Ee Connee Mee

[Ulysses G.]

I try to be positive and I woke this morning to find that at 64 I am still alive and relatively healthy and that there was food for us all to eat, somewhere to live and love in our lives.

I always remember the story that a man who had no shoes was sad and cried until he met a man with no feet.

Good advice for us all!

[PeaceBlondie]

A sexpat is somebody who spends lots of money on bargirls or bargoys every month.

I didn't realise there were Gentile bargoys in Thailand

I believe the plural in Hebrew would be bargoyim. Come to think of it, that might mean sons of goyim. My hand coordination has been cut short lately, or circumscribed. Hard to find Jewish bargirls here, too.

[lordofdelusion]

I would agree with those who say they have seen nothing like this. My reason is this. When I was born, (OK, 1956) there were 2.8 billion people on Earth. There are now 6.5 billion. That's a lot of strain on resources and food. Supply and demand issues. And oil is not renewable or infinite. On the bright side, the planet will be forced to seek renewable energy and develope more efficient agriculture, 2 things that can sustain all these people.

[sylviex]

I would agree with those who say they have seen nothing like this. My reason is this. When I was born, (OK, 1956) there were 2.8 billion people on Earth. There are now 6.5 billion. That's a lot of strain on resources and food. Supply and demand issues. And oil is not renewable or infinite. On the bright side, the planet will be forced to seek renewable energy and develope more efficient agriculture, 2 things that can sustain all these people.

Agree. A relatively small percentage of the world population ("us") have been living in a rather deluded and unsustainable way. Time for a change, which will do us no harm at all.

Edited May 30, 2008 by sylviex

[Cyberstar]

I'm not quite sure if this contribution fits into the overall spirit of this thread - there've been other threads running lately, where it would've fit better, but they've all vanished into some sub level topic list of this forum. Nevertheless, I'll share my experience right here on this spot:

Looking at CM tourism - only as it appears from my tiny corner - this month of May has been the best out the 4 months of May's I've been running a streetlevel walk-in bussiness - cathering mainly to tourists, that don't bother to haul around a laptop on their holidays, but nevertheless, need to check up on email accounts and maybe check flight schedules.

I don't see any downturn in my particular kind of shop, I only see a raise. I do see a prominent change of my walk-in clients' nationalities, however. A very noticeable raise of Eastern European visitors is what I encounter. These people tend to be budget travellers (not particularly lowbudget like Americans of the SE Asia on a shoestring type) - just well considered budget travellers. They study my charge list very carefully, but once studied, they're okay with paying a bit extra for actual service provided.

I can easily understand why these budget travelling people don't waste money on poorly crafted stuff in Nightbazar (and they can probably getter cheaper pirat-dvd's in their homecountry). And I can easily understand why they don't settle for the usually first encountered guesthouses East of of Moon Muang but venture far enough to discover the more comfy guesthouses, 200 meters further towards the West, where they can save 20-40 percent on their accomodation budget. And - assuming the view from my tiny corner tells some sort of general tale - I can easily understand why businesses, mainly interesting only for people with an American, Austrailian, Uk cultural background, experience nothing but a down turn.

[Bagwan]

I think the same thing is happening to us that happened to our parents and grandparents. They all had similar cost inceases, and had to suffer through it with the rest. I'm not feeling any pressure yet, but that is going to change, I feel sure. In my opinion, being here is the best place for me to suffer...

Nothing like this ever happened to my parents or grandparents: my parents are 40 something and grandparents 60 something!!!!!!!!

Then ask your great grandparents (if they lived in the UK) what it was like living through WW2. That's not taking into consideration the muck and bullets.

Do what we did. Dig up your garden and plant vegetables, keep chickens, ducks and rabbits. Oh! You live in a condo? Tough titty. Imagine enduring an European winter without coal. Stop smoking and you have the dosh for 2 pavement meals per day. Get off the booze. Most farangs around me could do with losing a few pounds and thus extending their lives. What crisis?

Mayhaps there will be a significant reduction in the number of soi dogs? Puree of Pomeranian or braised Bull Terrier anyone?

[Farma]

We’ve been operating small businesses catering to a mainly Thai clientele for the past 6 years. Taking seasonal factors into account this year is normal although customers do mention concerns at the rising costs especially the cost of fuel.

Our busiest months are usually during school holidays and when the farmers cash in their rice. This month is predictably slow with the farmers busy preparing fields and the rain reducing the number of customers wandering the streets.

[Bagwan]

If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this.

57% Asian

21% European

14% American (North and South)

8% African

52% Female

48% Male

70% Coloured skin

30% Caucasian

89% Heterosexual

11% Homosexual

6 people would own 59% of the world's worth and all of them would be from the United States of America

80% would have poor living conditions

70% would be uneducated

50% would be underfed

1 would die, 2 would be born

1 would have a computer, 1 (only 1) would have access to higher education

When you look at the world from this perspective you should understand the need to patience, solidarity, understanding, compassion and education. Also consider that if you woke up this morning healthy, then you are fortunate that you will not be one of the 1 million that will not survive this week.

If you never suffered a war, experienced the loneliness of a prison cell, endured the agony of torture, or hunger, you are happier than the 500 million who have. If you can enter a church or mosque without the fear of jail or death you are happier than the 3 million that do.

If you have food in your fridge, clothes and shoes, a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in, you are richer than 75% of the world's population. If you have a bank account, money in your wallet and your money box isn't empty, then you are counted in the 8% of the population who are considered to be well-to-do.

Because you read this you are three times blessed.

1. Somebody thought about you

2. You are not one of the 200 million who cannot read

3. You have a PC

As somebody said, "Work as if you don't need the money, love as if you have never been hurt, dance as if nobody can see you, sing as if nobody can hear you, live as if the Earth was a heaven. So start living and stop worrying.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

[p1p]

If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this.

57% Asian

21% .....SNUZRP..... stop worrying.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

Interesting - Can you give a source for these statistics please.

[billd766]

If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this.

57% Asian

21% European

14% American (North and South)

8% African

52% Female

48% Male

70% Coloured skin

30% Caucasian

89% Heterosexual

11% Homosexual

6 people would own 59% of the world's worth and all of them would be from the United States of America

80% would have poor living conditions

70% would be uneducated

50% would be underfed

1 would die, 2 would be born

1 would have a computer, 1 (only 1) would have access to higher education

When you look at the world from this perspective you should understand the need to patience, solidarity, understanding, compassion and education. Also consider that if you woke up this morning healthy, then you are fortunate that you will not be one of the 1 million that will not survive this week.

If you never suffered a war, experienced the loneliness of a prison cell, endured the agony of torture, or hunger, you are happier than the 500 million who have. If you can enter a church or mosque without the fear of jail or death you are happier than the 3 million that do.

If you have food in your fridge, clothes and shoes, a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in, you are richer than 75% of the world's population. If you have a bank account, money in your wallet and your money box isn't empty, then you are counted in the 8% of the population who are considered to be well-to-do.

Because you read this you are three times blessed.

1. Somebody thought about you

2. You are not one of the 200 million who cannot read

3. You have a PC

As somebody said, "Work as if you don't need the money, love as if you have never been hurt, dance as if nobody can see you, sing as if nobody can hear you, live as if the Earth was a heaven. So start living and stop worrying.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

Thank you for that Bagwan. It has given me something to think about.

I do have an idea sometimes how lucky I am to be me. I have had a full life and if I died tomorrow not so many people would notice and less would probably care.

I would however have told my wife and son as I do quite a few times a day that I love them both and that they are my reason for living.

I know I could be worse and I have been a little before but now I am slowly creeping up the happiness ladder again.

As an aside I put 1,000 baht of diesel in my truck yesterday and it was 40.9 baht a litre. Up 1 baht from Tuesday.

[colonelsing]

I live on monthly pension and of course with currency exchange rate I have less money than a year ago,but even so I live comfortably but not extravagantly.Ironically my girlfriend,who is in fact very poor,calls me poor because I do not have as much money as most of my farang neighbors.basically she feels this way because I rent a house and do not own my owh home.I am planning to buy house someday but not here in Chiang Mai.In Nakhon Sawan where it is cheaper.

Anyway the point is,as others have pointed out here,it is getting more expensive everywhere,but still we are better off here than in many other places.I love Thailand but I also love America.The fact is here every day I do pretty much what I wish,but back in US I would be forced to go to work every day,doing some menial job I hated,because I am too old to get a job doing much else,and even then would probably not live as well as I do here.

[Ajarn]

Right; no value can be ascribed to a good education of the conventional kind, and better if possible.

BUT I can tell you something that may reassure you somewhat -- what children learn at school is overwhelmingly about knowing how to fit in at school, and only very little, relatively, about anything else.

"Social skills" come from home and outside, too. Home tutored kids tend to be brighter and more confident.

I have been saddened by some of the home tutored kids I have met in CM because of their lack of confidence. They just do not seem to function outside their homeschool group and have little knowledge about their surroundings.

Others I have met have been fine (not brighter or more confident) but it seems like about 50-50.

Yes, that has been my experience with most home schooled kids. Public schools are very important for any kids social skills and it is where your connections to other kids can be a big help to your future

[gpdjohn]

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

Yes....yes I do.

That's why I thank Buddha everyday that I'm still alive and lucky enough to live here in Chiang Mai.

My life should have ended one day in Greneda when I was shot in the head, but my newly issued PSGT-A saved my ass. ( Made my ears hurt for 3 days though )

Yep...I know how lucky I am to still be here to enjoy this...no matter what the cost of livin is.

Living for the moment, cuz I now know it could end at any minute, any second...and I wanna make dam_n sure I had a great time..

[el jefe]

If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this.

57% Asian

21% European

14% American (North and South)

8% African

52% Female

48% Male

70% Coloured skin

30% Caucasian

89% Heterosexual

11% Homosexual

6 people would own 59% of the world's worth and all of them would be from the United States of America

80% would have poor living conditions

70% would be uneducated

50% would be underfed

1 would die, 2 would be born

1 would have a computer, 1 (only 1) would have access to higher education

When you look at the world from this perspective you should understand the need to patience, solidarity, understanding, compassion and education. Also consider that if you woke up this morning healthy, then you are fortunate that you will not be one of the 1 million that will not survive this week.

If you never suffered a war, experienced the loneliness of a prison cell, endured the agony of torture, or hunger, you are happier than the 500 million who have. If you can enter a church or mosque without the fear of jail or death you are happier than the 3 million that do.

If you have food in your fridge, clothes and shoes, a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in, you are richer than 75% of the world's population. If you have a bank account, money in your wallet and your money box isn't empty, then you are counted in the 8% of the population who are considered to be well-to-do.

"If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this."

If the population of the world were 1,000 (or 6 billion), how would those percentages change?

btw, many of those percentages are obviously wrong.

[Bill97]

Thailand cement sales for April down 16-18% compared to April a year ago so construction is slowing and jobs being lost.

[Gravelrash]

Whether Bagwans numbers are totally correct or just ball park, it really doesn't matter. I think it was the message that was important being that there are plenty out there not just worse off, but barely surviving.

[PeaceBlondie]

Regardless of the accuracy of the stats posted by Bagwan, are they relevant to the higher cost of living in Chiang Mai, the lower exchange rates for many expats who have foreign income, changes in tourist demography, etc?

I am thankful that I have more than X, Y and Z, even if A and B have more than me. I bought a new bike to replace the one I bought five years ago and find myself short of savings. My pension is shorter, as well. That is relevant, IMHO.

[Bagwan]

If the population of the world were reduced to a village of 100 people it would look something like this.

57% Asian

21% .....SNUZRP..... stop worrying.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

Interesting - Can you give a source for these statistics please.

Will get back to you after I quiz the friend who provided them.

[PeaceBlondie]

I am thankful that I have more than X, Y and Z, even if A and B have more than me. I bought a new bike to replace the one I bought five years ago and find myself short of savings. My pension is shorter, as well. That is relevant, IMHO.

In what currency do you get paid?

USA. When I decided to come here, the ratio was 42:1, and it has gone to 31.4. I came here with a reasonable cushion of 25%, that no longer exists. At least my pensions are all adjusted for US cost-of-living adjustments Don't cry for me, Argentina. I have a friend who bought Argentine government bonds!!

[gpdjohn]

And for all you American smokers out there...

I just saw on the news that NY State has again raised the tax on ciggys to 1.25 per.

The average price now for a pack of smokes in NYC is around $10.00 !!!

Get's me outta breath just thinkin' 'bout it..

See, for all you "lung-ers" out there, it's still a "smokin" deal to be here, instead of there.

The smokin lamp is lit..

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em...

[Bagwan]

Interesting - Can you give a source for these statistics please.

Friend cannot oblige with details of origin but Google on Earth Status Report gives a few leads. Hope this is useful.

[cmsally]

Also remember because of the football at the moment; some people have to look for a quick way to cover their gambling debts.

[mobs00]

The Peak Bar near the Night Bazaar now has a for sale sign up..........

[Jefferson]

And for all you American smokers out there... I just saw on the news that NY State has again raised the tax on ciggys to 1.25 per. [...] See, for all you 'lung-ers' 'smokin' deal to be here, instead of there.

I thought you was from Arizona, not NYC, where you can just grow some tobacco at the back of your ranch if you feel like it? NYC is not the USA. Thankgod.

[Jefferson]

The Peak Bar near the Night Bazaar now has a for sale sign up..........

That whole area is about to die and go meet its maker.

[mobs00]

The Peak Bar near the Night Bazaar now has a for sale sign up..........

That whole area is about to die and go meet its maker.

I always thought this area would be a great spot to combine all the nightlife "activities". If the bars on Loi Kroh and the kickboxing and a few massage parlours along with some small food establishments set up there it would be a one stop shop. This in itself would attract a lot of customers as they would only have to go to one complex instead of what we have today. This type of nightlife is so spread out around the city its no wonder they are struggling; no one knows where to go or no one wants to bounce from here to there to there.