impulse

Getting arrested in a Blue city is meaningless. How many went to prison? Not to jail for a few hours waiting on a bail hearing... To prison? Edit: And more to the point, how many BLM'ers went to prison for non-violent offenses like being in the wrong place?

I know where the OP is coming from. My first visit "back home" in around 8 years and it wasn't the same place I had left 20 years ago. Took me weeks to replace my long expired DL because of ID requirements. Opening a checking account (because mine were closed after an extended absence) was a flaming PITA. Fortunately, I was staying in a redneck part of Galveston Island that started out decades ago as a fishing camp. That shielded me from the Dem run, crime ridden craphole that Houston had become. Visiting family in Houston was a real eye opener. Homeless, drug addicts, and shoplifters were the order of the day. They warned me off going out at night. Currently staying in China for personal reasons, I still haven't decided whether to go back to Texas or retire to Thailand.

https://people.com/alexandra-pelosi-premieres-insurrectionist-next-door-documentary-8350462

Maybe not, but they did destroy quite a few city blocks during the Summer of Love and mostly peaceful store burnings. Which probably went a long way to embolden stupid behavior on Jan 6. After watching the other side get away with so much mayhem, not hard to believe some thought they could do stupid things and skate free, too.

The idea that any MSM would squelch an interview with the guy actually at the head of the Capitol Police that day probably has Walter Cronkite rolling over in his grave. Disagree with the guy all you want. Interview all the counter points and anyone who doesn't with agree his version. Prove him wrong if you can. But you'd better bring the receipts, because the guy kept copious notes and records from the day. But why squelch it? Unless, of course, it doesn't fit the narrative or it pisses off your sponsors.

Say what you want. I like Swampy. Lots to see. Lots to eat. Convenient shopping for water and snacks. Lots of purty girls. Last month, I made my 11th arrival in the past year and in most cases I got through immigration long before my bags got to the carousel. (knock wood I didn't just jinx it for this month's arrival). Certainly better than an int'l arrival at most US airports, as if that's any gauge. Immigration upon exit has been more of a scrum, but never too bad. My main suggestion would be to install more seating for waiting passengers. I'm one of those idiots that show up 3+ hours early so I don't risk missing my flight due to traffic or passport/boarding issues. I suspect it's more airline related downstream of immigration, since most of my departures have been in the same area (D, I think) where I wait upstairs for the airline to open the stairs to the the hundreds of empty seats downstairs. Seems like a shame to have passengers sitting on the floor with hundreds of empty seats a few yards away. I've never flown int'l out of DMK, and have never been impressed the few times I flew domestic. But never since Covid, so I couldn't rag on DMK from any first hand knowledge.

Sorry I don't recall the exact location, but I got my fingerprints taken at a big cop shop off of Sukhumvit in Bangkok. Someone else may know the exact location as it was full of foreigners getting fingerprinted for formalities related to overseas employment, background checks, etc. You may want to include your location within Thailand to get steered to a nearby facility. I'd hate to go all the way to BKK only to find out I could have had it done 5 minutes from home. As an alternate, you may want to call the US Embassy and ask them where to get it done. I'm sure it's quite routine for many.

This is a lie. If you've got an extra hour, here's a Tucker Carlson interview with Steven Sund, the Capitol Police Chief at the time of the Jan 6 protest. The security failures on Jan 6 weren't failures as much as the plan. https://tuckercarlson.com/the-tucker-carlson-encounter-steven-sund/

There's a $30 fix for that. Buy an onward ticket. Even a throwaway. Hardly a deal killer, even if the airline demands an onward ticket. And not all of them do. Neither does immigration for the vast majority of entries.

Hardly a fair question for a couple of reasons. First, looking at tons of flotsam up and down the beach, one guy can't make a dent without heavy equipment that none of us own. Second, it's easy to get sideways with scavengers that make their living scrounging recyclables. (Something I learned when I used to pick up trash in a rented canoe in Lumpini Park. They gave me the evil eye until they figured out I was going to give the plastic bottles away when I got to shore. Then I became their good friend.)

I can't help but wonder if that's going to be complicated by the 2024 changes in tax rules where the Revenue Department will be scrutinizing incoming money for taxing purposes? That's sheer speculation on my part, though.

I wish the guy well, but I think he's in for a rude awakening when he has to extend his stay beyond the 2 months he's already experienced. And another when he figures out that working in Thailand legally requires a little more than hanging a shingle and counting the till. At his age, I'm not sure there's an option other than employment (WP) or Elite. And I suspect it'll get even harder to fly under the radar once the Revenue Department starts tracking incoming money for tax purposes in 2024. On a related topic, did any of the "shared space" businesses ever gel where they "hire" foreigners who make their money online, keeping them legal with a WP, remitting the required taxes, etc? They seemed to be a thing before Covid, but I lost track of the trend when I was a Covid refugee and quit paying attention.

Who Is Really in Charge In Thailand? Not me, and not anyone I know. Life in LOS got so much easier when I accepted that and just started going with the flow. Enjoying the advantages of some corruption and laissez faire, and accepting the rest as a compromise to balance the good aspects. All in all, I'm glad Thailand hasn't gone full nanny, even if there are things I'd like improved. Generally easy enough to stay out of the crosshairs, especially since I don't drink, I don't chase loose women, and I'm generally asleep by midnight.

When did Corn Pop become an honest man? Google "Joe Biden's Lies" But don't bother responding... I can't believe anyone thinks the US (or the world) is better off with 2 new regional wars and the threat of WW3 and nuclear annihilation, than we all were with the occasional mean tweet. But Joe's in good company. It's not the illicit affair that's going to sink Fani Willis. It's the lying under oath, the failure to disclose gifts from contractors as required by GA law, and using federal funds for unapproved projects. That's from one of the whistleblowers... Who was ushered out the door when Ms Willis didn't like being told what she wasn't allowed to do with earmarked funds. It's gonna get good. And liberal heads are soon to explode.

Remind me... Under whose watch did Hamas attack? Under whose watch did Putin attack? Under whose watch did 10 million (+/-) illegals get let in? Under whose watch did 13 service members get killed in Afghanistan? Under whose watch did inflation spike? Yes. President Trump did a better job, in spite of the mean tweets. And the world was a safer place.

Hard to say from the photos. But I've seen 60+ year old cars in Thailand rebuilt to look like new. I've also looked at some rental Jeeps in Pattaya years ago that, on closer inspection, were obviously older than dirt. Probably left over from the Vietnam War. Perhaps even Korea or WW2. But they looked great from afar.

Google Jeep DJ5 2WD.

Don't be so sure... https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/gop-state-lawmakers-work-to-remove-biden-from-ballot-we-must-fight-back-pennsylvania-state-rep-aaron-bernstine-r-lawrence-georgia-state-rep-charlice-byrd-r-woodstock-and-arizona-state-rep-cory-mcgarr-r-pima-co-donald-trump-2024 https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/dan-patrick-joe-biden-off-texas-ballot-18574947.php Of course, they'd be just as wrong as the states trying to remove Trump. But you can't have it both ways.

Meanwhile, the Georgia state Senate committee will start taking testimony tomorrow from their first subpoenaed witness in their investigation of the DA. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/26/politics/fani-willis-nathan-wade-georgia-state-senate-investigation/index.html Georgia defense attorney subpoenaed to appear before state committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/04/politics/georgia-defense-attorney-fani-willis-state-committee Cowsert said the panel already has heard from “whistleblowers” but did not elaborate on what information they provided. He said the committee intends to dig into any credible allegations, no matter how long the investigation takes. I've got my popcorn out. Regarding the trial judge, my heart goes out to him since he's up for re-election and dismissing Willis, Wade (and her entire office, apparently) will probably torpedo his re-election.

I loved the way they maintained BP Samila beach in Songkhla. Shameless plug, I know... But I always loved the place. I suspect the multi-national oilfield money stationed there had something to do with it. Anyway, if you have any stroke with the local politicians, here's proof that it can be done in Thailand.

I've seen cases where such a rule was approved for many years, but not enforced. Often because enough units are vacant that parking spots aren't an issue. Then one day... Obviously, the OP should inquire. And see if there are waivers available (if he needs one). Also, check to see what constitutes 7 days. In the same spot, or not crossing the gate (in and out), or just being there. I've lived in condos (not Thailand) where residents helped each other out by moving their traveling friends' cars around occasionally so they weren't in the same spot too long.

I stuck my 2WD Mitsubishi Cyclone in the soft sand near Jomtien beach when I foolishly tried to get closer to the beach to launch my inflatable off the trailer it was on. Nowhere close to the tide line, but embarrassing nonetheless. Found a couple of locals who tied on a rope and pulled me out with their pickup. (More accurately, they found me, we all laughed a little, then they offered to pull me out.) They didn't even ask for any money but I handed each of them 1000 baht to ease my embarrassment. Abandoning the Jeep in the surf was unforgivable. But then, I've driven on remote Texas beaches for decades where the culture pretty much dictates we help each other- after a good laugh. Half a dozen stout locals could have gotten that thing unstuck without a tow vehicle. Maybe 10 if it was really sticky sand.

Don't know quite how to respond to that gem... "Epic fail" doesn't seem to be adequate. On the positive side, here's one more data point. The wee hours are for sleeping. Other than abominable post-Covid flight schedules, the odds of me getting caught up in a 3:30 AM fracas are pretty much nil. On Soi 11 at 3:30, less than zero. Unless the airport taxi makes a wrong turn.

True. I know a lot of guys who have been in kerfuffles with neighbors, exes, taxi drivers and dodgy vendors that would look very bad in a trial by social media. All it takes is a video edited to leave out one side of the story. I'm not defending the guy or his behavior. Just not too keen on the process of deporting the guy mostly because it went viral.

Be careful what you wish for, lest it be used against you the next time. Who gets to decide what the threshold is for deportation? I'm not supporting the guy or defending his despicable behavior at all. Just saying that what gets used against him may be used against any of us who upset the apple cart.