fiddlehead

Let's get one thing straight here, our partners deserve to have their own money.

Deserve?

What if they gamble?

What if they give it away to their deadbeat brother (who wrecked our house, my motorbike, sold my clothes and furniture when we went away, etc)

My wife can earn all the money she wants and give it to her family, or gamble with it, or whatever, but she doesn't deserve mine because she hasn't proven to me that she can handle it responsibly.

So, please don't set my rules for me.

Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Lately it's been pretty good.

My son has had a LOT of different female farang teachers. (about 8)
I can think of only one who has been here longer than 2 years.

My wife always does the cleaning: dishes, house and clothing.
When she came with me to America and made some friends, they got around to telling her that we should share doing these things and it should all be equal.
I don't take her back there anymore.

She's happy.
I'm happy.

I have to learn not to just go into a shop and ask for a haircut, yet explain that I only want a little off above the ears and trim the back to make it not look shaggy.
Everytime I've said this in Thailand, I get a routine Thaistyle old man haircut (quite short, almost a buzz cut)

Last time, I asked around and went to (supposedly) the best girl around, who has her own shop.

When finished, I got more than 3 comments from friends saying I needed a new barber.

I'm fed up.
My wife trims it now.
It doesn't grow very fast anymore anyway.

I might try this one near Foodland next time I'm in Bangkok. (you can always hope)

If it bothers you, you might have an ego problem.
Maybe go talk to a monk about that.

And why not?
Schools are out.
Even the international schools are on holiday now.
Thai schools in the middle of a long, summer holiday.
Time to take a trip and go see something else, if you can afford it.

Good for them.

The best way to learn geography, is to travel.
(also different cultures, history, language, even (hopefully) that not all countries just throw their garbage out the window)

If you are in, or near Chalong (hopefully not today as traffic a mess), there is a small shop on Choafa East, just north of Julaporn Stationary store (about 3 stores up), that has a lot of electical stuff. (motorbike helmets in the front when you look in from the street)
They have a bulb that looks like that as I needed one for an old fashioned light a few weeks ago.
8 baht, and they had it in many different colors.

I agree with the assessment of Caca4U's girlfriend.

If I was to buy land in that area, I would make sure it has a great view of the karst rock formation mountains.

They are amazing.

What he really meant to say, but couldn't, is that the slow loris touts send brown envelopes too.

That's how it works here folks.
Jet skis, tuk tuks, slow loris touts, they are low on the priority list for a reason.

Business as usual.
Just be happy there's a cop there when you hit some yaba'd up maniac on his scooter weaving through traffic.

Another year.
Maybe.

This is a problem with any wild animal that is no longer afraid of humans.

If they tasted good, people would hunt them, trap them, eat them and their natural fear would return.
Problem is, people think they are cute.

I've been bitten, scratched, had my hair pulled out and jumped on by apes and monkeys.
I do my best to stay (far) away from them.
I don't like when I see tourists feeding them.
Glad to see some action by the government on this problem.

Strange. Usually in a drought year like this, my well water is down to one metre (or less) and 50% of my water comes from a narrow bore.

Yet, the well water is still sitting at 2.5 metres and haven't used any water from the narrow bore. Really don't understand what is going on with the water table this year.

Yes it seems to me that this article is sensationalizing a dry pond that is perhaps due to water trucks tapping it.

I say this because I've been over at Bang Wad dam, which is often very low this time of year.

Yet it is nearly full.

As are many of the lakes that are remnants of the tin mining days around the island.

The water table appears to be up the way I see it.

Especially compared to the last few years.

Media trying to get everyone scared IMO.

You're 2 days early, Gazette.

Tattoo Statistics Data

Annual amount of U.S. spending on tattoos $1,650,500,000

Total percent of Americans (all ages) who have at least one tattoo 14 %

Percentage of U.S. adults 18 25 who have at least one tattoo 36 %

Percentage of U.S. adults 26 40 who have at least one tattoo 40 %

Total number of Americans that have at least one tattoo 45 million

Number of tattoo parlors in the U.S. 21,000

Average cost of a small tattoo $ 45

Average cost of a large tattoo $150 / hour

Percentage of U.S. population who have covered up a tattoo with another tattoo 5 %

Percentage of people with tattoos who claim they are addicted to ink 32 %

Percentage of people who have some regret after getting their tattoo 17 %

Percentage of people with a tattoo who are getting or have had one removed 11 %

Interesting statistics (if true)

I wonder if they keep one on how much money one makes.

I always think (when I see someone with many tattoos), that they are lower class citizens.

Rare to see doctors, lawyers, judges, or CEO's with tats.

But bar girls, bike gang members, truck drivers, etc, they seem to have a much higher percentage of them.

Just my 2 cents.

I have a small one that I got in 1970.

Thought it was cool for about 5 years.

It's been uncool a long time now.

My son is 10.
I quiz him often on the times tables.
He usually always gets them all correct now.
His friends his age, who go to Thai schools rarely get them right.
They start counting on their fingers or just look at me blankly.

He goes to Thai school, English program but when he was in 2nd grade (when kids normally learn the times tables), he was in Montessori school (international school)

So, yes, I believe he is a bit smarter in math and definitely English.
But the Thai kids are much better at reading and writing Thai.

Will he catch up?
I hope so.
I think so.
Why?
Because I will quiz him and have my (Thai) wife quiz him and make sure he can read and write)

Do Thai parents do the same?
Who knows.

Do they care?
I hope so.

More Expensive:

Tennis balls. (3 times more expensive here than back in the US.)

McDonalds/Burger King

Transportation in Phuket vs just about anywhere in the world. (tuk tuks anyway)

Public school

Used cars

Cheaper:

Internet

Cell phone bill

Property taxes

Rent

Housekeeper

Fines for not wearing helmet

New Cars/Motorbikes

(besides all the things the OP said, like taxis, massage, etc)

I know many people in the USA that eat healthy.
It's a choice they make.
Not always convenient, but certainly possible.

Same here in Thailand.
Probably the same almost anywhere in the world.
Up to you!

But yes, it's easier here than in the US to make that choice and stick with it.

I asked this question at my bank (K-Bank) once a few years ago.
They told me that my embassy would have to get involved and produce a death certificate.

Then the money would go through them to my estate back home.
Something like that.
I don't remember exactly.
But, I would follow the advice of whoever said to go ask your Thai bank's manager.

Unless it rains.

Education is very important.
So is happiness.
Where is everyone more happy? (you?)
Safe?

If he answers are Thailand, find a way to educate your kids.
Homeschool if necessary.

If the answers are Europe, then go there.

I've seen some very miserable people who went to Ivy League schools in America.
I've seen some extremely happy people who have little education in many different parts of the world.

Give them Love 1st, education 2nd.

Splitting up the family is not a good option.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes, a local near there told me (years ago) that they are not allowed near those birds nest islands and heavily armed guards keep everyone away.
At up to $10,000 a kilo, it's no joke.
Best to adhere to their warnings.

I've seen some buffet lines in the states where the Asian people go nuts over the seafood.
I'm talking all you can eat:lobster, king crab, etc.
So, the people that run the buffet got smart.
They only put out about 12-15 king crab legs at a time and the people waiting have to wait longer if someone in the front takes all of them.
Of course, they do have patience and it makes for me (who does not have patience) eat at the buffet without enjoying the king crab.
But it works.

Anyway, this is King Power apparently and so not much concern to expats or even farang tourists.

Yes, Laguna wants ALL your money!
Not just 99%, ALL of it!

They should just put a clause into each persons check-in paperwork: "You will spend all of your money with the Laguna complex" No exceptions!

Not even Nikki Beach Club (or whatever they've changed their name to)

Like: the cheap hotels in low season. (4 star hotels for 1200 baht!)
Dislike: those little frickin plastic things that you have to scratch and peel to get a bottle (of store bought) water opened.

Like: the beach. Great for jogging, great for eye candy, swimming, surfing (low season anyway), sunset views, etc.

Dislike: Farangs who bad mouth deceased people they never knew. (on Thai Visa)

Like: The fact that they've created a law of no houses built above 80 meters. Leaves a lot of jungle intact. (although most of it is rubber trees)

Dislike: The ridiculous traffic light system here where only one in 4 of the directions can go at one time. (leaving many just sitting and staring at no one moving)

Like: that they reduced the space where umbrella vendors can set up on the beach to 10%

Dislike: that they took down all the beach restaurants: having breakfast or dinner on the beach was a luxury, so, IMO it would be better to let them use 10% of the beach also.