fredwiggy

Yes, but the fine for carrying is 100 baht, hardly a deterrent to those looking to hurt someone. Both countries allow up to a 3 inch folding blade. Machetes are carried here by millions, and I don't think the police would do anything about it. You carry a machete in the UK, it can mean jail time. This is the law about machetes in the UK............https://www.bsbsolicitors.co.uk/blog/government-bans-machetes-and-zombie-knives/

No, living in the US has nowhere near the problems encountered here. Many years behind the US in many ways. Yes, if you live near the beach areas, and love that, living there might be okay, especially if you rent and date. Living in the country is about as boring as life can be, unless you're okay with watching the grass grow or drinking to pass the time.

True, and the one thing that happens here that boys don't get away with in the US, among other countries, is child support isn't enforced with penalties for those that don't pay. I don't see much in the way of good discipline but just hitting the kids when they are unruly, often with sticks.

That's true, but all of that is thrown out the window when a man has to choose between paying something or just finding someone else that isn't greedy. Falling in love with someone makes one lose sense.

One thing Thais do, is look at western countries for advice on most anything, including electronics, mechanical training, roads and how to maintain them. Music is copied, listened to and loved, foods from other countries are also loved by millions here daily. Medical training and ideas, and many other things that are copied by locals because they are done better in other countries. Very few things originated here and have origins in many other countries. This isn't an excuse to try and tell locals how to live but since we are used to better ways in almost every facet of life, we would like to see those things done here, because to put it plainly, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things, and that means anywhere. They look at us for trade, as do all other countries, because each country has things that are better there than other places, and worldwide people take advantage of that, because some places just do things better. The problem arises when locals look at us just for what we can give them, and greed doesn't help anyone but those who benefit by it. When Thais go to the US, they fit in, because the US isn't a country of one race but all races. When we come here, we are outsiders, and that will stay until those with outdated , prejudiced thinking are let go and people are voted in that look at us as equals that belong here, because we are spending most or all of our money here, and taking care of many of their women and children.

It's not that it wouldn't work, but that here they really don't care to go the extra mile.

I have nothing against people arming themselves to repel predators. Arming yourself with the intent to maim or kill someone you're pissed off at isn't the same. Neither is arming yourself because you're too cowardly to fight fairly.

He either hasn't noticed the picture where the suspect is winding up ready to kick the man in the head, or he's a very disturbed individual that looks at foreigners as targets.

Most other non Asian or African countries

True also, as abuse is a learned behavior, usually started at home. Hitting children here seems to be the norm, and using sticks along with it, so they grow up thinking this abusive behavior is normal. It also goes for the way domestic animals are treated here. For the most part though, absent fathers means boys learn from more of the same, how to treat others, especially women. They aren't taught respect for life, as it has a lot less meaning here than in western countries. This doesn't mean all locals behave this way, because they don't, but a culture that demeans women, like much of Islamic countries, is still years behind what normal thinking means.

Again you're assuming you know a thing about me. You don't. I don't go by opinions but facts, which are more reliable. I see with my own eyes what I heard abut for many years before I moved here, and I listen to everyone when they talk about a subject that interests me. Many here have their heads in the sand and are brown nosers, actually thinking anyone actually cares about them here besides those that can gain somehow. The reasons I'm moving back to the US are because I cannot enjoy my hobbies here, as some aren't allowed, and those that are are hindered by greed and a lack of conservation, meaning hunting and fishing. I'm also leaving because women here are looked at as inferior, as in all Buddhist countries, and this isn't what I want for my daughter. She will do much better living in a country where she is appreciated more for her intellect than her body, and can have a job that pays her more an hour than most get here in a day. It is one of the most dangerous places to drive on earth, and it won't change much if at all in our lifetimes. This is a third world country in many ways, wifi, power, road conditions, pollution, dirty air, corrupt officials involved in trafficking busted almost weekly, people who kill animals for no reason but being hateful, those that treat children as objects to show off in selfies then forget once they go to school. People ganging up on others five against one, armed with weapons and killing for little more than a few baht, as life isn't as precious here as it is back home. The schools are among the worst on earth, this being another reason I want my daughter back home. I'm hardly the only one here that knows what goes on, but it does seem many are blind to it, although just looking at the daily news will give you a glance at what happens daily. I'm as far from ignorant as you are from having a clue to what reality here actually is. If you think otherwise, it's you that has a problem between your ears, or are just another brown noser who thinks anyone cares if you stick up for them.

Might try the eye doctors inside the local Walmart where you are. I've been going there for exams for years and it's still at $100, so you'll save a tad. They can do everything all other eye doctors can regarding prescriptions. That price is for an eye exam for contacts, which is about the same as a normal eyeglass exam, although they might just be able to prescribe (refill) your prescription for much less.

It always amazes me how many "adults" here assume they know about others personal lives. Everything you know I probably have already heard about before you have, as I keep up with daily news worldwide both here and with family and friends over there. Unlike some here, I don't go by random youtube videos but actual news. Nothing was suppressed when I was there 6 years ago and I still hear about it daily now. Here, there are nowhere near as many news stations as there are home. Here, news is suppressed because they don't want to hurt tourism dollars. Back home, there's infighting between the two parties, and everything that happens gets out immediately, even involving the two parties. Like I've said before, don't assume about others, because you nothing about anyone here. Also don't assume you know all that goes on here, because they won't let you know all of it on TV, although it does get recorded somewhere, and you can look up stats online anytime. There is corruption everywhere, as history has shown, but it's always higher in poorer countries, because of that one thing, money.

That's true, and having them in their pickups is also normal, but carrying them around isn't. There isn't any reason to carry a weapon here, as others seem to think because this is a safe country, unlike my homeland the US, where people carry guns everywhere. Sarcasm of course, because crime here is a lot higher than most realize.

Clueless is the last thing I could be. I lived there for 62 years, sold guns, lived near major cities, was outside all those years night and day, friends with many policemen, and watched news daily, as i still do here. I never saw any violence whatsoever, although of course it does happen, but most of the deaths involving guns are gang related and suicides, and although there is random violence against innocents, this happens everywhere, every day, but the main difference between the US and here, is the huge increase of corruption here, along with the lack of law enforcement because of that corruption and money involved. Posting links of violence that happens in the US is nothing compared to what actually goes on here daily, which most will never hear about, because they don't want to lose tourist dollars, although they will, because this news gets to the US daily.

Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Mali and a few other dictatorship countries but still up there.

I've never heard of so many people carrying knives or machetes, and sticks before I came here. Of course carrying a knife before you go see someone looks like pre-meditated murder, but so many carry weapons here it seems it's looked at as normal. The lack of concern and non respect of life itself is yet another reason I don't want my daughter growing up here. We see this daily, and probably are not seeing but a pinprick of what happens countrywide daily here. Most everywhere I go, I see women carrying sticks to keep their kids in line, which is abuse but seems it's another thing that's looked at as normal, because it's been the discipline method for generations. I only wish for the generations of children to come here, that people are taught that this is wrong behavior and there are better ways to discipline and react to confrontations.

4 more and counting....................

This, like he said, happens daily here. Every day you see this on TV, 5 against 1, kicking them while down, using sticks and machetes. If you see it happen on TV this much, you know it's just the tip of the iceberg of how many times it's happening countrywide and it's not publicized. This does not happen in the US besides gangs against gangs, and I don't hear about it happening anywhere else besides SE Asia. I knew how Thailand was 25 years before I moved here, and it's been shown to be true the longer I stay.

True, and like anywhere else, if you punish those that hurt people this cowardly way severely enough, and let TV do it's magic, the next one might think twice before kicking someone when they are down, knowing he might get a sentence of years or life in the case of killing someone by kicking them in the head.

This is putting a price on the woman, which makes others who get married here, especially foreigners, look cheap as their thinking revolves around how much money a foreigner gives his woman. One husband gives his wife (family) , especially foreign husbands, a lot of money and all the others that know this family will think this is what all husbands should do. This travels down to all locals, and is why they think we're all rich. Taking care of your wife and kids is all that's necessary to be a good husband. It has nothing to do with money as all the millionaire's divorces can attest.

You forgot about the tuk-tuk and the operating table for elephants

God invented rice. It was already here when people arrived. And it was brought from China to Thailand.

No one can encourage another to have same gender sex if that's not already their choice. The fact that young people are reluctant to have children comes from another thinking. Maybe they can't afford raising the child, maybe the man won't stay after the baby is born, which happens most of the time, especially here, or maybe they were brought up in a family with a loving parent present, who taught them what it takes to raise a child. Too many children are having children WITH children, which means that child will probably be raised without a father present, and maybe a mother also, who feels the need to leave the child with grandma while she has freedom working in another city. All of this is definitely not a recipe for baby making, and shouldn't happen unless the two possible parents both love each other, and are willing to sacrifice their lives to raise that child.

No normal person loathes someone who respects others. You responded to someone who said, "they loathe us", meaning foreigners in general, because he didn't say, "they loathe foreigners who do wrong here", by saying " and a well earned loathing it is". I and my ilk fully understand where you come from, because this is how you have been for a long time. Your words............Who?... the brits... I agree..., after steven100 said this............"They really are a nasty race", although he was talking about the Thais. , This comes a few minutes after this..........it is ridiculous to paint a group of people with a broad brush... ie me painting all brits with the broad brush of idiots of the world..