TonySoprano

Women do have plenty of important roles here, like anywhere else, but it's silly to think that there is even one non-patriarchal society on the planet.

Yeah, I felt pretty bad recently when a Farang woman with a Thai husband over heard a conversation between myself and another male talking about the possibilities available to Thai and Farang men in Thailand. She felt the need to put me in my place, and let me know that not all Thai men are like that. She was right to do so I guess, as it was not the right place for me and my friend to be discussing this type of stuff, but at the same time, come on, every woman you ask will tell you "Oh, no, my husband is faithful. He's not like the others"... Everyone is in that 1%... in their own minds.

This is a 100% patriarchal society, and way moreso than any Western society.

If these types of possibilites were available as easily in the West, they would be taken of advantage there too.

sunrise tacos is over priced, imho, but it does not stop me from eating there.

On the other hand you call doctors "hiso". In your home country, is a doctor a "hiso" ?

You guys really are sensitive about that word, huh? I was just using it in jest. Assume that I mean those with the proper blood, or whatever distinction makes sense to separate the doctors and lawyers and A list actresses, and whoever you feel is hiso in your mind.

I take it you live in central Bangkok? Can I reverse the question and ask you what you do all day there?

Well, I eat 90% of my meals outside. I would prefer to not be limited to only Thai food and the chains. I like restaurants in hotels. I also like having a wide selection of bars and relaxation venues. I find Tesco Lotus has very few of the international products I need, and their vegetables and fruit and meats are low quality and not fresh.

Where are the suburbs? Like off of Thonglor and Ekkamai?

I mean like Ram Intra, So-Soi-Am (sp) that area by the decrepit water park, etc....

The funniest thing is that in the West if you steal a billion dollars you get 2 years in jail and keep 200 million. If you rob a bank with a gun for $2k you get life in prison.

And honestly.... that's the way it has to be.

Thailand is less sophisticated and there is very little press freedom.

In the USA, for example, those doing the corruption have to be much more careful how they go about it. But, yes, I agree with Heng, the West ultimately causes more pain and suffering (hello, Iraq).

You see those photos of the meetings between the world leaders and the Thai officials are always sort of wandering around on the sidelines like nobody even knows their first name or has any reason to talk to them... Well, you didn't see too many High School Seniors hanging out with Freshman, did you? There are more hands in the cookie jar here. The corruption in the West is more organized and centralized.

The thing is, people are sheep. What do you call a gang threatening violence if you don't pay them? The Mafia? No, its called the IRS. Legal, extortion. But when those men wear suits and smile its soooooo very much different than the Tony Soprano... In reality, its just a small step up. More organized, more businesslike, more professional.. but ultimately, the same.

The movie Thank You For Not Smoking is a good watch as it gets into the mindset of a lobbyist.

My wife puts me above her family, and herself for that matter. I don't know if there is anyone else on Earth as kind a heart as her. She recently sent my sister some paternity dresses and when she got an email back from my sister saying that she had received them she was literally ecstatic. I can't personally say I am that nice or kind to derive so much happiness out of giving another person a gift.

Might it be possible that her happiness was derived from tricking her sister into wearing a paternity dress?

Haha. Typo.

Cannoli

Zeppoli

dill pickles

real bagels

real pastrami

lemon heads

hot tamalas candy

tootsie roll lolli pops

butterfingers

My wife puts me above her family, and herself for that matter. I don't know if there is anyone else on Earth as kind a heart as her. She recently sent my sister some paternity dresses and when she got an email back from my sister saying that she had received them she was literally ecstatic. I can't personally say I am that nice or kind to derive so much happiness out of giving another person a gift.

I think you picked the wrong person as a life partner.

With the exception of the super wealthy, very few can afford a 50+ million baht home in Central Bangkok. Most doctors, actresses, and other hiso types generally tend to live in a house out in the suburbs of Bangkok somewhere. Considering the traffic getting into and out of Central Bangkok, most of these places might as well be the dark side of the moon, with not much around besides maybe a Central shopping mall and a couple of grocery stores. So what is the lifestyle like? What does one do on daily basis out there in the sticks? I've considered a couple of times, those houses with beautiful manicured lawns on sale for cheap. Put up a basketball hoop and grow a garden, but always feel like the mundane everyday lifestyle would drive me mad. Besides Tesco Lotus and the local knock shop, what are you doing all day?

When the daughter from my gf's sister got married, the husband (Thai) paid 50,000 Baht. He then moved in with the family and handed over his wages every month to his mother-in-law. Crazy.

Hardly crazy. The lower classes have recognized that they are better off joining together as a team than as sole family units. Look at it this way, if you make 8k baht a month, what happens if you get sick and can't work? better to be apart of a team than running solo.

My wife never asked for sin sod but she is very independent minded and I guess the fact that she is an only child with one parent already in the grave played a role in that decision. If she had asked me to do the sin sod thing, I would have not hesitated to say yes, the reason is because I trust that she has my best interest at heart, and all experiences so far have proved this to be correct.

If you do not have the same confidence in your wife, then why are you getting married? Your wife should put your interests above her family's, if she does not, then why would you even consider marrying her?

This is Thailand, as many like to say.

Life is cheap in Thailand. There are lower standards in all aspects of safety and regulation.

Well I almost died and the power is off in my building, but "The Pizza Company" is delicious and they're having a 2 for 1 special, so that saves the day.

Are you sure you did not hit your head at some point in this ordeal?

Everyone needs to get a taste.

Just about every site has up to the minute odds. Many sites even have in game odds (quarterly/halves + live), but the juice is normally higher than the pre-game odds. Your friend is a bookie and not interested in betting (or balancing his action) himself? PinnacleSports is considered the most trust worthy sports book and offers the lowest juice.

Generally speaking though, I believe most bookies just try to balance the action they take on either side so that they are guaranteed a profit, as oppose to trying to pick the truest line and make the biggest profit, with much more variance.