Fat is a type of crazy

37 minutes ago, bignok said:

Sounds exactly like every other Isaan singer

A bit. But nice song. The fact that she is a cutey pie probably helps. 

2 hours ago, ozimoron said:

There's none? Are you sure?

 

https://scitechdaily.com/life-on-mars-nasas-perseverance-rover-finds-evidence-of-diverse-organic-compounds/

Evidence of potential building blocks or compounds associated with life are not the same as evidence of life. Of interest nonetheless. 

12 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I would ask them where their speedboat leaves from as I have never seen one boarding passengers from either of the main ferry ports. just saying and would be very interested to know.

No worries. Looks like it is from Ao Tarn Khu Pier as per the following:

I sent 2 emails attempting to see if they can confirm if the speedboat is likely to be in use but no reply. I might get my girlfriend to call in the days before as it would be fun but if not ferry is fine. 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Torrential rain here!

Cold here. Thailand in two weeks. 

I think some posters are missing the point that this isn't a compliant about Thailand but a complaint about the regularity of boring topics, and the same boring comments, on Asean Now.

It is a sign that it is time to log off and go for a walk in the sunshine and not come back for a while. Otherwise you start making boring comments yourself that you have made before. Similar to what I am doing now. 

When I was but a 20 year old travelling on a raft and staying with hill tribes in Northern Thailand it felt like being on some sort of frontier. Even Koh Samui in huts felt exotic. Same with a trip through Myanmar where in the limited time frame you could really go to out of the way places. Pagan was untouched and beautiful and fun to explore on bikes. Travelling from Jakarta to Timor felt unexpected travelling from Muslim to Hindu to Christian areas. No contact with home for months. 

So now when I think about Thailand I accept I might see some nice scenery or a nice temple or meet some nice people, but I end up booking Koh Chang or similar as there is still a lot of beautiful nature, and I don't sense that Thailand has a frontier that will wake me up like travels of the past. 

17 hours ago, ozimoron said:

However small the odds of that happening, and I tend to think it's not that small given the billions of galaxies and the eternity of time. The much smaller probability is that there is a god who had no beginning and has no end and created a civilization on a single planet at this time. We have already found evidence of life on other planets.

 

edit: And not only that, only one of those species worhsips a god and many of them worship different gods, or no god. Religion has nothing to do with life. God isn't a thing.

Evidence of life on other planets. Say what now. 

20 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Some guys look in the mirror and think about what they can possibly get. And then, when any woman is interested, they go for it - her.

Other guys don't think too much. They just look for the hottest girls and try to get one. And maybe they do get one.

Why think too much?

Fair enough I suppose. Good to go for gold. As long as they don't think, because they can stay with a poor Issan bar girl for 2000 a pop, that that bears a relation to their chances with a normal healthy financially independent young lady such as those that are posted. 

I know this is a place for banter but I wish some guys from late 50's on could have a bit of humility when it comes to women. All these criteria such as 40kg with nothing about the person herself. Posting videos of popstars who would shudder at the thought of old guys showing interest. Good luck but wake up too. 

21 minutes ago, bignok said:

My friend lives in west. No money on pension. House in her name. I told him with a good lawyer he should get 250k. She offered 120k to go. He keeps changing his mind. Doesnt know what to do. Stay no money in house or force house sale. Been together 20 years. 

 

Id go if him. She is a miserable rat. He just needs to bargain a good deal.

If he is Australian and contributed significantly or paid for the house he should have no problem getting at least half of that and anything else. Assuming she isn't caring for kids. The courts are fairly practical despite what some say here. 

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You obviously don't read the Murdoch press in Australia when elections roll around, please point me to when they have ever failed to support the Liberal-National coalition in the editorials.

My reference to freedom of the press is that they are free from government interference to a fair degree.

Sure, if you suggest that the notion that the Murdoch press has too much power and a clear preference for the liberal party, is not an ideal situation, that is fine. But such an issue does not in my opinion result in the apparent conclusion by the previous poster that the situation in Thailand, is similar to countries like Australia, and therefore democracy is not effective at all. 

Australia is an example where people are free to vote, there are checks and balances to ensure a free election, and you can be confident the winner won. Despite the type of imperfections you have noted. 

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

You have democracy?!!  Please don't make me split my sides with laughter.  IMHO almost all politicians in all political parties in all countries are corrupt and self-serving.  In many 'so-called democracies, the corruption and fraud is well-hidden but it's there.  At least countries like Thailand, Cambodia etc don't try to hide their corruption ????

So much flows from an argument like that. So many excuses to deny the effectiveness of democracy despite it's imperfections. Use Australia as an example. Show widespread corruption or that elections and the press aren't free and fair. 

I was 39 and she was 21 and it worked well in some ways because we had a similar temperament and sense of humour and being with a young lady wasn't shabby.

I had been alone for a while as I got sick of Australian women and probably they me.

The gap started to show in terms of how we wanted to spend her time, what was interesting to each of us, and how we should spend money and it was done in 5 years. 

Prenup for me and citizenship and a love of Australia for her has helped to make us still be close friends.

Now she is 40 and can see the world a bit how I saw it back then. 

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

No, you don't. In point of fact, atheists are fond of labeling agnostics as namby-pamby, and lacking strength of conviction. Effectively making atheism a religion of its own. All religions are a matter of belief, are they not?

 

I assume you have heard of Arthur C Clarke, a giant of science and science fiction. I recommend you read one of his many books, "Childhood's End", if you have not already. Although Clarke identified as an atheist, deism was a topic frequently visited in his novels.

An atheist is defined as either lacking belief or disbelieving in god. That does not absolutely dismiss the possibility of something.

So, by that definition, being an agnostic in comparison can seem a bit namby pamby .

But if someone says there is nil chance of a god then that might be too hard core and based on a kind of faith.  I lack belief and disbelieve the idea of some people's god but I don't say it is not at all possible. I think I can still be an atheist. 

In a sense agnosticsm could be a religion - the religion of keeping an openness to the idea of god based more on hope or conformity or politeness rather than logic or science. An atheist says they lack belief or do not believe but if science shows otherwise fair enough. 

47 minutes ago, bignok said:

Things i like

Lanna food

Lao Beer

Travel

Photography

Exploring new roads

Coffee

Walking up hills for view

My gf

 

Things i dont like

Everything else

 

 

Not a bad list. I would replace coffee with chocolate and I am not into photography. But I relate to the idea of having a good woman and a bit of space to breathe.

The thing is how you can fund it to make that into a sustainable lifestyle. 

7 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Just curious. Meeting up with the feminist, who paid for dinner?

Paid our own way. Shouted each other drinks, 3 people so shout in multiples of 3, in a fair, non sexist, non exploitative, non oppressive, and non patriarchal manner. It was fun.

2 minutes ago, bignok said:

Dmk is faster to go thru. With luggage AA is probably not that cheap. With carry on only it is. 700 to 1100 baht tickets

I like travel with a small bag or two but the girls tend to need their 20 kilos 

I have had to book a few flights for my girlfriend and I normally find the domestic flights end up cheaper on Thai Smile or Thai Airways - same company of course - once you factor in fees and luggage. Better not to go to Don Muang too if possible. Maybe it was an oddity. 

10 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

I get this on FB as well.  It's almost always women with a very small profile that seems very dubious.  I also get this on LINE with some stupid reason as to why they are contacting me.  I just reply that no, we have never met blah, blah, blah.  

I had one where this apparent beautiful Hong Kong girl contacted me on Line apparently by accident. I have too much time on my hands, so I let it continue, and she was convincing that she worked as a share trader etc etc, and even gave me tips that turned out terrible, but there was no initial scam. Sent me photos. Brief phone call. Was actually fun. She knew I had a girlfriend as she is on my line picture.

Ends up I think she was in fact a pretty girl from Hong Kong and her plan was to get a nice present. A bit later she said it was her birthday and would I buy her this $3000 handbag. I made a few jokes about it which she didn't understand, or did not want to understand, and then disappeared once she realised no handbag was forthcoming. Common I am sure but my first time. 

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That was a breath of fresh air for an American sitcom.

 

Christina Applegate turned out nice, didn't she? She was great in "the sweetest thing" movie.

Recently finished 3 series of Dead to me on Netflix. She is excellent in that. No dumb blonde that's for sure. 

I concur that sweetened peanut butter is no good. Same for yoghurt, breakfast cereal, and you need high cocoa low sugar percentage chocolate - 85 per cent is probably best. Would be nice if these products of good quality were for sale in Thailand for the same price in Australia. 

48 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I'm a bit confused by 'normal price', do you mean Taxi from airport is 400b  ferry 80b taxi to resort 120b+  (not sure of the prices)  or pick up with their own car?  

The standard price seems to 650 baht per person from Trat airport in a van, ferry, van to your hotel. There is an alternative where you can pay 280 baht on a truck which gets you from the airport to the ferry, and includes the ferry fare, and then you get on a truck to your hotel for another 100 baht or so.

The hotel offers the car and speed boat option for 1250 which compared to the 650 sounds not bad. But if boats can't run they'll pick you and others up and it will be pretty much like the 650 option so I am thinking whether it's worth taking a punt. 

Actually you can book within 3 days so I might wait till it gets closer and have a look at the weather and, if still with not much rain, then give it a go. 

10 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I know only of one resort with a passenger speed boat, and that is the 'Aiyapura' (a man made beach) in Klong Son quite a big boat.  don't think they'd run that for a couple of people.

Also you don't say which beach you are going to.  At the moment the seas could be quite rough, had some high winds this week/rain. The other factor is coming by boat through or around the small Island Chang Noi can be difficult as you then meet the wind in the opposite direction. Non refundable seems a tad unfair. Hard to predict the weather anymore.

It's Santhiya Tree on Klong Proa. If they can't take the boat they still take you but it is double the normal price by car and ferry etc.