spidermike007

Anytime you live on an island here, you are subjecting yourself to pricing extortion. The prices are always higher, and people use the excuse of transportation. Samui and Phuket are pretty much finished. The quality of life has diminished dramatically over the past several years. On Samui, the congestion is getting so bad, it is harder to get around. No public transportation options, other than overpriced tuk-tuks. The taxis do not count. The local administration is so completely devoid of pride, they would not know what doing the right thing was, if it hit them over the head. Better to live in a coastal area, where the locals live, and a small ex-pat community.

Latin America is amazing. But, it is becoming more dangerous by the day. And if I believed what that list said, I would be a perfect candidate to purchase the Brooklyn Bridge. I hear it is for sale.

Don't eat tuna steaks. It's the fish with the highest detected levels of heavy metal contamination. Eat it regularly and you have a much higher risk of senile dementia and various cancers. Stick to oily fish like salmon and mackerel preferably. Tuna, swordfish and mahimahi are the worst fish for both metal and plastic contamination.

He did not ask for dietary recommendations, thank you very much. He asked for restaurant recommendations. An occasional tuna steak is not going to hurt anyone. Same with sushi. Occasionally is the key word here. No room for fanaticism in a life lived for fulfillment and joy. Period. A balanced life, is a graceful life.

It really depends. A lot of the cars and trucks you see on the roads here, are manufactured here. Granted, they do use alot of part clusters made in Japan. But, the same applies to Honda motorbikes, which are of such high quality, they are exported to the US. Same with Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LG, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Pioneer, etc. Most of their products that are sold here, are made here. So, the quality depends on the factory, the management team, the quality controls, etc. Some of the products made here are as good as those made elsewhere. Some are crap. You just have to be discriminating, and check the products carefully. And buy from places that back up their products with good service. I have taken many, many products back to Home Pro. They always seem to honor the service, and if they do not I just move up the chain of management, until they do.

Dowry is extremely common in Thailand. This is one of the few countries in the world that a dowry is paid to the woman's family. The groom's family would have to have some understanding of this.

There are many kinds of dowry, and the amount depends on alot. Typically, the amount requested is far beyond what the woman is worth, if all things are taken into account. The younger, and the more beautiful she is, typically the more the dowry. If she has been married before, has children, or is older, the dowry should be less. It really is that simple.

But, the whole dowry thing has gotten bigger over the years, as a goombah here and there has paid an enormous sum of money, and gold, and has messed with everyone's perspective on the whole matter. I remember the story of the Aussie CEO who paid 20 million baht cash, plus 30 baht of gold. It was on the front page of the Bangkok Post. Thai women talked about it for days. All of a sudden nearly every average looking woman in Issan thought they were worth a half million baht, or more.

In my case, I had helped her family previously, to start a business, which became a real success, and entirely changed the families lives. They were good, hard working people who simply needed a break in life. So, when it came time for us to get married, I told her the dowry had already been paid in the form of the money I had given them early on. We did a fake dowry. I put up 400K cash, and got it back the day after the wedding. It was all about appearances, as it often is here.

Don't be fooled. Don't overpay.

I put a few k in my ex girlfriends account a few years back to ease the process of getting a visa to visit me, all went fine and was all paid back. Married 4 years now.

Point being, it really depends on the person.

True that. Depends on alot. Have you met her family, or her friends? What do you really know about her? Are you in a position to lose that money? Get something in writing, at the very least.

Yes, after several near misses, I would have exited the taxi in the middle of nowhere. Happily. And glad I still had my life and limb. No journey is too important to take these kinds of risks. You could always have him drop you at the nearest town. And contact Uber from there. Come on. Concern about the driver losing face? That would be my last concern in the world, considering the position he was putting me in. Face is merely the greatest act of cowardice a human being can engage in anyway.

As a last resort, I would have offered to drive the car myself. If he did not agree, I would get out. No compromises with safety.

As long as the Cheap Charlie syndrome does not impact others, I guess it is fine, if it works for you. I have been out with friends, who have counted every baht on the bill, then began an adamant argument over 10 baht. That kind of behavior is simply ugly, and extremely unpleasant for everyone around. This guy looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel over 10 baht. And we know for a fact he is a property owner on Maui. He has cash! We had all just enjoyed a lovely couple of hours together, then this miserable saboteur ruins it with his antics. I told him straight up, this was the last time he was ever going to be invited to join our group, and that was also the last time I was ever going to have any contact with him. He was not a good friend. Just an acquaintance. And he was certainly not going to become a friend, after pulling an ugly stunt like that. Some call it cheap charlie. I call it poverty consciousness. If you just do not have any money, and need to do this to survive, my heart goes out to you. Otherwise, it is a bit tiresome for those around you.

So, it just depends on how seriously you take it. I know guys who are quite thrifty, but when it comes to sharing a meal, they are quite reasonable. Don't blow an artery over this. Just do your best. Life is short. You have to have some enjoyment, sometimes.

This is very tragic for all of the families involved, and for those that were injured with major burns. I really hope some heads will roll over this incident. There appears to have been very little in the way of fire safety standards, and as usual, the government has dropped the ball on safety, and especially on consumer safety. This is perhaps one of the greatest areas a succession of Thai administrations has failed it's people. Consumer safety, general safety, and traffic safety standards have been lagging far behind the rest of the developing world for decades now. It is a perfect example of how little the top guys care for the common man, woman, and child. If they did care, they would act, rather than just engage in daily jawboning.

Fire escapes, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and multiple exits. Who wants to bet none of those were present?

Facebook account- no have

Line account- no have

email- no have

Twitter - no have

Address - you can have it.

Date of birth- you already have it.

Name- you already have it.

Passport number, and expiration date.

that is all you are going to get.

And some people wonder why they always have issues dealing with the authorities. Note that it is not your right to get an extension or a visa, and the officer can make things quite difficult for you. If I was the officer I would either rip up the form and give a new one, or send you away and tell you to fill in the correct details and go to the back of the queue. Or come back tomorrow.

A little private rebellion may make you feel better, but it just makes things painful for everybody else in the queue too. They have to wait longer, and the officer will be in a bad mood.

For all of the officers you meet, who are basically just normal employees doing a tedious job, the form is also a pain in the bum. More work, more filing, more checking, more complaints, no more salary. They probably do not want the form either.

So just try and make it easier for everybody and fill in something plausible.

Actually, it is our right to get a visa, as granted by law. So long as we fulfill the requirements of the law. We also have the right to be treated fairly under the law, both as a natural right and a specific right codified in the Thai Licensing Facilitation Act.

A little private rebellion isn't a problem. The problem is that too many people cower and don't respectfully request their rights. The law is on our side. This is the age of the digital camera. Thai hate to lose face by being called out for being malfeasant.

I get that they have a tedious job, but that's no excuse for them not doing their jobs competently and at least trying to do it correctly.

Thank you. A voice of reason is a beautiful thing. You are right. A small amount of resistance, is a good thing, when it comes to silly policy. I am not advocating breaking any laws. Just resisting supplying information that is not mandatory, is all. And Ajahnski is correct. This is a right. We are bringing alot to the table. We are adding much needed diversity to the culture. We are bringing in, and spending far more money than the average Thai, thereby stimulating the economy in our own little way. We are law abiding. We cause no problems. Why should this not be our right?

Lastly, data mining through social media is a method the NSA, the CIA, the FBI, the Mossad, and others have been using for some time now. Thailand is just catching on to this. Those other agencies spend millions of dollars annually doing the discovery work required to get to those resources. Why should be provide them, gratis? What is the reasoning behind such a surrender or information? While we might succumb to an occasional vendor who uses the line, I have very little money, that does not apply to the army here. They have a fortune. They have a nearly unlimited budget. So, why provide this information for free? Voluntarily, if it is not required by law? At least not yet.

Wow. $5. Nobody is going to want to smoke now. I know alot of smokers will argue with me on this one, but I consider smoking to be an extraordinary lack of self discipline, and if that is the case, how are they going to encourage someone to give up a filthy habit, or curtail their habit, with a $5 fine?

Men act like men. Children do silly, childish things like passing these laws, and prove they are not real men, with the sheer folly of their actions.

“If a foreigner doesn’t want to fill in their information by themselves, they will be questioned for our records anyway. If they don’t fill in the form, we will suspect their reason,” Chachaval was quoted as saying in Phuket News.

SEE ALSO: Thailand asking foreigners for bank account, social media, and hangout details

Apart from social media and account details, the three-page form asks for foreigners’ contact numbers and email addresses, vehicle registration, and places frequented by the foreigner.

In the form, visitors were warned that: “Providing false information to an officer, shall be punishable under the Penal Code.”

According to the paper, the form covers most types of applications for foreigners.

“This form shall be used for making record of information of every alien entering and staying in the Kingdom of Thailand and shall be submit with Notification of residences for Aliens (section 37, 38 of Immigration Act, BE, 2522), or 90-days notification, or Extension of Stays (all purposes), or Re-entry Permits, or in all cases involving alien labors,” the header reads.

However, Chachaval did not confirm whether failure to provide certain information would form a basis for applications to be rejected and clarified that the social media account details was optional. He said all other sections were mandatory.

“We will not force people to provide their social media details,” he said.

Do we honestly think we know what was going through the mind of this man? "If a foreigner does not want to provide the information, they will be questioned for our records anyway. But, we will not force people to provide their social media details". I am not confident this is the case. In the US, social media is one of the largest data mining areas for the NSA, the FBI, and other authorities. Are we moving in that direction here? In the US they spend hundreds of millions of dollars finding and collecting that data. Here, they appear to just want us to give it to them, saving them great expense in finding it, should they choose to do so.

Facebook account- no have

Line account- no have

email- no have

Twitter - no have

Address - you can have it.

Date of birth- you already have it.

Name- you already have it.

Passport number, and expiration date.

that is all you are going to get.

As usual, the prime comedian is at it again. Some examples of his hollow hyperbole:

1. PM Prayut singled out the police operation and the antics of the media for special comment while also imploring families and schools to explain what had happened over the two days to young people. He also reminded the general public about controlling their emotions and resolving disputes effectively.

How is it possible to learn how to control one's emotions, if society and education does not equip you with such an ability? Just learning on your own? Just doing it because the little man says so? Again, another example of a man without vision, saying things without foundation. Sure, it is a good idea. But, as usual, he is making no attempt to get at the root cause of the problem. Face saving would be a good place to start. A nationally sponsored campaign, to teach the Thai people of the utter futility of the practice of face, and the meaninglessness of it all. So many of the incidents we read about here are due to loss of face. Only cowards succumb to that. Anyone with the slightest bit of inner knowledge, and wisdom, does not act based on a small, and insignificant transgression. You just man up and let it go.

2. Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnert was relaying the views of the prime minister on Friday in the wake of what the PM called "a very tragic event that should not have happened".

Of course it should not have happened. A teacher without credentials who was outed, should have walked away, thankful that he has spent all of those years without being discovered. Killing his associates who outed him? That was the act of a worm, and displayed the maturity and inner development of a 7 year old. But why? Again, the PM does not question that, as usual. Get to the heart of a problem. Not his style.

3. He said that what happened was an important lesson for all concerned in Thai society. He said that police dealing with such situations must have proper plans and procedures in place to minimize damaging effects. Negotiators with a background in psychology are needed along with back up plans when things go wrong.

The primary reason the police are so incompetent is that the government has been paying them a ridiculously low wage for decades now. All of the responsibility for this, fall on the shoulders of the PM, and his previous associates, who have done NOTHING to improve the police force. In addition, they are not willing to spend the money on forensics, properly CSI labs, and the skilled people to run them, proper vehicles, beefing up the highway patrol, etc. etc. This rests entirely on the government, who have more of less encouraged a quid pro quo. We pay you as if you are cleaning toilets for a living, and in exchange you can milk the public with absolute impunity. Does he seriously think you can hire a negotiator with a psychology background for 12 to 15,000 per month? Rank and file officers who have recently been hired are making 8,000 per month. That is at, or slightly less than minimum wage. Bagboys at Tesco earn more!

4. He was somewhat critical of the media saying that they need to adjust the way that such incidents are covered. The media need to behave in an appropriate manner and present the news properly for the public while thinking about the effect there actions may have on those present at such a situation, he said. They should not get in the way of authorities and never behave in a way that might be construed as breaking the law.

What he was actually saying, is please do not ignore the censorship laws. We get annoyed when you do. If you do so, we might punish you for making us look bad.

5. For families and educational establishments he said that people need to explain to young people in their care what had happened and that this was a dangerous situation that must not be copied.

Yes, you copy the movie stars, the singers, and the entrepreneurs. We know that. Please do not copy the maniacs.

6. For the public in general the PM asked people to try to control strong feelings that they might have whether these are emotions of dissatisfaction or feelings of revenge. He appealed for people to use common sense especially in resolving disputes.

Same explanation as in #1. Face. Plain and simple. Train the people not to be brainwashed by this ignorant principal. Train the people to substitute face, with self esteem. It works much better for society, when people feel good about themselves, and do not need to act out like children, in retaliation for small provocations.

Professor Wanchai Danatamonut had shot two lecturer colleagues seemingly over a personal dispute the a branch of his university in the Bang Khen area of northern Bangkok on Wednesday around 9am. He had then fled in his Nissan Almera car before he was found holed up Thursday in the motel in Saphan Kwai when the standoff began. It lasted until he shot himself at 6.43pm. He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead.

Good. Many of us are happy he is dead. My guess is that even his mother will not miss him for long. Sounds like he was essentially devoid of redeeming qualities, and a terrible problem solver.

While I agree with the majority of your post, I think that not even his mother will miss him is a bit tough.

I suppose there is at least a possibility she will miss him. Then again, she may have been very aware of his extraordinary lack of redeeming qualities. Maybe I should have said she will only miss him for a month or so.

And maybe he was her sole means of support. But whatever, he was certainly a nutter with a very short fuse.

Maybe. Probably no way for us to know that. But, the reality is she raised a terribly deficient and subpar human being. She did what appears to be a terrible job. Hard to feel alot of compassion for her. He was a failed experiment in manhood.

As usual, the prime comedian is at it again. Some examples of his hollow hyperbole:

1. PM Prayut singled out the police operation and the antics of the media for special comment while also imploring families and schools to explain what had happened over the two days to young people. He also reminded the general public about controlling their emotions and resolving disputes effectively.

How is it possible to learn how to control one's emotions, if society and education does not equip you with such an ability? Just learning on your own? Just doing it because the little man says so? Again, another example of a man without vision, saying things without foundation. Sure, it is a good idea. But, as usual, he is making no attempt to get at the root cause of the problem. Face saving would be a good place to start. A nationally sponsored campaign, to teach the Thai people of the utter futility of the practice of face, and the meaninglessness of it all. So many of the incidents we read about here are due to loss of face. Only cowards succumb to that. Anyone with the slightest bit of inner knowledge, and wisdom, does not act based on a small, and insignificant transgression. You just man up and let it go.

2. Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnert was relaying the views of the prime minister on Friday in the wake of what the PM called "a very tragic event that should not have happened".

Of course it should not have happened. A teacher without credentials who was outed, should have walked away, thankful that he has spent all of those years without being discovered. Killing his associates who outed him? That was the act of a worm, and displayed the maturity and inner development of a 7 year old. But why? Again, the PM does not question that, as usual. Get to the heart of a problem. Not his style.

3. He said that what happened was an important lesson for all concerned in Thai society. He said that police dealing with such situations must have proper plans and procedures in place to minimize damaging effects. Negotiators with a background in psychology are needed along with back up plans when things go wrong.

The primary reason the police are so incompetent is that the government has been paying them a ridiculously low wage for decades now. All of the responsibility for this, fall on the shoulders of the PM, and his previous associates, who have done NOTHING to improve the police force. In addition, they are not willing to spend the money on forensics, properly CSI labs, and the skilled people to run them, proper vehicles, beefing up the highway patrol, etc. etc. This rests entirely on the government, who have more of less encouraged a quid pro quo. We pay you as if you are cleaning toilets for a living, and in exchange you can milk the public with absolute impunity. Does he seriously think you can hire a negotiator with a psychology background for 12 to 15,000 per month? Rank and file officers who have recently been hired are making 8,000 per month. That is at, or slightly less than minimum wage. Bagboys at Tesco earn more!

4. He was somewhat critical of the media saying that they need to adjust the way that such incidents are covered. The media need to behave in an appropriate manner and present the news properly for the public while thinking about the effect there actions may have on those present at such a situation, he said. They should not get in the way of authorities and never behave in a way that might be construed as breaking the law.

What he was actually saying, is please do not ignore the censorship laws. We get annoyed when you do. If you do so, we might punish you for making us look bad.

5. For families and educational establishments he said that people need to explain to young people in their care what had happened and that this was a dangerous situation that must not be copied.

Yes, you copy the movie stars, the singers, and the entrepreneurs. We know that. Please do not copy the maniacs.

6. For the public in general the PM asked people to try to control strong feelings that they might have whether these are emotions of dissatisfaction or feelings of revenge. He appealed for people to use common sense especially in resolving disputes.

Same explanation as in #1. Face. Plain and simple. Train the people not to be brainwashed by this ignorant principal. Train the people to substitute face, with self esteem. It works much better for society, when people feel good about themselves, and do not need to act out like children, in retaliation for small provocations.

Professor Wanchai Danatamonut had shot two lecturer colleagues seemingly over a personal dispute the a branch of his university in the Bang Khen area of northern Bangkok on Wednesday around 9am. He had then fled in his Nissan Almera car before he was found holed up Thursday in the motel in Saphan Kwai when the standoff began. It lasted until he shot himself at 6.43pm. He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead.

Good. Many of us are happy he is dead. My guess is that even his mother will not miss him for long. Sounds like he was essentially devoid of redeeming qualities, and a terrible problem solver.

While I agree with the majority of your post, I think that not even his mother will miss him is a bit tough.

I suppose there is at least a possibility she will miss him. Then again, she may have been very aware of his extraordinary lack of redeeming qualities. Maybe I should have said she will only miss him for a month or so.

So, Thailand is now going the direction of the NSA. No amount of information is enough for them. The little man is suffering from an insatiable thirst for power and control. Since he is famous for not following up on much, let us hope this is just another in the long line of programs that just blow over, after a minute or two.

I believe I am correct, and so, I believe, are you. Rich Thais are emotionally similar to poor Thais (since they partake of the same cultural inheritance) except more so since they have (in their opinion) more face to lose by dint of the money, most of which, in one way or another they stole or otherwise did not earn honestly.

Oddly, I have much more time for poor Thais than I do for rich (especially hiso) Thais, who in my opinion, are a$$holes to a person. In this, they are similar, but for different reasons, to the hiso in many countries. It's one of the things that makes the 1% so offensive.

Self esteem drives Thais, imho, most of them are narcissists.

Winnie

I am not so sure of that. I have a few friends in the states who are fabulously wealthy. Nine figure wealthy. They are kind, decent people, who give away some of their money to good causes, and have redeeming qualities. Other than amazing homes, and nice cars, they are not ostentatious people. I do not know many with this kind of wealth in Thailand, so I cannot speak to this. But, in general wealthy Thai people are famous the world over, for being very stingy with their wealth, when it comes to helping mankind. They definitely seem to be guilty of having alot of attitude, and feeling very superior to the masses. I have no problem with a little attitude, as long as you have alot to back it up. Wealth is not nearly enough.

Your experience in the USA reflects mine in the UK, but I wasn't talking about people in the USA or the UK, I was specifically referring to Thais. Where we differ is in our experience of rich Thais in Thailand, and I can tell you that I have found all of them - ALL OF THEM to be obnoxious, bigoted and invariably obsessed with their own status. I have also taught in an English-language program being delivered for the children of super-rich Thais. With the exception of less than 10%, I found them to be similarly dishonest, power-hungry and wretched. Not surprising really given the emotional state and level of honesty of most of their parents.

But enough of that, the lesson of the events which gave rise to this thread is that Thais are dangerously subject to uncontrolled and perhaps uncontrollable rage if they perceive their self-esteem to be injured - or even questioned. This is a very juvenile trait arising solely from what I believe is immersion from birth in a highly toxic culture.

I really don't think its up for a sensible debate given the frequency of violence from this cause in Thailand. Recently, the alleged murder by sons of policemen of a disabled man and the assault by a few young mental cases on an elderly UK couple in Hua Hin are pretty good examples. Thais are violent, they lack self-control, they are cowardly (they only ever fight if they have overwhelming numbers or superior weapons and the personal risk is therefore low).

The Thai police, whose job it is to ensure the law is applied are alleged to be corrupt from top to bottom, as are the armed forces, In my personal view, both are a complete joke being perpetrated upon the Thai people who assuredly deserve much better. I really can't see any sensible argument against these views - the only questions worth asking are why? and from where do these despicable traits arise.

I have a pretty good idea, but I'm not prepared to discuss that here.

Winnie

When you say we have a differing experience when it comes to rich Thais, as I said, I have very little experience. So, I value your opinion, as you have worked directly with the class of people in question. Not sure class is the right word though. Maybe more like demographic. As I mentioned they do seem to be guilty of alot of character deficiencies. As many of us know, money is just one element, and does not define a person. When you are guilty of a lack of character development, and simply let your money do all of the talking, it can result in some very small and insignificant people, pretending that they are of great consequence. It is an amusing thing to witness.

My take on the whole face thing, is that I perceive it to be a combination of a lack of maturity, and a lack of self esteem, or self confidence. If you know who you are, it matters little what others think, say, or do. They matter little to someone who has a real sense of himself. So, the incredible over reaction that we see sometimes, I think stems from not knowing one's self too well, and thereby having very thin skin. Since the culture discourages any sort of introspection, it becomes quite difficult to get under the surface, and to get to know one's self really well. One who has, can work through his insecurities, his foibles, his lack of confidence, his extreme concern over how he is viewed by neighbors, friends, family, and the world at large. If you have done enough inner work, there comes a point where you realize how little all of that matters, and at that point, it takes an awful lot to get offended, embarrassed, and to be made to feel like you are being made to look bad. The whole concept of face is merely an excuse to engage in extreme cowardice, and total lack of introspection. Face is often the polar opposite of taking responsibility. It is the game of cowards. and weak individuals, and weak cultures.

I realize some will defend the practice of face, by claiming it is cultural. Of course it is cultural. But a weakness is a weakness, whether it is personal, cultural, or otherwise. Get over it. Man up. Grow, evolve, and improve. Face is the polar opposite of Buddhism, which requires self analysis, if applied properly. Face is the opposite of self analysis and looking within. It is all about deflection. It is a horrific practice, no matter how you look at it, and the stunning degree of concern over saving face is a demonstration of an astonishing degree of inner weakness, and lack of control over one's self. Generally, the Thais I have met that have been the most impressive people, do not have much in the way of wealth. But, they do have substance, and come from good families that are hard working, honest, and possess integrity, and soul.

Other than perhaps his immediate family, is anybody mourning this guys demise? He sounds like quite a fool. Killing his fellow teachers for calling him out on his fake degree? Then killing himself? What a waste of space this guy took up. And he was teaching the nations children?

The whole concept of face makes me rather sick. A man behaves like a man, and takes responsibility. The fact that there is a mechanism within Thai society that allows people to cop out, and avoid taking responsibility for anything, is simply complete cowardice. Face is the absence of manhood. It is the absence of spirituality, and the ability to look within for the source of a problem. It stifles any sort of personal growth, and prevents the entire society from moving forward, progressing, improving, and evolving. It is horrific. It is an abomination, and a boil on the face of Thailand.

Sadly, this is what the Thai culture produces. Nobody is born like this, their environment makes them like this.

I agree with your reaction to the whole thing about 'face', Thais have a very low self-esteem which cannot tolerate anytrhing which injures it. The relevant question is:

:Do Thais have a low self-esteem with good reason, or do they have a low self-esteem because they have been taught since birth that they are less worthy and less valuable than rich people, to whom they must give respect and pay obeisance?"

My feeling is the latter.

If your theory was correct, than rich Thais would not have an issue taking responsibility, and would be able to look the ridiculousness of face in the eyes, and be done with it. That does not appear to be the case. It seems to cross all social, and economic strata. It is endemic in the society, and perhaps the single greatest, and most profoundly tragic aspect of contemporary Thai culture. It must be wiped out entirely, in order for the country to grow, progress and move forward.

I believe I am correct, and so, I believe, are you. Rich Thais are emotionally similar to poor Thais (since they partake of the same cultural inheritance) except more so since they have (in their opinion) more face to lose by dint of the money, most of which, in one way or another they stole or otherwise did not earn honestly.

Oddly, I have much more time for poor Thais than I do for rich (especially hiso) Thais, who in my opinion, are a$$holes to a person. In this, they are similar, but for different reasons, to the hiso in many countries. It's one of the things that makes the 1% so offensive.

Self esteem drives Thais, imho, most of them are narcissists.

Winnie

I am not so sure of that. I have a few friends in the states who are fabulously wealthy. Nine figure wealthy. They are kind, decent people, who give away some of their money to good causes, and have redeeming qualities. Other than amazing homes, and nice cars, they are not ostentatious people. I do not know many with this kind of wealth in Thailand, so I cannot speak to this. But, in general wealthy Thai people are famous the world over, for being very stingy with their wealth, when it comes to helping mankind. They definitely seem to be guilty of having alot of attitude, and feeling very superior to the masses. I have no problem with a little attitude, as long as you have alot to back it up. Wealth is not nearly enough.

I have just had a bet, online, that it won't rain this week.

Looking forward to spending the winnings.

You'd lose here. Had heavy rain in Somdet (Kalasin) this morning. And my phone tells me we have thunderstorms or rain for the next week with the max temperature falling to 29.

And we all know phones are both infallible, and never wrong. Do not count on the weatherman. Ever. Hope and pray for rain, but do not count on them to forecast it.

Other than perhaps his immediate family, is anybody mourning this guys demise? He sounds like quite a fool. Killing his fellow teachers for calling him out on his fake degree? Then killing himself? What a waste of space this guy took up. And he was teaching the nations children?

The whole concept of face makes me rather sick. A man behaves like a man, and takes responsibility. The fact that there is a mechanism within Thai society that allows people to cop out, and avoid taking responsibility for anything, is simply complete cowardice. Face is the absence of manhood. It is the absence of spirituality, and the ability to look within for the source of a problem. It stifles any sort of personal growth, and prevents the entire society from moving forward, progressing, improving, and evolving. It is horrific. It is an abomination, and a boil on the face of Thailand.

Sadly, this is what the Thai culture produces. Nobody is born like this, their environment makes them like this.

I agree with your reaction to the whole thing about 'face', Thais have a very low self-esteem which cannot tolerate anytrhing which injures it. The relevant question is:

:Do Thais have a low self-esteem with good reason, or do they have a low self-esteem because they have been taught since birth that they are less worthy and less valuable than rich people, to whom they must give respect and pay obeisance?"

My feeling is the latter.

If your theory was correct, than rich Thais would not have an issue taking responsibility, and would be able to look the ridiculousness of face in the eyes, and be done with it. That does not appear to be the case. It seems to cross all social, and economic strata. It is endemic in the society, and perhaps the single greatest, and most profoundly tragic aspect of contemporary Thai culture. It must be wiped out entirely, in order for the country to grow, progress and move forward.

Other than perhaps his immediate family, is anybody mourning this guys demise? He sounds like quite a fool. Killing his fellow teachers for calling him out on his fake degree? Then killing himself? What a waste of space this guy took up. And he was teaching the nations children?

The whole concept of face makes me rather sick. A man behaves like a man, and takes responsibility. The fact that there is a mechanism within Thai society that allows people to cop out, and avoid taking responsibility for anything, is simply complete cowardice. Face is the absence of manhood. It is the absence of spirituality, and the ability to look within for the source of a problem. It stifles any sort of personal growth, and prevents the entire society from moving forward, progressing, improving, and evolving. It is horrific. It is an abomination, and a boil on the face of Thailand.

Throughout the Western world, meteorology and baseball are the two professions, where you can be wrong 70% of the time, and still make alot of money. It may not apply here, as the salaries are notoriously low. But, it appears that a limited amount of talent is required to be a weatherman. How could they be wrong so often?

Not momentum at all for me. Realistically, if I had enough cash, I would probably only be here for about half of the year and avoid the late March to late September weather. But, as long as one is willing to pay the price of running the AC all day, and all night, the place can be quite delightful.

Right, if you are lucky enough not to live near barking dogs, music blasting away from neighbors who get all offended if you ask them to keep it down, nearly having an accident on the roads almost daily, the crap TV and the immigration obstacle course. Like you I think half the year would be about right.

Well, many of us have to establish workarounds. One needs to scout the home base carefully, before committing to buying or renting. One must scout the location early morning and late evening, several times, before committing. Are there noisy neighbors? Ridiculous dogs? Soi dogs? Nearby bars? Many of us have been fortunate enough to find places where that is not an issue.

The True platinum package is not bad, though a bit overpriced, for what it is. Between that and downloads, I have as much to watch as I can handle. I enjoy a 20MB fiber optic connection, so downloads and streaming, are fast and easy.

As far as traffic goes, you are right about that. Always wear the best helmet you can afford, if on a motorbike, and keep eyes in the back of your head. There is nothing here, in the way of traffic safety. The police could not possibly be less competent.

And immigration surely could be alot easier, if only there were men and women possessing any sort of vision, in power. Unfortunately, I do not think there is a single one on the national level. They should not only be offering those of us that can afford to live well, visas of two, five or ten years, but also multiple entry, and come and go as you please, without ever having the need to leave the country for renewal. That is a scam, and we all know it. That would be visionary. So, in the absence of visionary policy, just get a long term visa if you can.

What are those other reasons that he "hates them"? Mass murder? I freakin' hope everyone hates those people.

"These people"

Are you seriously suggesting that all Muslims are extremists who want to cut your head off?

Maraym Namazie explained it best, Muslims are people who follow a religious faith, Islamists are extremists who want to politicize a religious faith.

Islamists are the KKK of the Muslim faith.

I have a Muslim friend who is a surgeon working with MSF, Red Cross and Emergency (An Italian aid agency). He is a decent caring human being, like the vast majority of Muslims, so I take exception when you suggest that he is the same as the extremists.

I too believe there are many moderate Muslims out there. The majority, for sure. However, they are either not speaking out in a vociferous enough manner, against the extremist pigs who are attempting to steal their faith, or the media does not care to report it. There should be mass demonstrations in the streets of the Arab world, consisting of these moderate Muslims, against the gang rapist thugs. That is NOT happening, and it is leading a lot of level headed, reasonable people within the Western world to conclude that most are sympathetic, or in collusion with the piglet freaks. Also, the leaders and the clerics need to be speaking out more. If this does not start happening soon, we could be looking at a 4th Crusade, with the entire Western world, against the entire Muslim world. There is a lot of anger out there right now. The Muslim world needs to start speaking out, and they need to do it yesterday.

You only have to look at the culture to find the answer. These guys (the bad ones) are like alpha-males. They assert their will by force. Women are subserviant.

To speak against them, as you say, one would be labelled a bad Muslim and shunned.

Actually its the same as nationalism, or rabid nationalism, that keeps peoples mind in the middle ages.

You are probably correct with that assessment. Any religion that punishes those that defect, is a religion riddled with insecurity, instability, hatred, intolerance, and misunderstanding. I used to be quite tolerant of Islam, and all religions. It is becoming harder and harder to maintain any level of tolerance toward Islam these days, as it continues to show the world an uglier face, by the day, and there is so little that it appears to be contributing to the world. But, I continue to make an attempt, as I am certain the majority of Muslims do not sympathize with the super freak gang rapist, murderous pig extremists.

It is up to the moderate Muslim men and women of the world to stand up in a unified manner, and just say no to the bigots, the true infidels (those who are hijacking the religion, yet know nothing of spirituality nor nobility, nor righteousness) the extremists, and the warlords. So what if you are shunned? Who would want to be a part of a community that sympathizes with the nonsense? There is a time and a place for all men and women of consciousness, to lift themselves and their families out of the nonsense of tribal, communal and extreme religious madness, stand up for their own individuality and ideals, and just say no. This is not who I am. I refuse to be the person that they tell me I should be. This is not the person I want my children to become. This is nonsense!

I am fairly happy here. But, if I had the funds, and a substantial income, that would allow me to live anywhere, I doubt I would be living here. There are just too many problems and issues. Some of the areas that would be a huge concern to me if I was raising children, would be:

the fabulously inferior educational system, and the inability for children to question their teachers.

the inability for the kids to learn much about the world. geography, history, geopolitics, thailand's true place in the world, etc.

the nearly complete lack of positive role models for the kids here. how many Thai's have recently won Nobel Peace prizes, Pulitzers, Peabodys, Oscars, etc?

the ridiculous and outdated class system.

the utter refusal of the elites, and the government to acknowledge the need to improve education.

the succession of one incompetent government after the next.

the seeming unwillingness of the current regime, to let go of power.

the lack of law and order. the lack of traffic safety. the lack of regard for public safety.

the corruption, and the unwillingness of anyone in a position of power to do anything about it.

the human trafficking and slave trade issues.

the potential for the Thai economy to really take a bath, over the next decade.

the erosion of Thailand's standing within SE Asia.

the complete and utter lack of progressive minds, here in the LOS.

the complete lack of vision, when it comes to the future.

the lack of sustainable environmental and developmental policies.

the presence of a nationalist attitude and agenda. it holds the country back on so many levels.

lastly, my favorite peeve. face. the extreme level of cowardice, that an entire nation engages in, when they practice this act of shameful weakness on a daily basis. talk about the utter refusal to look within for the source of a problem. it is an abomination.

I could go on and on. But, I won't. Needless to say, there is tremendous room for improvement. No need to address the issues of the countries that are being considered. Just venting about some local frustrations.

Reading this it makes me wonder why you came to live in Thailand in the first instance. Its not as if your list didn't exist before you arrived.

It also makes me laugh a little when people have a good old rant about everything bad in Thailand, then call it LOS.

probably because its much better on vacation then it is to live here.

also considering spain and portugal. easy border hops and 3 month visas. taxes are a non issue for me since i wont be buying property anywhere outside my home country, just renting, and dont need to stay in country more then 6 months at a stretch (why would you?)

as to the question why are you still here in thailand, its just momentum at this point and laziness.

its easy to just get stuck here in a rut drinking and wasting time. i figure thats what happens to many as they age here.

the heat makes you extremely tired during the day, a few beers at night, the constant 'love bombing' and neediness of the women, turn around and 10 years have gone by.

Nah, for some of us, it is quite good living here. If you are fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who has alot of the lovely qualities that make some Thai women very special and unique, and are able to live on savings, or money earned overseas, one can enjoy a lovely life here. As for me, I rarely drink, so whiling away the hours while getting drunk, is just not an interesting pastime for me, on any level. There are far more interesting things to do with my time.

Not momentum at all for me. Realistically, if I had enough cash, I would probably only be here for about half of the year and avoid the late March to late September weather. But, as long as one is willing to pay the price of running the AC all day, and all night, the place can be quite delightful.