On Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 8:01 AM, 01322521959 said:

Jet wash in the toilet. After 20 odd years, not much.
The negative bugger that I've become.

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Yeah, the bum shoosher is the best thing, after SOL of course.

 

Other than that, nothing special.

1 hour ago, FruitPudding said:

Yeah, the bum shoosher is the best thing, after SOL of course.

 

Other than that, nothing special.

if you think that saving a hundredthousand dollars and more by not paying income tax on offshore income and capital gains is "nothing special"...

Thailand is special, indeed.

I love everything about Thailand, exept "Thainess".
The first 2 years, I found "Thainess" to be something "interesting".
The next 2 years, I found "Thainess" to be somewhat "irritating".
The last year, I found "Thainess" to be unbearable.
These days, I spend 2 Winter-Months in Thailand. After those 2 months of "Thainess", I have my fill and I appear at the airport not really as a tourist leaving Thailand, but more like a refugee wanting to get out.

For better understanding:

"Thainess"=
- Lying is part of daily live and everybody does it passionately. Originating directly from:
- "Saving face" (the most important sociological compass embedded in Thai-Society).
- Corruption ? Opposite to common (Farang) convictions, that Thai's are getting ready to "fight corruption"? Very funny! It is still the aim of a Thai to get into the "receiving-end" of the corruption universe. Once established on the "receiving-end" of corruption, those Thai's find nothing wrong with corruption.

 
- The belief, that Thailand is the greatest country in the wold (this theory supported by the educational system), hence looking down on the populace of neighboring countries. Further cementing this belief is: The Farangs are not capable of assembling their BMW's in their own country, therefore, we are the one's that can/must do it for them. AND: So many Farangs coming here to visit or to stay = a clear indication that Thailand MUST be the most desirable place to live in. Also: It takes little time for a Farang resident to end up with a Thai-Wife, confirming that compared to Thai-Woman, their European conterparts must be female "bats from hell".

All of this leading to the notion, that in order to be tolerated in "the country of all countries", naturally, it is expected that foreighners shall show their gratitude for the priviledge of being tolerated here by accepting the little "side-effects" of Thainess (dual-pricing, rip-off's, financing the family once married) etc, etc. But never reaching the status of being "one of us".

I could go on, easily expanding on "Thainess" as it were.
As mentioned above, I can stand "Thainess" only for 2 months at the time these days.

- Predictably, some members of TVF will ask: So why you still visit Thailand then? The answer is easy and straight foreward: For the same reason that another 95 % of single male visitors come here.
The remaining 5 % come for the Temples, the culture, the pristine beaches and to "soak-up" Thainess, still expecting that anyone buys this story.
Cheers.

 

Several years ago I took a banking job in Saudi Arabia. I stayed there three years. It makes you appreciate everything all the more--Thailand is heaven lol.


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Amazon coffee!


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(1) My Thai family. More caring than my real family.

(2) The utter foreignness of it all. Call it wacky if you must.

(3) The girls at 7-11. Bless 'em all!

My views have changed somewhat after a dozen visits since 2004.  But

The buddhist mentality about certain things appeals to me greatly

The Thai language spoken by the ladies with that lovely often descending tone

Thai food

The availability and cost of Thai Foot, Oil, Thai or Body massage.  Sabai Room Body massage is an awful lot of fun

While not that worldly knowledgable on Western History or Geography, I thought the basic education of the people in their own language and region was good.  I think it was better on some relative scale that I can't really define than many USA regions where High School graduates can't even compose complete sentences.

The Thai beaches, the clean ones

The local Baht busses in Pattaya to me are just so fantastically convenient for a small city

The Bangkok MTS skytrain is a great way for a not in a hurry visitor to get around

Air Con Busses around the country are good and decently priced

Government and doing business has gotten worse over the years methinks.  I was ready to jump in and buy some places but wouldn't trust the country with nor commit any sizable monies there now

15 minutes ago, sturdyd said:

(1) My Thai family. More caring than my real family.

(2) The utter foreignness of it all. Call it wacky if you must.

(3) The girls at 7-11. Bless 'em all!

yes I agree.  The girls at 7-11.  Smiling most of the time.  Topping off my phone, microwaving my instant food.  Some of the most hard working people. 

yes I agree.  The girls at 7-11.  Smiling most of the time.  Topping off my phone, microwaving my instant food.  Some of the most hard working people. 

Good to see you appreciate Thai cuisine! Ham and cheese toasty, simply the best after a few scoops!
[emoji106]

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6 hours ago, sturdyd said:

(3) The girls at 7-11. Bless 'em all!

The are not girls 

This place sucks in many ways. But all the other places I lived suck even more. So it is SPECIAL by a comparison to something else (not in itself). 

8 hours ago, roo860 said:

 

Good to see you appreciate Thai cuisine! Ham and cheese toasty, simply the best after a few scoops!


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haha.  Burger Kung!  I took the girls from the small massage and style shop that was outside my hotel.  They turned me on to lots of the instant food they have there.  I had some of the noodles now and then after a late night out.  I am not a cheap charlie, but come on, 30baht for pretty good large cup of instant noodles?  Today I just went to the local Wat Thai here in Melbourne, Florida.  They have a food court every Sunday and today due to the Buddhist the place was busier than usual. One vendor even had the Mangos and sticky rice with coconut sauce.  Heaven help me I hope my current company lets me go and I will just hang up my engineering hat and chill in the LOS until I get bored 

On 28/05/2017 at 1:12 PM, Orton Rd said:

The mrs does not like the UK, in her words too cold and too many asylum seekers. Thailand is not over run, dumps like Pattaya might be but there are no foreigners where we live.

Yes they is you , hahahaha, just joking 

Absolutely nothing, it's a boring country, with boring people.

Not sure thailand is  special  , but it has great people, lots of  Beautiful  women, 

great  cheap  food , hotels are very cheap , great places for a holiday 2 or 3 times a year.

But to live full time there , it would take away all the good things about the place.

has lots and lots of bad things but that is thailand , for thai people to worry about not me . 

I just enjoy going on holidays with the thai 

partner .

Edited July 29, 20178 yr by georgemandm
Spelling

52 minutes ago, bermondburi said:

Absolutely nothing, it's a boring country, with boring people.

It is not that bad a place if you not live there full time .