vreemd13

OP Quote: "My experience so far has shown me that Thais at all levels have very under-developed spacial awareness"

That is not my experience in the past:
- Before GPS time with two fellow university students in the car, we were heading back to their student city room (after a day trip). At dusk we got lost in the middle of nowhere on a muddy road full of pits. Yeah, nice for me to believe that road turn would be a shortcut. We were still about 200km out of their student city destination. Road directions came soon: "try to follow that fast car at 60-80km/h which just passed you, it will take us to a paved road, where we have road signs". I did bumply manage to follow this car for about 20 minutes (but actually way to fast to my liking at dark), till the car turned into a farm house drive-way. Next directions came: "just go straight". Soon we arrived at a paved road. For the next 20-30km they were discussing at every small white cement sign beside the road, which will be the next village to our destination and which way to go on. Finally reached a big road with proper signs to the university city. No problem, we reached final destination with only a little bit additonal travel time, compared to the normal paved road way in the morning to our day trip distance. Pretty good (from their spacial memory), when you understand the students did not even grow up inside their university city limits for 200km. One grew up >200km east and the other grew up >200km west of university city.
- Many years ago, I miscalculated the time of travel to our destination. And finally I asked my friend, who I think he lost the way, to ask directions. I stopped and his reply was: "why you stop at this bum to ask direction, drive on". Happen we were very close to destination. And it was my time travel miscalculation by half hour longer.
- Many years ago, one of my friends could read roadmaps. As long as a good roadmap was provided and showing the roads on paper. We drove 1000's of km together. He was fully aware of directions outside BKK (city limits BKK is a different story). His only comment was: "don't drive speeding past these road sign with only Thai letters, I can't read that fast the Thai road sign. Better if it is in English, I can read English direction signs faster"

However:
- My recent friend rely on GPS & admits he can't read roadmaps that good. He relies too much on GPS directions. Many times I give him and GPS the benefit of the doubt in Thailand, but often it shows I should have rely on my own direction

I travel about 60.000km/yr by car and have seen worse directions by well-devoleped western people than Thai give me. That is my personal experience, because the Thai person is next to me in the car going same direction.

I felt confident that I would be having sex in 8 hours. My flight was 7 hours.

Any red light district (available near your home city) would have saved you a 7hours bursting flight and would be cheaper as the intercontinental ticket price.

Good luck

DTAC too, new SIM same number, no charge

OP: jpx QOUTE: [.... of limited experince i have found most older gay thai men to be married .....]

Isn't this the result of a society which pursue/haunt for procreation for offsprings, the only believe to benefit their financial future ?

My limited experience; many young thai gay are under (mom's) pressure to marry a girl or deny their gay life as a possibility to sustain in future

Some con artist is trying to hand him a bunch of BS about he is actually part "Thai", because he keeps paying their bills?

Yes, that is the ambiguity!

Thai BS story & I am not paying the bill (that is probably 'blether' give me a 'true' warning????)

Farang are expected to support the family financially but it's okay not to do so.

Thais are expected to support the family financially but it is okay not to do so.

If the farang does not support the family financially then the wife loses face and the farang will lose his life as soon as the insurance policy comes through.,

If the Thai does not support the family nobody bats an eyelid cos there is no shock there.

So same same effect, totally different result.

So I think your pal was marking your card that you better start supporting the family or your getting it.

Thanks for the warning, I have NOT thought about it that way

the only thing i can make out from your post is you seem to possess the local talent for moving the air in the vicinity of your mouth without actually saying anything of import.

I very like these wise words ....

Several weeks ago a thai friend since 4years tell me next: "You are a thai-farang".

He explained to me (briefly):

1.) Farang:

a.) are expected to support the family financially

b.) but it is OK not doing this

2.) Thai:

a.) same as 1.a.)

b.) same as 1.b.)

same-same, but why different?

Have you ever experienced another such an ambiguous talk?

Hey, I also want a hookup for those below 10K places near Suk BTS line (although I don't count 30 baht moto taxi ride as being close). PM me with details!!!

Who tell you it is Sukhumvit? (BTW: just have your own motorcy, like a normal person in Thailand)

name of building and addy?

Of course, Thai only (not advertised as far as my knowlegdement), nice quiet clean place,

Sure, not luxury western grand place (no swimming pool, no gym - BTW who need a gym),

But suits me to sleep, watch television, buy food outside, etc.

Just 30thb motorcy from BTS (a distance I will walk, if I am pissed off even at 40'C - BTW better exercise than a gym),

PS: it was rated as a 3k-3.5k apartment by another Thai friend, so for 5k it would be expensive for natives, which proves I don't think many will have regular 30k-42k room rent

what is the name and address of the building? thanks.

I think my elaboraton was clear, if it suits me to be living among normal thai people, the majority of thai will even have more happy living circumstances at same location.

I not wish to be ridiculed by TV members (if you wish information, you just PM me together with your sincere explanation).

I don't understand the wish of any-one (thai or farang) to act as 'hi-so' individuals, just for show by spending unnecessary money (to gain face or whatever other reason)

name of building and addy?

Of course, Thai only (not advertised as far as my knowlegdement), nice quiet clean place,

Sure, not luxury western grand place (no swimming pool, no gym - BTW who need a gym),

But suits me to sleep, watch television, buy food outside, etc.

Just 30thb motorcy from BTS (a distance I will walk, if I am pissed off even at 40'C - BTW better exercise than a gym),

PS: it was rated as a 3k-3.5k apartment by another Thai friend, so for 5k it would be expensive for natives, which proves I don't think many will have regular 30k-42k room rent

8-10k a month in bkk is a tiny rat hole.

I know of many three-four bedroom townhouses for under 10k near Sukhumvit BTS.

But then again, I'm not a tourist.

Again, a very frequent tourist,

I know 5k / month 2bedroom apartment (with living room & kitchenette) in BKK near centre.

Nice quiet place I will stay without problem.

(BTW, I still think 5k is too expensive, if you consider it is a rent for a 213k apartment (2012 approximate by bank) at 5-7% mortgage / year)

Maybe, Thai people just do not know about this information?

The 300 bht per day min. wage does not apply to the whole of Thailand, only Bangkok and a few other provinces. Its a lower amount in the northern/Eastern provinces. The scale is on here somewhere.

Just if anyone wanted to refer to it, here's the min. wages by province:

http://sunbeltasia.c...41-08f86c396c63

Courtesy of SunBeltAsia

Nice legal information?

but I really like to know how much a normal waiter/waitress would need to do extra to have this minimum 300Baht/day (in 8hours) in Bangkok?

even 220Baht/day as lowest Thailand wage/day, I have rearely (better say never) seen as normal pay for unskilled personnel (f.e. at a farm)

Latest news flash to closed topic "How Would You Use Santorum In A Sentence?"

He finished the race, down the toilet

:

Her English is very poor, she doesn't understand most of the sentences what I said but she could understand little better in written.

Really; ever thought about:

- Google translate

or

- Somebody else is writing the reply

P.S. Really, as an american it looks like you use Google translate yourself to post from "English" to "Thai" back to "English"

Santorum surges from behind.

OK, that is a fast & excellent reply quote to OP's question input / output

Apparently, the 'social conservatives' now root for Santorum!!!

I bet nobody can beat this reply to the question "How Would You Use Santorum In A Sentence", however the OP "stain at governer's sheet" give a clue

Birthdays have no significance in Thai culture. Asking her to remember your birthday is the same as asking you to remember which animal in the Chinese calendar she was born under. The 'lie' was to save both of you the embarrassment of admitting your lack of knowledge. If you were Thai the situation wouldn't have happened. If you're offended by such insignificant things perhaps you ought to consider moving to Clacton.

Absolutely the celebration of a birthday is totally new to them. They can't even sing the song properly.

jb1

Today on telephone I had to ask 3x

"what 'birthday party' of your friend you tell me about within one half year".

Yeah, 555, don't fool me for playing around!?!??

Turned out to be 'hurtday party'.

Sorry, my misunderstanding for not understanding immediately, sure a bad connection

Should this remark make you feel better?

Definitively no. Most probably he's telling the other guy "No problem, he's a farang"

How can you trust someone who cheats someone else, even if it is to your benefit. Do you think he'll have any problem to betray you when the wind will have changed ?

Spot on!

BTW: cheat is not applicable, the person in question is not my partner.

What make me consider about his remark: can a sequel betrayal or lie be measured for (un)importance by someone's origin (whether Chinese, farang or thai)? Is there a different balance of significance in regards thai thoughts, when it involves the same lie to people of different origin?

Just tell people you're Chinese.

Sorry, I am verbally & physically not in disguise

Same problem for me: VoIP (seldom now), even expensive landlines calls (9 out of 10 times not work), give me often no connection, while 1-2months ago never have problem to have instant connection all over Thailand (by different Thai providers).

Be abroad, however same problem wiht Text Messages, everything not work like it did before. I have many Text Message not received now!

However, at the moment BKK area connection seem to be little better than outside BKK area.

Yes, what is going on?

I just have a telephone call with a thai friend, who I know for many years. What I eventually hear for his excuse and explanation to take advantage of a situation: "No problem, he is Chinese, not farang"

Should this remark make me feel better in Thailand as a white foreigner friend???

OK, this explains why my nephew of 15years old asked me for kisses during last NewYear eve, while shaking hands and wishing eachother good luck.

Yes, nothing (homo)sexual.

My wife sends 4000 Baht every 2 months of her income to mommy.Sometimes 1000 Baht more for medicine, the other sibblings help also as much as they can, so mommy has round-a-bout 7000 Baht a month, no rent to pay. As I understand the system is that the kids give as much as they can, so your mil might assume you can give more ??? Get your wife a job and she can send as much as she wants to of her income; wait what the mother will get then.

Wait, 1000thb extra for medicine?

Somebody (Craigth3365) asked if I ever used this 30thb village hospital. Sure I have done on several occassions. By the way, I find it has a very good service, no 6months queue for a life-saving examanition.

And this amount for medicine would have emptied the village hospital pharmacy, otherwise it would have been a suicidal amount of pills.

Buffalo pay way too much again to MIL

But let's get serious here. If the family is in need, what's 4k baht per month? As long as they are not gambling and drinking every day, it's no big deal. I know in my case, a lot is going for medical care. Say what you want, but that 30B medical program sucks.

I've found it to be very good.

Some rellys went to have a baby in a village hospital last month, the rooms and equipment ther,e were as good as any I saw in the UK. I thought it must be a private hospital, when I asked the mother how much she paid to have the baby there, she replied "30 bht"

As vreed stated, buffaloes pay more!

Thanks SarahsBloke for your confirmation.

Another 30thb buffalo story, which I recently encountered by another 5yrs friend, involving his younger sister give birth.

He just asked 10.000thb to pay the hospital bill for his sister and she has a teacher job at a government school. She is very likely to have a 30thb program.

Sorry, but do I miss something?