bannork

Very funny Bert

What a strange use of English- 'Makha Bucha Day returns'. It makes it sound as if it went away, fell into disuse, and then somehow came back. 'It's Makha Bucha Day next Monday' would be better imo

His only humanitarian gesture was to stop making movies in the West. God, were they bad!

The woes of a Russian soldier

Discontent in the Russian military and back home

Yes Owl, the cost of going to Bangkok twice wouldn't be much cheaper than using an agent. Unfortunately I've had to make several day trips to Bangkok in recent months, costs and inconvenience work out like this. It's 140 km to Udon and back from Bandung, too much for my daughter to drive with three young children so I get the bus to Udon. Pre COVID no problem, but now the last bus to Udon is at 2.00 pm. So 4 hours to kill in Udon before the night train. Relax at Central, recharge phone 4th floor, go to Villa at basement, stock up on marmite and mustards 960 baht a sleeper on the bottom bunk. Very comfortable and on time these days. Arrive in Bang Sue 6.am, what to do once passport business done? I went to a pleasant hotel down a soi almost opposite Trendy just for a few hours. Another 1000 baht. Or hang around Lumpini Park all day. Get the night train back, another 960 baht. Get to Udon at 6.00 am, no buses to Ban Dung till 9.00 am, unlike the old days, first bus at 5.30 am. So cost one trip: Train 2000 baht incl bus fare Hotel 1000 baht Taxis in Bangkok 200 baht 3200 baht. 2 trips 6400 baht approx. Not worth it for all the hassle. Cold winds from China again. Does anything good ever come out of that country apart from phones? Is anyone else experiencing those annoying pop up ads that appear once you've written a couple of lines?

Sorry Matt, you're a tad premature with those summer songs up here in northern Issan. Cold winds from China are back again.

Cannon fodder in Bakhmut

The heavy hand of repression in St Petersburg

Mass walkout at OSCE when it's time for Russian delegation to speak

It's a piece of cake in Bangkok, Owl. A month or two before you want to renew it, contact the Passport Renewal Office online. They're at the ' Trendy ' building, Sukhumvit 12 or so. They'll give you a date to take your passport in, usually a couple of weeks later. Take it in, friendly, helpful staff, and ( in my experience last year), 2 weeks later I got an email telling me to pick it up

I moved 500 metres from one house owned by a daughter to another owned by another daughter. I haven't had time to register the change of address at immigration 80 km away due to looking after grandchildren. I want to go next week. My question is what sort of fine will I face for late notification. The daughter said tell them you moved yesterday but I'd rather be honest if the fine's not too large. Thanking any replies in advance

Russia's ammunition shortage. Rust never sleeps

Why Russia's offensive is doomed to failure https://realcontextnews.com/offensive-smensive-8-reasons-why-russias-expected-offensive-cannot-succeed/

Upcountry Westerner

It's not an old recording but I reckon the mods might as well join the threads as the music today thread is on its last legs

Trying to come to terms with grief.

Recovering from a lung infection that has left me bed/hammock ridden for 9 days, I need that wonderful mid-60s pop of my youth to pull me up again

Thais as well, get pressganged, usually from Issan. Unemployed in Bangkok a fellow Issanite befriends them, go for a drink together, next thing the hapless victim wakes up on a fishing boat in the Gulf of Thailand.

Always good to have some new blood on the forum, especially when they're humorous and quirky. Folks should plan retirement, someone said you need two things to enjoy the sunset years: A happy home life, a loving family and/ or a group of sincere friends, and secondly, an activity you enjoy.

Tremendous analysis by Julia Loffe of Putin's view of the West going back to George W Bush

Forcing Ukrainian children to become Russian loving citizens https://www.passblue.com/2022/12/26/how-russia-is-destroying-the-identity-of-ukrainian-children/

Her voice just sounds so personal.