spidermike007

Yes Cha Cha we all hope you will be deserted and rejected, to the fullest extent possible. You have failed the people on countless levels. And besides, what have you done for the common man in Issan? Besides put many of them out of work. And don't you remember your promise to be caretaker PM, for only 2 years, then turn over the helm to someone who is both capable and has leadership ability? What happened? Did the power and the wealth get to your head? I guess so.

Wow. Is that truly the best they can do? If so, it is a sad day for the opposition, and a dire look at what may be ahead. Thailand needs youth, vigor, ideas, hope, vision and fresh energy. Not more of the same.

One wonders why 98% of the population would not reject him, after the extreme sabotage he inflicted, and his stunning lack of leadership ability. Best to send him out to pasture where he can retire and enjoy his extreme wealth.

Yes. Tourism in Thailand is not advised for the next five years. Stay away. Enjoy your home country, or go to Italy, or South America.

Rich topic. No short answers here! I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably leave. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. 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. This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. 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. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1 gbps fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there. As some of you know, I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak. I am in the US right now, and the prices and inflation are mind blowing. The cheapest lunch we have found was $30 for two. That is 1,000 baht, anytime you want something basic. A bag of groceries is 3,000 baht. A friend of mine is looking for an apartment to move to in LA, and really small, simple places are 70,000 baht per month. Nice two bedrooms are closer to 100,000 baht. Decent homes start at 125,000 baht per month. The cost of nearly everything has gone up dramatically. Runaway inflation? Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it 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! Prices in Thailand I had my motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275. I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up. I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up. An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75. When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800-2000 baht. In the US? $130 for a crappy motel. $200 and up for a nice room. I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip. I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery. Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty, with alot of attitude. I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative. So much of the information in this article means very little. One would only live in Bangkok, if they are a world capital sort of person. As much as I love Bangkok, and love spending time there, I would not want to live there full time. Of course, everyone is different. In the US, Australia, all of Europe, NZ, and Canada pricing for nearly anything is out of control, and only going up. Anything labor related? What cost us 500 baht here is $75-100 in Singapore, and $200 in Los Angeles. Sex? 4,000 baht in Singapore for 30 minutes. Here? And now that the saboteurs have nearly decimated the economy, my guess is that it is a renter's market in Bangkok, and it certainly is elsewhere in Thailand. Name your price, if you can find a desperado landlord, which many are now. Then there is the woman equation. Thai women are so comfortable with their femininity, it multiplies their level of attractiveness ten fold. And they do not seem to be afraid of dating, or relationships. Some of my friends and relatives in the US are married. Other than those, I know very few men in the US who are involved in relationships. It is a very, very ugly scene. No thanks.

Rich topic. No short answers here! I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably leave. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. 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. This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. 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. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1 gbps fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there. As some of you know, I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak. Inflation in the US I am in the US right now, and the prices and inflation are mind blowing. The cheapest lunch we have found was $30 for two. That is 1,000 baht, anytime you want something basic. A bag of groceries is 3,000 baht. A friend of mine is looking for an apartment to move to in LA, and really small, simple places are 70,000 baht per month. Nice two bedrooms are closer to 100,000 baht. Decent homes start at 125,000 baht per month. The cost of nearly everything has gone up dramatically. Runaway inflation? Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it 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! Prices in Thailand I had my motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275. I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up. I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up. An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75. When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800-2000 baht. In the US? $130 for a crappy motel. $200 and up for a nice room. I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip. I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery. Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty, with alot of attitude. I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative. So much of the information in this article means very little. One would only live in Bangkok, if they are a world capital sort of person. As much as I love Bangkok, and love spending time there, I would not want to live there full time. Of course, everyone is different. In the US, Australia, all of Europe, NZ, and Canada pricing for nearly anything is out of control, and only going up. Anything labor related? What cost us 500 baht here is $75-100 in Singapore, and $200 in Los Angeles. Sex? 4,000 baht in Singapore for 30 minutes. Here? And now that the saboteurs have nearly decimated the economy, my guess is that it is a renter's market in Bangkok, and it certainly is elsewhere in Thailand. Name your price, if you can find a desperado landlord, which many are now.

It feels like colonialization and the war left a permanent scar on the collective soul of Vietnam that will not go away. Add in the commie government and it seems to be a foul mix. No thanks.

Very, very wise words. One might even say your advice would be ancient and powerful wisdom and truth. It is simply hedging your bets a little bit. Smart strategy. But, it takes a real man to behave I such a way that pays tribute to his gender. Many come here and are so thoroughly emasculated, they could not even dream of behaving in such a masculine manner. I know a guy who came to Thailand, and on the first day of his trip he met a hooker at the Nana Plaza Disco, fell madly in love with her (he was already 38 so she had probably been north of 4,000 tricks), yet he fell for her and a few months later he told her that he had sold a house in Los Angeles and pocketed 1.5 million dollars profit. Can anyone even fathom a guy doing something like that? Something so utterly stupid and clueless? Trying to impress a hooker. The first thing she did was tell him build a house, no questions asked, let's just do it, you need to do it and he didn't resist. As soon as it was finished she moved her whole family in and she informed him they could not live there. What can one even say? He literally broke every rule there is. When someone does something like this now, we call it "pulling a Michael". He is still married to her with 3 kids. He doesn't like her, she now lives in the US, and he spends most of his time in Thailand. A fool and his money. Michael.

I think one tends to accept abuse directly in proportion to how low your self-esteem is. And the more you accept bring in a toxic relationship, the greater your self loathing becomes. I have seen it so many times, with friends and family. If you have enough self-esteem and enough self love you simply don't tolerate it, you simply walk, you move on, you try to improve things if they can be improved, and if not you just simply move on and you find somebody who's worthy of your life, and your devotion. In my opinion, it is really that simple.

Yep. Jr. is an empty suit. What has he done with his life, except learn to become a grifter, like his dad and brother?

They are both lowlife, highly toxic morons. Both have seen their day in the limelight fade, and both are equally desperate for attention. Nothing they say means anything, to anyone other than the dwindling and disenfranchised Trump base.

Been to Vietnam a few times, over a period of 20 years, with and without my Thai woman. Never been too fond of the place. It is beautiful and the food is great. But, for me the people leave something to be desired. They are alot like the Chinese. Not particularly warm or fun to be around. No thanks. Don't feel any need to return. I much prefer the Thai people. Many are warm, friendly and funny. Great humor. Playful works for me.

If you are fortunate enough to have a woman who prefers an older car, count your blessings. Have the engine rebuilt and be grateful.

No. Never. I make it a point to avoid abusive and angry women. In the past, some have been turned off by my patience and desire to take alot of time to get to know them, find out what makes them tick, and discover their foibles, baggage and liabilities, as well as their worthiness. That is on them. They always know where the door is, and by not allowing ourselves to get hung up on a gal prematurely, it is easy to let them walk. See ya!

In this case it would appear the Anutin double speak would have to be interpreted as meaning the Thai tobacco monopoly has no interest in marketing e-cigarettes, or related products. This has never had anything to do with health. It is always about the money.

Very true. It seems the right of way here is determined by the size of your vehicle. Bikes must yield to cars, and cars must yield to trucks, since traffic laws rarely apply, it is survival of the biggest.

Thailand does not have the guts, nor the moral conviction to defy the Chinese masters. If China says they committed a crime, look at the ethnicity first, of the person being blamed. Anything the CCP says is likely a lie. They share the moral bankruptcy of the Thai government. They were likely trying to seek asylum in Malaysia. How did they end up in Thailand, a nation with little sympathy towards asylum seekers?

Totally agree. However, it seems that the nation and the people exist to please and to enrich the military here. The polar opposite of the way it should be. Why the army is accorded such regard is beyond me. What on earth have they ever done for the nation, besides mounting coups every few years, in its unquenchable thirst for power, riches and undeserved glory? New Mandala, an academic blog on Southeast Asian affairs, found that Thailand has had 13 successful and nine unsuccessful coups in just over a century. The most recent being in 2014. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/20/why-does-thailand-have-so-many-coups.html

14 from the US, at 9 million baht total? Huh? Was that a typo, or are they only pop up stores?

Ban Prayuth for life from any participation in politics. The nation would be far better off without him, and he would finally get a break. He can't seem to take one on his own. It would appear he has become a power addict.

I enjoy being discredited and being shown that I am full of hot air. I know I am opinionated, and sometimes wrong. Being right just does not mean that much to me. Show me I am wrong, and I hope I am man enough to accept it.

The relatively quick pace of the successive statements indicated ASEAN was keenly interested (and concerned) about the situation. For Thailand, where the military has held real political power since a 2014 coup, cooperation with Russia is not merely military in nature. Strengthening relations with Russia (and China) brings some political support to Thailand’s own authoritarian regime. https://www.spf.org/iina/en/articles/shoji_13.html

Wonder if this made anyone in the Thai diplomatic corps uncomfortable? They have exhibited a huge lack of morality and a huge degree of cowardice on this issue.

And bring great embarrassment and humiliation upon yourself and your family? Me thinks it was a huge error in judgment, or a twisted desire for recognition.

All true. And when you speak of "trust of the RTP" I am not sure there ever was any. And now? Nobody I speak to has any admiration or respect for these guys. Some fear them. None like them. For good reason. Respect has to be earned and never, ever freely given. Most are goons. Few are law enforcement.