george

Agoda accepts both Credit and Debit cards

@GoatWhich channel was this on?

There is a lot of toilets on Soi Nana. In every bar...

BANGKOK – Videos and photos of a foreign man defecating in public on a busy Bangkok street and then bathing in a Buddhist shrine has gone viral, sparking disgust and anger among local residents and online viewers. The incident, filmed on Thursday in the infamous Soi Nana (Sukhumvit Soi 4) district, shows the man casually squatting on the sidewalk before proceeding to wash himself in a nearby shrine with the apparent assistance of a Thai security guard. The graphic videos and photos, shared to ASEAN NOW by a witness, condemning the man's blatant disrespect for Thai culture and public decency. Calls for Action Witnesses expressed a mix of shock and frustration, calling for authorities to locate and take action against the man. Some have voiced concerns about the negative image this portrays of foreigners in Thailand. While the identity of the man remains unknown, the incident highlights a recurring issue of disrespectful behavior by some foreign visitors to Thailand. It's worth noting that public urination is already an issue in some districts of Bangkok, but this incident goes far beyond that in terms of both hygiene and cultural offense. -- ASEAN NOW 2024-04-12 Photos and videos by Pontus: 3b8be566-ee8d-4dca-a6ab-1e9fefc2a29f.mp4 00ca38f0-2cc1-45c1-b3b6-532e06dca293.mp4 64ad207d-113f-4156-a8c4-7bed624791c1.mp4

my fault, fixed! 🙏

HOT! 🔥 I'm drinking Sponsor (sugar free electrolyte) and lots of water everyday to keep the hydration. Someone told me that Protein Milk is also good. What are you drinking to keep up with the heat? (I'm not talking about beer and booze...)

PATTAYA: -- Bryan Flowers, owner of Pattaya News etc., walk us around and tell us about his ambitious Rage Fight Academy plans. Check it out here: Rage Fight Academy https://ragefightacademy.com/ -- NDTV 2024-04-10

No, you will not get any calls or SMS via your router SMS.

A SWIFT can be sent in any currency if the receiving account can take that currency directly or indirectly.

Picture courtesy of Bloomberg Gold prices in Thailand remained unchanged today, following a record surge that saw the selling price for gold ornaments breach the 41,150 baht mark. The Gold Traders Association (GTA) reported that the price of gold on April 9, 2024, was consistent with the closing figures from the previous day. The latest data from the GTA website, recorded at 9.39am, indicated that the price for gold ornaments stood firm at 41,150 baht per baht-weight—a traditional Thai unit of measurement, with 1 baht-weight equivalent to 15.16 grammes. In the domestic market, gold bars with 96.5% purity were purchased at 40,550 baht and sold at 40,650 baht, according to the third announcement of the day. Meanwhile, gold ornaments of the same purity were bought at 39,825.32 baht and sold for 41,150 baht. These prices reflect a stable market, with no increase or decrease from the closing prices the day before, suggesting a period of equilibrium in the local gold trade. The global gold market, or Gold Spot, was priced at US$2,342.50 per ounce, adding an international perspective to the domestic stability of gold prices. The GTA made three announcements throughout the day, signalling the importance of keeping traders and investors up-to-date with the most current pricing information. The second announcement showed a slight variation in prices, with gold bars bought at 40,500 baht and sold at 40,600 baht, and gold ornaments bought at 39,764.68 baht and sold at 41,100 baht. However, the first and third announcements confirmed the stable prices mentioned earlier, with no change in the buying and selling rates. Market consolidation This steadiness in gold prices comes after a notable increase that captured the attention of traders and investors alike. The unchanged prices can be interpreted as a moment of market consolidation after the previous day’s spike. While the factors influencing the gold price plateau were not detailed, various elements such as international market trends, currency fluctuations, and economic indicators often play a role in the valuation of this precious metal, reported KhaoSod. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-09

Picture courtesy of Sanook A recent social media post sparked curiosity and learning among netizens after one user shared an image of an enigmatic white insect, discovered in sandy soil, prompting a flurry of guesses and expert identification. The post, which was shared in a Facebook group dedicated to identifying mysterious creatures, depicted a small, white insect with long antennae. The uploader, seeking insights from fellow group members, inquired about the creature’s identity after encountering it within the sandy terrain. Quickly attracting the attention of knowledgeable individuals, the mystery was soon resolved. It was identified as the larval stage of an antlion, a type of insect known for its transformation into a winged adult capable of flight. This revelation sparked further discussion as some members of the group added that in their local dialect, the creature is colloquially referred to as ตุ๊ดตู่. Further inquiries led to comparisons with another insect, the dragonfly, commonly known as แมงปอเข็ม in Thai. An expert clarified that, despite some similarities, these are distinct species with different life cycles. Dragonfly larvae live in water and, upon reaching maturity, shed their exoskeleton to reveal their adult form with two pairs of wings, unlike antlions, which have a different developmental journey, reported Sanook. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-09

Photo by Crew via Unsplash The World Population Review website released its ranking for the Average Number of Sexual Partners by Country in 2024, revealing that Thai people are Asia’s top shaggers. The World Population Review website published its 2024 ranking for the Average Number of Sexual Partners by Country, unveiling that Thai individuals have the highest number of sexual partners in Asia. The World Population Review is a website providing insightful information related to global demographics across various aspects. The website recently published its annual ranking on the average number of sexual partners for residents in each country. The ranking was compiled based on surveys conducted in 46 countries on how many sexual partners a person has in their lifetimes. The World Population Review stated that the numbers are related to the cultural norms. The top ten countries in the ranking are Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, South Africa, Finland, Norway, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland. The average number of sexual partners in Turkey is reported to be 14.5. India is reported to have the lowest number of sexual partners. The website cited the importance of marriage in Indian culture as the reason for India ranking at the bottom, with residents encouraged to refrain from premarital sex or to marry before engaging in sexual activity. Some countries in Asia like Vietnam and China are also at the bottom of the ranking as well. The website reported that people in China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam have fewer than four sexual partners throughout their lives. Although Thailand did not make the top ten, it is ranked 12th in the world and highest in Asia. The average number of sexual partners in Thailand is 10.6, compared with 10.2 in Japan, 7.2 in Singapore, 5.1 in Indonesia, 3.2 in Vietnam, 3.1 in China and 3.0 in India. This report corresponds to the Global Promiscuity Index ranking launched by the mattress review platform NapLab in 2023. In this ranking, Thailand was placed as the 9th country with the highest promiscuity index in the world. NapLab’s report is in line with the findings of the World Population Review, which indicates that Thailand has a high average number of sexual partners. The report also highlights a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the country. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-09

Me: Sitting inside and doing ASEAN NOW in aircond. Refuse go out at these temperatures, unless a short leg stretching. Lotus’sss and 7-Eleven comes with food delivery, drinks and snacks. Lazada coming if I need something.. Heatstroke is not fun 🤩

I wonder how many people will die from heat exhaustion in Thailand this year? Next week will only get hotter 🔥

Photo via TikTok @bungaib A Thai vendor issued a warning to others after two foreign women stole souvenirs from his shop on Railay Beach in the southern province of Krabi on April 7. The owner of the souvenir shop, 45 year old Paithun shared CCTV footage of the theft on TikTok to alert other vendors in the area about the two foreign thieves. In the video, the foreign women were seen browsing various products in the shop. One of them stopped at a shelf of handmade feather hangers and took one to show to her friend. The woman carried the hanger in her hand and pretended to browse other products before quickly putting it into her fanny pack and leaving the shop. Another woman grabbed a handmade hair tie, turned her back to the security camera, and immediately walked out of the shop concealing the stolen item. Paithun told Channel 7 that the theft took place around 1.40pm on Sunday, April 7. The stolen products were worth about 200 baht, and he did not report the theft to the police. “The souvenirs that they stole were not worth much, so I did not report it to the police. I shared the video on TikTok to alert other vendors in the area. I saw that they did not buy anything from the shop and decided to check the CCTV camera. I think they were planning to steal.” The incident echoes another theft involving foreigners reported at a cannabis shop in Pattaya in February. In that case, two foreign men were caught on CCTV stealing 1,500 baht worth of ganja from the shop. One of them distracted the shop staff by asking for product details so that another could steal the products. Another theft was reported in Phuket in March when a Thai man was caught stealing a Thai flag from outside an office in the province. The man was seen pulling the flag from its pole and leaving the scene. No arrests have been reported for the foreign suspects in these two cases. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-09

What is Donald Trump's mental state? I direct the question primarily to those working in psychology, psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, etc., and prefer serious and professional answers. I don't work as a psychologist, but I've studied this for many, many years and have a great interest in the dark triad. In my opinion, Donald Trump is a classic, standard, extroverted Narcissist. He may have traits of Psychopathy and Machiavellianism as some others have suggested, but these traits are then quite weak/latent, and I'll explain why. If Donald were a psychopath, he wouldn't have been emotionally invested, wouldn't have shot himself in the foot time and time again, wouldn't have displayed irrational behavior, and wouldn't have been so "stupid" in his excuses. His behavior is not like that of a real psychopath. Let's say hypothetically that he was one: He would have been so good at keeping up appearances that no one would have suspected him. He would have behaved more like Biden or Obama (neither of whom are psychopaths) and played a role that allowed him to be liked and respected. I can say straight away that real psychopaths would have felt insulted to be lumped together with Trump. He's far too impulsive, confirmation-seeking, and obvious in his actions. He may very well have psychopathic traits, but not nearly enough to warrant a diagnosis. Machiavellian. The same goes here. He would have been much more strategic and cautious in his statements and excuses. A Machiavellian doesn't need to be psychopathic, narcissistic, or lacking in empathy, just very good at playing the political game, which he isn't. Finally, the Narcissist. He shows very clear signs of being an extroverted/malignant narcissist. The extreme need for affirmation, his painted picture of himself, his appearance, and his traits, his incoherent gaslighting and catchphrases, his inability to understand when he has said something inappropriate, and above all - his impulsive and tone-deaf Twitter rants. When he lost the election, there was extreme dissonance in his brain because reality didn't resonate with his inner worldview, and it happened in front of the whole world, all leaders, all the people he depends on for confirmation. He simply felt humiliated, especially when he failed to regain power. Think of a version of a narcissist who has been exposed at work or at home and then fails to manipulate his way back and loses everything. A huge blow to the fragile ego built on subconscious insecurity and inferiority complex. The way he refused to admit Biden's victory and tried to change reality with his will indicates that he already lives in a fantasy and overestimates his abilities. His narcissistic ego simply couldn't handle losing and will probably now end up in a nervous breakdown or psychosis. After this, he will recover as soon as he refills his attention and affirmation carafe. He will probably continue with his rants somewhere else and constantly criticize Biden and other politicians. He will never change. The only thing I can see is if the psychosis becomes so intense that he can't mentally come back, but I doubt this. -- QUORA.COM 2024-04-07 Josephine Dahl

We experienced issues with the forum database this evening. Issue has now been resolved.

Picture courtesy of Siamrath A 65 year old British man critically injured himself after he was impaled on a sharp iron fence at his residence in the Bang La Bang district of Chon Buri. The incident occurred in the wee hours of today at Choke Chai Garden Home 2 in Tambon Nong Pru. Emergency services arrived at the scene and discovered Michael Girling pierced through his abdomen on the fence, with one of the arrowheads deeply lodged in his belly. The medical first responders managed to extricate the man from the railing, administered immediate first aid and rushed him to the hospital. The wound was estimated to be around five to 6 inches deep. Reports suggest Girling, under the influence of alcohol, had trouble opening the door to his house. Consequently, he decided to scale the iron fence but unfortunately slipped and impaled himself on the pointed top, reported by Bangkok Post A 50 year old neighbour, referred to as Pad, heard moaning sounds and, upon investigating, found Girling lodged on the fence. She hurriedly fetched a ladder to aid him and immediately alerted the paramedics. Pad disclosed that Girling had been a resident of the house for the past few months. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-07

It’s a view sent to me from a Thai member in Chiang Mai, and I sometimes use AI to rewrite/translate posts that has spelling and grammar errors as English is not my first language. I believe we should be honest when we publish AI assisted posts. An alternative would be using Google Translate, but Gemini does it so much better than Google Translate. Off topic.

Right now:

OPINION: Chiang Mai - The world's 'most polluted' city Chiang Mai, Thailand: -- The name once conjured images of lush mountains, vibrant temples, and a laid-back atmosphere. Now, it's synonymous with another word: pollution. Every year, a toxic cloud descends upon the city, transforming it into a gasping, coughing mess. Air quality levels regularly nosedive into the "hazardous" zone, forcing tourists to flee and locals to live in fear of what they're breathing in. So, what's to blame for this environmental nightmare? #1 Culprit: Burning Fields – A Tradition That's Choking the Life Out of Chiang Mai Blame those beautiful mountains Chiang Mai is famous for. They act like a giant bowl, trapping smoke in a deadly embrace. The source of that smoke? Outdated 'slash-and-burn' agricultural practices. Farmers torch their fields – not just rice paddies, but vast stretches of corn fields too – to clear them for the next crop. It's the fastest, cheapest way... and it fills the air with a poisonous cocktail of PM2.5, carbon monoxide, and other nasty pollutants. Weather Disaster: The Perfect Storm for Smog Chiang Mai's dry season, stretching from roughly February to April, is the pollution apocalypse. No rain washes out the haze. Worse yet, the air stagnates, leaving the smoke to hang over the city like a thick, acrid blanket for weeks on end. Imagine the feeling of breathing in gritty sandpaper day after day, unable to escape the toxic fumes. Tourists Flee, Hospitals Overflow: The Nightmare You Didn't Pay For Paradise lost? You bet. Chiang Mai's once-thriving tourism industry is taking a serious hit. Visitors arrive expecting stunning views and end up choking on smog, cutting their trips short or bypassing the city altogether. But it's not just disappointed tourists; Chiang Mai's hospitals are overwhelmed. Asthma attacks surge, heart conditions are aggravated, and the long-term consequences of breathing this filth for years could include devastating diseases like cancer. What price do you put on your health? Locals are Furious: "Our Lungs Aren't Worth Less Than Your Cheap Corn!" Don't think Chiang Mai's residents are taking this lying down. Angry protests, heart-wrenching petitions, and relentless social media campaigns are demanding change. But progress feels agonizingly slow. Farmers, many of them poor and lacking resources, feel they have no other choice but to burn. Meanwhile, powerful agricultural businesses thrive on the status quo, reaping profits while an entire city gasps for clean air. Shocking Stats: How Bad is Chiang Mai's Air Pollution REALLY? The numbers are a punch in the gut. During peak pollution season, Chiang Mai's PM2.5 levels routinely soar past 200 micrograms per cubic meter – sometimes even hitting 300. Let that sink in: The World Health Organization considers anything above 25 to be unsafe. Chiang Mai's air isn't just a little bad; it's a full-blown public health emergency. Caught on Camera: The Burning Fields the Tourism Board Wishes You'd Ignore Chiang Mai's pollution problem isn't a secret, but it's actively downplayed. Travel brochures still show pristine mountainsides, but satellite images and gutsy drone footage tell a different story. Vast areas, particularly around the neighboring Mae Chaem district, are reduced to blackened scars during the burning season. The smoke from these fires is a major contributor to the haze that suffocates Chiang Mai. Your Vacation Nightmare: "We Couldn't Even See the Temples..." "The smell of burning was everywhere." … "My child developed a terrible cough." … "Had to wear a mask the entire time, what a waste." Travel forums and review sites are awash with these first-hand accounts of Chiang Mai's pollution horror. The dream trip turns into a health hazard, a stark reminder that the air you breathe matters more than any sightseeing itinerary. -- ASEAN NOW 2024-04-06 This opinion piece was put together by Gemini Advanced AI and is not necessary the views of ASEAN NOW.

Photo courtesy of Phuket News Phuket City Municipality convened its inaugural public gathering last week to discuss the construction of a new incinerator at the Saphan Hin solid waste disposal facility. The proposed scheme involves EA Waste Management Phuket Co Ltd, a private company, developing and managing the new facility. Covering nearly 15 rai (24,000 square metres), the new site is expected to hold a daily capacity of no less than 500 tonnes of solid waste, while generating 9.9 megawatts of electrical power. Orapailin Trakulpriphon, Deputy Mayor of Phuket, asserted that overflowing garbage in the city is a significant issue that demands cross-sectoral management. This interaction aims to gather public opinion, perceived as a driving force in the evolution of effective waste management in Phuket. This public consultation follows last year’s announcement that Energy Absolute Public Company Limited (EA) had secured the bid to build the new incinerator, subject to approval by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP). Last September, Saroj Angkanapilas, the Mayor of Phuket Town, and Wasu Klomkliang, EA’s Executive Vice President, were in Phuket to sign the government contract. According to EA, the new incinerator is set to be operational by 2026. Under a build-operate-transfer agreement, EA will manage the facility for 20 years before transferring ownership to Phuket City Municipality. The incinerator will have the capacity to burn no less than 500 tonnes of waste per day while generating 9.9MW of electricity, which will be sold to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). The PEA will purchase 8MW of electricity at 5.84 baht per unit for the first eight years and 5.14 baht per unit thereafter. The new incinerator is part of six initiatives under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 18 this year by EA and the Federation of Thai Industries Phuket (FTI Phuket). Under the Phuket as a Green Island; Low Carbon City initiative, the collaboration aims to foster the growth of tourism and other industries in Phuket. Overdue project The new incinerator project is long overdue, considering the island’s inability to manage the volume of waste it generates daily. Phuket’s inability to dispose of the trash has been a source of deep concern for nearly a decade. The two incinerators currently in operation can burn up to 700 tonnes per day, but during the tourism high season, the volume of solid waste arriving at the landfill is about 1,000 tonnes a day. The new incinerator to be built by EA is to be the third incinerator at Saphan Hin, and is to help officials realise their aspirations of slowly burning off the mounds of trash in the landfill, reported Phuket News. Phuket City Solid Waste Management Chief at the plant, Chantima stated that residents need to be aware that it is also their responsibility to help deal with the waste problem in Phuket. -- The Thaiger 2024-04-06