connda

I often wonder about all those Africans one sees hanging around the soi 5 area , they are obviously not normal tourists. A couple of the have offered me drugs in the past.

Thank god you're not in the EU. Of course those are all just normal tourists! To think otherwise would be racist.

Kudo to the RTP. Excellent job. Now, how's the road stats looking this year in the World's Second Most Dangerous Roads. Still a slaughter? Hmmmm.

There is always hope...they could come to America and become an officer in Obama's military...leading the troops into battle...defending the nation with the spike from a high-heel shoe...subduing the enemy with the threat of an all-out oral frontal attack...with the imminent threat of an attack from the rear...

Actually they'd be the most useful 'females' on the front line considering they still can manage to have the physical strength of a male. Hummm. I wonder how that works???

I personally know some very nice "Kathoeys", who won't fit the general perception most people have, and those are the ones an average tourist or even an expat would not easily be able to "detect". They are kind, honest, gentle, silent, and very feminine, all without the hand running through the hair every ten second thing, without flashy handbags, overdressing, sponge bras, and without the loud (often scary) overacting.

I believe those are the very few who really have been born in the wrong body and to whom the whole transgender issue is not a choice, but fate. The other 95% are - at least in my opinion - nothing more but gay crossdressers who do it for the cash and perhaps even premeditated theft and extortion. Those 95% destroy any hope for a "normal" life for the good 5% which is very sad.

Fear there's no solution to this problem...

Ok - Thai and transgender bashers may continue with their business now as usual. Thanks for listening.

Most of the kathoeys that I know hold down regular jobs, such as the front desk clerk at my dentist office. Outside of the bar and sextrade scene, most are just regular people trying to make a living and enjoy life.

I recently sent a Scolopendra, which came inside the house uninvited, to the great beyond after it refused to be coaxed back outside. It's Thailand: centipedes, spiders, snakes...par for the course. Tourists should be happy that tigers still don't roam free. That could ruin your vacation. Now? Tuk tuk and taxi drivers with machetes are a much bigger worry.

Making a great target for anyone wishing to do harm to Americans........

I'm afraid I agree.

I doubt the U.S. embassy would endorse events like that unless there was good security.

This isn't a time to be conspicuously American in large groups.

But that restaurant isn't really very popular, so maybe the large group part is a NON-issue.

To add, it is a known fact that ISIS is encouraging attacks on western targets especially during Ramadan.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/22/world/isis-more-attacks-ramadan/index.html

July 4 is still within that schedule:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan_(calendar_month)

2016 1437 6 June 6 July

Personally, I am trying to avoid obvious targets until after Ramadan. I suppose most people would consider that paranoid. Up to you!

Compared to the dangers of driving on Thai roads, I put 'Terrorist Attacks' close to the bottom of my personal list of 'worries' and 'fears'. And being an unabashed conservative, the last thing I'd expect, no less the last thing I'd want, is for the US government to 'protect' me over here, especially from the 'terrorist boogie-men' that the government and media would lead you to believe are under every tree. Why? Because they can't.

If I was in Pattaya, I'd go to the party without a second thought. I mean really? The 'terrorists' could bomb/attack virtually any farang expat venue in Thailand: Any expat club, farang oriented meetings, farang oriented night clubs, the list goes on......

I'll leave ya'll to quiver in fear for me; I'm going to go enjoy my life.

And Inspire!!! Bring that party up to Chiang Mai!

Daily dangers such as breaking a nail when whipping out a butter-fly knife whilst robbing a farang tourist.

"Kee Nok! Broke nail! You pay farang. All you money! "

Go Nigel

Hypocrisy Central: Have you ever noticed that when a bomb kills a relatively large number of people in a Middle-Eastern country or a developing country (e.g., South Thailand), the event may warrant a small news article on the back page of a regular Western newspaper; however if a bomb kills a relatively large number of people in a Western country, every main-stream news outlet from CNN to the New York Times make the event Front Page News for the next week as every Western politician and pundit expresses their utter shock concerning the event.

Exceptionalism?

The general says that TPP is a good idea.
US upgrades Thailand.

Coincidence?

I wonder when the Eye Of Sauron will cast it's gaze in this direction?

{TV members}

Probably not. If the BP and Euro go to parity with the USD, than your in the exact same boat as the Yanks. If you have a problem, you probably did not read the parable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, then ask yourself why your weren't socking a portion of your disposable income into a fixed interest Thai savings account for a rainy day. Opps. Here come the thunder clouds.

Anyway, don't worry too much. The financial and political elite class is simply attempting to scare the hell out of everyone. Look! And it works!

Boris baby. Again...how predictable.

So amazingly predictable.

Short the SET for awhile as the London/NY finance crowd rig the markets crashes next week. Gotta scare the clueless masses.

It's a Thai rite of passage. The kiddies will get over it. Creeping liberalism.

They should do a remake of West Side Story in BKK.

The Tech School boyz grumble: "Fair fight."
But if they start a rumble,
We'll rumble 'em right.

David? David Cameron? Is that you having a rant?

What's next?

Not even one day has passed and the 'big money' in the Remain camp is pressing forward for a new referendum. If you can't sway the voters with fear and propaganda the first time, try, try again!

He was just the warm-up act. It's all pretty much BS. Circuses for the masses.

I doubt if very many TV members really understand the dynamics of child-rearing in rural villages. This is not the West and Thais have found a way to raise children within the extended family unit that works just fine. But those from the nanny-state West - you'll never 'get it', you'll always simply want a 'Western' system superimposed over the sovereign Thai culture, which of course is too primitive and uncultured <thank God, and I hope it stays that way> for nanny-staters.

Time to rent or buy a place in Lamphun to make sure you qualify..?

We have an extra bedroom to rent. Lol (Wife says, 'not really')

I have a need for some pure distilled water. I can say that I've seen it locally. Has anyone seen any for sale in CM?

So a lightly veil threat that what happened to the Thai Baht in 1997 may happen to the Brit Pound if a yes vote for Brexit happens. What I crock. A 'Yes' vote on Brexit means naught. The whole issue allows TPTB to fear monger and scare the masses silly. And of course, the masses need to be scared because at the moment most are sleeping sheep.

I can't understand the hypocrisy. Cigarettes acceptable; e-cigarettes completely unacceptable.

What sort of complete insanity makes legislation like that? Either they all are acceptable or they are all unacceptable. That's totally bizarre to the point of utter insanity.