https://aseannow.com/rss/44-thailand-news.xml/National and regional news from all around ThailandenBeen thinking more lately about a newish female friendship that has developed. It’s been confusing me, and I might benefit from a reality check from others who’ve actually been around Thailand long enough to know what they’re talking about. I’ve been in Chiang Mai for close to seven months now. Left Bangkok in mid November last year to work on a side income project I had been toying with for a while. I’ve begun manufacturing something up here in the north in small amounts and, if all goes well over the next two months, then I’ll begin exporting it to the US and parts of Europe. It’s something I’ve done before, have some experience with, and had good success with in the past. Other than the work up here, though, I’ve been keeping to myself mostly. About three months ago I started going to the same little local cafe near Nimman, usually about four mornings a week. Average place, but they do decent coffee and some good Western style breakfasts. There’s a girl who works there behind the counter, mid 20s, not one of those obviously done up girls, just naturally pretty in a subtle way. Small, nice smile, looks athletic, also a bit northern Thai Chinese looking, good skin, the kind of girl you find yourself looking forward to seeing at the start of the day. We started exchanging the usual pleasantries, then longer conversations. After about two weeks she started remembering which things I like to order, which I know sounds like no big deal, but somehow it felt like something. About six weeks in, she mentioned she was taking an online course in the evenings to improve her English and asked if I’d be willing to review some of her written assignments occasionally. Her English is pretty good already, so I said sure, thinking it would be a one off. It wasn’t. We’ve been meeting at a coffee shop around the corner from the cafe on most Thursday evenings for about a month and a half now. Just talking, going over her work, sometimes for two hours. A few weeks ago things shifted a little. Nothing major, just grabbed a quick dinner after reviewing her work when, while sharing a beer, it started feeling like possibly a bit more than just a friendship to me. Then another dinner like that the next week. She’s easy to be around. No performance, no agenda that I can detect, just genuinely friendly company. She also grabbed my hand the last time while walking back to where she parks her motorbike and then gave me a gentle hug. That’s as far as it’s gone physically, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t started wondering about the possibility of something more. And up until recently I’d assumed I would leave Chiang Mai in a few months once the business project is sorted, but now I’m not quite as certain about leaving so soon because I’m enjoying this new situation. The age gap is significant, though. I’m very aware of that. She’s never brought it up and neither have I, but it’s obviously sitting there. And frankly, I’m not entirely sure what she sees in this. Maybe I’m the one projecting something onto it. Wouldn’t be the first time a man my age in Thailand convinced himself something was there with a much younger woman when really he was just being useful to someone. But then she does things that don’t fit that explanation either. A couple of weeks ago, while we were going over something she’d written, she leaned across the table to point at something on my laptop. Her face got really close to mine, which was a bit arousing, and I could smell some light perfume on her for the first time. She didn’t seem aware of what I was feeling, or if she was, she gave nothing away. Last week she said something that’s also been stuck in my head. We were talking about nothing in particular and she said, “I like that you talk to me like I understand lots of things.” Just said it casually. But it gave me a positive impression of her. Like she’s quite perceptive. But the longer I’ve lived in Thailand, the less confident I’ve become about reading situations with Thai girls like this. Back home, people tend to be more direct. Here, patience, politeness, and consideration seem woven into everyday life in ways that can be difficult to interpret if you’re not careful. Sometimes what looks like interest is just kindness. Sometimes what looks like kindness is something more. Maybe that’s why I’ve found myself thinking about it more than I probably should. Just when I think I’ve got it figured out, I find myself questioning it all again.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:24:32 +0000......and it's only just begun....watch this space......their illegal activities and in many cases, some pretty serious criminality is already starting to make Western shenanigans seem like child's play,,,,,,,,At least Thai social media and mainstream news outlets are reporting the Chinese cases equally as well as continually highlighting Western foreigners misdemeanors, antics and for the most part petty crime.......Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:21:49 +0000Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:21:38 +0000US airport customs has made many people consider the same action.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:21:06 +0000They are estimates because some of it is underground but it's been the amount one can find...............https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40037735.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:16:47 +0000Very similar to the farang operated places, except for who collects the money. When will their number come up?Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:16:07 +0000If there is coin to be made fair play to them.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:15:09 +0000Oh dear, didn't Bolt just get a bit of a reprieve after a promise of improving their act?Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:11:31 +0000Those are the official stats? They seem suspiciously low to me. Fun fact: Jesus quote on prostitutes in the Bible The one and only statement Jesus explicitly made regarding prostitutes was in response to a question posed by the chief priests and the elders. He said, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Mt 21:31).Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:10:47 +0000By the way did they come across Ed Norton of The Honey Mooners fame he worked in the sewers.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:10:43 +0000Governor Steve McGarret - Krabi 50. Book 'im Somchai, Thai nominee 1. The government must have been waiting for the fruit to ripen. Kind of like the countdown for the Olsen Twins to become legal.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:10:14 +0000It's obvious there are news outlets trying to deliberately stir up hatred in the UK. But how low in the gutter can they go. Well the left leaning rag the guardian has gone one better. In one breath it says keep constraint, don't be a far right fascist and yet their headline news today is about a protest outside Southampton police station. All seems ok till you look at their picture, flames burning...in fact there were no flames only a few missiles thrown...this is typical lying lefty reportingTue, 02 Jun 2026 23:09:19 +0000Well that is good news but indicative of the male domination in many aspects. Should have happened sooner.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:07:53 +0000Yeah, you must see that every day from your home in the heartlandTue, 02 Jun 2026 23:07:33 +0000They maybe turd burglars.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:06:46 +0000Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:06:18 +0000So your sneering, dismissive comment to @Screaming claiming he has little knowledge of Islam, and could not make any meaningful contribution to the thread, was as unfounded as it was unwarranted. You provide no evidence whatsoever to dismiss his statement that Aisha was 9 years old when she married the Prophet Muhammed; it is a widely held belief among muslims, and is to be found in the Hadith (recorded collections of the Prophet’s sayings and traditions) It is found in authentic collections like Sahih-al-Bukhari and Sahib Muslim; you dispute this, yet offer no alternative evidence, only sneering denial. It would seem that @Screaming has far greater knowledge of Islam than yourself; and he certainly has greater knowledge than yourself of how to reply to comments in a civilised manner, something I thought you might have got the hang of after more than 40,000 comments.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:04:57 +0000They're all criminals at that level. They presume too much when they judge and imprison one of their own.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:02:05 +0000Humans are better conductors than trees where it passes through them into the ground, needing only a few Amperes to kill. The tree takes all of the strike and intense heat and explodes while the phone and charger can be bypassed with little or no damage as it enters the better conductor, the person. Humans are mostly water, a great conductor. Many people live because of this, the strike passing through or around the person and into the ground. Not fully up on this but the explanation is correct.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:01:59 +0000It's very early days in this nominee and illegal activity crackdown, I'm really intrigued as to how it will pan out......Right now, it's on an upward trajectory with no real end in sight, almost contagious.....................Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:01:44 +0000Neither can American tax payers struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:01:01 +0000Smelling of roses again?Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:59:33 +0000Well not really if one is living in one. Seems like the victims will be punished.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:58:10 +0000Let's be real. Canada can't afford the F-35.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:57:28 +0000The bigger criminal you are the more protection you get....Thaksin convicted and fled the country, lived in exile for the thread of being jailed in Thailand, came back as an hero, was convicted for 1 year, got reduced sentence with ankle bracelet and now the royal pardon and he is free again and can go on with interfering in the government. Sadly enough people who are sentenced for less are not granted.. Wondering if Thailand is the country that loves criminals,,,,Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:56:12 +0000