llso

I lived in Hua Hin South of town when it was undeveloped for many years. I remember reading that there were more than 800 species of ants in Thailand. My kitchen backed up against a jungle. I had just about all of species of ants in my kitchen. The worst ones are a very tiny red stinging ant. There is one rather medium size one that will swarm a piece of leftover food in minutes. Outside where I parked my truck under a large tre were the dreaded (Moht Daeng) red ant these are large biting ants that had a huge nest made of leaves that the neighbors and my wife would harvest to eat from time to time. I'm not sure how old you are , but it reminded me of the movie "The Naked Jungle" I watched as a kid. It is something I learned to live with. Coming from the Southern USA I am used to a lot of bugs. I used to buy the spray. You know the one in the red and yellow can, and use the ant chalk that is available at any thai market or shop. It is very effective. The main thing is to keep your kitchen very clean and not leave any food laying around. It is all part of the experience of living in a Tropical country.

LL

Surely Long Term tourists and expats who have been around Thailand for many years can see the changing attitude of many Thais towards Foreigners. These types of stories are becoming all to frequent. I noticed a difference in my last two trips. One for 2 and half months in 2009 and 1 month in 2011.

LL

I voted no as to being offended by being called a Farang. It is a mixed bag for me because after spending 7 years in Thailand and learning the language to a fair degree, There is sometimes , depending on the context where "Farang" can be offensive.
I was very disturbed by my wifes brother who repeatedly refered to me as Farang to others. I called him on it one New Years and he told me that he didn't know what to say to me. Ultimately I believe he is a bit jealous of me and that is why he had the attitude. There are instances where Farang can be used in the Thai language in a Fun and Joking manner and others where it can be downright offensive. Unless you have a pretty good grasp of the Thai language it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. For the most part it is generally it is not used i a mean spirited manner, That is why I voted No. All of wifes family refer tome by my name. especially the children who have known me since they were born, or very young. They just see me as that funny looking guy in the family who doesn't look like them and are very respectful towards me.

LL

When we were expecting , I found a lot of really good baby items at the Central Department Store at Ploenchit, This was quite a few years ago but they had the best selection.Just hop the Skytarin up to Ploen Shit and you can;t miss it.
Glad to see the the dream is still alive!!

LL

Thailand has certainly changed dramatically in the last 10-15 years. It has undergone a very rapid modernization , and along with that comes increased regulation, inflation, and a higher standard of living for some. I first arrived in 2000 which I believe was the end of the "Golden Age". Expectations are higher among the general population and consumerism has reared it's ugly head. I have found attitudes are more mercenary and everyone is looking for a "piece of the pie". Western  tourists are not the majority anymore as Arabs and other Asians have begun to displace them. Global Economics and currency trends have also played a part with the weakening of the US Dollar and Euro. I have been to other countries, Laos, Burma , Cambodia, and Malaysia during my time in Thailand. None of these countries have the mass appeal to the casual tourist as of yet as Thailand. As these other countries continue to develop ther infrastructure and attrct more resident Expat populations this wil change .

LL