or nuclear. Are there feasible plans to do so? (genuinely asking - are there?)

Really? They're not 6 (unlike the victim). At 12yo you already have a sense of right and wrong - and they knew it was wrong - they just didn't care. Much like most violence in Thailand - the perpetrator knows it's wrong, but either face, their anger, or in extreme cases sadism gets the better of them. I met a gf's 13yo daughter once. At that age she was already drinking and smoking (moderately), completely independent (kind of a <deleted> mother really but I digress). They are not the innocent little lambs you think they are.

That's great for the UK (really!), but now how about Thailand?

Good. The video does not show a kick, only the women jumping up which could be out of fear. When in doubt, there's doubt. Yes he's a scumbag, no- that shouldn't convinct him if there's no evidence. There's no record of her going to hospital to treat a wound, her pride being wounded doesn't count as evidence.

But not the environment. But if your personal goal is saving money then sure. (to clarify: I see nothing wrong with it, just call a spade a spade - it's not green unless you make effort making it green i.e. solar etc)

The only way they survive is if they actually do this. I'm covered by a DTA, but just to avoid ambiguity and potential problems down the road I'll extend my current elite visa further if they offer this. If not it's a really hard choice as DTV offers a very similar visa at a fraction of the cost. Funny enough salary-wise I would be eligible for LTR easily, but the red tape is making it impossible - I work for a US-traded company worth tens of billions $, but because I'm employed via a local-country subsidiary which is a non-traded company I am not eligible. How stupid is that?

Phuket: a foreigner is facing massive bills, possible jail time, possible visa revocation and deportion - for an alleged one kick that did not require treatment. Also Phuket: two girls physically and sexually abuse a boy half their age. Pay 5000 and go. And even that wasn't paid. Seriously WTF. These girls should be locked up in juvie or an equivalent. Certainly not walk free with a trivial fine. What message does this send? be as violent as you want - all you have to do is apologize later.

I understand, but disagree. I mean- I agree exports is bigger than tourism, but when you combine tourism+expat inflows+European simps sending money to isaan 🤣+grey purchases not on the books (prostitution, nightlife, tuk/taxis, street vendors, anyone that doesn't declare) then it's still a huge chunk of the pie.

It makes perfect sense that the baht would appreciate vs the Dollar when the Fed cut rate and BOT did not. However what doesn't make sense is why the BOT did not cut rates - Thai inflation is well below the target inflation (%1-3). They should've cut rates even before the Fed did, and now even more so than before. If they don't they'll be essentially sending Thailand into deflation.

Probably true. Also Japan workforce is still more expensive than others. Higher tech maybe, but not low tech.

True, but once the equilibrium is out of balance and there's much more demand for one currency than transactions from that country, they do have to buy, in extreme situations, which is what we're considering here.