spidermike007

Sheer nonsense. Since when have these clowns taken the air quality and the environment seriously? They care not one iota for the health of the us common folks. A while back they had another campaign similar to this and they had posters with phone numbers that you could call to report vehicles that were polluting. We were driving and we saw this truck that was pumping out huge black clouds of smoke and I copied down their license plate and I dialed the number, and handed my phone to my Thai wife and ask her speak to the department. She asked the person who answered the phone what can they do? He ask my wife why are you calling us and she said, well you have phone numbers posted to report polluting vehicles? The guy said well I don't know who I would report it to, and she said well that's not really our issue is it? You're supposed to be monitoring polluting vehicles. He said OK, I'll give me the license plate number and I'll see what I can do. My wife said are you going to do anything? He said, I don't know, I need to look at the regulations first and see who I'm supposed to report it to, and then maybe somebody will do something. The smoke will die down when the dinosaurs are replaced with young and progressive leaders, who care about the health, welfare and well being of the nation, and the environment. The current crop do not have any initiative, nor any ideas. Dinosaurs are cursed with small brains.

Who is the zombie in the room now? And why, when incoming tourists are far safer than local Thais, and THEY are the ones taking all the risks, are there still restrictions on them? Are there any adults in the room?

Always remember one very important fact. You are a man. You have as much control as you are able to establish. You set the agenda. Time is always your ally. Not hers. She is almost always going to be in a hurry to make things happen. If she is willing to come and stay with a guy she has never met before, she has more than likely been working as a bar girl, in a special massage parlor, or as an escort or freelancer. Very few real "civilians" would move that fast, nor be that forward. Buyer beware. And be good to yourself. Be a man. Leave behind the Western ways of emasculation. Avoid online relationships. If you meet online, meet her as quickly as you can. Who needs a pen pal? Get to know someone. Take your time. Get ahold of your anxiety. Let it unfold in a rather organic fashion. There is nothing natural about meeting anyone online, and you know virtually nothing about them, until you have spent some real time together. Months, even years. And don't part with money prematurely. Make her demonstrate her worthiness. At least then you know more about her and her family. And always remember. They all have a story. Sometimes it is truthful. Often it is not.

It is good that the police are keeping their noses out of this. The people have been denied, repressed, scared into submission and hurt by the highly selective economic shutdowns. Leave them alone, and let them have some fun.

It is fairly clear by now that they will say anything, to attempt to put a cherry face on the Prayuth Precipice. The destruction to the tourism industry is nearly complete.

It depends where you live. If you can find a smaller town or a rural area you like, it can be quite nice. For me it is alot less stressful and more joyful than living in the US. If I was wealthy, I would stay in Thailand 3 or 4 months a year, and divide my time at a few other countries. But for someone on a limited income the quality of life is good. I love alot of Thais and even those living in Bangkok, as I consider them to be the most well adjusted big metro people I have ever encountered. Most big cities of the world these days are populated by disenchanted, listless, occasionally hostile, unfriendly, relatively unhappy, heavy hearted, hurried, harried, and generally joyless souls. Not Bangkok. And generally not Thailand. They are lighthearted, reasonably friendly, helpful, fun, animated, and it feels as if they are leading lives that are somewhat fulfilling. Very unique for such a huge city anywhere. Lastly, Bangkok has what I consider to be the highest concentration of beautiful women on the planet, by far. One only has to stand in one spot for a minute or two, to see an absolute stunner. Try that in KL. Or Jakarta. Or Tehran. Or Shanghai. Or Chicago. Or London. I do not live in Bangkok, but visit a lot. And I love every day I can spend in that great city. And I enjoy my life in Thailand, now that I have decided I can't afford to leave. LOL.

Water splashing causes as much covid as beer, wine and riding a motorbike without a mask. Inane, incomprehensible policy passed by petrified children.

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 arrest 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. When I was growing up, we took drivers education courses. They showed us horrendous films, of semi trucks plowing into cars, and literally obliterating everything in their path. They also showed us graphic images of head on collisions. 120mph impacts. Even as a young kid, it made quite an impression. It was horrific, and it was hard to get those images out of your head afterwards. But, it left a lasting impression, and when I started driving, I understood it was serious business, and that it was a very dangerous thing to do. Also, I had the benefit of my lovely Mom, as my instructor. She spent countless hours in the car with me giving me tips, advice, and teaching me driving etiquette, courtesy and respect toward other drivers. That was priceless, and I doubt many Thai kids benefit from that kind of guidance.

Most have lost the very thing that made them special, to begin with. Who wants to be with a woman more masculine than we are? No thanks.

The delusion and nonsense continues. Thailand continues to be a very unappealing destination now, with cowardly restrictions in place, nightlife destruction, and it's inability to bring their own covid numbers down. These clowns are dreaming. They should feel fortunate if they get 2 million this year, or in any year for the next five years of so. The devastation of the industry is nearly complete.

Last time I walked around there recently, not much going on. Same as Nana. Alot of women sitting out front. You can buy them over priced drinks. Did not see any shows. Has it changed?

It barely matters. The Chinese are out of the market for now. So are the Russians. And the local economy is in tatters.

From what I hear from my friends who live there, the threshold for taking care of a PI gal is far lower than here, and so are their expectations. There is nothing inexpensive about caring for a Thai woman! I speak from experience! 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. A minimum of $20,000 for the SRRV Smile visa, unless that has changed. 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. 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.5. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. 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. nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/ 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 180MB download speed, and a 100MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 800 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 are looking to leave Thailand, as the current administration is so far beyond heinous and incompetent, it is unspeakable. security 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 6th or 7th degree 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, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. 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. Thailand is a distant planet.

This should not come as a surprise. The army appointed regime is rudderless, cowardly, and lacking anything in the way of ethics, morality or a perception of truth or honor. They have shown this repeatedly. It is all about money and power. The welfare of people are never to get in the way of that pursuit. We have come to expect only abhorrence, from them.

It is, one some level. But, "me too" has become such an extreme movement in the US, that there is barely any black and white left. It seems to be all grey. When Minnie Driver said George Bush Sr. patting a woman on the rump was tantamount to rape, well there was a moment of, "has this gone too far"? Some of it is good for women. Some of it is causing many to further lose their identity, and to prize their most valuable asset as women. Their femininity.

If his party puts him out there as a candidate for PM, it would be tantamount to Thailand waving a white flag of surrender. No, we cannot find a qualified candidate. No, we cannot find a smart person, nor someone with the ability to demonstrate leadership qualities. No, we are not interested in moving forward, reducing unemployment, homelessness, suicides, nor bringing back tourism. Yes, we want to continue on a path of fake purity, and sabotage nightlife venues and "the industry", even forther. And yes, we will continue to choose unqualified people from the bottom of the barrel. Especially ones who have failed, and demonstrated terrible judgment and abilities. The best thing for Anutin to do would be to retire from politics and save his family and his people from a lifetime of shame and destitution. He is a destroyer, and is a very negative force for the nation. God forbid the people actually voted for him.

Equality is a good thing. And so is the ability to rally against harassment. But, I seriously doubt most Thai women will embrace Western style uber feminism and "me too". Thankfully. It is the equivalent of toxic femininity, and it often amounts to the total denial of femininity, which most Thai women embody and wear very well, and consider to be of great value. And they are spot on with that!

Total nonsense. They will never follow up. A while back they had another campaign similar to this, asking us to report polluting vehicles. They had posters with phone numbers that you could call to report offenders. We were driving and we saw this truck that was pumping out huge black clouds of smoke and I copied down their license plate and I dialed the number, and handed my phone to my Thai wife and asked her speak to the department. She asked the person who answered the phone what can they do? He ask my wife why are you calling us and she said, well you have phone numbers posted to report polluting vehicles? The guy said well I don't know anything about that, nor who I would report it to, and she said well that's not really our issue is it? You're supposed to be monitoring polluting vehicles. He said OK, I'll give me the license plate number and I'll see what I can do. My wife said are you going to do anything? He said, I don't know, I need to look at the regulations first and see who I'm supposed to report it to, and then maybe somebody will do something. Maybe. Did anyone ever follow it up? One guy in one department makes a proposal, and nobody else knows anything about it. The cops will not do anything, unless there is a payday involved.

Will they ever get off the Prayuth Precipice? Will the economic sabotage and destruction ever end? Will they ever admit unemployment is likely 15%? Will they ever man up, drop the extreme cowardice, and show some courage? Or will Thailand remain a lone, isolated, pathetic, "Zombie Kingdom"?

Covid will be blamed by the goons. But, the reality is they destroyed their own economy with highly selective shutdowns, an unwillingness to behave like adults, and reopen the nation to tourism, and very, very bad management. They all need to be ousted. They have outlasted their welcome by at least 6 years now.

He admitted he had found a new girlfriend. But when she found a new boyfriend, he lost it. What was this guy 12 years old? Not many people are going to intervene when a drunk madman with a knife is chasing someone around.

No, tourists will not accept all that nonsense. And that is why they are not coming, nor do they plan to come. Likely under 100,000 a month, in real numbers. And those developers around Sukhumvit are going to lose a fortune.

In a worst case scenario, in which restrictions are further eased, public cooperation is lacking and/or inoculation is lower than 200,000 doses per day, cases of lung inflammation could double to 6,000 a day, with 1,700 cases needing ventilators and the daily fatalities estimated at 250. Keep the scare tactics up. Keep the people in a hypnotic state of submission. And make sure Anutin stays on the Ganga. Keeping him out of the picture is the only way to gain control over this. He and Prayuth are the worst two things to happen to Thailand since Phibun. It is a rudderless ship of state.

I will believe it, when I see it. Change requires progress. Dinosaurs tend to move backwards. A change in consciousness must start at the most basic level. Most Thais think plastic is the best thing ever invented, and the percentage of Thais that even consider the negative ramifications of plastic is incredibly small. This requires some education. I always do two things to avoid the consumption of plastic. 1. I bring re-usable bags with me every time I go shopping. I use the larger shopping bags I buy in the US, which are made of recycled materials. Most of the clerks have to be dealt with. Even when they see my bag, they still start putting the stuff in plastic. I always mai sai toom. No plastic! Then they start loading up my bag. Most look at me like I am from Mars. Do I care? Not one iota. About 1% thank me, and get it. Not many do. My Thai wife does not like bringing the bags to the store. I ask her to. By now, she expects it, and sometimes even asks if I have any bags in the car, or on the motorbike. Same with the water bottles. It used to embarrass her. Now, it is second nature, as I have been doing this for so long, she expects it. So, if a Thai can be conditioned to follow these simple principals, then anyone can. 2. I bring a bottle of water with me, every time I go to a restaurant. I refill my plastic bottles from the 20 liter bottles at home. It is easy. I never buy bottled water at a restaurant. This saves 300-600 bottles a year. I use a plastic bottle dozens of times. I never get any flack from the restaurants. Only once did someone say something to me. She said you cannot bring you own water. My response was if you serve the water in a glass bottle, and I do not have to consume a plastic bottle, I am happy to pay for that. She was lost. I told her to leave and get me my food. She went away. We simply cannot say we are concerned about the environment, and then do nothing about it. Action demonstrates commitment. Lack of action demonstrates nothing. Lastly, restaurants can demonstrate their commitment, by serving drinking water from the 20 liter bottles. It saves alot of plastic. They lose a small amount of revenue, by not selling thousands of bottles of water. But, their operation is still profitable, and they are making a real difference. There really is not need to be consuming water in plastic bottles. At least not often. There are alternatives. Those damn bottles are a real culprit, when it comes to fouling the environment. What can we do, if we say we care?

The tourism industry is almost dead. Make it harder. Give tourists just another reason to say no. The astonishing part is that nothing has been learned. No humility, no wisdom, nothing. Only hubris. They simply cannot get it right.