chico

I read somewhere that the phrase "loosing face" actually generated from Japan.

According to that story the ladies created their white faces with the help of animal fats.

In winter time when  sitting in warmer environments, these cakes started to become soft and somewhat liquid, starting to drip down. Hence  loosing face.

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if this where not true, it would be a nice interpretation, and it actually makes sense, since when you get caught in anything not so good, your face get red and is really heating up!

for falangs it's not called 'face'...it's called humiliation, something that many white men would kill over...

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When I remember that 7 years ago a tsunami warning system was rejected mainly for fear of losing face? whereas we farangs are used to this kind of things and feel even more secure with it in place like lifeboatdrills on cruises or lifejacket being explained on planes.

I daresay it's not the first time he's been out of step and out of touch with the reality of his country's people.

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Nor his last either.

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i would dare say "he (certainly appears to be but) is not out..." -he knows exactly where and when to score and how to get reelected, by ALL MEANS!

He did not need to watch american preelection farces!

Thanks Morgan - I truly hope my wife will outlive me, and statistics show just exactly that, it just came to my mind, and I wondered if someone has any experience or knowledge of it.

Thanks again!

Always enjoyed Pattaya for what it was. Sadly this trip i cut my trip short to the city & travelled elsewhere.

Never seen the bar scene as bad as this year. No real buzz about the place. I reckon i have been once to often. Definatley looking for somewhere new this year.

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Sorry, but in that opinion you will be pretty alone.

It is true, that Pattaya has a downturn, but this started some years ago, and just this year is by far better than the last two have been. Couldn't agree more with Dave.

Unfortunately, some of the added life to Pattaya stems from the misery of other places like fighting in the south or the tsunami, as well as better weather conditions (no monsoon)

Of course, there are too many bars, too many Gogo's, too much of everything -

but then, it depends, how you run your business - and catering to the needs of the customers will always give you a decent living as opposed to the many "followers' who have no idea and just care about counting income - that is, if there is any!

Pattaya has it all, and whatever you are looking for : nightlife to the excess, quiet beaches, all possible international cooking, shopping (and partying) around the clock!

I don't pretend to be an expert on anything, and if I do just ignore it, because I'm not. However I do have some common sense kicking around, and I'm pretty good at spotting patterns.

One such pattern is that there are alot of people who complain about Thai women being jealous, or unfaithful. The are also alot of people who refuse to learn to speak Thai, and ridicule anyone who wais, wears local clothing, or tries to "look and act Thai".

Nothing makes you paranoid more than someone talking near or about you and you don't know what they are saying. If you have been burned before, or are the cynical type then you will always wonder what your significant other is talking about on her mobile, or writing in emails in Thai script.

Now you say she left you for a Thai guy? Or was fooling around on the side with one? This girl has twenty, thirty, or more years of culture and language ingrained in her. How is she supposed to express her innermost thoughts to someone when she doesn't know how to translate them, and you haven't even tried to learn the words she can express them in? How is she supposed to feel there's someone who understands her when you can't understand the basic manners of her country? No kidding she's gonna find someone she has things in common with... the guy she's with won't even make the effort.

None of us like to be made to feel that our cultures and personalities aren't worth understanding.

cv

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you are right " unqualified advice" since THERE IS NO ADVICE!

Hello folks,

I have been Phuket, never been to Pattaya (heard alot of good things about it), but for anyone who has been to both, which is best ??

Base it around, hotels, bars, clubs & woman !!!!

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hotels, bars, clubs : good ones and not so good ones in Pattay and Phuket, depending on what you choose.

Women : what does it help you having 5.000 good ones, and you fall in love with the only bad one?

Central beaches in Phuket (Patong) and Pattaya (including Jomtien) good for everything but going into the water.

Islands off Pattaya (45 min with the boat) cristal clear water , everything else a ripoff.

Main difference : Pattaya about 30% cheaper (some say not only in price, but in quality)

2005 : terrorist acts

government with internal conflict of ideas

huge drought

oil price will hurt

stock investors will burn their fingers

poverty will be widespreaad

big flood in Bangkok

important figures will fall ill

bird flu comeback

Anything new, which we have not had yet? or are still having?

I stick with Gazza - let's go buy some beer, although abbas got some good points too!

Thanks again for the info. Reckon I'm getting closer to issue.

I can understand that the authorities here may feel that I'm working illegally in Thailand. However, that is not the case. I can prove, through statements from my letting agents, that I receive a gross income in the UK of 100,000 Baht. After their deductions, there is approx. 85,000 that goes into my UK bank account every month. Bank statements will verify this. After mortgage, endowment policies etc, I'm left with the net amount of @65,000 a month. All taxes are paid in the UK - although I don't suppose that is of interest in Thailand.

Although it costs me money to access the ATM here, I've always felt safer leaving my earnings in the UK. I just spend them here.

I do support my gf/wife to be and she would verify this.

Despite the above, it would seem that what I'm being advised to do is to have the rental income transferred over to a Thai bank each month. Is this the case?

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You do not have to transfer your total rental income, just open an account and transfer 400K once, and the next year you top the remainder up to 400k.

Although your bankbook should then show that you used at least the bigger part of the 400k within one year, otherwise immi would have serious thoughts about you supporting your wife, if you only use 100k f.e., and they might refuse renewing extension.

Gazza:  Loved it!

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yes indeed, well done, Gazza

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couldn't say it in a better way, Gazza

You are married to a thai wife, you (she) buys land, sometimes she dies.

Parents are dead also.

Who gets the land, house etc?

Brothers and sisters? or has the widower the right to sell the land, or give it to whom he wants?

confusing statements in her bad English.

i dont see how any problems can be discussed at anything more than the shallowest of levels given the inability of the girls to speak good english and the guys to speak good thai.

how can couples really communicate the reasoning behind their actions and thoughts if the language skills are poor on both sides. the inability to communicate thoughts properly must be frustrating enough even if there are no problems in the relationship.

relationships are bound to get difficult as soon as the first real problem/misunderstanding comes along.

but i know couples who have been together happily for years yet are still unable to really "talk" to one another.

the guy in this post hasnt cottoned on to the fact that if you live in with a thai upcountry family then the richest one usually foots the bills and his squeeze hasnt grasped the fact that westerners do things differently.

i am also surprised , well not that surprised , to read how many posters are defining their relationships along expenditure levels as if these relationships were pure business transactions........ i thought thats what the bars were for .

many of the men who post here seem to consider "the thai wife" as a purchasable commodity who should be grateful for being snapped up by a falang. how wrong these people are and its not surprising that so many relationships end in tears with the disgruntled male full of blame to the thai partner. i think these guys would have trouble keeping a relationship going even back home and that is possibly why they are here.... dont waste your time gents , you were born to remain single, take a long hard look at yourselves and polish up your acts before eyeing up the girls here .

marriage...(even to the much maligned in these pages thai prostitute) should be something different. if you cant live contentedly as a couple without demands for more money then get out quick. a savvy girl will know that money saved in the common purse will mean a better life all round later on and will even curb the demands of a greedy family to save the relationship if it is truly based on love and affection.

but males , and especially western males in thailand , are easily c*ntstruck and the outwardly pleasing nature , good looks, manners and demeanor of the thais can sometimes hide a devious interior that is hard to fathom out. especially if you have little or no understanding of the language.

the original poster is better off out of it. there are some wonderful people in this country and hopefully he will find one second time around.

shouldnt be too hard on him , anyone who has spent time in this country will have similar tales to tell.

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couldn't agree more with what you say, just it is not that "these guys WOULD have trouble keeping a relationship back home" but they HAVE trouble back home, that's why they come here and think with money they can buy a normal relationship and love. Not to mention that most of them want to have everything for free or almost nothing - sorry guys, it does not work that way, but if you try to understand thai culture and living conditions and are willing and able to adapt, you can have a wonderful life in thailand - and, to top it, a lot easier, relaxed and cheaper than in good old europe or the US.

ProfessorFart said:

Keep the trees in pots and bring them in to the aircon at nights!!!!  

two problems : all my (sorry :her) pots are ful with flowers and it appears you have never lived in Isaan :

need for aircon : about two to three weeks (apr/may)

need for heating : about three months (nov-feb)

and it gets chilly here in the evenings and at night (not as bad as Uk but bad enough if one is used to warm weather!

That's a good point. Living in Thailand has certainly given me an excellent reason why I can't make that 40th wedding anniversary this, or indeed any coming saturday. 

I found it was the first few months that were the hardest to bear, living in Thai but dreaming in English, when you're dreams are Thai based then you're doing ok.

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there are two symptoms to tell you that you really speak a foreign language

first: you count and calculate in that language and

last: you dream in that language, then you really master it!

But that has nothing to do with missing your original home.

Some people can relocate easy, (nice girls, nice weather, cheap food.....) some cannot or will always miss something.

It depends, what you want : one way is to make a simple list :

on the left, what is good, on the right, what is bad in your new home:

if the good things prevail, why not stay here, unless there is one bad point you cannot cope with! then just go home!

How much cash are we talking?

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usually it's about 1.800 bt.

But this only applies if you are living countryside. Then you will have to bring this embassy paper to the nearest immigratyion, and they give you a paper with which you get your drivers license.

Living f.e. in Pattaya, it is much easier:

you go to the place where you stay, asking them to make a letter, that you have rent a condo, bring this to immigration, next day tyou get the letter for the driving license (free!!)

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Didn't bother with the rip-off consulate part in Chiang Mai, just went straight to immigration and told them my address, provided a photo and they then did the letter for 300 baht.

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luchy you, but no chance in Isaan - although immi people are friendly, they adhere to the letter!

Btw, free copies will be available at Etienne's Europe Guest House, Restaurant 345,

and Sevens Corner in Khon Kaen and Up2U bar in Bandung, Aussie pub, Eagle Bar, Thomas Resort and FBI Real Estate in Udon, as well as main hotels in Korat. thx

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How about as promised farang connection in Surin......I'm still waiting

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anything like regular meetings at the farang connection - for those living not in town, but around 30 to 50 km? would be nice to know you can meet people about once a wek/month!

The Thai owners of those Cambodian casinoes keep their money (sensibly) offshore in Swiss bank accounts.

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why do you think Thailand has no (and will probably never get) official casinos? Because the ("influential") people make more money on illegal ripoffs and border casinos without proper controls and illegal payoutpertcentages.

Well chaps the time has come, I'm quitting this forum, not because I don't value the conversations and information I find here - I do, I value them immensely.

It's because I value free discussion and hearing other people's views that I enjoyed this site and it's because I value free discussion and hearing other people's views that I am quitting.

I questioned the decision to remove what I regard as a very valuable post and within minutes my own post was deleted - Upsetting someone for (politely and respectfully) criticizing their decision is, it would seem, a deletable offence.

Well that's not the kind of respect of other people's views I'm looking for, so goodbye, and good luck - a special good bye to those of you I have had head to head battles with on this site, I enjoyed that immensely, and I might add, I have gained insight and respect for you views.

But we none of us can do that if we are not allowed to discuss.

10:10 and Out

it's very easy :

you are the boss, than you set the rules and execute them!

you are not the boss, then you follow them - or are executed!

that's how simple life is!

GH

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My  reading  of  this  is  that  it  applies  to  Non  Thai  Residents..........i.e  those  who  are  not  resident  in  Thailand  as  opposed  to  those  who  are  resident  in  Thailand  but  are  not  of  Thai  citizenship................but  i  would  agree  to  those  who  do  not   have  English  as  thier  native  language  it  is  a  little  ambiguous.

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It is more than "a little ambiguous" even to those of us native English speakers.

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"non-Thai resident" I simply read it : not Thai citizen, but (Thai) resident

as opposed to "non Thai-resident" : all Thais plus foreigners with residency

and that's what they probably wanted to say.

Something tells me that this is going to be a short-lived topic 

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depends on pleasing to you od pleasing to others, maybe some difference?

Except if you're a diver.

Looks like a lot of the debris has been trapped in the coral. But thankfully the reefs have not been totally silted over, as was feared around New Year, before it was possible to go and check.

I was thinking of coming to Thailand to see if there was anyway I could help..I have been coming to Thailand for 15yrs and have worked in many places and can speak very good Thai......but is there enough people there already and would it just cause more congestion?

Dandy

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The best way you could help is go to Phuket on holiday,and spend some money,the major problem to the Thais there, is nobody is coming to visit,the beaches are clean,the debris cleared,the bars and restuarants are open.

Spread the word Phuket is open for business.

Should not be too much damage in the Similans and up to Richelieu rock, and certainly less than is done permanently by silly divers and still not enough permanent anchoring lines.

In any case Similans still have something to see for divers, whereas Pattayas dive sites are rich in human trash but have no more corals or fish!

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PM vows to crack down influential figures after general election

BANGKOK: --  Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed that his administration will seriously crack down on influential figures if he is re-elected in the forthcoming general election on 6 February.

"If they are not suppressed, they'll always create problems. We've to wipe them out. Let's wait until after the next general election and if I were to be re-elected my administration would deal with them", he vowed.

"If the government crack them down right now, we may be criticized as abusing our power", he added.

The prime minister's remarks were in response to a journalist's question on recent assassinations of local politicians and supporters.

Mr. Thaksin also vowed to crack down on hired gunmen employed by the influential figures.

how catholic does he has to be reelected (George W or is it rather buddhist  in thailand?

what about his (party & family) influential figures, does this goes for them also?

"Everybody will be under the laws, I will end their unlawful influence", he said.

It is widely expected that his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party will be re-elected in the 6 February's general election.

--TNA 2005-01-11

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Everybody, thank you very much for the very useful information.

Another question : if I have to apply for the visa in March, when do I have to transfer the money form oversea ? Is it ok if it is done in February or earlier ? How long can the bank make the transfer certificate after the money actually has been transfered ?

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Anytime before you obtain the bank letter of balance in your account will be fine.

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it depends where you are : in the head office you should get the transfer letter within a couple of days at the latest.

anywhere in the province it takes at least a week, after the transfer has been made.

Some banks (kasikorn) take a month before the letter will be sent to your branch,

therefore, better make teh transfer sooner!

How much cash are we talking?

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usually it's about 1.800 bt.

But this only applies if you are living countryside. Then you will have to bring this embassy paper to the nearest immigratyion, and they give you a paper with which you get your drivers license.

Living f.e. in Pattaya, it is much easier:

you go to the place where you stay, asking them to make a letter, that you have rent a condo, bring this to immigration, next day tyou get the letter for the driving license (free!!)