spidermike007

Not sure about that. My sister had a small, 200 meter home built in Montana. Nice house. Nothing fancy, and they already owned the land. It cost $500,000 to build. That is 18 million baht. Maybe a pre-owned home in Arkansas or Missouri would be a good deal. One thing I do agree with, good rural land is cheaper in the US, than here.

None of that really matters. Things are not working out? What do real men do? We move on. We don't kill over jealousy or rage.

True. Especially when it comes to flirting. I am sometimes in a restaurant here, and I flirt mercilessly with a lovely 24 year old waitress. I do it with a very light heart, and alot of humor. I get chuckles, laughs and big smiles. No problem. It makes you feel human! In the US, nothing but sir this, and sir that. And scorn. Rarely ever a smile.

Hotels are an amazing value here. They have skyrocketed in price in the US, due to Covid related gouging. Not here. When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. 1200-2000 baht. In the US? $150 for a crappy hotel. $200 to $500, and up for a nice room in a hotel. Restaurants can be a great value here. Also, Foodpanda. Had some friends over recently. We all selected from the menu. 7 dishes for 460 baht and 10 baht to deliver. Of course, I am in a smaller town. In big cities the prices are alot higher. Tried the same thing when I was recently in the US, on a similar app. 2 dishes were $44, plus the fees were $19. No thanks. Passed. I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 200-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip. And I get attitude for leaving a $15 or $20 tip. Here, I get nothing but gratitude for a 20-40 baht tip. Rent. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $2500-3800 a month. That is 138,000 baht! Anything labor related here is reasonable. 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? $800 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? $800 and up. An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75. 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. Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 1500 to 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a pretty gal, with alot of attitude. A quote from a friend recently: My neighbor told me she got a quote for a wood fence around her house. It was around $8,800 ($2800 for the materials, labor (2 days), $6,000. 2 days at 8 hours a day = 16 hours of labor) For $6,000 labor/16 hours that works out to be around $375 an hour labor. Another neighbor got some quotes to get the outside of his house painted. Average quote was around $5,000. He bought all the paint and supplies for $1500. Labor $3,500 and the house would have been finished in 1 day. $3,500 divided by 8 hours of labor = $437 an hour to paint a one story ranch house. He painted it himself. It seems like all of the trades collude to keep the prices sky high. Tradesmen make more than most professionals here. There is so much new construction going on in this area it is sick. People moving to Florida from everywhere. I had a leaky faucet on the outside of the house. Called about 6 plumbers. None available for days. Average estimate was $375. 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. Things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

Anytime you leave your house here, all your senses have to be on high alert. Many Thais are exceptionally reckless, when driving. Their defensive skills tend to be lacking, and the concept of respect for, concern for and awareness of others seems to dissipate, once they are behind the wheel. Never, ever cross any road here without looking both ways, and proceeding very carefully, regardless of how safe it appears, red light or green light, etc. Darwin was right. The theory of natural selection, means we all have to exhibit certain survival skills, to thrive in this world. Self protection is just one of those skills. Some have it, some do not.

Lock him up for a very long time. It is likely once his fellow inmates found out why he was locked up, they would show him the hospitality he richly reserves. Puddle scum. The real questions is, who are his parents? Where was the moral guidance?

1. This desperate woman is likely lying about the value of the clothes. A Chanel shirt for $5,000? I don't think so. Likely a knock off. It does not even look genuine! And if someone paid that kind of money for any garment, they would have to be completely out of touch, to make that amount public, in these difficult times. Please. 2. Who in their right mind would bring very expensive clothes to a laundry shop? Top quality dry cleaning or gentle hand wash only. 3. I say the police should fine this desperado for hassling the poor laundry person. Why should they need to take any responsibility for this woman's stupidity and recklessness?

I buy high end jeans and shirts second hand on ebay. A $270 pair of Adriana Goldschmeid jeans costs $30. Like new. You can feel the difference. Great fabric. Worn a few times. I buy Arnold Zimberg shirts which cost $200-$250 new for $25-40. Also like new. No signs of wear, at all. I have also bought Hugo Boss suits. $900 new. $75 on ebay. Like new. Second hand clothes are worth very little. Great stuff. Why pay full price for anything? In the US I buy from outlets. 50% off, or more if you time the sales. My wife buys Coach bags for 30% of retail there. Why pay retail, if you don't have to?

So will they be looked after, or deported? Social services. Sounds like a group that would help out. Or not? Are things so desperate in Cambodia, that they have to beg here?

Total fiction. So many are out of work. So few new cars are being sold. Real estate sales are down. Tourism is devastated and barely recovering. The economy here is in a shambles, and the cover up is nonstop and absolutely shameful.

Covid stopped the protests in their tracks. It was a dream scenario for the army, goons. Now? With the numbers continuing to drop, will the momentum for change pick up again? The emergency decree is now a total farce.

Why would we care? This man is an empty suit. He is a nothing. The people despise him.

I was told recently a full knee replacement was 300,000 to 400,000 at a private hospital. Seen higher prices online. The same orthopedic surgeon works at a public hospital and said likely around 200,000 baht there, including several nights of stay, during recuperation.

Even with...most Thais masked up outdoors, Thailand is still infinitely more delightful than most of the world, right now. I just ignore the masks, and won't wear them outdoors, unless it is a very crowded area. Most foreigners don't. We seem to be less indoctrinated. The numbers are way down here. Time to calm down.

Correct. Part of the reason for high inflation, is the willingness of people to pay stupid prices for things. If people were sensible, and just said NO, companies would not be able to get away with the "post Covid larceny".

While this is partly true, the extent to which the economy was decimated here represents a real crisis, and a huge level of malfeasance. Many other nations are doing quite well, and have recovered nicely. Cowardly nations such as China and Thailand were devastated. The tourism industry here may have been permanently damaged. They kept the nation shut for far too long. China is far worse. The clinging to the zero Covid policy is sheer idiocy.

You are absolutely right. Good point. I don't care much. Just mentioned it. But, thick skin and a lack of victim culture are good things. We need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Too many are claiming to be victims of this and that. Thanks for the reminder not to be petty.

So sad. I suppose as reasonably healthy, respectful and decent people, it is hard to wrap our minds around a crime like this. Who are these people? Who would be capable of inflicting this on a fellow human? Why? Not making a statement about Thailand. This kind of thing seems to happen all over the world. More of a reflection of humanity, and the collectively depraved state of mind, of the pathologically insane. Hope they find the killer and lock him up. A quick death would be more appropriate to the crime. There are some lines people cross in this life, that I think represent the self revocation of the right to breathe oxygen.

Nobody knows the true extent of the corruption and rot. But, it is likely massive, systemic and beyond belief. It is all about the money. That is all these guys worship. It is their golden calf. Whatever can be done to get rid of this spactacularly toxic party the better. And if it is done in such a way as to humiliate and disgrace Prawit and Prayuth even better. They richly deserve that, after nearly destroying their own county, through sheer greed, power mongering and ignorance. It would be even better if they could be brought to trial and imprisoned. Though, that is likely just a fantasy. The regressive dinosaurs need to go. And let us hope and pray there are younger, more forward thinking, more capable, and less selfish people to take their place.

True. But some don't like the term. And it depends on the context. Farang is basically a neutral word, but people who respect you (or who should respect you) will not use it - if you hear a work colleague, for example, refer to you as farang they probably mean it as an insult while a taxi driver or market vendor doing the same is unlikely to mean any offense at all. https://www.into-asia.com/thai_language/farang.php

If they get locked up, nobody will miss them. I have no problem with that. Ganga is different. But, the junk they are peddling is just that.

Most of my friends and I are referring to ourselves as foreigners these days. I am not a PC guy, nor am I thin skinned. But, I leave that term farang to those who do not know any better. At a minimum it means white skinned outsider.

When I was 19, I backpacked across Europe for 8 months. I did not plan well and started running low on funds. I bought some coral necklaces in Italy and sold them in Holland. Also bought some gorgeous hand stamped brass platters in Morocco and sold them on the French Riviera. Made good money with it. There are opportunities for enterprising young souls. I am not sure if allowing foreigners to sell junk on the sidewalks is a good idea. Just not sure.

The only area where I find it quite hard to get a taxi who is OK using the meter is the Nana area. Been refused many times there. Guess they figure there are alot of out of touch tourists around. Also, when it is raining, they tend to be less likely to want to use the meter.

Yes, we are not responsible for anything. No matter what we do, no matter how we behave, no matter how badly we disrespect the environment, it could never affect the earth. The planet is simply too stable and too large. Don't blame us.