General Reports

Panthip is an amazing mall and should not be missed. Where else in the world can you find stores selling legitimate items right next to bootleggers?

Forget about the porn that's small potatoes. I advise all to check out the software. A bootleg copy of Adobe CS4 sells for around 500bt. You got to hand it to those Thai pirates. The key generator is pure genius. The program works perfectly except every once in a while it prompts to install an update. Cancel the update and you stay go to go.

Call me cheap if you want, but I enjoy saving $2000 and passing on the savings to all my friends back home. What a great gift. Is it ethical? No of course not. But that does not bother me in the least? Are you kidding? I am sure that Adobe, the Thai and the US governments know all about this. It’s up to them to fix the laws and plug the leaks. But until these organizations get their shit together, I am going to take advantage of the loophole. Merry Christmas everybody.

[QUOTE=NicFrenchy]You'd have to be a moron to buy at MBK and Pantip nowadays. It's all available for free on Torrents.[/QUOTE]Not really. Made a research on utorrent, got to torrent matrix and find out you have no access to direct download, but you are supposed to register for unlimited downloads paying x per month. So, in the end you pay anyway.

I do not have much confidence with downloading and I usually don't do it just because I am an old fashion collector that uses to BUY every cd, dvd and book. I do not even have an I-pod. Everything on my shelves is original. So, I think I respect work of artists and copyright in general.

On the other hand, Bionicman, I don't call "work" charging 27$ for a short guide in electronic format. And besides, Gfighta, I can easily afford it, but in a world where everyone rips everything I don't feel guilty for a one time rip of few sheets of paper.

Of course, one can say that there is a work beyond that, there is a value and a price to pay to be honest. I may agree, and just want be sure the book is woth 27$ that Bill want to charge me. Can you give me an accurate review about it? Is it actually useful, do you recommend it? I'll buy it!

Or would you just do me a favor in avoiding to comment and criticize and wasting my time to answer? After all, I have just asked to pm me anyone who may want help. If you don't agree with my request just ignore it and avoid to call "cheap" someone you don't even know.

[QUOTE=Gfighta]...no problems ripping off the author of the book. Just what Thailand needs, more cheap punters who can't afford a $37 book.[/QUOTE]

At $37 for a downloaded book, it sounds to me like the author/vendor are the ones doing the ripping off.

What Thailand doesn't need is suckers who splash cash all over the place and drive up the price of everything from food to lodging to books to temporary companionship.

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?

IMHO!

[QUOTE=Naughty]At $37 for a downloaded book, it sounds to me like the author/vendor are the ones doing the ripping off.

What Thailand doesn't need is suckers who splash cash all over the place and drive up the price of everything from food to lodging to books to temporary companionship.

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?

IMHO![/QUOTE]Remember what is expensive to you may be cheap for someone else. Just because others earn more than you and can afford to pay more doesn't make them a sucker.

[QUOTE=Naughty]At $37 for a downloaded book, it sounds to me like the author/vendor are the ones doing the ripping off.

What Thailand doesn't need is suckers who splash cash all over the place and drive up the price of everything from food to lodging to books to temporary companionship.

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?

IMHO![/QUOTE]Naughty,

Absolutely correct. Why should the author get paid for writing his book? He doesn't need any milk...look, it's just a download, not even production costs for a physical book.

And beware of those overpaying and tipping tourists. They are a pain in the ass. What follows out of their stupid behaviour is that the prices for us locals increase. Get the tourists out of Thailand!

We have this old [yellow] elites here in the country, and they have things under control. Isaan, the resource reservoir for cheap labour (men) and cheap sex (women) in Thailand. We really don't need you cash-rich bastards here in Thailand.

What we need is a thread "Cheap Charly's Guide to Thailand!"


Giotto

PS.: Good morning, ISG!

[QUOTE=Giotto]What we need is a thread "Cheap Charly's Guide to Thailand!"[/QUOTE]

Jesus did you wake up to coal in your stocking? Or was your bed that friggin cold?

NO WE DO NOT NEED A CHEAP CHARLY"S GUIDE TO THAILAND we have enough of that already. But what the hell is going on with the economy, I must have had every girl come out of the woodwork the last few days telling me how much they love me and wait to see me (including a certain lady from years ago from your establishment).

Surely we know they are missing the wallet most of all. Back to the point at hand, there are copies of everything floating around on line if you are not a combination of being a lazy bastard and a cheap charly anyone could find it including a 12 year old (I did prove this point also BTW).

I guess while many girls have a "Tramp Stamp" tattoo now a days many of the folks here have the "I'm A Cheap Charlie" Stamp on their foreheads :D

Don't worry Giotto the ATM arrives back to SEA in a few days once Manila mission is completed... but unfortunately will be spending most the time outside BKK. Not sure if that is good news or bad news for you.

i think its the difference between living in the ulta controlled western world, where women wear the trousers, men are intimidated and cuckold and unable to be men and you must obey all the rules laid out by ultra corrupt politicos.

here in thailand you control your own destiny, its more like the wild west. you do not want to get a speeding ticket, pay the policeman direct. you want to see the latest movie, download it and burn to cd. you want the latest software, download it.

even panthip in terms of software and movies is now just a "tourist trap" as anyone living here can easily download everything they want, without any fear of ever being brought to task for it.

my 64g ipod touch is full of the latest movies and albums and all downloaded for free. i am not into ebooks so cannot help with that one.

if the artists do not like their stuff being downloaded for free they have a simple choice, and that is not to produce any more. welcome to the internet and globalisation. its funny how people only like the bits of that make them more money, and dislike the bits that cost them money.

as a kid, how many people used to put a tape recorder next to the radio to tape their favourite songs?

this is all people are doing now, as they have for ages, but the technology for getting hold of it has moved on considerably.

[quote=gfighta]let me guess. you're worried about getting ripped off by a pattaya bar girl and yet you have no problems ripping off the author of the book. just what thailand needs, more cheap punters who can't afford a $37 book.[/quote]

Earlier this year, got a message on Tagged / Dia or some site from a Thai lady, working BKK, aged 39 with no pic attached. Made a polite reply, and we had some chats on YM/MSN etc. She sent a pic and was ok for her age (slim, no kids) and keen to meet. I had a BKK business trip and she was waiting for me in my hotel, and within ten minutes of arrival were doing the deed. She worked in Paragon. Later that night, dropped her at BTS and went mongering elsewhere. Never saw her again and no money exchanged.

Later this year, got a DIA message from a 36 year old Thai lady in CR, no kids with no pics. We got chatting, and the pics were nice. After 2 months I had a BKK trip and we met and had a great time with her. We then went to Singapore together on a business trip and I went to CR also. Good times but then she got a bit weird so I backed off.

Now I'm in same situation. New DIA girl 38, sends me email. We get chatting and her pics are also ok for her age. Slim no kids. Now sending me lots of hot emails about her g string collections. I suspect we will be bonking also within 10 minutes of meeting.

My question here. Is this a common trend. I feel like I'm the one being picked up by these girls but I'm not shouting resistance. I'm over 50 but look fine, and probably safe for these ladies. Anyone had similar experiences?

[QUOTE=NicFrenchy]You'd have to be a moron to buy at MBK and Pantip nowadays... it's all available for free on Torrents :D[/QUOTE]

:) My time is worth more to me than what it takes to find and download on torrents. Well, also I'm just a lazy basterd.

[QUOTE=Pita123]:) My time is worth more to me than what it takes to find and download on torrents. Well, also I'm just a lazy basterd.[/QUOTE]

I see, but then again, a lot of the stuff isn't available @ MBK or Pantip... but available on Torrents.
Do what I do, I give my IT guy the list of stuff I want and he gives me the files/music/movies on a thumb drive when it's downloaded. I'm a lazy bastard myself :D

[QUOTE=NicFrenchy]I see, but then again, a lot of the stuff isn't available @ MBK or Pantip... but available on Torrents.
Do what I do, I give my IT guy the list of stuff I want and he gives me the files/music/movies on a thumb drive when it's downloaded. I'm a lazy bastard myself :D[/QUOTE]

I have that option, but I rarely see my IT guys as I'm never in the office. Maybe I'll start giving my list to YOUR IT guys! :)

[quote=rjsss212]todays bankok post...

[url]http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/30100/bangkok-sleazy-street-of-shame[/url][/quote]when you have rampant corruption, anarchy is the result. politicians love to meddle in situations they don't understand, early bar closing was always going to cause more problems than previously existed.

also, it seems that citizens from most black african countries place very little value on a human life, therefore : beatings, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord124][CodeWord124][/url] and shootings will become more prevalent. once this behaviour becomes entrenched, it is almost impossible to eradicate.

nep and soi cowboy will continue until the wild west situation forces closure, or, more likely, a shift in the venues.

of course, with the world ending (wasn't it supposed to end 2000/2001??) in 2012......................


tuck.

[quote=friar tuck]also, it seems that citizens from most black african countries place very little value on a human life, therefore : beatings, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord124][CodeWord124][/url] and shootings will become more prevalent. once this behaviour becomes entrenched, it is almost impossible to eradicate.[/quote]

wow.... now that's one opinionated statement... so everything is to be blamed on the "blacks" and it's all their fault huh? have you ever been to any african country?

who do you think is taking the kickback bribe money to let them stay unchecked and uncontrolled? it sure as shit is a group of thai and the "blacks" are just being used while some folks sit back and get rich off their actions. if it were not "blacks" then it would be some other group so let's try to keep the racist crap to a minimum. there's not one innocent country or race in the world.

holly crap "whitey" the blacks are moving in we better sell our homes before our property devalues.... depending on who owns the land (doesn't a certain famous family own nep....) maybe they want the land and area to destabilize to put up other items. who knows, but someone is making cash and it is not the "blacks".

I agree too.

It's just like saying that Al Quaida gives all the other terrorists a bad name.

[QUOTE=Tansak KTV]Wow. Now that's one opinionated statement. So everything is to be blamed on the "blacks" and it's all their fault huh? Have you ever been to any African Country?

Who do you think is taking the kickback bribe money to let them stay unchecked and uncontrolled? It sure as shit is a group of Thai and the "Blacks" are just being used while some folks sit back and get rich off their actions. If it were not "Blacks" then it would be some other group so let's try to keep the racist crap to a minimum. There's not one innocent country or race in the world.

Holly crap "Whitey" the blacks are moving in we better sell our homes before our property devalues. Depending on who owns the land (doesn't a certain famous family own NEP.) maybe they WANT the land and area to destabilize to put up other items. Who knows, but someone is making cash and it is not the "blacks".[/QUOTE]Well,

Firstly, I have had extensive first hand experience on the African continent. I have owned and run, a number of business operations there, still have financial interests as well.

Mine was a statement of fact, and is not racist.

You are taking a very naive viewpoint.

The "backers" as you call them have a tiger by the tail, once a financial threshold has been reached, they will be bitten.

I have seen this happen before in other countries. You may find it unpalatable, that doesn't make it untrue.

You just sit on your arse and blow through it like you did in your reply.

By the way, I am one of those "blacks" you mentioned.

Tuck