ManilaLover

dear mona, now that i've got you on the line...

so, living here for 10 years permanently and still not able to realize the original 70/30 plan of living here just not fulltime.

life here can have a pretty s*cking level but home (the county my passport shows) would be even worse with it's overdose of rules, regulations, laws, limitations, depressing gray skies and killing taxbills.

it's far from a qualitylife here anymore (take just that heavy smokers cough true serious airpollution even in-house) and feeling more and more like a <deleted>-am-i-doing-here stranger here in stead of fully enjoying as used to in the beginning, but 'back home' is also not an option that makes you smile of joy...

this sluggish but seriously troubled self-pre-occupied 'mai-pen-rai-everything-sabai-sabai' country just made me mentally tired, why ? did the great free spirit i once came for really left the country or did it leave me or somewhere inbetween ?

ok time for another mind resetting kick-own-ass-by-making-a-trip-abroad but all i want is just a better life, better communication, mutual understanding, cleaner air, and many many more that this country ever can offer anymore i guess...

OP when taking a member of a community 'personal' in public it's not done, even hypocritical to write this in '3rd person' in stead of being so fair to address your post to the person himself, this is like talking behind someones back.

So look at yourself first please ;-)

I think that I'll pass on the fish thing, but I do wonder what that cream mentioned above is that softens the skin before scrubbing. I got a foot massage on the beach once and the woman used a cream that looked like hair conditioner and it really worked good. It was in an unmarked bottle and she didn't want to tell the secret but i think it is a common cheap everyday product.

Anyone know what it is??

it's just another fashion thing for customers especially 'lonely planets' and nothing more then a business thing for the owners who, i guess lack every education on health and bodycare.

i'm really not impressed by those 'fish spa's'. it's even misusing the term 'spa' because it has nothing of the qualities of a spa treatment..

FISH SPA = FAIL

so and when you catch them you going to kill them or what ?

discusting ! let the birds fly wherever they want and move your house better.

juste dumped a thai friend after she proudly told me she's poisoning doves and other birds because they wake her up in the morning.

poor people who want the world for themselves...

For the price of a trip to a few streams in the mountains the native fish will do it for free. It is a tingling feeling.

In the wild however be sure you don't meet this nasty fellows...

I find those new 'fish spas' quitte discusting, they can't desinfect the water because it will kill the fish so you can imagine the health risks. The fishtanks I have seen here in Chiangmai do NOT have a water inlet/outlet that makes it very hard to clean for 100% so they might postpone this easy, or have it done by unskilled staff who don't care and who have no idea the big risks. They are just as any normal full glass aquarium with a seat on one side.

Doubtable developments if you ask me !

Hi, I can recommend the guy at Sridonchai road, passing the nitebazar at the Panthip Plaza traffic lights go left, 20 meters after the 7Eleven at left side, his salon is just accross the right side soi that is next to the large hotel, forgot the name.

He's really good, standard male haircut cost 150 bath. A very friendly gay with good feeling for fashion, he teaches too.

Rediculous whatever they abuse elephants for, a bloody shame really. Gov is too weak to control this, or control anything but visarules and animal welfare is not an issue here and will never be, sad enough.

Don't make me laugh with such sick, hypocrite nonsense like this Haiti thing.

'In Thailand, approximately 3,800 of the country's estimated 5,000 endangered Asian elephants are in private hands. Most are used as tourist attractions in elephant camps where they are forced to perform circus tricks and give rides. PETA U.S. has uncovered the horrific torture that is routine in Thailand's secret "training" camps. Still-nursing baby elephants are literally dragged from their mothers, kicking and screaming. They are immobilized, beaten mercilessly, and gouged with nails for days at a time. These ritualized "training" sessions leave the elephants badly injured, traumatized, or even dead.

source: http://helpthaielephants.com/

Poor posting style......perceived lack willingness to try to understand, causes the go home reaction......why is there less reaction.....because there is an increase in ill thought out posting so people just begin to ignore it.

Examples

Post 1

I find it a little odd that Thai people do not hold the door open, but perhaps they have not been 'trained to do this'

Post 2

I have never had Thai people hold doors open, they never hold the doors open, Thai people are ignorant and have no manners.

which post is likely to attract the go home group.......and why do you think that is???.......

gimme a clue plz ?

it happened i said 'thank you' to one who tried to throw the door on my nose to give them a hint, but they don't even hear it...

to-ta-lly pre-occupied with themselves...

few months ago i had a serious talk with the managar of a mitsubishi showroom about eventual purchase of a car, brutally interrupted by some dumb girl-staff buffalow asking him something, i just left the talk and hope he got the message. i know he did not, but when just doing as if nothing happened i get that stupid feeling again, they always manage to make you feel like an idiot and i don't take that anymore.

few weeks ago a talk with girl from ais phoneshop in carrefour about my account, brutally interrupted from behind by a girl-managar buffalow from mc donalds next door. i turned around shouting right in her face quitte loud 'just a moment ok' (in thai) it took at least 5 seconds before she got the message, confused she turned around and got a 'you stupid idiot' from me in the back as bonus. immediately switched back in the 'friendly smile modus' continuing the conversation what confused the ais girl a bit, hehe...

i dislike myself for doing this really, but they just make you... again and again

really must beware here of starting to generalize (what already happens a lot on this forum) and cultivating hate inside yourself because then better move really.

no can 't even do the hoola hoop

and squatting is for squatters

double hit

sounds like a "CRASH" course...

For My part, I am not blind to its faults but still love living here.

Only yesterday I was mesmerized for the first time in years buy a simply enchanting woman on the golf course. She was preparing to take her Teaching Pro test. We played and fumbled a little small talk. Exchanged furtive glances. It was the best time I had had in ages!! I was captivated. She challenged me. She made me think. She made me even a little nervous. I couldn't have wished for more. I felt like a teenager with a crush in his voluptuous French teacher. All the time she exuded an elegant sophistication that I have been unable to find for years!

Now if I didn't live in Thailand, how would I ever have bumped into this delightful Korean lady?

Thank you thailand! I am forever in your debt!

'predestination', 'our path' etc. are universal things, no need to thank thailand for that, i guess ?

if we are ready for it it happens, wherever

off topic

It would be much better if all us farangs left. They just don't want us here. Just send money on a regular basis and stay back in Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, Germany and the rest of Europe. Leave it up to the Chinese who will slowly take over because they know how to deal with Asians.

yeah colonization had a reason...

'send money on a regular basis' why ???

From simple street pizza to a 7 Eleven, not higher anyway.

Would love to learn more about this.

Hoe people find one for themselves ?

I appreciate every useful information !

A year ago many expats on here would react by strong defending the country when foreigners critic some aspects of the society, with replies like 'then why do you live here' 'it's the culture so accept it' etc, but it looks like as if there is getting more union amongs foreigners who are getting really annoyed about some things, developments, lack of progress, being unable to give positive input, feeling disrespected, immigration rules etc, is there really a changing movement or perhaps seen wrong ?

And the woman who pushed her she only thinks: 'why this happened to me...'

Using a slang term to secribe someones skin colour is hardly to second coming of the slave trade. Accept it for what it probably is - harmless fun.

Think it's more or less harmless but no fun when it never ends.

Imagine, all Thai girls looking disappointed at their beautiful tan skin saying 'me no beautiful, me black' you can imagine a negro is really 'not done' because it confronts them with a superlative form of their own frustration so not just really fun, you serously scare the sh*t out of them, so more harmful to them then to you, hehehe...

Guess often don't value them too high and don't take them too serious here anyway (like both they don't do to themselves ) you know their backgrounds.

Guess you will feel more relaxed in Vientiane, Laos, many blacks there and the more colors the more fun if you ask me. (and it's nicer there then any thai city)

Showing your ACAB tattoo might have scared him away

Here in the rose of the north I often see civilians sitting in those things, often homeless drunks, an old guy watching the speed of modern world, sometimes tourists.

Seems no big deal here, and most cops I met are in for a joke, the way Thais law-trespassers treat them with an overload of wais and apologies must be very boring for them, cops like a joke too. Once at the police station paying a fine for not wearing helmet I joked 'lot dai mai ?', he looked at his pricelist and said, 'OK I write you not show drivinglicence' you pay only half

No problem with cops here, have few cops as 'beer friend' as well. Eventually when something happens, just call them and it helps, that's what Thais do.

You lucky ! Why that never happens to me ?

You have 2 email addresses clearly visable in your profile page, a yahoo.com and a live.com address. The girls are no real girls but probably there is a spamcompany or an automated spambot behind, easy for a spambot when logged in on TV to search the profiles of all members, a spambot recognises email addresses.

I also not understand why TV offers the option to show your email address, especially when they have a perfect PM (personal mail) service. They really should protect their members and themselves by removing this option, it's useless and invites professional spammers. Some forums are a rich source of email addresses.

If you do want people can reach you by mail some people add an 'x' (or whatever) before their email address like [email protected], followed by the text 'remove the 'x'. Spambots not understand this trick and will steal the address including the 'x' so making it unusable. Eventually you can use a free emailform service that forwards mail to you private email address, such services are offered by emailmeform.com and jotform.com. But guess you don't need this.

Have a nice day.

'Why Marry Thai Ladies?'

Because you are never to old to learn from your mistakes HAHAHIHIHURRRRRRRP

Unfortunately 'High Spending Tourists' are much better off in places like Bali where they feel more respected and better treated, and Thailand is more qualified for the inferior 'Lonely Planets' and sextourists HAHAHIHIHURRRRRP

locals picking up the phone with 'hellohhhhhhhh????????'

local companies calling you introducing themselves with 'hellohhhhhhhh????????'

locals disturbing you by calling the wrong number and just hang up without apology

knowing in advance that the carrefour or tesco cassier will not understand the large shopper you brought as they are programmed to stuff things in plastic

knowing in advance the staff of the 7eleven where your come for years will recount your stickers and getting confused by their own miscounts, thus spending 30 minutes to count 60 stickers, while you wrote the number on it already

90% is just totally insane !

----

well this can go on for hours so better time for something positive.....

That the thais are brainwashed at quite a young age; should come as no surprise to anyone whose spent any time here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" or who has a thai wife or (in)significant thai other.

That this brainwashing has gone on for generations should not be a surprise either. What I do find surprising is that some of these alleged 'cultural traits' have gone on so long they can't even remember WHY they do or don't do things. If anything this shows just how much critical thinking is NOT encouraged here in the slightest degree.

I always say, not only do thais NOT think outside the box, they have no idea there is even a box to begin with.

Very good one... only uncovering the truth can eventually be the start of a new beginning that slowly leads to improvements, so you no need to think long time to realise this country so far has NO positive future without something terrible happens first that may open their minds, as happened in so many cultures...

Best for her to go to the immigration office or, or should I go there or is there another way ?

Being attendant service you'd have to trust them with your card for a few minutes while they wandered off to swipe it or whatever.

ofcouse you NEVER give them your credit card, guess creditcard companies also do not allow this.

you cannot check whether the cardreader has been skimmed etc. very risky !

and why should you, the paybooth is always near and the cardreader should be placed on a place where you can reach it easily.

about the boy or girl who asked you, guess he/she just wanted te please you by offering this as an 'extra service' for you.

Somebody knows what BKK offers like international musicals, theatre, classic concerts etc ?

Is there a program website ?