spidermike007

Absolutely. Controlling the finances is one of the big perks of living here.

I lived and worked in India, a long time ago. I have been to Indian brothels. Not someplace you want to send up working. At some massage shops, a gal can kind of pick and choose her customers and what she is willing to do. So, definitely not as advertised. However, for a promise of 100,000 baht a month, it is unreasonable to expect that performing sex was not part of the deal.

Quite tragic. Brings to mind 2 things that could have saved the husband. 1. At some point, Thailand is going to have to pay some attention to mental health issues. One insipid administration after another has been ignoring this for decades. 2. If the husband had some self defense or fighting skills it is quite possible he could have disarmed and beaten down the homicidal freak. Always a good idea to educate ourselves with at least basic fighting skills.

I recently spent time on Phuket. My least favorite part of the trip was the preponderance of Russians. Most of them are unpleasant. I don't know if it is rudeness, arrogance, or a simple lack of civility and manners. Theirs is a culture with truly barbaric origins, after all.

Nah. The best thing we can do here is buy land and build a house with our own cash. Not having to ask a Thai bank for a loan is a version of happiness. See ya!

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a hell hole. You want one of those? Try Russia. Or Mali. Or Sudan. But the US is demented. No question about that. And broken.

Well said, and a much needed discussion. The 2nd amendment may have applied in the past, when there was a need for militias. Now? It makes it nearly impossible to control guns, or the maniacs who use them to commit mass murder. Why is the US such a leader when it comes to mass murder? Nearly one a day so far this year. It is out of control. The US is broken down on so many levels. But, this could change things a little. Most GOP leaders are absolute cowards. And the NRA is a disaster. Something has to change.

True. And the rates they charge borrowers is very high. They seem to insist on working with very large spreads. The banks are a major mafia everywhere, but they set a new standard here.

Some people simply have no understanding of the purpose of a forum, and seem to have an aversion to what they perceive as criticism or negativity. Ignore the wallflowers. Some of us enjoy venting. Some with paper thin skin can't handle it. So what?

The roads here are a far greater hazard. Abductions and violence are not common. Accidents on the very dangerous highways are. And the highway patrol is doing nothing to change that, as they absolutely refuse to patrol the highways.

I have friends who know younger Russians. And they say they are kind, friendly and progressive. I have no idea what percentage of the population these younger people represent, nor how representative they are of the Russian population. Personally, I have met very few friendly Russians. Apparently being open, trusting or friendly is not part of their culture. I can only speak from my experience. Have run into alot of Russians both in the US, and on Phuket and Samui, 98% of them seem to be grumpy, unfriendly and gruff. Some of them are downright hostile. Likely a reflection of a very, very rough culture and environment. So, perhaps it is not a coincidence that the world is not standing up to support them and show them kindness? Nor welcoming them with open arms? Just an observation.

Sorry. Trust has to be earned, and should never, ever be freely given. Give the people a reason to trust you. Then, maybe. So far, all the people see is a hijacked election, and a PM with no experience.

Confidence? From whom? All has been lost. Total abandonment of both promises and principles comes at a cost. There is no trust, nor confidence. That has to be earned. If possible. And will it matter? The people seem to have decided to be utterly and completely compliant, at this point. Where is the resistance to a great election injustice, anyway?

Man drinks? Please. Just say NO. It is a very useful word. Do I look stupid to you?

Most Thais that I talk to think the cops here are very crooked. If they only know how far it went up. People talk about a crime buster like big joke. If it is a pyramid scheme, what are the chances of the top dogs being straight? 1%? Exposing high ranking cops and officials here is a very honorable thing to do. But it is also very dangerous. Men who are morally bankrupt will do anything to keep the gravy train running.

Some of them are not even permitted to carry a few hundred baht around. They have to use a bank card or ask the wife for cash. Yikes.

The favored cap for MIT grads these days.

Have you ever considered taking your show on the road? Alot of money these days in stand up comedy.

Is a high risk of loss of life and limb really worth the savings of one minute? If you answered yes, go to the back of the class. You failed the grade.

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, prevention, enforcement of the law, or concern toward the prosecution of very reckless drivers. Those of us with driving skill, and a strong desire for not only survival, but the avoidance of terrible injury, are constantly scanning the road, in front of us, beside us, and behind us. There are an exceptionally high number of reckless fools on these roads, and it is the only way to preserve our lives, and those of our families, and friends, who may be driving with us, and depending on us. If driving, especially on a motorbike, treat the activity as an act of war, in a sense that you may be mowed down or killed at any moment. Maintain eyes in the back of your head. Watch everyone. Expect craziness, insanity, lack of reason, and a complete lack of courtesy and respect on the roads, at all times. Expect cars and trucks to be coming at you in the wrong lane. Expect people to overtake you with the slimmest of margins. Many of us drive motorcycles or scooters here, and it is dangerous getting on the roads with some of these other drivers. Getting on a scooter, or a motorcycle anywhere in Thailand, much less Phuket, Phangan, Dark Tao, or Samui without a very good helmet, is like playing Russian Roulette with three or four bullets in the chamber. It is absolutely asking for problems. The degree of recklessness here is astounding. And many foreigners come here thinking "how much trouble could I get in on a little scooter, on a tropical island"? Well, the answer is alot. The amount of foreigners who are killed on the Southern islands is staggering. Most are not reported in the media. I had a friend who worked for Samui rescue for many years, and said the numbers were about 30-60 a month, on Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao. The official number is about 3 a month. Rider beware. Use as good a helmet as you can afford, and do not use these eggshells pieces of crap. They crack at the first impact, and what lies underneath them? Your skull, which is very delicate. I have been riding bikes for 52 years. Without any serious accidents. A few minor ones over the years. Riding a bike here is very dangerous. If not the highest, one of the highest fatality rates in the world. And an accident here can be very costly, to your person. Just ask yourself- do I have enough problems already, without a broken skull, or smashed head, or face injury, or lost eye? I have three friends who have been in motorbike accidents on Samui within the last several years. One still cannot walk, or talk or function on her own, from a motorbike accident, where she hit her head on the pavement going only 20 kph. The other one has lost alot of his mental capacity after hitting his head. He insisted for years he would never wear a helmet. Now, he seems 15 years older. The third one is a close friend, who was hit by a sidecar, and nearly lost his leg. 11 operations later, he can walk, but with a limp, and the leg caused him constant problems, many years later.

It does not matter. Often, it is about the laws in the country under which you hold a passport, not local laws. It may be 13 in Argentina, but an American can still be arrested and charged there, and his life is essentially over. Finished. Done.

If you have enough cash, anything is possible in this world, and if you are famous enough, you are often above the law. People like that are subject to a different set of standards. Also, it was a different era. The pursuit of crimes against underage, or trafficked women is one area where society has actually improved, and not gone backwards.

I certainly hope so. There is never, ever any justification to get with a woman under 18. Or even under 20, just to be safe. Why take that kind of risk, and why run the risk of harming the girl psychologically? Plenty of women out there who are young enough, very sexy, and willing to please. I used to know a guy who was a very prominent lawyer in Los Angeles and he would go down to Cuba a couple of times a year and specifically seek out girls that were 13, 14, and 15 years old. He spoke fluent Spanish. He would befriend them, and then meet the parents, and promise them that he would support them for years to come, in exchange for letting him get with their daughter, who was of course a virgin. Many agreed, as they were desperate financially and the minute he got with the daughter he would completely walk away. He never had any intention of providing any support, it was just a pure scam. It was such a filthy, horrific theft of integrity, character, honor and pride for those girls and their families. It was a source of pride for him and he would brag about it. The minute I heard that story I never wanted to have anything to do with this guy. That is just a colonial Conquistador mentality, that is just really ugly. There's no justification for anyone ever behaving like that. He should be in prison.

I would try probiotics and sea cucumber extract. The Chinese have been using it for millennia. I use it for knee issues. It works wonders. The amino acids found in sea cucumber—namely glycine, glutamic acid, and arginine—have been shown to stimulate the creation of immune cells. These cells boost immunity and aid in the cellular response to invading infection or disease. Sea cucumber is an exceptionally rich source of antioxidants. According to scientific research, key compounds found naturally in sea cucumber scavenge free radicals and limit oxidative damage. This has whole-body benefits including in the skin. One of the most amazing benefits of sea cucumber is thanks to bioactive compounds called saponins. Saponins are bioactive compounds involved in the animal’s natural defenses. Research has revealed potential anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties of saponins, making sea cucumber a promising health ingredient for future study. https://www.novaseaatlantic.com/blog/health-benefits-of-sea-cucumber-supplements Sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus, is used not only as an outstanding tonic food but also as a traditional medicine for the treatment of asthma, hypertension, rheumatism, anemia, and sinus congestion. The purpose of this study was to examine sea cucumber as an anti-gastritis and anti-gastric ulcer in HCl-ethanol-induced gastric and H. pylori-infected animal models. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276052388_The_Effects_of_Sea_Cucumber_as_an_Anti-gastritis_Anti-gastric_Ulcer_and_Anti-Helicobater https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090989615000223 This report suggests anti-cancer, anti-coagulation, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-hyperlipidemic activity, anti-melanogenesis, anti-osteoclastogenesis, anti- oxidation, and other health benefits. I consider this to be a miracle food. Not sure how hard it is to find here. I order it from Swanson's Vitamins in the US. It is inexpensive. We also use sea cucumber oil for sprains, muscle aches, burns, cuts, bites, etc. Amazing stuff.

As I get older, my rules for simple living are evolving. If I am dealing with someone who is simply too difficult, too unreasonable, or too unpleasant, I just move on. See ya! Thanks, but no thanks. I would rather offer 3-6 months in advance, than have to deal with all that scrutiny and invasion of personal privacy. I know it is common back in the UK and the US, but those are two thoroughly broken cultures, and one expects most things to be difficult back there. Not here. This is what I am willing to offer you, and show you. If it is not enough for you, let us move on.