IanForbes

I thought it was well done. Maybe it is a morality tale..who knows? Some of these situations work out, some dont. I just thought it was the start of a really rather common tale. Didnt seem to be moralistic or negative, just telling a story that im sure many have experienced variations of.

Agreed. It was thought provoking and probably typical of MOST of these bar girl-farang relationships. The problem is what happens to the girl over time. I can certainly see it from the man's point of view. Once a pretty girl is exposed to the bar scene for very long she is bound to change and get hard hearted. If she is very pretty then she can be seduced by the very excitement of it all. She will have more attention by more men than she could ever dream about. Probably 90% of the male, bar attendees are just punters looking for a quick shag and no commitment. A few are genuine guys looking for a long term relationship and would have no chance at any woman nearly as attractive in their home country. I've seen the extremes at both ends of the scale. I know at least 4 or 5 men who are happily married to ex-bar girls and their marriages have lasted over 8 years. However, most western men have trouble adjusting to the cultural changes in Asia.

Oh, I thought this topic was about Thai models. I know some that have a LOT of horse power. They've got guys lined up all over the UK and Australia.

Carry on

Considering you can buy a cross bow just about anywhere in Thailand I doubt if it would be a problem. However, as Craig says, I would check with the airlines. They have strange rules that make little or no sense. I've had a 3 inch crescent wrench taken off me at check in. And, I'm not sure how to highjack an airplane with a tube of toothpaste.

Sounds like another case of Big Brother is watching you. Orwell seems to have gotten it right.

I have to say that Dominique's replies have been well thought out and correct. A case could be made for much of what is on the internet is mostly just useless "fluff" and we don't really need it. These topics on the general forum are a good example... and so is much of what goes on in Facebook, Twitter and the like. But, the ability to converse with widely separated friends and family is very important to some people. Businesses can operate across continents with freedom. Many people in Thailand earn their entire income over the internet. It's a necessity to them... even when they travel. Dominique's case about hotel telephones was a good one. With the cel phone coverage today it almost eliminates hotel room phones use... except for morning wake up calls, or someone waiting in the lobby for you. The same goes for the over pricing of stock in hotel refrigerators. There is a 7-11 store on just about every street corner and you can buy the stuff much cheaper there. The hotel's stock is only handy if you are lazy and don't mind paying 30% more for the same item. If I'm staying in a hotel for a week, and one that stocks the fridge with their over priced items, then I take it all out and place it on the counter, or ask the staff to take it away.

But, the original topic was about the addition of "extras" that make a hotel more attractive. They are basically "loss leaders" to attract new customers and keep old ones. Why put in a swimming pool or elevators? They are just added costs when building a hotel. I have stayed in 5 star hotels and many that wouldn't rate a half star, and if you examine the room and bed they really aren't much different than a one star hotel in what they offer. Why pay 5000 to 10,000 baht for a room when you can get an adequate room for under 1000 baht? As Dominique pointed out, you can get a perfectly adequate meal in the city for a quarter the price of the same meal in the hotel. I eat pretty much the same thing every day... Kow Padt Thai Gai. I eat at one particular Thai cafe because what they produce is a larger portion and better than anywhere else in Chiang Mai. There is more of everything and I get refills or the consommé soup and water if I want. And, it only costs me 40 baht including my 5 baht tip. The big smorgasbords offered in the 3 and 4 star hotels charge about 300 + baht for that service. I just can't eat enough to make it worthwhile.

Frankly, I'm not out to impress anyone, so I don't need the pomp and splendour of a 4 or 5 star hotel. I think it's a waste... and I hate waste more than anything.

I would have to throw in Khon Kaen, especially the area around the lake. Few years ago you could count the number of farangs on one hand. Now there are several western owned businesses popping up. Seems to be attracting the more laid back quiet types. Has to have the biggest concentration of Americans than anywhere else in Thailand (Not saying this is good or bad).

I would agree, somewhat. It certainly has grown quickly in the past 10 years. There are lots of changes.

Okay, we've covered the ants. Now how about ways of getting rid of uncles.

I stopped in the middle of the road because ... because... who cares? It could be for any one of a number of reasons... some of which might be valid. 60 years ago my father taught me to NEVER drive or ride beyond my vision and ability to stop. That was never more true than when riding or driving in Asia. There is almost always something blocking the road around a corner.

Asians double and triple park anywhere and everywhere. Everyone seems to follow their own set of rules but for some strange reason it seems to work out. People want something at the local 7-11 so they stop in the road and park to do their shopping, People come home for lunch a park in front of their home, and in doing so effectively elimenate one whole lane of traffic. About the ONLY place I see some semblance of order is in the big shopping malls. I just find it funny to see people drive around for 15 minutes just to get another 30 meters closer to the store when they could easily save time and park at the outside edges, and walk the extra distance.

I'm not complaining because I only spend a couple nights a year in Bangkok. I do not need the internet that badly that I can't wait a couple of days. And, most often there is an internet cafe somewhere nearby if I really want to contact someone. But, my main concern was for their own business practise in a very competitive market. Hotels in Bangkok and other big Thai cities are very seldom full (except during international conventions etc) and I would think that if they offered more then they might steal some of the market. The usual business practise in the western world is to offer a few things that other hotels DON'T have, so they can get a competitive edge. Once you lose a customer it's hard to get him or her back. When I find a reasonable place to stay that has a few "extras" like wi fi or a nice pool gym then I'm likely to mention it to everyone. I would even post on thaivisa any place I thought was reasonable. We certainly do that for nice places to eat.

It somewhat reminds me of the typical Thai practise of RAISING prices when the market is slow... instead of the western world policy where you LOWER prices during the off season in hopes of attracting customers away from other businesses.

Sorry going of toic but your last paragraph comparing to the west again (keep forgetting the west is so great) but the misses actually raised her prices this year and she had fewer customers this year but made quite a bit more profit than last year not huge increases room prices the same just 10 bht on beers 20 bht on food dishes.

The lowering of prices as they do in the almighty west doesn't always work in quiet timed she will drop room prices from 800 to 450-500 she never gets any extra bookings doing this we think people then think it must be a dump as it's so cheap so they dont book you actually get more bookings at the 800-1000 bht bracket .

So judging from my experience the thai way of raising prices in quiet times is not such a bad idea probably the people that slag them of for it have never run abussiness in Thailand and seen the system work..,,

Good post and It's not really off topic. You are probably correct inyour case, but there is a HUGE difference between offering competitive prices and under charging or over charging. I wouldn't expect to find a hotel in Bangkok for the same price as a similar one in Chiang Mai. The same is true when comparing Pattaya to Phuket. You can find FAR better deals in Pattaya for just about everything and both the food and the night life is far better.

Don't.......Seriously!

There are so many guys near where I live that continue to fall in to this trap. They all end up separated and/or divorced. The reasons are simple. If your relationship gets that serious you want to marry then you will have to/pretend convert to Islam. Once you have children the problems will start. About the age of two or three the wife's parents will insist on a strong muslim upbringing for their Grandchild. You may be living away from the Grandparents home area, but your wife WILL up and leave with your child, back to her parental home. There are many broken hearted men I know and when I hear another is about to embark on the same course of action I just say why? I have not known a relationship in Thailand between a muslim girl/non muslim man end any differently. If you have a baby girl she will be a valuable 'asset' to the family, new blood, whitish skin, worthy of a good dowry. I am not being racist or bigoted, these are just the facts from many many thai men I know that fell in love with a muslim woman. All will be great and well until you have children and they reach toddler age. Your wife may even love you very much but when her parents say 'come home and bring the child', thats it, and you will get NO visiting rights.

By the way, don't be fooled by the no sex before marriage thing. Young Muslim women are just as curious about sex as any other young woman, but don't get caught, her brothers will have your gonads.

So...you have been warned. Good luck.

That is a well thought out warning, Take heed all ye horny males. I remember dating a Doukhobor girl back in my late teens. Her brothers pretty much sorted me out about having any future with their sister. It's pretty much the same thing with young muslim women and their families.

I'm not complaining because I only spend a couple nights a year in Bangkok. I do not need the internet that badly that I can't wait a couple of days. And, most often there is an internet cafe somewhere nearby if I really want to contact someone. But, my main concern was for their own business practise in a very competitive market. Hotels in Bangkok and other big Thai cities are very seldom full (except during international conventions etc) and I would think that if they offered more then they might steal some of the market. The usual business practise in the western world is to offer a few things that other hotels DON'T have, so they can get a competitive edge. Once you lose a customer it's hard to get him or her back. When I find a reasonable place to stay that has a few "extras" like wi fi or a nice pool gym then I'm likely to mention it to everyone. I would even post on thaivisa any place I thought was reasonable. We certainly do that for nice places to eat.

It somewhat reminds me of the typical Thai practise of RAISING prices when the market is slow... instead of the western world policy where you LOWER prices during the off season in hopes of attracting customers away from other businesses.

I've stayed at a number of medium priced hotels (1000 baht/night) in Bangkok and other cities in Thailand and very few if any offer free wi fi for the internet. I would think in a competitive market where there are almost as many hotels as tourists that free wi fi would be an attractor. I once had a fancy time share in Jomptien and it was the same thing... no internet. I've stayed at the Great Residence and the Queens Garden in Bangkok and neither offered internet sevice. In this modern world that is surprising. In the USA you can ge free wi fi at most any MacDonalds cafe.

Is it the same Thai system where when tourism drops, the common marketing ploy is to INCREASE prices?

Right now I'm sitting in the Hong Kong airport and it has free internet everywhere... including free wi fi.

I thought internet dating was what we do every day on the General forum of thaivisa.

I mean that blethering guy is kinda cute with that tartan skirt he keeps showing off.

There has been a lot of good advice, but some of it is conflicting. That is because nobody really knows the OP and his dedication. There have been many studies to show that people who retire early, if they aren't enjoying their job, live longer than those that stick to the grindstone and work until they drop.

As many have pointed out, even though Thailand can be reasonably innexpensive to live, there ARE some drawbacks. One being that you can't truly own anything if you are a foreigner. I would never advise someone to use their savings up just to stay in Thailand. If you have a pension coming and can collect enough to live a reasonable life then it makes sense to stay until retirement age. In some cases you can retire early, but at a much lower rate. You'll have to figure what you can happily live on and leave a little extra for things that always happen. I am single and live quite nicely on 60,000 baht a month and have the time of my life, but I'm not having children or planning on buying a woman a fancy big home either. My three women all have low paying jobs that I subsidize and help them.

Celebrate and retire earlier, perhaps?

You talk a lot about retirement, don't you?

It saddens me when I read about men who spend more or less their entire adult lives working purely in order that they can ..... retire.

I don't wish to retire. I doubt Sir Alex Ferguson wishes to retire. I doubt Warren Buffet wishes to retire. I doubt Sir Richard Branson wishes to retire.

You don't need to retire, little Bendix. You just need to get yourself a life.

Take a risk. Be brave. Be bold. Be daring.

Retire? I never really did have to go to "work". If you enjoy what you are doing is it actually work? Retirement to me only meant more time to do the things I enjoy doing without any restrictions on when I had to stop or begin. Hitler didn't retire either, neither did Stalin, Mussollini, Idi Amin, Mao tse Tung, Ghengas Khan, Bonaparte, Saddam Hussein or any of those other wonderful war lords.

So that would mean more time to work,in your case.

True. I work at painting and writing about the things that I love doing. I work at keeping three lovely young women happy. I work at keeping myself happy, but that's not hard to do considering my life style. My biggest job is finding the time to enjoy everything at the same time. I get a bit bored with having to do the same thing any more than 3 or 4 days in a row... even though it is all pleasurable.

Statistics are for losers?

Do you have any mathmatical equations to back up such a claim?

It's a quote from baseball that Ian really should have put in quotes otherwise some people tend to get excited at remarks like that.

Yes, it's a quote from sports, and you can pick your sport... it applies to all of them. If you've got one foot in boiling water and the other in a bucket of Ice then the statistical average would show that you should be comfortable. I've been around a long time and heard all sorts of predictions based on statistics that have proven entirely false. Yes, statistics are useful up to a point, but they are just part of the equation.

Celebrate and retire earlier, perhaps?

You talk a lot about retirement, don't you?

It saddens me when I read about men who spend more or less their entire adult lives working purely in order that they can ..... retire.

I don't wish to retire. I doubt Sir Alex Ferguson wishes to retire. I doubt Warren Buffet wishes to retire. I doubt Sir Richard Branson wishes to retire.

You don't need to retire, little Bendix. You just need to get yourself a life.

Take a risk. Be brave. Be bold. Be daring.

Retire? I never really did have to go to "work". If you enjoy what you are doing is it actually work? Retirement to me only meant more time to do the things I enjoy doing without any restrictions on when I had to stop or begin. Hitler didn't retire either, neither did Stalin, Mussollini, Idi Amin, Mao tse Tung, Ghengas Khan, Bonaparte, Saddam Hussein or any of those other wonderful war lords.

There are enough people who obviously WANT me around that I don't worry about the myoptic, uneducated idiots who don't. Would I really CARE what Hitler, or Stalin, or Mau Tse Tung, or any other despotic leader thought of me? Would you? It's the same thing. It's THEIR problem, not mine. I can put up with the stuff that isn't right about Thailand for the length of time that I'm here. We DO have choices in life. I choose to be happy and generous.

Statistics are for losers. There is no way of telling which city is safer. It all depends on what the individual DOES on a daily basis. If you walk everywhere or take the sky train or a city bus then chances are you will be pretty safe. If you rent or use a scooter to get around then you risk factor jumps dramatically. It jumps even further if you show off a lot of wealth in a poor neighbourhood. If you drink alcohol to a point of being inebriated then your risk factor jumps up again.

Then, there is just plain fate. You can mind your own business and try to be as safe as possible and fate will jump in and kick your sorry ass to the curb.

I suppose this will draw the ire of some, the offspring of older people tend to demonstrate more genetically related problems than do younger people. The ability of DNA and genes to repair themselves falls off as we age. I recognize that many of the older men will have younger wives. However, the deterioration does have an impact. (My father was over 40 when I was born, so perhaps that explains my diseased mind )

I know three farangs in the early sixties who have younger wives (mid thirties) and their daughters and sons are exceptionally smart and precocious. Maybe it's just the attention they get, but there is no denying how quick they are at learning. But, I think that is true of most kids who get a lot of mental stimulation in an open environment. There have been studies where children who get a lot of mental stimulation in a wide variety of situations seem to mentally grow at a quicker rate.

Well my 5 year old daughter is one of the most intelligent children I have ever come across (yes! I know, I would say that,her Teachers also confirm her intelligence.) so at an older age,it may be that in some way,some extra intelligence also gets passed on through genes, and from my observations in Thailand,Farang / Thai children,do seem to be particularly intelligent,obvious not a Scientific study though,which would also apply to other physical genetically related problems.

It is a great place for a family visit. The famous bar scene is only a tiny portion of Pattaya. Kids love the trip to the waterslides and space shuttle to the top of the hotel in Jomptien where the view is spectacular. Koh Larn Island makes a wonderful day trip that is quite inexpensive, and the beaches are superb. Hotels are reasonable and far cheaper than Phuket or Bangkok. there are lots of reasonable places to dine that won't break the piggy bank.

I've stayed at both the Queens Garden and the Great Residence. For 1000 baht they both have pick up and delivery from the airport. Both are small hotels with clean, air conditioned rooms near one of the klongs off the river. I prefer the Great Residence, but only because there is a tiny bit more to do outside the hotel. There is a whole group of Thai cafes only a short walk from the Hotel. There is nothing to do near the Queens Garden. But, that is immaterial if you only want a place to sleep for a few hours.

The ONLY problem with the Great Residence is you MUST book on line. They no longer do walk in service.

I got sprayed by the flower watering machines while riding over the Ping River bridge. Does that count?

No it doesn't and you should be more careful as the water from the 'flower watering machines' may have contained number 16.

I've been sprayed with so many toxic chemicals over a life of 72 years that I'm permanently embalmed. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and I'm beginning to believe it. people say I haven't changed in the past 12 years and I don't see many changes either.

I was passed three times by an idiot in a black pickup truck on my way to Mae Sariang. I passed him when he was stuck in a traffic jamb that I could get around on my D-tracker. Each time he passed he was riding my bumber from about a meter away at 100 kmph highway speeds. I couldn't go any faster because of vehicles in front of me, but the idiot in the black pickup passed everyone on blind corners several times and then sped off. It was only good fortune that nobody was coming the other way on the blind corners.

But, sometimes there is JUSTICE! Coming down the big grade towards Mae Sariang there were a series of big, oar trucks traveling at slow speeds. On one blind corner there was the same black pickup smashed into the back of a big, oar truck. It certainly didn't damage the commercial vehicle, but it sure smashed in the front of the black pickup.

Reminds me of the ole Jerry Lee Lewis song... 39 and holding.

He's out there somewhere every night the music's playing loud

Doing all the 50s steps to an 1980s crowd

The dim lights hde the mileage lines, the Clarole hides the grey

He won't mention anything that gives his old age away

He's 39 and holding, holding everything he can

From 17 to 25 to prove he's still the man

Oh he's holding to a candle and it's burning at both ends

He's 39 and holding, holding everything he can

You can bet he will never see 39 again

He should have given up a long time ago

But he just keeps hanging in.

He still thinks he's the man that he once used to be

he's just 39 and dreaming and he's acting 23

Oh he's 39 and holding, holding everything he can

From 17 to 25 he'll prove he's still the man

He's holding to a candle and it's burning at both ends

But he's 39 and holding, holding everything he can