Schooner

This sounds like a cowardly act to me. When your holding the gun and your opponents are unarmed you should only have to show it or maybe fire it into the air to get them to back off. This sounds like he went there intending to kill someone and that makes it premeditated.

Some of the most beautiful women in Thailand are not exactly women.

I loved Thai food in the states, but I have gradually stopped eating it here (except my wife's) because the quality is just not there. I like to cook and so does my wife so we save money eating in. I wouldn't recomend anyone moving to Thailand based on living cost. There are so many cultural issues that I think that it is not for everyone. The exception would be those of us who haven't got laid in awhile and in that case it's worth evey penny.

All of the items you listed are imports and yes they are more expensive. I've tried to adapt and try local fruits and veggis and they are cheaper. Compare the FLAVOR of local Thai food and consider the value. I fell in love with pineapple and watermellon in Thailand and fell out of love back in the states.

If you paid half price for a home in the US vs 2008 than you are still looking at another 15 - 20% drop in real estate value. Everything is more expensive in the US, housing, auto maint, electric, Now they have cameras everywhere and so you might as well add the cost of fines for driving. Auto insurance and medical cost are unreal. Here I can afford to self insure and I think the medical care here is much much better than the average hospital in the US. I've never walked out of a resturant for dinner without a $80 bill without drinks. The excellent buffet at Cherry's is $10 per person. If you have so have something repaired it is cheaper in Thailand.

My lifestyle is about the same as when we were living in the US since we moved back in Dec. My wife tracks every baht and were about 6-8% less overall living here. We also are getting some equity growth on or home which won't be happening in the US for a decade.

To really be fair you have to compare the TOTAL cost here vs the US for the same lifestyle.

I thought all the farang in Thailand were former special forces, CIA, Navy Seals, etc. Wouldn't the Thai's have to be crazy to invade our homes?

Thank you brahmburgers for clarifying my point. Yes quality of life is part of it, but there is no doubt in my mind that if you add up lives lost as a direct result of environmental degradation and the incompetent approach to managing resources the figure would be in the millions and we're just getting started.

I wish there was a component that was pushing nonviolent protest. Gandi and Martin Luther King overcame huge opposition and effected real change. It's a lot harder for them to shoot you down when you are committed to nonviolence.

It seems to me that there are two extreme sides that do not reflect the majority of the Thai people who want workable solutions and for the fighting to stop. Ultimately both sides will have to work togather to solve the complex problems of a modern society. Maybe they should look to America for an example of what not to aspire to.

Last night I watched a documentary on the rape of Nanking which was very disturbing. It aroused my curiosity and I spent several hours trying to learn more about it. What is tragic is the Japanese's unwillingness to acknowledge that it happened or apologize to the victims. I wonder if some of the old folks in Japan believe in karma.

One thing I am sure of is that like the Exxon Valdez and BP oil spills, the victims will never be compensated and no one will ever be punished. One lie will follow another.

Nuclear power has never lived up to any expectations for cost or safety, it has only prolonged the need to develop sustainable technologies. We continue to travel down this road of increasing dependence on quick fixes that only maintain the illusion of sustainability, mostly benefits the rich and robs millions of people of their lives.

The intruders already chose another house over yours. I agree that the majority of these breakins are insider deals. My home is very secure with security guards, high walls and cameras, but a neighbor was burglarized a few years ago. We all think it was an inside job. His wife likes to flaunt her wealth and It would surprise none of us if she was involved.

It's impossible to avoid having people in your home who may be casing the place. Just this year we've had AC people, cable people, internet people and the pool girls 3 times a week. Hopefully they also see the security measures we've taken as well. One thing we have going for us is that we have the least valuable home in the village and our neighbors are all far wealthier.

I matter to my thai family, my neighbors and the people I interact with on a daily basis. I respect them and their culture and they respect me. That's all that matters.

I have a Slim S1 from TVIX (6,000 baht). It is my second media player. I started out with a cheaper unit, forget the model which did not have a fan and I think it overheated. It also had a crappy remote and no option for WiFi. This unit takes a seta drive plus 3 USB ports. So far (2 months) it works perfectly.

My bedroom TV is a Samsung series 5 which has a built in basic media player and 1 USB input.

Keep your line unless you are certain that you are clear to move left or right. Just this morning I was making a right turn with my signal on and a motorbike taxi came out of nowhere and was passing me on the right. If I wouldn't have double checked he would have got me.

Big difference between being a coward and being a fool. Would you walk around with 30,000 in cash sticking out of your pocket? You obviously have no idea how these people operate. They don't ask nice.

Why invite violence? It's not just you, criminals have been known to follow people home and if that happens you put others at risk.

Let's see if you still feel that way after you have it ripped from your neck. My friend had one (of much less value) ripped off while riding his motorbike with his wife on the back. It was just luck that he didn't wreck.

If you think that dying is worth the risk than go for it. I have to agree with appropriate. People who walk around wearing gold are foolish showoffs and no one is impressed.

You didn't budget for a girl/boy friend. I don't see how anyone could live here without wanting one and the average cost of that will set you back about 10,000/mo. A hot, well educated one will be much more. If you find the right one you'll be happy to pay it.

Your biggest problem will be the visa/ work permit.

I just got my retirement visa at Jomtien last week and not a question about income. I did provide a copy of my Thai bank account (which showed a balance around 600,000 tb) and the whole process was quick and painless. The embassy (US) letter verifying income was never questioned. I was under the impression that all I needed was the income letter, but was told by fellow expats that they want the bank book also.

I returned to Thailand in Dec after living in the US for a few years and I asked the immigration officer if she had the record of my previous retirement history on their computer and she did. She asked if I owned my home and I told her I do so she asked why I didn't bring my book. She seemed interested in verifying my financial status, but didn't make a big deal about it.

A couple of friends have recently gone through the process and had a similar experence. I have to sat that the process seemed much smoother and professional than it was 6 years ago at the old Pattaya office.

I admire that they are at least getting out and doing something. I also give them credit for keeping it non-violent through all this.

When the SHTF in the US I don't expect it to be so pleasent. Passive/aggressive that American sheep are.

I hope that the Thai people get to make the point that they want to make and that it stays non-violent. All the civil wars of the west should have proven by now that the cost is not worth it and that in the end we all still have to sit down and figure out a solution.

I would also like to remind my fellow farangs that TIT and the Thai people get to decide what their country should look like. I would be very careful about sharing your opinions because we are no great example to follow.

My TW and I are looking forward to moving back to Thailand at the end of the year. She is not taking sides and niether am I

After reading the replies, the answer should be obvious....they don't ask because they don't want hours and hours of droning self righteous analysis of why you think things are the way they are.

What Thai women want to know is are you up to the task of providing and protecting them....that's it. If you are than that's all they want to know.

Most farang I know are so caught up in their own self conscious web of self-doubt and fear that anything that comes out of their mouths will create fear in those who depend on them.

My thai wife has asked me several times about my sexual history and I always reply that she is my first and I learned everything from reading books. She asks, but don't fool yourself into thinking that she wants the truth. Everything that she asks me is aimed at recieving reinforcement of my undying love for her and her only. I am happy to oblige because when I do this consistantly she gets the power she needs to be the best wife I ever had. It's not rocket science, but it works and it has only taken me 55 years to figure it out.

Women ask questions to reaffirm what they already believe and that is true of all women. They really don't want to know your history with anyone else even though they might ask during a insecure moment.

Another thing that we farang forget is that generally Thai women like to live in the moment. They don't analyze things to death like we do and good for them. We can learn something from them.

The real question should be "is judging other peoples behavior wrong.

I have spent a lifetime trying to figure out and manage myself. What would give me the idea to know what is better for someone else. If I do something and it makes me feel bad, well, I just have to stop doing it.

I had a blast with the girls in Pattaya. They are more fun than any of the women I knew in the US and they know to not take things too seriously. The notion that everyone has to be a college graduate is stupid. Some are better doing what they are doing and the ones that have it will rise to the top and the ones that don't will sink to the bottom. I made some of the best friendships with these women and was never cheated by one. Eventually I tired of the party life and married a good Thai girl because that is who I was attracted to long for a long term relationship. Were living in the states now and our best friends are farang/thai, she is a former bg and my wife gets along with her fine. We've known her for 4 years and everythng indicates that she is a person of integrity who dosen't smoke, dring or gamble. She's dedicated to her marrage and her son, but she is not interested in education and when she gets back to thailand she wants to have a bar and run the girls

I spent half my life as a sales engineer. I had to entertain and fake relationships with people that I didn't even like. I partyed with them and made them feel great so I could get them to buy my products. I think I know something about being a hooker myself. The process is virtually the same.

Whenever I feel myself wanting to judge someone elses behavior I remind myself to look inward because something is wrong with me if I feel superior to anyone else.

Someone one said to me "say who you are and be who you say you are" it's as simple as that.

Sex and love have nothing to do with each other. If you take away testosterone than you take away desire for sex. It is possible to love someone without having sex and vice versa

I'm no expert but I don't think that US China relations have soured that much. This isn't the first time the Dali Lama has met with a US President and we are dependent on each other. American's know that. Besides, China is not the US's biggest problem American's are. Soros' hit it when he said that markets should be unfettered until they get to out of control. I'm no economist but I got out of the markets 3 years ago because I saw the bubble. I mean who didn't" real estate going throught the roof and no increase in wages, everything on credit. A bilnd monkey could have seen it and Greenspan and the rest had to have seen it. The outragious greed has to be kept in check and we have to get back to making things instead of just selling paper.

There's time to do all that and the deficit can be quickly slashed with a VAT or some serious cost cutting. There's lots of room. One big area is defense. I personally resent the level if spending for the wars and this fear driven excess. Almost a trillion a year for all that stuff. (CIA, NSA, Homeland Security) I think we need to let healthcare die and let the republicans take the fall for it. Another couple of years and revisit a single payer.

Each relationship is unique. Even in the west it is prudent to understand what ones marrage partner's expectations are. My wife and I had a conversation before we went to the "next" level. we both wanted to know what the other was expecting. Soon after I met her she told me about how her grandparents took her in when she was 6 when she had to leave her family in BKK for the village because her parents were breaking up and could not manage 4. She described sleeping with her grandmother for the first two years she was with them and holding her grandmother holding her hand every night. From that moment on I cared about her grandparents and everything that has happened since then has only confermed my decision to help them out. Her grand parents are hard working salt of the earth types who treat me like a king when I visit. Her grandmother and I can't talk but I sit with her and hold her hand and there is a connection that is very nice. My wife told me up front she wanted to go to University and be successful in life and in the 3 years we have been togather she has worked her butt off to be a A student and a good wife. Now she is working at a very popular Thai resturant in FL and making big money while learning the ropes. She has exceeded all my expectations and I am so incredably lucky to have her. Everywhere she goes this little farm girl endears herself to people and she is respected and loved by all in my family. Her whole family is hardworking and they all are making good choices and doing well. We started out sending $75 per month for the support of her grandparents and we built a new house for them which was about 320,000 baht. Now she is making more than me she gladly pays the household bills and adds to the buildup of our savings. She now sends more to her family and it is all from her salary. She wants to make life easier for her mom who stays at home in BKK and cares for her brothers son. We still have an unsold house in Pattaya and has gone over to take charge when our renters moved out. As I reflect on the past 3 years with her I would do everything the same way. I wanted a deeper relationship than I could have with the girls that I was seeing while living in Pattaya for 2 years and I got it. she wanted someone to open doors that she could then go through and become successful not just in a money sense but learning how to balance her life. We both have what we want. I think that you can find traditions and examples of people doing different things to justify what you want to do, but you have to do what is comfortable for you in each case.

I just want to check in a say how pleased I am to see LIE still sober. Good for you. I remember your 1st post and I've checked in from time to time to see how you were doing. I have been through a couple of sobriety events and so I know what it takes and the challanges it presents. For some reason your recovery is bringing up emotional stuff for me and I think it is the special connection that I have always felt with people in recovery. I remember my first AA meeting and being totally whipped and then at the end holding the hands of people next to me and saying the prayer. I had never held another mans hand or even touched more than manly hitting and this somehow opened a window to my own humanity. It opened a completly new way of seeing things and by letting go of my stubborness to let the program work I learned new behaviors and found strenths I didn't know I had. The biggest improvement has been the ability to be in touch with my own emotions and to feel the things that normal humans are supposed to feel. It is a life changing thing. So, I just want to add that along with the negative reasons that a person might have for giving it up, like dying an early death, there are endless positive benefits that we can't even imagine that will open up. Best wishes, hang in there.

I have just relisted my house in Pattaya for rent or sale and so far am pleased at the activity. The developer of my village has said that the rental market is picking up this last month and it appears to be so.

He has 3 beautiful villas for sale or rent and I wish I had the money I would grab another one. I actually prefer to rent over selling since my ROI is about 8% (US tax free) and I don't know where I could get that elsewhare.

If I had some extra cash I would put it in Thailand. I think the returns are better and the future is brighter compared to the US.

Of course there is risk, but I think the trends are good.

I like, and stay at Rich man Poor man guest house which is on the beach at soi 9 in Jomtien. It is run by Ed who is a great cook and has many specials. I don't know what the rates are now. Google Rich man poor man Jomtien and you'll find it.

They know what westerners like and provide it.

I cannot read any posts. can only read headings on my laptop. I am writing this on my wifes laptop and can read posts on hers. I have tried deleating cookies and logging out as recomended and still cannot read on my computer.

suggestions?