rgs2001uk

No is not a Thai word in the sense that you mean it. No wonder your having problems. Try the Thai language forum and learn 20 or 30 ways of saying no in the Thai language and have people begin not to do things that you don't want them to do.

I always say 'yes', but never get round to actually doing it.

Much more Thai.

I find it easier to just say, mai roo, I dont know, much more Thai.

^^^^, for those unfamiliar with the term, read here,

http://tastythailand.com/what-is-american-share-in-thailand-and-why-do-you-do-it-in-a-restaurant/

The biggest problem with Thailand is you're seen as a walking ATM from bar girls to banks to those who change a tire and to those who sell street side bbq.

10 baht for thai, 30 baht for farang.

Go out alone, drink a beer, you're called a cheap charlie.

Go out with thais, and you're expected to pay for everything.. you're the farang.

Try explaining splitting the check and they say I no like you.

The biggest problem is hoops of immigration. Every respectable country, even developing countries such as Philippines, Singapore have residency programs where if you qualify, you can stay for ever. Thailand's priviledge gives you a 1 year visa at the most.

It's also the reason Thai's in the USA feel more at home in USA than in Thailand. I've heard it myself, do you want to go back to Thailand? Why? I happy here. I get food stamp, obamacare, free phone, free make room hot. Only farang like go for cheap sex. Up to them. I stay here. I want my family come here.

And then it hits you: More truer words were seldom spoken.

That's only a problem if you hang out with bar girls. It's not actually compulsory.

Well...no, you're wrong. I've hung out with (and <deleted>) plenty of Thais who are not bar girls, and the "make the farang pay" attitude is quite widespread. And this is coming from someone who speaks Thai quite well, and has only interacted with Thais in Thai, from the moment I first landed at Don Meuang in 1999.

That said, this does NOT describe all Thais, at all...but it does describe a certain segment of the population. Can't say how big that segment is...but no denying it's there. I can see how those who don't speak any Thai (and if they've been there longer than 6 months and still can't speak, I figure they're pompous <deleted>) would get frustrated in their dealings with Thais...but for the most part I've had great experiences.

and the "make the farang pay" attitude is quite widespread. And this is coming from someone who speaks Thai quite well,

You should use the term, "American share" at the very start, soon sorts out the wheat from the chaff.

^^^^^great stuff, always good to read of a success story.

..her response was "its nice and clean but I prefer to live in Thailand .....but if it's what you want we can live here in the US"

Utterly brilliant response, grab that woman and give her the biggest hug you can, a proper Thai lady.

My mrs tells me, I am your wife I have to follow you.

Dont go telling the mugs that, the ones whose wives will never leave here, never seen the sea, never held a passport.

You are one lucky dude.

I am not really sure why people are asking or why they think it is relevant why the OP chose to come to Thailand and stay for ten years when he knew he wanted to go back...people have been asking "Why did he even come here in the first place" that is ridiculous people can make long term plans to stay somewhere with the idea that after that allotted time period is up, they will return home...not a hard concept to grasp

Personally I think n210mp said it well....maybe the OP is just trying to convince himself he did the right thing. So the question of why he moved to Thailand and lived here 10 years is VERY relevant. In fact it was OP who mentioned it.....so just asking the question "Why" is just a comment on his post.....if you don't ask ...you never know!

Maybe it's too personal....BUT can't get any more personal than posting a picture of your wife can you?

So ...actually it was a simple question

Why Thailand?

And 10 Years?

And just as a side note .....curious as to his age?

Maybe the guy was sent like many of us on an overseas contract, maybe he got promotion and moved on like many other have to places such as Sydney, Hong Kong or Sinapore.

Maybe his job was downsized, maybe he thought of childrens education or healthcare issues, who knows.

The bottom line is, the OP was ABLE to leave, unlike so may others who are stuck here after burning bridges back home.

Before you ask, heres the answer, for myself, waiting for the mother in law to die, then my mrs and I are out of here, the mrs cant wait to leave, she has seen that the grass (for her) is greener on the other side.

There are obviously advantages if you live here and can speak Thai. No doubt there are even more if you can read and write Thai. But it's also perfectly possible to live here with only very basic Thai.

From this thread it would seem speaking Thai well also makes you unbearably smug!

I dont claim to be fluent in Thai, doubt if I ever will, for the simple reason there are whole swathes of the language I have never bothered learning, religious, legal, medical and engineering terms just for starters.

As for reading the language, over on another thread some guy is asking about a pick up truck to move stuff to Pattaya, guess he is unable to walk out onto the soi and read the dozens of, rot rap jang notices, cost is 3,000 baht per day, plus 1,000 baht for petrol (which is a rip off coz they use gas, but never mind), this poor guy will probaly be ripped off for about 10k baht.

He probably cant read the lang air baan see roi baht notices, and has to go to some English speaking website.

If the gas bottle at home runs out I am able to phone the shop and have them deliver (NO delivery charge), no need to wait for the mrs.

I had problems with CTH, I was able to phone 1619, and 15 minutes later the problem was solved, rather than waiting all day with no telly to watch til the mrs got home.

Not smug at all, I value my independance, and too be honest so does my mrs, she doesnt feel as if she has to babysit some deaf dumb and blind kid.

Anyway for the person who was asking about sites, try here.

http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html

^^^^^, watched this very thing the other day.

Guys rocks up on a motorcycle, has a beehive in a plastic bag.

Has a sieve and a load of empty one litre whisky bottles.

Going rate in Bkk is 250 baht per bottle.

Anyway to answer your question, I watched as a local pulled out a match, dipped it in the honey and then lit the match.

He explained to me, if it was water, the match wouldnt have lit.

I dont know the veracity of his explanation, just what I witnesed, but the locals bought the lot.

Brilliant thread, nice to see the Walter Mitty battalion from U-Tapao some 50 years ago is still posting.

Do you speak Thai?

Chai krap, aan gap kian duay, khun la krap.

Bai na wa, Nai Walter, kit mai ork chai plao.

Tor lair, lan par cent.

Mai pen rai, lor len, na sanook chai mai, put seriot mai koy sanook.

Brilliant thread, nice to see the Walter Mitty battalion from U-Tapao some 50 years ago is still posting.

Do you speak Thai?

Chai krap, aan gap kian duay, khun la krap.

Brilliant thread, nice to see the Walter Mitty battalion from U-Tapao some 50 years ago is still posting.

^^^^

Missing the point again.

Sorry, I thought we were discussing Thailand and its marriage and inheritance laws, please forgive my oversight.

I have no idea of the relevance of the 14th amendment to Thailand, perhaps you can enlighten us dear readers.

Your solution is for the same sex couple to "get a will". The fact that no similar "solution" is needed for the opposite-sex couple equates to an unfair burden

Are you talking about Thailand or America?

It certainlty IS needed in Thailand for opposite sex couples.

The sad fact is gay or straight, if their is NO will, normal Thai law will prevail.

The only way to prevent this is for both partners to have a will..

Glad I caught you! Mr. James had a will. His foreign banks refuse to cooperate with the will claiming they are following the laws of their country. Or so they say! The thai has a lawyer and is fighting it. You are completely wrong! The banks refused to transfer any of he money or property to the thai. U r very naive about this subject. You would have to see it happen to believe it. The thai will not have the money to head off too Ireland to fight this and the greedy family knows it. The foreign attorney claims Mr. James was taken advantage of ... etc. etc. Marriage would have solved this problem. The will did not. Many gay couples learn this the hard way.

Glad I caught you, as for being completely wrong, how many wills did he have?

One will for Thailand and a seperate will for his home country?

Yes the banks from his homecountry wont transfer for the simple reason, they are following their countries rules, not those of Thailand.

Very naive, please, put your prejudices to one side, this has nothing to do with gays only, it affects us all.

But to answer your observation, far from naive, I as one married to a Thai with assets in both countries am very au fait with the leagalities of being involved with a partner from another country.

Hence I have 2 wills, one for my home country assets and one for my Thai assets.

It would appear your friend was the one who was naive.

Marriage would not have solved this problem, but never mind.

Let this serve as a reminder, Thailand does not march to the beat of your homecountrys drum, PLEASE ENSURE you have seperate wills for each country you hold assets.

I wonder how many investment ideas the OP received by way of Private Messages?

Naughty, but nice, lol.

^^^, nothing to do with being married, its to do with Thai laws.

Did the man have a will?

If not why not?

In this respect Thai laws apply, nothing to do with being married, all to do with no will.

http://www.samuiforsale.com/knowledge/inheritance-laws-thailand.html

I also thought it was already legal in Thailand?

Anyway, I hate people being labelled, we're all humans, so yes of course it should be legal.

Anyway, I hate people being labelled, we're all humans,

Ever lived in Thailand for any signifcant amount of time, eg more than six months?

I am usually labelled a farang, but never mind.

^^^^, its not me you need to convince, its the Thais.

Gay marriage is about equal rights, which certainly falls in the realm of human rights.

Please tell me where this is enshrined.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Thailand

Cant see no reference to Gay rights.

shouldn't thailand worry about something more important?

Didn't the US have something more important to worry about? It's about human rights, or is that not important enough for you.

Define human rights, by whose standards?

If it is important enough for Thailand to consider it, well so be it.

Human rights, perhaps we should ask the Rohingya or Uighirs, or do their human rights not matter?

I'm going to have to agree with you on that one JT. I mean the poster who you do not want to post you garbage ever again.

You have missed my point entirely, I as an atheist have no problem with gay marriage whatsover.

My problem lies with the cultural imperialists who are trying to impose their view of whats right and wrong onto us.

Just because its acceptable in Syndey, San Fran or New York doesnt mean now is the time for Thais to embrace it.

The Thais will embrace it when they are ready for it, not when some farang tells them they should.

I would have thought with an avatar like yours you would have understood, sadly it appears I am wrong.

I have no problemos supporting JT, if he can lead me to whatever protests, sit in or demonstrations he has participated in or arranged in Thailand for gay marraige, perhaps he could point me to whatever online blog or petition he has set up, when does he intend handing in such a petition to Gov't house?

Its easy to be an internet warrior, battles were won on the streets not the internet.

Its not me or you he needs to convince its the Thais, he has been here long enough to understand, the Thais dont like conflict.

This is an expat forum about Thailand. OF COURSE we're going to comment on Thai matters. Duh. DOUBLE DUH!

This is an expat forum about Thailand

Finally the penny drops.

we're going to comment on Thai matters. Duh. DOUBLE DUH!

Jeez, the penny has just dropped again, do you really believe THE THAIS give a shyt what you think?

Why should you as a NON THAI be commenting on how this country conducts itself?

Knowing how the government likes to put the screws to us, I'm betting whatever SSM laws get passed in the near future will apply only to Thais marrying Thais. I hope I'm wrong about that.

Well, yet again, there is marriage equality and then there is marriage equality with CONDITIONS. It's up to the Thais but really if this starts to happen at all here, it won't be marriage, it will be more like civil unions.

It's up to the Thais

Please tell me why you as a NON Thai should be concerned about what the Thais do in their country?

Please fell free to leave the country at any time if you dont agree with the way it conducts itself.

A better question would be " should non-Thais keep their nose out of their host countries affairs ?"

A better question may be, if non Thais dislike the way Thailand conducts itself, why dont they all leave?

No fear of going home and yes, I still regard London as home but Bangkok suits my needs better for now.

All bridges remain intact including hard cash, social connections, car and family.

Shit, even a couple of my career-minded exes are still in their mid-30s and they've kept themselves in shape.

Options, options, never burn bridges or close doors.

Correction on my previous post...right, but if a nation is idolizing a religion which DOES At the same time support gay marriage, I call this hypocrisy. I am personally not against religion or gay people but I just want to point out this is clear hypocrisy in exchange for votes. In my opinion this is treason to one of the two fundamentals.

Jeez.

I've read and wrote some.convoluted crap in my time but this post takes the.biscuit.

rijit

dear Rijt, a person cannot at the same time preach the word of God and allow same sex marriage. Same with abortion. You should also learn to keep your posts polite. Other members can have other opinions but I hope that besides your hollow words, you are member of the human race...

Not every person, religion or country follows the teaching of the Church of Rome or follows the dogma of American religious groups.

I know plenty of Christains who have no problems with abortion or gay marriage, they wouldnt consider themselves hypocrites, for the simple reason they dont follow the schools of thought mentioned above.

Some of the big suspension bridges on the tollway going out of bangkok down to Hua Hin, the one with the 3 headed elephant statue close by

I like the back story to the 3 headed elephant.

Yes drive over that bridge heading for Dao Kanong everytime I drive down to Chaam.

Loving that Bang kaew, have one myself.

The thiefs wont think twice about turning over your house if you have a cat, whats it going to do, miaow, that Bang kaew will have their leg off.