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On 2/22/2022 at 8:28 AM, JonnyF said:

Ridiculous. I thought Thailand was number 1 in the world in dealing with Covid? So why the increase? 

 

Even long termers here are dropping like flies now. I know 3 people who have left in the last month. Tourism is in the toilet, and they INCREASE the level? Wow. The administration just goes from bad to worse.

May I correct you:

"The NON-administration just goes from bad to worse.

On 2/14/2022 at 1:22 PM, mvdf said:

DHL hands down. Reliable and punctual.

DHL for me just the opoosite, an absolute horror.

My son had send me bank cards 3-times within the last 5 years by registered mail.  2 times the letter has been stopped in BKK-Airport-DHL and arrived here in the North after ~6 weeks,  after using the tracking system. One time it has been "controlled" here in the Post office - until I went there. The woman (cannot say lady) at the desk took it out of the drawer in front of her belly. It has been there already some weeks!

On February 4  (Friday) I have sent my 90-days report to the IMO in Pai - by registered mail. Just until yesterday no returning of the 90-day-confirmation. A call in Pai: no, we didn't receive your mail, although the post-tracking showed me it was dlivered on Monday, February 7.

Our dogs would be 100-times more reliable!

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

If Andrew had been a nobody (like us), there would never have been a court case in the first place.

How many 'nobodies' do you see being taken to court 20 years after the event for trivial offences like this?

You are defending the indefensible by an "IF". To refer "20 years after the event" being taken to court has happened in many cases i.e. in Germany. Reason: new technics - unknown 20 years befor or more - allowed it to improve sexual violence. A lot of "nobobies" had to defend themselves in the court! I guess not very different from England/GB. The most surprising thing is the fact that Anrews' behavior has NOT been critizised and publicised  when it has happened -20 years before. Furthermore, it's a fact that he isn't and wasn't a "nobody". Therefore, your "If" can be taken into the wastebox.

You use the word trivial for Andrews f@cking behavior. Not surprising for me and many other ASEANNOW-readers. In many, many threats one can see your favor for sexual affairs, although you are married. No surprise that you are defending Andrews' "trivial" behavior.

25 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It seems you are one of the people who do their best to bring the public in the direction that they think he is guilty. Or at least it seems you don't even consider he might be innocent.

 

Personally I think we all should (almost) all of the time try to stay with the "innocent until proven guilty" concept. Personally if there is a case from a guy walking away with a bloody knife from a dead body then I think we have a right to assume he is guilty, even if he wasn't until that moment convicted.

But in a case like this were the only evidence seems to be that she said it happened I think it is only fair to treat him as innocent or at least as possible innocent (like: let's look and see what else will come out). Treating him like "we all know he is guilty" because he had this bad friend and he was on that picture and he lied is IMHO not fair.

How primitive.  "innocent until proven guilty"  that is a rule of the law, in general okay.

But if you have money or the right connections you are able to circumvent "the law", you make "a compromise". Like in this case for many reasons. If he wasn't "forced" by the royal family to make a cpmpromise, a lot of dirt would have appeared on the surface of a clean (?) water. That is the main reason to avoid a juristic process.

And even a juristic process isn't ever able to show what really happened. In a juristic process there is one rule: you can only judge about what is proven( not what has really happened). It would be hard to improve what happened in the room. But LOGIC can replace what happened in the room. The logic tells me: why would he (.... hm ...) pay 12 million when nothing happened, but being afraid that Giuffre's details would go to the public.

20 hours ago, worldexpress said:

Not racist at all but the fact that hundreds of years of Chinese influence and cultural ties can't be discounted. It is a deeply rooted one and not unique to Thailand. If anyone ventured onto the streets of Bangkok last couple of days, you'd have noticed every other woman in a Chinese dress for the New Year.

".... you'd have noticed every other woman in a Chinese dress for the New Year."

In contrast....  in the remaining days of the year they wear the JEANS, origin in the USA. This means, the USA and the West in general have influenced Thailand, too. That you still can read critical comments in Thai medias isn't a result of the "Chinese influence", but of Western.

The cultural influence is an important point. Many families here in Thailand have a Chinese origin, fleeing their home country for reasons like poverty, overpopulation, undemocratic state with the power for the rich families. That brought Chinese Culture and thinking to Siam.

This is now in contrast to the result that Thailand opened it gates for the US-military in the Vietnam War . As a result more US/Western influence arrived in Thailand in the following years. And, HM King Rama IX was born in the USA and had lived some time in Switzwerland. That also opened the doors for more Western ideas.

The problem will be, if Thailand is still so important for the USA when military conflicts break out in South-East Asia. Because of the modern technic the US  don't need Thailand as much as before. Nowbody knows at now, if the USA will fight against the Chinese, if they cross the borders in SE Asia. Nowadays there are different instruments to to influence a country, military waepons too.

2 hours ago, RayOday said:

I have to agree that money is the root of weakneds in the corrupt Thai government. Money and the power to control it are the motivators.

CP Group's vertical integration and cooperation with CCP rubber-stamping their investments in the mainland is a poor example spun as gold.

Most ASEAN Chinese are not from Mandarin speaking China rather Guangdong and Fujian. These are the same populations that occupy Hong Kong and Taiwan (how is that working out?) with the exception of Mandarin speaking refugees that left, mostly from Nanjing and Shanghai, during Mao's effort to crush the KMT. These Chinese speak Guangdonghua (Cantonese), Hakka, and other tribal dialects of Southeast China. The Southeast coast afforded merchants the ability to explore, save themselves from numerous threats, and exploit new markets in what is now ASEAN. Thailand is not alone with the richest Filipinos and Malay Strait countries hailing  from SE China. 

Does anyone think that Rama 9 supported the communists of CCP ideology? (Hmmm CP/CCP) I have no comment on the current government's ideology as money and power dominate as well as a bloated bureaucracy. Many improvements the current government is undertaking will improve the lives of many Thai people and strategically, most likely, cement their hold on power. The Thai people, not someone unqualified as me, can make such forecasts.

Craven interests in lucre and power have taken over, and to some degree, stratified class power and produced legions of corrupt and greedy wannabees. Education, constitution, rule of law, and the minimization of corruption will aid in carrying the country forward. The unintended consequences of playing both sides is useful although in this case I fear it is not just a case of guiding altruism for the Thai people by it's leaders in government and business. The recent upgrades in ASEAN infrastructure and advancing education are empowering. Seeding an unelected government with millionaires and billionaires excludes a diversity of constituents and advances an economic patriarchy of unqualified mini-oligarchs. Corruption, fear and greed are debilitating this nation of great potential. Only my most humble opinion of a historically and strategically complex subject. 

 

 

 

Never forget both countries, China and Thailand,  have military dictators on the top. The US not.

The worst is Xi who wants to drive China back to Mao's ideas of Chinese imperialism and extrem dictatorship.

Prayut behaves like a dictator, although elected democrativally, as he pretends (as a liar). Extinguishing all political "enemies" before the last election is only one ugly example of many, many. And of course, completely undemocratic. For example destroying the Future Forward Party with its great leaders. And he holds up this military, undemocartic style. Maybe asking Xi on his first visit in Peking how to do it.

This undemocratic behavior happened in China already with Mao (in 1949?). In the US the last idiot who unsuccessfully tried to eliminate the democracy was just stopped one year before, because of an uncensored election. A great difference between China, Thailand and the USA.

For his own and the military interest P. sacrifices the furure of Thailand supporting dictator Xi without any shame or remorse. I'm sure he will destroy all normal democratic rules in  the coming election.

That's one reason, why Prayut prefers China and showing the USA his backside. China supports him, the USA not.

On 1/22/2022 at 4:33 PM, orang37 said:

How is the person's gender relevant to your experience of their job performance, and behavior, if you have only had 2nd. hand reports of it ? Taking into account that for many people going to a dentist produces high anxiety,, and emotional reactivity. 

I was one of those who complained about the "mangirl". If you would have read my former comment you would recognize that my complaint was not all about the gender of this person, but about his/her horrible behavior, never experienced in Grace before he/she started working there. I had ask 3 times - in  words: three times - for an appointment by e-mail, no answer intentionaly.

This was my reason to change to Dentalworld, Dr. Surasak. In general, there is excellant service by the reception and the doctor(s). Have no reason to change again.

2 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

So 10 years max for pensioners? What then ?

Nice headline but as always lacking detail....

 

... i.e.: the price for this kind of visa. I guess not cheap.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I always take a mug and bags of 3in1 and use the free hot water in the airports.

I always enjoy having my own mug when everyone else is drinking from paper/plastic cups.

Only foolish people pay for a coffee at airport prices.

...hmm, only foolish people need coffee at the airport.

8 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

This government always try to come up with more schemes to get more money they already get 700 every time you leave the country I guess not enough for them TIT

I think you are right.

Guess how many falangs have to come to Thailand in how many years until all the F-35 fighters for the military government will be payed by this fee ?

14 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

waaw.. new colors... blue, yellow and green... but noboby knows how it works.... Phetchaburi today 23 new cases orange zone, Chonburi 1360 cases blue zone, ???? 

Money talks, not the covid (danger).

Thai police in debt?

That cannot be true. Do you remember the suffocation-story of the police officer in Nakhon Sawan?

The police in debt(?), maybe they never receive enough in spite of the tea money.

But not everywhere. Here in the Pang Mapha area they control the traffic-people only one time in the year: on December 29, the start of the 5 dangerous New Year Days, especially for wearing helmets.

I know 2 police men here in our village. One has his house just accros a waterfall creek, mostly dry. The wife of the other one has a shop/restaurant on the main road. Both have a very good character. Never heared or experienced that they asked for a tea money. We had a lot of mud in front of a bridge over the stream leading to the center of the village, our nighbour helped us to clean. Never high nose.

Typical military:

he sings the song of the top military leader.

Otherwise .......ehm, ehm,ehm.

@Dr.Jack54 forgets it nearly every time for retirement extension:

• if you  have a monthly income or pension of at least 65,000 Thai baht.

Then you don't need so much paperwork, it's easier.

It doesn't refer immediately to your problem, because you have lost your departure-card just after leaving the airport.

After returning to our home every time I make a (colored) copy of it in the same size and save it in my handbag.

The life has gotten more expensive here in Thailand?   Not at all.

Examples

• I give my wife everytime after 3 days 3.000 THB, as in some years before 
• 1 bottle of beer - 60 THB since many years (after they reduced the volume, don't pay more) ....ehm.
• Bread from the Greman bakery in Chiang Mai 60  tHB for 1 package; the same as before
• electricity - much cheaper now after producing electricity by a solar module
• saving food for chickens. After returning from the smoke holiday a lot of chickens had "disappeared", but compensated by now feeding 5 dogs, compared to 2,  1 year before
• saving big money for NOT flying to Old Germany because of the Covid-restrictions
• reducing the volume of my food in order to lose some kilos
• no big New-Year-Party because of Covid
• ............ the money-saving-list goes on

I  only would book flights with Thai, if I could see the costumers entering the plane for my wanted destination - .... and , if the ticket would be cheaper than those of other airlines. Don't want to wait for giving my money back.

I had booked Thai sometimes  about 30 to 20 years ago for flights to SE Asia and was staisfied with the service and price. But trying the Emirates only one time, I stopped Thai.

On 12/15/2021 at 5:03 PM, Enzian said:

Yes the French Riviera is nice, but the equally nice ladies would like to see 500 Euros; there you have it, why you see the guys you do see here in LOS.

I will be in Italy as soon as the "cool" season here is over (and before April!) if it turns out to be practical, but sadly I have my doubts.

And before I forget, China delenda est.

I guess you never have ben in China (out of the very big cities). Otherwise you would not write such a NONSENSE. I have been 3x in Southern provinces, about 20 years ago, and have met a lot of very fine and helpfull people. I think people with a much better character than you.

My best friend is married to a lovely Chinese lady of Kunming. She has learnt the German language within half a year(!). Already 2 years later she got a fulltime job in a company, tranlating German into Chinese language and vice versa! She never brags about her knowledge!

Of course, people like you - serching the brothels (nice ladies ) - would never get contact to people of this kind!

Her father was an engineer, her mother a teacher. Both had big problems during the Mao period. Her older sister a translator in Hongkong, her brother a very fine and intelligent man.

Got it from RAM Hospital for the same reason, black color, high quality, 500 THB (if i remember rightly). I wear it every day. But prescribed by a doctor.

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

one has to wonder what criteria they use to come up with such a misleading report.... unless there are 2 Thailands, wonder where the other one is

It's the old rule of statistics: give me your wanted result and you will get it ????.

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

I believe the bars are already open.

 

Thank you for the information/s.

Another question: What about the smoke in Hua Hin?

The owner of a guestehouse  in the south of Thakiaep told us there was smoke before the end of February of this year. When we arrived on March 10, it had vanished.

The crazy thing, we want to leave our home in the Mae Hong Son province, when the smoke starts here. Normaly between the end of Febraury and the middle of March. Of course, we don't want to "enjoy" the smoke in Hua Hin after leaving our home because of smoke.

2 hours ago, Jerno said:

And still were told Thailand's the best place to retire, visit or come for health medical procedures.  Why hasn't ChaCha fixed this 2.5 problem, instead of billions upon billions spent on the military?  Wonder why, wonder why.

And the military leader wonders, why should I abstain from my military toys?!