Bangkok Barry

If you expect that you should really be living in another country. The Thai mentality is that the person is dead, nothing can be done about that, move on. Nothing to be gained by a lot of effort to find out why. And that is why Thailand is decades behind in so many things.

Thais don't need to be drunk to drive badly. They can do that perfectly well unaided by alcohol. Just mix a wet road and high speed and they have all the ingredients they need. Often, they don't even need those. Just 'Me First' will do.

Most countries have banned Russian airlines, as far as I know. But, as usual in Thailand, money rules over anything else. Most countries though have adopted a policy of inconveniencing Russians, ordinary people, in the hope that they will rebel against their 'troublesome' leaders. Can't fly anywhere and can't use their credit cards even if they could, that kind of thing. Fat chance of any protests succeeding, but at least an effort is being made.

Not only Thais who lack self-control, then.

Perhaps the Phuket Police Alcohol Patrol need to have a word with their colleagues on Sukhumvit and let them know that there is a law against selling alcohol by the road. But I guess in Bangkok it's okay because they set up proper unlicensed bars with tables and chairs and don't sell out of Styrofoam boxes but large insulated ones. And they give money to 'charity'.

No The ticket out of the country is not required if you have a valid visa or re-entry permit when entering the country. I've have a one year marriage extension but I am leaving the country for a week and Kalasin refused to give me a 60-day extension to cover my under consideration period as they claimed there were no grounds for it (you advised on another thread they were wrong) . So, as per their suggestion, I just got a 45-day entry via a hop to Savannakhet (1800 baht, not the 1500 I expected, and 100 to be handed my passport back as I left Laos). I guess it's pot luck if Emirates will question why I'm returning to Thailand with no visa. Had issues out of the USA before, but not UAE. Previous one-year entries in my passport might help I suppose.

I prefer the kind of care I get over whether someone looks 'professional' or not. I decades ago realised that many of the crooks in the world, including politicians, look 'professional' by wearing suits. Judging people on how they dress or look went out in the 60s.

You are thinking like an alien, not a Thai. Also, I got a taxi from the departures level at Swampy airport, as many do, and at first the driver refused to use the meter and I walked away. Then he called me back, said he'd use the meter - and then drove me such a long way around that I ended up paying the non-metered fare anyway.

Yes. And then what? Everyone knows that smoke is invisible so its source can't be traced and people arrested for setting illegal fires.

Control control control. Welcome to North Korea. Freedom of expression forbidden.

I sometimes wonder what tourists make of the taxi system in Bangkok. Some taxis have a red light showing, some green. Both mean the taxi is available. In theory, anyway, because at the same time they might stop a taxi with a light on and the taxi refuses the fare anyway. So, in reality, the light of whatever colour means nothing at all.

Nonsense. Taxis have always wanted to charge more out of Sukhumvit at night. Nothing to do with making up revenue, everything to do with the usual greed and corruption. As for reporting, I knew a taxi was driving me around to raise the metered fare. I called the number to report, they told me to call the tourist police. I called the tourist police and they told me to call the taxi number. This is Thailand, where rules and the law mean nothing at all.

I thought it was very telling that he exposed ways around the rules and was immediately fired for revealing what needed to be fixed. Easier than fixing, I suppose.

It's reports like this, and there are many, that make you realise what a primitive society Thailand still is.

Just one of the 'pleasures' of setting up a business in the Land Of U-turns.

And if the transaction is refused, eventually, the store loses. Okay. I find it amusing how people and businesses willingly bend to the demands of progress, whereas using cash demands nothing of anyone and payment is guaranteed. Every time.

Yet another example of a woman picking the wrong partner. Happens all over the world, all the time. They go for macho man because of some ancient, primal desire and then his caveman instinct comes to the fore and they end up injured or dead.

Can't argue with this statement ....................LOL Ironically, I think the majority of us (and the Thais too) would say the same about Thailand. But we stay. I guess the rest outweighs what we don't like.

Correct. Basically, almost everything is illegal but at the same time almost nothing is enforced. Most of the people can get away with most of the things most of the time. I suppose it's a system of sorts.

Really? Can you give an example? Nowhere you'd know, apparently.

Had that experience back in 2020. Better, much better now. Of course it may not last. Went there this week, and an actual IO waiting for something to do drew my wife and I inside. He was smiling and wanting to be helpful, which when you've never experienced that from an IO in 26 years was a little unnerving. Then he spoiled things by giving me completely the wrong information, according those on this site who know better. If you want a five-minute read the link is here: https://aseannow.com/topic/1274346-marriage-extension-quandary/

Better money earners? Nothing more important to Thais than money, other than losing face.

Paper will keep working regardless of digital methods so what's your point? No one's preventing you from using cash. There are increasingly places that no longer accept cash. So yes, there are people preventing me from using it, and that will only increase over time. I prefer to shop where all customers are catered for instead of being dictated to.

This is probably the Post Of the Month, and correct from first word to last. And it does make me wonder why the OP married someone with such a warped view of life, Thais and we 'aliens'. As you write, there is a reason for her views, but why would anyone marry someone who is so obviously ignorant? Very strange.

Very good tv series about her. I was a little surprised they made it while the case was still in progress. She took total denial to an extreme. Her product didn't work and she never accepted it and did all she could to hide that.