Some Questions About Coming To Thailand

[jtrodreigez]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

This is something i have come across on numerous different sites and it seems to be that people are seeing an increase in this. Is this true? Also im not really talking about the whole losing face thing as i will get on to that later but just general violence on innocents either for no reason or robbery. Am i to be worried by this or is it just been blown out of proportion because as long as i use common sense i hope to be able to avoid any trouble and i am sure i will feel safer over there than here in the north of england where i rarely venture into town anymore as the violence over here is rediculous.

Is Koh Phangan to be avoided?

In conjuction with the abouve question have heard koh phangan has gotten very bad over the years and now is a place to be avoided, is this true? I will be starting my travels with a friend and i know this is where he is planning on coming first but he has been here for months on end a few times before and never had any problems so is it just another case of keeping yourself in check, using common sense and not getting too wrecked? Any info in general about the island would be great.

Losing face.

From what i've read this can be a problem but should be pretty easy to avoid i think and the general advice is just don't fuc_k with a Thai, don't argue or get upset just smile and walk away. All this is fine but what if for any reason you find yourself unable to do this? From what ive read it seems even if i was defending myself id be in the wrong and would probably be attacked and by this i mean physically defending myself from harm, is this true? Also this rule seems to be saying even if someone is trying to scam you dont speak up or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a snap kick, what are you to do about that?

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Transport,

Just a short one this as all the advice ive read screams out be careful on the roads so i get all that but just one worry is the buses or coaches driving on unsafe roads, how bad/unsafe is this? I intend to use the train for any long journeys or fly if i can afford but id just like to know anyway as im sure i will not to be able to avoid that method of transport completely. The advice on boat travel seems to be make sure you have life jackets and the boat is not over loaded, seems pretty straight forward but is there anything else i should be wary of?

Health,

Apart from a case of the shits, trying not to eat bad food and getting my jabs is there any major heath risks i should watch out for?

I am 30 if that makes any difference on the advice and i am planning on doing the chilling/tourist vibe for a month then i will be looking to settle somewhere cheap for a few months to get on with writing fiction which is the main reason for me comeing to Thailand. Any advice on where i could get settled or any advice on my trip in general would be very helpful and i look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thanks. John.

[lifeisrandom]

you sound like a total - uh, nice guy.

i think you will fit in well here among farang.

[Naam]

you sound like a total - uh, nice guy. i think you will fit in well here among farang.

i second that and add the advice: "watch out whether the sky is falling".

[think_too_mut]

Somebody is trying hard over last few days.

[RakJungTorlae]

Wow bazaar. Have your ever herd the phrase “chill out”?

[dhind1]

Violent crimes are rare, they just get more media attention like everywhere else in the world

No idea about Koh Phangan, I cannot imagine why you would avoid anywhere in the Kingdom, uless for the obvious reasons - traffic congestion, military base, etc.

Higly unlikely you will find yourself in a situation where you need to worry enough about a Thai losing face - unless you are a violent drunk. In most situations losing face will not come to blows.

No need to worry about girls, just say politely to go away and no problem, they will go away. You would be missing some of the natural beauty of Thailand....

Transportation.....you take your chances like everyone else. You should be ok.

Seriously with all of these worries about coming here, maybe you would prefer to travel closer to home and avoid the worry?

Thailand is great....didn't you see any news about how great it is here?

[jtrodreigez]

Violent crimes are rare, they just get more media attention like everywhere else in the world

No idea about Koh Phangan, I cannot imagine why you would avoid anywhere in the Kingdom, uless for the obvious reasons - traffic congestion, military base, etc.

Higly unlikely you will find yourself in a situation where you need to worry enough about a Thai losing face - unless you are a violent drunk. In most situations losing face will not come to blows.

No need to worry about girls, just say politely to go away and no problem, they will go away. You would be missing some of the natural beauty of Thailand....

Transportation.....you take your chances like everyone else. You should be ok.

Seriously with all of these worries about coming here, maybe you would prefer to travel closer to home and avoid the worry?

Thailand is great....didn't you see any news about how great it is here?

Hi, thanks for the relply i dont know whats wrong with the other people who replied i didnt see anything wrong with my questions and it seemed like most people on here were helpful?

I realise now it does seem like im a worry monger but im not really all these questions have come from what ive read on the internet while reading about thailand and i was just hoping to see how true they are. Thailand is a beautiful country and i cant wait to come here hopefully i will meet better people that the couple of people who replied first, how very rude.

Oh and yes i have read loads and loads of really good things about Thailand and the people here.

Edited August 8, 2008 by jtrodreigez

[RakJungTorlae]

Losing face.

From what i've read this can be a problem but should be pretty easy to avoid i think and the general advice is just don't fuc_k with a Thai, don't argue or get upset just smile and walk away. All this is fine but what if for any reason you find yourself unable to do this? From what ive read it seems even if i was defending myself id be in the wrong and would probably be attacked and by this i mean physically defending myself from harm, is this true? Also this rule seems to be saying even if someone is trying to scam you dont speak up or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a snap kick, what are you to do about that?

Well with an avatar like that I feel kind of worried about you.

[girlx]

yeah nice avatar OP you'll fit right in here.

seriously tourists really don't have too much to worry about. just don't piss anyone off. living here long term that can be hard to avoid.

[Payboy]

Some Questions About Coming To Thailand

dont!

[mizzi39]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

This is something i have come across on numerous different sites and it seems to be that people are seeing an increase in this. Is this true? Also im not really talking about the whole losing face thing as i will get on to that later but just general violence on innocents either for no reason or robbery. Am i to be worried by this or is it just been blown out of proportion because as long as i use common sense i hope to be able to avoid any trouble and i am sure i will feel safer over there than here in the north of england where i rarely venture into town anymore as the violence over here is rediculous.

Is Koh Phangan to be avoided?

In conjuction with the abouve question have heard koh phangan has gotten very bad over the years and now is a place to be avoided, is this true? I will be starting my travels with a friend and i know this is where he is planning on coming first but he has been here for months on end a few times before and never had any problems so is it just another case of keeping yourself in check, using common sense and not getting too wrecked? Any info in general about the island would be great.

Losing face.

From what i've read this can be a problem but should be pretty easy to avoid i think and the general advice is just don't fuc_k with a Thai, don't argue or get upset just smile and walk away. All this is fine but what if for any reason you find yourself unable to do this? From what ive read it seems even if i was defending myself id be in the wrong and would probably be attacked and by this i mean physically defending myself from harm, is this true? Also this rule seems to be saying even if someone is trying to scam you dont speak up or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a snap kick, what are you to do about that?

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Transport,

Just a short one this as all the advice ive read screams out be careful on the roads so i get all that but just one worry is the buses or coaches driving on unsafe roads, how bad/unsafe is this? I intend to use the train for any long journeys or fly if i can afford but id just like to know anyway as im sure i will not to be able to avoid that method of transport completely. The advice on boat travel seems to be make sure you have life jackets and the boat is not over loaded, seems pretty straight forward but is there anything else i should be wary of?

Health,

Apart from a case of the shits, trying not to eat bad food and getting my jabs is there any major heath risks i should watch out for?

I am 30 if that makes any difference on the advice and i am planning on doing the chilling/tourist vibe for a month then i will be looking to settle somewhere cheap for a few months to get on with writing fiction which is the main reason for me comeing to Thailand. Any advice on where i could get settled or any advice on my trip in general would be very helpful and i look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thanks. John.

By NOT turning down some of the girls you will be finding yourself losing more than face. I think that you are blowing the whole violent crime worry out of proportion You do not not have to worry so much about violent crime in the LOS (compared to Great Britain and the states) always a good idea to watch your back though no matter where you are. There is a higher incident of crime in the tourist areas as opposed to the provinces and you can include Koh phagnan as well as Samui to the list since they have become major tourist traps over the years. Good luck with your book!

[sassienie]

The OP, is he for real?

Stay away from me please, you`re making me tense.

[DaoDao]

Nice way to come on a forum and ask questions about violence with an avatar like that

[jtrodreigez]

Nice way to come on a forum and ask questions about violence with an avatar like that

Nice way to be a moron. My Avatar is from the oscar nominated animated short by Don Hertzfeldt and if you have a problem with it maybe you shouldn't be on the internet. To all the others who keep replying with nothing useful to say what is your point? Are you so sad you have to mouth off on the internet? Grow up. Oh and DaoDao you better keep away from horror films and the GTA 4 video game who knows what you might do.

Anyway i have had some great advice from a very helpful member on here and they have cleared up any little worries i had and i now look forward to spending some quality time in a very beautiful country so no need for any more snide comments please and thanks to all who answered genuinely.

Thanks. Jonh

Edited August 8, 2008 by jtrodreigez

[imkoreanboy]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

L

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Thanks. John.

hmmm...

you have the perfect oppurtunity to explain to tv members what are the many reasons why you chose los over other countries to write.

writing fiction is a noble thing. but it sounds like you and your mate chose thailand for the girls! no problem. if you dont like one just utter the word s " get lost" politely!

bars are great just dont be obnoxious where a thai will wanna smash your face in.

[jtrodreigez]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

L

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Thanks. John.

hmmm...

you have the perfect oppurtunity to explain to tv members what are the many reasons why you chose los over other countries to write.

writing fiction is a noble thing. but it sounds like you and your mate chose thailand for the girls! no problem. if you dont like one just utter the word s " get lost" politely!

bars are great just dont be obnoxious where a thai will wanna smash your face in.

Hi imkoreanboy, my friend has been here a few times before and is not interested in the girls or partying and i am here to write after spending some time relaxing and taking in some of the sights this great country has to offer, I too have no interest in the sex industry the only reason i asked that question is i was unsure if it would be akward if i wanted to drink in some of these bars but not bother with the women. If i can just point out all the questions i asked were not my opiniopn and were just based on things i had read.

As for my reasons for choosing Thailand it really comes down to the fact my friend was coming back here at Christmas so i decided to come here with him. My origial idea was to move to New York for a couple of months on my own but after a bit of thought i realised it was a bit daunting for me on my own and i would like to get my travelling legs with a friend first. At the time my friend was in Thailand travelling for 6 months so when he got back and i heard how great it was i decided to come back with him at christmas. Because i am quitting my job and renting my house out i figured this is the perfect time for me to get serious about my writing and with north Thailand been very cheap and nice and quiet and peaceful i reaslised i could stay here longer than other places on the same money so i thought after a bit of the old touristy thing i could settle into some serious writing and hopefully get fitter too.

Edited August 8, 2008 by jtrodreigez

[dumball]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

L

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Thanks. John.

hmmm...

you have the perfect oppurtunity to explain to tv members what are the many reasons why you chose los over other countries to write.

writing fiction is a noble thing. but it sounds like you and your mate chose thailand for the girls! no problem. if you dont like one just utter the word s " get lost" politely!

bars are great just dont be obnoxious where a thai will wanna smash your face in.

What a bunch of obnoxious answers you have recieved , this should advise you to stay away from most of the farang population , act normal and in a polite manner , Thailand can be considered a very safe place to visit most any time of the day or night if you do just that . You want trouble , it is available , but you have to look for it in most instances , it does not come looking for people who respect the fact that YOU are a visitor , enjoy all that is available and there is a great deal to be enjoyed .

[imkoreanboy]

you a politician.

so what about thailand does your friend like. guys who visit thailand repeatdley fit the profile of you know.....

[jtrodreigez]

you a politician.

so what about thailand does your friend like. guys who visit thailand repeatdley fit the profile of you know.....

Not sure what you mean by am i a politician? If it's a straight forward question no i run a garden supplies business in England. My friend is a traveller and just goes from one place to another taking it all in, he likes to go to out of the way places and generally rough it a bit, he has been to Laos, Cambodia and most of the islands around Thailand but he moves around a bit too much for me to stay with him for all the trip plus i think he may be going over to OZ after a couple of months and i dont want to go there so we will part ways after some time.

[qwertz]

It sounds to me, OP, like your friend can fill you in on all you need to know about Thailand.

But in a nutshell, most of the Thai scams are ten years behind ours in Europe and there are far less cases of violent attacks.

[mizzi39]

you a politician.

so what about thailand does your friend like. guys who visit thailand repeatdley fit the profile of you know.....

Ignore imobnoxiousboy OP. He is on his way to earning TROLL OF THE YEAR (along with a couple of others), and as you can see from reading his other caustic posts, he is clueless and socially limited. Next time you are looking for advice, try some of the other forums on TV., because it appears that the general topics forum has suffered an extreme case of "troll invasion" lately. Good luck with your ventures!

Edited August 9, 2008 by mizzi39

[Crossy]

I'm with the others (sensible ones that is), if you're not doing late night binges in the more iffy areas of town you will have zero problems.

Just use a modicum of common-sense and don't leave your brane on the plane (or is that brain on the plain?).

Thailand is, to a large extent, wonderful, as are (most of) the people particularly in the non-tourist areas.

Enjoy

[PoorSucker]

Your more likely to come in dangerous situation with drunken tourists than with Thai.

Bar hostesses are really friendly and don't bother you if you don't like , but beware of the katoi (ladyboys)

And remember that when you come here first time, you might never want to leave.

[ourmaninbangers]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

This is something i have come across on numerous different sites and it seems to be that people are seeing an increase in this. Is this true? Also im not really talking about the whole losing face thing as i will get on to that later but just general violence on innocents either for no reason or robbery. Am i to be worried by this or is it just been blown out of proportion because as long as i use common sense i hope to be able to avoid any trouble and i am sure i will feel safer over there than here in the north of england where i rarely venture into town anymore as the violence over here is rediculous.

Is Koh Phangan to be avoided?

In conjuction with the abouve question have heard koh phangan has gotten very bad over the years and now is a place to be avoided, is this true? I will be starting my travels with a friend and i know this is where he is planning on coming first but he has been here for months on end a few times before and never had any problems so is it just another case of keeping yourself in check, using common sense and not getting too wrecked? Any info in general about the island would be great.

Losing face.

From what i've read this can be a problem but should be pretty easy to avoid i think and the general advice is just don't fuc_k with a Thai, don't argue or get upset just smile and walk away. All this is fine but what if for any reason you find yourself unable to do this? From what ive read it seems even if i was defending myself id be in the wrong and would probably be attacked and by this i mean physically defending myself from harm, is this true? Also this rule seems to be saying even if someone is trying to scam you dont speak up or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a snap kick, what are you to do about that?

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Transport,

Just a short one this as all the advice ive read screams out be careful on the roads so i get all that but just one worry is the buses or coaches driving on unsafe roads, how bad/unsafe is this? I intend to use the train for any long journeys or fly if i can afford but id just like to know anyway as im sure i will not to be able to avoid that method of transport completely. The advice on boat travel seems to be make sure you have life jackets and the boat is not over loaded, seems pretty straight forward but is there anything else i should be wary of?

Health,

Apart from a case of the shits, trying not to eat bad food and getting my jabs is there any major heath risks i should watch out for?

I am 30 if that makes any difference on the advice and i am planning on doing the chilling/tourist vibe for a month then i will be looking to settle somewhere cheap for a few months to get on with writing fiction which is the main reason for me comeing to Thailand. Any advice on where i could get settled or any advice on my trip in general would be very helpful and i look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thanks. John.

hi

heres my advise

1- the girls- they will not bother you. Most of them are actually some of the nicest people you will ever meet here, in the world in fact, who work all the hours God gave to feed there familys, and keep smiling, they big huge hearts and who deserve alot more than whats the worlds given them. They,re not all on the game, and those that are are probabaly doing so because the governments failed them- some, not all.

Do not ask men with thai wifes where they met...

2-heath, 27 years and I,ve been fine, lots of medical faciltys. You may get the shits, but thats normal.

3-"losing face".

Standup for yourself if you have to.

Most places here are far safer than anywhere in the west. Thai,s do not like one on one because westerners are bigger, and because most bullys who,d make an issue of this are just plain

cowardly, like all bullys who pick on someone then find they cannot get away with it, the world over.

If a thai sees a thai fightng a farang they,d, most likely side with the thai.

So, avoid street confrontations or you may have a whole family on you.

Also, here they do bear a grudge, piss the wrong one of and you,ll have a knife in your back. Or alot worse.

This seems cowardly to the westerners .Its an asian trait.

Some, again, not all farang should avoid confrontational words, manners, they often know exactly what they,re doing , and would,nt behave like that in their homeland, again, not all

A good example, in a taxi the other day a friend from new york asked why the driver was so stupid,

the driver tried to explain that he did,nt want to go where we wanted, " too bad, you,ll go where I say" thats too confrontational here, my friend then said he should swtich off his light and proceeded to do so and then got the driver out of the car and gave the him a sort of on the spot lesson in full public veiw!

It was hotel drive in and so people started to laugh at the driver who did,nt quite grasp what was going on until one of he hotel security told him so.

There was no build up, suddenly the thai driver just took a swing, theres is no middle ground.

For all those that say " good' my friend was boxer, and just defended, no blow landed, but he did give him a insulting slap which was quite funny,then the driver pretended to get something out the car, under his seat, which was,nt there ( I,ve seen this before) but my friend stood his ground, the security intervened and we were left with threats that he was going to get us, I asked him " why me" and was told " because you,re with him"

It was the lose of face, they do not understand sarcasm and may react in extemes-( this can also happen in the west too)

if felt made fun off- like in this case.

This story illustrates an example of what should be avoided- that sort of western directness. Thai do not directness because unfortuantly the person is often right.

Something I myself do not like it either.

Locals do not like any sarcastic references to the mistakes , corruption, and non progress of the country, who would, althought hats truth, don,t rub there face in it, so avoid any direct questions which might inflame this. Thai,s are basicly like children Lovable, cute, happy,

but apply wstern standards and you,ll go mad.

4-transport is good, check all details and prices, conditions before hand

Its beautiful country in many ways, but it has to see whats really going on before it can make any real progress, drop all this false, without basis pride, start looking after domestic matters.

Enjoy

[ourmaninbangers]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

L

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Thanks. John.

hmmm...

you have the perfect oppurtunity to explain to tv members what are the many reasons why you chose los over other countries to write.

writing fiction is a noble thing. but it sounds like you and your mate chose thailand for the girls! no problem. if you dont like one just utter the word s " get lost" politely!

bars are great just dont be obnoxious where a thai will wanna smash your face in.

What a bunch of obnoxious answers you have recieved , this should advise you to stay away from most of the farang population , act normal and in a polite manner , Thailand can be considered a very safe place to visit most any time of the day or night if you do just that . You want trouble , it is available , but you have to look for it in most instances , it does not come looking for people who respect the fact that YOU are a visitor , enjoy all that is available and there is a great deal to be enjoyed .

I agree , a man asks for advice, and some fool assumes he likes himself, why does TV attract such fools, what does he base his assumption on..

real genius that one- he sums up all that is wrong about narrow minded people here

why does it sound like thid? why does he have to explain, can he explain why he thinks this-no, he cannot. His brain is just wired to think like a moron

[ourmaninbangers]

Hi, I will be coming to Thailand in December for about 6 months and i would like to ask some question i have picked up while trying to find info on Thailand. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

Violent crimes against farang,

This is something i have come across on numerous different sites and it seems to be that people are seeing an increase in this. Is this true? Also im not really talking about the whole losing face thing as i will get on to that later but just general violence on innocents either for no reason or robbery. Am i to be worried by this or is it just been blown out of proportion because as long as i use common sense i hope to be able to avoid any trouble and i am sure i will feel safer over there than here in the north of england where i rarely venture into town anymore as the violence over here is rediculous.

Is Koh Phangan to be avoided?

In conjuction with the abouve question have heard koh phangan has gotten very bad over the years and now is a place to be avoided, is this true? I will be starting my travels with a friend and i know this is where he is planning on coming first but he has been here for months on end a few times before and never had any problems so is it just another case of keeping yourself in check, using common sense and not getting too wrecked? Any info in general about the island would be great.

Losing face.

From what i've read this can be a problem but should be pretty easy to avoid i think and the general advice is just don't fuc_k with a Thai, don't argue or get upset just smile and walk away. All this is fine but what if for any reason you find yourself unable to do this? From what ive read it seems even if i was defending myself id be in the wrong and would probably be attacked and by this i mean physically defending myself from harm, is this true? Also this rule seems to be saying even if someone is trying to scam you dont speak up or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a snap kick, what are you to do about that?

The girls,

Ok i have come to Thailand for many reasons but sex isn't one of them and neither is partying really but im sure at least a few times my mate and myself will give the bar scene a go but the thing i am bothered by is am i gonna spend the whole night been harrassed by the bar girls? I know this may sound daft as my advice would be if that bothers you don't go to those bars but i just wondered what people with more knolage thought. If you are to turn down girls either in bars or on the street can this lead to a dreaded losing face debacle?

Transport,

Just a short one this as all the advice ive read screams out be careful on the roads so i get all that but just one worry is the buses or coaches driving on unsafe roads, how bad/unsafe is this? I intend to use the train for any long journeys or fly if i can afford but id just like to know anyway as im sure i will not to be able to avoid that method of transport completely. The advice on boat travel seems to be make sure you have life jackets and the boat is not over loaded, seems pretty straight forward but is there anything else i should be wary of?

Health,

Apart from a case of the shits, trying not to eat bad food and getting my jabs is there any major heath risks i should watch out for?

I am 30 if that makes any difference on the advice and i am planning on doing the chilling/tourist vibe for a month then i will be looking to settle somewhere cheap for a few months to get on with writing fiction which is the main reason for me comeing to Thailand. Any advice on where i could get settled or any advice on my trip in general would be very helpful and i look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thanks. John.

By NOT turning down some of the girls you will be finding yourself losing more than face. I think that you are blowing the whole violent crime worry out of proportion You do not not have to worry so much about violent crime in the LOS (compared to Great Britain and the states) always a good idea to watch your back though no matter where you are. There is a higher incident of crime in the tourist areas as opposed to the provinces and you can include Koh phagnan as well as Samui to the list since they have become major tourist traps over the years. Good luck with your book!

so, your writing a book.. what about? I,d like to met you about this, contact me if you have time about anything in thailand

pls do not let those silly little <deleted> who send you there council estate style responses bother you

[MarkBKK]

... i figured this is the perfect time for me to get serious about my writing ...

So you'll be working here ...

[jtrodreigez]

... i figured this is the perfect time for me to get serious about my writing ...

So you'll be working here ...

If you count me hiding away somewhere to write my stories working then yes but as in any proper paying work i dont think so. I would love to work over there and if i could get something then i believe i would stay indefinitley but from what ive read the chances of that are minimal, i am trying to set something up back here that i could run from Thailand but ill have to wait and see on that one. I suppose the best case would be for me to get some good stories written and try to get my book published but i aint gonna hold my breath on that one.

[Super Hans]

I did exactly the same: quit job and let house out in order to chill in Thailand for 6 months and write a book. Result? Stayed for 20 months, write jack shit and partied hard.

Read less, write more. The only problems I had was with renting my house - it's a freaking nightmare if you get the wrong tenant, so be VERY careful. Don't be greedy on rent, go through an agent, get a large deposit and rent in advance, and bomb them out at the first signs of default. And don't trust anyone, even if the person you are letting to is supposed to be a mate. I know this from bitter experience.

[jtrodreigez]

I did exactly the same: quit job and let house out in order to chill in Thailand for 6 months and write a book. Result? Stayed for 20 months, write jack shit and partied hard.

Read less, write more. The only problems I had was with renting my house - it's a freaking nightmare if you get the wrong tenant, so be VERY careful. Don't be greedy on rent, go through an agent, get a large deposit and rent in advance, and bomb them out at the first signs of default. And don't trust anyone, even if the person you are letting to is supposed to be a mate. I know this from bitter experience.

It is a mate that i am renting to but i have other people i would trust with my life keeping an eye on my house and sorting any problems that could arise but thanks for the heads up. One of the mains things i feel i need to do is really get myself out in the sticks away from any tempations and force myself to write everyday, even if for only a couple of hours. Have you written anything sinse? are you still in Thailand?