lovelomsak

From what you describe sounds like green is paranoid.

2 hours ago, smotherb said:

I was in Thailand at least 20 times between '67-'80, sometimes for as long as a month.

 

The THB to USD was in the 20 to 1 range from the early '50s to early '80s.

http://fxtop.com/en/currency-converter-past.php?A=1&C1=USD&C2=THB&DD=14&MM=09&YYYY=1953&B=1&P=&I=1&btnOK=Go!

 

However,  you have to remember, B20 bought you a whole lot more; e.g., a decent hotel room could be had for B100-B150 ($5-7.50). Of course, the things which could be had for the price of a decent hotel room today were also available then at similar prices; e.g, a very nice meal, or a bottle of decent wine, or  . . . .

When i first started coming here we got 18 to the Canadian dollar.  It was great. Like you said rooms were 100 to 150 baht in questhouses with air hot water tv  fridge . Massage 100 baht for real massage they bent you twisted you dug so deep into the muscle it would make you jump.

  Food was so cheap. Women 200 short time 300 long time.

  I lived on $35 a day when here and would come for a month or 2 every year. I saved money while here it was cheaper to fly here and live than stay in Canada. Where else could people go at that time and have it cost less than their home country,while on a holiday.

  I planned my retirement on 20 to the dollar so had a few years that were a gift.

  But have to admit I will start bringing more money over from now on I want to live well so do not wish to compromise in my last few years.. 

The people running the program probably could not bother sorting out who was not there  when probably many names were  fake and the  just on the list so the program  organisers could get more money

Koh Samui  20 years ago.

I did not read all the posts so do not know if this has been mentioned already .

  I was told pumps must be on the line that exits the tank not the line that fills it. I was told it is illegal to have the pump before the tank. The reason I was given for this was that the pump will take all the water and reduce the water pressure in the main that services every one else.

  With this in mind if I was you I would check the neighbours pump placements. If any pumps are before the tank you may have found the problem.

  Some may have a pump and no tank that pumps on demand that too would effect water pressure I think.

I did not read all the posts so do not know if this has been mentioned already .

  I was told pumps must be on the line that exits the tank not the line that fills it. I was told it is illegal to have the pump before the tank. The reason I was given for this was that the pump will take all the water and reduce the water pressure in the main that services every one else.

  With this in mind if I was you I would check the neighbours pump placements. If any pumps are before the tank you may have found the problem.

My first marriage in Pitsanulok,the house had a large water tank. Every saturday when we did laundry and cleaned the house the tank would go dry. It would take till monday afternoon before I heard the water stop dripping into the tank. I could hear it . It was just a trickle.Our neighbours used to complain because well we were filling our tank there was no water in the system for them. I always pleaded innocent and played ignorant.   

I have very mixed emotions about what you are doing here. And it appears you are determined to  get involved.

  If you are right in your assumptions I feel sorry for the children that they went through what they did. And hope they get a new home that is safe.

 If you are wrong and it is simply an under funded place for children that no one else is doing anything for,then I am very sad and concerned you have taken away the only support these children have. They may be left with no where to go.Good kind people may have to give up on caring for children who no one else cares for.

  Either way you going to find out huh. You appear hell bent on doing it with out further research and there is nothing any one can do to stop you..

  I get the feeling you do not even know how an anuban school is ran. You mention sleep as part of the abuse. In all anuban schools the children eat lunch brush their teeth then lay down on their mats and sleep for about 2 hours in the afternoon. Then they get up clean up and have free play time till their parents pick them up. Govt schools all schools do this.

 I plead with you do not act till you are sure . For you will affect many young life's with your actions . As they say only fools rush in.

20 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

You are saying it fine to abuse, hit, keep caged and starve children because of lack of money.

 

Not having money is no excuse for abusing children.  It does not cost anything not to hit or be cruel to them!

 

And what are '' (sp) problems''?  

 

Have you done work for these orphanages?  Do you know what goes on there under the disguise of helping 'orphans'?  I have, and I have spend many a night in some squalid hill tribe village hut with some of the most poor people you could meet.. who are supposed to be getting help, but are nothing more than money making tools to be mistreated and played with my the people who are supposed to be helping and supporting them.  Where the villages are virtual prisoners and are afraid to even wear they traditional clothes of practice any traditions in case the anger the good people who are helping... and be left with nothing and no way to support themselves.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have seen this too. Christian zealots trying to bring christianity to them by denying them their heritage. This was done a lot when Thailand first started to try and stop the tribes from being nomadic.30 years ago I was there saw that too. I  knew people who where brought in to teach them new farming methods so they did not could settle in one country. They were nomadic with no borders. That is another topic though

  Did you read the OP. If you know what you say you know then you realize how much of a drama queen this OP is. What he calls abuse is poverty.

  He even states the place is ran on donations some times as small as 20 baht. If you know and have seen what you say you have tell me how far 20 baht will go to food and water a kinder garden for a day..

 It is not by the OP admission a government school.but private. Hence no funding.

  My wife taught at 3 kinder garden schools in her time she never saw what the OP is saying is happening at his school. 

 Read his post if you know Thailand and hillside tribes you will know of what I speak he is out of touch with the reality of life for these people.He simple discribes a private school trying to help the poor with no financial means to do it.

  Read the OP and I am sure you could place this school in any hillside tribe environment and it would be welcomed.

33 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

At the risk of prolonging this unhelpful dialogue , the people running this place  are causing the suffering, that's the whole point. Its not  lack of money that means no water, it is lack of care.  For Gods sake, water is 4 Baht a bottle here, just around the corner.  How much are a few plastic toys.  How much does it cost to take a kid out of a cage and walk it around a bit, answer, nothing at all.     

You really do  not get it do you. Come out of your ivory tower and see the real world.

  4 baht is a lot of money if you do not have it.It can be 4 baht more than they have.

 I have to be brutally honest here you have no idea what is going on there so leave it alone you will probably do more damage than good.

  You have no concept of the poverty and dysfunctional life these kids may come from.. Many of them that I have seen at young ages already have deep emotional and physcological (sp) problems from all the abuse and neglect. Have you ever even been to a real hillside tribe village?

  For many just to have a safe place to sleep at night is more than many are accustom too. 

  The people running the place are probably doing a lot more good for many of the children than any one else has in their lives. And the people are probably doing it for room and board at best..Perhaps even paying their own way from work outside the school or relatives helping.

  You are right this is a unhelpful dialogue from the very start. 

 I suggest you go talk to a worker there and tell them you and friends wish to provide a full meal for all the children on a certain date to celebrate a birthday. Set it up bring lots of food get to know the workers find out exactly what is going on.Would  take  little time to find out if it is funded by local donations or a church or overseas foundation etc.

  For food all you need is fried rice,chicken soft drinks,and fruit. Enough for all the children. Talk to the workers while there and find out how it is funded. If it is by local donation I suggest make a donation and move on. If it is well funded by an outside source yes then you have a reason to be indignant.and do as you see fit.

8 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Of course it is possible that there IS money available for these needy kids, but someone is stealing it.

Not unheard of here.

I agree but before some one goes marching around on their high horse may be they should have more info so as to know which it is.

 Poor people trying to survive or a scam. But to run off at the mouth with just imagination about the problem really gets me when I have seen the struggle in some areas of this country people just trying to get a better life  and working with nothing but dreams.

 I have witnessed the problems with in hilltribes  and have been to some of these schools/orphanages.  

  Many of these children have came from a life of hell. with druggie parents,neglect,abuse you name it.

Thailand it self does little or nothing for most. so they are very dependent or the good graces of others. Not everyone trying to help has access to money need donations. As the donations come in they can do more as the donations drop they do less.

 Many of these children are better off with a roof over their head and safe at night even if all they had was a bowl of rice for dinner.and no toys.

11 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

So its all alright then is it? Its Thailand so whats the point, is that it?  So , kids suffer here, just do nothing?  So what do I do then, whats your advice?  Just walk away?  The teachers have no responsibility for their treatment of the kids then?  So the  fact that Thai teacher students are appalled by this carries no weight then?  So lack of ,money excuses everything, is that the point you are making?  

You really miss the point here.

 So my suggestion is if you can do better with nothing but good intentions than these people .give it a go.

  It appears you do not understand how doing the best you can with what you got comes in here.

  It appears you would prefer they do nothing and leave the kids on the street to fend for themselves. 

Lack of money is not an excuse it is the reason,there is no water there is not books there is no rice.Just people that are doing their best with what they have to work with. Money doesnot grow on trees or were you not aware of this?

 quote So , kids suffer here, just do nothing?  So what do I do then, whats your advice?  Just walk away unquote

The people running this school do not walk away .They try to help and ease the suffering.

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Younger children spending all day and night in what amounts to dog cages.  They can't or won't talk and won't/can't  walk.  Some are clerarly autistic and are being left to their own devices.   

The school runs out of water on a regular basis.  The facility is hot and  dirty 

The food is appallingly bad and sometimes the kids get fed only once per day, a bowl of rice and not much else.

There a few toys to play with, two toy cars among 30 kids.

The young children are regularly physically beaten/slapped by the so called teachers, even the autistic ones, who are displaying abnormal behaviours associated with their condition. . 

No paper for drawing, no implements for the kids  to interact with and the upshot is that there is no mental stimulation/education for them at all.  They are forced (encouraged) to sleep for most of the day. 

I am going to take the time to answer each of your points sense you attacked my  limited resources so harshly and judgemental.

Younger children spending all day and night in what amounts to dog cages.  They can't or won't talk and won't/can't  walk.  Some are clerarly autistic and are being left to their own devices.

This is the way autistic youth have been dealt with in Asia for centuries you are not in Kansas now Dorthy.

The school runs out of water on a regular basis.  The facility is hot and  dirty 

 Maybe have only so much money for water when it is finished it is finished. Thailand is hot or did you not notice.

The food is appallingly bad and sometimes the kids get fed only once per day, a bowl of rice and not much else.

 If all you can afford is rice all you eat is rice. When I first met my wife some days she did not eat so her children could eat.  Many people here go to bed hungry.

  There a few toys to play with, two toy cars among 30 kids.

 If they cannot afford enough food and water where will they get money for toys get a grasp on reality here.

The young children are regularly physically beaten/slapped by the so called teachers, even the autistic ones, who are displaying abnormal behaviours associated with their condition.

  This I do not like at all but is all to prevelant in schools every where in Thailand not just this case.

No paper for drawing, no implements for the kids  to interact with and the upshot is that there is no mental stimulation/education for them at all.  They are forced (encouraged) to sleep for most of the day. 

  Again no money no paper no crayons.

  Like I said people doing their best with limited resources 

 Why does a white knight like you not  enquire more about the  place before making great judgements.

  It could be a money grab but it could also be people doing the best they can with what they have.

  I seen schools in Akha tribes that would make you weep. The teachers have no black board  no chalk,no white board no pens etc.. The students write on dry leaves.with ink they make from dried flowers I could go on. The teachers do the best they can trying to help these kids have a future. You would probably see it as abnormal and mean hearted . When it is love and caring with no tools.

  In the past there was quite a problem in villages with drug addicts stealing all the books . The druggies would take a page out of a book wrap their heroin in it wet the paper with saliva so it would burn slow and smoke their heroin. These smokes were real long and they took 2 hands to hold them up ..One page at a time no books in the school all went up in smoke.

I practically lived out side most of my life. I sailed all year round with out a hat because it would blow off while racing. Now I have skin cancer on my scalp.I advise any one coming to Thailand to wear protection. Hat's sun screen you name it use it.

Being me I did it the hard way. But you can do it this way also if you like.

  I showed my monthly pension's individually( I get a letter annually showing what the pension's will be next year) . 

 My investments  and what they provide me each year.

  Lastly I had a photo copy of my tax return from the previous year.

 Worked for me got the letter.from Embassy.

I am thinking of buying a condo in Pattaya. 

  I already have a yellow book and pink id card for my present residence. So it is my understanding can only has the yellow book and pink card for one residence.

  With this in mind if I go from my present home to the condo for a week is it necessary to tell immigration ?  Does not  make sense to do .sense both places are my residence. 

1 minute ago, xyznot said:

Are there people who actually travel internationally on an airplane with less than $600 (20,000 baht)? 

Exactly

Good question. I have been through about 40 times have yet to show money. But times change huh.

I heard that the Baht is being maintained strong so some people  can invest outside the country. It makes sense. They get cheap American dollars to invest where ever they want. Also it is currencies manipulation.

   But this is effecting every foreigner who travels to Thailand. a strong baht means more expensive for travellers. If this is true maybe foreigners should take it personal.It effects every one who gets off the plane coming here.

  Does any one know if there is ant truth to this rumor?

Maybe they now have middle class stress and have no reason to smile.

1 hour ago, blazes said:

 

The "heavy cash" will be useful when you need to buy a half-decent coffin.  On the other hand, that money will be dished out by your Executor. 

Oh wait, you will not be appointing an executor cos it will cost too much....

Spending money is not a priority Any fool can spend money. As far as leaving a lot of money in my estate that just means I had more money then I needed to live my life the way I wanted. I did not suffer being a cheap charlie. I travelled races sail boats (yachts) owned property,womanised. What did I miss. Squandering money is the tract of immature, insecure, needy people.

I am pretty sure I am a cheap charlie. For years I came to Thailand on a $50 a day budget and only spent $35 a day. I stayed in questhouses, got a real thai massage every evening and had a new girl  every night. I went to GO Go bats every night drank soda's and had a great time.The women loved me  I was simple kind and never drunk and did not smoke. But I should mention this was when most women even working the bars did not drink or smoke,they were good farm girls.  Should mention i was only getting 18 baht to the dollar back then also.

  I bought 10 houses in my time all got paid for by renters.The house I lived in had a suite ,and i lived in the suite and rented the rest . Lived mortgage payment free most of my life..I bought all my food at the market on sale. 

  But the flip side was I travelled every year,owned and race d sail boats. Played sports that once membership was paid was cheap squash,racquetball..Ran ever day (cheap) just need shoes. 

  Retired at 57. Even in retirement I am cheap. I saved $100,000 the first 5 years in retirement out of my budget for living. Now I am trying to loosen up on spending but find there is nothing of value I want to buy or own.I just enjoy having the security of heavy cash accessible when I want or need. Gives me peace of mind.

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

Just bought another motor bike, it is almost new, drives like new, 7650km on the clock from new, shiny and beautiful.

 

It was a repo bike, 53 plate but has languished in a warehouse full of similar repo bikes of all ages being auctioned off. They must have over a 1000 repossessed bikes sitting gathering dust being bought in lots by dealers and sold at half price or less.

 

So is is clear the from 53 until 60 (Thai calendar) some poor folk couldn't even afford the repayments on a motorbike as we looked at a lot of them, most only a year or so old with around 8k on the clocks but a lot dearer than ours. We bought because we effectively got a new bike at a fire-sale price even thought it is older it has had  no wear at all. Tyres barely scrubbed, grips not worn, seat not worn and I couldn't care less about the age - the model is still current.

 

So I'd say from what we saw when looking that the debt for Thais in many cases has crushed them. If the high value baht bubble bursts and falls that might be good for Thailand's exports, very bad for the poorer paid folk but good for us Brit pensioners afflicted by Brexit. I am not a money man but spiralling debt has to be a very bad thing and the whole edifice has to come tumbling down soon.

You mention your bike it is 8 years old. Sat in impound for 8 years. Along with 1000 others. That is around than 10 bikes a month being repo. Not a lot.

  I know of 2 that went back had nothing to with ability to pay.One was a divorce the husband refused to pay for sons bike after divorce so went back.The other a married man had a girl friend in University bought her a bike got tired of her dropped her and the bike payment he said he got his monies worth so no loss.