spidermike007

I get up in the morning and feel a deep sense of well-being here in Thailand. I live in a smaller town so there's very little stress nor congestion, it's a quiet life, my expenses are relatively low and I'm with a woman that I adore. I have a lot of good foreign friends here and I'm able to keep myself busy and able to pursue my passions. And all the years I lived in the US I never felt fulfilled. They're living for 8 years in New York City during the eighties was pretty incredible. But, that was ancient history, and everything has changed now.

Yes. 20 years now and things are still great between us.

The spectacularly ignorant level of isolationism that Trump is engaging in is going to have long-term ramifications for America. He could be setting the nation back decades and there's no doubt that he's dramatically precipitating the decline that America was already experiencing over the past few decades. The man is a completely unhinged, insane, very unstable and he's very, very poorly informed and advised. Woe is the US.

David French: I’m a columnist at The New York Times, and I’m a former JAG officer, an Army lawyer. Earlier this week, we found out that Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, received an invitation from the national security adviser, Michael Waltz, to join a Signal group chat. Audio clip of Jeffrey Goldberg: He was texting attack plans, when targets were going to be targeted, how they were going to be targeted, who was at the targets, when the next sequence of attacks were happening. This is an absolutely stunning breach of security. I’ve helped investigate numerous allegations of classified information spillages, and I’ve never heard of anything this egregious. This is extraordinary. There are so many ways in which sharing war plans is among the most egregious forms of security breach. It’s hard to think of a form of security breach that is worse than this. But aside from that, there is now public insight into conversations that were meant to be private. You have the vice president questioning the judgment of the president. You have the vice president laying into our allies. I know that’s something that they do publicly, as well, but there’s a difference between public communication and private communication. The private communication was never intended for the allies. So all of these things are damaging diplomatically. They’re damaging politically. They’re damaging militarily, and in the worst scenario, they could be catastrophically dangerous for American lives. It should be obvious to people that sharing plans for an attack hours before the attack could create problems, but let’s get a little bit more specific: The Houthis could move some of their weapons away from targeted locations. They could move senior officials away from targeted locations so that the strikes are less effective. They could choose to, for example, launch missiles themselves to attack before they are attacked, an action that could be incredibly costly in lives and in ships. They could move their senior leaders. The administration is saying now that there was nothing classified in the chat and they weren’t really war plans, in many ways, casting aspersions on Goldberg’s integrity. In fact, when Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, was confronted with these facts, he attacked Goldberg and did not acknowledge his own wrongdoing. But there is not an officer alive whose career would survive a security breach like this. From the very first weeks that you’re a member of the military, you start learning about operational security. This is drilled into officers. And those consequences would be instant relief from command. I have seen this with my own eyes. I have been a part of this process. You would have a relief from command followed by a comprehensive investigation, and potentially criminal charges. In the military, you would be advising an officer to seek counsel, to get a lawyer instantly, because the criminal investigation would be equally instant. In the civilian context, and Pete Hegseth is a civilian, there should be an immediate Department of Justice investigation into how this happened. Why were they using the Signal app, which the Pentagon has warned members of the military against using for Department of Defense business? Who was on the chat? Were they posting in it directly? Were they posting through subordinates? How often is sensitive business being conducted on Signal? There are so many questions that arise that the Department of Justice should be answering. And I mentioned criminal charges — federal law makes it a crime when a person, through gross negligence, removes information relating to the national defense from its proper place of custody and it is delivered to anyone in violation of trust or is lost, stolen, abstracted or destroyed. It’s way too soon to say whether Hegseth’s incompetence is also criminal, but I raise the possibility to demonstrate the sheer magnitude of the mistake, a security breach this significant requires thorough investigation. I can assure you that a Signal chat is not the right place to share sensitive information about upcoming American strikes. The White House’s spin is laughable. It’s weak. They have claimed that there were no actual war plans shared. The stakes are, what are we doing to the very culture of the United States military? Are we telling it that the days of professionalism are over and the days for political loyalty have begun?

Thailand has been facing issues for a very long time and after 10 years of army rule the Prayuth Decimation still affects Thailand to this day, and will for quite some time to come. The current administration is no better, as they have very few smart appointees and virtually nobody is there based on merit nor vision. Trump is escalating his trade war and it's going to severely damage the US economy in the process, and the damage is going to be long-term. This man is an uninformed nitwit who knows nothing about globalization nor the ecosystems involved in manufacturing. He is diminishing US influence by the day and that is going to be long-term, as nations around the world are not going to forget this and will be boycotting American products for decades to come. America deserves that treatment, as they voted Trump in after all.

You are right and the reality is that a lot of us live really well here and we have a lot to be thankful for. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. And many are struggling to make ends meet, in an environment that is stupidly over priced. This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. Also you can live here on a relatively limited income, I can't do that in the US right now.

Yes. An absolute typo. Unless you are referring to relatively inexpensive PFP, then it's a palace. Or a heaven.

I'm sorry but you lost your right to talk about scams and corruption when you voted for Trump. Period. End of story. You can't support a scam artist who has enriched himself from a lifetime of crime at the expense of ordinary people, and still maintain the right to criticize others for the same behavior. And I know we're both on the same page as we agree that all politicians at the national level are ridiculously corrupt.

I got very lucky, I really adore her parents, they are delightful people and there's a great deal of mutual respect between my woman and her parents. I could never engage in a relationship with a Thai woman unless I had a great deal of admiration and respect for her family, which I do. If I were in this position I would ask her to stand up to her folks and give them a real piece of her mind, or I would consider moving on. Sometimes parents are just completely wrong and very ignorant, and I think that there's a time and a place to tell them so, especially if you're giving them financial support. Sit down mom and dad, were about to have a very stern conversation and I'm about to tell you some things that you're not going to enjoy hearing, but they're things that need to be said. If you don't feel like having this conversation no problem, and if you talk back to me no problem, but I will be cutting you off starting tomorrow. Respect is a two-way street, if you don't get that fine, go out and find a job.

People just don't understand how incredibly dark Dubai is. It has a dank underworld element and it's ruled by one of the most horrendous and heinous royal families on the planet, with oppressive police and intelligence services. I wouldn't visit that place for less than $50,000 for a 3-day trip, fully sponsored.

I think you would probably have to have private banking at one of those exclusive outlets in Bangkok, with millions and millions of baht in the account, to get any service special service here. We all have bad days and we all have bad weeks, it's just part of the deal that we seem to have subscribed to when we were born.

Well first of all it's Pattaya, so nothing should ever surprise anyone about the palace. This area seems to attract a high percentage of the and low end tourists that frequent Thailand. The balance of them seem to be in Phuket.

If anybody didn't think he possessed a substantial degree of insanity, and that he was somewhat unhinged as a human, all they have to do is look at the number of offspring he has, and that's absolute proof that the man is off his rocker.

Be very grateful, finding true love and finding a great woman who always has your back, keeps a smile on your face, and rarely gives you a hard time is truly a great blessing in life. One that I enjoy on a daily basis and I'm very, very thankful for. Tips? 1. Give it at least 2-4 years, together ful time, before you propose. Time is ALWAYS our ally, and never theirs. 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. So take you time, get to know who they really are. Take as much time as you need. If it's good it's only going to get better, and if there are problems, they are going to manifest themselves over time. 2. You have NO idea what she's made of, you have no idea how good a job her family did raising her, you have no idea what her underlying neurosis or baggage is, until at least 12- 24months into the relationship. Together, not online. The longer, the better. If she walks, let her walk. 3. See if you like her family. It is far harder to have a successful relationship here if you don't. 4. So take you time, get to know who they really are, and how they act under different sorts of circumstances, and how they act when they do not get their way. LOL. And after you've taken your time, and after you've really gotten to know her, and after you've determined that she's worthy of your devotion, and that she is truly a great woman, don't let her go.

So, you didn't like the 2025 movie? I generally will watch anything Woody Harrelson is in. He is such a great character.

I think quite the opposite should happen and the criteria for immigration on the part of Muslims should be raised significantly. Something must be done to keep out the extremist super freaks. Their religion may work for them in Saudi, Kuwait, Yemen, Sudan or Somalia. That same ultra conservative fanatislcism, is not wanted, needed, nor desirable in Western nations. Only moderates need apply should be the policy. And there should be a standard of willingness to assimilate, and the burden should be on the family to prove the burden is met. I believe immigration policy should be reformed to the point where it should be staged, and all Muslim families should show a willingness to assimilate. I also believe that families with Muslim daughters who are teenagers can start by proving that they have participated in a 2 piece bikini contest by the time they are 18, and for teenage boys they must show a burden of proof that they're not affiliated with any of the local madrasas. Are we serious about keeping our nation's safe from extremists, or not? This will probably be interpreted as a racist statement but for a long time I've been saying that immigration criteria for Saudis should be unique and singular and far strictly then normal immigration for other people from other parts of the world It must never be forgotten that but Saudi's practice the most extreme form of islam, a hateful and horrific interpretation that is completely intolerant of other religions and is the exact opposite of what most of us would regard as any kind of positive faith. Huge and very strict restrictions should be put on their ability to immigrate, essentially they are not wanted and they are not needed, and for the most part they are not of any benefit to a society that let them in, as it is very unlikely they will ever integrate. Why am I anti Wahhabi? Why do I think all Saudis should be barred worldwide from immigrating to any nation? Why do I consider the Saudis so dangerous to mankind? But it is an ideology that divides the world into the realm of Islam and the realm of the infidel, or the realm of war. So it trains the readers that they live behind enemy lines – they must be passing through, they cannot take abode here. You only have two reasons for being in the land of the infidel. One is to convert people to Islam. The second is to acquire either money or skill which you can bring back with you to help you and others engage in jihad, and in this context, it is quite clear that they mean that in a military sense, because they go on to talk about tanks and bullets, and things of this kind. One of the things you certainly cannot do is become an American citizen, because no Muslim can be ruled an infidel. That is the particular ideology which is being taught. You must not have any good contacts, warm relations with anybody – not only with unbelievers, but with any Muslim who is not of the Wahhabi type; they are also often denounced as apostates. That is the major theme of concern in that report. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2005/05/03/the-global-spread-of-wahhabi-islam-how-great-a-threat/

There are costs associated with being the world's largest economy, and being very influential. The creep is now giving up that position of influence and trading it in for some savings. Will that be worth it in the long run? That remains to be seen, but I don't think so.

And I agree with you, he is a remarkable man and the things he has achieved are incredible, and he was much loved and hugely popular up until a few months ago. Had he stayed out of politics he might have been able to maintain that popularity and prevent Tessa stock from tanking, and becoming one of the least popular cars on the planet. Now he is a pale shadow of his former self, he seems to barely be paying attention to his companies and he is one of the most despised men on Earth just like his boss.

You are truly grasping for straws and it's starting to appear rather pathetic, anything to defend the monster, anything to defend a flailing president who's completely out of his depth. In some countries a leak like the one "Hesgeth the minor" was responsible for would be a call for a major tribunal, and possibly the death penalty.

'Blue Skies by 2025' policy declared a success; meanwhile, Thailand remains at same point Sonthi Kotchawat, an environmental and health expert with the Thai Environmental Scholars Association. "China declares victory in the PM2.5 dust war with the 'Blue Skies by 2025' policy. How did they do it? Meanwhile, Thailand remains at the same point. “China began its national action plan to tackle air pollution, especially PM2.5 dust, in 2013.” 1. The policy involves closing, upgrading, and relocating fossil-fuel-based factories from the capital. 2. The government established an environmental-protection police unit to strictly enforce air-pollution laws. 3. Beijing implemented a policy to replace over 70,000 old taxis with electric ones and converted diesel and gas buses to electric vehicles. The government also produced affordable electric cars for personal use. 4. The green spaces in Beijing were increased to cover 50% of the city's area.Strict enforcement of laws against illegal outdoor burning in all areas, including agricultural land. Outdoor grilling is banned, and forest burning is punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty. 5. Raising awareness and establishing regulations for the public, especially factory operators and individuals involved in illegal outdoor burning. Afterwards, strict law enforcement is applied. “As for Thailand, the burning of rice stubble, sugarcane fields, hunting fires, diesel vehicles emitting black smoke, outdoor grilling with thick smoke, factories in urban areas near communities, garbage fires at mountains of waste, cross-border and cross-provincial dust, etc are normal occurrences. Thailand ... the problem has not been solved, is there no intent to solve it? “It becomes an event ... after the dust clears, we forget, and when the dust comes back, we talk again ... this cycle has continued for nearly 30 years?

In essence these farmers are practicing a form of terrorism against their own people, they are killing people, they are putting people in the hospital, they are shortening lives, and they are making life miserable for a significant portion of the nation, simply because it's easier and less expensive to burn. The degree to which the smoke is toxic is unfathomable. it is the absolute epitome of self-absorption and zero concern for others. These farmers need to be punished in a very expensive and convincing manner. If the government cared one iota which they don't they would start convincing Farmers to switch crops and start moving away from 16th century crops like rice and sugar, moving toward more progressive crops which are potentially more profitable. If they felt the need to stick with rice and sugar they could educate the public on how those crops can be processed without burning, and subsidize the purchase of the required equipment.

I'm not even going to comment on his relations with his trans daughter or his lack of relations with her. I will just comment on him in general. He is a total social misfit, and is not wearing his wealth, nor his power lightly. Musk appears to have extremist tendencies. I am hoping he goes on one of his Mars missions, but we all know he does not have nearly enough courage for something like that. I have respect for his achievements, but zero respect for the small man. He's a completely ridiculous man, the more wealthy he's become the more obnoxious he's become, the more arrogant he's become, the more self-righteous and the more insufferable. Trump made a tremendous mistake by giving him more power than he already had, and time will reveal what a tragic decision that was. Boycott Tesla, don't buy anything that he is associated with, knock him off his pedestal, bring him back down to earth, try to knock some sense into his absolutely foolish head, say no to his petty small mindedness, and take some pride in doing the right thing and helping America.

My experience was that getting a tourist visa and a student visa that we applied for, for My Thai wife was very difficult and we were turned down both times. Once we were married and we applied for a marriage visa it was easy, it took a short amount of time and she got a 10-year multiple entry visa. I was advised beforehand for her to bring MY original passport with her, which was great advice since all the visa guy at the embassy did was study my passport to determine how often I go back and forth from Thailand back to the US. Once he saw that that was frequent she was issued the visa, no hassles at all.

This is a great topic as the beer industry, and the oppression of craft brewers here has a rather fascinating history. Thaopipob Linjittkorn, or Thao as he is more popularly known, a lawyer and homebrewer, was very publicly arrested in 2017 for making beer. He used that publicity to win an election to Parliament in 2019, along with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. This progressive, pro-democracy party included in its platform a detailed plan to deregulate the beer industry, as well as a proposal for the legalization of marijuana, citing both as ways of putting money into the pockets of small businesses and local farmers. The opposition that Future Forward was up against is a military-backed, hardline government that supports the duopoly with strict regulations that allow it to control over 99% of Thailand’s estimated 180 billion baht ($5.8 billion) beer industry. The duopoly was originally made untouchable with the first Thai Liquor Control Act in 1950, a law which has been amended several times since to push legality even further out of reach of any small brewer. Prayuth's administration has done much to reinforce the isolationist and nationalistic policies that Phibul established in the 1940s and ’50s, and has called again and again for citizens to display a certain level of “Thainess,” which the PM defines in part as unquestioning loyalty to the government. Do not be disobedient! For small breweries, it requires production of at least 100,000 liters (852 barrels) but no greater than 1,000,000 liters (8,520 BBLs), and stipulates that all beer must be sold on the premises. At the same time, the minimum amount for an industrial license was increased from one million liters to 10 million liters (85,200 BBLs) per year, as well as requiring that the brewer demonstrate available capital of at least 10 million baht ($320,000). Just to make sure small brewers were thoroughly intimidated, the rewrite also increased inflated penalties. Fines were increased from their original, almost quaint 200 baht ($6) for possession of bootleg alcohol to 10,000 ($300). For actually brewing without a license, fines were increased from 5,000 baht ($150) to a range of 50,000–100,000 baht ($1,600–$3,200), plus jail time. Reporting in 2017, The Bangkok Post estimated that in order to meet the new regulations, a brewer would need to have a billion baht—around $30 million—in start-up capital. For some, craft beer is associated with anti-establishment politics. “It’s very similar to the French Revolution, which started from a cafe in Paris, where people drank coffee,” says Taopiphop. “The fuel of the revolution is not coffee any more, it’s craft beer.” Taopiphop adds that, after the 2014 coup in Thailand, many pro-democracy activists chose to meet in Bangkok’s craft beer bars. If only the younger Thais were allowed to express themselves, be inventive, be creative, be industrious, and use their smarts and ambition, Thailand could have a future. Craft beer is needed here, and so are the young entrepreneurs. But, that future appears to be suppressed at every turn by dinosaurs, who only answer to money, money, and even more money. Money is the God of lesser men. The money first attitude is holding back Thailand on so many levels.

Well I think the warnings are probably fine especially in light of the fact that Pattaya is very obviously the crime center of Thailand. The second aspect of this is that there are very rare instances where you should go with a group of women to a strange place. The third thing that comes to mind is whether or not they were ladyboys as they seem to commit a lot of crime against foreigners. The last thing that comes to mind is why would someone carry 15,000 baht cash around with them? It seems like a risky thing to do. I am not downplaying the attack which is dreadful, just saying that it's possible he could have taken greater precautions.