POTY Candidates Only Post Here

[NCC1701A]

3 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Why are you posting a Photo of my mother in law?

my grandfather was from Scotland. I could not understand a word he said.

[scottiejohn]

5 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Nope a model name Tara Yazdi from the middle east. Rather strange for a female to post images of such obvious focus.

I am totally out of focus after leering/looking at that image(s)

[scottiejohn]

Just now, NCC1701A said:

my grandfather was from Scotland. I could not understand a word he said.

Neither did I!

[NCC1701A]

6 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Nope a model name Tara Yazdi from the middle east.

that was fast. you have some sort of high speed database. 

[scottiejohn]

4 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

my grandfather was from Scotland. I could not understand a word he said.

If he had put a few words together it might have helped!

Edited November 27, 2019 by scottiejohn
words added

[NCC1701A]

everyone please play this clip. Agent Smith best sums up the results of the election. I am having a new suit made now.

 

 

[scottiejohn]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

everyone please play this clip. Agent Smith best sums up the results of the election. I am having a new suit made now.

 

 

Silence seems to be golden, even at the second try!

[scottiejohn]

7 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

I am having a new suit made now.

I hope it suits you!

[sipi]

Villagefarang for POTY.

Do Not vote for Sipi.

 

(Edit. Apparently I can't abuse myself in public)

Edited November 27, 2019 by sipi

[canuckamuck]

If I win I promise to bring the forum back to the standards of 1955 internet protocol. That means we can post pictures of the lady's but we won't let them post here. Everyone will be able to drink and smoke while they are posting and if the lady bringing the drinks walks by you can smack her butt and she she will giggle and say something like, "Oh you masher".

and no matter when you get home your wife will have dinner waiting.

[NCC1701A]

Does everyone remember the time I tracked the tropical storm that hit the coast near Koh Samui last year?

I really put out the warning about flooding on that one. And sure enough the next morning major flooding all along the coast.

Yes I sure I saved a few lives that day, but all in a days work really. 

 

how about all the other heads up on tropical depressions from the south china sea?

maps, charts, tracks. far better than the Thai weather service. 

I want you all to know I wait for typhoon season to be over before I leave my weather station in Hia Hin.

 

  

[sipi]

I'd love to chat all night but I'm off to feed the hungry, cloth the naked and shelter the homeless.

[Yinn]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Nope a model name Tara Yazdi from the middle east. Rather strange for a female to post images of such obvious focus.

 

It feel like cheating. But your rule. It working. To easy.

 

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

that was fast. you have some sort of high speed database. 

55555555

Charlie have amazing knowledge! How he know that?

????

[NCC1701A]

i think we should talk about how great i am for a few minutes. i could go on for hours, but i think my huge success here is because i always treat everyone the way i would want to be treated. 

 

i think that is reflected in my comments and my number of likes.

for example if i disagree with someone i will say "I'm sorry I feel differently..." instead of just attacking.

 

the first time i spoke to Yinn i said "Hello Yinn, how are you today?" She responded that I was a nice farang, and that she could tell i must be handsome. she calls me Uncle now. I am not sure what that means something about young Thai girls and their relationship with their fathers brother, but I am sure it is a complement.

 

however since she posted photos of women with large breasts i have begun to reevaluate my no flirting with Yinn policy. 

 

little did she know that just a few weeks later we would be fighting to the death in a public arena. 
 

and of course lets not forget my wonderful sense of humor. I once got 150 haha faces on one joke.

I am sure you all remember that day.

 

well OK, i was told i have to stop making jokes about holding court and executing people. i thought it was funny.

 

and the long conversations about my five girlfriends, those were classic. some of you expressed doubt about that. i can understand.  

 

in seven years i only had to put two people on my ignore list. i thought that was pretty good that i could evoke mostly positive responses from people even in the rough neighborhoods of the Thai news forum.   

 

where i really take a hit is with expressing my happiness with living in Thailand. I was surprised with the animosity positive topics generated like my "I am living the life in Thailand" topic. but i feel i pushed on and penetrated more virgin territory in a quest to Jesus what time is it?     

 

   

Edited November 27, 2019 by NCC1701A

[NCC1701A]

oh yes and what about my selfless acts?

as a example where i try to help anyone in trouble in Thailand. Remember when i volunteered to post bail for the poor Russian woman who had some legal problems and I said she could say at my house until she got back on her feet?

 

 

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

If I win I promise to bring the forum back to the standards of 1955 internet protocol. That means we can post pictures of the lady's but we won't let them post here. Everyone will be able to drink and smoke while they are posting and if the lady bringing the drinks walks by you can smack her butt and she she will giggle and say something like, "Oh you masher".

and no matter when you get home your wife will have dinner waiting.

Bring to the party  those bare chested amazons you mentioned on the other thread and you got my vote.

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, NCC1701A said:

oh yes and what about my selfless acts?

as a example where i try to help anyone in trouble in Thailand. Remember when i volunteered to post bail for the poor Russian woman who had some legal problems and I said she could say at my house until she got back on her feet?

 

 

The problem was that she would never be on her feet.

[NCC1701A]

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? Warning contains a violent reenactment of of NCC1701A first round in the POTY eliminations.

 

 

[worgeordie]

I just want to say thank you,for whomever put my name forward,

If any of my posts help someone,make them smile,disagree with

what I post,I am happy,as that's what ThaiVisa is all about,and may

it long continue,thanks and good luck everyone.

kind regards Worgeordie

[sipi]

Wonderful contributions by all of our members. 

Remember,  do Not vote for Sipi. 

I'm off to feed the homeless,  cloth the hungry and shelter the naked. 

[NCC1701A]

5 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I just want to say thank you,for whomever put my name forward,

If any of my posts help someone,make them smile,disagree with

what I post,I am happy,as that's what ThaiVisa is all about,and may

it long continue,thanks and good luck everyone.

kind regards Worgeordie

i have to say i always enjoy your comments. you get to the point and have some great observations.

i was going to start signing my comments "regards NCC1701A" just to see how long it would take for you to tell me to stop doing it.

 

regards NCC1701A

[kingofthemountain]

3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

.... Rather strange for a female to post images of such obvious focus.

Obviously she knows how to talk to me(n)

 

Also i am pretty new on TVF

so if someone can explain to me in a simply way the concept of this topic

i will be gratefull and ready to play by the rules, of course with my ''french touch''

Cheers all and TYIA

Edited November 27, 2019 by kingofthemountain

[worgeordie]

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i have to say i always enjoy your comments. you get to the point and have some great observations.

i was going to start signing my comments "regards NCC1701A" just to see how long it would take for you to tell me to stop doing it.

 

regards NCC1701A

Try "Best wishes", 

regards Worgeordie

[Gecko123]

 

Dear Forum members:

 

Before I get started, I would like to express my everlasting gratitude to Sipi for nominating me for POTY - and then promptly throwing his support to another candidate. Misspelling my forum name as Gecho when nominating me was a nice touch as well. His kindness, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail will not soon be forgotten. Drive safely out there, buddy.

 

I have compiled the following list of what I consider to be my funniest posts of the past year. I have done this because these posts are generally shorter and more easily reviewed by others, even though I am proudest of my more thoughtful and insightful posts. I have included a couple of these at the bottom for review.

 

I am happy for the opportunity to present my best posts for consideration. I think that the POTY contest should be used to encourage thoughtful, insightful, helpful, humorous and well-written posts which help build a sense of community. Thank you for your consideration.

 

 

My funniest posts of 2019

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1134315-back-to-jail-you-go-pattaya-ladyboys-robbing-tourists-again-after-just-one-weeks-release/?do=findComment&comment=14772255

 

So when a kathoey with high blood sugar applies for a secretarial job, and the interviewer says 'tell me a little bit about yourself' does she say:

 

"We-l-l-l-l-l-l, I'm a type two lady with type two diabetes and I can type too!"

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1112177-miss-thailand-world-pageant-farmers’-daughters-every-one/?do=findComment&comment=14356259

---

On 7/17/2019 at 7:41 AM, nickstav said:

What badges are they going for now?

Successfully warding off unwanted sexual advances from creepy older foreign men?

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1132929-keep-the-calls-coming-swiss-alien-arrested-on-1539-day-overstay/?do=findComment&comment=14746367

The cop in the middle really ought to audition for the Bangkok City Ballet.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1135794-thai economy-thais-staying-home-and-not-going-out-to-eat/?do=findComment&comment=14801429

 

On 11/26/2019 at 12:15 PM, webfact said:

37% were doing their own repairs

Could this help explain why there are so many brake failure related automobile accidents in Thailand?

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1135794-thai economy-thais-staying-home-and-not-going-out-to-eat/?do=findComment&comment=14802174

 

My cat disappeared several weeks ago. Figured maybe a snake or a dog got him, but now I'm starting to wonder if a hunter-gatherer might not have been behind his disappearance.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1134168-which-thai-provinces-are-the-cheapest/?do=findComment&comment=14775226

---

On 11/15/2019 at 3:28 PM, sakoo said:

I am planning a rural Thailand backpacking trip (in low season) with my waterproof tent and camping hammock and public transport. 

Excuse the hell out of me for assuming you'd be camping.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1133296-is-this-the-death-knell-for-the-cheap-charlies-in-thailand/?do=findComment&comment=14753204

 

Feigning poverty is not a bad strategy for acceptance in rural Thailand. You're perceived as more humble, more approachable, and you're less likely to trigger class resentment, or get hit up for a loan. Please don't look down on Cheap Charlies; some of us are just faking it.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1117734-anybody-bored-in-thailand/?do=findComment&comment=14465867

Bored in Thailand? Surely you jest. I feel like I need to be on DEFCON 4 alert here on a round-the-clock basis just to survive. As much as it might provide a welcome respite, boredom just isn't a luxury I feel I can afford.

 

If my head's not swiveling around to avoid getting mowed down in a pedestrian crosswalk, or my neck's not craning to see the scale at the open air market to make sure I'm not being overcharged, or I'm not examining a possible purchase for half an hour to make sure defective merchandise isn't being pawned off on me, or I'm not poking around in my bowl of baa mii to make sure the pork's not raw, or double-checking with the dentist to make sure that a root canal's being done on the right tooth, or trying to figure out why the lights in my house are glowing at night, or where that nok-nok-nok-nok sound in the middle of the night is coming from, I'm wondering when the municipal water or the electricity is going to come back on, or worrying whether the blood work lab results from the local government hospital can be relied upon. In my spare time, I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what's going to happen after the stock market crashes: inflation or deflation? As if that weren't enough, snakes, hornets, and soi dogs help keep me on my toes as well.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1116402-thai-wife-wont-let-me-hold-our-newborn/?do=findComment&comment=14436727

---

On 8/7/2019 at 1:16 PM, AlexRich said:

I’d be seriously questioning whether it was my baby? I’d get a DNA test.

She said he couldn't hold the baby. She didn't say he couldn't see the baby.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1114720-language-teacher-stabbed-to-death-in-pattaya/?do=findComment&comment=14407186

 

You tell me I learn English in one hour.

•  

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1112421-video-bus-and-taxi-drivers-fight-for-tourists-in-pattaya/?do=findComment&comment=14360531

 

Let me know when the bar girls start fighting over customers. That might pique my interest

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1109488-why-thai-people-always-smile/?do=findComment&comment=14339077

 

Yinn said African elephant look serious and Thai elephant look happy, but Gecko123 thinks black people and Thai people have a lot in common. Please kindly consider my thoughts on this matter.

 

Thai people love fun music

Black people love fun music too! They love loud bass music just like Thai people. I think Thai people love rap music too. Did you know the drum first came from Africa, and black people invented rap music? Black people and Thai people are both very uninhibited when they dance. Black people love to 'get down' and 'shake their booty' just like Thai people.

 

Thai people love funny comedian and have many funny people

OMG! Black people love the funny comedian. Black comedians are some of the best comedians in the world. For sure!!! No question!!! Only white guy funnier than black comedian is Larry David, but maybe that's because he have some black blood in him. Not sure about that, but he does have pretty curly hair.

 

Thai people like to joke together

Black people love to joke around together. They love to make fun of other people too, but only if it is funny. Black people know if you make fun of somebody and it's not funny, maybe somebody going to get hurt, so everybody work very, very hard to make sure every joke is as funny as possible.

 

Thai people love delicious food

Black people love fried chicken and watermelon just like Thai people. They love so much, sometimes they have contest to see who can eat the most fried chicken or watermelon. Black people love spicy food same as Thai people too. When Thai people drink name brand soda, they happy. When Thai people drink generic brand soda, they happy, too. Black people think same way about soda as Thai people.

 

Thai people like nice weather

Black people love nice weather, but don't like to sit in the sun. Thai people think same way for sure. Black people agree with Thai people sitting in sun just for fun is crazy.

 

Thai people like to party and have fun

Black people like to party and have fun too. They love to get together, eat food, drink some beer, listen to music, maybe jump in the pool.

 

So this is why I think Thai and black people have a lot in common, and should make an effort to get to know one another better. Maybe after they get to know one another better, they will smile more than ever!

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1110195-‘drunk’-foreign-tourists-filmed-riding-on-the-roof-of-chiang-mai-songthaew/?do=findComment&comment=14317433

 

Too much snitchy-snitch not so good for Chiang Mai image either.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1107547-video-aussie-man-rages-after-being-arrested-by-police-in-pattaya/?do=findComment&comment=14265964

 

He give guys with a big head, big belly, and big feet a bad name.

Very upsetting to me.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1107547-video-aussie-man-rages-after-being-arrested-by-police-in-pattaya/?do=findComment&comment=14266115

 

On behalf of the big-headed, big-bellied, and big-footed community, we wish to express our disappointment over this individual's behavior, and offer our sincere apologies to the Pattaya police department.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1105034-video-large-police-and-army-contingent-inspect-walking-street-no-prostitution-found/?do=findComment&comment=14220670

 

I know just how the cops must have felt. Prostitutes run and hide when they see me coming too.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1104556-patong-taxi-tuk-tuk-drivers-asked-to-stop-cheating-beating-tourists/?do=findComment&comment=14213655

 

Tuk-Tuk Driver Day

Sponsored by Patong Police Dept

Marriott Hotel - Patong Beach

Day Two Seminars

 

Morning program:

(9:00 AM - noon)

 

Sala 1: market pricing vs extortion: do you know the difference?

Sala 2: veiled threats: achieving desired outcomes without resorting to violence

Sala 3: lao khao, anger management, and driving: a dangerous cocktail?  

Sala 4: (special late addition to program):

armed robbery and rape aren't part of the job description either, OK, fellas?

 

Afternoon program:

(1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)

 

Ballroom 1: Screening of 'Taxi Driver' movie, followed by audience and panel discussion about taxi driver etiquette and relationship building with passengers.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1099363-video-caught-in-the-act-foreigners-stealing-thai-jobs-on-samui-say-operators/?do=findComment&comment=14122070

 

Hey, listen up you me! Too many farang steal work from hard working Thai funny man too! Sure, me understand: everybody think next Jackie Gleason, but this serious problem. Have family to feed, OK, mister? Need work permit to tell joke in Thailand, understand? Not forget, OK? Pinky promise? Remember: foreigner make people laugh Thailand, breakup Thai law!  Khob khun, krup. Swastika, krup.

 

With respect,

Kohtee

 

P.S. Sorry, I mean swasdee krup.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1095678-after-the-purge-is-complete-will-cm-be-better-or-worse-for-those-retirees-who-remain/?do=findComment&comment=14053191

 

Things will be so much better!!!

 

We'll no longer need to jump off the sidewalk at the approach of these ginormous, lumbering, Shrek-like, junk food subsisting creatures. We'll no longer need to carry handkerchiefs and bottles of menthol nose spray to mask the stench emanating from their unwashed armpits and crotches. Once this underclass has been purged from our midst, social relations between foreigners will dramatically improve because our confidence will be restored that those select few foreigners who remain will at least have met these higher minimum qualifications to be here.

 

I can hardly contain myself at the thought of all the condos which will be going on the market after the exodus happens. I'm planning on making a killing picking up these properties at fire sale prices!

 

And what about all these Thai women who were hooked up with these Cheap Charlies? They'll probably be looking for a new sugar daddy to latch onto, won't they? Let the Hunger Games begin! Ladies, I'm available! With all my money, I might even be able to have my very own harem!

 

Sure, there may be one or two skint friends who I'm probably going to miss, but other than that, all I see is upside, upside, and more upside! And to those people who worry about how those people who get deported will fare when they return home I say, don't you worry your pretty little head, they'll be just fine.

 

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1095523-foreign-tourists-told-stop-messing-up-our-beautiful-nature-trail/?do=findComment&comment=14051159

 

Gecko 123

was here

4/17/19

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1092565-embarrassing-moments-with-the-wife-when-traveling-to-europe/?do=findComment&comment=13994238

 

Can't imagine why airport security would get all excited about a rice cooker in someone's carry-on luggage.

 

 

 

My two best posts of 2019:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1109488-why-thai-people-always-smile/?do=findComment&comment=14306238

 

It is a vestige of hunter-gather society from a time when the central government was unable to project police and judicial authority into remote areas, thus putting conflict avoidance and resolution skills at a premium. Smiling, the 'mai pen rai' philosopy, and not meddling in your neighbor's affairs are plain and simply interpersonal behaviors to avoid being killed or wounded in areas where a police presence or judicial system was not immediately available or dependable. The Thai smile mainly signifies that you are a non-threat. It has nothing to do with Buddhism, elevated seratonin levels, or a cultural tendency towards extrovert behavior.

 

The Thai smile only rarely signals a genuine interest or opennesss to exploring a more lasting or deeper friendship. Most Thais' social circles are insular built around family, relationships forged early in life in small villages and towns, and to a much lesser degree - as urbanization and industrialization has increased - around relationships forged at school or in the work place. Interest in meeting new people to learn about the world or explore different cultures, in my opinion, is fairly limited. In the past, the Thai smile towards foreigners was primarily driven by the novelty of their foreignness and because they were seen as potential opportunities for financial gain. As foreigner's novelty and reputation for presenting opportunities for financial gain has gradually faded, the Thai smile towards foreigners too has faded.

 

I'm sure there are some who will quickly dismiss the above comments as overly-cynical and not applicable to the urbane, well-educated, middle to upper class Thais in their social circles. In defense of my claim that the Thai smile is a vestige of a hunter-gather conflict avoidance skill set, I would point to how Thais behave when the likelihood of immediate retribution for anti-social behavior is reduced or removed from the equation. For example, consider rates of aggressive driving, road rage, hit-and-run driving, on-line bullying and scams, gang activity, stealth property crimes and personal attacks, homicide rates, even anonymous reporting to police, where the chances of retribution are perceived as having been minimized. All these 'just-below-the-surface' social issues belie claims that Thais are just naturally 'happy-go-lucky' affable people.

 

Thais are not exempt from the human condition. They know it, and the sooner you figure it out, the better off you'll be.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1130287-how-to-live-with-isaan-wife-in-respect-of-culture/?do=findComment&comment=14715943

A foreigner moving into a small village is actually in a pretty vulnerable position. Many people don't realize this, but there is often next to no inbound migration into many small towns and villages. It's all outbound migration driven by urbanization and the search for employment and educational opportunities. For example, in the small village I have lived in for 16 years, I can't think of a single adult individual who has relocated here except for a tiny handful of people who maybe grew up here, and maybe returned to the village after they stopped working, but even cases like these are few and far between. As a result, everyone who lives there has a lifelong relationship with everybody else, while the newly arrived foreigner doesn't know a single person. You have no idea who is related to whom, who is friends with who, who you can confide in, who is trustworthy, who you should steer away from. Even if there happens to be other foreigners in the vicinity, all of them are married to Thai women who are almost always the foreigner's main confidant. In other words, anything you tell to a foreigner is likely to be repeated immediately to his wife, and God only knows who she in turn might repeat it to. Before you know it everyone in town knows your personal business. And by the way, it won't be long before everybody knows your personal business. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

The initial euphoria of moving to a new village does dissipate, sometimes surprisingly rapidly. The excited tittering and finger pointing of kindergarteners when they spot your approach does not last forever. Prices in the grocery store you frequent can suddenly increase raising suspicions that you might be being overcharged. Unkind remarks can make their way back to you. Yes, there is a peaceful rhythm to rural life which can be appealing. But it's important to recognize going in that there are some harsh realities as well, not the least of which is poverty and the vicissitudes of farm life. It is not a 'Andy of Mayberry' or 'Farmer in the Dell' existence, and trying to romanticize life in rural Thailand, in my opinion, is a mistake.

 

The biggest thing I want the OP to know is that in the girlfriend/new wife's home village you are extremely vulnerable to being manipulated. You have virtually no way to independently verify what you are being told is going on around you. "People are laughing at my parents because you haven't married me yet. My parents lose a lot of face because sin sot so low. People say you are just use me, screw me, have no intention marry me. People don't think you have any money. They say you Cheap Charlie. Laugh at me. People ask why Thai lady with farang husband only ride around on a Honda Wave. People say other farang with Thai wife drive Fortuner SUV.'

 

If a prospective wife with ulterior motives thinks that a huge windfall is right around the corner, feigning a love interest for a few years is a small investment in time. Just think about what you might do if you earned 10K a month and thought that if you played your cards right, you might soon be reaping millions of baht in property? And that not only goes for the extended family anticipating ripple benefits, but it can even extend to the wider village. The wife has the power to keep everyone in town, especially shopkeepers and vendors, in line because they know she controls the purse strings, or at least has influence over where Mr Money Bags spends money. So it's not that difficult to orchestrate an ever-smiling, ever-good-natured welcoming committee if the incentives are there. Without any language skills, your ability to pick up on much of this is going to be severely impaired: for all practical purposes you are going to be like Jake Sully on Pandora.

 

The truth is that in the vast majority of cases, the foreign guy's only source of information about his girlfriend is his girlfriend. Nine times out of ten, the guy knows next to nothing about her background or history, whether it be medical, educational, employment, marital, sexual, credit (debts), or criminal, or her reputation in the village. No one is going to pull a foreign guy aside and give him a heads up about his love interest's sordid past. They're way too fearful that you'll only turn around and snitch on them back to her. After you break up with her and leave town, they'll have to contend with her wrath forever, so why take the risk? I would pay very close attention to how well the girlfriend is liked and respected in the village and be alert for any clues that she isn't well liked or respected. I would also pay attention to who the girlfriend is friends with in town and whether you think they are likeable and solid individuals. Do her friends seem wholesome with well-cared for kids, or do they seem a little shady with neglected kids? I would also try to make a family tree diagram to find out exactly who is in the extended family, find out who and where all the siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles are, and try and meet them to get a better feel for the family. You could learn a lot from that exercise.

 

The OP said a few pages back 'I've known this girl for 3 1/2 years, isn't that enough?' My answer would be: 'Maybe yes, maybe no.' Have you been living with her this whole time, or has it been a long distance relationship, characterized by long giggly Skype sessions where nothing really gets said because of the language barrier? Were your visits to see her periodic honeymoon-type trips to island destinations where you've been staying in top-end hotels and eating in fancy restaurants? Is there a big age difference between you and her? To what extent have you given this girl the idea that you: (a) have a lot of money, (b) are willing to pay a large sin sot, or (c) have expressed a willingness to spend money on land, real estate, farm equipment, personal autos, or give her a generous personal allowance after you marry? I expect the OP isn't particularly eager to share candid answers to these prying questions, which I totally understand, but if the answer to any of these questions is affirmative, you may have put yourself at risk of being duped despite the length of time you say you have already been together.

 

It used to be that out in the boonies you could sashay down to the local school and get hired on the spot as an English teacher. Teaching was an excellent way to make inroads into and gain status in the community. I taught for years in my village, mostly on a part time basis, but these days, with all the immigration crackdowns, I'm scared to even set foot on the school grounds out of fear of getting deported, and I routinely turn down requests for private tutoring for similar reasons. Teaching used to be a good way to become known and build goodwill in the village, but that avenue really isn't open to foreigners anymore, unless you manage to get a work permit, which few schools are willing to help you apply for. Which means that informal opportunites to earn income are pretty limited in rural Thailand, unless of course you're talking about some digital nomad option.

 

While I actually like the slow pace of village life, and have rarely suffered boredom in 16 years here, there are limits in terms of activities here.  I have managed to piece together a fairly satisfying patchwork of activities like bicycle riding, gardening, language study, Thai cooking, etc. Mental stimulation can come from e-books, the internet, Netflix, cable TV, travel, but there are limits to this. You can also learn to raise fighting roosters, how to build a chicken coop, forage for edibles, how to make charcoal, rebuild a tractor engine, birdwatch, play with your pets, become an expert on Thai botany. Are you starting to understand what I meant when I said there are limits in the mental stimulation department?

 

While we're on the subject of learning languages, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've never known a single foreigner to move to a small village and pick up the language from a cold start. It just doesn't happen. If the OP thinks a small village is going to provide him with a "total immersion" language study environment, that's not really how it works. Few villagers have either the time, patience or teaching skill to help a novice language student learn the basics of the alphabet, pronunciation rules or grammar. Villagers in remote areas often talk in very rustic vernacular and incorporate regional dialects into their speech which can be quite confusing to a novice student, and study resources geared to a non-native student won't be of much use as a platform for a Thai villager trying to teach the language. Put simply, the thought of a foreigner moving to a remote village with zero Thai language skills, sends a shiver of concern up my spine. Someone wants to give it a shot, so be it, but I personally think the risks of social isolation, and concomitant risks of alcoholism and depression should be carefully considered before taking the leap.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1117124-how-many-are-“stuck”-here-with-no-way-out/?do=findComment&comment=14452976

 

To the extent that "stuck" means taking a drastic hit to your standard or cost of living if you relocate, I think it's time to admit that almost all of us are "stuck" here to one extent or another. If you think that doesn't apply to you, my question would be whether you have crunched the numbers yet or not.

 

Repatriation requires a tremendous amount of pre-planning. Your expenses change as you get older, and items which were negligible expenses when you left might be huge when you are considering repatriation, i.e., out-of-pocket medical premiums and expenses, long-term care. God bless you if you had the foresight and means to hold onto a house back home during your stay in Thailand, but very few are in that lucky situation.

 

My strategy for repatriation is to delay retirement benefits until 70, conserve cost of living expenses between now and then while I remain in Thailand, and pay maximum attention to my health so that future health care costs stay manageable. Have also inventoried possessions and determined that around age 70 there will be a "sweet spot" in terms of depreciation and use value where the amount of stuff I will need to lug back home will be minimal, thus saving on shipping costs. I am trying to make the best use of my remaining time in Thailand by doing vegetable gardening, exercising regularly, and eating a super-healthy low-fat, low-sodium diet.

 

So, no, I do not feel trapped here, but like escaping from Alcatraz, leaving Thailand does require a lot of planning.

 

 

 

[geronimo]

4 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

 

Dear Forum members:

 

 

 

 

 

WOW Someone has been very busy!!!!!

Edited November 28, 2019 by geronimo

[geronimo]

The Man with a Million Friends

This one came about purely by chance,

 

Many years ago, I was teaching at a private school in Lat Prao, and had a cheap room in a typical Thai Apartment block, which suited me fine. My Thai was pretty good back then, thanks to a complete year of immersion in the deep south, and this was back in the day when a farang was not seen in these parts, making me quite an attraction.

 

The security guard was a likeable young chap, probably the same age as I, and we began our little chats with him shouting “Liverpool” or “Man United” as I passed, showing him  a thumbs up. We eventually got to sharing a beer after his shift has ended, and it was then that I had the idea, and during our conversation, I told him I’d been all over the world, which amazed him, and that I had a million friends.

This kind of took him back, so I told him that I have told all of my friends my new address, and to be expecting some mail shortly.

 

What he didn’t know was I had asked 5 M5 classes (a total of 250 kids) to each send me a postcard (in English) to my apartment address. I had also given the same assignment to the M4 and M6 classes, making a total of 750 postcards, if they all completed the assignment.

 

The morning after, I whispered, “the man with many friends” in Thai and smiled.

 

Two days went by, and on my way back, there he was, standing in the middle of the driveway with about 50 postcards, his mouth wide open. I looked at a few, mentioning Brazil, Portugal and Mozambique, and thanked him profusely. The next day I told all the students that anyone who did not complete this assignment would have me calling their dad on the phone and that seemed to invoke the right response.

 

That night it was two carrier bags full and the guard viewed me like some sort of god, I shrugged my shoulders and said I expected a few more than that.

 

The following evening was the best, a total of 593 postcards, with with my name and address on were waiting for me at his little box, and he was speechless. I mentioned birthdays were great, as all my friends send me money, and his eyes lit up!

 

He left shortly after that, no doubt off to travel the world and befriend everyone he met!

[scottiejohn]

10 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

1955 internet protocol

 Is that a pre 1969 technical term for "Snail Mail"?

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

 Is that a pre 1969 technical term for "Snail Mail"?

In 1955, 'internet' meant fishing in foreign waters .......

[scottiejohn]

2 minutes ago, geronimo said:

In 1955, 'internet' meant fishing in foreign waters .......

Did the divers for muffins join in that pastime?

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 minutes ago, geronimo said:

In 1955, 'internet' meant fishing in foreign waters .......

For me, as a teenager, it was when you “ finished “ before you got her tights off !!