Bosse137

Any good recommendations to litteratur?Would be much appreciated!

OK guys,lots of humor,I like that!By the way,a time machin would do a lot for my body and face...And if I could bring my old wife along;whoau!!! About VHS,I have found some over the years in "mom and pop" shops,where they just collect dust and the owner was happy to get rid of it for a low price.So,if you feel like it;next time you shop in a place like that and if you remember me;please ask them from me..

Does anyone know,where I can buy a new VHS recorder? Preferebly in Khon Kaen-Chayaphum area.I found one "leftover" in a shop where I live,but it has no timer on it,which I need.Grateful for any sugestions.

You can consider a christmas tree,green,freshsmelling,beautyful.Then over time,people hang on,"decorete" it,with more and more krims-krams,until finaly,you don`t even see the tree any more...That is what,IMO,exactly what has happened to all the religions.!Just saw Several`s post,and I agree with him;Buddhism is a "religion" of tolerance,perhaps one of it`s strongest hallmarks.And actually more of a way of life and a way of how to live this life,than a "religion.

About your position when mediteting;never mind if you sit like a staty or hang upside down,the important thing is that you get something positiv out of it! Same thing with other dogms.Let me try your patiens with something I read in a book by Govinda.Buddha expected of his pupils,that they did not made his teachings to dogm or him personally to an authority.Once he asked Ananda if he understood his teachings and made them real within him,or because Ananda belived in and worshiped Buddha. When Ananda answered,that he belived in the teachings because his own realisation,Buddha was happy with that answer. Buddha did not want his pupils to just belive his words,but use them as a startingpoint for their own experiences and decisions! The light is universiell,but everyone has to see it with their own eyes... Now my comment: This is what first attracted me to Buddha.No dogm,no blind (stupid..)obedience,but some effort to use your own brain and find the way to what is truth to you.May I add,that the way I understand Buddha,there is no "God" in his ideas,neither does he mean,that you will have an etarnal,individual, life."Nothing is born and nothing dies" means to me,that everything changes,is,but it doesn`t die or be born.Like waterdrops,they falls into the see,they evaporets,they become drops again.Not exactly the same,not as "individuals" Everything hangs together,is basically "the same". You can laugh,but it happened to me once,that I experienced something most fantastic;I became "one" with the trees and everything around me and there were no feeling of here and now.That was the most joyful moment in my life! Hope I not bored you to death,but you asked me back here.....

Hallo again! Happy to see your communication goes on! I do not want to interfear with it,although I must admit,that me too have some issues with the sittingposition.Of course,not beeing a monk,I do not care about what is considered "correct",rather which one is most efficient in my situation.. I just want to tell you,that,when having the time,I use to go "on tour" with my bicycle.Reason for telling you that;if any of you reside not too far from Chumpae (between Kon Kaen/Chayaphum),and don`t mind a short visit by me,please let me know! "Not too far from" means not more than about 200-300 km away. You can contact me via TV or direct here.Also people,following this thred passively are wellcome to contact me.Coming to think of it,also somebody more far away is wellcome;sometimes I make very long trips.PS,I do not expect to be acommedated in any way,just have a nice conversation...

To Several and others;thanks for an interesting "discussion"! I must say,that I now have a more positiv view of monks,thanks to you! I will probably leave you to go on without me,since I feel,that I do not have much more to contribute.

Several.You mentioned in a post,that you "do intend to quit (again)" Smoking,that is.Bear with me,when I will tell you how I managed to do it after thousands of failed attemt.Perhaps it also will shed some light over my previous posts.My father got fed up beeing beaten and left home 13 year old.Started work in a factory.When he was 35,he was in an accident and lost his right leg above the knee.Couple of years later,his young wife,my mother,died of cancer,and he was left with 3 small children,which he singelhanded cared for.All the time,and all his life,he never missed a day in his workplace and he never,ever complained.He made it all seem so easy...Now to my point; I asked him once,how he could manage all this and he told me,that already when he left his home,he started to train his thoughts.Sometimes he tried to keep the same thought for a long time,sometimes the opposite,to keep his brain "emty",with no thoughts at all.So,everytime some bad,unwellcome thoughts entered his brain,he just dismissed them;didn`t let them take root. With this in mind,one day,when again I wanted to quit smoking,I used this method,and to my amazement,it worked! It is now 35 years ago,and I never,even once,missed it (the smoking)I am not saying,that this is for everybody,but this method,of controlling your thoughts,has helped me in many difficult situations.Perhaps this story can inspire somebody.

"The world is full of ignorence,wars....." Yes,really!! Especially ignorence... You are not likly to be able to stop any wars,but you should be able to quit your own smoking. That is,if you are not ignorent but aware of all the bad consequenses,for you self and,in a broader meaning,for the society at large.I do not try to make anybody quit;by all means,puff away till your lungs or heart give in! The reason why laymen give cigarettes to monks,is of course,that they know,that monks want it.Is it really to much to expect,that monks can,by their own good will,try to be a good example to others,especially the young,and lay off smoking...?I accept that others have other opinions on this subject,but for me it is clear:a monk who can`t control his mind enough to live without the "stimuli" of tobac,is in my eyes not a monk.Next to one of our fields do we have a wat.The monks have TV,mobils and smoke.What else they might do I do not know,and do not care about either,but one can not help thinking;why do these people live in a wat,mascerading as monks,if they want to live an ordinary life?! Could it be,that it is a nice existence with few worries? Actually I know of some,that were a lazy bunch and did not want to do something useful;they became monks..Let me add,that I am certain,that most of monks a good,honest people,whith an important roll.That is exactly why I am sad to see,when the few spoil the good image of Buddhismen!

Well my friend, get ordained and make a difference. I've sat in a ward full of old dying men trying to cheer them. We got knee deep in flood water helping those in trouble and donated a large quantity of food too. I teach english to poor locals for free. I've looked after the puppies people dump on us and watched them die. Given hope and support to the mentally ill and the desperate. Patrolled the Wat grounds at two in the morning trying to catch the yoms who steal our electric cable and copper piping for yaba and wondering how to deal with armed men non-violently in a language I don't speak. And the chances that anybody saw me and though 'Oh look, Phra Farang is smoking, we'd better start too!' are infinitessimally slim. Whatever damage I have caused is ameliorated by the massive amounts of tax I have paid. The life of this farang as a Monk is no masquerade. Thai Buddhism is what it is, and sometimes that means bloody and muddy, misunderstood and misjudged, powerless and alone. So give it a try. Or not. We all die regardless. Pax.

Para: Well,we seem to be on the same team.Generally,I want to add,in regard to some earlier posts,that I do definitely not want to "force" anybody to quit! Even if it was in my power to do so,which of course it is not..What I would hope for,is that some of the more enlightened people could guide, inspire if you like,others to WANT to do it,by their OWN will!It was actually this,the idea of finding the truth trough your own mind and thoughts,but perhaps with help of some hints from a "teacher",that made be interested in Buddhismen in the first place.So different from the dogmatic christianity!!

"The world is full of ignorence,wars....." Yes,really!! Especially ignorence... You are not likly to be able to stop any wars,but you should be able to quit your own smoking. That is,if you are not ignorent but aware of all the bad consequenses,for you self and,in a broader meaning,for the society at large.I do not try to make anybody quit;by all means,puff away till your lungs or heart give in! The reason why laymen give cigarettes to monks,is of course,that they know,that monks want it.Is it really to much to expect,that monks can,by their own good will,try to be a good example to others,especially the young,and lay off smoking...?I accept that others have other opinions on this subject,but for me it is clear:a monk who can`t control his mind enough to live without the "stimuli" of tobac,is in my eyes not a monk.Next to one of our fields do we have a wat.The monks have TV,mobils and smoke.What else they might do I do not know,and do not care about either,but one can not help thinking;why do these people live in a wat,mascerading as monks,if they want to live an ordinary life?! Could it be,that it is a nice existence with few worries? Actually I know of some,that were a lazy bunch and did not want to do something useful;they became monks..Let me add,that I am certain,that most of monks a good,honest people,whith an important roll.That is exactly why I am sad to see,when the few spoil the good image of Buddhismen!

"Thai buddhism is what it is" is the subject,isn`t it? And accepting monks smoking seems to be a speciallity for Thai (cultural thing),according to some posters.Unlike in America,somebody noted. No,I have not complained to the local Abbot.It would be like trying to stop a train because I didn`t like how fast it was moving.After all,I am not a hero,not even a good man,and I know what is possible and ´what is not.ButI must admit,that your remark was a clever one,that made me chuckle!

Whether smoking is socially acceptable or not(What about cencur in movies..),is a bit beyond the point.Everybody knows,that it is extremely bad for your health AND sets a very bad example for others "if the monks can do it..." Isn`t that enough reason to stop doing it?! I for one admire Buddhas teachings,but I can not feel any respect for monks,walking the streets,smoking! The way I see it is,that if they can`t understand all the negativity with smoking or,alternatively,are unable to control it,well,then....Regarding the point,made many times already,about beeing passiv when you experience something that seems wrong to you,I understand what is meant and can agree up to a point.But there are times "when good men must speak.." to try to stop/alter wrongdoings!Or in other words,what meaning is there to be a better and better person in theory,if you can not practically help others in need of help?!..

All this chanting and meditation,and many (most?) of them can`t even control their minds enough to stop smoking....Or is it,that they are ignorent of the dangers of smoking and/or the bad exampel they set for young people..?

Once,some years ago,I was the whisperer...After entering my hotelroom,that I just booked in to,I noted that something was missing,I think it was towels,so I contacted the young lady in the reception,and she came up to my floor,but no towels.Instead she opened vacant rooms,to check if she could pick some up from any of them.I was somewhat confused by her behavior;she entered the rooms very carefully and left them very quickly,so I asked her,jokingly,and in a whispering tone:"Are there any ghosts in there"? Her reaction was absolutely stunning;she rushed out of the room,stormed down the corridor,both arms in the air,screeming like crazy.It was funny in a way,but I also felt sorry,that what was intended as a little joke made her react like that.I had to apollogise to her later.

Spoonman: I guess your question is for me.As I mentioned in my OP,I paid to the agency (which I thought was an ordinary representativ of the company).Not untill after 6 months did the headoffice tell me,that they had not received the money and thus I had no valid insurance!On my question,why they had not notified me before,the answer was,that they used to give the agent plenty of time to send in the money. In other words,if something had happened,and due to their selfmade policy to give time to the agent,I would not get any compensation,since I had not paid the insurance,that is,they had not,by their own choosing, received my payment!! TIT !

tonydabbs:You are probably absolutely correct in what you write.My point was,and is,that I guess that most people,who are not professionals,think,that an authorized Agent actually represents the company,and thus the company has some responsibility for his actions!Its not easy to know who is selfemployd and who is not,especially when the Agent uses document with the companys logo.My "warning" was meant to include not only insurancecompanys,but any outlet,that could in fact be nothing more than a front for a known company,but totally without any responsibility!I know this,now,when in this case it is to late,butI want others to know it also,before it is to late!

A word of caution regarding insurance companies.For years I was a customer of a big insurance company,which had an office in Chumpae.One day I got a letter from headoffice,telling me,that I was 6 months behind payment.I responded,that I paid in time and had a receit from the Chumpae office,as always.To cut the story short,it turned out,that the manager of the local office had never sent the money to headoffice and now he had bolted,taken all the money with him!And,the big company was not responsible,because the manager was "just an agent,not employed by the company"...! It took them 6 months to contact me about the missing payment,because they "used to give the agent some time to send it in". 6 months,driving without insurance!End of the story and many negotiations with authorities taking part,I got the insurance;When it had only a few days left on it!Well,that were more than "one word",but I want to warn people against "agents" who you think are representing a company.

When I installed a new meter,the person who checked for the billing did not understand the meter and wanted to have 10 or 100 times the real number.( Don`t remember,long time ago)Took me some time to explain the numbers to him.Not sure if he actually got it,though....Later I had no use for water at that location,so no further problems.As most of us know,many Thai are not all that smart when it comes to numbers.If you buy something in a shop for,let`s say 85 Baht, and give a 100 note,they have to use a calculater to figure out how much to give you back...

Gonsalviz and wpcoe,thankyou both of you for answers! As a sidenote,when I told my gf about this and asked her to tell the niece,that he is wellcome to use "my" internet any time on any day,exept between 17-21 on saturdays,(when there is a special program from my country on)she was angry and complained,that the niece "will be angry and never come here again".(He is 20 years old).Well,well....

I have TOT modem (Thomsen).Lately,my niece use to come to my home and turn on his computer.My feeling is,that it makes my reception worse,but I am not sure,because many times it is bad anyway.My question:does it matter,how many computers "use" the signal at the same time.My gf sais no,"because in an office,there are many computers"..And yes,I know,I can check by asking him to turn off,but as I said,sometimes it is bad anyway,so it is not conclusive evidence..

HongKongPooey: OK.get you! We have about the same view on those things,now after you defined what you mean by "common sence".Likewise with the other subjects.Though,a little correction regarding being in tune with what the locals want.Actually,they do not mind at all,on the contrary,with me helping them! If I paved the road for them,singelhanded,they would be alated! But,they would think I am a crazy fool to spend time,money and work on something,that does not belong to me...Bye the way,that was many years ago.Today,this road is worse than ever,more like a pool at places,because nobody wants to do something for the common good.They all order clay to put outside their house,and this grow higher and higher each year.They could have digged a klong,100 meter long,which would have taken care of the problem,but no way! I must add,that I moved away from that road a long time ago...

It may be the case,that a sour thumb sticks out,but I meant to write "sore" thumb..(To late to edit)

HongKongPhony:I agree with most of what you write,among other things that it is not so much what the law says,but who interprete it.In short,the person in power is the law.But that does not mean,that you do not need to be a bit careful;you do not want to stick out like a sour thumb..Regarding my exampel with PVC pipes;I do not trip over dem,especially as they lie 5cm deep.My point was meant to be,that what in your eyes is common sence,can be seen as very stupid in a Thaipersons eyes.E,g.,in my first year here in the village,the klong was blocked by some shit,water floated over the road and it was a real mess.Well,my common sence told me to clear that up,easy done in 5 minutes.My gf was angry,telleing me,that I had made a fool of myself.Why? Because according to her`s and others common sence,the road was not owned by the villagers,consequently did they not have to care about it..What promted me to tell,that some people like to mow their own lawn,was what you wrote at the end of post 56 ;that people coming here should afford to pay for it,and thereby contribute to the local economi.As I said,nothing to do with affording or not!

My perspective is that it all depends who is around you, and also like one of the members said above, it's basically who you piss off.

I’ve seen it boil down to jealousy and greed a majority of the time.

If you are working and generating any type of "income" while "living" here in Thailand, it's always best to have all your documentation in order.

And if you’re doing life's everyday routines, just like all other cultures, washing the dishes, pulling weeds, taking out the trash, or even sweeping your own floor, this is not going to get you busted by the tourist police or any type of immigration officials.

They should be ashamed of themselves if they if they were to come challenge you in your own home!

If you are living at your place of business, and actually generating income while you are there by providing some type of service or "help" without proper documentation, you will get in trouble if they catch you. Behind the bar is a big one around these parts

Keep it simple, if you want to work get your crap together, and make sure you do what the law requires .Get your work permits visas, and licenses in order

If you do happen to get in trouble, better have a good phone number of an intelligent Thai friend that can vouch for your actions, and also a little bit of cash set aside.

BTW: It will help greatly if this Thai friend wasn’t bar related, regardless if it’s your girlfriend or not.

Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and try to be a good Farang.

I agree with what you are writing but sometimes it is not that simple,If,for example,your wife has some kind of farming,be it rubbertrees,sugarcane,rice or whatever,and it is difficult to find labourers and/ or the plot is not all that big,she has to do the work herself,right,while you just sit on the sideline,drinking a beer.(Well,not neceserily..) My serious question to you,who seems to have some grip on this matter,is whether you think you can get a workpermit to help her?! Anyone out there,any experience of something like that.And a follow-up question,if the answer is yes,or probably,what about your current "non imm O visa,retirement",do workpermit go alongside thar onè?

.

Your visa is exclusively linked to your work permit. To help someone to do something can be considered work. If you help her for profit, then you are in breach of your non Imm O visa. Unfortunately legal speaking, you cannot help her.

You need to consider your surroundings as mentioned, do the neighbors know you ? Do you live on the plot yourself fulltime? What have you contributed to your local area? Don’t do something you have to question yourself about and not feel comfortable doing it, especially here in Thailand.

The only hassle way free to work is to become a Thai citizen. This is not an easy task, but for those who which to make Thailand their country, this is the best route to go. You can start this process now with your residency permit if you have it.

Here is a very impressive post to read if interested.

Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/121353-story-of-my-thai-citizenship-application/

Thanks again! About Thai citizenchip,I already checked it out,and there are too many stumbelblocks for an old guy like me,language wise and economywise,to mention some.Most interesting to me was to hopefully get an adequat answer to the question:What are the most likely consequensis if somebody get caught.? Got some hints,and have to be satisfied with that.