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Posts posted by spidermike007
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The direction of the new party would be different from Future Forward with focus more on job creation and less on conflicts with the government.
Thanathorn is a smart guy. He will start in a way that does not provoke the thin skinned, and incredibly weak army minds, and then gradually build it into a huge movement, that will hopefully generate enough support to oust the hapless and pathetic army once and for all. There is no need for them in Thai society. They serve no useful function, and have outstayed their welcome. They are despised.
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Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?
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3 hours ago, scorecard said:
Lots of truth in what you say, from my observation.
Another configuration is lack of strong affection (hugging included) in public say on arrival at an airport, but at home in private a lot of hugging.
Many years ago I asked an older knowledgeable Thai lady I respected about this, she had studied many aspects of human behavior, she spoke perfect English.
Her response was as follows:
'there is no specific absolute answer to things like this in any culture / society, however In terms of Thailand and especially older Thai folks, hugging and kissing (even a peck on the cheek), and holding hands, in public, are seen as low class behaviors', but at home hugging etc., expected.
Low class behaviors. What can one even say? How do you respond to this? I am so grateful I come from a society where class means very little. Classy yet. Class, no. What on earth does it mean, what a stranger thinks of you? Less than zero for me, thankfully.
And besides, the whole "class" thing here is so distorted. It has so little to do with education, sophistication, etiquette, and substance, and nearly everything to do with net worth. Sorry, but money does not buy class, only the false perception of such in the minds of super conventional men and women.
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This is another really bad actor, in a part of the world known for bad actors. A super rich, overly entitled punk, who was born into the right family, and never learned to wear his power lightly, treat his people well, honor his family, honor the women in his family, or deal with dissent of any kind. One can only hope that he eventually ends up with a horrific fate, however that does not seem to be how the universe works. The bad guys seem to live very long and healthy lives. However, one wonders what their state of mind is!
Glad this clown is being outed, for the world to see, like MBS. Much will be forgotten over time, but their reputations are forever stained, and that is a beautiful thing.
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1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:
Dude you post such childish malarkey spun to make your diatribes look good.
What kind of loon shoots to wound? You shoot to stop. You shoot until the danger falls to the ground and drops his weapon. You shoot center of mass to minimize the danger to innocent bystanders. if you had ever had any firearms training, you wouldn't post such silliness.
And tell me which police departments in the US are out of control?
Most. Louisville, Kentucky now training their cops to shoot to wound, unless the cop feels his life is in danger. Their shooting rates have dropped dramatically. Same applies to other progressive police departments in the US. I understand how dangerous a job it is. But the number of shootings by law enforcement in the US, of unarmed people is astonishing and unjustified. I have family in law enforcement. And even they agree with that. Homicidal police are not the answer.
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1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:Could have fooled all of us who have read your endless diatribes about the things you hate...virtually everything...especially Thailand
Read my posts again. They are nearly always complaints about the army and the incompetence of the administration. I rarely ever direct any of that toward the Thai people. And besides. Most rational people have complaints. Does that mean we do not love our lives? Get a grip, please.
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4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:The fact that this is in front of the supreme court shows again how backward the USA is.
It's amazing that many over there think they are the leading nation in this world. What a joke!
Around #39 in science. #43 in math. In medicine perhaps #10. But the most expensive. A stunningly corrupt political and judicial system. A militarized police. A diminishing quality of life for the bottom 85%. Exploding homelessness. Number 1? In what, GDP? Armed forces expenditures? Trade and budget deficits? Nations with the least amount of government surplus? Certainly not quality of life. It is the only the people who live in the US and travel rarely, who make this kind of inane claim.
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2 hours ago, ChrisKC said:
How can you have a "friendly" conversation while simultaneously treating them with utter disdain?
And if I were an on duty policeman with responsibility for doing my job and you refused a random drug test (reason, that you were pulled up for speeding), your next trip would be down to the station!
That is amusing. I all the years I have lived here, I have never once seen anyone pulled over for speeding. Or reckless driving. The highway patrol only gets involved after an accident.
This is the crux of the issue. If a cop is legitimately doing his job, I will be cooperative. If he is looking for a handout, I am not. Having said this, what percentage of the time are the local franchisees actually practicing "law and order"? 2%? Maybe.
Respect must be earned and never, ever freely given.
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3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:And in a way it is. If the stock market goes down and the economy goes down for whatever reason his chances of getting reelected go down. Even if this time he is mostly not responsible for the virus and the consequences.
Oh yes he is. He slashed the budget of the epidemiology arm of the CDC to zero. To pay for 16 Tomahawk cruise missiles we do not need. And they have ignored the request of congress for over a month, to provide emergency funding. Trump may end up with alot of deaths on his shoulders. He has and continues to behave in a very irresponsible fashion. Always putting politics above the welfare of the people. He is an abomination.
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3 hours ago, JingerBen said:"...overstayed their welcome," you say.
Tell me again how many military coups there have been since 1932.
Otherwise you make some good points.
You're one of the better posters, Mike. You are critical without being nasty and bitter about the country we choose to live in and the people we live among.
Thank you. I appreciate that. I love Thailand and it's people. They have many qualities I admire and enjoy. I know some really lovely people here. Every morning I wake up here is a good day. I have a very good life here. Many of us do.
It is the army, the administration, and immigration that I detest. I am neutral about the cops. They are like wallpaper to me. Fortunately, I rarely ever have to deal with them. When I do, I push back as much as I can. I would never call on them for help, unless I was in a traffic accident where they were required for insurance, or a tragic outcome.
Let us count our blessings.
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A woman should have a right to choose. At least during the first trimester. Period. That is a law that should not be changed, as it represents a huge step backwards. The very last thing this world needs is another child that is not wanted by it's parents. That is where the religious folks get it totally wrong.
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Hugging is not really part of Thai culture. At least not for most. Not long after I met my wife, I grew very fond of her family. They are as good a family as one could ask for. Kind, hard working and honest as the day is long. We would visit, and I would hug papa, mom, and her brother and sister. My wife would not. After a while I encouraged her to do so. I think she liked it, and they did too. They just were not accustomed to it. Most Thais do not engage in alot of affection, or demonstrations of affection. I do. Life is short, and if I like someone, they know it and I show it.
It is possible her son is emotionally retarded. It is possible he simply cannot give or receive affection. Too bad for him. Is there also a chance he simply does not care for his Mom?
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It can be referred to a dereliction of duty, and extreme incompetence. That is the very definition of the Thai army and their administration. Sometimes, it appears they cannot do anything right. The fact that they pick their ministers from the absolute bottom of the barrel, does not help. Considering how poor they perform, it is a wonder we are not seeing a major spread of Corona. Good fortune?
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Always bear in mind, these are NOT law enforcement officials. These guys are local franchisees, simply working the franchise. Resist them with all of your might.
In the US the police are highly militarized, and shoot to kill. They do not even attempt to wound or incapacitate. The least bit of resistance from someone, provokes an extreme response. Many of the police departments in the US, are out of control. Here? The police here are very soft. I have had many interactions with them, and I would never be able to get away with treating them the way I do here, in the US. Not for a nanosecond. I tell them no here alot. I tell them I am not interested in negotiating today, and drive away. I dodge them when they try to pull me over. I treat them with utter disdain. And get away with it. I do not think a Thai could get away with any of that. They seem to have some fear of the cops. I do not have any fear of these local franchisees. Most are looking for an easy mark. When you resist, they tend to back down, as they do not want to work hard for their tips.
Sometimes, we just have a short, friendly conversation, and that is it. Usually when they see the Thai motorcycle or car DL, and the helmet, they just wave me on. But, if caught speeding, etc, I give them a really hard time. And I would never agree to a random drug test, anywhere, anytime. Never. Nunca. Nada.
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3 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:
How is life on Fantasy Island?
Pretty good actually. I do live a life full of hope, aspiration, and dreams. Without them, I would just lay down and die. I know some of my dreams may seem a bit "out there". Like the dream of the youth ousting the hapless army. But, I do believe it will happen, and I can actually visualize it happening. They can only hold the people down for so long. They have really overstayed their welcome, and with a collapsing economy, the people are going to be very <deleted> off. If there is one thing the average Thai responds to, it is cash. And the denial of such.
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2 hours ago, maprao said:More likely to be shot here rather than the US
Absolutely untrue. In the US the police are highly militarized, and shoot to kill. They do not even attempt to wound or incapacitate. The least bit of resistance from someone, provokes an extreme response. Many of the police departments in the US, are out of control.
Here? The police here are very soft. I have had many interactions with them, and I would never be able to get away with treating them the way I do here, in the US. Not for a nanosecond. I tell them no here. I tell them I am not interested in negotiating today, and drive away. I dodge them when they try to pull me over. I treat them with utter disdain. And get away with it. I do not think a Thai could get away with any of that. They seem to have some fear of the cops. I do not have any fear of these local franchisees.
Sometimes, we just have a short, friendly conversation, and that is it. Usually when they see the Thai motorcycle or car DL, and the helmet, they just wave me on. But, if caught speeding, etc, I give them a really hard time. And I would never agree to a random drug test, anywhere, anytime. Never. Nunca. Nada.
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17 hours ago, Nakmuay887 said:
Immigration office in Mae Sot had nobody inside it yesterday. Zero people. I arrived and walked through my visa extension start to finish in less than 8 minutes. Normally it takes at least two hours.
I am hoping this stunning drop in tourism wakes up immigration, and this heinous administration, and teaches them some humility. If that is possible.
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I like this latest development. I was for Mike, but he messed up that debate so bad, he never had a chance. Biden is the best alternative to Trump, who has to go. I do believe Biden will beat him, possibly by 10 million votes. I think there is alot of "Trump fatigue" out there. And four more years of him would be disastrous. Possibly even dangerous. Biden is a decent guy, and even if he seems a beat too slow, he is a far better man for the job than the current occupant, who is so stunningly incompetent, he cannot even get test kits out to the hospitals.
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1 hour ago, rumak said:
i go for onemorefarangs style myself. in 25 years i've only encountered one or two cops that had a bit of an attitude. the other 99% have been either friendly or businesslike.... with a quick wave of the hand to move on. oops, forgot, had one bad experience with a TOURIST police that I asked to come to our property for a problem with a neighbor. He took the thai
neighbors side immediately and didn't even want to speak with me. And yes, i speak thai.
But in all other cases (on the road) nothing but good treatment.
The older I get I do tend to just be matter of fact with cops and many others. The idea that
thais love to joke with farangs i have done away with. The ones you know, no problem.
Others, well..... i just keep it simple ???? . Come to think of it, I now treat farangs i don't know much the same way. 555
Well, I did get a good tip from a friend, who is a CHP officer in California. He told me if you can get a policemen to laugh within the first minute or two, they will rarely write you up. The job is so tense for them, that a little bit of levity goes a long way. My favorite line is, "sorry officer that I am late. I got here just as fast as I could". Usually it gets a chuckle. Of course a different type of humor would have to be employed here.
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I was in Pattaya a while back on a rented motorbike. A cop waved me over. I ignored him and he got on his bike and sped towards me, even after I cut down a little lane to elude him. When I finally stopped, he asked me why I did not stop for him. Oh, I did not see you. OK. Can I see your drivers license. I took out my Thai motorbike license, and showed it to him. He said hand it to me. I said no. Once you hand it to them, they got you. I held it where he could see it. He said, oh you have a Thai motorcycle license? In my poor Thai, I said yes, and I have lived here ten years already. Oh, you speak Thai? A little bit. Oh you good man, as he patted me on the shoulder and told me to have a nice day.
In the US, fleeing from a policeman would get you in a world of trouble. Here? I do not think there is a law against that, or fleeing from the scene of a crime. Let em catch you. It is the same thing.
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Go ahead with the Songkran festivities, but cancel the car show, and ask for self quarantine of people coming from higher risk countries. Way to go guys. A decision of such bone headed proportions, must have had the participation of Anutin.
If an infected person is throwing water at people, there is at least a chance of passing their virus on. What can one even say? Dumb and dumber? Anutin. A human representation of the bottom of the evolutionary barrel, and the worst possible pick for health minister.
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Quite the opposite has occurred. Western tourists have had enough of Thailand. Too much racism, xenophobia, dual pricing, scams, ridiculously filthy air, surly immigration, traffic congestion, and a total lack of solutions, from one of the most incompetent governments in the world.
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1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:Are you sure that is a good idea?
The police never visited me at home but they stopped me many times on my bike (for not riding on the left lane). Normally the conversation is very friendly and sometime we even joke with each others.
I don't say let them do anything they want. But I also don't think it is a good idea to make enemies out of them.
I usually give them a hard time. They usually let me go. They do not want to deal with people who give them a hard time. They are local franchisees, working the franchise. They are looking for easy marks. I find as foreigners, for whatever reason, they tend to give us alot of leeway. I have literally just driven away from a police stop, after trying to negotiate a reasonable fine. They stuck with 1000 baht. I just drove away. When I looked in my rearview, they were screaming at me. But, nobody followed me. And even if they had, so what? Not like the US where they would likely shoot you.
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Thailand's foreign retirees see their good life slip away
in Thailand News
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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!
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.
When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. 1800-2000 baht. In the US? $130 for a crappy hotel. $200 and up for a nice room.
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.
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 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty.
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.