General Topics > 100 Reasons Why NOT to Retire to Thailand

WARNING : Retire in Thailand, but at your own risks !!! Explanations ...

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alan bucknet:
          THE TRUE FACE OF THAILAND TODAY

                                   

                Welcome in the LAND of $MIL€$

     I have lived in Thailand for almost 20 years, long enough to be able to understand the culture and mentality, even if it seems an impossible task to many foreigners as Thailand is at 180° from the western world.
By witnessing many thai "habits" recurring each day, it became more and more easy for me to analyse their culture and understand what is hidden behind.

I must say that I speak thai fluently, this helped me a lot, even if sometimes I would have prefered to be deaf to don't understand their (many) comments about "Farangs Kiniew" ("skinflint foreigners") all day long.

I will also explain why Thais make a difference between the short-term tourist and the expat living in Thailand, their attitude being completely different.

I hope my good and bad experiences will help you before doing the big jump to the "LAND of $MIL€$".


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ABOUT SOUTH-EAST ASIA
   As you may already know, mainland South-East Asia is mostly constitued of "pseudo-democratic" countries : Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, ... where the term "democracy" resumes itself to the sole freedom for the citizens to vote for their governement, and nothing more. Once elected, each governement continue its main goal : the total control of the population.
By pseudo-democracy you can understand the underlying control over the medias and the freedom of speech (even if it is "officially" allowed by decree) and a total brain-washing : all information is filtered, medias are frequently censored and everyone is suspect. This is South-East Asia.
When you decide to live in one of these countries you already know what you will be dealing with.

Interesting FREE eBook to read : CultureShock! Thailand - A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette  HERE (4.8MB, 377 pages)




         

ABOUT THAILAND
Thailand is a Buddhist and patriarchal country governed by a king. The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to reach the state of enlightenment (Nirvana) and liberate oneself from endless reincarnation and suffering through meditation and other practices.

Buddhism is a self-centered religion (the culture of the self), close-minded, therefore (maybe) explaining the selfish attitude of (most of) the Thais in public, with their relatives, in their relationship, or on the road while driving, often witnessed and criticized by foreigners.
Thais make the mistake between "being self-centered" (part of teachings from Buddha) and "selfishness" and care more about themselves than others and everything else around. Many forums and blogs are reporting this special attitude from Buddhists, especially Thai buddhists.
I will also mention their strong stubborn attitude. Even when wrong, a Thai will never change his mind or try to improve anything : Thais are always right, foreigners are always wrong. Period.

Some links :
THE SELFISH CORE OF ZEN BUDDHISM
Buddhism: selfless or selfish?
Will Practicing Buddhism Make You Self-Centered ?
The dark side of Buddhism
Why are Buddhists such assholes ?

An important additional practice in Buddhism is the "kind and compassionate attitude toward every living being and the world" : usually Thais don't like to kill animals but in fact they totally ignore those suffering from diseases (many pets or stray dogs and cats are in poor health condition all over the country) so NGOs and local foreign associations must take care of these poor animals ignored by "kind and compassionate" Thais.
For Thai Buddhism, compassion means "self-compassion", kindness means "self-kindness". Cannot do more selfish.


In general, most of Thais think only about 3 things :
1/ money (never enough)
2/ to eat (it is a national hobby)
3/ to drink (often too much)
then the Buddha, the king, their family, then the sex coming last.




         

MONEY
The BIGGEST CONCERN for Thais : NEVER ENOUGH AND BY ALL MEANS !!! Thais are truly greedy people. They always need more and more, and they will try to get it from you by all means (you will often pay the same product more expensive than Thais will pay), considering all foreigners are rich. Thailand is a "money-only-oriented" culture. Boring.
In a restaurant, always ask for a menu with prices on it. A menu without price usually means you will be overcharged for beeing a supposedly "rich Farang".
If you rent a jet-ski, bike or car, check everywhere for what is wrong, take some pictures, and be with a witness (Thai friend if possible). Many problems already happened with Thais asking to pay for previous damages. Don't be fooled by a "friendly" or "smiling guy" !!!

DUAL PRICING : on almost everything there is a price for Thais and a price for foreigners and the price difference is often very significant. Avoid the trap of believing the smiling person you are dealing with will treat you fairly. They won't!


On the left (in thai, for thai citizens) : adults 30 bahts, children 20 bahts
On the right : Foreigner Ticket 100 bahts !

Links :
http://www.2pricethailand.com/
http://www.2pricethailand.com/how-they-trick-foreign-tourists-into-paying-more/

From : http://www.retire-in-chiang-rai-thailand.com/
" I have a friend who thought he could rent a house himself and is paying twice the market rate. Had he spoken to me first I could have saved him almost $200.00 per month. Another person I know who thought he could do it all himself bought a used car and spent about $1,000.00 more than he should have. I could tell you many similar stories but that would require a book."

If a Thai wants to borrow you some cash, be aware YOU WILL NEVER GET BACK YOUR MONEY, using many lies to don't refund you : "My Dad is sick", "The buffalo needs a expensive vet", "My mother just die" (for the 3rd time), "I just lost my job (again ?)", "You are skinflint" ("Kiniaow" in thai), .... lies and again lies !!




           

TOURISM
The country offers a vast range of accomodations, from the simple hut to the 5 stars luxury hotels.
Today, 90% of the country has been developped for tourism : Tour operators, buses, minibuses, Tuk-Tuk, boats, dense air traffic, road amenagement, car and motorbike rentals, road signs in english, hotels, guesthouses, home stay, bungalows, .... so you will find greedy cheaters all over Thailand !
Ask for detailed price (including tax) before any service or purchase.

Today, greed, cheating and lies have reached a such level that they have become a full part of the thai culture, mostly where money lies (all tourist places), sparing the remote and less tourist areas in the North (mostly farmers).

Now Money is God, Lies and Cheats are Saints. What a Pity !!

Gone is the time when backpackers from all over the world were coming there to relax, enjoy the rustic and quiet atmosphere of Thailand, its simple and cheap life, the kindness of locals, its natural (and not yet greedy) smile, ...
Everything is gone today !!!




           

SPEAKING THE TRUTH
In Thailand it is forbidden to speak the truth about E-VE-RY-THING, the most forbidden topic being the King (crime of Lèse-majesté).

- it is absolutely forbidden to speak about the mysterious (and never elucidated) assassination of the King Ananda Mahidol in June 1946 (older brother of the now deceased King Bhumibol Adulyade) from a gunshot in his head.
Five innocent staffs working for the king have been executed to "close the file". For Thai police, the culprit " should be " one of them.
- Thailand is one of the most censured country in the world (internet & international / local medias)
- Thais are afraid to speak in public (even with the law "Freedom of speech" guaranteed in the 1997 Constitution of Thailand). Jail is not far if you speak.
Following this 65 years old fear to speak in public, Thais speak mostly about money, family, friends and food. Safe, and no jail.

Links :
Wikipedia : Censorship in Thailand
Freedom of Expression in Thailand During 2016




           

Like a coin, Thailand has 2 faces : the visible and the hidden

The visible :
- smiles
- slow paced and friendly attitude
- childish behaviour
- respect for older or higher ranked people

The hidden :
- smallest and slowest brain in SE Asia (Thais are even considered by many the less intelligent peoples walking on Earth !)
- absolute selfishness from Thai buddhists
- countless violences and murders (mostly linked to money or alcohol)
- ceaseless lies (deep part of thai culture)
- cheating as much as possible (also deep part of thai culture)
- rapes (never reported in medias)
- drugs and alcool (Thais enjoy to get "Maow" everyday after 5pm : drugs, beer, rice alcohol, local rhum, local wiskey)
- thievery (also deep part of thai culture)
- slavery (exploiting poor migrants from neighbouring countries)
- illegal trade of endangered species (Thailand is a very famous international hub)
- all kind of fakes (even food and health products)
- high level of corruption (police, administration)
- total ignorance and disinterest for the rest of the world
... just to name a few.



         

THAI LANGUAGE
Thai language has 44 consonant letters, 15 vowel symbols that combine into at least 28 vowel forms, and four tone diacritics.
It is a very difficult langage to learn (compared to english), each province has its own dialect or accent, and Thais can hardly communicate with each other if they are not from the same province.
Thais from Bangkok (speaking the official langage as on national TV channels) are often in trouble with communication in remote locations (like my ex-wife from Bangkok or the Thai wives of my westerner friends).

Even though some basic Thai may be helpful during your trip, in most tourist places many Thais will ask you to speak english instead, english beeing very accurate whatever your accent or "broken" english is.
As Thais don't like to say "I don't understand you" (to don't "lose face"), trying to speak an "understandable" Thai may be a waste of time as they often nod even if they don't understand ONE WORD you spoke.

From : http://www.retire-in-chiang-rai-thailand.com/
"When asking a Thai who seems to speak English, a seemingly simple question, I often get answers that are totally wrong. This is not because the person is stupid, it is because they thought they understood your question, but in reality they didn't and they don't want to admit that and lose face so they give the best answer they can. "

Even if I speak fluent Thai, I reduced the number of "misunderstanding" with Thais from different parts of the country by speaking only english : success rate close to 90 % !! By speaking only Thai : success rate less than 50 %.
To get what you want, don't lose your time ... speak english, even broken !!



           

EDUCATION
The scholar system is still in its prehistoric age, school books are obsolete, the Thai alphabet is very complicated, mathematics are science-fiction, the scholar system is at the speed of a turtoise, ... all this added with the reluctance and lazyness from Thai students to learn anything (but only concerned by playing).
Thais are in fact childish grown-up children, always saying "don't be so serious" to Westerners, giving this special and happy attitude among Thais.
Don't expect to see well-educated Thais outside Bangkok, Chiang Mai or other provinces with famous universities.
Most of Thais have low education, barely knowing how to count, read and write. The whole thai system is built to keep citizens down (it is easier for a government to control illiterate population). No surprise if they are the less intelligent peoples walking on Earth !
In 2017, you will still see Thais using an electronic calculator to give you the change !!
Some private schools (and not so expensive) are using pedagogy (a premiere !!) for their students. I highly recommend "Kalapattana School" for expats looking for a GOOD way to teach their young kids without hurting their bank account. Results are impressive compared with "normal" (understand "public") schools or even ultra-expensive private international schools (QSI, ....) which may charge more than 1000 euros per month (not including admission fee, materials, uniform, ...).

Links :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_schools_in_Thailand
http://www.isat.or.th/schools



           

LOVE
Sorry to say but THERE IS NO " LOVE " IN THAILAND  but relationship, friendship, affinity, sexual attraction, financial interest, ... . Love is an unknown feeling here. Also you can forget about romance, flirt, passion, affection, warm-hearted people ... this is not rooted in their buddhist culture.
Love, affection, compassion, romance, passion, kindness, generosity, partage, complicity, tendresse ... are totally unknown in Thailand.
Wherever you go you will never see Love. What a pity !!
Love is Sex and Sex is Love. Period.
Love and sex are constrained within the principles of Buddha : celibacy is better than family life, and sex is very limited by the teachings of Buddha : you can have sex only with a single and adult honest woman. Thais are really not concerned by the pleasures of sex, even prostitutes who just simulate sexual pleasure. Just for the show.


From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand
In the book Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy, Kevin Bales argues that in Thai Buddhism, women are viewed as naturally inferior to men, and that Buddha told his disciples that women were "impure, carnal, and corrupting." This is also supported by the belief that women cannot attain enlightenment, although this view is disputed by other Buddhist scriptures such as the Vinaya Pitaka in the Pali Canon. The current Dalai Lama has repeatedly asserted that women can attain enlightenment and function as equals to men in spiritual matters, but his branch of Buddhism is not the one practised in Thailand, which has its own particular agglomeration of beliefs. Bales also points to the fact that ten kinds of wives are outlined in the Vinaya, or rules for monks. Within these rules, the first three are actually women who can be paid for their services. In present day Thailand, this is expressed as a tolerance by wives for prostitution. Sex with prostitutes is viewed by wives as empty sex, and thus women may allow their husbands to have meaningless sex with prostitutes rather than find a new spouse. Business first or "How to keep your assets safe" !

Exploitation by police and officialdom
Prostitution's tenuous position in Thai society makes it ripe for exploitation by police and governmental officials. Sex businesses pay considerable sums to authorities in order to be permitted to continue in business. Sex work has become in effect a cash cow for those in a position to extract bribes. Those in a position to benefit have a financial interest in seeing the status quo continue. Business owners and individual sex workers complain that since the junta came to power in 2014, harassment has increased, as have the sums demanded. This has the effect of driving businesses out of business and sex workers to the street or internet as freelancers.

Politicians and prostitution
Chuwit Kamolvisit was the owner of several massage parlours in Bangkok and considered by many a "godfather of prostitution" in Thailand. In 2005 he was elected for a four-year term to the Thai House of Representatives, but in 2006 the Constitutional Court removed him from office. In October 2008 he again ran for governor of Bangkok but was not elected. He revealed in 2003 that some of his best clients were senior politicians and police officers, whom he also claimed to have paid, over a decade, more than £1.5 million in bribes so that his business, selling sex, could thrive.

Although Thailand's sex trade aimed at foreigners can be considered overt, the industry that caters exclusively to Thai men had never before been publicly scrutinised, let alone the sexual exploits of Thailand's unchallengeable officials.

Support of prostitution is pervasive in political circles, as BBC News reported in 2003. "MPs from Thailand's ruling Thai Rak Thai Party are getting hot under the collar over plans by the party leadership to ban them from having mistresses or visiting brothels...." One MP told The Nation newspaper that if the rules were enforced, the party would only be able to field around 30 candidates, compared to its more than 200 sitting MPs."

Attitudes towards women were exemplified by MP Thirachai Sirikhan, quoted in The Nation, "To have a mia noi [mistress] is an individual's right. There should be no problem as long as the politician causes no trouble to his family or society".

After a police raid on some Bangkok parlours where policemen had sex with prostitutes, "Acting Suthisan Police chief Colonel Varanvas Karunyathat defended the police action, saying that the (police) officers involved needed to have sex with the masseuses to gain evidence for the arrest." Apparently, this is standard practice as a separate police force did the same in Pattaya in May 2007.


Interview with a Thai human rights activist

Kritaya Archavanitkul, a Thai human rights activist, interviewed by UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies, said :

    " This is sad to say, that the Thai social structure tends to accept this sort of abuse, and not only to accept – we have laws, we have bills that vitally support the existence of these sex establishments. That's one thing. And also, we have a Mafia that is also involved in the political parties, so this keeps the abuse going. The second reason is a cultural factor. I don't know about other countries, but in Thailand the sexual behaviour of Thai men accepts prostitution. Every class of Thai men accept it, although not all Thai men practise it. So they don't see it as a problem. So when it comes to the policymakers, who are mostly men, of course, they don't see this as a problem. They know there are many women who are brought into prostitution in Thailand. They know that some are treated with brutal violence. But they don't think it's a terrible picture. They think it's just the unlucky cases. And, because of the profit, I think there are many people with an interest involved, so they try to turn a blind eye to this problem. "



Also, a huge proportion of Thais (men and women) are bisexual.
Sex with anyone (man or woman) is just part of their boring routine, lacking any guidance from Buddha on this subject.

Buddhism also prescribes "acceptance and resignation in the face of life's pain and suffering", in accordance with belief in karma and the expiation of sins from previous lives. Women may choose to believe that suffering as prostitutes is the result of their karma.

From https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/38841-intercourse-masturbation-key-to-long-sex-life/
"A considerably higher number of females aged 60 and above live alone after their spouses have died (Thailand has the highest rate of deaths by cancer in the world: 25%).
“Those widows are forced to avoid sex or even masturbation because of norms imposed by society”.

From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3347485/
Sexual Activity: Importance to marriage
The study respondents were also asked if sexuality was important to the marriage. Opinions differed about this topic. Some respondents reported that a declining frequency of sex was fine because they live as friends and go to the (buddhist) temple often. There were other ways such as caring for each other, to keep intimacy in a marriage. As mentioned above, Thai Buddhism may be an important factor in adjusting to this change. The respondents became more involved in temple activities and making merit for the next life. Others reported that there were other ways of maintaining intimacy in their marriage such as walking closely together and taking care of each other.


In the Thai Buddhist culture it is not allowed to show your feelings in public areas as holding the hand of your partner or kissing him/her. In 20 years I have never seen any mark of affection in public, only from parents with their kids. Their feelings are flanged by their own culture (the Buddhism and its self-centered, selfish attitude). As buddhism teach about self-love before anything else, there is no surprise.

Thailand is also a "no-physical contact" country. You will never see a Thai kissing / hugging / tapping on the shoulder or on the back or shaking hand of someone else. Some Thai christians are more prone to physical contacts but the dominant buddhist culture prevails and restrain them to be more open-minded and warm-hearted toward the others. You are in Thailand, the "Land of Smiles" (just to attract tourists and money). You will have to deal with it !

Buddha totally forgot about relationships between genders hence this huge lag in Thai culture. You will see ladyboys (boys looking and acting like girls), tomboys (girls looking and acting like boys) and katoeys (transgenders) all the day and everywhere. Thais have no clue about sex (no teachings from family, school or any other sources). Sex is a taboo topic in Thailand. Sexuality in Thailand has traditionally been a private matter.
And since a sexual intercourse last between 1 to 5 minutes (average, from my 20 years of knowledge about Thailand), you will also understand their total lack of interest for sex. As usual, Thais take (their pleasure) but never give to the other.
Thais have many boyfriends/girlfriends but no lovers, they are just sex partners.

" Deteriorating sex lives and relationships among Thai couples is usually caused by poor communications in a society where sex is taboo. "
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/38841-intercourse-masturbation-key-to-long-sex-life/


The Worst Wives in the Whole World

       
Places like Bangkok (full of go-go bars) don’t necessarily make Thailand a great place for women, and you may end up heartbroken (like for 99.99999 % of other men before you).
They are of course beautiful, with slender body, long dark hairs, but they will always look for a white guy to marry (or have a baby) just so they can get out of debt and later out of their country, but will never show any love or affection for anyone, especially YOU.
For most of them (99.99%), Thai women have a beautiful body but a very ugly and twisted mind totally incompatible with the western culture. You will discover this by yourself if you live with a Thai woman, like me and my expatriate friends discovered over time (we all are divorced today and for the same reason).

Thailand is only famous for its cheap life, (sex) tourism, local junk food (full of additives, junk sauces, loads of sugar) and scenery. Nothing else.

Thai buddhist culture is filled with selfishness and cold-hearted people, even if they smile and are friendly.
Love, affection, true friendship, compassion, romance, passion, kindness, generosity, partage, complicity, tendresse ... are totally unknown in Thailand.
Instead : greed, cupidity, lies, cheats, thievery, indifference, stinginess, bullheadedness,... are very well known today.


               


It has been reported that many white guys have married Thai women only to return broke in heart and in pocket because you end up taking care of her and her family, solving credits, buying land, home, car, ... to divorce sooner or later. When your money runs out, you get the boot. OUT ! For Thai women, foreigners are just well-stocked wallets.
Thai women have also a reputation of weird wives - in fact, they are the least reliable among all brides in the third world countries. The most common complaints are the difference in culture and upbringing, which makes talking and living with them a boring or painful process.

Having sex with a Thai woman will also be the most boring experience you'll ever have. Only prostitutes with past experiences with westerners will perform slightly better. Slightly.
In addition, most potential suitors are looking for women with a maternal instinct, and the Thai in this respect are losing: they mainly take care of their appearance and themselves, but completely forget about the upbringing of children and care of the house (Thais are absolutely not concerned by tidiness). As a result, the percentage of divorces is extremely high (90% and up).
In Thailand you will always give but will never receive anything from Thais (apart from smiles), it is a one-way selfish culture. Amazing Thailand as they say !
So ... stay away from Thai (buddhist) women, they are the No1 to avoid from the whole world.

In short, you must be yourself a buddhist (or a Thai man) to endure a life with a Thai buddhist woman.

>>> See our other topics about Thailand >> HERE <<


Thai women

Using data from Match.com and The Richest, Statista has totted up the highest percentage of married adults who admit to being having an affair.
Source : https://www.joe.ie/life-style/the-top-10-countries-in-the-world-for-affairs-during-marriage-have-been-revealed-485472

1. Thailand
2. Denmark
3. Germany
4. Italy
5. France
6. Belgium
7. Norway
8. Spain
9. Finland
10. UK

Thailand tops the list without any surprise !


You will also note than most of thai girls and women have a mindset of a "GO-GO BAR girl", trying to "hook" a foreigner for money and nothing else.
They will often say "I love you" at the first sight, instead of a more proper "I like you", confusing the westerner used to make a difference between both. Most foreigners will fall in the trap of this wrong feeling, resulting in a fake relationship based on money only. For this mistake you will just have a beautiful body and a nice smile. Only.

Western men usually get involved with Thai girlfriends from poverty stricken backgrounds and many end married.
Today it is estimated 90% of the mixed couples (Thai/foreigner) are divorced, the 10% left are couples between a rich Thai wife (this helps A LOT) and a rich foreigner. Business oblige.
If you plan to marry a Thai woman, check first for her background (family, scholar background, previous jobs, friends, ...) to avoid to be depossessed later of your bank account, belongings, property, car, ... and face a long and expensive divorce.
You will not be the first or the last to have been dispossessed in Thailand.

Sometimes you may find some "bugs" in her family : congenital abnormalities, recurring diseases (skin problems, cancers, trisomy, ...) or others.
Thai DNA is not "healthy" DNA.
Since centuries, Thais were used to marry with their relatives, close neighbours or "not-so-far" villagers, often with the same ancestral family root, unaware of problems with consanguinity, thus giving (often) some child birth anomalies (I saw sooooo many in 20 years, I cannot even count them !!!).
Thailand is a "closed and undevelopped country" for centuries, only Chinese brought a "new blood" to this country long ago, before the Westerners.
For what I have seen during these 20 years, "Thai Blood" is not a "Healthy Blood".
You'll see it by yourself !!!
Be aware of this before planning to have a (healthy) child as Thai women are very prolific !!
My advice : protect yourself (use condoms) before you know eveything about her family and her genetic history, among others.

Links about congenital anomalies in Thailand :
http://thailand.digitaljournals.org/index.php/SOMJ/article/view/6363
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25391192
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8996981
http://imsear.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/177702
http://imsear.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/133324
https://web.kku.ac.th/acamed/conf_50/up%2017/Rattana_fetal%20anomalies.pdf
http://www.st.sat.psu.ac.th/seminar/Bangkok/pdfs/binitaSlides.pdf




         

MARRIAGE

If you REALLY want to marry a Thai woman, the best way to avoid (later) a big loss is to marry with a contract stipulating each of you keeping his assets before and after marriage. This is done during your "administrative marriage" . Ask for an english version of the various matrimonial regimes and opt for the Separation of property. If your future wife has big tears, then you know who you marry with.
Of course, avoid a "joint account". You can later regularly transfer some money on her account, thus more easy to control your (and her) expenses. Be very specific on this point with your future wife before marrying her.
Remember : money (not Love) is their main concern to marry with you !! Don't be blinded by your love for her !!

Useful links :
- What are the different marital status and the advantages disadvantages of each?
- After dating 5,000 foreigner guys, Thai woman creates course on catching rich white men (which means : ALL OF US !!)






In Thailand, most of married Thai men have a "Mia Noi" (mistress or "little wife") and a "Gik" (girlfriend).
How can you expect "love" when a wife (or woman) is just considered as a "sex partner" by most of Thai men ?
And what about when the "little wife" or "girlfriend" is already married ? Are Thais "swingers" ?

With this culture of having several women (the same apply to married women who have several boyfriends), Thais are very jealous and your Thai wife (or girlfriend) will always check for where you are, what are you doing, who are your friends you are speaking with, ... and will usually not allow you to go out alone by fear to loose her "asset".
Little by little your lovely, smiling, kind, docile and quiet wife (or girlfriend) will become a real tiger, ready to tear you in pieces with her painted claws, and her soft shy voice will become a loud roar. Be warned !!
My advice : stay away from Thai women !!! They are maybe beautiful but a real pain in the butt (in all aspects) !!

Links about "Litttle Wife", "Mia Noi", ... :
Mia Noi – Having a second wife or other girlfriend in Thailand
Many men in Thailand have multiple wives
The Common Practice in Thailand of having a Mia Noi – Minor Wife

Links about "Thai Girlfriend" :
What Thai Girlfriends Never Reveal To Their Foreign Boyfriends
The prospect of relationships with Thai women
Thai Girls Are Beautiful but Western Men Should Be Aware of Cultural Differences Before Starting that Relationship
Thai Girlfriends : Trust Issues
Thai Girlfriends and Women
Problems With My Thai Girlfriend
How To Deal With Angry Thai Girls
Things You Didn’t Know About Thai Women, The Bad Stuff

Thailand is definively NOT a country for love or romance with locals. Like it or Leave it ! Period.


This video may help you to analyze what is hidden behind the word "Love" for Thai women :


Men - what to expect from marriage





           

LIES
Thailand is one of the rare countries where lies are omnipresent (communication, deals, products, services, ...).
It has now become a tradition over time.
For a tourist it can be OK as you focus more on the "bright and funny side" of your trip and the tropical atmosphere.
For expats living here it is exhausting to always be on the defensive when dealing with a Thai. It may take years to find ONE honest guy to deal with !!
The No 1 rule in Thailand : NEVER TRUST A THAI !
In 20 years I met 3 Thais only (!!!) who did what they promised without any hidden trick behind.   "Amazing" Thailand !!



           

ALCOHOL
it is a real problem in Thailand as Asians in general don't metabolize very well the alcohol and get drunk very fast. Often, one bottle of beer is enough to get drunk and the rice alcohol (Lao Kao) wreaks havoc.
In fact, most of Asians lack the enzyme lactase and have trouble metabolizing alcohol because of a genetic variant that impairs production of this enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol in the liver.
In Thailand, the death toll linked to alcohol is one of the highest in South East Asia (road accidents, domestic violences, ...).



           

FAMILY
Thai girls always put their family first and their situation is often so impoverished that your girl’s priorities are always, first and foremost, about securing her family’s future (money).
If a Thai girl comes from a poor background and is in a desperate enough financial situation that she resorts to crossing the line and becoming a prostitute, she will have done so, knowing full well that she has just given up any chance of becoming a respected member of Thai society, and her actions from then on will certainly become 100% about the money (assuming that they weren’t already).



           

PROSTITUTION
The prospect of finding a financially secure (foreign) husband is very enticing to many Thai women at some levels of society.
This is very true for young Thai women (mostly from Issaan, poorest province of the country) who move to the big cities in search of better fortune and find themselves challenged between low paying work or the sex industry, some looking hard to find a long term boyfriend or benefactor (usually foreigner) who will feed them (and will buy a new car / home / ...) in exchange of sexual services.
All over the country you will find gogo-bars with attractive young women, loud music, drunkards, old foreigners with a young lady (the age of their grand-daughter), ... it is Ok to have one drink or two but be VERY careful (drug in your glass, your phone unattended, cash or jewelry stolen, overcharged bill, ...).
Many foreigners are attracted by the slender body of Thai women, their long and dark hairs, and often fall in the trap of this fake "I love you" (so common here) and spend fortunes by trusting these professional liars.
Avoid these hookers (also often having AIDS) like the plague !!!!
In short : avoid Thai women !!



           

$MIL€$
Alas, smile itself has become part of the trick : how to cheat as much foreigners as possible.
Again, their attraction for money has transformed their legendary smile in a asset, a fake and commercial smile to earn more money and cheat more foreigners delighted by soooooo many "natural" smiles (their slogan for tourism is "Land of Smiles").



             

SELFISHNESS
Thais are VERY selfish (egoists), and their buddhist culture is the main cause (self centered attitude).
They will kindly share their food (common buddhist practice) but will act selfishly everywhere (while driving, for their belongings, for their feelings, ...). Most of Thais TAKE BUT NEVER GIVE anything, except a smile. It is a one-way relationship with Thais.
If you can get along with this, it is fine.



           

THIEVERY
Thais steal everything they find and scam everyone (by cheating, lying, ...) to have more money, even inside their own family or with close relatives. Nothing can stop them !!!
All over the country you will see many Security Guards, metallic curtains, fences, bars on each window, metallic cages on stairs ... until the top floor !!
It is an obvious sign of insecurity and mistrust between them.
To don't be ashamed they will tell you : "It is because of Burmese !!". Wrong. Those who stole my belongings (and those of my friends) are Thais, not Burmese. They are now rotting in jail.
Remember : money is their main concern, just before food.
The No 1 rule in Thailand : NEVER TRUST A THAI !



         

SOCIAL STATUS
Thai people like clear and delicate skin.
Thais consider dark skin as poor (working in the fields), and white (pale) skin (e.g. : office job, governement employee) as rich (wealthy).
A lot of this is due to socio-economic status. Most businessmen / women in Thailand are Thai-Chinese who have lighter skin due to being of Chinese descent. These people are the ones with the money so Thais associate lighter skin with being wealthy. The majority of the poor are farmers who have darker skin tones as a result of working under the sun.

Links :
https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/readers-submissions/2014/09/the-class-system-in-thailand-an-average-thai-girls-view/
http://www.siam-info.com/english/social_behaviour.html



               

LOSING FACE
It is something Thais hate the most : losing face. This is directly linked to their stubborm attitude.
By example, in 20 years I discovered many thais who rent a home at a prohibitive price. Instead of reducing the rent and thus finding quickly someone for long-term rent, they keep the price high to don't lose face in front of you, neighbours, family,... by giving a discount. Result : nobody wants to rent it and the house remains unoccupied for years, and deteriorate slowly. Zero income but some expenses.
Any logic somewhere, or just stupid & stubborn greedy brain ? Nobody will never know! This is amazing thai culture.



             

SECURITY
If you plan a trip to Thailand, organize it from your country and choose for a Tour package including Flight ticket, Hotel and activities under the responsability of the Tour company or hotel. You will avoid many inconveniences (overexpensive Taxis, Tuk-Tuks, restaurants, unplanned visits to fashion shops, and so on ...). It will be much much cheaper if you book your trip from home.
As the hotel cares for its reputation, the security will be improved (official driver, reliable guides, competent staff, equipment in good condition,...).
Many accidents have occured (and are still occuring) by mushrooming local Tour operators only concerned by profit in spite of the security : road accidents, lack or poor trained staff, inadequate or low-quality equipment, ...
Before leaving your country, apply for a travel insurance or ask your Tour company.



           

ROAD SAFETY
Apart when drunk after 5pm, most Thais usualy drive slowly (even slower since speed limits and radar controls are now in some places), and respect priorities and are courteous. Just be more careful after 5pm.

2 things have to be noted here : the bigger the car, the more rights, the more dangerous and the less courteous.
This is true especially for (by order) :
1- Toyota FORTUNER (big 4x4 SUV),
2- Toyota HILUX (big pickup truck),
3- Toyota CAMRY (luxury berline),
4- ISUZU D-MAX (big pickup truck).

I never noticed any particular problem with other models so be especially cautious of these 4 cars.
The beginners usualy drive metallic gold or silver cheap city berline cars. Easy to spot them.
Apart to be sluggishly slow and not confident in themselves, you should not have too many concerns.
Because of their culture (buddhist selfishness again), while on the road, Thais don't care who is behind them, sometimes driving at the speed of a slug (with 20 cars waiting behind them), infuriating everyone.
Thai buddhism  >> improve only personally >> be in the present moment >> be myself within myself >> myself is the most important >> don't care for the others  >> selfishness.



           

BUYING A VEHICLE (CAR or MOTORBIKE)
Buying a new vehicle is easy if you have some cash. The vehicle is registered in your name, you have a "green book", number plates, and everything is fine.
If you want to make a credit (bank or other company) you will be asked for a guarantor (a Thai who will provide a land title or any document of ownership), your vehicle will be registered in his(her) name until the total payment has been completed but you are taking a risk to lose your vehicle, I am sure you can imagine how.
If you want to buy a second-hand vehicle you must be very careful as most of these vehicles have hidden problems. Thais don't spend much money to fix their vehicles and are used to fix them in local workshops (cheaper than official dealer) and with cheap aftermarket parts, not genuine parts.
In Thailand, when a vehicle is working fine, the owner keeps it as long as possible. When the vehicle start to have expensive repairs to be done, it is sold as second-hand, washed, polished, waxed, the engine fully cleaned to look good (no more marks of leaks or wear) to cheat the buyer. It is a common practice here. Ask for one month free warranty and detailled contract : engine condition and exact mileage, service book, body, paint, brakes, suspensions, ... This may help in case of hidden problems and the police will gladly help you to clear the situation.
Also, second-hand is very expensive in Thailand and it is often better to buy a new vehicule with one year dealer's warranty. A well maintained vehicle has very a good selling price on the market.
Remember : (most of) Thais are used to lie and cheat everyone with a large smile, it is deeply rooted in their culture. Even if they know the problems of the vehicle you are interested in, they will never tell you. Money first !!!!!
My final advice : buy a new vehicle or a second-hand from an expat living here. Between expats there is usually no problem, the expat community beeing so small and everybody knows everybody. Me and my friends who bought vehicles (bikes and cars) from expats never complained when compared to vehicles bought from Thais.



           

FOOD

To find healthy food has become a major issue in Thailand.





Thailand has already lost its reputation for good and healthy food : too oily, too sweet, too many processed sauces (soy, fish, oyster, mushroom, ...) too much MSG (MonoSodium Glutamate), ... Good taste doesn't mean healthy (like is tasty junk food).
The government is trying to sensibilize citizens to change their bad habits about cooking, frying, barbecuing, ... without success. Business first.
To stay healthy you must avoid the mobile street vendors (many food poisoning, tourista and else, pollution from vehicles, particules and dust going on the food, ...) or choose wisely, and try to avoid those with red lights (which give a better look to their food).
Eating good but healthy Thai food is a real challenge today.
Avoid the places crowded with foreigners, it (usually) means CHEAP only !!
Thais put chili peppers everywhere : ask for NO CHILI if you don't like spicy. Refuse your order if they "forgot" your requirement.
Thailand uses 80% of the MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) produced in the world with many known side-effects (nausea, skin rashes, vomiting, sweating, ... sometimes death), and their food is usually fried with the same cheap (and never replaced) UNHEALTHY palm oil (to increase profit) or cooked on barbecue (alight with benzine or similar). Artificial margarine is also used for all kind of pancakes or sweeties sold on the streets. What I call today "Thai Junk food" has become a national issue in 2017 and it is now VERY DIFFICULT to find healthy food in Thailand.



Processed sauces used daily for cooking in Thailand :
oyster sauce, fish sauce, mushroom sauce, soy sauce, shrimp paste, chili paste, Maggi (or Knorr), sweet chili sauce, ketchup, recycled palm oil, artificial margarine, etc etc etc .....







       


                                  
                               Example of palm oils sold everywhere

Links :
https://coconuts.co/bangkok/features/fattening-thailand/   
     - "the street vendors have no choice but to use cheap, unhealthy ingredients to keep prices competitive"
     - "Thai food at the restaurants are following the same path; their noodles are dehydrated and [they] use industrial stuff”
     - "Sugar consumption is deeply rooted in Thai culture"
http://www.bearnakedfood.com/category/tips/ (Thai processed sauces)
http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2014/11/unhealthy-foods-in-thailand-creating-new-nutritional-challenges/#.WPhcy6K0d_k
http://lovelyplanetz.com/the-good-and-the-bad-about-thai-foods-in-thailand/



Thailand market food - oily, fatty, over sweet, junk sauces (soy, oyster, fish, ...), MSG (monosodium glutamate), artificial meat tenderizers, carcinogenic smokes, ...
All of these are full of artificial taste enhancers. 
For your sake : STAY AWAY !!!!!




Street Food sold all over Thailand (look at the dark oil, sauces, BBQ smoke, junk ingredients, ... cancer is not far)

Do you still want to eat local Thai food ? YUCK !!



           

FAKE GOODS
Thailand is famous for its fakes sold in the streets all over the country (but whose sellers pay the police to "close their eyes") : fashion, sunglasses, watches, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, smartphones, softwares CDs, movies DVDs, student cards, driving licenses, ... even passports !!. Most are "Made in China", the quality is generally lamentable and for most they will not last long.
Thailand has one of the lowest quality products imported from China. If you can find some "Made in Thailand", they are a better option.
To fool even more buyers, chinese factories label their products "Made in PRC" (for "People's Republic of China") or don't write anything at all.
Also, don't be fooled by the sticker "QC" (Quality Checked) : there is NO "Quality Control" in China (excepted for genuine well-known brands : Samsung, Apple, Sony, Canon, Nikon, ...).

About "Fakes" there is another tradition in Thailand : women wear a bra with a foam layer to increase their breast size.
Thai women are complexed by their small sized breasts and they will try to be more attractive to men by all means (in Thailand, men are "money").
As an humorist once said : "A woman without breast is like a trouser without pockets : you don't know where to put your hands !"
Maybe their heard this story before  :-)

Links :
Bangkok's Counterfeit Culture
Fake watches in Bangkok
Welcome to Thailand's shocking world of fakes
The secret lives of Thailand's counterfeiters
Personal shopping in Bangkok’s temple of fakes



           

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
In tourist places you will mostly see under-skilled Thais from different parts of the country and coming in these crowded places just to survive, offering low professionalism, low quality work, low skills, ... frequently switching between (e.g.) fisherman to electrician then plumber then painter then mechanic, ... any job to survive.
If you expect a proper job, ask to local expats for the good guy.



           

POLICE
Local police is friendly and polite with foreigners (as soon as you don't shout to them).
In case of traffic offense (e.g. no helmet while riding your motorbike), often the police officer will ask you to give him some cash (usually 200 bahts / 5 euros) and will let you go free (this is active corruption). If you refuse you will have to go to the police station (by foot or taxi), stand in line and spend time for a bigger fine. Sometimes corruption (or "amicable settlement") can be useful (for you and the police officer).
So ... to don't be involved or promote the corruption : respect the laws !



           

CORRUPTION
Most (99%) of politicians and police officers are corrupt, this is the tradition in Thailand. Everybody knows it and deals with it. No other choice.
Even the army has its (many) "Black Sheeps" !

Wikipedia (Corruption in Thailand):
"The intersection of business and government has resulted in a widespread use of bribes in most sectors across the country. Bribery and conflict of interests are common within Thailand's private and public sectors. Money politics in Thailand, the "flow of money within the political scene", stems from the high number of interconnects between the business and political sectors. Despite anti-corruption laws, the government bureaucracy is ineffective in enforcing them.

In a survey conducted by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce among businessmen who deal with bureaucrats who determine contract awards, 25 percent plus is the average for under-the-table fees paid in order to secure a contract from government agencies. The survey showed that 78 percent of the businessmen polled admitted that they had to pay "fees", which they said appeared to have been increasing in recent years. Some businessmen claimed that the rate charged by the greedier gatekeepers for contracts run as high as 40 percent.

Police corruption is widespread. There were numerous cases in 2016 of police charged with abduction, sexual harassment, theft, and malfeasance. Authorities arrested police officers and convicted them of corruption, drug trafficking, smuggling, and intellectual property rights violations."

Links :
9 January 2017 : Thailand considers introducing death penalty for corruption. At last !!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Thailand
http://www..com/.html
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/tulsathit/30256213
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/today_editorial/30275993
http://preapism.com/2010/11/12//
http://www..com//thailand
http://www.bbc.com/news/35887624




           

Attitude towards TOURISTS and EXPATS
When a Thai ask you "Where do you come from ? ", he is just checking if you live here or if you are a simple tourist. Why ?
- If you are a tourist, he will try to sell you a Tour, a handmade craft, bring you to his cousin's restaurant, ... whatever he can do to take your money (usually a percentage). It is really annoying !!
- If you are an expat, HE will know that YOU know Thais, and the talk will be very short. Just say you live here and the bothering will stop.
Be also careful with other expats, many are in Thailand (and contaminated since) with the same goal : make money by all means.



           

THE (few) GOOD THINGS REMAINING IN 2017
- Most of the Thais always smile (even if they are fake, smiles are always nice if you come from a depressing country)
- Thailand is still cheaper than most of western countries.
- Thais are very tolerant to foreigners who ignore the buddhist culture (feet pointed to someone or Buddha, touching the head of a child, speaking loud, ...)
- There is almost no cold winter (except in the North).
- Safety (crime and incivilities toward foreigners) is "still" better than in most of developped countries.
- Most of Thais speak basic english.
- Thai administration is fast and effective, and with friendly staff willing to help you.
- Thailand has few poor migrants (therefore little insecurity) coming to abuse the social welfare and get unemployment allowance as we have in our developped countries (their main supply of cheap labor is from Burma (Myanmar) often considered as slaves and underpaid. Many Burmese slaves are still in the Thai fishery industry today and chained to don't escape (documentary aired on TVs)).
- Food is cheap (but mostly unhealthy today) so cook by yourself to avoid been slowly poisonned
- Health care and medicine are also cheap (but the best hospitals are in Bangkok). Good Health Insurance : AIA or BUPA (1000 euros max/year)
- Home rental is quite cheap (but ask for all costs before renting : electricity, water, gardening, extras, ...) and ask for a proper and detailed contract. Usually you will be asked one or two months refundable deposit and minimum one month's notice. Be very careful when you fill your rental contract, one witness strongly recommended. Check E-VE-RY-THING before signing !!! Many things may be hidden to your naked eyes !!
Some Thais will refuse to rent if you are too old. They believe your soul (spirit) will stay in their home after your death.
- Vehicles rental is still cheap (but better ask for full insurance, or get a good health insurance from your country) but be aware most of Thais like to drive fast when drunk (mostly on week-ends or after 6pm). So... be very careful on the road !!!
In case of accident you will often have to pay for the "poor" Thai, even if he has no driving licence, no helmet, no lights and is drunk. This is also Amazing Thailand !
To avoid this, quickly call the insurance staff and take a lot of photos (road, both vehicles, physical injuries, ...) before some other Thais modify the scene by moving vehicles to prove you are guilty. It happened often and it will happen again !!

To stay and work in Thailand you must pay for a visa, create your company (but be always very careful with greedy lawyers, accountants, fake papers, fake stamps, ...), pay taxes, employ locals (4 per foreigner), register to the immigration every 90 days, ... laws are hard for foreigners but it is the "price to pay" to live there.

To retire, you must have a Thai bank account with 10.000 euros (400.000 bahts) per person (800.000 bahts for a couple) blocked for 3 months (or a monthly income of not less than 40.000 bahts (1000 euros) per person). Money must remain in a thai bank until the day you get your visa. Then you will have to register at the immigration office every 90 days. Ask the immigration officers for more details as laws change often.



           

CONCLUSION
In opposition with Thailand, western countries are now invaded by low-skilled and/or illegal penniless migrants and we can see the many negative effects on nationals and their own security : thefts, harassments, insults, fights, murders, rapes, drugs, no-go zones, attacks, ...) so Thailand is "still" a quieter place to stay and work ... for a while.
Like me, even after 20 years in Thailand, you will live among them, not with them. There will always be a frontier between you and them whatever if you speak thai, own a Thai passport or are married with a Thai.

For most expats, more you know about Thais, less you enjoy living there.


I hope these informations will help you to understand what is Thailand in 2017.
Now you can decide if Thailand is good for you to retire.



Links :
Social behaviour : http://www.siam-info.com/english/social_behaviour.html
Women's Status in Thai Society
How Thailand’s Middle Class Rage Threatens Democracy



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Author's page : http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/travel/2014/11/06/thailand-our-most-deadly-holiday-destination/
Cheap, beautiful but dangerous : the trouble with Thailand


                           


The recent slaying of two young British backpackers on the holiday island of Koh Tao in southern Thailand was remarkable as much for the fact it garnered media coverage around the world as the extreme brutality of the murders themselves. The Thai media is heavily censored, and bad news stories about tourists are routinely suppressed (money first, safety later).

The chaotic investigation into the murders of David Miller, 24 and Hannah Witheridge, 23, included the release of two Thai men who refused to submit to DNA tests after police claimed that "no Thai would commit such a crime". The police then attempted to pin the murder on two Myanmar migrant workers, who subsequently recanted their confessions amid claims they were tortured.

The failure of police to properly investigate the murders and multiple deaths of foreigners in Thailand, including many Australians, has been a scandal for years.

Accidental tourists

                             
                              Hannah Witheridge, 23 and David Miller, 24, were murdered in Thailand.

This year, Thailand saw multiple train, bus, ferry, speedboat, motorbike and car accidents, murders, knifings, unexplained deaths, numerous suicides, diving accidents, robberies gone wrong, anonymous bodies washing up on the shores and a string of alcohol- and drug-related incidents.

All major diplomatic missions in Thailand have expressed concern to the Thai government over the welfare of their citizens while holidaying in the Kingdom.

Last year the Chinese Ambassador Guan Mu, following numerous drowning deaths of Chinese citizens, spoke for many when he declared the time for soft talk was over: “Police and Immigration do not have justice in their hearts. They are not moral and professional. Police are corrupt in Thailand. Some of them use their positions of power to rip off tourists".

“When it comes to fraud in Thailand, there is a lack of quality among investigators. There are food poisonings and accidents. Tourists’ documents and money are stolen. Drownings happen too easily on Phuket and Samui. These problems need to be solved.”

Full metal racket

               
               The country is known as one of the world’s most "relaxed" theme parks (even if prostitution is forbidden, but Hey ... money first !!).

Head of the European Union delegation in Thailand David Lipman said there was widespread concern within the diplomatic community over safety issues, and he did not believe the situation was improving. He also warned about numerous rackets perpetrated against tourists, often involving jet-skis and motorbikes and conducted with the complicity of local police: “We expect proper behaviour from public officials.”

Australia’s recently retired Honorary Consul, the outspoken Larry Cunningham, said more than 50 Australians a year were dying on the island of Phuket alone, with scams and criminality increasing to such an extent that expatriates wanted to leave. Young travellers, particularly “schoolies”, were being targeted by gangs and local police.

Thailand’s modern tourist industry began in the 1960s with great hopes it would showcase Thai culture to the world and be a source of national pride. Fast-forward half a century and rather than being famous for its cultural treasures the country is better known as one of the world’s most relaxed tropical theme parks, with forbidden prostitution front and centre.

The daily robbing, bashing, drugging, extortion and murder of foreign tourists on Thai soil, along with numerous scandals involving unsafe facilities and well-established scams, has led to frequent predictions that Thailand’s multi-billion dollar tourist industry will self-destruct. Instead tourist numbers more than doubled in the decade to 2014 (!!!???). Before the imposition of martial law across the country following a military coup in March, and a renewed spout of scandals within the industry, there were confident predictions tourist numbers would top 30 million in 2015 (but decreasing number in 2016 and 2017).

The "Land of Smiles (sic)" ?


                 
                 A raveller collapses after a night of partying.


The "Land of Smiles" was one of the most successful advertising slogans in history; and one of the most deceptive. Rather than welcoming strangers, most Thais are resentful of the foreigners thronging their towns and shores. Overwhelmed with millions of tourists, many of whom appear to save their worst behaviour for the streets and bars of Thailand, cries of “Mai Chop Farang” ("I don’t like foreigners"), and “Thailand is for Thais” can be heard from one end of the country to the other.

A cultural distaste for Westerners excuses the scams and violence so frequently perpetrated against them.

There are almost 400 British deaths in Thailand every year, the highest of anywhere outside Spain, which has 17 times the level of visitation and a large retirement population. More than 100 Swedes die in Thailand each year, some 40 per cent of them in road accidents, and again for them it is the most dangerous destination on Earth.
It is also, by a factor of two, the single most dangerous destination on earth for Australians: 122 of whom died there last year.

Australians love Thailand for many reasons; in particular because it has a reputation as an easy-going, welcoming country with, to put it politely, a vibrant nightlife. And it is cheap, with, as a rule of thumb, costs about a quarter of what they are here.


At a crossroads


                   
                    Thailand has buckets of problems (Yaa Dong, rice alcohol mixed with fruits, or low-quality adulterated spirits mixed with soda : Sang Som, Mekong, Hong Thong, Regency , ...).

Links :
Alcohols of Thailand
The TRUTH about wines sold (and made) in Thailand : not very healthy !!


The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade releases no analysis of the causes of death and no proper public warnings. Despite its $7.1-billion budget, a DFAT spokeswoman refused to provide the year-on-year death statistics for the past decade, claiming the provision of such data would be too great (understand "harmful" for the country) and a "strain on its resources" (understand "the Thai government asked them to keep silent to let unaware tourists flood the country despite the risks involved for their lives").

In effect the government is endangering the public by concealing the true nature of the situation on the ground.

Thailand is at a crossroads. It has a dying king and serious succession problems, weak democratic institutions, an economy slipping into recession, faces issues of corruption across many of its key services and is host to international crime syndicates, awash with despised foreigners and despite the relative calm since the military coup continues to drift perilously towards civil war.

The travelling public need to be able to make informed decisions on where to spend their hard-earned holiday money. Thailand’s chronically mismanaged tourist industry has devolved into mayhem, and there is more than enough evidence that something has gone seriously awry.

About the author :
John Stapleton worked as a general news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald from 1986 to 1994 and for The Australian from 1994 to 2009. He has been visiting Thailand since the 1970s. His book "Thailand: Deadly Destination" will be available later this month.



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                              ABOUT THAI FOOD (2017)


         



Author's page : http://www.eatthis.com/how-to-eat-healthy-at-a-thai-restaurant
How to Eat Healthy at a Thai Restaurant  (GOOD LUCK !!!)




For a lot of us, Thai seems like the healthier, lighter alternative to Chinese food (in theory !!).

Thais are now used to increase the taste of their food by adding a lot of processed sauces (oyster, soy, mushroom, fish,...), ketchup, MSG or loads of white sugar to have more customers and increase their profit.

And many of the dishes you’ll find here fill that role—the summer rolls are like spring rolls, without the long hot oil bath.
Spicy peanut sauce is a healthier choice by far than some of the heavy Chinese sauces. And soups like tom yum rely much less on sodium than egg drops do, and much more on healthy spices like lemongrass and cilantro.

But there are plenty of boobie traps on the Thai menu as well. The word “Pla,” for example, should make you say “Blah!” It basically means “deep-fried.” And keep an eye on fancy versions of rice (sweet coconut) or iced tea—they generally carry serious doses of sugar.

Use these nine essential tips and you'll order a satisfying dinner that will (maybe, not sure !!) also help you slim down.

1
Choose your rolls wisely

Spring = deep-fried (often fried with cancergene old oil).
Summer = not deep-fried.         Now choose accordingly.

2
Say yes to satay

Lean grilled meat on a stick slathered in a spicy peanut sauce. Seriously satisfying, low-fat food.

3
Share this sizzling side

Laced with ginger, garlic, and chilies, Thai-style vegetables pack huge flavor for few calories. Try splitting an entrée with a companion and sharing a side of sizzling vegetables to round out the meal (unless they are sauted with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, ...).

4
Make smart swaps—or pass

Thai fried rice is nearly as oil-soaked as its Chinese counterpart. Skip over this part of the menu.

5
Double check the tofu

This meat-free protein acts like a soybean sponge, sucking up anything it comes into contact with. When it’s fried, that often translates into a heavy dose of oil and little else. Ask for it sauteed, or stick to (raw or steemed) vegetables.

6
Choose a classic

Ordering Pad Thai is a safe bet. An average portion of this popular noodle entrée can be 600 calories, but it’s usually very low in saturated fat, making it a pretty good option (if they don't use ketchup for the "red look", of course).

7
Pass on the 'pla'

Allow us to translate "Pla Lard Prik" for you: The crispy whole snapper’s “crispy” part comes from its bath in a wok of hot, bubbling (and often old) oil. Eat the whole thing with rice and the meal tops out around 900 calories.

8
Cozy up to curry

Thai curries, regardless of color, are based around coconut milk. While high in saturated fat, most of that comes from lauric acid, which has been shown in more than 60 studies to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease (at last !!).
Pick a lean protein like shrimp or chicken, and this makes for a healthier option than many of the noodle-based dishes (full of MSG).

9
Turn down the tea

Any potential benefits of the brute-strength black tea in Thai iced tea are hopelessly diluted by the addition of processed sweetened condensed milk and a few fistfuls of sugar. Sip this and your blood sugar levels will soar, which signals your body to start storing fat.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MY CONCLUSION :
Thailand is not anymore the country it used to be until 20 years ago.
Today almost everything is fake, from smiles to what you buy or eat. Money has become their main interest and the death toll within tourists is the highest in South-East Asia.
If you have westerners friends, stick with them for your sake (same culture, same mentality, ...). Many expat residents become insane by living here with only Thais around.
My advice : avoid this country like the plague, instead go to Philippines, Laos or Vietnam. "Frenchy" Laos and Vietnam are peaceful countries, and women (even prostitutes) are kind & smart and you can have a great fun speaking with them (not only about money or "Papa is sick").

For those still interested by coming in Thailand I will say : GOOD LUCK !!












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