spidermike007

As another Yank, who travels back there two or three times a year, I totally agree. I feel far safer here. And it is a real pleasure to be this far away from the extremists of each party, be they republican, or democrat.

We are very luck indeed. Or very fortunate. Which seems less accidental than lucky. Some of us are enjoying the great fortune of being with a very good woman. Every day with mine is a very good day. She is the same lovely woman from one day to the next. She has a smile on her face when she wakes up in the morning. Never experienced that in the states. Some Thais manifest that unbearable lightness of being, that is so delightful to be around. I cannot really get enough of that spirit, and feel so blessed to be around that, and to have found such a well adjusted and delightful creature. Many of us have been fortunate to find very good women, who brings alot to the table, and has a sense of appreciation, gratitude, and is not too arrogant to say thank you. And visa versa. I never hesitate to praise my gal, and thank her for her kindness, a lovely meal, and other things she does to improve my life. And then there is the standard of living. Thailand is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $2000-3800 a month. That is 120,000 baht! And anything labor related here is still cheap. Food is a bargain at many restaurants. Good 4 star hotels in major cities like Bangkok for 2,000 to 2,500 baht a night. And for single friends, who like renting a gal, that is still reasonable too! Yes, we have it very good here.

Tobacco has been known to be highly toxic for decades now. This is not new news. So is inhaling huge amounts of smoke, of any kind. So, this is no surprise. The only ones who are surprised are the very lenient parents, and those who are uninformed.

Really? Do you have a clear understanding of what they are? Pathogens are defined as microscopic organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can cause diseases in humans, animals, and plants. These invisible agents can cause a wide range of infections, from mild illnesses like the common cold to severe and potentially life-threatening diseases like COVID-19, Smallpox, Ebola, and HIV. They are also referred to as infectious agents or germs. You don't believe in any of that? Were all those diseases fabricated? Flat earth too? Fake moon mission?

I think many don't want to let it go. There are huge incentives for the CDC, the FDA, the WHO, the medical industry, and Big Pharma. Zero worries on my part. I am far more concerned about catching a flu. The numbers might be ticking up a bit, but they are still very low. And the mortality rates continue to drop, with each subsequent variant. In both percentage change and raw terms, hospitalizations remain far below their pandemic-era peak. Nationally, hospitalizations are down 82% year over year. The CDC reports 10,320 overall hospital admissions in the week between July 30-Aug. 5, compared to more than 150,000 in one week in January 2022. https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why

I was there recently. Saw a few hot babes on Bangla. Not many. And barely any freelancers. Also, elsewhere in Patong, Kata and Karon the massage and bar scene was worse than Samui. It has diminished into nearly a big zero. Been diminishing for years, but I had heard it was rocking. Not the case. It was boring and bereft. And as always, overpriced. Don't need to ever visit Phuket again. Though I do love the Andaman. It is gorgeous and Phuket is a beautiful island.

India is an enormous country, with all types, demographics, and levels of society. I have an Indian friend who is staying in Phuket for a 3 week trip. He is staying at a 5 star hotel, in one of the best rooms. He eats out at good restaurants and bar fines hot girls. I would estimate his budget for the 3 weeks is around 200,000 to 275,000 baht. Generalizations are boring and are usually wrong.

Yes. Since the new regs came into place. I don't think it is real. Have not had any issues.

Your claim may or may not be true. Being poor does not mean you are without talent, nor bright, though many Westerners and conservatives would make that claim. Many immigrants are talented mechanics, landscapers, framers, carpenters, roofers, cooks, designers, musicians, etc, etc. Many are very hard workers and work far harder than their counterparts in the nations they settle in. Many pay taxes and make substantial contributions to society. They contribute alot more than you give them credit for. For example, where would the Thai construction industry be without the excellent Burmese carpenters?

Without immigrants in the US, the country would be lazy, unproductive and a pale shadow of the nation it became. Very few Americans are willing to do the work many immigrants will do, and if anything, the quota system needs to be increased to allow more highly talented people to live and work there. One of the reasons the system is broken, is the lack of reform and the very old quota system. The best and the brightest from around the world get a degree at MIT, then can't work in the US, because of the broken system. So, where do they go? Brazil, Germany, and other nations civilized enough to know their value.

That was exceedingly smart of you.

Well, good fortune to you. You are statistically amongst the luckiest and most successful.

Well, I may be a big dummy. But, it can't be argued that those nations are amongst the top ten in the world in birth rates. And I call that an issue. For everyone, not just them.

This usually happens to guys who are inexperienced and do not take their time getting to know her. How long did you take to get to know her, before you married her, or got serious with her? I always advocate really taking your time here. Time is ALWAYS our ally, and never theirs. So take you time, get to know who they really are, and how they act under duress. The vast majority of Thai people are way immature for their age. And many women and men are emotionally undeveloped, and really just 13 year olds, who look like adults. There is something about this society that does not allow most people to grow up with an understanding of themselves. I think face has something to do with it. The utter refusal to take responsibility for one's actions and the unwillingness to "own" a situation, and man up when you screw up. That and the inability to question people, and situations. And the subsequent lack of curiosity. It is all a perfect storm, when it comes to preventing alot of people from becoming well developed human beings, with communication skills, and the tools needed to conduct meaningful relationships, beyond the surface. So, the best solution is to move slowly. If she pushes back, explain to her that you need at least a year or two to get to know her. And that is time together, not apart. If that does not suit her, move on. See ya!

No, no, no. Encouraging more population is the last thing in the world anyone needs. Babies are so over rated, anyway.

No. Falling birth rates are the best thing that can happen to a nation. And the world. There will be job shortages, which means higher pay. And some of that will be made up for by automation and AI, anyway. Less resource consumption, less traffic, pollution, environmental degradation, etc. The list of benefits goes on and on and on. It is nations like Niger, Mali, Angola, Benin, Uganda, Chad, Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Liberia, Cameroon and Afghanistan that are of a far greater concern. Some of the poorest nations on earth, that can least afford exploding populations. One could argue their populations are both undisciplined and misled. There is another aspect to this, that is better left unsaid.

It is the passengers responsibility to deal with the bag they choose to bring on board, not the flight attendants. And these days, disruptive passengers can expect no less than to be booted from a flight. In the US, they would likely be facing serious charges. Goons. What else can one say? Who are their mothers and fathers and why didn't they do a better job at parenting? You let a kid run wild like an animal, and they grow up to be rude and disrespectful.

These days, if I see any sort of que, or am told the wait is longer than 10 minutes, I run for the hills. No interest in supporting trends, frenzies, or dealing with crowds. See ya!

What do uou think of the way the system randomly makes certain sentences bold? A programming error, it would appear.

If there were ever ministers who will not be missed, it is these three, who cozied up to the Burmese army, utterly refused to represent the common Thai, and failed miserably in their jobs. See ya! Bye bye.

It would appear to be a hub of oppression, suppression of citizen rights, reform resistance, malice on the part of the judiciary, corruption, army over reach, and overly conservative backwards movement.

While I am certain the RTP appreciate your defense, I was recently there and witnessed this scam in action. The ones who were getting pulled over were wearing helmets, unlike most of their Thai counterparts. It is possible they were simply doing license checks. When asked to stop, I kept on going, so I wouldn't know.

Sorry, but asking that is about a trite as posting your bowl of oatmeal on Instagram. Let's take about things that are of more interest to adults.

The man was simply performing his duty to society, and reporting criminal malfeasance. However, the criminals do not like getting caught in the act. I was there recently and saw countless Thais without helmets being waved through, and countless foreigners with helmets being stopped. Is that not profiling due to race? Why would they do that? Was there any possibility that they assumed the foreigners have more cash in their pockets? But, don't admit guilt. Try to turn it around. Pure deflection. Busted!

It will likely get worse, as the worlds financial markets are due for a major correction. And it is quite possible the Thai baht has been over valued too. We will soon find out if building apartments somehow equates to running a large economy.