spidermike007

I don't like the guy, and I think his war on cannabis is wrong, and the man is on the wrong side of history. But, he does call people out. I admire that. And I don't wish what is ahead of him on anyone. May he have an easy ride.

It appears the reason why he was demoted as chief of immigration, was his constant grand standing, and xenophobic statements about foreigners. Quite bizarre coming from the immigration chief. Now? Nobody really understands how he not only resurfaced, but became national chief of police. Yes he might be influential. But, he is also a big talker. And I don't think anyone should be worried about his sometimes over zealous statements. I certainly won't. Fight crime, yes. Fight expats no. We do bring in alot of stable income. Even the rural folks benefit. Alot of the nicer houses in the poorer farming areas were built with money from expats. Alot of trucks, cars and income is from expats. Countless business employing many. Thousands of hotels, restaurants, countless airlines and many tour companies, also benefit. By comparison, an average ex-pat spends how much per month? I would say alot of us spend 50,000 to upwards of 100,000 baht a month. I know I do. No value in that? I know some live on less. However, since the average income is around 25,000 baht, that is significant. Especially now.

I think there were 3 great music periods in our lifetimes. From around 1965 to the early 1970's. An explosion of amazing music, lyrics and social awareness. From the late 70s to the late 1980s. Incredible funk, old school hip hop, and great British music from bands ranging from Joy Division to Depeche Mode to the Cure (the ballads), Morrissey, Tears for Fears, and so many more. Then Electronica from around 1996 to about 2003. Amazing creativity. DJ Shadow, Tosca, Faithless, Lamb, Red Snapper, DJ Krush, Coldcut, Zero 7, N.E.R.D., Souls of Mischief, Groove Armada, Moby, Boards of Canada, etc. Brilliant stuff. Since then? Not much. Dreadful hip hop, way too much lousy pop, boring and lifeless lyrics, and not much content. Reflective of Gen Z? Sheeran? Aaron Lewis? The Weekend? Bella Thorne? Carli B? Really? Just not much there.

Not buying this. Paris is likely far higher. France averages 90 million tourist arrivals per year. Spain is now averaging 8 to 9 million a month. Thailand? Maybe 15 million, so far this year, and they figure no doubt includes expat arrivals and returns, and business travel. As they say in New York pure malarkey.

Hard to even fathom someone saying they hate all Westerners. That is like saying I hate most people. Strange.

What do you think changed? I used to find them to be incredible lovers.

Cambodia blows away the PI in the food department. Both local and foreign. And cheaper for foreign food. PI food is as bad as Cuban food (in Cuba).

I really like most Thai people. Most are delightful. Especially compared to most Americans back in the US. Far more fun and lighthearted.

Great post. Thanks. Had a good friend who moved to several spots there, and had major lung issues in each place. Seems the gas is very low grade and sooty. Agree about the food. The Western food is good, but expensive. The local food is mostly horrendous. The bar action used to be amazing. I am told it is not anymore and has gone online. Oh well. I find the whole country to be like one huge Tijuana. So much poverty. Some hot women, though.

That is good to hear. Pleasant news. I sure like the PI people. And find the male population infinitely more interesting. It still astonishes me how few make friends I have here. They just don't seem interested. Maybe if I was fluent? Maybe. They don't seem curious, at all.

In terms of beauty, I find both have stunning women. But, the primary issue for me, if I was single, would be the actual quality of life there. From my point of view: Philippines Pros- 1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development. 2. The visa system is something that some think is simpler. You do need to have money on deposit, and unlike Thailand it remains on deposit the entire time you live there. 3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. You really need a yacht or a helicopter to get around the remote islands. 4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment. The PI is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. 5. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI. 6. They are more Western in their mindset. The colonial occupation by Spain, which was largely managed by Mexico, means the culture is more Western leaning. Which makes them more open to the outside world and more curious. Qualities which are sorely lacking here. I find it rare for Thai men to have much interest at all, in really getting to know us. They seem to be lacking curiosity of the outside world, to a remarkable degree. Cons- 1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look. 2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing. 3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment. The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few. 4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food. 5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it. 6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing. 7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there. 8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 1TB download speed, and a 600MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 650 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations. Shall I go on? I could. As far as I am concerned, the only reason to live there is the women, and a slightly more cooperative, and far less xenophobic and racist government. Alot of ex-pats have already left Thailand, as the current administration is so far beyond heinous and incompetent, it is unspeakable. I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the black belt level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here. If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. I like the people. The level of english skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. The PI is a foreign country. And somewhat Westernized. Thailand is a distant planet.

Did I hear the word democracy used? When an official of a party that has won an election, is denied the ability to represent, that is something other than democracy.

The concept of Thailand having eco-friendly logistics is very, very humorous considering the fact that they are 70 years behind the curve when it comes to moving cargo around the nation. They are completely locked into the highways, where there are filthy diesel trucks of every size clogging the highways to no end, pouting the air, and making travel quite difficult for people in normal cars. They desperately need to start building High-Speed Rail that can accommodate massive amounts of cargo. There is no way around that unless they want to build double decker highways with toll roads on top, throughout the entire nation, which would of course be prohibitively expensive. Something has to give. What they are doing now is the polar opposite of eco friendly.

Not just this forum. All social media. Alot of folks who would never have the nerve to confront someone in public, feel emboldened behind a keyboard. Another reason why society is evolving backwards. Where men and leaders used to ride out into battle, with everything at stake, now they quibble online and give hostile and divisive speeches. The same people who would wet their pants if ever faced with real danger.

Only someone accustomed to living under the CCP, would not mention the very high luxury taxes, and wine taxes. Just two of several things that discourage wealthy tourists, who like spending real money, when they travel.

There is no question that culture and society is moving backwards. Social media has been hugely corrosive, and is dumbing down civilization. So, we were smarter back then. Despite the shoulder pads and the huge hair. And we are much, much dumber now.

This seems both unconstitutional and immoral. Who was elected? Why was he elected? The people want to see change, progress and reform. They have been denied. Let us hope some sort of justice prevails.

I don't either. The screen makes me dizzy. And I have good vision. Also, way too loud. Saw a film once on IMAX. No thanks

Well, you answered your own question. Move on. Find a better spot. Sounds like a bad dream.

Don't let bignok bait you. He does that alot. You can't take his posts seriously. Of course Trump is a traitor. In some nations he would be executed for what he did. At a minimum, he deserves to spend his few remaining years in prison.

Law enforcement is urged to investigate and apprehend the culprits promptly, as this incident severely tarnishes Pattaya's image as a tourist destination. Ha! As if the reputation of Pattaya has not be trashed repeatedly. It does appear that either the town is overrun with miscreants, or the police are exceptionally untalented, and indifferent to the practice of actual law enforcement.

It is not the Thais that I have an issue with. I like most Thai people. It is the cops, who are franchisees, and the government officials. I am not a victim. On any level. I just say it as I see it.

I will make a most optimistic prediction. There will never be another military coup here. Think about it. The moral authority that backed the coups in the past, is long gone. And the army does not have the guts to wage war against their people, Burmese style. It won't happen. The Thai army does not have the guts for it, and the Thai soldiers, and the families of the soldiers would never tolerate their sons murdering innocent Thais. The moms would say "you murder one Thai, and you are never welcome in our family home again. Listen to me. Do not do this". And you would have massive army defections. Who will fight at that point? Not the cowardly generals? They would flee into exile with their billions, and the army might collapse, or give up, at that point. One of the fundamental differences, is the Thai soldiers are not facing the level of desperation the young Burmese are. The poverty here is not as grinding as it is in Burma. I do not think it could be sustained, if the fools started it. Thailand is a very different culture than Burma, on a dozen significant levels. And the youth now, are very different people than they were during past coups, which were violent. and were supported with a sort of moral authority, which is gone now.

I think you are referring to Russia. I find no joy in joylessness, nor a bleak, dark society. They can have it. I find a nice smile keeps the heart warm. It is a very pleasant muscle to work, and brings much joy. Many Thais are very intuitive and receptive to kindness. I find a genuine smile goes a long way here. As some said, in the West, a smile does not get you much, besides scorn. Especially if you are smiling at a young and pretty gal. Here, I find alot smile back. And that is very heartwarming. I can flirt and joke around mercilessly with a cute, young waitress here, and often she is laughing and smiling. Alot of Thais have a wonderful lightness of being, and that is pure delight, for me. In the West, I would get locked up!

It is very important for law enforcement to focus on the real crime, and root out these foreigners. Everyone knows most of the crime committed here is by foreigners. The locals are very honorable, and few of them are corrupt, or dishonest. Even the army, the police, immigration, customs and other officials here are super clean and honest. So, why focus on them? Get the foreigners!