My Thai Life

Suu Kyi just turned 64 and is still in prison in Burma. We wish her a happy birthday and hope that she can soon be free.

The Burmese people need to rise up against the Junta and put Democracy in place in that country. FREE Suu Kyi NOW!

If you don’t know who Suu Kyi is then Google her.

This is just bizarre. Thailand health officials are urging hospitals and doctors to keep quiet on the number of flu cases. This is a quote from the Bangkok Post today:

“Ministry spokesman Suphan Sithamma said a letter was being sent to senior health figures warning them not to say anything about the number of flu cases and details about the patients. All information was to be filtered through health authorities in Bangkok.

The ministry’s hush-hush order came as the number of flu cases passed the 200 mark and experts expected it to rise further.”

Well, I don’t know how secret it will be now that the Bangkok Post is covering the story. I also understand why they would want to cover it up. Just keeps people from freaking out I suppose but really, do they need to do this? I don’t think so. If there are 100,000 cases reported in Bangkok and the people in Bangkok only think there is about 200 cases, then don’t you think the people need to know? They do. If I knew there was 100,000 cases in Bangkok then that would dictate my daily routine. If there were only 200 then I wouldn’t really bother. The WHO says it’s now a Pandemic. So, don’t the people need to know? Yes, they do. If you cover it up like this then you can create a very bad situation down the road. Be open and honest with what is going on and give the people the correct info so that they can make the judgment call that suits them…

MyThaiLife

In the months prior to this post I have been increasingly irritated by the goings on in Thailand, the so called Land of Smiles. Some of you might find this posting a bit bitter and hard to swallow and for the most part, it’s true and exactly what I’ve cooked up. Take it for what you will and I’m sure that I’ll soon get over it but life in Thailand at times isn’t a bowl of cherries. It’s more like a bowl of shit. I’ll explain…

As a expat living in Thailand I have grown used to the Thai price and the Farang price. If you don’t know what a Farang is then look it up. This used to be isolated to zoos and parks but has increasingly grown in size to include just about anything you buy these days. For example, last week I took some clothes to the cleaners and they charged me 3 times more than a Thai and he had more clothes than I did. This wasn’t dry cleaning, this was clothes to be washed and folded. I paid 3 times more and that fucking pissed me off. I know that Farangs here make more money than Thai people but that doesn’t give you the right to rip off every Farang that comes through the door.

I’m also noticing a lot of other things besides laundry. I found out that Farangs are paying more for condos than Thai people. One case in particular is a condo at The Trendy on Soi 13. I had called about a condo that was for rent there because a friend of mine was coming in to Thailand and needed a 6 month contract. The cost was 34,000 baht. I thought I would test my “Rip Off” theory and had a Thai friend of mine call to ask what the rent was for that condo and I wasn’t surprised when she told me the owner told her that the rent was 24,000 baht. That is a 10,000 baht difference. That was complete bullshit.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Thai people but I’m growing more more angry over the whole “Lets rip off the farang” concept here in Thailand. It grows more and more each time I hear about it. It’s growing with condos, food, clothing, parks and just about any recreation.

What’s the deal with crimes against farangs going unnoticed and in some cases unpunished? What’s up with that?

That’s my rant for this month. I’m sure it will turn out just fine in the coming months but how much can a expat take of being fucked over every where he turns?  I know that some of you might say if I don’t like it then leave Thailand and trust me, the thought has crossed my mind. There are many other beautiful places in this world you know…

MyThaiLife

Yes, I know, it’s been quite a while since my last post. Bunch of things have gone on lately.

As of today, the State of Emergency has been lifted and things seem to be returning to normal. If there ever is a normal for Thailand. While some streets still have some troops on them for the most part it’s all gone. The violence from last week only lasted a couple days at best and the red shirts have all gone home.

So, we’ve just started our monsoon season here and it’s been quite nice. We had a nice electrical storm here the other night and got some cool shots of it. Below is the video from it.

Well, Songkran sure was different this year and you can blame the red shirts for that. But despite all the drama that was being created, people were still having some water fun. You can’t stop the fun no matter where you are. It was quite fun to see the Thais and farangs walking around getting soaked. What is really funny is that you have farang expats getting off of work all dressed up only to be drenched in water by the time they get home. Got to keep those laptop bags up high!!!

Since this is my first post in a long time, I’m going to try to update more often. There are a lot more things happenening now so I’ll be sure to post them here. Oh, and it’s still hot as hell!

MyThaiLife

Sawat Di Khrup (Hello) and welcome to MyThaiLife.com

My name is Michael and I created this site so that I could blog about my Thai life in Thailand. I don’t post everyday but I do post somewhat often. Maybe couple times a week or a few times a month. Mostly it’s when I have something to say or have experienced something new in Thailand. In some cases you’ll find some really cool photos that I’ve taken here in Thailand. If you get a chance, find the Femle Muay Thai photo that I took while at a Muay Thai event in Bangkok. It’s very interesting.

I’ve been living in Bangkok, Thailand for about 7 years now and I would not change it for the world. I have grown to love Thailand and its people and amazing culture. From its beautiful beaches to it’s amazing food. From Chiang Mai to Trang and all the places in between. I love everything Thai.

Feel free to Contact Me to discuss anything about Thailand.

Khap Kun Khrup (Thank You),

MyThaiLife

If any of you haven’t seen this movie then I suggest that you go out and see it. I was able to see it before the Oscars and I have to say that it’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. The story line is amazing and the acting is far superior than you would think.

This movie is a love story set in India and the twists in this movie are pretty cool. The action is where it needs to be and the camera shots and angles are very creative.

Danny Boyle, the director, did an amazing job with this movie as well as the cast and crew and winning all those Oscars last night just solidifies the fact that this was an amazing movie.

Go see Slumdog Millionaire.

MyThaiLife

There is a new dating software company out there for those of you looking to start a dating site. Wazzum.com sells dating software for those that want to start their very own dating site. The software runs $199 dollars and is a pretty good deal for starting your own dating site.

You could start your own Thai dating site. The software comes with the Thai language so that the Thai girls can understand the information on the site.

Check out Wazzum Dating Software.

I’m just getting wind of a very bad fire at the Santika club in Bangkok down on Sukhumvit Road. It looks like 53 people are dead so far. From what I can tell a fireworks display on the stage got out of hand and people were trapped in the bathroom. I have a lot of friends that go to this club very often. I hope they are all ok.

You would think that a New Years celebration would be safe but I guess not. I got forwarded this video just a few hours ago. It’s amazing how fast it got posted on YouTube. I must warn you that the video is really graphic. So, you’ve been warned.

I send my deepest sympathies and prayers out to the famies of the dead and the wounded. I wish them all a speedy recovery. Chok Dee Mak Mak.

MyThaiLife

Just wanted to wish you all a happy New Year and I hope that it’s full of the things that you hope for.

MyThaiLife

It’s been a couple weeks since I got back from Phuket. I like many people i know was stranded in Phuket due to the occupation of the airport in Bangkok. Not that it’s a bad thing but I really wanted to get back home and I wasn’t about to sit on a cramped bus for 13 hours. So, like most of the tourist I was hanging with at the Le Meridian hotel in Phuket, I just sat on the beach and got a tan.

I’m going to rant a bit about what experience I had while in Phuket. Over the last 7 years I’ve noticed a lot more Russians down there. Not that it’s a bad thing but seriously, they do NOT know how to shop and bargain properly. I’ve also noticed a huge increase in price over the last year. I have noticed in a lot of situations that there was a increase of about 35% in charges ranging from simple t-shirts and restaruants. It’s not what it used to be and I suppose because of the economy it’s just going to get worse.

One other thing that has really upset me is the fact that my favorite hotel “The Beach Resortel” has been replaced with a Starbucks. Yep, it was on the beach there in Patong and now it’s gone and there is a huge Starbucks in it’s place. I dare not go in!

I’m also noticing a lot more western companies popping up in Patong. It’s too much if you ask me. I for one still love Trang. Still love the Amari Trang Beach Resort and still love the fact that it’s not so metropolis and it’s still a simple Thai lifestyle down there.

Oh well, life is still the same here in Bangkok. But for how long…

MyThaiLife