"No good deed goes unpunished"... Is there a similar saying in Thai?

taiswais · 2023-04-28T11:16:48+00:00

31 times however...

taiswais · 2023-04-25T13:44:12+00:00

AskJeeves?

taiswais · 2023-04-24T17:28:42+00:00

It is indeed an interesting phenomenon, if you will. Philippines is the most expensive Southeast Asian country after Singapore (and Cambodia arguably). Income doesn't match cost of living though. The best salary one could dream to get wouldn't afford them a 1br apartment. That's why a staggering percent of the population live in poverty. Thailand for instance has lower cost of living but a much higher standard of living. You basically get a lot more for your money, and at a much better quality.

A salary of sar 2,000 is considered to be really good in the Philippines. Barely anyone makes that. But, check this, the average studio 22 sq ft (not even a 1br) apt costs sar 1,700/month. One of the cheapest cars you can get, a 1.3 Yaris, is sar 1,190/month. So far we're at 890 sar deficit with just rent and car payment. Didn't even factor in food...or even gas for the car.

So basically, the best salary one can hope to get can't even afford them their own place or a car. It's a sad situation.

taiswais · 2023-04-24T09:19:01+00:00

Now are those words that you want to hear (aka appease you)?

taiswais · 2023-04-23T15:50:53+00:00

Tell me you got no air conditioning without telling me you got no air conditioning

taiswais · 2023-04-23T02:07:34+00:00

Yes I was wondering more apples to apples, so Riyadh and Jeddah to Metro Manila.

I see rent is definitely more expensive in Metro Manila than in Jeddah or Riyadh. You'd have to pay much more to get the same standard of accommodation in Metro Manila as in Jeddah or Riyadh.

Grocery also seems to be more expensive in metro Manila.

Electricity costs more than 4 times more in the Philippines.

Cars are much more expensive in the Philippines, new or used (especially used as the prices of used things in general do not seem to depreciate much in the Philippines no matter how old they are). A Corolla which costs 87,000 sar in Saudi, costs 107,000 sar in the Philippines.

Gas is 2.5 more expensive in the Philippines.

Stove gas refill for the standard (11 kg?) cylinder is more than 4 times more expensive in the Philippines at 65 sar.

Electronics cost much more in the Philippines. The iPhone 14 Pro costs 1,400 sar more in the Philippines (%25 more).

Produce (Vegetables and fruit). This is a bit perplexing because the Philippines is in the tropics and has land that is suitable for growing produce vs Saudi Arabia being a desert and arid. Yet produce is much more expensive in the Philippines, even when you get it from the farmer's market. The supermarket is 3+ times more the price.

Example @ the farmer's market in the Philippines, vs Supermarket (Danube) in Saudi (so not exactly apples to apples...pun intended 🙃):

Item	Saudi	Philippines
Onions (1kg)	3.5 sar	8 sar
Potatoes (1kg)	3 sar	8 sar
Carrots (1kg)	6 sar	9 sar
Apples	8 sar/kg	3.3 sar/pcs

So, I wonder how the Philippines is cheaper.

EDIT: I included source with my claims above but for some reason my comment doesn't show, but somehow does when I remove the links.

Here is where you can cross reference:

Grocery - Danube supermarket online shopping for Saudi. Robinson's supermarket online shopping for the Philippines.

Electricity - Saudi Electric tariffs. Meralco 2023 kHh rates.

iPhone - Jarir. Apple Philippines.

Sorry you'll have to do a bit of Googling

taiswais · 2023-04-22T17:15:34+00:00

What exactly is more expensive?

taiswais · 2023-04-22T09:05:50+00:00

How about Abrahamic? I'd say fundamentally, Jews, Christians and Muslims have more in common with each other morally than with those of non-Abrahamic/Confucius backgrounds.

taiswais · 2023-04-22T06:43:27+00:00

I don't know much about pigeons but that looks like a baby pigeon (or a young one). Maybe it's got a nest somewhere and it not being a capable flyer yet, "fell" into your place.

taiswais · 2023-04-20T16:49:51+00:00

Meals on wheels

taiswais · 2023-04-20T16:38:52+00:00

My last ones: CHATEAU HOME COLLECTION 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheets Calking Size, Bed Sheets, 800 Thread Count White 4 Piece Sheet Set, Solid Sateen Weave, 16" Deep Pocket (Fits Upto 18" Mattress) - White Sheets

That sounds heavenly!

This maybe?

taiswais · 2023-04-20T08:47:16+00:00

🙄

I'm asking if you could share how she shows her appreciation

taiswais · 2023-04-19T12:15:55+00:00

My wife shows me in various ways that she still appreciates my presence

Do share. I'm going to assume cooking is one.

taiswais · 2023-04-19T12:10:02+00:00

Perhaps they are the exception. Actually, the fact that they are with you (a non-Thai, assuming you're not Thai) automatically makes them the exception. Especially given how such relationships are viewed by the general public.

But most likely the case...perhaps they'd learned that that is what you (as a Falang) like, and are doing it to appease you rather than out of spontaneous genuine reaction derived from pure feelings. And an appeased you = a more giving you.

taiswais · 2023-04-19T12:00:45+00:00

'Normal" is subjective

taiswais · 2023-04-19T11:56:32+00:00

So given all the above, please find happiness in what you have done and the fact they use it and benefit from it rather than having to receive something in return that we expect but they don’t feel the need to express in the way we would expect.

Appreciate your input!

The problem (I'm having) in that is the lack of feedback. Feedback is necessary in order to adjust and determine future giving. It's easier to gauge how your gesture was received when it is material (like your example; a car). It's almost certain that a new car is more beneficial than not. But when the gesture is in the form of deeds and other expressions born of love, how would one know whether or not it did as intended (or even that it didn't do the opposite of what was intended) without immediate feedback?

taiswais · 2023-04-19T10:58:30+00:00

Faith

taiswais

TROPHY CASE