One thing I can't seem to get used to is the way they drive here. No place is worse than Pattaya! I'll die a young death for it. I'm slowly learning that it's more productive to smile and be nice than it is to scream and yell. It's been a long, long lesson, but I'm gettin' there.

Your wrong there, I can prove it too.

I have a friend who thought the worst drivers were in LoS, but they realised it is worse here. Now this is a lesson in Jai Yen yen.

Long live Thailand.

One thing I can't seem to get used to is the way they drive here.  No place is worse than Pattaya!  I'll die a young death for it.

Your wrong there, I can prove it too.

I have a friend who thought the worst drivers were in LoS, but they realised it is worse here. Now this is a lesson in Jai Yen yen.

Long live Thailand.

I agree with you, Leith ... I've been to several other countries where the countries where the driving is just as crazy ... and parts of the US are included!!

At least in LoS or some other countries, if you or someone else makes a mistake, people just smile and get on with it. Whereas occasionally in the US, people will swear at you, give you the bird, get out of their car and look for a confrontation, or even start popping caps.

Driving in LoS ain't a perfect world ... but then again ... what is??

Thanks for some good advice here, specially the

"Many of them are first generation city folks with very little experience regarding business, customer service, punctuality, formalities, etiquette, etc.

At present (it changes from time to time), I get really pissed with the following:

1) Touts. specially those at Panthip selling porn CDs, the taxi drivers who hang out outside the major hotels and the Tourism Authority of Thailand people outside World-Trade Center. STOP PESTERING ME!!!

2) McDonalds/Burger King/KFC/<insert-your-own-favourite-fastfood-chain here> when they are out of french fries/chicken/whatever. I believe I could run these places better myself.

3) People blocking the walkway, standing infront of the escalator, or walking extremely slowly. Also, a lot of people tend to stop abruptly and point (hitting others in the face) etc. etc.

4) People picking their nose in public and depositing their "stuff" everywhere.

5) Total apathy that Hitler is taking over the country.

And finally, here is one for you Brits and Kiwis on this forum. Stop pointing with your middle finger! To people from other parts of Europe (like myself) it's very offensive.

ASIC

Thanks for some good advice here, specially the

"Many of them are first generation city folks with very little experience regarding business, customer service, punctuality, formalities, etiquette, etc.

At present (it changes from time to time), I get really pissed with the following:

1) Touts. specially those at Panthip selling porn CDs, the taxi drivers who hang out outside the major hotels and the Tourism Authority of Thailand people outside World-Trade Center. STOP PESTERING ME!!!

2) McDonalds/Burger King/KFC/<insert-your-own-favourite-fastfood-chain here> when they are out of french fries/chicken/whatever. I believe I could run these places better myself.

3) People blocking the walkway, standing infront of the escalator, or walking extremely slowly. Also, a lot of people tend to stop abruptly and point (hitting others in the face) etc. etc.

4) People picking their nose in public and depositing their "stuff" everywhere.

5) Total apathy that Hitler is taking over the country.

And finally, here is one for you Brits and Kiwis on this forum. Stop pointing with your middle finger! To people from other parts of Europe (like myself) it's very offensive.

ASIC

Agreed.

And you know that you have been here too long yourself when you engage in the practice of picking the snot out of your nose (in public) examining what ever it is that is on the end of your finger and then depositing it where someone else will later sit.

But I can't really understand you're pointing with your middle finger

And for Brit's and Kiwi's to have any commonalities is rather surprising.

I have seen several Brits AND Kiwis using their middle finger for pointing at things. People from more civilized countries use the index finger for pointing.

And wasn't it David Lange, ex. PM of NZ (during World-War II) who said "Where England goes, New Zealand Follows" ?

ASIC