9 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

It is the Farang food that is the biggest problem here.

Thais have become addicted to ROTTEN ROINNIE and wesern food and their waist lines are proof.

Personally, I think the 1995- 2000 period was the best years. The country was strong the Baht wa not high and there was a great deal of employment.

1997 bank brought the baht down but business was still good

2004 Tsunami hurt islands

In 2011 flood hurt businesses

2020 covid

2023 thaksin returned to being the head of government

2025=26 war

If you look at things you can see that every 7 years there is an issue that affects the country that is not necessarily Thais fault but has hurt the economy.

BUT the biggest issue by far is the lackof education that schools provide.

It is almost impossible to grow an economy based solely on tourism.

Want Proof

Look at Vegas, Philipines and other spots that live off of tourism

Tourism is less than 20% of gdp.

10 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Going back to what I originally said, was that the west has far more BBQ grills, traditional kind, than here in Thailand. The Mu Krata places are restaurants for selling food, and the ones I've been to have the traditional bowls on top of coals, Thai style if you wish, and not grilling meat like we do in the west. Some restaurants of course have grills here, western style, to cater to westerners, who are used to using a BBQ grill. Most Thais don't have them. Many do have the tiny ones for meatballs and chicken, but you won't see hamburgers or steak grilled on them.

Again, you are totally wrong. BBQ grills, traditional kind?? What is that? Can you show me a 'traditional' BBQ grill?

You are so caught up in your own vision of things that you cannot see the forest, but for the trees.

A traditional BBQ can be a earthen pit or a vase or... You appear to imagine everything evolves around a USA standard. Why on earth would you expect to see a Thai BBQ grilling a hamburger? 😂

8 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

Again, you are totally wrong. BBQ grills, traditional kind?? What is that? Can you show me a 'traditional' BBQ grill?

You are so caught up in your own vision of things that you cannot see the forest, but for the trees.

A traditional BBQ can be a earthen pit or a vase or... You appear to imagine everything evolves around a USA standard.

Restaurants have grills. Lots have them.

6 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

Again, you are totally wrong. BBQ grills, traditional kind?? What is that? Can you show me a 'traditional' BBQ grill?

You are so caught up in your own vision of things that you cannot see the forest, but for the trees.

A traditional BBQ can be a earthen pit or a vase or... You appear to imagine everything evolves around a USA standard.

I'm not wrong. If you think about how many traditional grills you've actually seen used here, it would be very few. Compare that to the millions of grills used in the US alone. No comparison, which is my point. Yes, they do have the 18in, tall by 14in wide short grills, made of clay, a Tao, used by almost everyone here to cook mostly fish, Batu, and meatballs and chicken. The US standard was what I've been referring to. Not my vision of things but what I was talking about all along. I've been fully aware there are other styles of grilling worldwide all my life...........https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmFIYNjzp1sBLn52wMJa6u_i0SQS2Z2ZLNvg&s.

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTMYrQkYJAM0PoM4zZmuYbbdTYvKOUzMw-yHQAS3DpALjVUgaXOyyTI39WXhIJPLRZwHsM4i9JU4ahzdo-DtrtuJvx5ZSziKDKWvvE_nc45CP_QwRAsuN2_&usqp=CAc I'm not wrong. If you think about how many traditional grills you've actually seen used here, it would be very few. Compare that to the millions of grills used in the US alone. No comparison, which is my point. Yes, they do have the 18in, tall by 14in wide short grills, made of clay, a Tao, used by almost everyone here to cook mostly fish, Batu, and meatballs and chicken. The US standard was what I've been referring to. Not my vision of things but what I was talking about all along. I've been fully aware there are other styles of grilling worldwide all my life.

Seriously dude, drop it. There is nothing traditional about that piece of equipment. You are just, shall we say, immersed in a particular way of doing things, so you cannot recognise any other way.

The Thai way, is traditional.

Barbecue originated from the Taíno people of the Caribbean (inhabitants of modern-day Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cuba), who used a raised wooden rack called a barbacoa to slow-cook meat and fish over a smoky fire. This indigenous, pre-Hispanic cooking technique was adopted by Spanish colonists in the early 16th century, forming the foundation of modern barbecue.

Key Aspects of Taino Barbacoa

• The Structure: The barbacoa was a wooden framework or grate made of green wood to prevent burning, positioned over a low fire to smoke and roast food.

• Methodology: This allowed for slow-cooking, providing both a preservation method and a smoky flavor.

• Origin of the Word: The term stems from the Taíno word barabicu, meaning "sacred fire pit" or "wooden frame".

• Adoption: Spanish explorer Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés is credited with first using the term in print in 1526.

• Cultural Context: The Tainos used this method to cook various meats and fish.

While the term evolved, the core concept of cooking over indirect heat or a raised structure remains a direct descendant of the original Taino tradition.

1 minute ago, IsmeUno said:

Seriously dude, drop it. There is nothing traditional about that piece of equipment. You are just, shall we say, immersed in a particular way of doing things, so you cannot recognise any other way.

The Thai way, is traditional.

Barbecue originated from the Taíno people of the Caribbean (inhabitants of modern-day Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cuba), who used a raised wooden rack called a barbacoa to slow-cook meat and fish over a smoky fire. This indigenous, pre-Hispanic cooking technique was adopted by Spanish colonists in the early 16th century, forming the foundation of modern barbecue.

Key Aspects of Taino Barbacoa

• The Structure: The barbacoa was a wooden framework or grate made of green wood to prevent burning, positioned over a low fire to smoke and roast food.

• Methodology: This allowed for slow-cooking, providing both a preservation method and a smoky flavor.

• Origin of the Word: The term stems from the Taíno word barabicu, meaning "sacred fire pit" or "wooden frame".

• Adoption: Spanish explorer Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés is credited with first using the term in print in 1526.

• Cultural Context: The Tainos used this method to cook various meats and fish.

While the term evolved, the core concept of cooking over indirect heat or a raised structure remains a direct descendant of the original Taino tradition.

The picture I sent is a traditional western style grill. There are Thai styles they use here. Again, I've been referring to these type of grills all along, and not other styles , that most people in the US use, and that most people in Thailand do not use. Everything you've said I already knew as a teenager, as the US education does bring all other cultures into view. their foods, styles of cooking, way of life, religions, mannerisms, etc. Assuming what I or anyone else knows is done by a few here, and is a very bad habit.

3 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The picture I sent is a traditional western style grill. There are Thai styles they use here. Again, I've been referring to these type of grills all along, and not other styles , that most people in the US use, and that most people in Thailand do not use. Everything you've said I already knew as a teenager, as the US education does bring all other cultures into view. their foods, styles of cooking, way of life, religions, mannerisms, etc Assuming what I or anyone else knows is done by a few here, and is a very bad habit.

No, the picture to which you linked in a MODERN western style grill. It has NOTHING to do with TRADITION.

The fact that you were, in your mind, referring to exactly that type of grill, means precisely nothing in this context.

We were discussing BBQ in Thailand and TRADITIONAL BBQ is everywhere. American style BBQ is not.

So if you knew everything I wrote already when you were a teenager, then why were you trying to convince us that your photo of a modern US style of barbecue equipment was traditional? It is not. It's literally an expensive adaptation of the modified oil drums they would use for barbecuing in the Caribbean.

So if you wanted to claim tradition, you would have posted a picture of an oil drum BBQ.

9 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The picture I sent is a traditional western style grill. There are Thai styles they use here. Again, I've been referring to these type of grills all along, and not other styles , that most people in the US use, and that most people in Thailand do not use. Everything you've said I already knew as a teenager, as the US education does bring all other cultures into view. their foods, styles of cooking, way of life, religions, mannerisms, etc. Assuming what I or anyone else knows is done by a few here, and is a very bad habit.

Looks like a modern bbq. Traditional is a fire pit.

3 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

No, the picture to which you linked in a MODERN western style grill. It has NOTHING to do with TRADITION.

The fact that you were, in your mind, referring to exactly that type of grills, means precisely nothing in this context.

We were discussing BBQ in Thailand and TRADITIONAL BBQ is everywhere. American style BBQ is not.

Try reading what I originally said before commenting. The fact I was referring to that style all along means everything in this context. That grill is a traditional western style grill. I sold them for years, daily.

I looked for one here at Global and a few other stores, and saw a couple. I asked the saleslady at Global, English speaking and working there for many years, how many they sold. She said maybe a couple a month.

In Home Depot, where I worked, we had at least 25 different styles. I myself sold at least 10 daily. This is one store out of thousands.

Again, my point was, you won't see these styles of grills used in Thailand much. Simple. That's all. I didn't say there weren't any different styles of grilling, as I knew what Thais did decades before i ever thought about moving here. I lived next to Mexico, in San Antonio, Texas area for 30 years, and knew full well their style of grilling, Barbacoa being a mainstay for the Mexican population.

There's no "we" were discussing anything. I made a true comment, and a couple came back with the wrong replies, you one of them. American style is what I was referring to. Western style. Comparing that style to the Thai use of it. I've been here 8 years and seen almost daily what many Thais do, and it's what I mentioned. Yes, drop it, as you're missing the point entirely. Traditional style is a word used everywhere, for their own traditions. Again not what I was referring to. Also, the oil drums from the Caribbean is their tradition, adopted by western grillers also and still used to this day.

54 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

1975 means nothing. The topic is about 20 years ago. Flights in 1975 were high compared to income.

1978 JAL SFO/TYO/BKK with a free overnight in Tokyo at the Imperial Hotel. $999.000. You do the math.

Thai's have a concept about age or maturity. Pi and Nong You are the epitome of a "Nong". A very mouthy and silly Nong,

9 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Looks like a modern bbq. Traditional is a fire pit.

The style I pictured was invented before we were born, in the early 50's, so it's not modern, unless you're going way back and considering the last centuries styles of grilling, back to caveman days where they heated up rocks. There are many styles, regional, and I was referring to the US style, western style, all along, which I made clear from the start. A fire pit is also another traditional style. Caveman days.

Airline tickets cheaper ? I haven’t been to the airport in 7 years but I guess that’s good news. Doesn’t impact me though.

1 minute ago, bobonzo said:

Airline tickets cheaper ? I haven’t been to the airport in 7 years but I guess that’s good news. Doesn’t impact me though.

Been in a downward trend for 50 years compared to income.

5 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The style I pictured was invented before we were born, in the early 50's, so it's not modern, unless you're going way back and considering the last centuries styles of grilling, back to caveman days where they heated up rocks. There are many styles, regional, and I was referring to the US style, western style, all along, which I made clear from the start. A fire pit is also another traditional style. Caveman days.

Under 100 years is modern age.

8 minutes ago, marin said:

1978 JAL SFO/TYO/BKK with a free overnight in Tokyo at the Imperial Hotel. $999.000. You do the math.

Thai's have a concept about age or maturity. Pi and Nong You are the epitome of a "Nong". A very mouthy and silly Nong,

Sounds expensive. In 1978 $1000 was a lot.

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Try reading what I originally said before commenting. That grill is a traditional western style grill. I sold them for years, daily.

I looked for one here at Global and a few other stores, and saw a couple. I asked the saleslady at Global, English speaking and working there for many years, how many they sold. She said maybe a couple a month.

In Home Depot, where I worked, we had at least 25 different styles. I myself sold at least 10 daily. This is one store out of thousands.

Again, my point was, you won't see these styles of grills used in Thailand much. Simple. That's all. I didn't say there weren't any different styles of grilling, as I knew Thais did decades before i ever thought about moving here. I lived next to Mexico, in San Antonio Texas area for 30 years, and knew full well their style of grilling, Barbacoa being a mainstay for the Mexican population.

There's no "we" were discussing anything. I made a true comment, and a couple came back with the wrong replies, you one of them. American style is what I was referring to. Western style. Comparing that style to the Thai use of it. I've been here 8 years and seen almost daily what many Thais do, and it's what I mentioned. Yes, drop it, as you're missing the point entirely. Traditional style is a word used everywhere, for their own traditions. Again not what I was referring to.

Wrong, wrong and wrong again... As I suggested before, your brain is so focused on a single way of doing things, that you are completely blind to anything else.

Few people are going to buy that expensive iteration of BBQ grill. The TRADITIONAL way is to obtain something fit for purpose.

Live in a tourist area and almost every day, outside a bar celebrating a birthday or some such, there will be a modified oil drum roasting a whole pig. The TRADITIONAL version of the modern grill that you posted earlier.

The fact is that millions of people in Thailand enjoy tradition BBQ every day. But in your mind, BBQ is solely created by the kind of modern device that you pictured.

U.S. inflation since 1978 has averaged 3.40% per year, resulting in a cumulative price increase of 397.12% from 1978 to 2026. This means $1 in 1978 is equivalent in purchasing power to $4.97 today.

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

Under 100 years is modern age.

If you want to be picky, the modern age is actually from 1500 on. Those grills are from 1952, so it's been quite awhile.

6 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The style I pictured was invented before we were born, in the early 50's, so it's not modern, unless you're going way back and considering the last centuries styles of grilling, back to caveman days where they heated up rocks. There are many styles, regional, and I was referring to the US style, western style, all along, which I made clear from the start. A fire pit is also another traditional style. Caveman days.

Please, for your own sake, please stop writing this embarrassing nonsense.

So you are saying the Thai people with their modified oil drums and fire pits are cave men? That tradition was created when someone decided to monetise the modified oil drum style? Sorry but what you post doesn't make any sense, at all.

3 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

If you want to be picky, the modern age is actually from 1500 on. Those grills are from 1952, so it's been quite awhile.

The lengths people go to, rather than to admit they got something wrong...

3 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

If you want to be picky, the modern age is actually from 1500 on. Those grills are from 1952, so it's been quite awhile.

Post ww2 is modern to me. Hardly tradition. Bbqs are boring anyway

1 minute ago, IsmeUno said:

Wrong, wrong and wrong again... As I suggested before, your brain is so focused on a single way of doing things, that you are completely blind to anything else.

Few people are going to buy that expensive iteration of BBQ grill. The TRADITIONAL way is to obtain something fit for purpose.

Live in a tourist area and almost every day, outside a bar celebrating a birthday or some such, there will be a modified oil drum roasting a whole pig. The TRADITIONAL version of the modern grill that you posted earlier.

The fact is that millions of people in Thailand enjoy tradition BBQ every day. But in your mind, BBQ is solely created by the kind of modern device that you pictured.

Yes, you've been wrong all along. Go back and see what I said at the beginning. I said Thais do not use the traditional style of BBQ like we do in the west, which is true. They have their own styles, also bbq'ing but not the same. Again, seeing you're still missing the point.

Most Americans and those also in other western countries, use the style I pictured, which is not used near as much here. Simple. Nothing to add but factual. It doesn't matter who would buy what. Millions of Thais eat their style of grilling, bbq'ing. Not the American style which I again was originally referring to. THIS is what I was saying.

Traditions are local. American traditional style of grilling is local. That some adopt it is obvious, just as many have adopted the oil drum style. Just as Americans have adopted the Thai style, and that some Thais have adopted the American style. SOME, not many, which again is what I was saying all along.

You seem to have a hard time comprehending what people say, just like a couple others here who act much the same way. First read, then think what was written, fully, then comment.

2 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

The lengths people go to, rather than to admit they got something wrong...

Yes, tell yourself that, as you missed MY point all along. You made it into your "traditional" style of thinking, which has nothing to do with again, MY point made.

5 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

Please, for your own sake, please stop writing this embarrassing nonsense.

So you are saying the Thai people with their modified oil drums and fire pits are cave men? That tradition was created when someone decided to monetise the modified oil drum style? Sorry but what you post doesn't make any sense, at all.

See, you aren't comprehending well. Best to go back to what I originally said. It may not make sense to you, which is why you shouldn't reply.

Just now, fredwiggy said:

Yes, you've been wrong all along. Go back and see what I said at the beginning. I said Thais do not use the traditional style of BBQ like we do in the west, which is true. They have their own styles, also bbq'ing but not the same. Again, seeing you're still missing the point.

Most Americans and those also in other western countries, use the style I pictured, which is not used near as much here. Simple. Nothing to add but factual. It doesn't matter who would buy what. Millions of Thais eat their style of grilling, bbq'ing. Not the American style which I again was originally referring to. THIS is what I was saying.

Traditions are local. American traditional style of grilling is local. That some adopt it is obvious, just as many have adopted the oil drum style. Just as Americans have adopted the Thai style, and that some Thais have adopted the American style. SOME, not many, which again is what I was saying all along.

You seem to have a hard time comprehending what people say, just like a couple others here who act much the same way. First read, then think what was written, fully, then comment.

You were already wrong in your first paragraph. I've bolded it for you. They use the TRADITIONAL style of BBQ. Oil drums, which is the precursor to the western style equipment shown. Hence EXACTLY THE SAME.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-woman-grilled-pig-on-a-market-in-pak-chong-thailand-10507870.html

https://www.facebook.com/pigroastserviceinpattaya/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DT2aNIMkvu7/

Your issue is that you can only see things in one way. Everyone else, but you, can see that you were and are wrong. But you will wriggle and twist in the hope of getting away with it. It doesn't gain you any respect here.

15 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

U.S. inflation since 1978 has averaged 3.40% per year, resulting in a cumulative price increase of 397.12% from 1978 to 2026. This means $1 in 1978 is equivalent in purchasing power to $4.97 today.

You are either putting up googled information, or putting others down in most all of your posts. By the way your posts are received you might want to think about changing your style.

6 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

See, you aren't comprehending well. Best to go back to what I originally said. It may not make sense to you, which is why you shouldn't reply.

I and everyone else reading this dialogue can comprehend what is written. The fact is that you want everyone to go along with your constant moving of the goalposts.

1 minute ago, IsmeUno said:

You were already wrong in your first paragraph. I've bolded it for you. They use the TRADITIONAL style of BBQ. Oil drums, which is the precursor to the western style equipment shown. Hence EXACTLY THE SAME.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-woman-grilled-pig-on-a-market-in-pak-chong-thailand-10507870.html

Your issue is that you can only see things in one way. Everyone else, but you, can see that you were and are wrong. But you will wriggle and twist in the hope of getting away with it. It doesn't gain you any respect here.

I said, they don't BBQ here like they do in the west. The amount and not a few here and there. Fact, not an opinion. Of course this doesn't mean some haven't adopted the western style grills, as a few are sold here, mostly to foreigners, according to the Thai saleswoman I spoke to, along with not seeing any of them in 8 years owned by Thais. but by and large, it's very few compared to how many use it in the west. Fact. I've explained this many times but you still keep coming back again and again, thinking what I said was wrong. Millions use the style I pictured in the west. A few use it here. Again, the TRADITIONAL style of AMERICAN BBQ is the picture I posted. I wasn't referring to an oil drum, which all countries have adopted.

“Avengers” civil war 🤔😂🤣

5 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

I and everyone else reading this dialogue can comprehend what is written. The fact is that you want everyone to go along with your constant moving of the goalposts.

Yes, everyone else can surely see what I said and meant. You can't. Your constant changing of usernames acting the same way is also obvious. Maybe you think not, but behind the scenes here many talk. You answering for others is one clue easily spotted. Don't answer for others. When you make a mistake understanding what someone has said, stop commenting as it's yes, embarrassing you. What I said originally,"They don't BBQ here like they do back home, besides the little ones for meatballs, squid, chicken and such to sell,but most everything else is the same." Emphasis of course on "like they do back home", which means the amount. Sorry if you misunderstood my point.