12 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

You are 20 years older. You are slower. Less fit. Less atttractive.

Only the first sentence applies to me. The next three only apply to you.

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

So whats the consensus then?
Bar fines were lower, mamasans weren't as mean.

Thing is, there's a big difference if you come to Thailand in your 20s or in your 60s. I wish I would have known about Thailand when I was young.

And that's the main difference - what age you come to Thailand. NOT the barfines.

Age and health. Anywhere from 25yo to 70yo.

Have to agree with Harrisfan for the most part. Thailand isn't more expensive considering inflation. Sure you can pick an item like pork and then conveniently not compare chicken per kilo or bring up certain national parks but the extra whatever baht doesn't impact my budget in the least. Hotels and rent is cheaper considering inflation. Nightlife is much more expensive I hear but been out of that scene for a long time.

Twenty years ago I spent about 100k a month and now about 70k. I have much more cash to spend on toys than 20 years ago because I'm not in my thirties with expensive nightlife habits.

It just take a short trip back to the USA and any misconceptions I had about the cost of living disappear quickly.

9 hours ago, atpeace said:

Have to agree with Harrisfan for the most part. Thailand isn't more expensive considering inflation. Sure you can pick an item like pork and then conveniently not compare chicken per kilo or bring up certain national parks but the extra whatever baht doesn't impact my budget in the least. Hotels and rent is cheaper considering inflation. Nightlife is much more expensive I hear but been out of that scene for a long time.

Twenty years ago I spent about 100k a month and now about 70k. I have much more cash to spend on toys than 20 years ago because I'm not in my thirties with expensive nightlife habits.

It just take a short trip back to the USA and any misconceptions I had about the cost of living disappear quickly.

All true. If people think 2006 was better their lives have gotten worse.

Anyone that says it wasn’t better here 20 years ago wasn’t here. Don’t feed the troll.

23 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Female company in Thailand-(Nana) was around £15 😄 in 2006

And more importantly, the same women are still there, now 40+ years old and somewhat worn out. Little influx of new talent by comparison is why it was better 20 years ago.

1 minute ago, gargamon said:

And more importantly, the same women are still there, now 40+ years old and somewhat worn out. Little influx of new talent by comparison is why it was better 20 years ago.

Life should not depend on hookers.

I think that if you want every city in the world to be the same, then yes, things are better now. But if you miss that quiet little hut that you used to stay at on the beach, that is now an 8-story hotel with crowded beaches, or the little thatched roof village I used to go to in Mexico, that now has more pizza parlors than taco stands, then it was better in the past. If you find paradise, don't tell anyone, or it will soon be ruined. Even good intentions like making a place a National Heritage Site come with consequences.

11 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Anyone that says it wasn’t better here 20 years ago wasn’t here. Don’t feed the troll.

Troll, people say that crap each year. They said it in 2006 lol

As you age you change. Bars in Thailand were never special. Pretty crap. Beer is not cheap. Music is rubbish.

The west had good live music pre 2010.

2 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

I think that if you want every city in the world to be the same, then yes, things are better now. But if you miss that quiet little hut that you used to stay at on the beach, that is now an 8-story hotel with crowded beaches, or the little thatched roof village I used to go to in Mexico, that now has more pizza parlors than taco stands, then it was better in the past. If you find paradise, don't tell anyone, or it will soon be ruined. Even good intentions like making a place a National Heritage Site come with consequences.

Some islands are worse. Cities are better. Hua Hin is better.

Ban Krut has more restaurants. 20 years ago more boring.

Some development is ok.

Udon has great restaurants now. Pretty women in them and no dropkick farangs in them.

Maybe Nana was better in the past but if someone rates Thailand by Nana their life is limited.

18 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Anyone that says it wasn’t better here 20 years ago wasn’t here. Don’t feed the troll.

I went to Samet in 06. Seemed pretty limited then. 800 baht for a fan room. Nothing to do.

I paid 400 baht for a pool and gym room in Hua Hin last year. 5 beaches to visit. Mostly empty sand.

I went to HH in 06 did not see any cheap hotels.

I went to Phuket in 05. Bangla Rd was crap then. Crap now. Kata and Karon areas were nicer.

Maybe it was best in the 70s pre development.

For those who wear shoes all the time, the world is made of shoe leather. Your world seems to be viewed from inside a restaurant.

It was more of a cultural experience back then.

It's now been trashed by mass over tourism.

There are still countries around the world where you can get that authentic cultural experience ... i recently came back from India and loved it. The culture and experience reminded me of Thailand back when i first came.

1 minute ago, bunnydrops said:

For those who wear shoes all the time, the world is made of shoe leather. Your world seems to be viewed from inside a restaurant.

If I go to a quiet beach how do I spend a week? You need some development but not too much.

17 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Thailand is still better imo

Sure it´s better in many ways. However, in the economic department you were wrong.

2 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Sure it´s better in many ways. However, in the economic department you were wrong.

Not wrong. We have different tastes and interests.

24 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Not wrong. We have different tastes and interests.

Oh dear! You really try to get yourself out of this, right?

What we initially discussed, has nothing to do with different interests or tastes! What we discussed was a thing that are connected to all foreigners that´s been living in Thailand for many years. The fact still remains. Thailand is not cheaper today, than 20 years ago. Is it really so hard to get around that, and agree that you were wrong?

What are you going to say next? That people who wear sunglasses, will not see the difference, and therefore they believe it´s cheaper. You wear sunglasses, right? 😂

1 hour ago, Harrisfan said:

Life should not depend on hookers.

Why not?

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

It was more of a cultural experience back then.

It's now been trashed by mass over tourism.

There are still countries around the world where you can get that authentic cultural experience ... i recently came back from India and loved it. The culture and experience reminded me of Thailand back when i first came.

How much was ST in India?

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Why not?

This is from AI, but sums things up pretty well why not........Prostitution involves significant negative aspects, primarily severe violence, exploitation, and abuse, affecting primarily marginalized women and girls

. Key dangers include high risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), intense psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), and severe physical violence from clients or pimps. It also involves substance abuse and strong social stigma. 

Key Negative Aspects of Prostitution:

• Violence and Abuse: High exposure to physical, sexual, and psychological violence.

• Health Risks: Significant risk of contracting STIs and HIV, as well as risks associated with unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

• Mental Health Issues: High rates of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

• Social and Economic Marginalization: Deep stigma, discrimination, and economic vulnerability.

• Substance Abuse: High prevalence of alcohol and drug addiction, often used as an escape mechanism.

• Exploitation: Frequently involves human trafficking and coercion.

• Impact of Criminalization: Legal penalties can increase danger by driving the industry underground, reducing access to safety, and making it harder to report abuse. 

Impact on Society
Prostitution is often viewed as a system that normalizes violence against women and racializes poverty. It can create a "hidden" world where crime and exploitation thrive, and it often leads to the humiliation of those involved, which is corrosive to the moral dignity of society. 

Safety and Legal Risks
Even in places with legal or decriminalized sex work, workers often face dangerous, coercive, and exploitative environments. Criminalization, however, can make the industry even more dangerous, driving it into isolated locations and making it harder to access protection. 

32 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Oh dear! You really try to get yourself out of this, right?

What we initially discussed, has nothing to do with different interests or tastes! What we discussed was a thing that are connected to all foreigners that´s been living in Thailand for many years. The fact still remains. Thailand is not cheaper today, than 20 years ago. Is it really so hard to get around that, and agree that you were wrong?

What are you going to say next? That people who wear sunglasses, will not see the difference, and therefore they believe it´s cheaper. You wear sunglasses, right? 😂

Cheaper for me not you.

33 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

This is from AI, but sums things up pretty well why not........Prostitution involves significant negative aspects, primarily severe violence, exploitation, and abuse, affecting primarily marginalized women and girls

Maybe in the western world ......... under western laws .........

I've not really noticed much abuse, slavery or violence in Asia.

And the ladies are pretty mainstream, hardly marginalized.

But back in the UK, I was certainly coerced into working and would have suffered violence from the authorities if I didn't earn and pay them taxes for their 'protection.

14 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Maybe in the western world ......... under western laws .........

I've not really noticed much abuse, slavery or violence in Asia.

And the ladies are pretty mainstream, hardly marginalized.

But back in the UK, I was certainly coerced into working and would have suffered violence from the authorities if I didn't earn and pay them taxes for their 'protection.

You haven't noticed it because you spend most of your time in the house or going to stores, driving your bike or going to restaurants. Most Thais would be surprised if they actually knew what goes on here daily. Add to that the other countries who also have their share of violence. Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, China, Koreas, especially the north.

There are reasons people go into prostitution, and they all involve mental illness. Either with them or with them and those who sell these people, along with those that use, abuse and profit by them.

Some parents force their girls to the trade because they want money from it. Many are trafficked, which means addictions, beating, rape and slavery.

It's easy just to buy the girls or boys, have your way with them, and not see the aftermath. Most aren't with husbands but boyfriends who also take advantage of them, and the worse are those trafficked, which happens in Thailand every day as it's a major hub of trafficking, some involving officials. In the UK, you worked because you wanted money. No one forces anyone into working unless it's in prostitution or trafficking, which i s slavery and much higher now than ever before in time.

12 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

No one forces anyone into working unless it's in prostitution or trafficking, which i s slavery and much higher now than ever before in time.

I was forced into working in the UK, it was that or not eat.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I was forced into working in the UK, it was that or not eat.

When you leave your parents house, you aren't being forced but doing what you need to do. You chose eating over being homeless and begging.

10 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

When you leave your parents house, you aren't being forced but doing what you need to do. You chose eating over being homeless and begging.

My parents were both dead by the time I was 20, I didn't leave them, they left me.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

My parents were both dead by the time I was 20, I didn't leave them, they left me.

How did you cope?

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My parents were both dead by the time I was 20, I didn't leave them, they left me.

And you chose to work instead of begging. It's something most people do unless they want to sleep on a park bench and go to soup kitchens.

9 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

How did you cope?

Not that well!

I was expecting them to be around for at least another 40 years.