lambada

If my Thai g/f has sex with me while I am asleep, is that rape? It's one of her hobbies

Yes, they come here with their bulging trousers and Zimmer Frames, high on Viagra. Over sexed and over here! My G/F left me before for an octogenarian and now she’s marrying a new one. They're stupid, inflationary and shouldn't be allowed. This time she gets his house in the UK when he croaks and he can't even get it up! What kind of a precedent is that? ######.... What about me? Now I can't laugh at the young fellas anymore because there's a line of geriatrics laughing at me...

My and G/F's hobby is matching people up. Right little cupids. Bit of explanation here, misunderstanding there, facts of life, background, odd reality check etc etc. Several happy couples to our credit. I've watched guys give up great girls because of Thai girl stereotypes and Thai girls give up rich guys for poor guys cos they loved them... In general if a male is easy going, not a cheap charlie and faithful he'll be alright sooner or later. I found poverty sorted out most of my problems with Thais

My butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, always smiling thai teacher told me of an occasion where some waitresses in Khonkaen asked her to speak English to a guy they couldn't understand. I think he told her to f*** off or something similar to which he received a hit on the head with two pool balls followed by a glass bottle. Said drunk later returned to appologize after they had stitched him up at the local hospital. Why would anyone argue with a Thai?

also, their are several different factors when talking about the thai peopulations, for instance, many farang overlook that there are many different regions of thailand that speak different dialectic languages than bangkok. so traveling is another advantage to learning about thais. teaching english is probably the best way, and i am taking advantage of that right now. Thank you.

As far as I know the only dialectic language was that referred to by Hegal!

Also I think you will find that the Soviet Union also had more that a little to do with the defeat of Germany - not that I am denigrating the US involvement or the battle of Britain.

Some books that might be of interest to an expert like yourself:

Sex Slaves - The trafficking of women in Asia by Louise Brown

Sex and Borders - Gender, National Identity, and Prostitution Policy in Thailand by Leslie Ann Jeffrey

Debatable Land - Stories from Southeast Asia by Michael Vatifiotis

A land on fire - The environmental consequences of the Southeast Asian Boom by James David Fahn

Democratic Transitions in Asia by Sam Rainsy

Laos - Culture and Society by Grant Evans

The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs

Corruption & Democracy in Thailand by Pasuk Phongpaichit & Sungsidh Piriyarangsan

Radicalising Thailand - New political perspectives Edited by Ji Giles Ungpakorn.

And of course

Pira Sudham's books on Esarn (Isan, Isaan - Particularly for a Esarn view on anti Esarn/loas sentiment in native Thais.)

Tales of Thailand

People of Esarn

Monsoon Country

The Force of Karma.

Of course you could learn to read and write Thai which would open up a whole new paradigm

A few questions. I arrive on a late flight tonight. How long does a bus take to Pattaya and do they run late at night ie after 10 pm? If not I guess it's a taxi. Also I want to go to Khon Kaen the next day. Is there a bus that runs direct from Pattaya to KK? If not, I guess I might as well go back to Bangkok and take a bus from there [sigh] I guess it's a lot closer to the airport than Pattaya. thanks for the info which I know will be forthcoming

Dynamite? That would get his attention!

> asked for this didn't I. I can't believe I did it.

Oh not at all.. After all ghosts are a VERY real consideration in Thailand. If not for yourself then for sure for any Thai person living with you.

Interesting, my G/F took it all in her stride. I'm supposed to have an old guy who looks after the house and is harmless, but this one came from the waterfall and wanted me out of the house. The detail that he described in the house - down to me sitting in my boxers watching TV, not to mention a dig at my extra curricular activities and descriptions of these damned Disney murials everywhere in the house, was amazing. He reckoned she jumped of the balcony as he came in and that she wanted to kill me but couldn't because of stuff in the house. I'd been down to the Buddist / Taoist shops here and bought and burnt paper money, paper clothes, done various procedures, bought a little temple etc. and this was protecting me. Mind you, I never felt particularly threatened, just exhausted because I could sense when she was going to bug me. As well as the hindu statue, I also have a strange piece of carved wood that she said represented a child's hand. She told me the guy had gone into his house and searched around for this statue and that it was his last one - I guess to a new batch comes in. She specifically came over to HK to fix this problem. Apparently some Farang had bought him a 50,000 baht snake as a thank you present for good advice. I'm just telling you the G/F told me but all very strange.

As for the folks, we get things happening all the time in Thailand that I am blissfully unaware of until my G/F informs me.

1 My G/F's new sister-in-law got a visit because she wasn't introduced formally to the house spirit which put the wind up her.

2 All the women in the family smelt Loas whiskey whilst we were waiting for a ferry, but the guys, including me, couldn't smell a thing. Within an hour we received a phone call to say the local drunk had just died suddenly. The reckoned he was coming to say goodbye and thank you for all the money he had over the years.

3 The village had a full on ceremony because one of the local kids had set fire to the grass around the village spirit house and various villagers had dreampt that he would die. Festival held and problem solved.

4 Outside Khon Kaen a spirit house was moved from the road to a temple and 9 people were killed in 2 accidents within a hundred yards of that spot within a couple of days last summer. Apparently a Tiger (Tyger) spirit had been unleashed. Needless to say that was fixed up really fast.

Just stories from the folks but it's so woven into the day to living living in Isaan village life that it starts to make you wonder. Most of my macho mates told me to move really fast:whistling: and no one is interested in sleep overs any more.

I asked for this didn't I. I can't believe I did it. ###### It ain't funny though, I got lifted right across the bed - I think. Sort of levitated sideways. Maybe I had better just shut up.

Hi Pampal

I saw you g/f was afraid of a ghost. I know of a Thai guy that may be able to set your g/f's mind at rest. I would have been highly sceptical of such things had I not had similar problems over the last 3 months with a ghost in HK. My Thai G/F got a guy in Isaan to metaphysically come into the house and give the ghost the flick. She then brought over some kind of special hindu like statue when she visited. It was really weird, with things climbing over me at night and grabbing me while i lay in bed and the room getting really cold so that the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Anyway, he came in and it took off. (A 35 year old woman from all accounts that had followed me home from the waterfall nearby.) Since he popped in, describing the house in HK in incredible detail, including me, the ghost has gone and all is well. It might all be rubbish but my life is a lot less stressed now, not that I was ever particularly frightened, and I'll get you his details if you want them. He seems to have some pretty amazing abilities re fortune telling etc.

Yes, I know a lot of people will think me completely daft.

First, as a plump blond child being pinched for good luck by beautiful Thai girls.

Second, the smile on my G/F's father's face as 3 trucks rocked up with the materials he had ordered for him to build a family home. The most pleasure I have had from giving something away.

Third, when the local sharmen told me we were destined to be together as we had already battled it out in several previous lives.

Last, my G/F giggling as I knelt down and tried to avoid getting soaked by a crazed monk throwing holy water around whilst chanting during a ceremony and seeing a beautiful brown cow looking in at me through the window of the room, munching grass with the sunlight beaming in over it's head. At that moment I knew I would always love Isaan.

What's her name? Maybe we know her:-) Seriously, be careful. Those that don't learn from history may live to repeat it.

My missus was pulled over for not wearing a helmet in the local town outside KK and started arguing with the police. Meantime I'm telling her to shut up and pay the 80 baht or what ever. The police were cracking up laughing at us. Mainly at me. In the end she went to see some relative to get her money back.

Early days, but I see no reason why they wouldn't want to sponsor such a fine institution. Give them a little time. At the T junction past the Sofitel.

Just thought I would mention a new watering hole in Khon Kaen called Mimi's Bar. Nice atmosphere, with reasonable prices and friendly girls. If you ring Graham on 0833601410 and mention you saw the bar mentioned on Thaivisa, you can have a free beer on him at Mimi's Bar.

I've just got my hands on a copy of a bomb threat specifying Khon Kaen and Udon Thani as targets for tomorrow Childrens Day.

The gist is to avoid shopping malls (specifically Big C, Tesco Lotus and Charoensri Complex Udon) and military camps especially at lunch and dinner time and to keep your kids at home.

Stay safe tomorrow in Isaan folks.

My Thai G/F reckons a bomb went off a week or so back in Big CC killing 2. I've seen nothing in the press etc but similar stuff was mentioned on koankaen.com by a couple of posters. Maybe it was just gossip.

Anyone got any more details on teak houses in Isaan. I will be there in about 6 weeks and have a nice big chunk of land I could put one on. Anyone, knowledgable about teak houses living in that area who could advise? My father in law did a great job, at bargain rates, of doing up the current house but it's a bit rough around the edges for my liking and my wife wants a bit of space between her and her family. Amazing how people change!

I know lots has been said on Oz already but here goes. Am arriving in LOS at Easter and was going to visit Oz and French Embasy to get tourist visa for Thai G/F for July holidays. We have lived together for about 1 1/2 years. We mainly live in Hong Kong but do have a house in Isaan. It seems to be a real drama to get a tourist visa for Oz. (Statutory Declarations and supporting letters from people that know us. Income in HK etc.) Is France just as hard? Personnally I'm happy just to holiday in Thailand as per usual, but she wants to see Europe or Australia. I can hardly blame her given that she will probably end up in Oz. I have both EEC and Australian citizenship. As regards her kids and marriage, would we be better off getting married in HK than in Thailand? We were planning a Buddhist marriage this summer and I was going to do the civil one in HK though I have more free time in Thailand as I seem to spend every holiday there now Thanks for any advice and apologies if this has all been covered already.

Hi

Returning yet again to Thailand. Could go back to the family in Isaan or could do something a bit different. Australian Embassy has a bleak report on security in Thailand. ie stay away from Tourist places etc etc. Makes sense. Has anyone got any ideas on somewhere interesting and unusual to go or unique to do. Preferably beach orientated but not necessarily. I feel i ought to do something a bit more proactive than watch the rice and talk to my buffalo!

IF you are a qualified teacher (ie have a teaching degree or dip ed) you cuold teach on the PNET or NET scheme in Hong Kong and spend your vacations in the LOS. A minimus of $28000 HK per month going up to about $60,000 / month depending on years experience teaching in Primary or secondary school. About 13 hours contact teaching a week. So many have quit here that it is relatively easy to get a job. I have a Thai girlfriend who spends most of her time here and - well just do the sums. You could own a condo in a couple of years. I rebuilt my girlfriends house just using my gratuity. Thailand is a great lifestyle if you have money but I would suck like most places if you were chasing the dollar. Just my thoughts. It's so much easier to do things with money and ideas become reality more easily.

Thanks for all the responses. We are planning on the land first. I shall process slowly - always do. It sounds like it might be an interesting way of making a bit of pocket money and entertaining / employing the in-laws.

When ladies have these ideas usually mens have problems...but if is the price you wanna know I think it would be around 200k bath for 10 buffalo.

Hoping everything would be fine for you...

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Thanks. She was quoted and has quoted me 200,000 baht for 10 so she seems to be spot on. About 660,000 baht for 21 Rai of land and about 30,000 baht for bits and pieces. Someone here in Hong Kong told me about 10,000 per buffalo but i suspect that was just a rough guess and I guess you pay different prices for different kinds etc. I am still skeptical but who knows!

Ok all jokes aside. What is the going rate for a damned buffalo? The missus has this idea to buy about 10 buffalo and then breed them and / or sell them at vast profit. I have my doubts but who knows. Anyone had any experience of buffalo? I can just feel the sarchastic comments coming my way!

Thanks will get in touch with Richard

When we were in Pataya a month ago my girlfriend was on a taxi bike when a bike raced up and knocked the front wheel nearly knocking them off. My motorbike taxi guy chased after them but with my weight couldn't catch them. Interestingly the taxi guys said it was a westerner. I didn't see but makes you wonder. He didn't try to take anything though.