123Stodg

Been on here a while now and never thought I’d be making this kind of post, but life has a way of surprising you I guess. So here’s the story. I’ve been in Bangkok for a while, had a few girlfriends in the past, working for an overseas company now, just keeping my head down. I’m not one of those bar scene guys, never really got much into all that. A few months ago I met this amazing girl who works at one of those little bubble tea kiosks in a Skytrain station. She’s in her early 20s, very sweet, doesn’t speak much English and my Thai isn’t great either, but somehow we click. I used to stop by and buy tea from her a few times a week, then eventually we started chatting more and I asked for her LINE. Things moved slowly at first, but now we’ve been officially dating for a few months. And honestly, I’ve been having the time of my life. No drama, no stress, she’s affectionate, fun, and makes me feel 20 years younger. We go out, we laugh, we do things together, and she never nags or causes problems. I’ve read all the horror stories, but this feels a bit special and different in some way. The intimacy is amazing too, which I didn’t expect with the language and age gap, but it just works. Now here’s where I’m looking for a bit of perspective. She recently brought up the idea of me helping her send money to her family. She mentioned around 30,000 baht a month would really help them out. I know that’s about double what she earns, but she didn’t demand it or push hard, just brought it up gently. She’s still working full time at the kiosk and hasn’t asked me for anything else. I’ve never been in this kind of situation before. I always used to read posts on here and think “nah, I’d never be that guy”, but now here I am. And I’m honestly not sure how to feel about it. The truth is, I can afford it, I don’t really care about the money, and I am genuinely enjoying my time with her. She’s made my life feel lighter, happier. I don’t get any sense that I’m really being used, but I also know how brutally honest some of you can be, so I figured I’d throw it out there for some feedback. If both of us are happy and it’s working, is there actually anything wrong with it? As I said, I don’t mind giving her the money. She makes me happy. So I’m thinking, why not.

So just pure hypothetical: say you wander into one of them cheeky massage places in Pattaya for a bit of a happy ending, and instead of the usual setup, you end up with some dude in a dress, bit of lippy on, and a decent pair of bolt-ons, fumbling about with your old chap ’til it shoots confetti. Now, you didn’t touch him, he never got his gear off, and you kept your eyes closed the whole time thinking of Kylie Minogue. Does that make you ghey? Or is it more of a spiritual cleansing via manual relief? Just trying to clarify for a mate, obviously. I is here doing the Lord’s work asking the important questions. 😂

My dad orphaned me growing up in Australia when I was at a pretty young age. It was a pretty rough situation.

The 7-Elevens I buy from are large, like mini supermarkets. I buy fresh and hard-boiled eggs, freshly cut-up fruit, bananas, packaged fresh salads, protein drinks, butter, nuts, unsweetened Japanese green tea, etc. Very little of what I buy in there is unhealthy. They also have a counter with a few chairs where I can sit and eat something. Very convenient and 24 hours. Much preferable to big super markets.

Why is Larry so happy? Anything to do with Mrs. Smith?

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False. As of January 2025, Thailand’s annual inflation rate rose to 1.32%, up from 1.23% in December 2024.

Are you not keeping up with your bedroom duties? With all that cash you have now, maybe you could hire somebody to do that for you.

Wrong topic.

I couldn't do it.

20,000 would be a bit too tight and restrictive.

Medical cost is an important issue as you mentioned. But that is something you would have to consider no matter where you live in the world, unless of course you have free or inexpensive government healthcare provided to you in your home country. 55,000 Baht sounds like kind of a lot to be spending to live in a rural part of Thailand, especially if you don't go out drinking on a regular basis. I think a lot of people probably do it for a less than 55K. But I guess two people, and if you have rent to pay and other fixed expenses, then maybe that's what it costs. Golf and restaurants 2 to 3 times a week up country shouldn't be that much extra in terms of cost though, would it? I probably spend about that much on average every month myself and I'm just one person. Expenses just seem to happen. But as I said, I'm not really on a budget.

Thank you, Charlie. I agree with everything you said. I just want to add that it’s not necessarily required to live in a rural area of the country to keep costs down. It really depends on your setup. If you own an apartment in the city, don’t have a car, and don’t have a family to support, you can probably live quite affordably in an urban area as well. But that requires a that requires an initial investment as well. Food and many basic necessities in Thailand are still relatively inexpensive though. I probably spend more than I need to, but since I’m not overly concerned about budgeting, I don’t think too much about it. That said, I believe others could also live affordably in the city if they manage their expenses properly I don't live in an expensive apartment. The biggest costs in Thailand are usually accommodation and owning a car. Beyond that, most expenses come down to entertainment and luxury purchases. But if you live modestly, food is still very reasonably priced and would likely be your biggest regular expense.

A friend of mine who lives overseas and is retiring this year sent me an email asking if I think Thailand is still a good place to spend long periods of time if you are on a limited fixed budget. Specifically, he wanted to know if it is still possible to enjoy life here without spending much on bars, restaurants, women, and other luxuries. I could not really answer his question from that perspective since I have never had to watch my spending in Thailand too closely, but it got me wondering. For those living in Thailand on a tighter budget, can it still be enjoyable, or has the cost of living, especially with rising inflation over recent years, made it much more difficult to be happy in Thailand?

For decades, Thailand has been labeled a “Third World” or "Developing Country", laden with corruption, etc, but in many ways, it now offers a better quality of life than some so-called developed nations. So how do we measure the comparisons? While many Western countries struggle with rising costs, declining public services, decaying infrastructure and increasing social tensions, Thailand quietly provides an alternative that many find more appealing. Affordability, safety, public services and overall happiness, has Thailand already surpassed the West in the most important aspects of daily life? Cost of living is an obvious advantage. In Thailand, one can enjoy high-quality food, affordable healthcare, and comfortable housing at a fraction of what it costs in many Western cities. Healthcare for locals is accessible and inexpensive and dining out is not a luxury but a daily norm. Public transportation, especially in Bangkok, is efficient, modern, and inexpensive compared to the overpriced, outdated, aging and often unreliable transport systems in many Western countries like the US and UK. Crime and public safety are also worth noting. While no country is without crime, Thailand generally feels safer than many urban centers in the West, where violent crime rates have also risen a lot in Western cities in recent years. Community cohesion remains strong in Thailand, with people still valuing social interactions and respect for others. Inequality surely exists, but it doesn’t feel as stark or socially divisive in daily life as it does in some Western countries where there is a higher percentage of poverty and homelessness now than in Thailand. Lifestyle in Thailand is another factor that seemingly sets it apart. The balance of work hard to enjoying life is often better in Thailand, with less emphasis on the constant grind and more appreciation for leisure, family, and social life. Culture and a sense of happiness contribute to an overall quality of life that many Westerners also find refreshing. So, is Thailand still really just another “developing country,” or has it quietly outpaced the West in many important aspects of daily life that most people heavily value? While some will argue that Western nations still lead in technology, quality of life isn’t measured by GDP alone. More and more people might be thinking Thailand now offers a better, freer, and more fulfilling way to live than what used to be considered the dream of life of living in a developed Western society.

This Forum The Heat The Women The Food The Traffic The Ladyboys Who Stole My Wallet The Pollution The Politics The Temples The Elephants The Tuk-Tuks That Defy Physics The Malls The Nightlife The Weed The Low Cost of Things The Nature The Festivals The Markets The Muay Thai The Beaches The Geographic Location The Lifestyle The Medical Care The Massages The Happy Endings The Culture The Gyms Bob Smith Or?

Never

Why does anything in this world matter? Why does a dog lick his own nads? Because he can.

One of the most awkward language habits I often see in Thailand is when foreigners refer to other foreigners as “Farang” while speaking with each other in English. Sure, it’s a term that some Thais still use to describe Westerners, but when used by an expat or tourist, it comes off as awkward and often just pretentious. Are these people trying to sound more integrated into Thai culture? Is it an attempt to flaunt their (often very limited) Taxi-Thai language skills? In most cases, it seems to be short-term visitors or those with only a surface-level understanding of the Thai language who use “Farang” instead of simply saying “foreigner” or “Westerner.” They may think it makes them sound more in tune with local culture, but to many long-term expats, it just sounds unnatural and even cringy. Most foreigners who have lived in Thailand for a long time don’t use the word “Farang” when speaking with other foreigners. They understand that in an English conversation, words like “expat,” “tourist,” "Westerner", or “foreigner” make more sense. The only real reason for a foreigner to even use “Farang” is when speaking Thai with a Thai person, especially if that Thai person doesn’t speak much English, but even then there are better words in Thai which don't carry any kind of negative stigma. So why does this habit persist? Maybe some foreigners enjoy peppering their English with the small handful of Thai words they know, hoping it adds a bit of local flair to their speech. But to others, it just sounds forced, unnatural, noob, and in poor taste.

Before COVID, Ben viewed Thailand through rose colored glasses, a common theme for noobs. He was often apologetic about the Thai government’s decisions and dismissive of the usual foreigner complaints. However, during the COVID lockdowns and restrictions, his perspective shifted, and he became increasingly dissatisfied with how things were handled. If you watch his older videos, you’ll notice a stark contrast, what was once mild criticism or justification has now turned into full blown rants against the Thai government. For his own good, though, he might want to tone it down before someone in power who doesn’t appreciate it takes notice. This trajectory is common among long term expats: initial infatuation, gradual disenchantment, and eventually either acceptance or outright frustration. The difference with Ben is that he actually became a Thai citizen well before the romance wore off, something most foreigners never do, which only complicates things further for him.

You should quit photography while your ahead.

The milk sitting the closest to the coffee cup.

Here we go again, another government demanding backdoor access to our encrypted data, bunch of back door fiends, all in the name of “security.” This time, it’s the UK government trying to force Apple to compromise iCloud encryption under the guise of the Investigatory Powers Act. If Apple folds to this demand, it won’t just be UK users at risk, it will be everyone with any personal data on iCloud, worldwide. Do those plonkers in the UK government really think people will sit back and accept this or that Apple will just roll over with no questions asked? The moment Apple allows a backdoor into the iCloud to anyone, the entire premise of Apple’s security-first approach collapses. Users aren’t stupid. They’ll pull their data, disable cloud backups, and some might even ditch Apple entirely for something that doesn’t sell them out. It would be a black swan event for Apple. Apple built its brand on privacy, caving to the demands now from that small, pesky island across the channel from France, would destroy trust and send customers running to alternative solutions like decentralized storage or more privacy-focused devices. And let’s not pretend this is just about the UK. If Apple sets this precedent, the US, EU, China, and every other government will demand the same access. Once the encryption is weakened, it’s only a matter of time before hackers exploit the same vulnerabilities, leaving everyone’s data exposed. This is straight out of the NSA's old playbook from the Bush and Obama eras, when mass data collection took off under the Patriot Act. The government began pulling vast amounts of personal user data from Google and other tech companies, a practice later exposed by Edward Snowden. The UK is now heading down the same dystopian path, demanding absolute surveillance powers at the expense of individual privacy. And as usual, it’s being justified under the guise of “national security.” We’ve seen where this road leads; mass surveillance, abuses of power, and a world where private conversations are anything but private. Apple needs to fight this. If they don’t, they’re finished as a company that values user security. And if the UK government succeeds in bullying them into compliance, what’s stopping them from demanding even more control over our data in the future? --- If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about, you can see these links below: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/07/uk-confronts-apple-with-demand-for-cloud-backdoor-to-users-encrypted-data https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/uk-government-reportedly-demands-backdoor-access-your-apple-icloud-account/

100% Nazi salute:

100% Nazi salute: