55Jay

Trump leaves a lot to be desired but I'm relieved Hillary didn't win, even while facing the unknown(s) of a Trump presidency. 

Up until last week,  even he didn't think he was going to win.  IMO, being standoffish with the press now is to conceal the fact he is woefully behind the power curve with coherent plans and policies, and to avoid further gaffs and blurts.  This just got real, and now he's expected to clean up his act, and deliver.  A rude awakening fer sure.

I'm not wearing a Make America Great Again hat but oddly enough, after watching his acceptance speech, I feel (cautiously) optimistic.  Time to quit trash talking and let him get on with it.   If he trips over his diky doo, then so be it, run him out of town at the point of a musket mounted bayonet.  In the meantime, I'm getting behind him, warts and all, and wish him the best going forward. 

1 minute ago, Skywalker69 said:

OK.

Some background info for anyone interested.

 

Nearly two years ago, the state decided to save money by switching Flint's water supply from Lake Huron (which they were paying the city of Detroit for), to the Flint River, a notorious tributary that runs through town known to locals for its filth.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health/toxic-tap-water-flint-michigan/

 

 

Annette Williams is careful to hold her granddaughter Sharell’s head at bath time, to keep the two-year-old from taking a gulp of toxic water. Though most people no longer drink what flows through Flint’s corroded pipes, many families have little choice but to bathe in it.

 

Sharell has been sick for months – ear infections, skin rashes and coughs. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/24/flint-michigan-water-crisis-lead-poisoning-families-children

So fix the damn pipes.  Quit the guilt trips.  And I say quit playing stupid political games.  One bill, One funding request to help fix that problem, it's done, guaranteed.  No more bill riders and BS. 

Just now, Skywalker69 said:

But it´s ok when Trump steals bilions?

 

It was a rant.  Get over it. 

What else was wrapped up in the Flint funding bill?  Lazy bastards.  One bill.  One issue.  If you want money for some pet project, do the work, submit it up the chain on its own and put it to a vote.  Sick and tired of this rider bill/amendment bullshit and then some <deleted> like Harry Reid starts mewing on TV about how the big bag ugly ones killed funding for "the children".  Like to punch that fker Reid in the face and steal his milk money.  

Looks like he might of hit his head on the side of the boat when he fell back and down into the water?  Then again, as others have said, maybe he only knew how to swim like a rock.  In any case, RIP poor fella.  One minute you're here, the next you're not.  Poof, just like that.

Well, here we go, folks. 

Another 4 to 8 years of muting the television sound.

I passed through a random check point yesterday on the 205 heading into Korat.  I'd never seen one there before.  There were no cars pulled over on the side of the road.  Just 1 BiB standing in the road with the orange cones, 4 other BiB in their high viz safety vests sat underneath the adjacent yellow roof bus stop.  The one BiB in the road was looking at vehicle occupants then waving us through, I got the impression it was one of those drugs "tip off" operations, looking for a particular car/person.

The big RTP reform plan has been crafted, debated and has hovered somewhere in the "any time now" execution phase.  The National Police Chief has "urged" the police to reform but I wonder if his heart isn't in it 100%. 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/932897-national-thai-police-chief-urges-police-to-expedite-reform/#comment-10977549

A few questions first, then I'm sure someone more familiar with UK and SET will chime in.

Understand you are on the 800k money in the bank plan for visa extensions.

• Married, kids, mother in law, sick buffaloes, etc?
• Do you have a source of income for routine living expenses (pension, rentals, etc).
• ^ If so, any surplus from that or do you use it all every month?

Do you have insurance to cover catastrophic event - car/motorbike accident, medical problem, or are you counting on the liquidity of the 2 million and/or 28k pounds as self-insurance?

• For example, I keep about 2.5m in a Thai bank (presently @ 1.3p/a) for visa extensions and self insurance should life bowl me a googly.

What are your expectations and level of risk you are willing to take on?

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

 

The Beagle from my friend has a heatlight in it's netcage (against mozzies). They always keep the light on, even when it's hot (30 at night) and it loves to sleep in there. When "it's cold" the dog even wears a tshirt as well.

The poodle has a shirt, not the other ones.  Good idea about the heat light, tx.

Certainly a welcome time of the year, been 20/21 at night around our area lately.  Refreshing driving home the other night on country roads, windows down, cool air rushing through - dam_n, it's almost livable here this time of year.  Will be wearing sweat pants, socks and a light jacket soon, sitting outside on the patio enjoying the "cold" weather.  Reminds me, gotta find some old towels for the dogs.  A few years ago during a cold snap, laid towels over them, expecting them to object and stand up.  Nope.  They didn't move, curled up under the towel for hours.

2 minutes ago, tails said:

 

 

maybe for some people... but hey, that's a fairly broad generalisation there

 

always amazes me how people on social media and forums so easily sum up everyone else with one sweeping statement... but when they are generalised... look out :D

So true.  So true. 
(sorry, couldn't resist). 

50 minutes ago, 212Roger said:

Anything is better than my ennui.

Ennui.  What a neat word.  Thanks. 

12 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Its your money and your time. These pens are suspect in their ability to identify real quality fakes. If you have the foreign exchange slips you receive when exchanging money you will be able to prove that you did not produce counterfeit notes but bought them, which in most countries would be enough for you not go to jail. Enjoy your search and please post for us your first counterfeit note you  got from a bank or reputable money changer like Super Rich. Seeing is believing they say.

I'm not a hand wringing Nervous Nellie about this,  so you might as well abandon the strategy of conflating what I said, in order to calibrate it.

Knowing what I know now, which ain't much in comparison to some, but nevertheless, in the unlikely event I had to use a money changer these days, I would be "that guy" on Youtube trying to get updated on how to spot the latest counterfeits.  And who would take another minute at the counter performing hopeless layman's due diligence.   Pen.  No pen.  Whatever.  You might characterize this as unreasonable and unnecessary.   Up to you. 

Mind you, however, money changers performed due diligence when accepting bills from me many years ago - I'm sure they are far more adept at it than I am.  100% though?  90?  Whaddya reckon?  Are they being unreasonable?  What compels them to inspect the bills THEY receive?  Do you think your argument about odds and reputations, would be persuasive to them? 

End of the day, reputations are dubious reassurances.   It's business, nothing personal.  Not suggesting this should take over one's life, just be mindful about the potential and try to take reasonable measures.

4 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

How many people you know have been given false notes in Thailand? How many have you read about ? What I have read about is foreigners trying to exchange fake notes they brought into the country here and getting caught. The issue about IP is much more complicated than a rating. The problem started in the early 2000's when Thailand under the rules of the WTO rules excluded certain medicine from IP protection. The big pharma companies complained but Thailand continued to legally manufacture the generics. The next year Thailand appeared in the TIP's list as an evil IP infringer. Everything in the world is not always as it seems. 

All I said originally is, if it were me changing Baht to Dollars here, I would like to have one of these pens.  If you think it's an over-the-top suggestion and there's little to no worries, then up to you.  No problem.

Thanks. Found a small shop recc by my mate in Korat. Also watched a few vids this morning to get an idea. Think i just need pre filtering for sediment then carbon to help remove color and odor. Tank on far left is city water i want to filter. The others are rain only but linked to house pump with valves.


Sent from my GT-I8150 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

42 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

I have exchanged money at Super Rich many times and not once I have had a problem. This includes USD, Euro, Yen, NZD, SGD, Won, HKD and Ringgit. If you go to a shady guy up a small soi to exchange money you are asking for it, but guys like Super are safe. 

I didn't mention Super Rich.  I also wouldn't make sweeping statements like "guys like_____ are safe".   Thailand is a growing source of counterfeit money in SE Asia, and OECD ranks it #4 as a "hub" for pirated/counterfeit products; China being #1. 

Not discounting your or anyone's experiences here, but the money tester pen is not an unreasonable suggestion if obtaining Dollars here, especially large sums, wherein you, the recipient, becomes complicit in a crime when you walk out the door.  In the US, for example, an unwitting person would be arrested, banged up and charged, but could avoid serious penalty if the State determines there was no knowledge and criminal intent to defraud.  Would rather avoid that process, not forgetting all that "money" you once had, gets incinerated.   

Run that scenario in reverse, as a farang in the Thai legal system.  No thanks.

WRT the hat, yes.  He's advertising.  $25.00 each on his website. 

Silver linings.... this prompted me to do my first ever top up via BKK Bank iBanking.  So simple.  No more trips to 7-11 for me.

Love to have one of those counterfeit testing pens handy if receiving dollars here.  My credit union branch overseas used to swipe all US currency we got from the local money changer. 

Bumping this thread instead of starting a new one.

I would like suggestions for manufacturer/model of a filter system I can put on the city water line, before the storage tank.  As suggested in related threads I've looked at: Supply-Filter-Tank-Pump-House. 

The source is typical countryside village water from an excavated reservoir - sediment, bits of leaves,  various shades of tea color are common.  The water is still tinted after recent, heavy rain inflows from surrounding fields and dirt klongs filling the reservoir.  I don't think there is much, if any, filtering before it enters the town supply lines.

Don't intend to drink, just normal household use - laundry, showers, flushing, etc. 

Would be looking at Global, but also have a HomePro and others available.  I don't have a budget figure in mind, but don't want to go overboard.  Something in the middle that would work well, easy to maintain/change filters, and result in decent quality for general household use.

On 10/30/2016 at 1:22 PM, Asiantravel said:

this is quite incredible and I've never seen any situation go from normal day-to-day calm to this kind of relentless and speedy pressure.

does anyone know what has prompted this  ? There would have to be some motive

A previous article about this mentioned the upcoming Pattaya yacht/boat show being held at Ocean Marina, I thought at the time there might be some underlying correlation, additional lay down area, etc. 

3 hours ago, Autonuaq said:

 

 

Hmm is seem to be you have never seen the Information they have about you,

When they only use the passport number or even your departure card number. You will be very surprised what they all know about you.

 

The land of the smile never forget that. You are speaking about professionals who are working when you meet then. You know officers are smart, well trained and use things to make you feel good and see your reaction and check you.

 

So next time when you meet people at work doing their job.....

Hmm, seems to me you have no idea about me and my background, but thanks for the tip.  LOL. 

Thai government is decades behind in a lot of areas, a symptom of being saddled with risk and change averse provincial dinosaurs at the top. 

The fact our passport copies and docs wind up being re-used so carelessly is just another symptom of the wasteful, inefficient process they are unwilling to abandon fully.   It's not the line officers.  At least not mine.  She's complained quietly about their processes.  I was buoyed the first time she used a passport reader, populated my file and included a digital photo.  I thought, damn, they are virtually "right there" on the edge, waiting for a shove the rest of the way into the 21st Century.   She then smiled meekly and sent me to the mimeograph room to make a few more 3 Baht copies, followed by the clerk's hand written entry of my extension package into the official 3rd world ledger book the size of a suitcase, and subsequent transmittal to BKK via carrier pigeon. 

Passport readers and 90 day reports on-line is a great start. Hopefully the next crop of young guns coming up through the ranks will take it to the next level so we can then bitch about (the next) IT security breaches instead of bits of paper with our details on them.

I started school in a rough ex-coal mining town in Pennsylvania with staunch Catholics of Eastern European descent.  My Dad was first gen born in the US from that ilk.  The adults ruled by the belt and switch and kids were held accountable on the spot.  Location was irrelevant.  

Beyond Kindergarten and 1st grade, teachers had blanket authority to discipline students, and to make matters worse, they would call your parents afterward and tell them all about it, so you just knew you were going to get it again when you got home from school. 

Begging and trying to avoid the beating, like the kid in this video, made it worse.  Own up and take your lumps.   Moving around too much also meant the blows would land in unintended places. 

Western society has, for the most part, moved on from this kind of "training".  In some ways, the lack of immediate consequences is reflected in the attitudes and behavior of kids now days.  They lack respect for adults in general, which is to say they don't fear them.  There's good and bad to that end state.  But it's also common for previous generations to be critical of newer ones in comparison. 

"Good Old Days-ITIS".