Streetsmarts - How To Acquire Some

[madjbs]

I dont think you could call it a rip off if the person got in full well knowing what the price would be if they did. You could call the person foolish though.

However, If the drivers meter went up at double the rate then you could call it a rip off in my books.

[lannarebirth]

Streetsmarts - How To Acquire Some

Watch seasons 1-6 of The Sopranos.

Streetsmarts is what you get after you've been burned a time or two and you've stopped thinking about what someone did to you and started thinking about what you did to allow yourself to get burned. Then you start to modify your behavior.

hey, OT I know, but is the Sopranos series over yet? I'd like to buy the complete DVD set but not if they're still producing more shows.

[jeebusjones]

It's in the last season now. I think there are two more episodes to air before it's done.

[meadish_sweetball]

Streetsmarts is what you get after you've been burned a time or two and you've stopped thinking about what someone did to you and started thinking about what you did to allow yourself to get burned. Then you start to modify your behavior.

Excellent definition.

Sadly too many people would much rather go on about other people's 'despicable behaviour' than trying to think up strategies they themselves could use to defuse, avoid or eliminate their problems with these people.

[qwertz]

Nice input so far, thanks samran, meadish and lann, and without flaming too!

I'd forgotten to mention the tailor scam but it's just one of many innit?

I must have been lucky after reading about all these potential traps.

No doubt they'll get me one day

I've managed to avoid most of them but the scammers always come at me, okay maybe I look dorky, but I'm not.

Best advice ever about thinking with the penis (the greatest trap for men) but what about for the women?

I don't think any have posted so far.

[larvidchr]

Streetsmarts, I think I have seen it for sale someplace looked real good to, damned if I remember where she workes, but then again Im not that smart myself.

Kind regards

Edited May 30, 2007 by larvidchr

[Pepe']

Streetsmarts - How To Acquire Some

Watch seasons 1-6 of The Sopranos.

Streetsmarts is what you get after you've been burned a time or two and you've stopped thinking about what someone did to you and started thinking about what you did to allow yourself to get burned. Then you start to modify your behavior.

hey, OT I know, but is the Sopranos series over yet? I'd like to buy the complete DVD set but not if they're still producing more shows.

---------------------------

Interesting. From time to time people ask me if I had been watching the recent episodes of the Soprano's. My answer is usually something like ,"Why I was raised with those ####in' gavones!"...

[solent01]

Reading Samrans, Am a little confused about the normal happy life, then saying avoid Patpong Nana and Soi Cowboy surely they deserve a visit.

Not that bad if you control yourself, they are there for a reason.

And great times are to be had, but don't go there unless you know the score. Mind you that would be one way to answer qwerty's question, but kinda jumping in at the deep end.

[The Skipper]

99% of the people you meet will be very nice.. doesn't mean they like you.

[siddv]

Please! Taxi and Tuck tuck scams, gem scams and the " temple is closed today" scams...pale in comparison to the first time, second time, 3rd time ...ad infinitum a Thai beauty melts your heart, screws with your head and empties your bank account. Now that is a tough scam to beat....

[Jimjim]

Just don't use a dumb tourist mentality and think that everyone here is so nice and they love you and would never think of cheating you.

[Lost in LOS]

I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. If you want a crash course go live there for a little while.

I think it won't take you long before you have all the bases covered.

For any country...

Hey Pepe, got to agree with you. i was born and raised there too. Lyons avenue. fights just about every day i lived there, you get your street smarts there right away, helped my in my world travels thats for sure. we need to hook up sometime.

as for the OP...... just keep your eyes and ears open and be aware of your surroundings, you will be fine

[dumspero]

I don't get the appeal of shows like the The Sopranos. Just don't get it.

But then I don't have any street smarts. Although to my credit I am trying to acquire them through practical experience. Often out and about in Thailand wildly drunk with a wad of thousand baht notes hanging out of my shorts pockets, asking any tout willing talk to me if I can't pay him to take me round to see the sights.

Now own 127 suits, but have yet to be robbed.

[soundman]

Now own 127 suits, but have yet to be robbed.

You forgot to mention the 189 trips to the golden mountain!!

Soundman.

[JimmyTheMook]

I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. If you want a crash course go live there for a little while.

I think it won't take you long before you have all the bases covered.

For any country...

Hey Pepe, got to agree with you. i was born and raised there too. Lyons avenue. fights just about every day i lived there, you get your street smarts there right away, helped my in my world travels thats for sure. we need to hook up sometime.

as for the OP...... just keep your eyes and ears open and be aware of your surroundings, you will be fine

I think it is true that if you did not grow up somewhere where you learned to be street smart at a young age you will never be in tune with someone who has.

Growing up in Queens, NYC , taking the subway to school , getting robbed for your jacket at knifepoint, seeing junkies and freaks all over the place - you learn pretty quick of the dangers of the world.

You develop a sense when people are up to something and you do not give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

[blizzard]

learn from others.................very good advice.

does this applyto marrying certain types of thai gurls..........................lol.

[villagefarang]

Guide to a fairly normal and happy existence in Thailand.

In a fairly rough order:

Avoid lower sukhumvit in BKK

Avoid Nana.

Avoid Soi Cowboy.

Avoid Pattaya.

Avoid Patpong.

Avoid Patong Beach in Phuket.

Don't buy a beer bar.

Don't think with your penis.

If you are paying for it.....well.....really be prepared to pay for it.....

Don't ride in a Tuk Tuk.

Never get in a taxi that is parked, with its engines off.

The meters always work.

Look like you know where you are going.

Know that normal Thai's NEVER approach anyone to practice their english.

The grand palace is never closed.

If you wouldn't do it at home, then don't do it here.

If none of the above seems sensible and logical to you...then Cambodia awaits you with open arms.

Great list but anyone who needs one is already lost without a clue or a chance.

[bendix]

My brain and my penis have been at war since ... I think maybe I was 11? And the penis wins most of the time.

And never in history has a war been fought between two such tiny, ill-equipped armies .. . . . . . .

Edited May 31, 2007 by bendix

[onzestan]

My brain and my penis have been at war since ... I think maybe I was 11? And the penis wins most of the time.

And never in history has a war been fought between two such tiny, ill-equipped armies .. . . . . . .

This MUST be one of the best one-liners you produced dear Bendix.

Keep them coming

Cheers

onzestan

[blizzard]

nana, patpong, etc not inherently bad. you just have to know how to enjoy those places.

AND DONT GO LOOKING FOR GIRLFRIENDS AND WIVES THERE!

why you guys trash bkk sex industry is beyond me. if you dont like dont partake. even though it is only a small part of thailand it is what thais are known for. without it thailand would be just another asian country.

can anyone give other examples what thailand is known for !

Edited May 31, 2007 by blizzard

[soundman]

nana, patpong, etc not inherently bad. you just have to know how to enjoy those places.

AND DONT GO LOOKING FOR GIRLFRIENDS AND WIVES THERE!

why you guys trash bkk sex industry is beyond me. if you dont like dont partake. even though it is only a small part of thailand it is what thais are known for. without it thailand would be just another asian country.

can anyone give other examples what thailand is known for !

Very tasty & spicy food. Silk.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[rgs2001uk]

nana, patpong, etc not inherently bad. you just have to know how to enjoy those places.

AND DONT GO LOOKING FOR GIRLFRIENDS AND WIVES THERE!

why you guys trash bkk sex industry is beyond me. if you dont like dont partake. even though it is only a small part of thailand it is what thais are known for. without it thailand would be just another asian country.

take it you have never visited, japan, korea, hong kong, singapore or the pi.

the reason so many sexpats visit thailand is because they cant afford the first 4 above.

personally i think the japs have got it licked.

perhaps all the so called hansum men in thailand should visit japan, korea, singapore or hong kong, and find out just how attractive they are to asian women.

can anyone give other examples what thailand is known for !

[Ijustwannateach]

You can learn from other people's mistakes (and thereby acquire street smarts), if you are not hopelessly lost in a rose garden world, or blindly sure that you know everything.

The hardest thing for most people is to look at their own actions and relationships in an objective light. Some of the worst people for rolling their eyes at others foibles, mistakes, and relationships are surprisingly blind to glaring problems in their own life. But in general most of these folks secretly know there are problems; they just don't want to face them.

My biggest treasury here is my friends; especially my older friends. Listening to them has given me (I hope) a jump on "street smarts" of all kinds, though sometimes I am able to teach them a trick or two...

"Steven"

[blizzard]

huh!

im for bkk adult industry!

[Maigo6]

huh!

im for bkk adult industry!

Blizzard , have you ever been to Thailand, nearly every post you make focus's on Thai girls, Sex industry etc, even when the thread is about nothing remotely to do with either, you come in with a reference to Thai women, BG's etc...........

It makes me think it's all new to you, and you are obsessed with what you have heard or read about Thailands sex industry. It's really not such a big deal and it gets boring after a few years anyway.

[IMChris]

huh!

im for bkk adult industry!

Blizzard , have you ever been to Thailand, nearly every post you make focus's on Thai girls, Sex industry etc, even when the thread is about nothing remotely to do with either, you come in with a reference to Thai women, BG's etc...........

It makes me think it's all new to you, and you are obsessed with what you have heard or read about Thailands sex industry. It's really not such a big deal and it gets boring after a few years anyway.

I think only 2% of Thai women are in the SEX industry

[torito]

huh!

im for bkk adult industry!

Blizzard , have you ever been to Thailand, nearly every post you make focus's on Thai girls, Sex industry etc, even when the thread is about nothing remotely to do with either, you come in with a reference to Thai women, BG's etc...........

It makes me think it's all new to you, and you are obsessed with what you have heard or read about Thailands sex industry. It's really not such a big deal and it gets boring after a few years anyway.

I think only 2% of Thai women are in the SEX industry

that is a fact.....some people can only see 2% of what this country offers

[MTW]

I often read on TV, "get a good Thai friend" to help you get lower prices, avoid scams, find a good girlfreind, etc.

If you are new to Thailand, I think this is the worst advise. Unless you are an executive working with others at your same level in Thailand, maybe some of these people can become friends that are not looking for financial benefits. But Thai people don't seem, in my opinion, to feel that people are really friends until they have known them for years, and years, and years. And that doesn't mean they trust those same friends the way a western person might.

Usually when you are new here, you will only meet people that are used to working with tourists, and know how to financially benefit from these situations. Your new "friend" will want to take you shopping, find you a house, get you a car, because they make commission. Thai people are aware of this situation much more than many western people are and just don't seem to feel offended by it in the same way I feel offended by it. Maybe it is because, if you are Thai, you have gotten commission some times in your life, so paying it doesn't seem so unfair.

Some Thai people know we don't expect this from their friendship, that is why it is kept mostly secret here. I don't at all mind to pay people for work they do, when I know they are working for me. However I do mind paying higher prices for most of what I do, because they are getting commission, when at the same time I am giving them credit as being such good, caring friends, better than western friends, and giving them gifts, feeling like I owe them to loan them money, and I am also bending over backwards to make them happy, when in fact, they are only doing their job.

And to be clear, I am only talking about "friends", platonic relationships.

[blizzard]

someone has to defend the INDUSTRY.

i said althought it is a small part it is what the world thinks of when they think of los. sorry if it offends you people.

what else is there here that is any differnt that cannot be found in any other asian country.

at least i dont bash farangs on a continous basis, like some do.

what does this country offer........................lol. besides fun! without special thai girls los is basically a hum drum kind of place.

wo the special thai girls a lot of the action here would go away. the longest threads involve the thai girl farang thing.

Edited May 31, 2007 by blizzard

[jdinasia]

I often read on TV, "get a good Thai friend" to help you get lower prices, avoid scams, find a good girlfreind, etc.

If you are new to Thailand, I think this is the worst advise. Unless you are an executive working with others at your same level in Thailand, maybe some of these people can become friends that are not looking for financial benefits. But Thai people don't seem, in my opinion, to feel that people are really friends until they have known them for years, and years, and years. And that doesn't mean they trust those same friends the way a western person might.

Usually when you are new here, you will only meet people that are used to working with tourists, and know how to financially benefit from these situations. Your new "friend" will want to take you shopping, find you a house, get you a car, because they make commission. Thai people are aware of this situation much more than many western people are and just don't seem to feel offended by it in the same way I feel offended by it. Maybe it is because, if you are Thai, you have gotten commission some times in your life, so paying it doesn't seem so unfair.

Some Thai people know we don't expect this from their friendship, that is why it is kept mostly secret here. I don't at all mind to pay people for work they do, when I know they are working for me. However I do mind paying higher prices for most of what I do, because they are getting commission, when at the same time I am giving them credit as being such good, caring friends, better than western friends, and giving them gifts, feeling like I owe them to loan them money, and I am also bending over backwards to make them happy, when in fact, they are only doing their job.

And to be clear, I am only talking about "friends", platonic relationships.

Has this actually happened to you?