thaibeachlovers

I knew I loved Thailand when I visited Sri Lanka and regretted every day I hadn't gone to LOS instead.

None of the given options. Top 3 reasons, sex, sex ,sex. After that, beach holidays with a friendly lady, buy cheap clothes, gogos, traveling on trains, movies in proper cinemas, dental, photography, and a few others I don't remember off hand.

Jai yen, jai yen, is it really a big deal? Never a problem for me as I expected my wife to get directions, pay in restos and shops, etc, as what else was she worth marrying for. That was her department- mine was giving the cash over.

Hmmmm, apparently some people should never leave home as not mentally capable of accepting that Thailand isn't the same as wherever they came from. That guy's wife lost a heap of "face" for his ignorance.

Seems everything that made Thailand unique has or is changing to something that isn't really "special" any more. Began some years ago when the smile and the sanuk left the building. I glad that I was able to experience it before it was lost forever.

Have you ever considered that "less is more". I liked Soi Cowboy when i happened on it many, many years ago, and Tilac became my go to Gogo, my first long time ( 3 days ) was from there, my 4 years GF was from there. I wasn't really interested in other places, and I stayed in the Carlton Hotel around the corner. Then I discovered the Plaza about the time the GF got snarky, so moved on and stayed in the Dynasty Inn, a 30 second walk from the Plaza, a great place under the old owner - new owner made it into a "boutique hotel" put the price up and stopped us leaving "Thailand bags" indefinitely in the store room, so moved down to Honey hotel ( a wonderful Vietnam war era place with an interesting restaurant ) near Asoke, but not back to Soi Cowboy. Times change, Tilac went flashy and unloveable, the street got too crowded, so I never missed it when the Plaza became the new paradise. Does anyone remember Uncle Ray's hotel out the back of the Dynasty Inn? A cheap place in the heart of Bkk, but the cleanliness was a problem. That's gone, Tom's Quick ( a nice restaurant near Sukhumvit with a fearsome female manager ) has gone, Hollywood Royale has gone, the G Spot has gone, seems like most of the places I liked the most have gone. Still, as long as I have the photos I can remember the good times that may never return. Happy days long ago.

Always walk where the roof is supported too, but that applies to steel as well. I was so heavy back then ( I lost a lot of weight since ) that I'd probably have gone through a cement tile roof!

Whatever the faults of my Thai wife, she earned her own money, paid for her own diesel ( unless it was on a trip with me that I wanted to go on ), etc. She even paid for her own booze at a restaurant. I paid for the food and my drink, but I refused to pay for her alcohol. She worked really hard too, so no complaints about expecting me to pay for everything. Her family were the ones that expected me to give them money for nothing.

Not only did I accept it as a Thai custom, but I always gave the money to my wife to pay the cashier. I also gave her the correct amount so she couldn't keep a lot of change. Saved a lot of trouble, IMO.

Yup. I was always compared to a farang that married a cousin that was generous with his money. They didn't get that not all farangs are rich. I did other things than give money like wiring their houses, but that didn't count- only money is important.

Indeed it's no problem except to people that can't accept they are not living back home.

LOL. Either go out alone more or learn to accept it. Too many farangs think they are important to Thais they don't know, but we ain't. IMO farangs come below soi dogs, so why would they want to talk to us if they have a Thai to talk to instead?

People can want, but they won't be finding out till they pass over the great divide. One of the advantages of faith is that the faithful don't need those answers. We don't need to know why and we know God created it. God gave us free will, so blame humans for the suffering in the world, not God.

I'm pretty sure aluminium has been used in sea going yachts, but I'm not disagreeing with you.

That'll be popular, NOT. Next election will be interesting. Did a certain American president have a valid point when he criticized Europeans for not spending enough on their defense and relying too much on America?

Pity they don't want to support American workers, but I guess profit for shareholders is more important than jobs for Americans. I wonder how many actual jobs will be created anyway, given the level of automation these days. IMO the worker free factory can't be far off, given the advances of AI/ robotics.

I would have thought the reason was obvious, but whatever it is, heavy handed reaction from Israeli security forces, illegal settlement building/ expansion, settler violence against Palestinians mean it isn't going to get peaceful any time soon.

Seems to be a lot of train accidents happening at the present time. Is this a result of less investment in rail maintenance, or cutbacks in staffing where it matters?

Did Joe say who would be paying if students didn't? Does Joe think the universities should educate without being paid for doing so? Does Joe think the taxpayers are OK with paying for students, or is he just going to "print" more money?

Thank you for informing me about aluminium drawbacks in coastal area. I have no experience of that, not building on the coast. Something for the OP to consider. I like steel as can walk on it. I hate that cement sheet roofing they use in LOS as I can't walk on it. I had a leak I couldn't reach to fix and my wife was too scared to walk on it too.

Don't use steel- it rusts, eventually. If you are not an experienced DIY guy don't do it yourself, but if you do attempt it, secure yourself so you don't break your neck when you fall off or go through the roof. Heavy tiles require a strong structure ( expensive and probably requires welding ), aluminium does not. Tiles leak, aluminium does not, steel rusts, aluminium does not, just don't walk on it. Personally I'd never go near tiles, and done loads of steel roofs, but that was in a cooler, less humid environment, and they all rust unless painted ( or coated ).

Will schools be running compulsory courses for students to understand which "context" is racist, and which is not?

Animal Farm should be required reading for all school children

Thinking too mut, IMO. I'm pretty sure that paying for things is normally a Thai wives department - cultural perhaps.

Agree 100%. If Trump wins nomination IMO only likely to be a win for the Dems and that's the last thing I want to see happen. Still a long time till 2024 election so hopefully he will bow out before then. I'm sure the Dems are praying for him to be the candidate as IMO that's their only chance of keeping the big chair.