pgs

I could not complain about my Thai family - either the close members or the extended. I've been part of the family & village from the first visit. I am very well looked after, as are they.

So, how do you know?

It's different for everyone. Different people, different hearts.

But you just know.

If you don't speak Thai Its so hard to know what everyone is thinking. The only interpretation is your gf version.If you cannot have a conversation with her family they are never going to know you,or understand you.

I think you need to learn Thai language before you start trying to play happy families.For your safety and your happiness.

Will your gf and her family help you with learning,or would they prefer you not to learn.

Without clear communication,you are living in a bubble.

To be reasonable, that is not just a Thai language thing - it is relevant where ever you marry from or go to live.

If you are comfortable with going, go. From the ones I have been to, most will wear what they normally do although the family would probably spruce up a bit. Thai funerals can be a bit different to what westerners are use to, and just for showing up you would probably gain a little more respect with the people you know. What to take: there will be a table where you can give a donation to assist with the costs. The family will know where it came from, as your name will be recorded also. There would generally be plenty of food & drink. Like weddings, this is a 'whole hog' time.

as examples:

one of the girls in our area married a German & moved to Germany with him. When her dad died his response was along the lines of: go if you want, it's nothing to do with me.

when my MiL died, we had flights from Sydney & were on site (Chaiyaphum area) in less than 2 days.

curse you - now I'm missing mum. ( I mean it in the nicest possible way, MiL was great.)

You can do whatever you want with your money? I choose to help MY family.

Agree with you there. Mrs calls the sisters /aunts/ friends & it's "how is my brother" then "how are you" - pretty much from day 1.

The younger ones are more inclined to ask for cash, but it is not encouraged. The most selfish as a kid has turned herself around, which was great. Now studying nursing.

Miss my Thai family. Must be visit time.

I love living in Isaan, I like rural life, looking out from by backyard on rice fields to me is idyllic. Now, do I live like the people who work on those fields, Hell No. My house and living conditions here aren't so much different than my life back in San Diego, except a helluva lot cheaper.

So this stereotype of the farang, marooned miles from anywhere living in abject Hell on a farm in deepest darkest Isaan is something that has me scratching my head. Kinda urban myth

Unfortunately I'm not white & my farm isn't in Issan, so I can't fit into your stereotype.

And my farm house doesn't have windows, just a empty space at the back looking out onto the mosquito filled jungle.

I know, I know, you're gonna say, "it can't be that bad", so here is a photo of my farmhouse.

Front DSCF1062.JPG Back DSCF1078.JPG Inside DSCF1066.JPG

Might be a tad breezy at times, but if it suits your needs it doesn't really matter what others think of it.

Country born & raised, live in Sydney now for work convenience.

Thai village life is not an issue - it's not that different to how I had the first 20-25 years.

Never had a problem in the village there.

...sheep have been done to death.

Sure? Few drunk kiwis around?

 

 

 

Age is just a number.  Check out your biological age or your soul age or http://www.gotoquiz.com/how_old_fashioned_are_you_1

 
Age is a number, I am an old guy, but whilst writing this I have rock music on LOUD. I go out and sing rock songs, Clapton and many more. I even lift weights. All this because whats between my ears doesn't want me to be my years,........'aint I lucky...........

 

Clapton dates you a bit, grand-dad.
Try KangKeng or Cowboy for a bit more respect.

 

 

Learned that Thai folk only like farang stuff they know, sooooo thats what I do. Not long ago a phone company was playing "My Way" as their connection tone, sooooooo, sang My Way, went down well, they knew it.

 

Yet to try "Lola", the Kinks, great song but................

 

 

 

Somehow I feel Lola fits in Thailand quite well.
 

We have friends here TH/AU, she is 38, he is 65 or so. TW shares my opion of how it looks, but it isn't my choice so it doesn't really matter. As long as they are happy.

Although the pending retirement seems to be causing friction.

I'm probably one of the odd ones, but TW is just over 2 years older than me. Looks 15 years younger though.

Siamese White by Maurice Collis. The 13th elephant (I think that is the correct name) about the Death Railway being built).

One Thirteenth of an Elephant - it is a great book, but apparently illegal to have in Thailand according to the souvenir shop in Kanchanaburi. Accuracy of it's legality I know not, but it is certainly worth reading.

Mrs was growing scorpions there last year - apparently they are a little hot for the locals.

They have a very noticable taste/flavour.

If you do overdo it, they can be slightly hallucinogenic. This is not hearsay, it is first-hand experience.

Would that chilli also be known as a scotch bonnet with a Caribbean connection?

Naga is WAAAAY hotter...

They may not be shopped. Mrs took similar pics of me on crocs in the farm near Chonburi

Remember they are edible.. Remember they are edible.. Remember they are edible..

Fit in. I'm part fo the village.

It's my choice to be t/here, if I wanted to go somewhere 'just ike home', I could just stay home.

Falling lights do have serious consequences.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/woman-sues-government-after-light-falls-injures-her-in-hotel-room-will-having-sex-on-work-trip/story-e6freuy9-1226102305894

Actually she won the first case but lost on appeal. Personally I do consider that she should have won as the employer is responsible for a safe environment in the acomodation she was given and the fitting was faulty.

Harry, I'd have to go against you on that. The employer cannot possibly be expected to know that state of fittings in a hotel. If anyone should have been sued, it would be the hotel.

Sounds more like you met a 'normal' lawyer. Finding an honest & ethical one would be a miracle.

Had my cameras searched at Sydney the same way.

They weren't happy when I pointed out that while they were wasting my time looking at pics of mountains, waterfalls & flowers, the people they needed to check were probably waltzing past quite happy.

Thanks for that to both. That rate is still far better than changing it in AU - average is over 5B per 1AUD difference.

Has the "Sign in anonymously" option been removed?

Not seeing it on the sign in box now.

The times I've been through Swampy I've changed currency at the counter between immigration & bag collection. Recently I've been told that counter is gone & the exchange has to be done in the 'public' area.

Could anyone confirm if this is correct?

Thanks.

The 'Blackmores' vitamin range is manufactured in Australia so you can trust that what is on the label is in the bottle.

Widely stocked in most stores.

It's also one of the Brands that Thai buy and trust.

Blackmores

By on-line

.

It's great how Blackmore's & Thursday Plantation is cheaper to have sent from the US to AU after being sent AU to US, than it is to just buy over the counter in AU - even through the 'discount' stores.

Please! Not another tipping thread....For the Love of Fish....

So... you're not a Kiwi then...

:-)

you could use one of the various undelete tools available. i really like r-studio, but it's not one of the free ones (you can torrent it tho). to find a freeware, you could do a google search for 'undelete freeware'. use the tool of your choice after connecting the tablet to your pc (no idea if/how this works on a mac). you'd have to connect in mass storage mode, set this in settings -> usb options (or whatever it is called in ICS - your android version). the tablet should pop up as one or two drives depending on if you have an external SD card in it.

the likeliest location for the missing files is the folder on the SD card (internal) with the same name as the app she's using to purchase/download ebooks. maybe use explorer first to see if such a folder exists and if not, do a search for one of the ebooks she's got and if you find it, remember the folder it's in and use the undelete tool to see if there are any image files in this folder that can be restored.

restoring deleted files will only work if they haven't been overwritten yet, so don't copy/save anything onto the internal SD card until you're done with this process.

bit of a PITA, but if you're motivated you should be able to manage, right?

Book names are all in thai... I don't fancy trying to do Thai on such a small keyboard. I don't think she does either.

Thanks to those who gave nice, helpful replies.

We've since installed dumpster on it. When she's finished with the current batch & I can wrest if from her I'll try re-importing some.

The files are DRM & seem to only work in the BlueFire Reader - which is a pain, but that's how it seems to be.

Honest Politicians~~

Being realistic here ... which country has this?

you have a great, self-abasing sense of humour ...

.

So great he's almost a master.

Yep, that's one hell of a master abaser...

(before the horse is jumped on, yes - it's a joke)