C4Chilli

I guess in some parts you have football supporters and in others you have drinking and bingo supporters

Really like that bik, lots of character.

I suppose it's used for the nightly trip to the local bar, dosen't matter if it falls over on the way home and gets scratched Not that I've ever seen anyone leave a karaoke bar in that state and jump on their bike

I saw this one in China, have got to admit I didn't actually see anyone driving it but it was parked the same as a lot of other bikes along the street.

Came across this thread a few days ago and love taking photos while travelling around on our bike so thought I would start to share a few.

Or if you prefer

Obviously a lot of football supporters in Mae Hong Son

Came across this thread a few days ago and love taking photos while travelling around on our bike so thought I would start to share a few.

Or if you prefer

Obviously a lot of football supporters in Mae Hong Son

Champaign for Abhisit, he made it six losses in a row. A great achievement. And the win seems to be big enough for thr courts and army to think twice of messing again with the good people of Thailand.

They may be good, but SMART, they ain't.

Another farang on thai visa who thinks they are 'ABOVE' Thai people

added the premier, who has been holed up in a military barracks since street rallies erupted in mid-March.

Holed up. Skulking in his little hole. What way is that to lead a country?? Be a man and get out of that hole <deleted>.

I've heard from "sources" he's under house arrest at the barracks and is being told what to say and do. He was used as the acceptable face by the "elite ". A mere puppet for them in my opinion with no real power.

Because the "elite" also have his famiy.

Thanks wow, what an amazing artist

I would like to offer my birthday greetings to his most regal majesty King Bumibol Aduyadej Rama IX, the world's longest reigning monarch.

You have been guiding the Kingdom of Thailand with you wisdom and compassion since 1946.

May you continue to do so for many more years to come.

Wishing you good health and a very long life.

December?

This is the photo I tried to upload in a post before but had to reduce the file size to enable it to upload I'm a bit new to posting photos

I understand what the OP is talking about, although it doesnt really happen to me, I'm ugly BUT I have noticed that it can be very difficult to be alone in Thailand. By this I mean, back home I might enjoy sitting in a park eating my lunch, reading a book or magazine - here thats virtually impossible without someone or many people trying to liase with you. It applys to many things, even taking a my morning walks I am constantly hastled by people trying to sell this, trying to sell that, ask me this, ask me that.

It seems as if the concept of doing something alone is unthought of here.....strange.

Many Thai people actually think that it is very strange for a person to do something alone. It is looked upon as somewhat sad because they assume the person does not have any friends . Lone backpackers are often viewed this way.

Wow, what a boring bunch I'll bet you lot would be a bundle of fun to go for a beer with...not.

Get out and enjoy yourselves sometime , you'll be surprised how much fun life can be .

Hey. I thought a Moonies boy would be up for the crack?

a) Girl goes to school.

End of school party.

c) Everyone boom boom everyone.

d) Out pops baby.

e) Parents/grandparents look after baby.

f) Girl goes to work (not necessarily bar) to support family.

g) Child grows up and if female back to a)

If baby is not conceived at then it will occure soon after wjth Thai boyfriend so go to d)

It is Thai culture (amongst many other places in the world) for children to take care of their parents/grandparents. A way of repaying them for giving them life and caring for them while young.

Maybe some western societies could adopt this way of thinking instead of packing their ageing relatives off to the nursing home.

Its very easy for a foreigner to interpret the Thai laugh that follows some perceived screw-up as being a sign of defiance and contempt.

Those who've been around Thais more know it doesn't mean to offend. Its still annoying though.

CRASH...'whoops, sorry. ha ha ha'.

Yes this is something I was also thinking about.

Thai people tend to laugh or giggle when a situation is not going smoothly and there is a possible confrontation looming.

This can be percieved by many farang that they are extracting the urine which ensues in the farang getting even more angry because he thinks the Thai person is mocking him.

In the first stages of a confrontation people in the west get angrier and Thai people get happier . This is a concept that, initially when we come to Thailand, we can't grasp. Yes, it can be annoying.

The reason they do this, it seems, is to difuse the situation and avoid conflict.

To me most Thais would rather resolve a dispute quietly and politely than have raging argument, first one to raise their voice seems to lose.

Agreed, Thai people can also get angry if the confrontation escalates but initally they do not seem to.

I can see how Simon lost his cool when they were giggling, especially if, as his account suggests, he felt Thai people viewed him as somewhat unusual anyway.

I once had a one way ticket and was challenged at check in.

After inspecting my ticket and passport I was asked if I had an onward ticket which I didn't, I was going to purchase my return in Thailand.

Then I was asked to show that I had funds to support myself while I was in Thailand, I couldn't provide this either as I had transfered money into my Thai bank account.

I was told that I couldn't board the flight and it wasn't until after a very long conversation that he mentioned they were not able to transport people to Thailand on a one way ticket if they did not have a visa prior to travelling.

When I pointed out to him that I had 60 day multiple entry tourist visa in my passport he checked again, said thank you for flying with us sir and gave me my boarding pass.

what's the current situation - is Simon still in the slammer?

Whatever scuzzy publicity Thailand is getting from this - it deserves.

I was in the night bazaar in Chiang Rai last night, Saturday prime time, and only a few farang strolling around - where ordinarily there are hundreds. Vendors looked bored and sad.

Hundereds??? Whenever I've been there can't really say I've seen that many farangs strolling about for quite a while now.

As for Simon it was a very unfortunate situation which escalated beyond the point of no return as far as the Thai immigration were concerned.

Thai immigration not used to the concept of a black English guy.

British Embassy gearing up for their weekend so checking the validity of a passport too much trouble.

Simon unaware of the culture in Thailand that showing any form of disrespect to Thai officials is a definate no no.

Who was most wrong?

Well that's what this debate is for...

I think at the end of this, if things are as Simon says, he'll get a fine and be sent packing.

I wonder, why someone living in Thailand is even considering to eat filipino food. It's probably the worst and blandest food in Asia.

I know what I'm talking about. I had a filipina wife and I've been there many times.

I'll second that. About the food that is , not the wife .

If tourists do NOT go to visit these people, they do NOT get any money to live on. They DO farm for their food as much as possible, but you can't trade chickens for having the hospital fix a broken arm any more, and very few shoe stores will accept wooden carvings for shoes for the kids. They NEED cash in these modern times. It would be great to be able to go back 100 years when every hill tribe was basically self sufficient, but if you'll remember, the Hmong 'cash crop' was opium. Can't grow as much of that today as they might like which is why the government stepped in and instituted the Royal Agricultural Projects to generate cash for the hill tribe people. Unfortunately, in these modern times people need cash money to survive. It's a sad commentary on the growth of society, but it's a fact of life. Today, these people NEED to become tourist attractions just to make ends meet. Unless, of course, there are some philanthropic folks out there willing to offer them employment for more than 100 baht a day...

You can find a very nice multi-cultural village just 30 minutes north of Chiang Mai. This village houses Long Neck Karen, Lahu, Hmong, and sometimes Paduang people, all of them friendly and inviting tourists to take photos of them and with them, while of course hoping that the tourists will purchase the things that they have to offer; jewelery, hand woven cloths, carvings, etc. THAT IS WHY THEY ARE THERE!! I never found them to be pushy (in THIS village) when trying to sell, and always willing to smile. We often shared a meal with our friends in this village. You can find it just by going north on the Mae Rim road, turning left, (west) into the Mae Sa valley heading up towards the elephant camp. About 200 meters before the elephant camp there is a large restaurant complex on the left side of the road with a small road to the left just before the parking lot. Take this small road about 400 meters to the parking area of the village.

mmm. I always said that I would never go to see the Longnecks, circus show, exhibits etc.

I suppose there are different ways of interpreting many things that are happening in this world and Folk Guitar has just made us aware of a situation which would not be apparent to many, myself included.

I think the next time I'm in Chiang Mai I will pay them a visit to buy some trinkets and carvings that I don't really need

I used to live near the Mae Sa valley and have ridden along this road many times but was unaware this village existed.

Thanks again for the very informative post.

This entire debate - not to mention the hours and hours of TV discussions and media analysis - is a complete waste of time.

Everyone with anything more than a rudimentary knowledge of Thailand knows what it takes to end this debacle. As that subject cannot be discussed, every other argument or conjecture is just pissing in the wind.

I totally agree also.

Maybe that is the reason nothing has been done by any of the authorities... yet.

A very sad time indeed to see Thai fighting Thai.