mangkut70

Back in the day, when I was based in Asia, eating local food all the time, I always used my occasional vacation trips to Pattaya or Phuket to enjoy some authentic German food. Ample choice of restaurants with excellent quality and value. In fact, the best ever Sauerbraten I’ve had in a German restaurant in Patty close to north pattaya road. This one sadly closed down before covid already, triggered by the dicorce of the owner and his Thai wife as far as I recall.. So, back then based on my preferred food and available restaurants in Pattaya I would have voted with a „10“ Meanwhile the situation changed totally, not only many German restaurants closed down and Indian restaurants took their place, I’m also based in Germany and not looking for German food during my visits anymore but using the limited time to sample all my favourite Thai dishes instead. And in my experience Thai food gets better & cheaper the further you are away from the tourist hubs.

Well, above post refers to the tourist-area only. I have no doubts that in "normal" local urban areas in Pattaya, there will be some great local food. There must be! Sadly I don't know these places. Thankful for any recommendation!

Times change and I guess someone loving Indian food is much happier now than 15 years ago. For me: while in Thailand I mostly eat Thai. l love spicy, can eat everything, so Thailand generally is food heaven for me. Mostly street food or the typical small Thai or Thai/Chinese porridge or soup places. Pattaya I gave a mediocre 5 (sorry) and this meant just within Thailand. If comparing Pattaya internationally the rating would be better. Well, I do know some lvl8-10 places in Pattaya (very subjective of course) but the majority of the places I’ve tried recently is on a rather mediocre, ok-ish and overpriced level. I also think a lot of quality was lost during the last few years, probably because of covid. Several of my favourite places closed down and it is difficult to find something new on the same level. Good example are the food courts in Pattaya, for instance in Central Festival. Used to be decent, but now mostly run by Burmese and the taste is just not right. Not really sure if they try to adapt the dishes to tourist-taste or simply don’t know how to cook it. But it was pretty bad lately. So bottom-line, I would not visit Pattaya especially for the food, but won’t starve there either.

Kids are 15 & 19, so it will be still a few years until both are independent. workwise another 12 years until official retirement age (but I don't intent to wait so long..) Most of the daily-use things are not worth to be shipped, easy and cheaply replaceable and mostly already on hand in Thailand. To send these items (to give to family and friends in Thailand) would only make sense if I book a whole container anyway. My concern is about some personal stuff, documents, some nice pieces of furniture and art, carved wood etc. I'm attached to and would like to have in Thailand during retirement years.

Fingers crossed - sooner or later, it will happen… the plan is a one-way-ticket to Thailand once the kids are out. Missus is Thai, and we are sufficiently set up there already with a house and everything needed for daily life. Well, we’ve got an apartment here in Germany as well, full of stuff. When I think about the actual process of moving, I wonder if it’s worth shipping everything (or anything for that matter) or if it might be more trouble than it’s worth. Some nice furniture & art I would be happy to take to Thailand, but sending a container will probably cost more than I paid for it years ago (in China). Also the space in Thailand is not unlimited. Well, I guess many of you currently residing in Thailand have been at this point before, and I would love to learn from your experience. 1 - Moving sooner or later? After you moved and things settled down, did you feel like you should have done this earlier? Keep working longer in Europe to receive a better pension, or move earlier to enjoy retirement longer? 2 - In case you own(ed) a house or apartment back in Europe, how did you handle this? Sold it? Rented out? Landlord and tenant law in Germany is a bitch—most power to the tenants. Renting out could be more trouble than it’s worth considering obligations, high taxes, etc. 3 - Did you ship your household to Thailand, and if yes, how did this work out? Basically, when you made the move, what could have gone better if you had just known about it beforehand?

Collector items for the wealthy and super rich. Rich Thais ... expensive cars (and watches) and special rare models are the main subject of small talk. Oh, imagine the pressure to provide an appropriate parking space if you own a two digit number of these—and the absolute torture of having to choose the right one for the day. The struggle is real.

maybe something to do with this kind of stuff? https://en.thairath.co.th/news/local/2902335 https://thethaiger.com/news/national/american-man-detained-in-surin-after-photographing-military-airport

sure its subjective. but just wondering what defines 'lame' for you? is it the absence of Pattaya style nightlife? because everything else is there and in a much more relaxed and cost effective way.

again? was there not recently a thread about this? Anyway, what criteria you base your judgement on? What's wrong with Ubon R.? big but nice and rather relaxed city, everything there you (at least I ) could wish for. good hospitals, shopping malls and hyper markets, great food, street markets etc.

Depends a lot on the circumstances, frequency and tone. Nothing wrong helping a cute small lady with matters you probably are stronger or more qualified, doing your fair part in a relationship. Especially if she knows how to reward you. But if its a power game, nagging, about control, someone possessive trying to micro manage your life... well run not worth hassle or hope. people don't change.

Never been to Russia (still on the list), but I grew up influenced by their culture in East Germany. Personally, I'm very thankful to Mr. Gorbachev. Thanks to him (and some others), the Wall came down, and I could explore the world instead of living in a big prison. All the Russians I've met personally or professionally are lovely people—some of them good friends. Most of them far better educated than the average westener. I'm happy and thankful I got to know them! And yes, the food and the vodka are great too!

Regarding the "Tourist denied entry at Don Mueang Airport over minimum cash rule " It's one of the official requirements for entering Thailand, like having a valid passport or completing a TDAC. I've never been asked to show my cash but always bring it. It's not that difficult since it does not have to be ฿ but other currencies like €,$ or £ are accepted as well. Also don't know anyone who would visit Thailand and not spend any money. So it is just about why they don't accept banking apps as proof. Well, they just don't. Personally (as a cash-preferring person) I like if there are places insisting on cash.

a favorable demarkation of the border , gaining territory and weakening a strong neighbor? a win in an old conflict? I think Cambodia is playing a risky game to get what it wants, hoping it gets away with it and it can gain international support simply because it is the much smaller country and because of some previous court rulings.. Reality is simple: if it would come to full blown conflict, Cambodia would not stand a chance. These provocations are a high-stakes gamble: short-term pain for long-term gains, using asymmetric strategy to achieve their goals, in the process exploiting (and causing) domestic instability in Thailand. Several of Sun Tzu’s stratagems come to mind like „kill with a borrowed knife“ or „loot a burning house“. Cambodia risks escalation but calculates that Thailand's "house" is too unstable for sustained retaliation, betting on international pressure preventing hefty consequences. Strategy of a weak but clever coward. Thailand demonstrating at the moment, that the costs will be high for Cambodia if it continues this path.

What does she want to achieve by threatening you exactly? For you to continue to stay (and pay) and simply to accept she got a lover on the side? You wrote "(also because she's seeing a Thai guy)" so what else is going on? Some thoughts to access the threat level: Is she some „nobody“ , an inconsequential ex-bar-girl from Isaan? Or connections to police? Or from a good maybe even rich or connected family? Huge difference. Would be more concerned about violence than the bank account (unless u've made yourself vulnerable by doing some illegal stuff) . A friend of mine found himself with a screw driver in his arm during a similar "serious crisis" situation.

Totally agree on that one. at least back then a bustling little city, full of energy, chaos, great and fantastic food, cheap massage parlors, plenty of nightlife (although mostly malaysia/chinese/karaoke themed). Alltogether great fun and nothing but fond memories. Sadly haven't been back there for a while.

Clear yes here for Thai and Isan food. love strong taste, love spicy. Never get tired of it. Also love the local fruits, including Durian. There are some things I've tried and I don't like that much (dishes with too strong plara for instance) but generally I'm in heaven and don't miss western food at all. Well, that goes for whole Asia, not just Thailand. Noticed that food quality in Pattaya really went down after corona. Some of my favorite local places closed , food courts and restaurants often employ Burmese or Cambodians chefs and taste is different. Not even talking about all the kebab places, fast food or Indian & Arab restaurants. So food-wise I prefer countryside, the real authentic experience.

Never went there for holiday but plenty of times for work, been to all big islands, visited all the big cities over the years. Would not be a country for me I want to live in. Would not be a country I would take my family for vacation due to pricing although my daughter is crazy about everything Japanese and Mangas and all the little cartoon merchandise etc. For holiday? Depends a bit what u r looking for. Shopping, electronics, craze, nightlife, lotsa food etc. would be Tokyo. Nice temples, old town etc would be Kyoto. Colleagues of mine went to climb the Fuji and loved this experience Best Sashimi ever I've had in Sapporo (Hokkaido) Quite liked the place, people seemed more relaxed, the air was fantastic, seafood quality was amazing. I mean it's not bad and certainly many beautful and interesting things to explore and experience ...But give me the choice between any SEA country and Japan for vacation.... Japan would loose... And to answer your question: Its very much not like Thailand.

I can’t really see the connection between sociopaths/narcissists and relationships with bar girls. Money/power games exist at every level of society. There might be some guys riding this wave in relationships with former bar girls, but I haven’t met any. What I’ve often seen, though, is lovesick helper syndrome, where guys try to “save” a girl and take her out of this supposedly terrible bar life. Often, the guys are the much weaker part in the relationships, easily manipulated by the more relationship-experienced girls. In my opinion, it’s generally easier for westerners to meet girls in low-income countries (like most of Southeast Asia). You’ll be perceived as wealthy, worth investing time and effort into a relationship. In my experience, it doesn’t really matter where you meet the girls; it clicks mainly because of your wallet and perceived net worth, whether you like it or not. The most materialistic and transactional girl I ever met, by the way, wasn’t a bar girl. She was a Chinese lady studying hotel management. Boy, a lot of bar girls could learn from her. Anyway, nightlife environments make it extremely easy to meet, talk, try out, and gain experience, whatever that may be. In the end, if it results in a relationship, good luck. Normal social rules apply, and either it works out or it doesn’t.

the "drinking friend" should get used to fork out larger sums for the girl anyway. I figure she - and more importantly her family - got accustomed to the money she can make from multiple customers (her bar salary plus all the STs, LTs, online Bfs sending money etc.) while she is in the business. If he indeed takes her out of the bar, he puts himself basically in the position of the only customer and gotta "take care" and pay up for everything. So, IMO paying the inflated farewell bar fine is not the problem because it's small money compared to the big permanent deal. It’s a long time ago, call it a former life, I've met a gorgeous Agogo girl and we became special friends with benefits. GFE was the term. She kept working, i did not mind. Well, I simply would not have been able to provide the amount she needed for her family. But it was amazing how many sources of income she had beside her daily activities. Several guys she previously met, online via email - all believed they would be the only one and sending money to keep her out of the bar-life. So, unless your drinking buddy can stay with the girl 24/7 and control the money flow and her activities, I guess he will be just one of the many. Some of the girls want to get out, become a good wife, getting kids with her farang etc. but most would not. There is so much more money to be made in the business if you are young, hot and sexy.

Gosh , i wish I would...

different city, quite a while ago and less money involved... but yes. barfine back then was 200thb, the farewell payment 8500thb. The way I understand it: this is a mixture of things and dependencies. On a business level, the bar loses an earner. For an hour or a night, it's a barfine. For a long holiday with a customer or a total checkout, it's a larger sum. Often, the girls are very much integrated into a bar, almost like family, living, sleeping, eating there. Think of it as a kind of sin sot and "go with our blessing"—nobody will talk badly about the girl, and if things don't work out, the door will be open.

I totally agree. The idea of "yours" and "mine" changes, especially once you have kids. It's about building something together to pass on to them. Everything in Thailand is in her name, everything in the west in mine but IMO it does not really matter. Generally I do control the finances, which gives my wife an excellent excuse when there are expectations from her family. Every now and then, we naturally have discussions about certain expenditures. I've offered several times for her to take over all of it—the whole money-related package including tax filing, investing, booking holidays, insurances, planning, all the paper work etc. For whatever reason, so far she has always politely declined.😉

Good mom, bad mom...what choice do they really have? Staying at the village, spending time with the kids but maybe not having enough money to buy them school uniforms? Or better to leave the kids with the grandparents and go to a big city to earn money and support the whole family? Who wants to be the judge of that? What sense does it make to look at it from a Western point of view? The biological fathers—Thai ex-boyfriend or ex-husbands—normally don’t give a flying f*** and don’t provide. I’ve observed now for many years a case in my wife’s family. A lovely, now middle-aged lady, just not very lucky with her relationships. Two kids from different Thai-ex-husbands. She got solid education compared to many other girls in this area; finished college and got proper job training in IT and accounting. Always tried to provide by working hard and earning honest money. As she’s getting older, it’s becoming more difficult to find work in a small town. She was basically forced to move to Bangkok to make enough money for her kids and her old mom. She is able to send home around 10k per month. Everyone speaks highly of her; for the family and neighbors, she’s a shining role model of a good daughter … and mom. Don't think it would change anything if indeed she would work in a bar. Well , maybe she could send more money then...

"I take care family" it's IMO more about beeing a good daughter and making merit, providing for the parents than about beeing a good mother. Nothing really to do with Pattaya or bars except the fact that there they can make exceptionally good, easy and fast money. Especially young women (mothers or not) work away from their families for instance in Bangkok or industrial zones like Chachoengsao or Rayong. There are hardly any well paying jobs in rural areas especially for women.

Just ask her out and see how it goes? Her English is probably ok if she works at a golf course? Maybe she is a fun person, just looking for a good time. Or looking for a boyfriend or just some fast extra cash. Everything is possible. You will find out. There is a good chance though that her buffalo is sick. God speed