On 10/16/2020 at 1:26 AM, Quietguy said:

wanted to visit Cuba because I had admired Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and ordinary Cubans in overthrowing the corrupt Batista regime, which was backed by the US. And the US had been hostile to Cuba sine the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba had been known as 'America's Whorehouse' with bars, brothels and casinos mainly run by the American Mafia.

I don't hate the USA, I don't like some of it's politics and politicians. I have been on holiday to the US too, and may do so again after Trump goes.

Uh wow.

So you identify with Che, a ruthless murder who was even too far right for Castro. I'm sure Che would admire you as well for fucking ladyboys.

If Cuba was "America's whorehouse" what does that make Thailand? If Americans are evil to pay for sex are Europeans saints for paying?

So you may grace us with your presence post Trump? What hypocrisy. You pass judgement on the USA and praise a country where the slightest disagreement with royals is grounds for incarceration, or worse. If you were alive in 1944, you would probably opine "I want to visit a Nazi concentration camp, before the USA destroys them." Yeah Nazis held ladyboy fuckers in high esteem.

Enjoy your life with the CCP virus; I can't wait to hear you admiration for the CCP putting one million Uighurs in concentration camps.

I bet they also admire Che, just like you 

2 hours ago, BigTel said:

China's economy grows 4.9% as industrial production surges, retail sales rise and unemployment sinks - while the rest of the world is crippled by coronavirus epidemic that started in Wuhan

One thing dictatorships can do is get stuff done. Chinese buildings may fall down from faulty concrete, but they can get them built any way.

China still relies on exports, so as long as the rest of the world is buying, they will do well. Until they don't...

22 minutes ago, alaskanbear said:

I wish she was in Alaska and would fuck me and my trans wife ,,,, ah dreaming lol.

You would sacrifice that sweet jungle flower for your own depravity? 555! Yeah we all would.

I met a PI ladyboy freelancer in Pattaya; a couple of years later she contacted me out of the blue on FB. She ended up marrying (her words) a guy in Minnesota and seemed to be doing OK, despite that weather. 

Most Thais want to stay in Thailand; most Filipinos want to get the hell out of Dodge 

I've chatted with a few Mexican travestis on Tinder; they are all in Guadalajara and I'm too lazy to ride the bus to meet up. 

In 2015 I did a Central and South American tour, starting in Guatemala and ending up in Uruguay. All by bus, save one segment, flying over the Darien Gap :)

Saw some hot LBs in Costa Rica; Saw some in Buenos Aires that looked rough as fuck; I picked up a bad vibe from that neighborhood. Subjective on my part, I'm sure there are some good ones around.

Since Brazil is one of the few countries open to Americans, I may venture down there. I doubt any of us will be visiting Asia any time soon. But it could change like the Berlin Wall coming down; one day it looks like no end in sight, next day it all changes.

We live in hope

She is a hottie and an equal opportunity girl; she'll bang any thing with a hole, 555! 

On 10/15/2020 at 7:30 PM, seven said:

lance buddy, unless you're a trumper, you really think you should praise the US right now? Seriously? The whole world is astonished how fucked up the US is now.

seven buddy, the USA is my country. We make mistakes, but then maybe you come from a more perfect world. I don't care for either presidential candidate, but thats our system, majority wins.

Several times I have been in a bar in Pattaya, a guy sits at my table, figures out from my accent that I'm American then expounds:

1 I don't like your president!

2 I don't like your beer!

3 I don't like your bread

Ad nauseum.

I love to travel and I've noticed there are always long lines outside the US Embassy, with locals of that country applying for visas and/or immigration. If the "whole world" is astonished at what a fucked up place the USA is, why are people voting with their feet and trying to get in?

Spin that any way you like; I don't give a fuck what you think of me or the USA

On 10/14/2020 at 2:00 AM, Quietguy said:

Despite the best efforts of US governments (including 638 assassination attempts by the CIA on Castro) they didn't succeed. Cuba is still standing.

No.

You say you wanted to visit "Before the USA destroyed Cuba." In reality you mean it's in your selfish interests for Cuba to remain undeveloped so you would enjoy a cheap vacation. You are disguising your hatred of the USA so you feel good about visiting.  If Cuba is a paradise, why are people voting with their feet and leaving?

But you have other prospects; Venezuela is one of Castros besties and the people there are living the dream. I've never heard of a Venezuelan leaving that workers paradise

5 hours ago, Quietguy said:

I visited Cuba many times. The first was after the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc collapsed. I wanted to see Cuba before it was destroyed by the US. I went on the May Day parade in Havana. It was amazing to see the numbers of people on the march, around one million. The police and armed forces contingents were on bicycles as there was shortages of fuel. I saw Castro on the platform the march passed.

I might well go to Cuba in January as an alternative to Thailand. 

Why would you go? I thought Cuba was destroyed by the USA?

11 hours ago, JustSumGai said:

to some extent I have no sympathy for the plight of places designed to fleece tourists,

Diplomatic. Maybe karma really exists

JSG makes some good points about overbuilding in Thailand. The old "Be careful what you ask for" adage. Well the Thais were extremely successful at developing and promoting mass tourism, to the point that they are dependent on that revenue source. 

From what I've observed world governments have been quite willing to sacrifice the service sectors of their economies for "safety."

The teachers unions in the USA are good examples of selflessness; they are clamoring for schools to remain closed, to "protect the children." 

I'm sure having an extended paid sabbatical has nothing to do with it

I'm not sure about the ladydrink prices in Pattaya any more but in Angeles City, the bar got most of the commission. A 300 peso lady drink:

1 Lady-100

2 Bar - 200 (maybe 175 gross profit)

Bars are in business to make money; as long as customers are OK with their prices, let the good times roll

7 hours ago, seven said:

Some have accepted huge pay cuts, while others have little choice but to join the long lines at the food distribution centres or scrape together an income where they can

I used to debate with fellow punters about tourism's contribution to the Thai GDP. Some guys would have us believe we punters are vital to the (Thai) economy and would immediately collapse with out our dollars, pounds, euros and yen, which is not true. Others poo- pooed tourist income as insignificant, maybe even a net loss (you know, farangs getting free medical care on the Thai taxpayers dime)

As always, the reality is some where in the middle.

In the mean time -what ever tourism amounts to- unemployed Thais are hungry enough to stand in food lines.

2 minutes ago, seven said:

Yes, this topic never ends well, so let's not. :)

But drinking beer and chasing ladyboys has a happy ending (pun intended) 

2 minutes ago, seven said:

https://thediplomat.com/2020/10/berlin-says-thailands-king-cannot-reign-from-german-soil/

 

Good article Seven. For reasons we all know I'm not gona comment on that piece.

But yeah

1 minute ago, seven said:

So many things to say on this subject( #3) , lance. 

Same here, and believe me I do. 

Thai students seem to also be pushing back. 

7 hours ago, Pdoggg said:

Good point Lance and maybe more so with Thais but if it seems every country is indoctrinated at birth with nationalist supremacy propaganda.   Or at least it seems that way with the 3 countries I'm most familiar with, the USA, Thailand, and Cambodia.

I have to push back on that a bit. 

If a Thai emigrates to the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Sweden (to name a few countries) they may become full citizens , and millions have. How man Westerners have become citizens of Thailand? In conversations with Thais they saw no hypocrisy in the unbalance, because "farang can not be Thai!" 

Mandates from Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram 

1. "Thai people must not engage in any business without considering the benefit and safety of the nation."
2. "Thai people must never reveal anything to foreigners that might damage the nation. These actions are a betrayal of the nation."
3. "Thai people must not act as agent or spokesman for foreigners without considering the benefit of the Thai nation, and must not express opinion or take the side of foreigners in international disputes. These actions are a betrayal of the nation."
4. "Thai people must not secretly purchase land on behalf of foreigners in a way that endangers the nation. These actions are a betrayal of the nation."
5. "When a person has betrayed the nation, it is the duty of Thai people to actively and quickly put a stop to it."^[5]

The Thais really took 3# to heart; usually farangs don't do well in any dispute with a Thai.

Brits are free to discuss or criticize their royal family; we all know how well that plays out in a certain other country.

But we can agree to disagree Pd; it is what it is

Mandate source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cultural_mandates

8 hours ago, BigTel said:

Another good article by Adan Judd, right on the money I think.  

Editorial Opinion: When did the words “foreign tourists” become a dirty word in Thailand?

Critical thinking is not the average Thai's strong point. But indoctrinated from birth with Thai nationalist supremacy ideology, this is the logical reaction.

Oh and creating travel bubbles with Chinese cities/regions. I forgot but where did the virus originate?

9 hours ago, BigTel said:

I cannot understand why the West seems to not want to retaliate against what I see as a Bio attack.

Beats me. Maybe because folks in charge are still getting paychecks? A blackjack dealer in Las Vegas -who used to make a decent living- probably feels differently. After losing his car and house, he might want a little payback.

On 8/12/2020 at 5:42 PM, seven said:

The list is endless. What a shit nation it is.

I agree but I see more Western apologists for China, as in "Well, the virus is here, so criticizing China is not productive."

They same apologist would be baying for blood if their employer laid them off -because of the virus- and the government announced no funds for payments to the unemployed.

25 minutes ago, RandiUno2 said:

They locked down for 4 months, few deaths and life back to normal EXCEPT no stupid tourists since we would bring the disease in.

Mexico has covid and allows stupid tourists in.

I see two points of view: A) Close the borders and isolate; B ) Open the borders with reasonable precautions and accept reality that the world will never be disease free.

8 hours ago, duke007 said:

Yeah it wasn't good for him. 

I did post the Vlog BB did on his Coronavirus experience, but then YouTube removed it, apparently it wasn't PC enough for them 

Yeah, go figure. 

A former drinking buddy once sent me death threats on Facebook (I wasn't answering his drunken rants) I reported him to FB, hoping it would be a wake up call for him.

Naaa

After a two month interlude, FB informed me his threats do not violate their community guidelines.

Couldn't make this stuff up

3 hours ago, bumblebee said:

BB, it takes a man to admit fault; were you also the culprit behind the 2008 Great Financial Crisis? 

"May you live in interesting times" Chinese curse.

Not to take one side or the other, I'm wondering how this will play out in the election. 

Trump does a 180 and urges mask wearing? Naaa.

Trump has an epiphany, earnestly tries to heal the divide and reaches across the aisle in compromise to the benefit of the American citizens? Naaa

Trump doubles down, dismissing it as a bout with a "little flu" (Bolsanaro credit) Uh, yeah.

Both sides have weaponized the beer sickness; that's what modern politics is all about 

I like BB and also enjoy his vlogs. Not to thread jack but he vloged about his having pulled through a serious case of Covid.

United States COVID-19 Statistics_ 6,401,371 Cases _ 191,842 Deaths _ 0 Recovered _ 85,181,078 Tests _ Avg cases_day 35,220 declined 15.4% from 14 days ago Avg deaths_day 711 declined 22.63% from 14 days ago (Updated Sep 11, 2020 @.html