Thai culture vs Farang culture.

[Vombatus]

Really makes you wonder how the banks survive ,

By not getting involved in dodgy loans (and junk bonds and other derivatives!).

They had their financial crisis in 1997 and now seem to tread cautiously.

They do very well providing basic banking services and, of course, in Bangkok, Pattaya etc they do lend to creditworthy customers - I know a couple of Brits in Pattaya who have borrowed money to expand their businesses.

Remember also that the banking network is as sophisticated as any I have seen. Apart from the usual online services of paying third parties, mobile top ups and regular payments - you can also do this through the ATMs. There isn't widespread use of direct debits and the missus has to pay the monthly car loan payment over the bank counter.

[rufusredtail]

We have B PAY here where as you can set it up online to pay anyone that has a bpay number , usually  water rates , electricity, rates on land , gas ,mobile phone etc , do they have such in Thailand , may be if its not to personal , how do you all pay bills , go to ,the post office , bank , online , pay cash ?

[Prakhonchai Nick]

I cannot speak for anyone else, but my utility bills are paid via direct debit, and any other bills - internet, insurance etc are paid online.  Setting up direct debits is a complicated procedure, and usually takes 3 months to become active.

[nurl raisur]

What I see:

- In a village, women work while the men drink.   Most local businesses are run by women. 
  Thailand's always bent a matriarchal manner
- Status matters.  You get points (status) for what your spouse does.  Have a Farang, you get status.  Have money, you get status.
   Some are
- When a Thai asks to borrow money, it really means give it to them and do not expect to be paid back. 
   It's a gift
- All Farangs are rich, so all spouses of Farang are rich. 
  Of course
- When you borrow a car, you are under no obligation to put gas in it.

cheap koonts

[Dave the Dude]

What does "cheap koonts" mean and when I tried to cut and paste it, it printed this.....194.46.225.95

confused or what?

[nurl raisur]

What does "cheap koonts" mean and when I tried to cut and paste it, it printed this.....194.46.225.95

confused or what?

Sorry Dave the Dude. I was attempting to be clever and post within a post. Haven't figured out how to do this yet. Forgive me I'm a .

[Dave the Dude]

No problem mate, I like to snoop a little for a laugh!

[manupete]

Top post Nick,can't disagree with anything.
My marriage it not a conventional one,we have had problems but always seem to come though.My wife doesn't have the Watt but she has gambling ( which is no secret) .She off working now to earn enough money to come back a gamble some more. I am given a free range to do as I like under the condition no girls stay in our house.

I seem to have caused a stir on one of the local forums about this post or the two main people posting about it have .
Just to let members here know I haven't sent my wife off whoring to make money as be suggested.After a few years of being married I found out my wife like a game of cards or dice.Over the years I have twice bailed her out ,once for 30k and another about 8 months ago for 25k.I told her if she got in trouble again she would have to go and get a job to pay off her debt as I wouldn't do it a third time.....
My wife is not a lady to tell me what to do and I her but although I try to advise her not to gamble she has a mind of her own,( how many wife's tell their husbands not to drink,do they listen  ) its her choice to go working and if I had my way I would pay her smallish debt off and have her home with me.Maybe her going to earn her own money instead of me bailing her out will help with the cure for her card playing .She is working in her friends shop as her English is good is is selling handbags not is some bar selling her body as been suggested and is staying with her sister.How crazy would it be for a westerner to send his wife out working as a prostitute as been said ,I just can see this happening.I've seen Thai Families turn a blind eye or keep quiet but a westerner to do it would need the morals of a ally cat ,especially a wife 
I know of other westerners out here that have wives with a liking for a game of card or dice.Their wives must get their money from somewhere but I have put my foot down and said "No more" and its her choice,stop or earn her own money. 
As I don't post on that forum ( and never will again ) I will put the good members on here minds at rest,what has been said has been said for a reason ,all we all know why 
 Please don't post a list of things I should do to stop her from her addiction,we have talked and talked and tried may things ,lets hope her earning her own money will help her realise there's more to life than gambling.I'm sure I'm not the only one on this forum with a wife with a gambling problem and I am more than happy to talk by private PM than on open forum on ways of helping our partners as not all people can be as open as me !!!
 

[rufusredtail]

Hello manupete, interesting what you say , is gambling a problem in Thailand, as such , from my end Australia it is in many ways , i have never really noticed in Thailand, poker machines in clubs , may be i am blind , i think you have done the right thing with the debt of your wife , it is probably the only way , when one spends there own money , may be it will be less , any way good luck

[aparasher]

Gambling is illegal in Thailand. But, people find their ways. In almost sedate country lifestyle, people gamble a bit to add excitement and to make a bit extra dough which then becomes habit could lead to addiction.

[isanbirder]

Some years ago I was visiting a  workers' camp at Naresuan University, Pitsanulok.  Suddenly we saw in front of us a body covered in blood ('blood-boltered' came to mind).  We passed by, but when we came back, there was a pool of blood there.  We were told that the workers had been given a day off, which they used gambling, and the death was the result of a quarrel over gambling.

Gambling in one form or other, is almost universal in Thailand... the illegal daily lottery, cards,.... you name it, they have it.

[rufusredtail]

So have ever seen poker machines in Thailand , also , i have played backgammon in many countries , have you ever come across this , so if i was to play a game of gammon with a friend in the open this would be classed as illegal, yes / no

[isanbirder]

So have ever seen poker machines in Thailand , also , i have played backgammon in many countries , have you ever come across this , so if i was to play a game of gammon with a friend in the open this would be classed as illegal, yes / no

No, they go across to Cambodia or Laos for casinos/machines.  Yes, theoretically a game of backgammon in public would be breaking the law.  So long as there wasn't any money on show, the police would probably just come and watch!

[BromleyBumkin]

Gambling in Thailand
Thailand has very strict gambling laws. While it is legal for Thai players to place wagers on horse racing and on the limited national lottery, all other forms of gambling are illegal. This includes casinos, poker, bingo, and sports betting. In spite of the ban, gambling is big business and there is a huge underground gambling industry in Thailand. One estimate suggests as much as 70% of the adult population gambles regularly even though it is illegal.

The primary form of legal gambling in Thailand is the national lottery. It was started in 2003, mostly because a large underground lottery system was already operating and the government felt the best way to drive it out was to create an officially sanctioned lottery system. But even the legal lottery is not immune from illegal activities - in 2006 the prime minister and other government officials were accused of skimming more than $1 billion from state lottery revenues.

Online Gambling in Thailand
Online gambling in Thailand is also forbidden. The Thai government does not provide licenses that would allow internet gambling websites to be hosted in Thailand. In fact, they have never even considered allowing for online gambling in Thailand since land-based gambling is mostly forbidden.

[smithy99]

Copy and pasted from the link below


http://gamingzion.com/thailand