fiddlehead

Been here 14 years.
2 accidents:

1st one was a drunk tourist hit me,

2nd one was a Thai guy who rear-ended me because the road was wet and his tires were bald.

All in all, I'd say they are not bad drivers.
Although as you can see if you ever take the Thai driver's test: their reaction time from the gas to the brake pedals is much slower than the farangs taking the test. ( I saw about 20% of the Thai's pass on their first try and 100% of farangs pass)

The bigger problem is law enforcement of course.
If 50% of people run the red lights, or anticipate the green by 5 seconds, you are going to have more accidents.
Same with speeding, lack of stop signs, driving on the wrong side of the road and antics by the teenagers (saw a guy yesterday with a red plastic film taped over his headlight)

Just beware and learn the unwritten rules (passing on both sides is OK, the bigger the vehicle, the more right of way they are given, motorbikes will do whatever they want, etc.

I sent a box back to the US yesterday.
No ID asked for.
All seemed normal and the same as last time I sent something.
Where did you hear this?

Always got kick out of that "Patong is dead" thread.
It always seems to me like it's very crowded, especially compared to Rawai/Chalong/Nai Harn.

June is usually the lowest month (for tourist numbers) of the year.

These kind of threads seem to pop up every year at this time.
The smart businesses are closed for 2 or 3 months.

Take a break.
Those who live here: Enjoy the quieter scene. It's quite nice.

Is it April 1st AGAIN?

From the picture, it looks more like the wind blew down this poorly constructed block wall.
Alternate rows of block for a much stronger structure guys.

Matching is for tile-ers, not block layers.

Agree on the bum gun.
I had one installed in my USA home.

But the water is ccccccold!

Low prices on: rent, eating out, taxes, tipping, hotels.

And the beach.

The biggest difference I see is in eating out.
In the states, I can't afford to eat out.

If the price on the menu won't get you, the tip will make it almost double what you pay here.

Here in Phuket, I tip 20 baht on average.
In the states, a meal will be $15 and then they expect a $3 tip.
That's for something that would most likely be 100-150 baht here.

So, I eat out a lot in Thailand and enjoy the smiles and service. (not always but if it's bad, i don't go back as we have many choices, aye? )

Another big difference is at the drug store.
I bought a pack of band-aids the other day. 30 baht.

In the states, I go to these CVS's and the cheapest pack of them are $6.
Basically for the same thing.

What else?

Paint. In the USA, a gallon of paint will run you $40.
here? less than half of that.

Massage? not the same is it?

Traffic fines?

Hotel rooms?

Bottle of water? Can of coke?
Ice cream cone? I had to pay $6 for a small when I went miniature golfing with my kid back in the USA

On the other hand, Here's what I see much more expensive in Thailand comparatively to US:

I agree that Live Maine Lobsters are 300% better tasting and 300+% cheaper in Maine in October. Paid $3.99 a lb 2 years ago. Here they want $50 a kilo for lobster that has little taste.

Avocados are a lot cheaper back there too. As is wine.

Schools are expensive here. (I like the uniform thing though)

I would get any agreement in writing IF you decide to lend him (or her) any money. (and a witness to sign also)

Since this thread seems to be drifting, I saw something at the completed tunnel near Central Festival yesterday that really scared me.

Going northbound, in the past, the green light has been on for 2 of the 3 lanes.

Yesterday, there was only 1 lane with a green arrow and 2 had the red X's.

BUT, this didn't seem to bother a few drivers who drove in the middle (red X) lane anyway!

So, if drivers are going to ignore the lights and drive where they want to, how long before a head on catastrophe there?

I vowed to always stay in the far left lane from now on.

I imagine after a crash in there, or two, they will erect dividers for the irresponsible <deleted> who can't understand any need for obeying the lights.

We had a tutor come in on Sundays to help my son (Half Thai, half Caucasian).
It helped.

I think what you need to think about it where your son is going to live when he gets out of school.
I know that's a tough one, and nobody really knows do they?

But, if it is going to be Thailand, he had better be able to read and write Thai.

And he will have a huge advantage by also reading and writing English.

Another year in 2nd grade for a boy is not such a bad thing.
Boys mature later than girls.

Good luck with your son's education.

Congratulations!

I can only hope that when she returns to Thailand as a hero, that she tries to help overturn the decision to close climbing on Phi Phi.

I remember another one from years ago when I was exploring the island.
It is somewhere between the Heroine's monument and the gibbon rehab center on the north side of the road.
Not sure it is right on the road, but perhaps was on one of the side roads.

That was about 5 years ago.
Don't know if it's still there.

Good luck in your search.

The way I see it: The bar girls WANT to learn to speak English.
The school kids don't.
That makes a BIG difference.

Somehow, they need to be given more of a reason to learn English.
Perhaps start putting cartoons on TV in English with Thai sub-titles?

Booked for "bad parking".
Didn't know that was against the law here.
That charge would keep the police quite busy here if true.

Who knows the rules here?
Tattoos? OK?
Age? Over 65? OK?
History of TB? Malaria? Hep A? B?

2nd Ao Sane.
Near Nai Harn beach.

I've heard rumors that it's been sold.
To Baan Kratang next door.

Unique place in Phuket that will soon only be a memory.

My brother, who has a good bit of money, claims Hawaii is the best.

I lived in Maine one year. Beautiful place (for about 3 months out of 12), but in the winter, we only had 6 or 7 hours of daylight per day. I couldn't do another winter there.

I've heard New Zealand is awesome. But it rains A LOT!

For me, Thailand is pretty good.

Except for high season through hot season.
Looking forward to June and some rain.

Could go back to where I come from except I might get arrested for letting my kid walk home from school, there are no kids outside for him to play with, and most all of my old friends are Donald Trump fans and shoot deer in their spare time.

No place is perfect.

I'm of the opinion that low tire pressure creates better friction, not less.

Too much pressure can cause skidding easier than too little.
Just my opinion.

I must have missed the part saying his tire pressure was low.

Too little, too late, and nowhere near the city centre. Bangkok has about 10% of the green space of most cities of its size, which is one of the reasons why it has the worst pollution in the world apart from a few Indian and Chinese cities. Environmentally speaking, it is an unmitigated disaster.

Saw the headline and figured I'd click on this thread to see if anyone could find any negativity to this.

Yep.

Someone thinks it's a disaster.

My my.

I'd explain it to your daughter that the ones with the best English speaking skills will almost always get a better job.

She will be the other student's boss one day (and perhaps the teachers too)

So, she should just grin and bear it, with the knowledge that the hurt she feels will pass once it really matters.

(maybe you could explain that to the teachers also, if they can't figure it out)

While that may be true, if she goes to international schools. However, if she stays in Thai schools, the only way she'll be their bosses is if she works for a farang firm, but she will still be paid in Thai wages.

Possibly you are right.

But, the other day, I had my 10 year old Luk Krueng (or half Thai) son, with me at the tool store.

There were 3 other Farang shoppers there trying to communicate their needs to the staff.

No understand.

So, my son, helped all of them find what they wanted.

One offered him a job, somewhat jokingly, but only somewhat as everyone saw the need for a multi lingual Thai/English speaking helper.

That store made some sales that day that they otherwise would have probably lost.

I figure someday he'll probably own that store. (and employ multi lingual workers)

I'd explain it to your daughter that the ones with the best English speaking skills will almost always get a better job.
She will be the other student's boss one day (and perhaps the teachers too)

So, she should just grin and bear it, with the knowledge that the hurt she feels will pass once it really matters.

(maybe you could explain that to the teachers also, if they can't figure it out)

The problem, as I see it, is that Thai people don't really consider littering a bad thing.
That probably won't change without some education (or fines???) starting with school children and wait a generation.
(as I've seen policemen littering numerous times)

But luckily there are some people listening and there are some clean beaches.
I am not going to mention my favorite as I don't really want to see it any more crowded as it already is.
But, the local government has started paying people to clean up every morning.
I go there early and there are always beer bottles and trash from street vendor food lying around.

But there is now a pack of ladies, paid by the local Or ba tor to clean it up.

AND (after many years of complaining and hoping) there are now garbage bins there, so people do have a choice now with what to do with their waste.

It takes time, smart leaders, and possibly some of us bringing solutions to their attention.

A little cleanup help by each of us isn't a bad idea either.

I go back every year for a visit.
Some things that usually strike me as way different:

Size of people (many obese) (Huge portions of food if and when you eat out)

No kids on the streets or playgrounds. (I guess they are all inside somewhere)

No litter.

TV commercials seem to get longer, and take more of the programming every year.
I swear they are getting close to 50/50. (many are for over the counter drugs and lawyers looking to sue somebody)

The news harps on things so hard and gets people really scared when they want: Terrorism, Zika, Ebola, Trump, etc. Sometimes these topics take 40 minutes of the evening news hour (including the commercials of course)

Driving: You can bet on the other drivers doing the correct thing.

I come from the east so, it's almost funny how everyone has a nice lawn and spends a lot of time making it look perfect.

Everyone follows the rules (and there are more each year it seems)

I'm sure I'll think of more.

They want regulation?
Here's some ideas:
1/ Driving test

2 /Drug test for drivers

3/ Inspection for buses third. (including exhaust pollution test) (please)

That should weed out a few of them.

Of course, it will never happen.

Just did my 90 day reporting.
Was in and out in 12 minutes flat.
8:30 to 8:42

No copies needed, went smooth.