Kinnock

Lack of investment in sports facilities at ground level - so Thailand's success is by the elite wealthy with the minor exception of sports supported by gambling money.

Holding tight to the bike is the problem. When riding a bike as a rider or passenger, you're supposed to use your natural balance, relax and let the bike move with the road. It's easy if you don't hold tight. Grab the bike in the two-hands-behind-your-back holding the hand rail death grip like most falangs I see on motorcycle taxis, and you become a dead weight being thrown around by every bump in the road and resisting the breaking and acceleration by gripping even tighter and tensing your upper body. It's also horrible for the rider when you do this .... it's like strapping a fridge on the back of your bike. Just relax .... the little bikes used as taxis don't have the power to throw you off the back. I just have one hand lightly resting on the handrail so I can hold it if the rider brakes suddenly, and by relaxing you don't get that 'being thrown around' feeling that makes you hold tighter.

Agree .... but only if you're writing in your own language. I needed to write an email to our local 'Tessabahn' about a serious issue, but my written Thai is weak. I wrote in English, then asked Chat GPT 4.0 to translate to polite yet precise Thai in the style of an official government memo. I sent it to a Thai friend for review - and she thought it was good enough to send.

...... AW - Artificial Woke.

I'm sure AI has a valuable place in our lives, and I use it at work for data analysis, but what is mentioned in the OP is the large language models (LLM) that utilise the web plus the ability to construct sentences to create human sounding phrases. If you can write coherently in the required language, and are knowledgeable on the subject, LLM's add little value. If you know nothing and can't string a sentence together, they are helpful. Personally, I'd rather read something written by HI (Human intelligence) that computer generated bull &#!£.

I don't know if it was a real case or not .... but all these so-called 'under-cover investigations' and secret recordings have an element of fakery about them. They all need some preparation and setting up, and the media is only interested in coverage and entertainment, so I never take political stories at face value. The online arguments are just people coming from their opposing preconceptions, but we'll know the truth in a few weeks .... which will be post the election anyway.

I'd say Thailand taxis and ride hailing is not as risky as Mexico or India but not as safe as Singapore ..... so probably similar to your home country. Our 'work night out routine' is to either travel in pairs, or for someone to walk with any solo females to the car, and that person photographs the car and plate as she takes the ride. Grab is preferable to Bolt. There's also the newer taxis with (allegedly) CCTV and the panic alarm button (over the left rear door). They have a green rather than the usual red light in the windscreen.

I applied 2 months before I reached 66, and it took a total 7 months to receive the first payment plus the missed payments. So ideally you should apply well in advance of reaching the qualifying age.

I mentioned in a thread last year that Anutin would become the PM and the responses suggested I was crazy. Not looking quite so crazy now.

This thread, and the others about Thai Women, look to me as incompatible with the forum rule about not discriminating or posting slurs, degrading or overly negative comments on the basis of race, gender etc. Recycling old clichés about bargirls and claiming they are relevant for 51% of Thai people seems to be the main content of this forum recently. Are so many members really 'unlucky in love' .... or is it just posting heresay?

Yet another misogynistic thread from a serial loser who's total experience of woman is bargorls.

Ladyboy Sausages

Somtam with raw crab. Raw/live shrimps The cooked/prepared "Kanom Cheen' and 'Ahahn Damsan' dishes you often see in food courts and street markets, where it's cooked in the morning and served all day from unheated, fly-blown displays. Only eat this when it's first put on display, never at the end if the day. Khao Soi Ghai if wearing a white shirt. Anything a Thai person says is "quite spicy'. Pizza with tomato sauce (it's just wrong).

Europe can't afford a war. America and Russia can't afford to not have a war .... they are both militaristic cultures with overwhelming economic issues that needs a big distraction to avoid the harsh realities. So when Ukraine has finally been ground to ashes, another country will enter the meat grinder. Meanwhile Europe will become poorer and China (the true victor in the Cold War) will get stronger.

Sounds right. And that will increase inflation as almost everything we buy is hauled by diesel trucks. Food inflation will be amplified as farming also needs diesel even before the products are transported. But if it helps to buy another submarine or luxury watch, all's well.

I guess you didn't do chemistry at school? The diesel fuel combines with oxygen from the air - so increasing the weight. But the 'carbon tax' is still a scam to raise more submarine engine funds.

1 and 2 for me. I try to keep myself healthy, so may live for many years post retirement. I also need to know that my (24 years younger than me) wife has a good living standard after I've gone, plus want my daughter to have a good start on the house buying ladder. So don't spend much on myself.

Maybe there's sometimes a gap between the vision and reality? But my experience of Thai women at my office and in my private life matches the vision of the feminine, dedicated and caring Asian female. One factor distorting the Western male perception of Thai Women may be the unique culture of Isaan? As a shameless generalisation, the Isaan regions expects everyone else to support them. In Thailand most the money is made in Bangkok, the industries in the East and the tourism in the far North, the South and on the islands. Isaan farms struggle and many are dormant - just used to get government payouts, there's little industry or tourism, so it's like a vast Liverpool in the UK or Alabama in US. So the 'handout culture' extends to farmer's daughters. In the rest of Thailand people hold down 2 or 3 jobs to survive .... but in Isaan many just look for easy money.

It's an on-line system. You need to set up a UK Government ID confirmation first .... a clever system that uses your phone and your passport linked to the UK Gov website. Then there's a site for claiming from overseas (I forgot the link, but I just searched for it via Google). There's also a specific phone number for claims from overseas. They were very helpful and based in Newcastle, so no Indian call centre. I used Skype to call the number as you wait about 20 minutes on hold. You need to provide a postal address .... I used my Thai address so it was clear I'd not get the annual increases. I also have a UK address and bank account and considered using that, but I decided not to .... but if I start to spend more time in UK I'll change the address. I also gave my Thai bank details - but this was prior to the tax announcement, so may switch to UK bank for the higher tax free limit. Process was not hard .... but took a lot of time online and on the phone. I think it could done all by phone if you prefer. Took about 7 months to get first payment.

While I'm not a fan of EV's, running into the drive shaft of a bus is an extreme test of any car - and if the occupants walked away, that's a pass.

Everything happens in malls, with the exception of the pleasant Marina strip and the beaches in winter. Ramadan is a difficult time as all the restaurants and cafe are closed or covered during the day. There's nobody on the streets as it's too hot and dusty - so no street vibe, stalls or anything. Taxis are all driven by South Asians with no navigation skills or sense of direction. The 'skytrain' is good, with AC everywhere. OK if you have (lots) of ex-pat expenses and a good salary.

Remember that weedy kid at school who was always trying to please the school bully as he couldn't fight? He just asked the teacher for more homework as he think it makes him looks smart.

I think there's also the erotic, fantasy element creating the image of the exotic Asian woman. Suzie Wong, Geisha, Madamme Butterfly, Phuong in The Quiet American and more. I use the Flickr photo hosting site, and my pictures of the Missus get invited to literally hundreds of 'Asian Girlfriend, Asian Woman, Asian Wife' Groups. The idea of the submissive, feminine, beautiful Asian partner has become part of Western male culture.

.... but China will be OK with it, so no problem.