Will Stickman Leave Thailand Soon?

[boris]

Before I first came to Thailand, Two things I read to prepare myself for the trip :

Lonely Planet Guide to Thailand, and Stickmans' Site!

I have to admit, they both helped me alot !

The Thailand Lonely Planet guide is first class, specifically Joe Cummings' knowledgeable input.Many long term residents I am sure could learn a great deal from it and should not be put off by its backpacker image.

I do look at Stickman's site occasionally, mainly to scan the grotesque readers contributions.Stickman seems a decent guy but really he doesn't seem to know that much about Thailand outside his little world.Read for entertainment (sex tourist scumbags and psycho bar girls etc) not knowledge.

[mbkudu]

I think after he interviewed one 'other' famous Thailand columist and saw how his life has ended up, he may be re thinking things a bit.

[sriracha john]

I do look at Stickman's site occasionally, mainly to scan the grotesque readers contributions.Stickman seems a decent guy but really he doesn't seem to know that much about Thailand outside his little world.Read for entertainment (sex tourist scumbags and psycho bar girls etc) not knowledge.

Agreed. His site is of very limited actual knowledge. In my opinion, he'd also gain more credibility if he dropped his wife's "alledged responses" to reader's questions and just acknowledges that he actually writes the responses.

[Insight]

I reckon it ain't bad - I certainly read it regually when I was at complete newbie status and took note of the advice.

Okay, the advice given on the bar scene seems a bit obvious and rehtorical nowadays, but if his site didn't teach me, what would?

Biggest gripe with his site is the size of some pages - despite what he mentions, they really do need breaking up. It's almost impossible to find what you're looking for sometimes unless you scan the entire article. Also can take a few minutes sometimes on dial-up loading a single page, and this is just the text without images.

A few p!ss-simple scripts could easily break it up into smaller, seperate HTML files. Offered my help here but no response as yet...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Who is Stickman??

You don't want to know.

[penelope]

Who is Stickman??

he is a free online shrink for distressed "hua ngoo".

[Ajarn]

Was a nice enough and presentable chap when I met him some years ago. Can't speak to any possible 'darkside', but I've experienced no reason to want to trash him.

I think he fills a void for the needs of some seeking real-life experience and advice. I think his intention is to be as fair and balanced as possible. I have no idea about the accuracy of information, but much of his advice on dealing with some of the frustrations and minefields involved in living here is spot on, in my opinion.

[GuestHouse]

There are more than a few people here who are happy to trash Stickman's web page and his writing, but I can't help wondering, what would their own efforts amount to?

I suspect, nothing worth reading and I also suspect the motivation behind much of the criticism is envy.

Afterall, his website is a success, it is making money and Stick is undoubtedly part of and enjoys respect within the established expatriate community.

Hat's off to him. I enjoy his writings and I find him to be fair minded, something in ever shorter supply.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Afterall, his website is a success, it is making money and Stick is undoubtedly part of and enjoys respect within the established expatriate community.

Making money is ok, but why speaking and crying (a bit) like somebody living in the slum ?

[mbkudu]

Afterall, his website is a success, it is making money and Stick is undoubtedly part of and enjoys respect within the established expatriate community.

Making money is ok, but why speaking and crying (a bit) like somebody living in the slum ?

Agree. His website is good I think. To get back on the subject, he has been whining a lot about not making enough dough. 100,000 is much more than plenty

to live quite well in Thailand. 40,000-60,000 even is plenty I think. He claims that his wife works too. They should make enough not to b!tch about life in the big city.

[Khun Larry]

I do look at Stickman's site occasionally, mainly to scan the grotesque readers contributions.Stickman seems a decent guy but really he doesn't seem to know that much about Thailand outside his little world.Read for entertainment (sex tourist scumbags and psycho bar girls etc) not knowledge.

You seem to have a problem with sex tourists. Are you saying you are not a sex tourist? Stickman certainly is.

Maybe you have rewritten history or the dictionary. Which is it?

Why do you come to Thailand? The food?

Thailand is sextourist country!

[merlin1]

I think after he interviewed one 'other' famous Thailand columist and saw how his life has ended up, he may be re thinking things a bit.

Who do you mean? Just curious about how people "end up" after exposure to Thailand.

"Some rise by sin and some by virtue fall."

I've read Stickman off an on for a few years. Sort of a guilty pleasure. A freak show. A reportage of the loins. Mind you, I dont' think I would bother with it if I was actually in Thailand. It's a simulated fascimile of Thailand for those who have visited and still think about it.

[markt]

It's a simulated fascimile of Thailand for those who have visited and still think about it.

I'll go along with that.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It's a simulated fascimile of Thailand for those who have visited and still think about it.

I'll go along with that.

Simulated or stimulated ?

[frenchFARANGbkk]

You seem to have a problem with sex tourists. Are you saying you are not a sex tourist? Stickman certainly is.

Maybe you have rewritten history or the dictionary. Which is it?

Why do you come to Thailand? The food?

Thailand is sextourist country!

Do you really think that everybody comes here for sex?

Sorry but I never slept with a whore, and had plenty of white pussies to care about in europe...

And yes about what you write on Stickman, that's maybe why he needs 100k....

[Neeranam]

QUOTE (boris @ Thu 2004-10-21, 04:05:47)

I do look at Stickman's site occasionally, mainly to scan the grotesque readers contributions.Stickman seems a decent guy but really he doesn't seem to know that much about Thailand outside his little world.Read for entertainment (sex tourist scumbags and psycho bar girls etc) not knowledge. 

You seem to have a problem with sex tourists. Are you saying you are not a sex tourist? Stickman certainly is.

Maybe you have rewritten history or the dictionary. Which is it?

Why do you come to Thailand? The food?

Thailand is sextourist country!

I am not a sex tourist. I came to Thailand because of drugs(all in the past now). Also the beaches, and meditation centres.

Thailand is a sextourist country, yes, but we are not all sex tourists, luckily.

You too can change Khun Larry Do you want to remain a sex tourist??

[mbkudu]

I think after he interviewed one 'other' famous Thailand columist and saw how his life has ended up, he may be re thinking things a bit.

Who do you mean? Just curious about how people "end up" after exposure to Thailand.

"Some rise by sin and some by virtue fall."

I've read Stickman off an on for a few years. Sort of a guilty pleasure. A freak show. A reportage of the loins. Mind you, I dont' think I would bother with it if I was actually in Thailand. It's a simulated fascimile of Thailand for those who have visited and still think about it.

The person I am referring to is Bernard Trink. Stickman conducted an interview with him about a month or so ago. BT went on about how his loyal readers have not followed him to the net and how miserable his earnings are now. It actually revealed quite a bit about the man; he seems bitter and almost like a ship at sea with no rudder. I was surprised to know that all these years living in Thailand and he can not speak or understand a word of the Thai language.

[MaiSonJai]

It's a simulated fascimile of Thailand for those who have visited and still think about it.

It has nothing to do with Thailand.

The site is mainly about bargirls in Bangkok and Pattaya, their relations with farangs, and to a lesser extent about the life of farangs in Bangkok.

This is mostly why people read it since the overall presentation is awful.

Interest in Thai girls.

But anyway, maybe some people would be better off today if they have read it before coming to Thailand.

Although, I doubt it...

Experience is like a light hooked on your back, only lighting up the way you went through. Chinese saying...

[Ted]

One great talent that Stick has is maintaing a 'loyal' base of readers, even though many of these feel the need to criticize the site. I mean, the general rule of thumb is, if you don't like the work of the author, you tend not to read it. I hear comments from friends, such as, 'I tell you, his column just gets worse and worse'. Well, why the ###### do you read it then? I think a lot of his popularity comes form those who aren't based in Thailand and are missing it. Which probably goes for the bulk of people on this site. I know that when in the UK I always start my monday morning in the office having a read of his weekly column and I surf this site a lot too. When in Asia I don't seem to feel the need.

I've also know of several who have posed questions to the guy (non nightlife related) and he has replied to everyone.

Come on gentleman, give the guy a break!

[MaiSonJai]

Come on gentleman, give the guy a break!

Just a general comment.

I read it every week...

[Superiorbeing]

hi,

Reading "Stickman's weekly" I lately found quite weird Stick's point of view.

I remember he was one time looking for excuses to buy his own car (not so many taxis available in BKK ;-) , most of them old...) and I didn't understand why he couldn't just say that he bought a car because he wanted it and had enough money to buy it !

And he is now saying that you need 100000 baht to have a good life in LOS ( crazy, he also write about 25k a month: "you will forever be counting your pennies, and forget having a girlfriend" (what does it means? how much costs him his girlfriend? I'm sorry but mine has a good job), and also "If you can't look after yourself and provide yourself with a treat or two on 25K, how the ###### are you going to get a lass interested in you?" (really...?!) ).

Anyway, does all that advertising on his website only pay the website hosting? Or provides some earning? Because a good teacher's job + some other activities, and he is not far from 100k...

But I agree that I could be wrong, this is just the way I think, and I hope he won't leave Thailand soon!

Thanks for reading and giving your point of view.

He is not often wrong, 100,000 baht a month maybe a little on the high side but it will be about correct soon.

Hope he stays as his site is bang on,hands on guy.

[Ted]

Just out of interest what does everyhting think the likelihood is that he'll comment on this thread in the next edition? Will Stick comment on his long term plans in LOS? Will Stick discuss the financial merits of running his site?

[medicinebox]

Just out of interest what does everyhting think the likelihood is that he'll comment on this thread in the next edition? Will Stick comment on his long term plans in LOS? Will Stick discuss the financial merits of running his site?

Yeah, I think he will comment. Soon as George slips him a backhander....

[MaiSonJai]

Just out of interest what does everyhting think the likelihood is that he'll comment on this thread in the next edition?

No site makes advertisement for another site.

Not for free anyway.

But he is a member here under stickman nickname, so you can inform him about this thread.

Maybe, he will comment...

[Khun Larry]

I am not a sex tourist. I came to Thailand because of drugs(all in the past now). Also the beaches, and meditation centres.

Thailand is a sextourist country, yes, but we are not all sex tourists, luckily.

You too can change Khun Larry   Do you want to remain a sex tourist??

Drugs. I like it. Honest and rational.

Are Drugtourists better than sextourists? I have never taken drugs, am I better than you? Do I loose points as a sextourist?

SEX DRUGS TOURISM YEA YEA YEA ... has a nice ring to it. TAT take note.

OK, For me, as with you and drugs, it is only an admission of reality not current state of affairs.

The first time I came to LOS was on business. I met a lovely and of course money was exchanged. This was my reason for returning. Had I not met a Thai girl I would not have returned other than for business. Thus sextourist is tattooed in my soul. What has happened since then is irrelevant. As you can see, Stickman is also a sextourist / sexpat though he likely does not see it that way.

I do not know, nor have I ever met, anyone flying 24 hours for a cheap bowl of tum yum kung or dirty beaches. You?

Sextourists and sexpats are the life blood of the Thai tourism industry and expat community.

Chookdee