JensenZ

I'm in the other camp. I prefer using cards and other electronic payments including QR over cash. It doesn't hurt as much and I have a record. I don't know why people have problems with using cards. I hardly touch cash these days and haven't for many years.

I'll confirm for the bank I use and won't speak for them all. The OP mentioned a 15-baht fee for a QR payment with the Bangkok Bank.

I can confirm that QR code payments are free with my K-Bank account.

I haven't noticed any decline in table service in restaurants over the 19 years I've been here, in Pattaya, at the places I frequent. The franchise restaurants are just as friendly as they have ever been, and markets around town are still friendly, whether you speak Thai or not. I did have a surprising experience yesterday at the main Fascino branch on Pattaya Nua. I went up to the counter to pay for my items, placed them on the counter, and waited for someone to serve me. I counted 9 staff behind the counter, most wearing bright orange uniforms. No one served me until I asked if there was someone who would. When I asked them if I was invisible, they apologized. I was the only customer there at the time. They seem way overstaffed. I don't know what they all do. This is a one-off experience, but at Fascino they used to bug you when you entered the store, and I prefer to be left alone when shopping there.

And don't eat local Thai steak rare or you might end up with tapeworms. I got them from rare roast beef in Big C. There is a solution for people who want to eat rare Thai beef - freeze it for 24 hours to kill the cysts in the meat. Of course, this only works for meat you cook yourself at home.

I will support and will always support the cheapest prices, wherever I find them. I buy for my benefit, not for the benefit of the sellers, wherever they may be.

"China will dump stuff to Thailand"? Look around (Thailand), China is and has already been dumping, for many years. Who cares about stuff from the US when you can get everything from China, usually with free shipping?

Any excuse for another rant about how much you hate Trump? You can stop now and save yourself the stress - this is his last term.

Many movie stars and other famous people (singers etc) are prized fools, immediately alienating half their fan base in an instant... yet they keep doing it...

It's a silly question. They are real lips whether they have been enhanced or not. Are they original? No!

Spot on. Anyone who thinks both countries are poor must have been travelling both countries blindfolded. Thailand is not a poor country at all, unlike the Philippines, which is very poor. They aren't even close. The biggest difference is the population and median age. In Thailand, the median age of about 72 million people is just over 40, whereas in the Philippines, the median age of about 116 million is 24. This means that there are a lot more young ladies looking for foreign support. In the Philippines, a man of any age can easily find a 20-year-old without children to marry, whereas, in Thailand, it's mainly the single mothers in the 30-plus age category looking to marry foreigners. The Filipinos marry foreigners mainly because their (Huge) families are dirt poor. In Thailand, it's single mothers struggling to survive after being abandoned by their husbands. It's a different ball game. In the Philippines, you'll be dating ladies 10 - 20 years younger than in Thailand. Of course, there are exceptions, but this is the general state of affairs.

"These people"? How about you restrict the insults to your girlfriend? (and leave the rest of the Thai population out of it). My girlfriend has a university degree, works 6 days a week at a 5* hotel, and has worked at various office jobs for major companies since getting her degree. She's extremely disciplined and never late. She's never had trouble finding work in Bangkok or Pattaya. Her work ethic is outstanding. The problem is that expats spend too much time around bar girls and can't see the majority of the population working their a**es off at regular jobs. You're thick with the insults today. What's wasting 2 hours for you? You probably already wasted over 2 hours posting about your problem today.

It's not dumb coming for a one or two-week holiday, even with high readings. Tourists normally can't choose when to travel and In most cases would be unaware of the air pollution problems. I don't have any health ailments resulting from the high levels, and I do intense exercise most days. I don't notice it at all. What's the point of worrying about it? Most of us are old anyway and soon to expire LOL.

Pattaya has places near the beach with just as high readings as Bangkok. It was very hazy this morning.

Isn't it just a matter of waiting for the next one... I've had to wait for the next train before, but you can still get on a train.