MaxYakov

Car driver doing something illegal / reckless as a lane change or U-turn. Motorbike rider probably speeding with very little crash protection (Thailand's "motorbike/cycle disease"). Ineffective, ignored, painted median barrier that should been heavy, concrete barrier blocks. A deadly combination in any country, IMO.

2 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I'm waiting for the day when Thailand makes a new holiday: National beat the taxi driver day.

Or National Taxi Passenger Rights Day.

T21 has at least three rules:

1) Don't refuse a fare

2) Agree to turn on the meter

3) Don't jump out of your taxi swinging

On 11/29/2018 at 2:11 PM, Deli said:

It's not a crime, it's just outta desperation, as roads are too small and packed.

i don't mind, as long as they don't hit people, let them do.

 

On 11/29/2018 at 5:28 PM, White Christmas13 said:

What a heap of crap footpaths are for pedestrians why build them? for motorcycles and food vendors ?

 

3 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

In the DPRK (aka North Korea), footpaths (aka sidewalks or pavements) are for pedestrians and cyclists, since the people are too poor for even motorcycles and there are few food vendors because there is very little food (or so I have seen on the videos I've seen). I believe obesity is not a big problem there.

1 hour ago, White Christmas13 said:

Yes but we talking about Thailand here 

 

Really? [/sarc] I thought a (only slight exaggerated) contrast of the use sidewalks/pavements between a police state such as the DPRK and a quasi-anarchy such as Thailand might be interesting.

So let's look at what sidewalks/pavements are really used for in Thailand besides just "for pedestrians" (as you put it).

1  - Cyclists' shopping and traveling

2  - Food and other general merchandise vendors including sex aids and toys

3  - Thai Post and other delivery motorbikes

4  - Lottery sales cyclists and vendors

5  - Something for Tuk-Tuk operators to block access to and sometimes park on.

6  - Prostitution and other businesses points of sale

7  - Motorbike general use and motorbike taxi passenger drop off

8  - Operating, parking and performing maintenance on all manner of vehicles

9  - Soliciting beer bar (and other) customers

10 - Motorbike taxi stands

I could go on. I'm sure most of the Bangkok residents have seen the above uses and a lot more besides. Note: There has been an attempt to "clean up" or at least to push some of the uses from main sois, such Sukhumvit, to smaller, side sois in recent years by the BMA but...

22 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

What a heap of crap footpaths are for pedestrians why build them? for motorcycles and food vendors ?

 

In the DPRK (aka North Korea), footpaths (aka sidewalks or pavements) are for pedestrians and cyclists, since the people are too poor for even motorcycles and there are few food vendors because there is very little food (or so I have seen on the videos I've seen). I believe obesity is not a big problem there.

7 hours ago, wgdanson said:

And everyone who viewed the FB post now knows who she is !!!    lol 

Don't you mean who she claimed to be?  I do not have any social media accounts (except ThaiVisa, of course). Does make me a "Notizen"?

1 hour ago, Redline said:

Handing more police work to the non policing police.  Police can’t be removed from the force, and they do virtually nothing-after 10 years here, I’m astounded nobody can make police do they their jobs.  It’s really kind of a sad joke 

I've never seen an RTP job description document. Even if I had, it would have been in Thai, which I cannot read. So I went looking and found this:

AseanPol - Royal Thai Police [link] (apparently a Malaysian document)

"The primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the Kingdom’s law is exercised by the Royal Thai Police  (RTP), under control of Office of the Prime Minister. "

It's the ASEAN's view, apparently.

There are many motorbike taxi parking areas on sidewalks so as not to interfere with traffic. I'd be surprised if they were permanently evicted by any authority. I hope the injuries to the school girl were not too serious and that she recovers completely and soon. Now, where did I put that camera?

6 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

You really do have to wonder how much of any story reported by media is correct when there are glaring, simple to avoid, factual errors in what is being written. ‘Closing two of the three runways’....Did they build another runway without anyone knowing?

4 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

Oops. Forgot the meds again.....

Go easy on yourself - obviously suffering from PTESD. Is there a med for that? ????

Begin with an easy one: Motorcy or passenger w/o and cannot produce helmet(s) on the spot, gets bike impounded. Begin with a period of well-publicised announcements and then teams of one or two motorcy cops and a large flatbed truck with a loading operator and ramp. Ok I'll get back to reality now.

1 hour ago, monkeycu said:

Happened to me a few years ago outside the Australian Embassy

The retards from Chubb security who work there helped to pick up the bike and let the rider go, no bike no need for police

As for me I was told to give way to bikes on foot path

So much for the Thai logic and the idiots who work in a security job

Get out of their way or kick them over as they pass youy are just about the only choices.

17 hours ago, 300sd said:

The one that grazed me came from behind, with a passenger on the back, who apologized. But the motorcycle taxi driver looked at me like I was dirt in the way. Scum.

And passengers too lazy to get off the MC and walk the short distance to where they are going on the block.

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Good news, let us hope more follow. I will, however, make one small point if I may. When I go to Lotus in Market Village Hua Hin I take a big bag with me that I keep in the truck. It is folded up, and I place it in the child seat of the trolley. I have been asked by security on a number of occasions that I have to check the bag into the depository ( for want of a better word ), where I get a token. Then retrieve it on my way out. When I explain it is empty, and folded up I am met with a blank look. So.....I pay for my shopping, go back to the entrance, collect my canvas bag, transfer my shopping from the plastic bags to the canvas bag, leave the plastic bags in the trolley and walk out..........

If they have shopping baskets have the checkout folks put the groceries back into the basket without using plastic bags at all. Then transfer the groceries to your bag. I do this all the time at FoodLand - they know me and know I rarely accept plastic bags so they know to simply place the goods back into the shopping basket (carried or wheeled). From there I wheel or carry the goods out to my bicycle and place them into the pannier(s).

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

...............

I guess, like in our house, your house may be likened to this cartoon as well ...................

 

 

Guilty as charged. Most of my spare plastic bags are in layers in the bins and I've been wondering what happens to them eventually in the great, sort-on-the-street Thai garbage system. I would rather use paper bags in my bins - not use any plastic bags for anything, even garbage bins.

Thailand moves one step closer to legal, medicinal marijuana

Was that title intentionally made to be misleading as click bait? One has to wonder.

32 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

Aw you’re just making it up. All of your assumptions are incorrect. I know from personal experience.

Oh, yeah? How much experience have you had?  

29 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Yeah, just like beer makes one want to mainline whisky and vodka. it's an old, tired argument. I know people who smoke and have no interest in ice, heroin or cocaine.  Just because it affected you adversely doesn't mean it does to others. Time to change the record.

Didn't I state "its potential as a "gateway drug""? Partaking a wee bit of whatever is your favorite?

I guess so much for "equality of opportunity" - assuming such a notion or reality exists now in the education system now.

1 hour ago, Easy Come Easy Go said:

100% bang on the money. But do you think that even if legalised and controlled, the Thai entities will still choose to not use pesticides? They cut corners everywhere 

And that's assuming the pure plant is not in itself harmful. Not to mention its potential as a "gateway drug".

I know in my case that it was psychologically harmful and certainly would have affected my ability to produce software under stringent quality standards within difficult deadlines and even stay employed or even desire to stay employed. I know from my experience as a veteran software developer and team leader in Silicon Valley that stoned people cannot produce complex software, no matter how intelligent they are.

I noticed an unusual "unhealthy" level of pollution for most of Friday at the RTAQ (Real Time Air Quality) Bangkok website. I monitor that site fairly frequently and had not seen such a high level for such a long period. It must have been the paper factory fire in Samut Prakan:

9 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

I can only imagine that he was attacked and drowned by angry ghosts.

I suspect he did not drown but was immediately partially consumed by flesh-eating bacteria.

I mean c'mon how crazy does one have to be to jump into one of these filthy "canals" for a trifle of baht?

50 minutes ago, connda said:

If they want to eliminate foam use, then the retailers need to stop purchasing it and using it.  This is not a consumer issue - it is a retailer issue.  If a retailer serves 1000 consumers, and stops the use of foam, 1000 consumers now no longer use foam.

The media loves to play 'Blame the Consumer' for the foam and plastic problem.
But the reality is that if the retailers stop purchasing and using foam and plastic, then the end-consumer no longer consumes foam and plastics, plus it puts the manufacturers of this junk out of business. 

The reality is that it's a Mexican Standoff, isn't it? Realizing this reality, I've taken my own action as a consumer by carrying both my own plastic bags and reusable food containers. I don't even like to accept FoodLand's paper "take away" containers because bptj they and the foam containers are inferior to my reusables (but at least FoodLand's seem to be environmentally-friendly).

Easier for me because I ride a bicycle with plenty of storage for such items - another example of a consumer taking his or her own action in another environment-conscious venue.

The alternative is that we can all sit around pointing fingers at each other, yes?

5 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Wow, only one. Usually there are three or four.

 

This is a more successful year than most.

Successful depending on one's point of view.

6 hours ago, Artisi said:

Anything else of importance on your list of trivia - and besides, it would seem that the acceptable spelling is countrywide?

Yes.  The www.dictionary.com site that I provided in my correction to Cheops indicates "or" for the two words. I was simply providing that info (aka trivia) for those that would/did not follow the link. ????

Here's another "trivia" item on the subject:

Man drowns trying to find coins in krathong floats (TVF Link)