gejohesch

UPF .... yeah, I always wonder about all those additives everywhere, and tons of sugar too. Don't know if it affects constipation and/or hemorrhoids, but I'm sure it cannot be good for the general health!

Well, I tend to agree with the general statement, concerning hygiene and poor education in particular. Thanks for explaining about the flukes, I was vaguely aware of the problem. I have the feeling that the issue is severely compounded by the lack of regulations or the non-respect of existing regulations. I confess not to know the details, but I don't have the impression that anyone in a position of authority genuinely and sincerely worries about the health of the population, and that it's rather much of a rat race to sell whatever rubbish to make money, money, money!

Yes? What's the story then about fermented fish sauce? Do you mean nam pla (น้ำปลา) or pla ra (ปลาร้า)? I personally think that the first one is healthy. I don't know about the second one but cannot stand its smell and taste, I find it disgusting.

Thanks for this quick reply! But what is it in their food (Thai and/or Isan food) that causes these problems? Would you know? I keep telling my wife to eat of the cereals I prepare myself in the morning. Sometimes she does, most of the time she reverts to Thai-Isan food. NB 1: the cereals I prepare myself with rolled oats (no sugar added), mixed with whatever nuts and dried fruits I can find. When I can, I include dried prunes (known to be a good laxative). I believe that's excellent food in the morning, and with that in the belly I can easily go until the afternoon! NB 2: I hear of several people in her village having cancer...

The title may intrigue or amuse, but I'm serious. My wife, a Thai woman from Isan, very often complains of constipation and occasionally of hemorrhoids. Now, everyone in the world has come across those problems before, I'm sure, but what I notice is that besides my wife, it's nearly everyone in her family who complains of them. I have come to suspect it's their food that does that to them. My wife appreciates the western food I sometimes make (I'm a decent cook), but only nibbles up a bit of it and goes back to food she makes herself, Thai-Isan food of course, even when we are outside Thailand. Myself, I have nearly never had these problems. What do the "experts" think of it, and what would they advise?

I like reading this, but in practice, will there not be a more suspicious approach in general by immigration officers, having a negative impact on genuine visitors? Maybe a naive question.....

100% agree. I used to ride a 650cc Honda years ago, mainly in Bangkok. I also made a few trips on the bike to Isan and down all the way to Prachuap Khiri Khan. I used to be weary of other drivers in Thailand before, when driving a car, but my anxiety on the road jumped up several notches when going on the bike. Reckless driving is unfortunately very common in Thailand. In any country, there would be at least 4 lines of approach to reduce the number of severe accidents: 1 - Be much more stringent with issuing driving permits, with more focus on correct ways of driving, and especially defensive driving for 2 wheels driving. ...... Oh well, did I mention "focus"??? 2 - More effective police presence on the roads, with zero tolerance on any sort of bad driving. 3 - Zero tolerance on not wearing a helmet when on 2 wheels, regardless whether doing the driving or being a pinion passenger. 4 - Regulate the type of helmets. No tolerance for all those cheap and crap helmets.... In any country but.....

I must say the Philippines are not on my radar. I've been there twice, found the food uninteresting, people way too "americanised", lacking culture "of their own", and/or untrustworthy.

That's exactly what I do, but usually more like between 3 and 6 months a year, definitely not more: 1) Visas are too complicated. 2) Thailand is overrated, and definitely not that "unique". There are several other attractive destinations with good food, good climate, good beaches, reasonable cost of living, nice people, interesting culture and so on. 3) I need to have people around me I can have sensible discussions with, once in a while. I get terribly starved in this respect when spending time in Isan (my case).

This sounds like good advice. With time, let's say give it at least a few months, you will start seeing if this is a nice, decent relationship or not. Until then, indeed, do not get too much into it sentimentally speaking. I know it's a difficult advice to take, as an older man tends to go weak in his heart when a younger woman grapples him up. I have been there a few times myself, and for sure Thai girls / women (many of them) know how to make your heart feel sweet but the truth is : it gets weak as well. As for the amount you are willing to give her, be careful also. I would tell her you give her 15 or 20 k's, at most. That would already be a huge amount of help, for sure, and at the same time you will start drawing lines in the sand between you and her, in a non brutal way. However sweet and genuine she might be, it's important I think that she gets the message: you are not falling in for her unconditionally.

Yes, sugar everywhere. Disgusting!

Thanks for your comments. 😊 "sex pat business" or "a week ensconced in a 5 star resort with a spa" - neither of these options interest me at all 😞 I enjoy my long months in my wife's village, deep in Isaan. She has a large house which we have improved over the years. Once in a while, we have visitors, but rarely foreigners. I enjoy that too. And the regular drives to the nearby markets and rather quiet little cities are relaxing enough. Once in a while, I let myself get dragged along to one of the numerous temples around, that's OK with me, I'm enough of a Buddhist for that. All in all, it's rather nice and relaxing, but certainly that has nothing to do with mainstream tourism! When I put a tourist cap on my head and start doing some research online, lots of places interest me : Turkey, India, Nepal, Mexico, Brasil, Guatemala, Georgia, Rumania, Poland, Japan and so on. Thailand? Not so much anymore, I'm afraid!

Chiang Mai is not on the way between Bangkok and Nong Khai! Chiang Mai is one of the rare exceptions, as I mentioned, with having a walkable centre. Not that large though, and dwarfed by the rest of the city. On that same line, I would also mention Ayutthaya. These are 2 cities having kept an interesting and walkable centre, left from centuries past. Possibly Sukhothai? I cannot remember, last time I went there was 40+ years ago. But again, how could that compare with the dozens, if not 100's of beautiful walkable cities nearly any country in Europe has on offer?

I have been living in my wife's village in Isaan for 17 years, about half the year each year, and of course I have gone to a number of places all around Isaan. Here are bits of my experience: - There are not many sites really worth visiting. I have become sick beyond words of going to tacky and garish concrete temples! - I have not gone to parks for an eternity. Double pricing irks me. It's always too damn hot and often run down. I remember going to see the Erawan waterfalls, I got disgusted with the number of Thai tourists everywhere, OK sure it's their country but the lack of space, food and drinks leftovers and so on - that did not make it attractive! And btw, the waterfalls are really nothing compared to a number of waterfalls I have seen in Mexico, for example. You take any of the several 100's of waterfalls around Iguaçu/Iguazu and it beats Erawan hands down. - Cities are usually not walkable. Not only because of the heat, but also because there is really not much to see. Nothing like one of the 1000's of lovely cities in Europe, or the colonial cities of Mexico. Hell, even Copacabana in Rio, with no historic site whatsoever, is infinitely more walkable than, say, Khon Kaen. - Of course, there are exceptions. I enjoyed walking along the Mekhong River in Nong Khai, for example. But tell me: is there any city between Bangkok and Nong Khai which is worth stopping in for 1 or 2 days? I would like to know! There are several other angles to the tourism issue, and other regions than Isaan. I would not have much to add to all that has been said in previous replies. My overall impression is that Thailand does not have enough to qualify as the "Number 1 tourist destination in the world".

You may be right with the THB strength. For several years now, it has been hovering around 5-10% more expensive than it used to be, some time in the past. Sorry, I am not very precise here, but there might be an issue along these lines. About the "immigration circus" : are you referring to A) long time residents, B) tourists who want to stay for longer than their visa exemption allows, or C) tourists who just come for a few days or weeks? These are very different categories of tourists facing different regulations. I believe category C) represents by far the majority of foreigners coming to Thailand (obviously not talking about nationals of neighbouring countries coming for a low-paid job) and as far as I know, if one comes on a visa exemption, immigration is not an issue. I join in on some other factors mentioned several times above : security, scams, double pricing, and (my personal experience) cleanliness - there is too much trash all around and food quality is often questionable.

and cheaper I hope!

It's the calm that precedes the storm

Farang people I interact with might start with such platitudes - that's normal - but most of the time we follow up with some more substantial discussions. Sometimes on light subjects, sometimes about more serious subjects. It does not matter what, the important thing is that there is a "real" exchange, moving beyond endless and repetitive platitudes.

Only in your imagination

The entire world sees what it is: a mega MAGA <deleted> show. And is laughing/crying at what the USA have become.

I did much to learn it, formally including reading and writing which helps tremendously to get the phonetics right. It took me 3-4 years to be comfortable to the point of reading without even having to think about the correct pronunciation. I have to say, not bragging about it, that I'm very good at languages (I'm very familiar to fluent with several). With all that, I lost interest and motivation over the years because: - as you say, most Thais we encounter speak a version of the language which is extremely different from the official Thai. - most do not have anything interesting to contribute to any discussion which goes beyond the stage of "it's hot today" or "is the food too spicy?". - in Isan (my wife's region), and certainly in the villages, many people understand Thai but can hardly speak it. I'm not kidding! My wife has to accompany her elder brother to the hospital, recently, because some doctors cannot speak the local "phasaa isaan", and he cannot speak proper Thai. - I worked a few years in a Thai enterprise, with mid-high class Thais who spoke proper Thai. They hardly interacted with me socially, many quite obviously hated having a non-Thai colleague around. With all that, I lost interest.

Good riddance! The current USA administration has never been a sincere party in this affair, on the contrary, it has clearly displayed its sympathies for the Russian aggressors. The world will be better off not without them!

Thanks. I could not agree more. And like what we see too much playing in the USA, the more fascist-minded and the more crooked they are, those French (and elsewhere) politicians like to parade as "patriots". It's revolting.

That would make sense. Bangkok is built on very poorly consolidated sediments (fluvial/alluvials to paralic clastics from the Chao Prayah river system). I would guess that any building of some size in Bangkok requires rather deep foundations, and of course concrete requires time to cure.... A lot of investigation required here, and lessons to be learnt maybe?

I would agree, Bangkok being really quite a distance from the epicentre (Sagaing Fault in Myanmar). Also, German expert sources mention 6.6, as opposed to 7.7 Richter for the quake. That's a big difference.