IanForbes

I started a picture thread on that very topic about a year ago. Unfortunately, it was shut down. There is lots to love about Thailand if you have a little jingle in your pockets. However, if you are living on the bare minimum like most Thais that are trying to exist, then it ain't much fun. The reliable warm weather is one great feature when you compare it to North America or norhern Europe. There are hundreds of beaches that are second to none, and all it takes is to travel off the beaten path a short distance.

I like that I can walk into any bar or cafe and talk to strangers like I've known them for years. It's not hard to have a short term girl friend, or one that will stay with you for months. All it takes is a little bit of money and a pleasant personality. Confidence and a little humour goes a long way. The only problem is trying hard not to fall in love.

Certainly there are risks in Thailand, and more so if you decide to ride a motorbike on the poorly maintained roads and in the bizarre traffic, but a bit of danger is part of the excitement.

Do online dating - in bars and discos 90% will be working girls or gold diggers - respectable Thai girls either don't go to such places or only in groups and are not easily approachable.

On some occasions, girls are out to "get a falang", just to try. Can be the case in Bangkok with university girls going in herds to discos. Happened to me one time, memorable night. Just after the highest moment of the night, the girl laughed loud and exclaimed "Po farang!!!"

LOL.

That being said, p4p in Thailand is not the same as back home. Some of the working girls make very sweet and good companions, Just remember to keep your wits.

Or forget any advice and just use every occasion to go out, and you shall find what you seek.

<flame removed> 100% of the girls in bars are working girls thats where they work for christ sake

where do you get the 90% from are the other 10% there to study religion

You are flat out wrong. It shows how little you know about Thailand. I know at least 15 women who work in bars in the supposed raunchy part of Chiang Mai that DO NOT go with customers. And, it is men like you that give Thailand a bad name for treating all women like hookers.

Lets move this on over to the Pub.

Ah, It was getting more replies and more funny ones in the motoring section.

As I've never used a dating site anywhere I can't answer your question with any degree of of reliability. However, I have a number of friends who use dating sites on a regular basis. Their experiences have been mixed. I've always just let life happen and always seem to wind up a winner. But then, I am fairly open and talk with anyone and everyone. I can quickly pick up on who is interested and who isn't. I show some friendly interest and leave it up to the woman after that. A smile, a joke and having confidence has always seemed to work for me.

xthAi76s brings some valid points to the discussion, but I sure would hate to try and pronounce his/her name.

Thais are taught as children that anything an adult says is the gospel truth. That continues right through school. With that type of education it curbs creative thinking, but it makes for a happy family unit. They can be conned and manipulated by their elders and leaders in society. They become pawns in a game of feudalism. Feudalism has been going on for centuries. That is how the ancient kings kept their peasants under control, and religious orders such as the Vatican kept the public in the dark of what was really going on. The ancient Stonehenge was just a big clock and it's actual use was kept hidden by those that wanted to keep the knowledge for themselves. Those with more knowledge than others have always been held in higher esteem and given added benefits. It is always been a game of power and who holds the most of it. Leaders in EVERY country want to keep their population stupid so they are easily manipulated. The internet has been the bane of the modern leaders in every country. That is why North Korea basically banned it. They don't WANT to let their populace know what is happening in the rest of the world. There are some similarities in Thailand that we are not allowed to talk about.

Why settle for one when you can have several? Of course, if you are desperate for a family and an end to single life freedom then go for it. Who cares what it costs. Once you are married then the great sex you're presently having is pretty much over anyway.

Good point and it could be purchased at a fraction of the costs at almost any corner.

yep great passion with your tool encased in plastic.....wow.....gotta say I really do prefer sex without the sensation numbing protection, but if you are looking for cheaper, and fully wrapped up protected sex every time.......yep go for short time...I guess over the years you can get used to it

It's all in somewhat of a balance. In my case I only use "protection" with one of my three ladies. The others are taking the pill and I'm their only lover. But, I was just pointing out that a man's ardour wains after several years with the same partner. And, if your partner is not interested in sex then it's hard to maintain any interest yourself. I'm speaking from personal experiences as well as heart to heart talks with male friends. I know at least a dozen men married for over 10 years that have sex only about once a month or less. When your wife has put on 30 or 40 pounds and is no longer the beauty you once knew it's hard to get too interested when she peels off her clothing and puts on a flanel gown before getting into bed. I look around at my friends wives, and not one appeals to me. And, even the women of any age that I see wandering through the super market, I can't say I would take one in 50 to bed with me... even if they were interested... which they aren't.

Like I've said several times, marriage is mostly for people who want to raise a family together. I've done that and now would prefer to be single. Life is what you make of it, but you have to understand that things DO change over time. What you knew for certain in your 30s is seldom what you believe in your 60s.

Glad the mods have allowed us to have a little fun here as well as the more serious answers. Some people don't have the ability to tell which is which.

There is one thing that happens when you stay a member here for a while. Eventually, you get to see the REAL person under the mask. And, one's perception of Thailand changes after a while. However, it's still a persons personal attitude towards life that usually shows in their replies to various topics. There's almost always two valid points of view to every topic.

What happens in Pattaya (plus 3 more tourist places) does not reflect on foreigner behaviour in the majority of Thailand.

I doubt if there are even a dozen foreigners living in my province (Nan), let alone louts treating Thai women badly.

If you choose to live in a sewer, then you can expect to encounter rats.

I agree with you, but Pattaya and places like it are all many foreigners see in Thailand. Yes, I have spent some time in Nan and I can't recall seeing another farang during the time I was there. Of course, I spent most of my time riding my bike in the lovely hills to the north east. I've never seen so much construction in what seemed to be a deserted city. More than a few of us commented on it. I'm always treated with respect in the small villages and cities away from tourist centers.

Why settle for one when you can have several? Of course, if you are desperate for a family and an end to single life freedom then go for it. Who cares what it costs. Once you are married then the great sex you're presently having is pretty much over anyway.

I don't know how wise it is to tell me story, but here we go ..........

Was a farmer in Oxfordshire, working the family farm all my life, hard work and not much reward. Wife decided the life was too hard, so she divorced me, was awarded the family farm by the divorce judge (300 years down the drain), then promptly sold it. I was left living in a farm workers caravan on a pals farm aged 50+, no future for me. Depression set in and my pal decided to lift my spirits with a holiday in Pattaya.

Off we went, he was out doing the Pattaya thing every night, I sat in a bar and just chatted to the girls (some of them spoke really good English). Anyway, after a while I was getting quite friendly with a girl (not as a customer, too traumatized by the divorce and loss of my farm for sex with anyone). This girl finds out I was a farmer in the UK (arable mostly corn and wheat) and says her older sister has a farm up north and was recently widowed. Farm going to rack and ruin, other guys in the village asking for 'favours' in return for helping her on the farm, etc.

So entirely on impulse, we both get on a coach to visit the sister, 25 rai farm the previously husband grew corn, husband (previous farm owner) was earning extra cash building a bridge, fell off the scaffolding and died. The older sister (late 20s) needed a new husband to run the farm, a bit of cash to repay a debt on the farm and someone for company. She spoke no English, I spoke no Thai, everything arranged/interpreted by the bar girl sister. A week later we were sharing a bed, a few weeks later we were married, now we share a life and family.

I now have new children, a new wife (half the age and one third the weight of my former UK wife), and a new family farm (well it can never be my farm, but it can be my childrens family farm)

Working a farm in Thailand is so much less hard work than working a farm in the UK, no regulations or forms to fill out, the weather is so much nicer, and the workload is so much less. Of course almost all the work is done by hand, but I sort of like that.

Four years on

I speak bad Thai, she speaks good English.

Farm is producing great corn again (harvest in the next 2-3 weeks)

Last year the headman assigned us 50 rai of forest to develop, after the monsoon I will have to make a start

Thailand is a great country, with great opportunities for an aging western man.

Touching story, Tommo. Thank you for that.

It was a fishing buddy who talked me into coming to Thailand 15 years ago. I thank him for that every single day. My two exwives did me a favour by leaving. I've never been happier, but I haven't cut ties to Canada, and I can go back and forth as I choose.

This was before 59 squadron flattened it and put in an airfield

No they didn't. Those truly are the hills above the Little Bighorn River behind me.

Here are more modern photos...

I was down fishing the trout stream while George was above fighting the indians.

What our kerryk says is true to a point, but it still depends.

All is fine providing these farangs that suddenly decide to park themselves in Thailand can adapt to Thai culture and ways of the people, keep within the laws and do not expect a yes massah approach from the Thais.

Unfortunately from my experience and what I have witnessed over the years many seem unable to follow these golden rules and often end up in conflicts with they’re Thai neighbors or having to frequently peer over their shoulders because they are contravening one law or another.

Not a big problem in moderation but as more and more of the West’s less wealthier citizens begin pouring into the country, believing that they are onto a good thing because their mates have told them it is cheap, more relaxed and more able to keep a low profile here, then their activities begin to attract the attentions of the Thai authorities and can bring in tighter Immigration restrictions onto all of us.

I have no problems with those who abide by the laws, rules and regulations but unfortunately many here I consider as suspect and shady, so these sudden influxes of farangs into the provinces is not a good thing in my opinion and certainly not beneficial for the ex-pats that are already here.

A very nice post from the OP.

What does Beetlejuice's reply have to do with the topic? - nothing

Why do some posters have to keep introducing meaningless diatribe aimed at nobody in particular.

I disagree. Beetlejuice's reply was well thought out and true. Many western louts come to Thailand and give other tourists a bad name. They treat the women working in bars and cafes like pieces of meat, and the backlash is the women treat the sexpats like a sucker that should be fleeced. It's a two way street.

Strangers young and old usually return my smile in Thailand, not so in some other places

I do agree in Thailand children are taught to respect their elders....which to a point is good but can also be a block on development

But for sure the times are upon us when the young will be closed to communication, don their headphones, drowning in their own non interactive low contact world

Ian: I didn't realise you knew Jing back then!!

That ain't Jing, it's George Armstrong Custer.

But, you said a mouthfull when you mentioned Thai children and the coming modern world for them. Because Thai children are taught that everything an elder tells them is the gospel true there is a two part result. It makes them much more friendly to elders, but it also destroys their open minds in questioning reality.

I understand entirely what the OP is saying and agree in principle with most of it. However, I also understand what Guesthouse is saying. No country is perfect but Canada comes out better than most. But, there is much about Canada that is truly wrong and I hate the loss of my income by stupid laws and useless regulations. Our political system is a mess and a total waste of money. It is waste and hypocrisy that I hate more than anything.

As someone with a steady income that is enough for me providing I stay single, I can live almost for free in Thailand. I have a large, paid for home in Canada that I just shut down while I'm in Thailand. All I have to pay is taxes and minimal heating and electricity. What I save by not paying for heating while I'm in Thailand more than covers the cost of accommodation while I'm in Thailand.

Because I don't break the laws of Thailand I seldom run into problems there. I treat everyone with respect and a big smile on my face. Call me naive, but it has served me well for 15 years. I have more loving than any 70 year old man can handle, and certainly more than any 70 year old man in North America... and with prettier partners who actually do like me.

But, I also realize that the time is coming when my health will eventually fail and I'll need medical attention. At that point in the game I'll have to decide when to retire to some hospital to spend my final days. My children in Canada are well taken care of and will inherit my home and savings. I'll just have to decide whether I die alone in a Canadian hospital or pay some Thai woman to take care of me as a nurse would, and give her a share of my estate.

I remember a woman in an American disco calling me Gramps. I think I was 40 at the time. Now I go to a club where people ask me to dance and they range in age from 20 to 60. It's a nice change.

"Papa" seems to be popular.

Papa "IS" popular. I know a couple of bar owners in Chiang Mai who are loved by their staff. It's very easy to see the affection shown in many subtle ways. Both these particular men are called Pappa. And, it goes both way. Each man treats his staff with respect, and more like personal friends than staff.

Well said, mauGR1. That's pretty much been my experience also.

How old and how western, Kerry? I've been around a long time and don't have any thoughts about leaving any time soon.

Colour film wasn't even invented when they took this photo of me.

A couple friends and I did the loop in mid March and enjoyed it despite the smoke. We went went clockwise from the south at Mae Sariang to the north It was pretty cold in the morning when we rode into the hills north of Mae Hong Son.

I've done the loop several times from both directions and enjoyed each trip, but you should have at least 3 days to do it... with at least 2 over night stays and preferably 4 or more..

However, there is something to be said for taking the trip in November. The air is cleaner and that is the season for the sunflowers that cover the hills near Kuhn Yuam (south of Mae Hong Son)

Fly with some airline that has a lounge. Thai air and Bangkok Air both offer lounges for traveling customers. Using their lounge sure helps pass the time. They have free drinks and goodies and offer free internet. I sure beats sitting on those cold steel bench seats for hours... or paying tor over priced drinks and food. The only other option is having a good book to read.

I know of a number of hotels in Pattaya that won't let unregistered women into rooms. And, many of the medium priced hotels insist on having the girl turn over her ID card before she goes to a room with a customer. However, I hadn't heard where the information was turned over to immigration. It sounds like another attempt to track illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries. There are so many "walk up" sleeping rooms that really wouldn't qualify as being a hotel, that I believe the program would be a failure. I highly doubt it will have any effect on the punters. I seriously doubt that immigration would do a "study" on who comes to Thailand and keep a track of their whereabouts..

Your story reminds me of myself, Tutsi, and how we have grown to love another side of Thailand. And, as the personal stories come out we tend to realize who we might be good friends with. I think you and I would get along quite well. I see so many guys trying to hide their tender side, but in reality a lot of us are just big softies.

Good post, Swiss 1960. So is the OP's topic.

I have a great life right now and I'm still acting like I'm 30, but I'm 72 and KNOW my time is limited... even though I am in reasonably good health "right now". But, when the time comes when I'm only a drain on the economy and my children's life then I will have no qualms in ending it. But, it won't be from a highrise swan dive or a media making jump off some bridge. There are drugs you can take that ends it quickly and effficiently and without pain. Many elderly in pain just ask the doctors to increase the dosage of their pain medicine. I was there when my mother asked to nurse to increase the medicine she was on. They asked her if she knew what she was asking and she nodded yes. An hjour later she had passed away. My father just stopped eating and dried up to a point where he couldn't remain alive.

We are ALL going to have to face the ending at some point. Why make it painful?

...dolphins also have sex for fun

No wonder they are always leaping with glee beside my boat when I go for a ride. I had forgotten about our marine mammals. I would suspect the orcas also have sex just for fun. They are just a larger version of a dolphin and if someone complains the orca just eats them..

What are you complaining about? You have a choice of Ketchup or Mayo.

All humour aside, I know what the OP is saying. It starts with the ingredients that make up the hotdog. Beef in Thailand has always been suspect. It takes real beef to make a good tasting hotdog.