Well you can't expect them to by any of the broadsheets. The english that is taught in the schools in Eastern Europe and the Indian Subcontinent wouldn't be good enough.

[quote="trubrit"]Do you know sometimes it isn't the big things that matter. Just the small breaks from what we used to think as normal can matter more.Let me give you an example. I have a friend, she is 73, widowed. She lives in a small Norfolk village, miles away from the big cities.Her home is a comfortable apartment in a purpose built complex for elderly but not disabled people, surounded by well kept gardens, through which runs a small stream. Now one of her greatest pleasures along with the other old folk is to sit in the garden chatting. Last summer local vandals threw all the bench seats into the river, not once, but on three ocassions. So the council removed them.. Not to be beaten the old folk bought collapsible chairs which they took inside at night.On this stream were many types of ducks and some swans that they loved to feed.Now, no more. They have all gone.Killed and eaten by immigrants from western Europe who have moved onto land adjoining the village.The council have even put signs in many languages to tell them it is illegal, but to no avail. No more feeding the ducks for these old ladies.
Now these are people reaching the end of their life, surely they shouldn't be denied such simple pleasures during their remaining days because the govt has decided to let hoards of immigrants whose lifestyle is more primitive than that which we are used to, into THEIR(OUR) country. [/quote]

Trubrit: Not to discount any of the sad story above, but I wonder how many Udon residents (as in Thais) are bemoaning the growth of foreigners 'beseiging' their city with bars, big motorcycles, girls in spagetti straps etc. I always cringe when some foreigner does something really stupid in Thailand.....no matter where in Thailand. I know the vast majority of foreigners here are decent people who contribute to the local community in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, it's the bad apples who can spoil life for the rest of us. Likewise, while living in Texas for a number of years, there were many stories of Thais/Laos/Vietnamese hunting out of season and netting fish where nets were prohibited. It's sad that stories like these reflect on a whole community......but seems like it's no different in the UK than anywhere else in the world. My 2 baht worth.

parrot wrote:

Trubrit: Not to discount any of the sad story above, but I wonder how many Udon residents (as in Thais) are bemoaning the growth of foreigners 'beseiging' their city with bars, big motorcycles, girls in spagetti straps etc. I always cringe when some foreigner does something really stupid in Thailand.....no matter where in Thailand. I know the vast majority of foreigners here are decent people who contribute to the local community in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, it's the bad apples who can spoil life for the rest of us. Likewise, while living in Texas for a number of years, there were many stories of Thais/Laos/Vietnamese hunting out of season and netting fish where nets were prohibited. It's sad that stories like these reflect on a whole community......but seems like it's no different in the UK than anywhere else in the world. My 2 baht worth.

Interesting supposition. No different here than the UK.Although I agree with you about the locals bemoaning our presence here. Yes I have noticed it as well. In fact some forumites are suggesting that we may be seeing the start of a backlash,with aggression and envy coming into play. This is a very recent phenomena brought on I feel by the vast increase in numbers of farangs seen ,and by their personal behaviour ,as you suggest.However most of us are entirely self supporting and also supporting the associated family tribe. This is a far cry from the UK migrants, the majority of whom seem to be leeching on the native population with housing, social security and other benefits.Some of which, even I am denied , despite being a nett contributor to the tax and welfare funds for over 60 years.This creates resentment.I think I can also safely say that the majority of us do try to respect the local laws and customs, even if they are contrary to what we would consider norm back home.
Remember the old saying" When in Rome , do as the Romans do"Well I am sure we all try to do as the Thais do.
It seems we cannot expect that courtesy from those landing on our shores.
If I am wrong perhaps you could point me in the direction of the Udon Social Security office. I could do with a little financial assistance.

i to have decided to return to uk with spiralling costs and spiralling rip offs its cheaper to live in uk now

antscart wrote:i to have decided to return to uk with spiralling costs and spiralling rip offs its cheaper to live in uk now

How's that?

I returned back to England just before christmas after living in Thailand for about a year and there is no way that england is a cheap place to live!!

I paid over £6 for cod and chips from a local fish and chip shop and just everyday living costs have gone up by about 30% which were expensive in the first place

A pint of lager in a local indian is about £3.60 and a litre of petrol has just gone up to 95p

Needless to say, I am saving up as much money as possible (which isnt easy with these prices) to come back to live in Thailand

Britain is the rip off capital of the world!!

Please expand, having trouble with that one myself

What is a rip off IMO is the level of tax levied on us. Eating, drinking, travelling even dying is taxed.
I was self-employed, 2 years ago I broke my leg and wasn't entitled to a penny despite contributing to the chancellors coffers for nearly 30 years. At the same time billions are handed out to money grabbing immigrants
whose only intention is to scrounge as much as they can from the lilly livered labour government. Just one
of the many reasons why I dont intend returning to the UK. Makes sense to me!!

Being a poorly paid self employed labourer I skimped on the NICs. But hey everyone is wiser later.

I know this sounds lame but i just let my accountant deal with all that stuff. Got 2 other pensions apart from the govt one probably be able to afford a bag of peanuts by the time I get to draw them.

antscart wrote:i to have decided to return to uk with spiralling costs and spiralling rip offs its cheaper to live in uk now

Well YOU were'nt HERE long were YOU ??? 1st & LAST post,Then antscart ????

747man wrote:

antscart wrote:i to have decided to return to uk with spiralling costs and spiralling rip offs its cheaper to live in uk now

Well YOU were'nt HERE long were YOU ??? 1st & LAST post,Then antscart ????

Bit unfair 747. He has obviously returned to the UK, and connecting to the internet is too expensive

Hi Lep'

I'm not sure I understand. You wanna leave Thailand because your Pound is weak ?
Yes, it's true, and if UK, as a good european partner, had chosen Euro, you would have a good currency, strong and stable in exchange with baht and other foreign currencies.

But anyway, if you have a confortable pension that can make you a correct life in UK, you could have a better standart of living in Thailand, where food, goods or service are cheaper than in UK.

Did you grow tired of Thailand ? Do you miss fog, hot ale and mint sauce ?

Best regards,
Alex