fredwiggy

That would reduce the adult population by half. Especially concerning women here with knives.

4.12 to 3.11 actually, so it's a tad higher

I like when some assume things from knowing two or three Americans. I lived there 62 years and knew thousands of men and women. The friends I had all had good looking women. In all my life I've never had anything but a pretty woman. None fat, some around 140 lbs, which isn't fat when they're 5'7" and exercisers. Most were 100-125 lbs. None of my friends nor I were desperate. There are hundreds of thousands of pretty women in America. Granted, a lot are narcissists or greedy, but not all. Obesity isn't just an American thing. In fact, there are quite a few countries that are ahead of the US as far as obesity percentages, and Thailand's catching up every year. You have to live in a country, and get around quite a bit for a few years to make any judgements like that. Visiting vacation spots doesn't help Just like here. A man goes to Pattaya or Phuket and sees slim, pretty women everywhere. You go into Isaan and the big ones outnumber the slim ones. Hardly any good looking girls left?

Lived in the US for 62 years. I think I understand taxes there. US healthcare that is free is Medicare, at least most of it, which is what I have, as stated. I guess you don't read all of a person's post, but just skim over it and then reply. Income taxes aren't paid most of Thais. VAT is already added to sales and services here. Again you assume. And you come from the US? Thought you might know better.

I do live here, and all the thinking I do is rational. I'm seeing that you are another one of many who assume they know someone from a few posts you happen to disagree with, which also means you might not be happen to be right. Amazing how many narcissists who think they are actually smarter than others come here with their thoughts on topics. When I said they don't pay taxes, I was referring to income taxes, not VAT. And again, I was talking about how expats can live here on less money, and that it would be advantageous for hospitals to have payment plans for those without insurance, so the bills would get paid.

Silly perhaps, but true. Americans should get free healthcare also, just like Canada. Healthcare here is cheap to free, and that's great, because most can't afford it. When they retire, they get 600 baht a month, hardly enough for anything. Most Thais do not and can't afford to pay taxes. That's because of the before mentioned "retirement" plan. I was just saying that we can live here on much less money than they require of us.

The locals don't pay it, the government does, just like public hospitals in America, where millions don't pay their bills. And why charge an expat so much when the locals pay almost nothing for the same services, in a government hospital? In the US, if you are a Thai living with an American husband, and he doesn't have medical insurance for you, you go to the public hospital, and get billed. You can make arrangements to pay. here, you are expected to pay in full or not get treatment. If they had payment plans here, for everyone, a lot of people would pay over time instead of not seeking treatment. I have Medicare and can't use it here, so if anything happened to me, I have to travel back to the US for treatment. I'm moving back there eventually anyway, so it's moot point,but just saying. We can live here with much less income. We spend most if not all of our money here, and it amounts to more than the average local, and we take care of some of their women, and our kids, so why make it hard for us to stay? One problem a lot don't see, is that everything that happens to farangs here gets back to our native countries. There are people who are prejudiced against Asians from everywhere, and they are attacked every week because of this. Relations between us and them should be improved. I'm not talking about the drug dealers and human trafficking farangs. I'm talking about us, the one's who help out here.

The main road from my village to the nearest city has been paved 3 times in the last year and a half. The first time it needed it, and not since then.Yet they tear it up and re pave it again, all the while other side roads are terrible. The road going the other direction to the next city was like driving off road. Finally fixed and not too bad since. Just like in the movie Falling Down with Michael Douglas, where he wad mad at the road department getting funds to fix something that didn't need it . Some roads around here are extremely potted, and nothing's ever done.

Safety net of home country? Might not realize the average median savings account balance in the US is between 5 and 7 K. Here, they expect you to have 22K in the bank and keep it there. In 2018 here, 73 million have savings of less than 50K. Always wondered why expats, who are getting a confirmed payment every month from retirement or pension, are expected to have more. Doesn't matter if they think we live in a way where we spend more. Expats here can live like locals if need be very easily.

Already sent the stats. Disputing them means nothing.

I said it was a typo and changed it. And that number isn't near what's actually here. There are sources besides one, and most have said it is increasing. I've heard it on various local and US news stations since I've lived here. One source stated more than 42,000 caught this year.

You think it has decreased??? Just from news reports I get from worldwide sources, and also local, it has increased steadily.

While this is true in many places, obesity in Thailand has climbed dramatically in the last 10 years and will continue without abating for a long time to come. Western food imported. I used to, before I came here, and a month while first staying here, that there were millions of slim ,pretty women here. After living here for almost 6 years, I see that has changed for the worse. Every day I see many very big locals, although America still is higher.

It was a typo, in 2005 it was 5 million, which actually means much more by now...................https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_Thailand

1 out of 6 isn't a majority. Illegal immigrants are here also, as many as 5 million in 2005 and counting. Trafficking in children and women coming from other countries is high. Suicide percentage in USA is 1.7% in 2018, Thailand is 8.8% in 2019.

Please don't. Kids need dads who actually care abut their welfare.

Saying most Americans are on drugs, not realizing most are on prescribed or OTC drugs to combat illnesses, makes it sound like they're all addicts. Heart disease, depression, fibromyalgia, kidney ailments, cancers, et al, all require drugs to keep people going. Same here. Drug crime here rivals anywhere else. Not just America where it happens. Driving here is more dangerous than almost anywhere on earth. Human trafficking is very high also.

High incidence of drug use, especially yaba, depression, poverty, fathers not held accountable for children made, or absent altogether, makes for a lot of unhappy people. Beautiful country with some really nice people, but not a lot different than others with problems.

Just a note...................https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_Thailand

Whatever you think about the US, the same sh*t happens here, and worse in many ways. Gun crime is very high here, as I stated. Mass shootings will continue to happen, as there is a very high drug abuse and depression rate in Thailand, and guns are very easy to acquire. There was also the one with the military man who killed 29 before he was shot. Drug use is as rampant as anywhere on earth. Children raised by grandparents is the highest of any country on earth. I lived in the US for 62 years, and never encountered danger in any way. I lived close to NYC for 30 years, and San Antonio for 31. Big cities with a lot of crime, like Bangkok, but never saw any. Thailand is among the top 3 in most dangerous places to drive, and won't change for quite a long time, if ever. Drug abuse in Thailand is the highest in Asia. The US does have a problem also I admit, about 14% or so, so no making excuses for them. More money, more cocaine usage. Thailand has an 88% of population of working class self medicating with OTC's. Very easy to get meds here that aren't available in the US also.

Yes, and I originally wanted to bring my ex and our daughter to the US to live. She didn't want to leave her family. They all can't stand each other for the most part. She complained about her mom, a couple of sisters and one brother. The others were in other cities so they had little or no contact. I should have insisted. Now I have to wait awhile before I can re locate back home with my daughter, so she can have a better life.

Most marriages have people who aren't happy with their arrangement. Either they are unrealistic about what they "deserve" in their marriage, or the other person is. Takes two people that want a marriage to last. One can do everything right, and be living with damaged goods that will never understand what real is, that brings so much emotional baggage from either childhood, previous relationships, or both, that they can function in a normal relationship.Attraction at first isn't a choice. just happens. Morality makes marriages last, if both are moral thinkers. trust needs to be given and taken by both. Let no one in that bond from the outside. Many people stay married because of the financial problems they would have if they divorced, so they stay miserable but secure. Friendship makes a marriage last. Communication keeps people together. Here, it's hard to communicate unless the Thai wife knows your language well. I also see couples eating together, both here and in the US, that say nothing to each other. That's the reason you go out together in the first place! To communicate while you're enjoying food together. Having toxic people around ruins many relationships. In many places, it's best to get away from in laws because a lot will cause strife between the couple because of their own agendas. Having a narcissist for a partner is a marriage doomed to fail. having someone with depression is a very hard daily struggle. You have to really love that other person and try and understand what they are going through, because most up and run out when the mood swings happen much of the time. Been there, done that, still trying. My brother was married for 44 years before he passed a few years back. Him and his wife, both as stubborn as any I've known, argued, loved, and had two kids together, but never cheated on, hit or neglected each other. She misses him every day. They always talked to each other.

Yes, and eventually they will get things straightened out. Do you remember the es cop here who killed 34, including 23 toddlers, then his wife and own son before taking his own life? Shootings happen here daily, as much per capita as the US. Just not as many mass shooting, yet. You don't hear about all of them because the media focuses on gold thefts, snakes in Bangkok houses and kids attacking others 5 against 1 with sticks.

No, but it should happen, as there are lunatics around that target innocents. I was a gun salesman, and never had any problems with anyone regarding possession of guns, but it has gotten out of hand. I also made recommendations to raise the age of purchasing to 21, having detectors and if possible, armed guards at all schools, better background checks and a psychiatrists approval before purchase. Gun crime here is very high, and mass shootings are on the increase, so it's happening everywhere.

Weather is too hot, meaning with too much humidity, and wet, miss the four seasons back home. Women are as beautiful as any on earth, but they , meaning the younger ones who are the targets here, look at foreigners as money more than anything else. All women cost, but here it's money first, love last. Driving like a lunatic anywhere shows complete disregard for anyone who's near a roadway, and that's proven daily here. Why join the ranks of the worse drivers on earth and become one? Temples are mostly the same, and after you've seen a few big ones, what's the deal?