Misterwhisper

22 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why not?

 

Perhaps because "Thai omicron not same-same Farang omicron", which would be totally in line with the shrewd observation "Thai electricity not same-same Farang electricity" offered to me by local electricians on numerous occasions when I insisted that they should earth the electrical appliance that they had just installed for me. 

Perhaps NOT binging down 2 large beers right for breakfast every morning also might help, a habit that seems to be lifestyle routine for a large proportion of ASEANNOW's distinguished readership.

That is about 16 MILLION dollars per vehicle! While I am aware that these are not "toy drones" that one can order on Lazada, I somehow still have a hunch that 3 quarters of that amount is for "assorted commissions".

Has no-one bothered asking the Ukrainians where they get THEIR drones? They seem to be doing a great job -- yet I very much doubt they cost 16 million bucks a-piece. 

A good 10 years ago, I conducted a test with some of the locals in my wider neighborhood. I had prepared a picture of a European tourist attraction with a ticket sales booth in the foreground, photoshopping the entry fee sign to read: "Entry for Locals - 2.50 euros / Entry for Thai - 25.00 euros".

I asked them whether they noticed anything peculiar about that photo. Sure enough, ALL of them immediately pointed out that entry fee discrepancy and voiced how "unfair" it was to charge Thais ten times the fee.

Of course I explained to them that this was exactly how foreigners were being treated when they wanted to visit attractions in Thailand.

The reactions were then quite surprising. ALL of the participants in my little survey admitted that while they knew about the practice they did NOT agree with it and that everybody regardless of nationality should pay the SAME entry fee as locals when visiting tourist attractions in Thailand.

The common consensus was that while Thailand always portrayed itself as a country that welcomed all foreigners, fleecing those very people for ten times the local entry fee simply did not drive home that message.

It seems the average person on the street has more common sense than those in government. But then again, that's nothing new.

15 hours ago, Kinnock said:

The one positive of the pandemic was no shouting, spitting, disease carrying Chinese tourists.

> leaving restaurant tables behind to resemble landfills (on AND under)

> washing their feet and laundry in airport/restaurant/hotel bathroom sinks

> drying their wet laundry (including underwear) draped over airport lounge seats

> allowing their toddlers AND themselves to urinate and defecate wherever they please

> shoving you out of the way as their tour groups push through

> cramming 12 people into an elevator to ensure that they don't have to interrupt their cheerful group banter for those 20 seconds it takes the elevator to reach their hotel room floor

> aggressively pushing and shoving at the buffet, preventing everybody else to make their selection

> aggressively screaming at Thai shop assistants, oblivious to the fact that the latter will not understand a single word anyway

> dropping plastic waste wherever they please, acting hostile if you point out to them a trash bin a mere 5 meters away

> displaying complete disregard for the common courtesy of cueing at a store counter or ticket sales office

> haggling down the bill even at hotel restaurant and bars

> and, and, and...

I have witnessed all of that first-hand... and truthfully, I won't be too sad if those Chinese hordes NOT return anytime soon.

Nothing against individual Chinese travelers... but those low-budget group tours are reminiscent of locust swarms afflicting an agricultural area; and are just as destructive.   

This is like freakin' deja-vu.

In my opinion, it's rather clear why PTP fields an unexperienced "girly" like Paetongtarn. who at 35 years old cannot possibly have attained the political acumen to head a government and whose knowledge of economics is limited to spending her family's wealth.

With her meddling in politics she is simply following daddy's orders -- just like her aunt before her, who Thaksin had no scruples throwing under the bus as long as he could use her as a pawn to push his own agenda. Paetongtarn is going to be just the same puppet that Yingluck was, and whose strings Thaksin will pull as he sees fit.

Wanna bet that one of the first things on her to-do list will be to bring daddy back home?

I am not siding with that junta-instated senator. But he DOES have a point nevertheless.

Then again, Thai politics has NEVER been about political competence and fielding the right people. Instead it's ALWAYS been who is going to get their turn at the feeding trough next.

Thaksin has been getting increasingly hungry since 2014. He needs and wants political relevance again; whether by proxy or directly doesn't matter to him. And that is the only reason why PTP is now pushing Paetongtarn as PM candidate. She knows it, PTP knows it, and every casual observer of Thai politics knows it too.

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

My Thai gf watches many of those "hey, look, I am eating" videos. What's the point of watching other people eating something? I asked her, she couldn't explain it and I think to keep the peace I better don't mention it anymore...

 

I understand when people watch how to cook and prepare meals. Fine, we might learn something.

But eating? And worst are the "look, I can eat 5kg noodles, etc." videos. Stupid!

It's the same point as FB or Instagram friends feeling the irresistible urge to shower you day after day with pics of each and every meal they've had - from breakfast to supper. It's mind-numbing. 

This government has had a full 2 years since grandiosely announcing that the country would legalize cannabis. That surely was more than enough time to deliberate on and set up a regulatory framework. Nothing was done. Instead, it simply was announced that cannabis would be fully legalized as per June 9. IF the intent was to legalize cannabis for medical purposes only... then why oh why wasn't this fleshed out?

It's reminiscent of me posting a notice at my gate saying, "My garden and swimming pool are open to everyone," then wondering why the entire neighborhood starts congregating and loitering in my backyard... when in fact I only wanted to invite my family and close friends with that notice.

Jeez, can these people EVER think ANYTHING through?!

Anutin, you are a construction business tycoon. Are you planning your mega-million construction projects as shoddily as you planned your "cannabis liberalization"?    

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Tony Woodsome - previously known as fugitive Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - went on Facebook last night.

Oh, he's "Tony Woodsome" now? I thought he was still "Thakki Shinegra". At least that's the name in his Montenegrin passport.

Alone by looking at that picture I feel the irresistible urge of having a big, fat joint.

Being a dim-wit standing in front of press cameras and microphones and openly endorsing the malpractice of nepotism may not be against the law -- but it sure as hell is morally wrong.

Country with the most hubs anywhere?