Kinnock

Your example photos confirm my view that long hair is more beautiful.

Some of the scooter dealers are not really bike shops - they are just fronts for loan companies who 'sell' bikes just to get the loan business. So if you want to pay cash they are not interested and hike the price. You can normally spot the debt pushers as they have all the bike brands in stock rather than being dedicated to one .... even if they have a Honda sign on the shop front they have new Yamaha bikes on show. Probably no proper workshop either. A real dealer will add a bit for tax and plates, but only around 3000 THB on list. Sometimes with a new model they will charge more until the hype dies down.

I've given up reporting scams on Facebook, all you get is an auto-note reply in about 30 seconds saying it does not go against their policies. I belong to a motorcycle group on FB and 3 or 4 times a week there's some scammer posting parts for sale using photos from an old post. A reverse image search on Google Lens will find the original photos, and the Group Mods are good at banning the scammers, but then a new one will appear a few days later.

Yes, many of the most persistent scams on FB are 'Sponsored' ads, so there's no incentive for FB to remove them, as they'd lose revenue.

Mae Hong Son .... we're they buried with their motorbikes? Being prehistoric times, perhaps an AJS or an early version of a Supercub?

Eastern National Sports Arena

I went on Saturday. Three stages, lots of bands, loads of food and beer, Triumph stand had the new 400's and Royal Enfield had the Super Meteor. But a slightly unfriendly atmosphere compared to other bike meets I've been to, and I felt distinctly under-tattood. It's really for the Thai bike gangs with their sleeveless leathers sporting colors. Lots of chopper 'rat-bikes' and loads of Harleys. As a Falang on an adventure bike I didn't really fit in .... but it was still a fun afternoon and evening.

There's was a wonderful gap of about a year after I stopped working full time and the 'part time' consulting work hadn't got going. I was in heaven ... house near the sea, running, cycling, messing with a kayak, motorbike trips and watching the young Missus doing the housework whilst she's wearing minimal clothing. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think I'd never get bored if I stopped all work. The consulting work I do is interesting, but having fixed appointments every week makes trips difficult and interrupts longer rides, runs, paddling. But the idea of no income except pensions scares me, so I work. I worry I may be working until I croak.

I can understand someone losing control of their horse .... or a dog, or their bladder, or losing control driving on ice or snow. But driving on an inner city road when it's not even rained for 2 months?

Hang on to that towel. It's scary how fast your body and brain can deteriorate if you stop exercising. A friend the same age as me (66) snapped his achilles tendon playing tennis, and within weeks he was speaking, thinking, moving like a much older man. I now find running tough on my ankles, so switched to a bike. Try alternative exercise if the gym is not fun anymore.

I don't think Thailand needs any foreign help with anti-democratic meddling. 😄

Not everyone can afford to buy and run a car.

"Authorities identified the victim as an unidentified Thai male" Great work! A sad incident, and sounds (and looks) like the truck driver changed lanes without looking.

'Our' house is in her name, and after 13 years together she's not shown any inclination to throw me off the balcony .... mind you the balcony is only one floor up.😀 But I decided to not go with the complexity of company ownership or leasing the land, as I want her to have the house after I've gone. We also have a will in case she goes before me ... unlikely as she's quite a bit younger than me. I trust her completely, and she's never given me any doubts. However, the post about family pressure is a highly valid one. She is regularly asked to give financial support to various family members, and as she's the youngest in the family, there's an expectation she should help - simply because her sisters are entitled by being born before her. She's smart and tough enough to either just say no, or structure it as a loan, with no further support given until it's paid off. To my surprise they eventually do pay her back, but not without mounting resentment and friction. My wife is no longer on speaking terms with her older siblings. (The nieces and nephews are very different and more independent, but the older generation clings to the idea of 'gert gorn' entitlement). I've given up trying to explain the destruction of value by providing interest free loans, and the amounts are not huge, but the family's perception of her 'wealth' has created many issues. I should add that she project managed the design and build of the house, so it's right that it's at least partially hers ..... and she's super hot - so I tend to do as she asks anyway 🙂.

Went to the UK visa agent (VFS) office last year .... as others have said, entering the Trendy foyer area is no problem as there's coffee shops and restaurants there. Also several visa agents and places to copy docs. Going up to the offices there's a couple of private security guys to help organise the queues, but no checks for phones etc. While waiting for the Missus to get a visa I was messaging on my phone, but making a loud phone call with the speaker on would be bad form (anywhere).

Better to find a trusted lady here and fly her to your home country to look after the old chap. He'd probably prefer someone to cook and clean for him. Get her a French Maid uniform to cheer him up.

Don't think so - giving blood is part of the Buddhist 'making merit' tradition here. And if you come from a country that had CJD cases during the BSE issue you can't even be a blood donor here (although I heard that rule may change)

I caught a few random episodes of Yellostone .... I thought it was a shame that such good production values and actors was wasted on a sub-Dallas storyline. And (spoiler alert) could you really kill someone by throwing a snake at them?

Any vegetables (and fruit) can be contaminated with bacteria or viruses. E.coli from natural fertiliser or from animals on the farm, and Hepatitis A from people handling the fruit & veg are the most common risks. But in general raw onions are not often associated with food poisoning as they have a (slight) anti bacterial effect and the peel gives some protection. Using a vegetable wash is a good idea though. As mentioned earlier, the mayonnaise or the tuna is more likely to be the issue.

That's normal. The airline can only help with changes if you booked direct with the airline. Also, lower cost tickets often have limitations on changes, even those booked direct with airline.

The Honda ADV 160 has slightly better suspension travel than other scooters. But the best bike I had for bad roads was a Honda CRF 250M. It's now a 300 and the Motard version is no longer available, but Kawasaki also do 250 and 300 trail bikes, and the motard version is best for roads. The Honda CT125 is also a good option if you like semi auto.

I don't believe in the 'making merit' philosophy, and as my Mother used to say "no good deed ever goes unpunished, - but I do get pleasure from helping others, although I don't expect a reward in return apart from my personal enjoyment and the big smiles. The most fun I had a few Christmases ago was dressing up as Santa's and taking a big sack of toys and food to Khlong Toey and handing things out to the kids. Providing meals at a local community school is also fun ... that's my birthday tradition. But the master of this is the Sunrise Taco's guy and the Bangkok Community Help Foundation. They add real value to the community.

Equaliser 3 is worth watching (saw it on Netflix) - good, slow build with sudden outbreaks of violent action, but a few cheesy scenes .... overall good though. For that type of movie, I think "Man on Fire" is the best. Just started watching 'Happy' (also on Netflix) - great fun series, like a cross between John Wick and My Little Pony. And for a series that's sheer mindless entertainment with action and naked boobies - 'Obliterated' is hard to beat.

Thai Lion Air had a big fanfare about receiving their new 737 Max. They were also listed in an FAA report post the Alaska Air incident as a Max user. They did stop using them after the Indonesia crash, but have started again. This may be why some sites do not list them. https://mgronline.com/onlinesection/detail/9620000025898

Thai Lion Air fly the Max 9 .... but it's the sardine seat plan with a door where the panel blew out. But all the 737 Max series are suspect in my view .... been modified too many times when a complete new design was needed.