hankypankee

If you spend enough time on this forum, you’ll notice a consistent trend: some people seem to struggle with nearly every bureaucratic or systematic process in Thailand. If the posts here were the only source of information about how things get done, you’d think it was almost impossible to live here legally. From visa extensions, 90-day reports, and TM30 address reporting to opening a bank account, filing tax returns, and transferring money in and out internationally, the complaints never stop. Getting a Thai driver’s license is somehow “very complicated,” yet thousands of foreigners manage to do it without much difficulty and without hiring unnecessary consultants or agents. Meeting the financial requirements for a retirement visa is “unreasonable,” according to some, but isn’t that just the reality of living here long-term? Then there’s the outrage over work permits and visa rules, the difficulties of registering a car or motorbike, and the supposed impossibility of owning property and the challenges of buying a condo (even though the laws are clear and have been for years). Some people complain that overstaying a visa results in fines and bans, as if immigration rules are ever optional anywhere in the world. Others act surprised when they run into problems with marriage and divorce laws, even though a little due diligence could have saved them the trouble. Of course, bureaucracy anywhere can be frustrating. But are these really particularly massive issues in Thailand more so than in other places around the world, or are they just the standard rules of living in a foreign country? Most of these things seem to merely take a little effort, patience, and an understanding that things don’t always work exactly the way they do back home. Personally, I haven’t had an exceeding amount of difficulty with any of these things over the years. It’s just a matter of following the rules, making sure you have the right paperwork, and then things move along mostly as expected. So, are many of the incessant complaints in these forums legitimate, or are people just malignant moaners making life harder for themselves (and making it seem that way to others) than it really needs to be?

Perhaps he has now realized that he lost his life savings to some online fraudsters and he is not handling with the situation very well. Probably the last thing he is thinking about now is replying to a bunch of posts on a thread he started on anonymous forum when he now has much bigger problems to worry about.

fable /fā′bəl/ noun 1 - A fictitious narrative or statement. 2 - A story about legendary persons and exploits. 3 - A falsehood; a lie. @NoshowJones @Lacessit @Toolong

Well done. Very much like a real Bob Smith post. He will surely be honored by your shout out to him. As we know, he has no ego. Maybe he's on the beach in Spain right now reading your tribute.

Americans have problems opening bank accounts in nearly in every country of the world now. This is not something exclusive to Thailand. Most banks don't want to deal with all the necessary reporting. The reason was mentioned earlier, it is because of a law called FACTA. This, and the US taxation on worldwide income, which even applies to Americans living abroad, causes an average of 6,000 Americans a year to give up their US citizenships.

Nothing wrong with a bit of ladyboy porn if it helps your reduce the struggle. Don't worry, I wasn't judging you on what you putter around with. And nobody has to know about your newest pursuit. It can remain our little secret.

Thank you for blessing us with only the finest nothingness and nonsense the internet has to offer. Truly, a level of curation and discernment that elevates the discourse to heights previously thought unreachable. One can only shudder at the alternative. A world in which you, heaven forbid, began sharing mere ordinary drivel with us. The dystopia. The chaos. The descent into intellectual anarchy. But, alas, we are but humble recipients of your wisdom. Grateful. Awed. Ever in your debt. May God show mercy upon us should you ever lower your standards.

I get everything done here that I need and I never need to grease anything except my frying pan before I drop the raw eggs in for breakfast.

If you're struggling to cum, maybe you need to renovate your porn collection. Have you worked your way through the whole ladyboy genre yet?

Yep, a 3-5 year retirement visa would be enough.

When I first arrived in Thailand eons ago, I was struck by how smoothly certain things seemed to operate and on a very informal basis. A friendly smile, a little charm, maybe a small tip, and doors seemed to open effortlessly. In the eye of the locals, it also seemed like Westerners were more in vogue back then, so they often used kid gloves to make things even easier for us to navigate. Whether it was renting a condo, getting a phone number, getting a car driving license, or even handling minor bureaucratic tasks, things felt refreshingly simple compared to the rigid systems back home in the West at the time. Fast forward to 2025, and I can’t help but wonder, has that ease disappeared? These days, even routine matters seem to come with layers of paperwork, additional requirements, and stricter enforcement of rules, laws and regulations. Take something as simple as opening a bank account. Back then, I walked into Bangkok Bank with just a crisp ฿100 note in hand and a photocopy of my passport photo page and then the old typewriters immediately started hammering away onto a fresh passbook and instantly I had a Thai bank account. Now, depending on the bank and branch, foreigners may need a work permit, proof of residency address, a long term visa, and/or a whole stack of other supporting documents just to get started. Of course, some might argue that these changes bring Thailand more in line with global standards and that the old way, while it was convenient, it wasn’t necessarily sustainable. Others, like myself, may feel differently though in that the country has become overly bureaucratic, rife with red tape replacing the once-flexible, and more pragmatic, Mai-Pen-Rai approach. What's your take? Have things really gotten more difficult as I suspect, or is it just a natural shift as Thailand modernizes and industrializes? Yes, public transport, internet, and some other things have improved and gotten a bit safer and with more accountability, but would you say it is easier or harder now to get things done in the hub of hubs as compared to the times in decades past?

Dudes, here’s what really happened to Bob, again. He stumbled home late last night, after yet another lonely, solo tour of trolling the tourist ghetto’s finest establishments. Fueled by a steady diet of piss-warm Chang Beer and bad life decisions, he collapsed into his small, rickety studio apartment's squeaky, tired old bed. In his dreams, he was once again the star of a heroic saga, a lone beacon of morality in a world gone mad. He awoke this morning with a start, scratching his sweaty gonads, mumbling something about “stonewall facts,” and immediately stumbled into the bathroom for his morning constitutional. After about twenty minutes of heavy pushing and deep contemplation on the perilous throne (where most of his best material comes from), he suddenly remembered the taxi driver who dared to give him attitude last week at the Terminal 21 taxi rank. “Right,” he muttered to himself, “I’ll teach that sorry old git a lesson he’ll never forget.” Still bleary-eyed and hung over like a sack of wet tranny pants, he fired up his ailing laptop with its 2 screeching, loud fans, cracked his knuckles, and typed furiously about his brave battle with the irate driver. Of course, he omitted the part where he spent the whole ride quietly whispering to himself in complaint about the traffic, or how he tried to pay with sticky old coins from the bottom of his pocket which weren't accepted. Those details are, naturally, irrelevant. Once the post was live, he leaned back with a satisfied smirk, a grunt and then a sniff of his underarms, whilst proud to have once again enlightened AN with another riveting chapter of Bob's BS vs. The World. Now, he’s gearing up for his next adventure, maybe it will be another brave showdown with a young waiter over ice cubes, a heated standoff with a 7-Eleven cashier over the price of a toasty, or perhaps a heroic debate with a local beach vendor about the criminal cost of coconut juice prices. Truly inspiring stuff, Bob. Don't ever stop!

Here’s what really happened. Bob staggered off to bed last night alone, lonely, absolutely snookered out of his head (all as per usual), mumbling something to himself about saving the world from expensive bar fines. Then he drifted off into one of his classic Soi Sex dreams, this time about those lads who skipped the bill out at Soi 6 and got themselves sorted with a proper street beating. Morning rolls around, Bob wakes up, scratches his ample gut, belts out a fart loud enough to scare the geckos, then waddles off to the loo for his daily masterpiece. Once relieved, but still hungover like a bag of smashed crabs, and whilst still sat on the porcelain god, he fires up his minging old laptop and bangs out another daily episode of “Bob’s Wild Imagination,” complete with chaos, carnage, imaginary women, and shirtless farang lunatics. And there we have it, another not so thrilling tale from the bowels of Bob, based on nothing more than a cocktail of dreams, booze, and a healthy dose of narcissistic, nail-biting nonsense. Classic stuff, mate. Keep ’em coming.

About a week ago, I posted about my Thai girlfriend wanting breast implants. I wasn’t thrilled about the idea at first, but after all the responses I got on my post and some discussion with her (including her reassuring me she’d go for a modest size), I reluctantly agreed. I wanted to support her confidence, and I figured it would be a one-and-done situation. Well, I was wrong. Now, she’s suddenly intent on getting a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) all done at the same time. She says it’ll balance her new proportions and make her feel more confident. But honestly, this whole situation is starting to heavily stress me out. I’m beginning to feel overwhelmed trying to understand her brazen desire for these risky procedures without considering the dangers, and I’m worried about where this might all lead. The BBL isn’t a small thing. It’s invasive, carries significant risks, and comes with a tough recovery process. I’ve seen enough reports about complications—even with experienced surgeons—which makes me even more uneasy. I find myself lying awake at times wondering: What if something goes seriously wrong? And what if this newly formed obsession with modifying her body never stops? I’m not even sure this is really about her happiness anymore. Is she chasing some impossible ideal she saw on social media, or is there something deeper going on that no amount of surgery can fix? And then there’s the issue of where to get this done. Thailand is well-known for cosmetic surgery, but BBLs aren’t nearly as common here compared to breast implants or other procedures. That makes me even more nervous. Do we risk going to a less experienced surgeon in Thailand, or do we consider the added expense, travel, and stress of getting it done abroad? And even then, what if the results aren’t what she expects, or worse—what if there are long-term complications? On top of all that, her enthusiasm is wearing me down. She spends hours glued to her phone, scrolling through Instagram or watching influencers talk about their “BBL journeys.” She’s researched Bangkok clinics nonstop and talks about this procedure like it’s already decided. It feels like she’s rushing headfirst into something dangerous, and I’m the only one wanting to tap the brakes. I’m also starting to feel like this could change our relationship in ways I don’t fully understand. This isn’t just about money for me—though the costs are significant—it’s about what all of this means for us as a couple. These enhancement desires are coming so quickly, and I’m scared that no matter how much she modifies herself, it won’t be enough for her. And what happens to us as a couple if this new obsession spirals out of control? I want to support her, but I can’t shake this growing anxiety. Am I wrong, though? Should I just let her do what she feels will make her happy? Or should I draw a hard line and say, “Enough is enough”?

So, my Thai girlfriend of 7 years suddenly decided she wants to get a boob job. Not sure what triggered it, but now she’s asking for my approval. Here’s the thing: I think she doesn't need it. She is beautiful as is, just the way she was made, and I’ve expressed that clearly to her. But she insists it’s not for the reasons I might think, she says it’s about how it will make her feel inside. According to her, it’s not about making them very big or being flashy. She wants something that is still very natural-looking, but to help make clothes hang better and to boost her confidence. On the one hand, we all have insecurities. So if this will make her feel better about herself, should I be the one to stand in the way? It’s not an issue of cost, but I do wonder about how the change in appearance might affect her socially. Let’s be honest, people can become judgmental in Thailand, especially since she has a foreign boyfriend. So I'm concerned others could make negative assumptions about her. Will it change the way she’s treated in Thai circles and for the worse? There’s also a potential relationship aspect. She says that it’s only for her, and that it's her body, not for me or anyone else, and I guess I can accept that. But at the same time, I still feel a bit confused. Part of me wonders if her wanting my approval is because she’s hoping that this won’t change how I feel about her. Also there is the question of whether this will really give her the confidence she’s looking for. Not sure if surgery will make her feel more comfortable in her own skin, or if it is a case of wanting to chase perfection that might lead to further dissatisfaction down the road. Well, should I support her decision wholeheartedly and let her do whatever makes her happy? Or should I continue expressing my reservations? Have any of you been in a similar situation with your partner? Did the surgery actually deliver the confidence boost that was expected?

So much of a difference of opinions on how I should view things. I am even more confused now.

Thai women often tell me I’m a handsome man. Do you think they really mean it? I don’t go to bars. Most of the women telling me this are just in normal places like shopping malls, 7-11s, and local stores or restaurants. Often it’s just out of nowhere. I’m just an average looking guy. Never considered myself handsome. And I am a bit shy, so I’m not the kind of guy who goes around chatting up a lot of women. So I don’t feel like I’m encouraging them to say this. Do you think they maybe they wanting me to approach them for a romantic relationship when they say this to me? I can’t really tell.

She was probably expecting a long, oval-shaped custard donut. Now she's probably pondering divorce. Can't say I blame her.

There are often news articles, nearly every week in fact, referring to Thailand as being the hub of this or the hub of that. I’m not sure I fully understand what that means, but it seems like they are suggesting that Thailand is the leader or even the most successful in the region at whatever Thailand is being referred to as a hub for. So is Thailand really the hub of so many things in SE Asia or Asia in general? And what things do you feel that Thailand is really a hub for?

Seat backs on airplanes? How? I never saw that before. I fly at least 50 times a year. Those seats can move?

Mrs. Smith is bob's favorite and best go to fictional character. He recycles her for a new post whenever he runs out of ideas for a new made up story on how to bash the local population.

Saw that. Apparently he aims for his own eyes.

What a waste. Should have opened your mouth.

You sound like a typical grifter and a leach. Are you another of those foreigners in Thailand who has no money and is looking for ways to live off the backs of others?!

Thank you for confirming what I already thought. Are you also dealing with a cognitive disability or is that just your heavy alcoholism?