Chris78

If someone from Thailand moved to the US and never learned to speak English...would that be acceptable? Would they encounter difficulties? Would people strongly suggest they learn to speak English?

If it's that much of a problem, I think you would have left a long time ago. Here, luckily for farangs, you can get by without any Thai. If you really can't learn to speak basic Thai then just live with the problems. I imagine plenty of foreigners live here happily without speaking Thai.

Is it enough to drive you out of the kingdom?...I highly doubt it. You've been with your partner for five years(?)...Surely that, in itself, is enough to keep you here despite the language barrier.

Can't feel sorry about dead drug dealers ,. if i found a dealer trying to push drugs to my kids , i would also shoot first and ask questions latter,.

Ha ha ha, I wondered how long it would be before this thread brought out one of these nutcases!!!

Oh well , some of us are anti drugs and i see some are pro drugs , them again i am sure you can tell us all the great deeds that drug dealers contribute to society ,

There's nothing wrong with law enforcement...but what we're talking about here is a military style assault on anyone perceived to be connected with the drug world. Trials, prison sentences, witnesses, proof...do these things go out the window when we're talking about drug dealers?

Just because you want to see criminals dealt with in a just and balanced way..does not mean you are 'pro-drugs'. Once you say it's ok to kill in the name of law enforcement..innocent people will die...this is never ok.

But Chris, I am so scared,,, brutal or close, my dream is to be in a judo class filled with girls, everyone between 20 and 21 all playboy candidates... Huh, that would be nice...

I agree...Judo outfits are extremely appealing...

I agree snowflake....probably the worst zoo I've seen...

I'd also like to add that the zoo smells quite awful....

I would also speculate that most zoos in the world have poor conditions for their animals.

However, I do agree that the NST zoo is particularly bad.

My mum told me I am special so I am very special...

Tatler cynical? Ha! A mailbox is more cynical than he is,

... He is a big jellybean...

Snowflake with the quote of the week...yet again...

This is almost up there with the 'ho's in their pockets' quote....almost

What happened is that there are far more job opportunities than there were six years ago. I don't think people have chosen this place because of its striking beauty or friendliness but simply because they can find a job here fairly easily.

Having said that, Nakhon is close to some genuinely attractive places. Krabi, Phang nga, Phuket...as well as places within the province like Khao Luang, Krung Ching and many other places I'm sure. I think people realise soon after they arrive in NST that it's not all about the city.

I came because I found a job here and I knew NST was close to places in Thailand that I like. I also recognised that it would be cheaper to live here than a more touristy destination.

Softer martial arts are better,

Snowflake..I like Tai Chi as well...don't worry...it's not just for girls.

Out of town a bit...at a top secret location..we learn some highly illegal death blows so, as you can imagine, the place has to kept secret.

Chris78,

I think you will find that pizza company is a Thai company that only has restaurants here in Thailand, so it can't be an international franchise

Are you a new MOD?? n, didn;t think so!! last i remembered people were allowed to post on which ever forum they liked?? maybe i am mistaken

cheers

Ok so they're only in Thailand...but they're not just in Southern Thailand.

Of course you can post on whatever forum you like. It's just that some forums are more appropriate than others. I thin the OP would get more replies, thereby making the thread more interesting, if he posted in he General Topics.

I went on a school promotion today with the school... When we were finished I saw that the students (9) would not get lunch if we went straight back to school so I told them I would take them to lunch...

We stopped at a Thai place and ordered fried rice for everyone and coke/pepsi. The bill came at last to 490B which itself is very cheap considering there were 12 people there...

On the way back to school I thought about it, I can buy 2 pizzas and 10 bottles of coke (1.25L) to get to that amount at Pizza company...

So what is the cheapest??? I know that the Thai kids would eat 2 slices of pizza each and drink coke, or eat fried rice and coke. So I rounded up that Pizza Company is actually cheaper than fried rice in a Thai shop...

What is your view on this???

Wow...this could only happen in NST Oh..wait..isn't Pizza Company a national franchise?

Say...ever checked out General Topics

Doesn't this belong in general topics? I'm sure it would get more responses if it was...

I'm currently enjoying activities such as: muay thai, frisbee, basketball, tennis, badminton, swimming and running. These seem to make me feel tired and sore but never as bad as a rough night out on the town (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

I like how it won't start unless you're holding the brake and the stand's up...very clever. I'm always forgetting to put the stand back up. Smooth bike, slick looking.

However, when I hired one for a ride out to the tiger place in Kanchanaburi, I went through twice as much fuel as my friend who was riding a wave 110cc... Perhaps it was a problem with that particular bike....Do other people think these bikes go through a lot of petrol?

Well done big fella..hope everyone's doing well...will see you later on.

Also, I know plenty of farangs who have had accidents here as a result of their own poor driving, not the Thais around them. Some of the reasons for this are: you can drive here without a licence, you can drive here when you're drunk, you can ride a large motorcycle when you've had no experience on one, you can drive as fast as you like..etc...

T

Sounds like you are tring to get VTR to bite... Well, good luck but I have to say that even if he did ride like a maniac he did have full control over the bike! (untill he hit the stupid woman on the wave that only tried to cross the road..)

I'm not referring to anybody specific. I'm making a generalisation. Thais are not the only bad drivers in Thailand. Don't take it personally.

Also have no idea why most people think Thais are bad drivers ? WHY ?

Maybe you have never been anywhere other than your home country and Thailand ?

I have a car + been driving here for 4 years, and find the Thai drivers much better drivers than some Countries I have visited + lived in.

Good point. I think that people naturally compare thai driving habits with those of there home (typically western) countries.

Places like: England, America, Australia etc... have very regulated traffic conditions, with heavy fines where laws are broken. Also, before you obtain your licence, you are required to undergo a fairly comprehensive testing system. These factors, along with expensive advertising campaigns promoting road safety, contribute to the relatively organised traffic conditions that exist in many western countries.

There are many other countries that do not share the same rigorous training systems. I don't think you would have to look too far to find a country with worse driving than Thailand. Try comparing Thailand with other SE Asian countries instead of much richer western countries.

Also, I know plenty of farangs who have had accidents here as a result of their own poor driving, not the Thais around them. Some of the reasons for this are: you can drive here without a licence, you can drive here when you're drunk, you can ride a large motorcycle when you've had no experience on one, you can drive as fast as you like..etc...

These are the things that contribute to accidents. Imagine if these things were acceptable in your home country...do you think there might be a few more accidents on the roads?

I find that most of the people I dislike don't end up staying that long...so it's not that bad.

90% of the people I work with are cool..and only moderately annoying. However, there are some exceptions...there are certain people that are loud and obnoxious all the time as if they are the only person in the office. In an office environment, I think you have to imagine: 'what would this place be like if everyone behaved like me?'

Simple - The locals have no concept of traffic regulations and/or safety. That along with their inbred lack of driving skills is a recipe for accidents.

I agree with this first sentence but I think the second is rather harsh...

I think when you grow up around cars and motorbikes you become skilled in driving them. Thais are not bad drivers..they're just not educated or regulated in such a way that they follow a predictable driving pattern.

Chris, spend a few hours at a driving test centre and watch them going around the course. They're on the pavement, knocking bollards over and as for hill starts and reversing, hysterical to watch. And then after doing all that, they're then issued with a licence allowing them legally on the road! - they (the vast majority) have no concept whatsoever.

Is this because they have no formal training or are you suggesting that Thais are genetically inferior?

Thais are genetically inferior

Chris78, why would you suggest that?? deep down you think that, don't you??

Nice try Hedgehog...In fact I did not suggest that...My view is that poor driving habits are simply a result of lack of formal training and regulation...and nothing else.

I was trying to gauge what other posters were suggesting...i.e...do people agree that it's purely a lack of conditioning...or something more?

Simple - The locals have no concept of traffic regulations and/or safety. That along with their inbred lack of driving skills is a recipe for accidents.

I agree with this first sentence but I think the second is rather harsh...

I think when you grow up around cars and motorbikes you become skilled in driving them. Thais are not bad drivers..they're just not educated or regulated in such a way that they follow a predictable driving pattern.

Chris, spend a few hours at a driving test centre and watch them going around the course. They're on the pavement, knocking bollards over and as for hill starts and reversing, hysterical to watch. And then after doing all that, they're then issued with a licence allowing them legally on the road! - they (the vast majority) have no concept whatsoever.

Is this because they have no formal training or are you suggesting that Thais are genetically inferior?

Putting an Asian in control of something with wheels is waiting for an accident to happen....

Snowflake aka: Trollboy

Simple - The locals have no concept of traffic regulations and/or safety. That along with their inbred lack of driving skills is a recipe for accidents.

I agree with this first sentence but I think the second is rather harsh...

I think when you grow up around cars and motorbikes you become skilled in driving them. Thais are not bad drivers..they're just not educated or regulated in such a way that they follow a predictable driving pattern.

Harleys, BMWs, Triumphs...? Are we still talking about wussy bikes ?!

Driver was napping after a long haul...hence the rather questionable parking choice

What happened? Did all of you "bikers" die away? Where is the action.. No wait I know, you are out riding... Lucky bastards...

I guess we ran out of things to say...No big rides for a while. Next chance I get I want to ride to Songkla and then on to Hat Yai before returning to NST. This will be the longest ride yet. I haven't been to either of these places before so if anyone has any advice or tips regarding the ride or the destinations themselves please let me know.

That is why I choose Thursdays as my perfect day..

I agree..Thursday is the best day of the week. It's far too easy to say Friday or a day on the weekend. I like the feeling at the end of Thursday when you know that it's all down hill from there.

I wish it was Thursday today...Monday is not very cool...I would like to hear people's thoughts and if there's anybody out there who loves Mondays.