DirkGently

I am convinced the Thai concept of face is designed to allow them to avoid being brought to book for their mistakes. It's a collective plot. Nobody is ever shown the error of their ways lest they be shown theirs.

It allows people who are terrible at their job to advance by smiling a lot. It allows workmen to destroy a job that a rubber duck could do (On Nut paths, anyone?) and walk away safe in the knowledge that they will never hear about it. It allows students to cheat and lie and still pass. It goes hand in hand with the Thai tendency to tell silly lies and deny the brazenly obvious instead of saying "sorry! I forgot. i'll do it now"

Any culture that prefers to nod knowingly with no clue instead of asking and learning is going to find the modern world a tough slog.

Ahh! I should have made it clear. I want to send it to my NIECES (LOL BOWTHAI) in deepest darkest Issan. If there is such a place.

As for buses, how is that done? Just ride it down and ask them to pop in on 10:30 to Sticksville!

Thanks for the tip Naka, but i'll ignore it fully if it's all the same to you.

At the end of the day their grades have improved since I started with the carrot and stick, so I'm happy to do this. I just need to know how to make it so!

I want to post a bike to my neices as a reward for good grades, but how on earth can it be done.

Do you think the Thai postal service is up to it?

The carrot and stick approach towards my neices seems to be be working in regards to their education.

During their last visit to the city I noticed that family members who should have been right on it, didn't seem to know the name of their daughter's school. After seething for a few days I decided to take matters into my own hands. It would be a crying shame for these great kids to end up sweeping leaves in the park for want of a decent education. So my wife and I struck a deal with the kids that we would send them to school with all new gear and trendy pencil cases full of stuff on the firm understanding that they work extra hard at school.

Anyway, the grades are good and attendance is perfect so I have decided to send a bike for them to ride to school. The question is how the hel_l do I do it. I don't want to send money and hope somebody there knows what a quality bike looks like.

Any suggestions of how I can post a large item?

Seems to me there is life in this old dog yet!

I guess that the sheer numbers slipping in is able to replenish any dealt with by the police. I guess it's hard to tell new from old faces as they look similar and you are busy trying to ignore them anyway.

A lack of ability to consider that maybe, just maybe, the guy in the ambulance might need to get somewhere in a hurry. Thais seem to have zero ability to consider that their actions affect other people.

Where as we would think "Shit! How can I get out of the way? I hope it's not going to my house".

Thais can only muster "Hmmm! It's not me! I can watch TV when I get home".

Bruce, you an me should team up as I have had a great offer from some Nigerians. All we have to do is send them a $1000 and they forward us $22 million. I'm a bit short at the moment. Could you send me my half of the $1000?

POLICE PROBE REPORTS OF TWO AMERICANS TALKING AND THE ENTIRE BAR COULDN'T HEAR WHAT THEY WERE SAYING.

Dam it! Your right.

I suppose you'll be right around the corner.

What colour shirt? So there are no mistakes of identity. Id sure hate to get the wrong guy!

Momo8, that was point and you proved it nicely. Nothing said here would change the path of a falling hair.

It's just for fun really and a llittle bit of hair pulling is fun to read. Right now there is a little man in a big castle defending his reasoning behind returning a 16 baht bowl of rice. It's fun to read.

I often think the mods jump on people to soon. As the two posters calm down and then make up by grudingly accepting part of the others idea. It's human nature under a microscope. It's like reality TV that one can contribute to. I also belive it's healthy as nobody can break anybody elses nose on a forum.

You can always rely on JDINASIA to be rightest of all the right people in rightland. If he were a soldier he would march like this. Right-Right-Right-Right.

He only edited his post to make it even more right. I guess we should all move on now to a new thread and hope that Mr Right comes and shows us the errors of our ways.

I eat an entire wicker and cane chair every morning. That's how important fiber is to me.

I thik that there would be a great deal of fiber in some street food. Papaya salad comes across as fairly healthy.

I think that the OP should have opened his heart and wallet to the lady. If he can afford to eat then he could afford to help her out. It would have been better to help than demonize her, are words that I would never use.

Sure sounds like she was a professional scammer, scamming professionaly.

I'd have sent her packing too.

One thing that comes to mind is the high amount of money she asked for. Does that mean people actually hand over that kind of cash?

Thanks!

Back to the OP. Indian touts really wind me up. The way they extend a hand and say "hello my friend" makes me mad.

Not able to give a decent account of a full moon party then?

Shame you couldn't use some of that caustic wit that you have to maybe give a witty anecdote!

Accurate maybe. Wrong certainly. This PC notion that only the ignorant and stupid don't love everybody is tosh and poppycock.

While you and I could never be friends in the real world Weho, I'll fight your corner. I would have laid out the money less 16 baht and be done with it.

Service in Thailand is terrible because no body complains and nobody ever has to face up to their mistakes. By showing the girl (and I say girl as I have no idea that it wasn't and dont see your point about the sex of your server) that she made a mistake and has to deal with it, she will be less likly to do it again. Therefore the service at that place has improved.

Now to play devils advocate. I don't think that the rice was 'tainted' as you call it. Rice with fish sauce is still edible and is eaton across Asia. If she had given you a bowl of sump oil and dandruff, then it would be tainted.

Oh! I forgot one more catagory of people I don't like. Your sort.

Vivaldi eh? Well as long as it's not forced through crappy sound systems.

Yes I live on earth. If you can take your head out of your arse long enough to look around you might like it.

They come apart in the wash.

Nope! I would always expect something from them and was on my guard.

Thanks for the dictionary quote. That seems about right.

Thanks for the "jew you" comment I'll remember that one. Lets hope the more touchy members get your irony. Thats enogh to get JD up in arms.

It's a tax on stupidity too. Just like those conniving Africans and there e-mail scams. People actually fall for them.

It's normal to worry! However, some seem to be taking it to far. The air of any major city is crap. BKK just happens to be worse than some.

As for schooling I can only agree. I would not let my child be turned into a mindless drone that can only repeat and not invent.

As for 'boy named sue' syndrome, i find myself agreeing. One of my most vivid memories of dad was him standing over me as I sobbed after falling from my bike and cutting my shin. He told me not to be a wuss and get back out to my friends before they start laughing. I did and have been hurt physically in later life and brushed it off.

They are sneakey. They were referred to as Problem Customers in my old UK office. Always trying to cheat you in a deal or pull a fast one.

One family bought a huge high end Sony TV and then returned a few days later saying the remote had broken. He handed it to me and it was several months old. So I asked him which brother had the same TV and he tried to bluff it. I sent him packing.

The old adage about an Englishman's handshake sealing a deal is lost on them.

Are they any good? The thought of being surrounded by pissed Isralies and tie-dye global citizens makes me cringe.

Is the music any good? From my experience Thais see louder as better.

Any photos?