onni4me

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History

This 'History' keeps popping up every now and then...would someone enlighten me what I have missed here?

Reading about Thailand's history, it is full of power struggles and land disputes...war...slavery...much everything that Buddhism does not consider as good things.

When it comes to historical sites much would be needed to restore them to same level we can experience in Europe. Not to mention lack of art museums, well maintained artifact exhibitions and so on. And on top of that most "historical" buildings have been remade from concrete their murals painted with acrylic paints...

Best idea I got reading some old Thai poetry from a book series by UNESCO and that was not much. It was nice and touching but one of the few rare moments that I got anything new from this so called culture. And asking an average Thai is far from helpful...they simply have no idea.

So, I really would like to know what about this so called 'History' here?

They were full of cynicism when they arrived in Thailand. Life is a growth process, body, mind and spirit.

Go to the Temple or any house of worship and surrender to the Lord of your understanding. Stay with it, because when you are sincere, it will happen.

The good life isn't for the faint of heart. We are spiritual beings on a temporary journey as humans. Make the best of it. Fear not.

Yeah, that will solve all my daily business and other problems...I'll just walk to a temple amd surrender myself to the Lord...

That would be fine by me but my family would certainly suffer. No food on table and bills unpaid and other things not done.

This kind of religious BS in something I frown upon...and for many good reasons.

All together Thailand is still a great crazy place full of pleasure and adventure, food, massage, uncomplicated people, business challenges...

Could you somehow enhance us what you mean by adventure? I have been here quite a long time and not sure whether I would enjoy any kind of "adventure" Thai companies have to offer. I was once asking specifically if the tour around the islands was easy access since we had a person amongst us that was not bale to walk very well. Yes, they said, and then we found out that all transport between the cruise ship and island was to be done by a banana boat...

I have no clue what adventure you prefer to but a jungle trekking or staying in a tent with a zillion mosquitoes does not tempt me. I like comfort and am willing to pay for it.

Food? I cook myself mostly since I can prepare better food than 99% I see offered to people. If I have eaten well here it was in some place where a nice big juicy steak costed me around 3000 Baht. It was good but since I am not a millionaire I can get something similar done by myself. And my partner used to cook in an Italian restaurant so we both enjoy quality food. I hate MSG and the tacky taste of frying oil gone bad. In my experience street food is uneatable.

Massage? I have only had one guy that knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, I moved so I lost contact with him. There's been masseurs that made me hurt more than dealt with the issue. And no, I am not talking about "happy ending". I have problems with my spine and want only really good people to approach me with intentions of muscle manipulation. If you speak about sex massage, i have no idea because I see it as something seedy and not really my thing.

Uncomplicated people? Where? Yes, I normally get my things done but it involves more talking and agreeing than it would in Europe. Normally, it is very difficult to get things done EXACTLY the way one wants and that is far from uncomplicated.

Business challenges? Yep, that is spot on...so much that I have given up totally doing any kind of business in this country. Logistics costs more than Europe and everything is riddled with corruption. I get better money from outside with less hassle and no need to pay "tea money". I would advice anyone who has never done business before to avoid starting in Thailand and this advice is free.

So, can you emphasize on your experiences or is this just an attack on those who you seem as pessimists or complainers? There is also an alternative, they might be realistic...

I, myself am happy, but that is just due to the fact that happened to run into a good Thai partner and visit rarely on any Farang establishments. Next month we have a lovely cruise with Thai friends. I am the only white guy on board. They invited me. I wonder has this happened to you? And no, I am not the guy paying the bill...just my part of it.

will make it more difficult to buy firearms in Europe.

Legally, that is.

EU starts to remind me more and more of Soviet Union. In socialist countries it was upmost important to take the guns off from people...and we all know why.

When your own governments start to turn against you, how you are going to straighten that situation up?

Now they are after semiautomatic weapons meaning that shotguns and hunting riffles would be only a shot or two at the time. Great to make honest people's lives difficult.

For a terrorists or criminals it makes no difference whatsoever. They don't buy legal weapons. The ones used in Paris attacks were put together from illegal parts smuggled into the country.

Good riddance EU! I never wanted you but I will see the day you fall as all socialist experiments.

So, a Thai asking these questions...well, I try to answer something hoping you are serious.

1. You say you haven't finished your degree yet. Go and do it, since so many Thai companies won't even consider hiring someone without a finished degree. Secondly, it goes to show that you are capable of finishing your studies (= finishing what you start).

2. I was talking to a Thai friend working in a position that is loaded with heavy workload in a hotel management. He works in Khon Kaen in one of the biggest and most expensive hotels. He honestly said he wants to go back to Bangkok but can't for family reasons. According to him and his experience of 20+ years one makes a lot more money in BKK.

3. Since you mentioned USA, I would look a job from that direction. Plenty more opportunities than in Thailand without right connections. As you may very well know, you may have whatever diploma but someone with right family ties and so on comes here first.

4. Marry a wealthy foreigner...LOL

And the Prime Minister talks that Thais have increase in purchasing power of 5 -7 %. I'd like to know how he has come to that conclusion? Or he means that they will spend (= debt) more?

To claim that some Thai prisoner would pay thousands of Baht for a pig is ridiculous.

Here is some more info from an actual inmate that sees the things quite differently.

http://garygraemejones.blogspot.com/2009/10/sexual-abuse-in-thai-prisons.html

has maintained the tourist number target for 2016 at 32 million

I also have a target to spend a million a month.

I am extremely rich just lacking cash reserves at the moment to reach my target.

But I am fully confident I will reach my target a way or another...where is that loan shark I just met last week..?

And then the reality...

If you open this link and choose to look the 5 year statistics, 2012 there was a peak but before that - and after - the economy looks rather flatlined.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/gdp-growth

As a result, private consumption this year was forecast to rise 5.6 per cent and 7.8 per cent next year, he said.

So, in economic downturn some stimulus suddenly creates a situation where people have 5.6 to 7.8 % more to spend? Is he talking about the whole economy or just the Isaan village heads that pocket most of the money?

i don't know what kind of mushrooms the guy likes to eat but the real GDP figures show no such increase.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/gdp-growth

His sister Olga tweeted: ‘Thank you for giving us hope that has given some relief in the terrible tragedy that we have been living.’

I'm a bit amiss here what tragedy the sister is referring to? I mean the guy wanted to leave the life he had lived and chose to seek loneliness and so far has survived.

I too, would like to give it a slip someday. Actually, my residence in Thailand could be quite self-sustaining even now with a bit of work and some more land to grow food on. I love gardening and have quite a few fruit trees and coconuts growing. Love fresh fruit.

As a reference, Chinese live their working lives in Confucian effort to improve their family fortune and all effort is concentrated to serve the family. Later when retired, they change to Taoism which is quite the total opposite. They tend to build - those who can afford it - a small cottage at the mountains or similar enjoying the nature and contemplating their own life.

I have many times wondered whether I would have been happier without responsibilities. I hope that in about 5 years time my adopted daughter will find some nice guy and I can have more time for myself. It is not like I don't like to have family but sometimes it takes it's toll. And I am a guy that likes to read and think. Part of my job is to just sit around thinking the ways to proceed with my work.

Something to think about. What defines as a good life?

I don't see anything funny with that. Me and quite a many Thais - as far as I can see - carry all kinds of male shoulder bags with them. They are designed for male and different from the ones ladies use. You can google it if you are otherwise unable to understand what I am talking about.

Here is one example. http://www.yearsbag.com/621/leather-shoulder-bag-mens-male-messenger-bag.jpg

I must say I sort of admire her for putting up a fight but she could have been injured badly. I would not endanger myself in similar situation. Not that I carry anything of value in my shoulder bag anyway.

I hope the perp gets what he deserves.

My, admittedly, limited experience in the US was quite opposite.

I visited the Tri State area a couple of times and I don't think I met one American.

They all identified as Italian, or Irish for example. Of course they were all Yanks but i was surprised to see such a strong link to what would have been for many something from generations ago, yet they still cling to it.

Mind you I don't for one minute think that everyone in the US is like this.

Cultural identity and ethnic identity can co-exist. Peacefully, I might add.

...and don't you dare to come to Thailand if you can't stand multiculturalism.

Wonder what you mean by multiculturalism in Thailand? Thais themselves seem to think that their country belongs to them.

In USA they have multiethnic society where almost everyone identifies themselves as 'Americans'. That is a big difference compared to multiculturalism where they have no need or desire to assimilate.

When the article mentions asylum seekers, it really is about seeking since most people coming to Europe have no grounds for asylum. They are just there looking for better their lives and will be rejected at some point.

Europe will self-destruct if this development is allowed to continue.

Perhaps the solution would not to impose unrealistic Green limits on engines?

Engines have power for the sole purpose of running the vehicle properly. If gear position 1 is running as strong as 4 or 5 what is that engine worth? Not much in my opinion.

I don't think that car makers do this kind of things deliberately but been forced to follow too strict measures that are not realistic. Bad policy, bad results.

I just wonder where all that money goes? The National parks I've seen all have been dirty and filthy with plastic and bottles etc.

Oh...last read an article someone pocketing the money...so there where it goes...

IMHO the National parks should be free. The services and food in them would do the profit. Now they are badly managed and kept places mostly.

I don't know about you guys but I don't feel any need to go any of them after seeing a few of them.

And the Green party and others have called members of Pegida fascists and racists so it seems that some have the right to call names and others don't.

Recently a Turkish-German author and Pegida member was wrongly quoted saying that immigrants and asylum seekers should be put to concentration camps. His books were drawn from the shelves and some destroyed (burning books, anyone?). Later the media corrected what he had said but the damage was already done. What he actually said, was that it seems that the PC leaders of Germany would probably like to put Pegida members to concentration camps if they could.

Unfortunately, following the recent events in Germany, I see a great threat that history will repeat itself in the most terrible way. It doesn't help that the Eu leaders have their misguided agenda that doesn't allow criticism. At the same time the left wing parties along with the green pukes are talking that Germany and other Europe belongs to all. I do not agree. Europe is made out of national states and if that system is replaced with something that reminds me of the Soviet Union, I see misery and destruction ahead.

!980's socialistic parties had their meeting and agreed to make EU their project. Now we see where that has lead us. Here an interesting link to an interview of Wladimir Bukowski, a well-known Soviet dissident:

In any case, a tourist who comes here for SHORT time is inclined to spend more per day than those staying here for long periods. And (whether TV members like it or not) these are the quality tourists TAT is talking about.

So spending money equals to being a "quality" person? According to TAT, I suppose? Or you?

In that case, the most "quality" person would be a fornicator splashing his money around and preferably engaging himself in a criminal behavior subject to blackmail.

I somehow see other qualities determining persons standing in this sort of a scale.

Here we see endless bickering about people who consider themselves higher-than-thou claiming their money, nothing else about them, makes them somehow special. I don't simply agree. I like simple lifestyle and could probably spend as little as 15000 Baht a month still enjoying my life. I have paid house, paid car and income from rentals so I could probably "retire" if I would like to. I don't however.

I can only take a dosage of TV vitriol and hatred so I limit myself to observing my happy family and neighbors. Yes, they are happy and so am I. Seems that some get what they deserve for regarding the posts here.

Look around your paradise,-) Cloak smell money hustling Thais and ivory coast citizens in all main streets in BKK,Pattaya,Hua Hin,Phuket. Condos that are built with only one thing in mind High profit low building cost=That is equal to under minded low quality building materials and will not last for long. BKK sinking rapidly and there is no plan for it. Only plan is rip of all you can from potential buyers. Electricity is a joke. The problem is that the electric is leaking every where badly done work material and Thais stealing from poles...

Jeez...you seem real unhappy...I bet you've met someone in the touristy areas of LOS and been buying houses and taking care of the sick buffalo.

There is one cure though. Don't depart your money or bring it to Thailand.

I've been with my Thai partner for years, a decade now, and we have had our ups and downs as anyone else but there has been no stealing from me or really much asking fro money since all family members work. Only our 13 year old adopted daughter and MIL are taken care by us.

When I looked for new partner (after seen the tourist traps and worked in Bangkok etc.) I wanted few things:

- can work meaning that is able to provide family and him/herself

- speaks English so we can actually have a conversation

- does not stay Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok, Hua Hin or any other tourist destination - reasons obvious

- does not carry tramp stamps or have drug or alcohol problems + I don't smoke so don't want my partner to either

- is about +/- 10 years max

- no nude pictures even on request (Thais are normally pretty shy)

All the above does not mean that I those days wouldn't have a fling with someone from the bars or extracurricular activities but I was then free man to do whatever I wanted. When the time - and boredom - came, I started looking for someone decent. The looks or age should not matter (that much) when it is about looking for a life partner. I like exciting romp with someone who is not the pillar of society but I really don't want that type of a person to share my life.

The thread is about lifestyle choices and I have done mine and have no regrets. If you are unhappy with your choices you can look into the mirror. The culprit will stare right at you.

...that these young people need to think about what they will do when they reach retirement age.

If they are able to contribute to a pension all their lives until they retire, then good on them.

When if and what, I once said to my lawyer drafting a will that it is done IF I drop dead. He answered and corrected me: WHEN you die.

There are plenty that never reach retirement. If I remember, years ago there was a statistics about my country. There were about 11% of people over 65 years of age and about 1% that reached above 80. Something to think about.

I suggest that life is meant for living, not saving for next life. I have managed my life and saved a bit but I also realize that I don't get anything with me departing this world. Seems quite a many see life as some sort of a schedule thing like they know what the future will bring. I say that whatever they plan, life will happen differently.

I say, don't be stupid but do what your heart desires. Shakespeare said it better:

Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, And you are stay'd for. There; my blessing with thee! And these few precepts in thy memory See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportioned thought his act. 60 Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, 70 But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man, And they in France of the best rank and station Are of a most select and generous chief in that. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine ownself be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Originally the Phantom was designed to have 197 cc for the market of Sin

Don't listen to all these grumpy old gits who to tell you work to hard all your life, save up and then when you are able to retire you get cancer or heart attack or just don't have the physical stamina to do all the things you wanted to when you were young. The future is uncertain but death is always impending and inevitable and you don't want regrets.

We all should remember that we can't live anybody else's life.

I have personally had friends die at their late 20's and a bit over 40's. One guy - died when he was 43 - was constantly talking what he will do/start doing when he will retire. Never saw that day. One guy, had money and so on, killed himself at 65 when he no longer could see anything to wait for in the future. Life had passed and he had no love, no future and no-one to care for him. And more importantly he had taken care of his parents when they were sick and old. What did he get from all his efforts? Not much.

Another thing is the economy. How it goes in Europe is that everyone has to worry whether or not he's got a job next year or even next month. Are we for the economy or is economy for us? As I see it, money in itself is no longer an asset (compared to gold or other real assets) rather than a way to place resources, build infrastructure, provide housing etc. As I see it going, at some point the governments have to come up with something that benefits the people, not the other way around. When automation makes the end for manual labor, how are we going to go from that? The reality is that there will be no jobs for everyone.

Question to answer is depending on how the OP or anyone sees his future. I can't answer for anyone but I will say that mostly we regret things we didn't do, not the things we did.

Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying

Normal people with a few face-book followers wont have a problem at all.

And how do you know?

I don't know which is worse, knowing from an image when it is posted promoting something or not or the fact that some see laws as merely something that can be waved at someone when they feel like it?

If there is a law, shouldn't it be followed through with same consequences to all? Or what are you trying to say? Some are more guilty than others? Four legs good, two legs bad? War is peace? Laws do not apply to everyone?