connda

Just make sure you stay signed out of Google before using it. They can't track you if you're not signed in. An delete the Google cookies set in your browser.

Yeah, the BIB are Shocked, just before they head out for a night on the town at their favorite Ob Nam Op. LOL

Real monks don't walk around asking for money. It's against the Vinyana, or the rules of practicing monks. Fake monks target farang and verbally ask for "money". Real monks walk early morning alms rounds and don't ask for anything. Real monks may solicit funds, but I always seen this happen in well established groups, and generally the groups are targeting Thais, not farangs, and they are soliciting funds for their respective temples.

Drug use has definatly increased, but at the same time so has the soical disparite between the have and have nots. I wonder which side of the social divide the majority of drug addicts fall. The link between poverty, lack of opportunity, dysfunctional families and drug use has been clearly established. Until these social issues which underpin drug use are effectively address, the government is fighting a losing battle. Other strategies need to be purseued in conjunction with stricter anti drug laws to make any changes effective and long lasting and provide hope and real opportunity for a better life to those addicted to or at risk of drug addiction.

Other wise the choice is simply - A shit life in a village with no future or a shit life in jail with no future - hardly a tempting choice for those stuck in a cycle of poverty.

My wife acknowledged that there is a Yaba problem in her village, primarily with the male children (teenagers and young adults). It seems to be pretty well corralated to income and opportunity, ie, how poor the kids parents are and how much of a viable future these kids think they have. Kids from families with higher incomes seem to get wrapped up in the use of Yaba via peer pressure. We pulled her son out of the village when he was 15, primarily to get him away from the other kids. We now have him enrolled in school in Chiang Mai. He's now looking at starting Uni next year. I feel sorry for the other kids...no prospect, no future, go parental direction -- and they turn to drugs and alcohol, and then maybe jail. It's partially a social and ecomonic problem. Treatment and education might be a good start, but how do you solve the underlying ecomonic disparity?

I feel your frustration. I gave up long ago and now simply buy them (Nike Shox R4) online. The tax isn't as much as you'd think but the shipping can be a bit steep depending on where it comes from.

Stores like Eastbay and Sneakerhead ship to Thailand with no problems.

Thanks! I might just go that route.

One thing I've noticed in Thailand: almost everything I wear is not imported to this country. For example - shoes. I've been wearing Avia cross-trainers for a bunch of years (since the 1980's). It's one of the best shoes that I have found in the market. Every pair I've bought is high-quality, fits me well, and performs great. Touble is...I can't find them here. I've tried Bangkok, Korat, and Chiang Mai. As far as I can tell, they aren't imported.

Ok! So I need to find another pair of "quality" cross-trainers. Now, what do I mean by "quality?" I mean: 1) shoes that do not wear out or fall apart quickly (I expect to get three to four years of wear out of a pair of sports shoes). 2) Shoes that fit better a few weeks after you buy them than the day you bought them (i.e., they break-in and form to your foot as opposed to breaking-down and quickly becoming a waste of money). Also, quality is not a function of money. Some of the worst shoes I've bought were the most expensive until I settled on buying Avia's -- which I can't buy here in Thailand.

So with that said, I use my shoes for walking, sprints, racketball, aerobics, and weight-training. I'd like to get some recommendation from like minded individuals: What shoes (especially cross-trainers) have you had success with that you have purchased in Thailand. I'm a recreationally athletic guy, about 180cm, and 80 kilograms, size 10 US feet. So, I'm looking for mens sports shoes! Any constructive responses and recommendations are truly appreciated. Thanks!

I am currently on a Non-O 1 Year Extension based on Marriage to a Thai Wife. I got that extension at the Nakhon Ratchasima Immigration office last year, and have since moved to Chiang Mai.

I know that the immigration offices throughout Thailand are not uniformly the same. Each Immigration Office in different locations seem to want different paperwork.

So with that said, what documents, paperwork, and pictures will I be expected to have to renew and extend my Non-O based on having a Thai Wife when I go to Chiang Mai Immigration in March - and - how many copies of each of these documents will I be expected to bring with me.

It would be great to hear from someone who has recently gone through this process in Chiang Mai.

However, if I cannot get information specific to Chiang Mai, I'd appreciate advice from anyone (anywhere) who has gone through the extension process based on marriage to a Thai wife.

Thanks!!!

You get the 'Yellow Book', then go along to your local government hospital and ask for the card. Some hospitals will give it, some won't.

Thanks sinbin! I've been asking my wife to help me get my Yellow House Book for about a year now. Now that I'm almost 60, if thats all I need to maybe get a hospital card - Wow - I'll give it a try. Truthfully I'd like to become a Thai citizen, but I think my age is going to rule that out. Too bad though...I believe I have a lot to offer in the way of education. I've taugh English and I've taugh Computer Technology. But pushing 60, I find I have real difficulty remember and learning the Thai language. I speak some, I read (although I don't alway understand what I'm reading but I know the sounds), and I write nitnoi.

Long post for a small fine!

Trust me...it wasn't the fine. It was the total waste of two hours of time. I'm not going to blink at 200 Baht. But waste 2 hours of my time and you have my attention! But perhaps you don't mind being nickeled and dimed by individuals who are less then above board, and there are plenty here in the LOS to separate you from your money. Me. It ain't about the money. It is the principle of the situation.

Yeh, the principle of the situation. You have some interesting principles parking on the sidewalk and all. Millions of people have been killed by other people acting on their principles and more are added to that number as you read. Three cheers for everybody who acts on principles.

"When in Rome... " -- or -- what was it that that one dude said, "You're not in Kansas anymore." It's standard practice to park on the sidewalks, and obviously it is also absolutely legal. The BIB did not ticket any of the motorcycles parked on the sidewalk directly in front of all the motorcycles that got ticketed on the road. And unlike a lot of drivers, I do try to park in such a way that I'm not impeding pedestrians from walking, i.e. I always leave an opening. God only knows that there are enough mailboxes, telephone booths, business signs, trees, potted plants, statues, utility poles, and other odd objects blocking the way without me making more of a mess out of it.

I am currently on a Non-O 1 Year Extension based on Marriage to a Thai Wife. I got that extension at the Nakhon Ratchasima Immigration office last year, and have since moved to Chiang Mai.

I know that the immigration offices throughout Thailand are not uniformly the same. Each Immigration Office in different locations seem to want different paperwork.

So with that said, what documents, paperwork, and pictures will I be expected to have to renew and extend my Non-O based on having a Thai Wife when I go to Chiang Mai Immigration in March - and - how many copies of each of these documents will I be expected to bring with me.

It would be great to hear from someone who has recently gone through this process in Chiang Mai.

Thanks!!!

If you are not Thai, it's not free. That doesn't mean you can't go to the hospitals, but you will pay.

I'm not Thai. I have a Thai medical card and I don't pay for medicines, or treatment, at the hospital I'm registered at.

Really? Wow, then I was totally misinformed. I live in my wife's Mooban. If I can get a Thai Medical Card without being a permanent resident or a citizen, please do share how I would go about obtaining one. I'm sure Stranski would love to know too!

Long post for a small fine!

Trust me...it wasn't the fine. It was the total waste of two hours of time. I'm not going to blink at 200 Baht. But waste 2 hours of my time and you have my attention! But perhaps you don't mind being nickeled and dimed by individuals who are less then above board, and there are plenty here in the LOS to separate you from your money. Me. It ain't about the money. It is the principle of the situation.

I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. I try to watch a few hundred yards in front of me on the highways, but some Somchai always needs to "fill-the-hole" in front of me if I leave one. If you slow up, the idiot behind you goes ballistic on the horn. I've just taken to ignoring the horns and driving a safely as I can. Amazing LOS.

Easiest solution to this is to drive on the left hand stroke since everybody else will be on the far right hand side stroke anyway.

The only problem you might experience are those using the exit as an entrance and those driving against traffic flow on the highways.

There's always problems with that too, considering I can always find someone who thinks that white lines in the road are to be used to center their car or truck on, usually with their blinker on, then driving 2 kilometers on the white line prior to cutting across three lanes of traffic in the opposite direction that their blinker is signalling. Hate to say it, but we make jokes about this type of driving in my country. The punchline was always..."Asian Driver", and nine times out of ten if you caught up with someone driving erratically like that, they were -- Asian (Hummm?). Even the drunks drive better than that in the US unless they are totally sloshed. I've drove with my Thai friends and they scare the crap out of me. No foresight, no anticipation, and no real attention to the road. I really am surprised that there aren't a lot more messy accidents than I've seen. Maybe I should just glue more religious trinkets on my dashboard and join the crowd

Why I don't see a traffic light in front of the first car.What is the reason he stopped at that particular place?

Like so many Thai drivers, he was braking for the dense air in front of him. God only knows why, but I seen some real idiots brake, and stop, in the middle of the road for absolutely no discernible reason. Breaking for ghosts, breaking for air, more likely braking out of total confusion and an inability to actually understand how to drive.

I've tried to keep distance between me an the car in front of me, and there always seems to be an arse in the group that want to fill the hole with their vehicle even though there is absolutely nowhere to go. I try to watch a few hundred yards in front of me on the highways, but some Somchai always needs to "fill-the-hole" in front of me if I leave one. If you slow up, the idiot behind you goes ballistic on the horn. I've just taken to ignoring the horns and driving a safely as I can. Amazing LOS.

There are at least 2 places where you can park your bike when visiting Kad Luang, 5Baht I think.

Unfortunately, packed to the gills today. Tried one lot that I normally park at before finding what I thought was a "legal" space on the street. Humm...silly me: grey cement, no paint, who'd thought I'd come back to a chained and padlocked bike. The folks parked next to me were equally confused as to why they were ticketed.

Bib having a "clampdown" today. Saw some westerner in conversation with police on the road the side of Montri hotel today. Red & white paint was very clear.

In that case I would have smiled and paid my fine . In my case, that wasn't the case. Anyway, when confronted with a Red and White no parking zone, I do what every other Thai motorcycle driver does: Park on the sidewalk -- Interesting but BIB doesn't ticket motorcycles (cars, trucks, airplanes, trailers, farm equipment) parked on the sidewalk. Just a small inconvenience to pedestrians to have to walk in the street.

The local BIB were busy today ticketing illegally parked motorcycles, well, depending on how you define illegally. There are many places throughout Chiang Mai where the streets are clearly marked with yellow and white or red and white stripes on the curb. Clear to see, and you know that you risk a ticket if you park there. And I have no problem with that.

But...

When you get a ticket for parking on the street where there are no clear markings, well, that's a different story. So, if you ever venture to Wororot Market, I suggest that you never park on Chang Moi Road in front of Top Charoen. Now, the curb there is a nice grey color, but the BIB insist that it's really yellow and white. Well, again, maybe 10 years ago it may have been yellow and white, but by its look, it's been a long, long, long time since anyone has painted that curb, and its now worn down to the original grey cement. And there are no signs indicating its a no parking zone. I read Thai, and I look for them if I'm parking. And if you do park there, you risk having your bike padlocked and ticketed, after which you will have to walk to a remote location to pay the fine and then wait for someone to unlock your vehicle. Not really costly, but a total waste of about 2 hours of your time.

So, city of Chiang Mai, perhaps you can spend some of that revenue generated by ticketing motorcycles in that one particular location, and use that revenue to have your public utilities department paint that curb so that drivers will clearly understand that it's a no parking zone -- because I'm sure that if it was clearly painted, drivers would not park there -- I know I would not! Otherwise, to the causal observer, the lack of paint on the curb may be misinterpreted and misconstrued as an attempt to lure unsuspecting motorists to park in this specific location in order to generate revenue -- which I'm sure is not the case given the high degree of professionalism and integrity of our local BIB. I'm sure this is a simple misunderstanding that could easily be cleared up with a little bit of paint. True?

I don't think it's always deliberate discourtesy; more a complete lack of awareness and consideration. In the first instance (lady at the door in the mall) I wouldn't be so sure that she DID notice you, OP. Thais have an amazing ability- even when faced with my large frame- not to notice me when they are in their 'zombie walker' mode. In some instances, I will be walking through bottlenecks on the sidewalk of the type you describe, and the Thais on the other side will simply come ahead- even though it is extra-impossible they will be able to get around me. When they meet me coming the other way, I stop and wait for them to 'wake up'- they really do act surprised I am there- and then they have to go back the other way and wait for me to come out.

It is a bit less excusable when they treat me as some kind of inanimate obstacle, as OP describes with the 'pushy' lady. If they are simply getting my attention so that I can assist them in passing, by tapping on my shoulder or elbow, then I am all smiles and do as much as I can. If they start using what counts (for them) as heavy physical force, I just go into la-la land and pretend I don't even notice them. They usually do much more damage to themselves than they have a hope of accomplishing to me.

Once or twice they have been so rude and pushy (usually involving alcohol, too), even ignoring my polite attempts to alert them that I was not comfortable, that I felt a response was called for, and I exerted a small part of my strength to push back. Usually they decided to maintain the wide, clear berth that such actions provided for me.

Its funny but oh so true the "zombie state" usually entrenched in a phone, I see them coming and stop dead and then let them walk into me hitting me and then they start apologising, its funny until you realise maybe thats how they drive too????

Yeah, I've been there too. Walking in the mall and a line of people walking 12 abreast coming the other way. I stop, center myself, then had some idiot swing a shoulder into me (all 5 foot of him), and all he accomplish was to almost knock himself over. He smiled and apologized, and I gave him the cheesy farang grin. That one I just racked up to either the guy had been drinking or didn't like pasty-white folk of non-Thai decent, or both.

The way your mummy taught you to behave is different to the way my mummy taught me to behave. So my idea of "common courtesy" might have some similarities to you, but also some differences. Since there are billions of mummies in the world, I think we can assume that courtesy is similarly variegated, and respond accordingly - that is, with calm indifference to the behaviour of others.

Quite, nature versus nurture, but I would add.

Why does almost an entire nation think that it is perfectly Ok to go knuckle deep in their noses in plain view, but cover their mouths when using a tooth-pick?

I'd just love some one to explain that.

+1 LOL -- That is exactly one of those cultural oddities that bring up in conversations with both my Thai and farang friends. Good for a laugh!!!

Maybe contact one of the pinned resources in Bangkok (PSI etc) to ask if they know someone in Surin who can help.

There are many forms of depression acute, chronical, clinical or it might be something else. diagnosis is many times fraught.

Medication, therapy or developing a high degree of mindfulness can help.

If it's acute depression you would go and see a psychiatrist in a (government) hospital who normally wd prescribe meds, initially at least.

Problem is not enough psychiatrists in Thailand (and more so upcountry) and problem can be reduced to pill popping.

(and then which meds, doses, how long)

You wd need therapy (BCD) to develop skills dealing with depression together with meds, on its own if meds are no longer needed.

There is a good book with an exercises cd ' The Mindful Way through Depression ' that i think is excellent, again depends on severity of case.

Many of the techniques can also be found in vipasana meditation which is probably more accesible for your friend through local instruction at temple or meditation centre.

For me a combination of all of 3 helped, until I could stop medication, ended therapy and now rely on mindfulness techniques only.

Go for a correct diagnosis first.

This is a great post with good advise. I can't agree more about mindfulness. Many meditation center in Thailand and the UK teach mindfulness techniques, or vipassana and also lovingkindness technques, or metta. Mindfulness give you the space to investigate your thoughts and feeling, and lovingkindness helps you to accept yourself and others. But mindfulness techniques are also being used in secular therapy environments with a high degree of success. You may want to check the internet using mindfulness therapy or similar search term. So if you can not find a western therapist in Surin, you may want to talk to a local physician about obtaining a prescription for medication to start with, but then look into meditation retreats, read, and investigate. Best of luck to you both!

If I understand:

you mean a farmer 79 years old can go to a public hospital near his living village?

Correct. As long he is registered to that particular hospital his treatment, and medicines, will be free. There is no '30 Baht scheme' anymore.

Hi, thanks.

and is there a registration fee?

If you are not Thai, it's not free. That doesn't mean you can't go to the hospitals, but you will pay. But with that said, the government hospitals, in at least the larger cities, are not a bad option for someone on a budget. I routinely go the local hospital in the Ampur that I live in in Lamphun province for out-patient care. Also, I had a hernia operation at Maharaj government hospital in Chiang Mai. Total cost of the operation and three days in a private room was 18K baht or about $600 US. Private hospitals were quoting around 80K baht for the same operation. And the same operation in the US -- well, let's just say I'm glad I live in Thailand.

"Posted 2 minutes ago

Quote

In my Western up-bringing I was taught that common courtesy was a “social lubricant.”

Haven't traveled much, have you. You aren't in Kansas anymore Dorothy."

_________________________________________________________________________

Actual Spy vs. Spy dude, I have traveled extensively over a period of 50 years, with a lot to that travel in Asian countries. And I've lived here in the LoS for about 5 years. This is home, so I try to understand the idiosyncrasies and difference in the culture that are so unlike most "farang" cultures.

So instead of dismissing the thread with some wore-out, over-used, unoriginal, off-hand reference to the Wizard of Oz - how about adding your thoughts about this particular cultural difference between Thais culture and other cultures. What are your thoughts and your own experiences both positive and negative? Why do you think Thais act this way? Using your own analogy, I'm more interested in what happening "behind the curtain" in a cultural sense.

I sometimes don't, but not often. Most of the time I drive with a helmet on. Sometimes on a beautiful, warm evening when the streets aren't too crowded I may "pleasure drive" without a helmet. Pleasure drive to me mean very slow, and very aware. I understand the danger, but you could just wrap yourself in body armor and still get killed on a cycle. It's a calculated risk. To be really honest, most of my friends in Western countries ride in full-leathers, and some with body armor. Cycles, especially driving cycles in Thailand, is dangerous. But sometimes I like to feel the wind through me hair. Taking calculated risks is a part of living a full life.

It’s interesting how Thais conduct themselves around strangers. I would think that “common” courtesies would be, well, common in the Land of Smiles. But, in practice, that doesn’t seem to be the case. In my Western up-bringing I was taught that common courtesy was a “social lubricant.” That’s sort of a funny way to put it, but in the Western culture I grew up in, small courtesies keep most people from turning ugly and aggressive. If you bump into someone, you say, “Excuse me.” If you need to break through a queue, you make eye contact with the people in the queue and ask to get through. Hold a door open for someone, and many times you get smiles. I like that about my Western culture.

But here in Thailand – wow! Courtesy seems to be reserved for people you know, people who are family, or are puyai. For example, I was going into the mall the other day, and a woman was exiting the door. Instead of opening the door wide so we could both pass, she opened it just barely (and I mean just barely) wide enough to allow her to squeeze through, and then passed me by without the slightest eye contact – I didn’t exist. I knew that she knew that I was there, but by god she wasn’t going to open that door wider than to get her own slinky, skinny Thai body through. Then yesterday, I was standing in line at Big C. I was sandwiched between the counter to the front of me and a wall separating the registers behind me – barely wide enough for two people to pass. As I was standing waiting for some Thai fellow to check out I felt a hand, then an arm, and then a shoulder push between me and the wall. Out of the corner of my eye there is some middle-aged Thai women attempting to push (and I mean push) her way past me. I’m a heck of a lot larger than she was, so I just centered my weight and let her push. She didn’t say a word, just pushed harder – so I gave way, looked her directly in the eyes on her way by, I smiled a great big cheesy smile, and said, [thai script removed] (for those of you who don’t read Thai, I said a very polite “excuse me”, although that was not what I was thinking. Obviously the dude in front of me was her husband or boyfriend, and she couldn’t break eye contact with me fast enough, and hubby wouldn’t look at me either. I just kept a big, honking grin on my face and waited for them to depart whilst I just smiled on – happy farang.

So what is it with this culture? Under so many circumstances Thais are very polite to the point of almost being deferential. But when they make everyone around them disappear in their own minds, and you cease to exist in their minds, when they make you into a non-existing stranger, then the real rudeness surfaces its ugly head. And I also think it’s one of the uglier sides of Thai culture. And I’ve seen it a lot, but I wish I knew more about it’s cultural and societal origins, and they “whys” – why act rude to the point of being almost aggressive, but without acknowledging that person you just shoved even exists.

But what the heck, I was walking down the sidewalk tonight and a group of about 10 Western tourists was coming down the sidewalk the other way. Like most Thai sidewalks, this one was an obstacle course of telephone booths, streets signs, trees, and mail boxes. At the narrowest point between a mail box and a wall, people could only get through single file. I stopped at the mail box and let the group pass. I heard a number of “thank you’s”, and a “cheers mate” as they passed. Western courtesy!!! And people who can appreciate it. Such a little gesture that made everyone happy and smiling – it made me feel good. I may never want to move back to my Western country, but Western-style courtesy is something I do miss, and I appreciate when I see it.