bang na

[Guest lazyphil]

Either the non tourist areas of bkk my mrs took me too near her home are ok compared to Bang Na or I've just been lucky as I never saw violence, I'm NOT saying it doesn't happen, my mrs says it does as you do, the risks are worth the benifits I feel I get as I dont want to go to falang places anymore in bkk, I've had alot of fun in Thai pubs, discos and nightclubs, I like the atmosphere....what is life without some risk?...how does Pathum Thani fair in the dodgy stakes?, been to a few places here with mrs relatives who live here.

[Guest]

>>>my mrs says it does as you do,<<<

 

 

listen to her.

 

 

 

>>>....what is life without some risk?...<<<

 

 

yes, but there is something called *calculated risk*. which means that:

 

 

1) one has the knowledge/experience to actually be able to calculate the risk

2) one makes an honest assesment of the risk-benefit ratio

3) one tries to find ways to minimise the risk

 

 

blue eyed running into situations, not listening to of people people more experienced and following only ones illusions is plain stupid.

 

 

 

>>>how does Pathum Thani fair in the dodgy stakes?, been to a few places here with mrs relatives who live here. <<<

 

that basically says it all - you been there the thai way, with locals, in a group, and therefore are as safe as one can be here.

[Guest]

>>>Could it be that as a falang you are generally LESS likely to get involved in anything upleasant than if you were a local? My experience leads me to think this might be the case.<<<

 

 

we turn in circles.

i have posted already at the beginning of that painfully repetative thread that as a farang alone one is far safer in such places than thais.

and i posted as well that as soon as a thai woman is with you the risk factor increases, mainly due to the fact that many thai blokes do very much resent farang being with thai women (a fact you either refuse to accept, or simply ignore).

 

 

 

>>>You say you don't know the last time a falang was involved in violent incidents yet warn against where to go in case of this happening.<<<

 

don't you get it?

very few farang ever venture into those areas and places, so obviously very rarely there will be a farang in an incident. but the potential for serious trouble is obvious, due to the violent nature of the area and places (a fact you continuosly refuse to accept), and aforementioned points.

 

 

 

>>>New GF lives in Samut Prakhan and she seems to think the places we go, and went to there are safe. The first place I will go when I get back will be bang na. <<<

 

has she been born there, or moved recently there?

does she know those areas well, or does she go with you there just because to please you?

how well do you actually know her, can communicate with her?

 

if she is a local, well known in the places you are going, than you obviously are safe, especially if some of her relatives accompany you, as you do nothing else what countless thais are doing.

but if your new GF is not known in those places, and still brings you there, especially without a larger group of thais, than IMHO she is delusional about the safety of those places.

 

 

this is getting exceedingly tiring...

[dreamer]

* Reply to thai3 posts

 

I relate to the early posts in this thread.

 

Some time ago my girlfriend and I went to a local café in a residential area of Chiang Mai for a meal and a beer. There was a mix of people we knew somewhat well and others we didn?t. I was the only farang and was singled out by a short, drunk guy who wanted to demonstrate / teach me Muay Thai. Now it turned out this guy was a policeman and very likely had a gun in his car, which parked nearby. He was an arrogant little arsehole.

 

My girlfriend cleverly calmed him down by saying that she was very scared but please would he demonstrate Muay Thai on her instead of me. And I suggested that we leave the demonstration until after we had eaten. I guess we gave him a way out without losing face. By the time we had finished and shoved another beer down his neck he passed out allowing us to retreat in safety.

 

The situation never came close to a flashpoint but I?m quite sure it could easily have done and I guess it would have been far harder to manage if there were several arseholes having a go. The most haunting memory of the situation was the fear on the other customers faces as the confrontation took place. With more experience now, I?d probably cancel the appointment and just walk away from the start.

 

Flys posts authoritatively on these topics and offers real insight, I?ll certainly take care in these areas, though like you I?ll likely still go to them (unfortunately I seem to enjoy living close to the edge!)

 

Hope this helps

[thai3]

As you discovered much depends on the way such confrontations are handled. Making people laugh is the best thing and it's surprising how often the nastiest seeming drunk can be won over. I have found the best thing to do is to praise everything thai while rubbishing anything falang, it's always worked for me.

The suggestion that LOS is getting more violent and confrontational is interesting but how can it be substantiated? I get the feeling there is something in this as this year has been the first time I have encountered any problems at concerts, both times though I was on my own and it was quite minor. I always feel safer with a woman in tow.-peter

[thai3]

 

I have found just the opposite, the only minor problems I have encountered have been when alone, with a thai woman never any problem despite going to such places 100's of times. I am beggining to wish I could report something to cheer you up but nothing has ever happened except good times and friendliness when with a girl. The girl, although local, does not frequent any of the places we went to except tatwang deang, so I imagine her opinion is no more reliable than anyone elses.-peter

[thai3]

 

 

Funny you should mention Pathum Thani as went to the most amazing fair there two weeks ago. Difficult to get to due to all the poor locals clogging up the roads for miles around in their cars and pickups,so had to walk the last mile or so. Nopporn were stagging a concert but it had something to do with fund raising for the wat building.Very crowded and we thought no hope of getting near the stage but we were waved over right in front by friendly audience members we knew from veteethai. No drunks,stabbings, nutcases or bombs going off. No fights or even people shouting or shoving each other, ie a fairly normal wat concert that I would not have missed for the world. Of course we could have had a road accident, we might have had a homicidal taxi driver or there might have been a riot with sword waving madmen, but there wasn't-peter

[thai3]

flyonzewall said:

 

1) one has the knowledge/experience to actually be able to calculate the risk

2) one makes an honest assesment of the risk-benefit ratio

3) one tries to find ways to minimise the risk

 

 

Yes I agree with all of this:

 

1 Is it worth the risk of going to cafe X? well been to similar ones 100's of times so probability is yes

 

2 If I stay in or go to falang places I will be bored. On the other hand if I go to cafe X I am more than likely to have a good time with no problems, mm pretty easy call I think

 

3 Shall I wear a stab proof vest in case some local thug wants to kill me? no bit over the top. As not been there before take off gold, take limited amount of cash, keep a look out for gangs of young hoodlums just waiting to pick on mr falang and his GF. Any sign of serious trouble head for the thing called the door.

 

The problems you are more likely to encounter is people offering you birthday cake, drinks, singers who wont bugger off and the old one off continuing to replace empty bottles before asking you.Don't forget to take a torch to give the bill a good going over with, -peter

[Guest]

>>>I have found the best thing to do is to praise everything thai while rubbishing anything falang, it's always worked for me.<<<

 

 

well, entirely up to you...

i have found the best things that worked for me is standing up for myself and risk getting hurt. whatever the outcome - at least the next time i am still treated as a man with face and respect, not just as a silly joke.

 

[Guest lazyphil]

If my life is at risk or grave harm and I sense I'm in hot water/out of my depth, drunk guys potentially armed with swords and zip guns, I will risk losing face (what does it really matter, if such an altercation took place and I was deemed a joke I can frequent 100's of other places instead) and do *whatever* it takes to live (from what you and my mrs tell me this can often mean life and death scenario), my Grandad told me 'discretion is the better part of valour'......life is more important than face, wouldn't you say??..I wouldn?t relish kissing arse to a Thai hoodlum, but I would evaluate the situation on merit!