dddave

I actually got burned by a flood car once. Back in the late 1980s, I bought a 3 year old Chevy Astro Van pretty cheap off a used car lot. Lots of problems from the start. When winter came and I tried to use the heater, hardly any warm air came out. Friend suggested checking the air ducts. About 5 lbs of dead leaves and sticks were packed inside each duct...obviously from a flood. Once we knew it and started looking, found debris wedged everywhere. I had other Astro vans so eventually just used it for parts.

I believe there is also an "Expiration Date" for LPG tanks. A friend had an older car with an LPG conversion. Her last inspection she was told that the tank was approaching 10 years old and would have to be completely replaced before it could pass the next inspection.

I remember a Bangkok Post article a number of years ago about shady dealers who buy flood cars from insurance companies for salvage value, then clean and recondition them. They alter the documents and sell them either online or at weekend car flea markets in the countryside.

Counterfeiters will have a go-between hire a bunch of locals, give them a stack of counterfeit notes and have go out and buy low cost items, always paying with the large notes thus getting genuine change. The collect the change money and pay the buyers a small percentage.

A friends former Filipina GF ended up hooking up with a Canadian man and emigrated along with her 14 year old son to the Vancover area. Three years later he was convicted of manslaughter in an Asian gang related killing. It's a sad fact that kids dumped into a place where they don't fit in often find gangs the only place where they find acceptance.

Sheryl: I fully understood the distinction between the OPs situation and what I posted. i was just making an effort to make clear that Tramadol is a useful medication. There are those on this forum for whom everything is black & white and who are inclined to demonize medications without knowledge. I wanted it to be clear to those for whom Tramadol is one of the few options that works, they needn't feel they are at risk for addiction if they use the medicine properly.

Internet sources say taking no more than 100mg of tramadol/day is non-addictive. I've been taking Ultracet (37mg) for two years to alleviate arthritis knee pain. Usually one tablet a day before activity, occasionally two tablets but never at the same time. Each tablet taken usually gives me about 3 hours of useful pain alleviation. I never take more than two tablets in a 24 hour period. So far, there seems to be no diminishment of effectiveness over my two years of use. I also will skip a day if no walking activities planned. For me, Tramadol has been the most effective OTC medication I've tried for pain alleviation. I understand it's risks and try to take those risks into account with my usage. I'd hate to see Tramadol demonized as a treatment for whom there is no other easily available alternative. NSAIDs are not nearly as effective and have their own dangers. Tramadol is not a "cure" for anything, it's a treatment the consequences of which need to be balanced with it's benefits. It's a tragedy that so many very effective pain killers are not available because of overuse, demonization and outright greed by the Pharma industry.

Aww! Too bad, bad move! You're busted. Laos is currently crawling with Chinese police. A lot of both dissidents and Chinese criminal gangs were operating out of Laos so the Chinese just pushed in a whole bunch of cops, just like they did in San Francisco a few years ago. https://search.brave.com/search?q=chinese+police+in+Laos&source=desktop&summary=1&summary_og=68f5b4b91b6028750cf994

"ULTRACET" tablets are 37.5mg tramadol with added acetaminophen. They might be be easier to taper-off with. Available OTC at most pharmacys.

Easy to say but suppose you did have that kind of money. Just how would you, an average Sam go about getting one of those SA passports, all the while trying to stay inconspicuous and unable to fly anywhere on your currant documents. Search on the internet and chances are you'll land on a police sting. One can no longer wander down Koh Sarn Rd getting the best deal on a passport.

Been enjoying novels by Harlan Coban & T. Jefferson Parker. Both excellent writers with strong characters. "1177BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed" has been a fascinating read Finally reading the Hillary Mantel "Wolf Hall" series. Bit of a downer when you know the "endings."

If there are any Indian grocers nearby, check there. I buy my Lipton bags at one close to my Bangkok Apt.

Meant the WiFi choice: 2.4G or 5G

Not to mention "5G" internet connection band vs. "5G" mobile service.

I just checked this link and all 4 selections are listed as "Out of Stock" which may also mean, no longer available.

It's in the heart of Central Pattaya. It's not Wongamat, it's not Pratumnak. Crowds, traffic, higher prices, noise at all hours are what goes with that location. People pay near double the going rates of quieter locations to be there so they must like it. What is "polluted" about it?

A friend rented in VT-6 in 2022, 48 S/m studio, middle floor, sliver of an ocean view. B22,000/m, 1 year contract. He really like the convenience of the location including a lot of shops on the ground level. Not a fitness/pool guy. Last year they raised rent to 30,000+. Nice but not that nice! He moved. IRRC, they also mark the electricity up but I could be wrong.

Reportedly also recruiting in Cuba.

Reboring a single cylinder doesn't get you much plus the added stress to already time-worn components like the crank shaft and bearings may be too much. If the rest of the bike is in very good shape, I wonder how much a brand new engine would be? Pricy, but doesn't Vespa and some of the other Italian scooter manufacturers make higher displacement scooters with a configuration similar to the Filano?

In the past ten years, I have not had directed at me: "Where you go?" "What you do?" "You have other lady?" "You give me BXXXXX for my family me!" "Farang Ba!"

According to another news source, he was kind of prone to bragging about getting away with it. Never a good idea.

I might be remembering it wrong, could have been 2-4-2. Emirates

I haven't flown since before Covid but I understand that since airlines have begun charging higher prices for seats deemed desirable, they have become much stricter about not allowing passengers who haven't paid the premium rate to occupy them. There's been any number of YT videos of angry passengers arguing with FAs about not being allowed to change to a better seat. BTW, Many don't know that on some airlines A380 seat configurations, there's a "secret" small coach section in the rear of the upper deck. On most seat charts, it just shows as the last 16 rows. It is really pretty nice. 2-2-2 seating and so few passengers you hardly ever get jostled. Rarely a wait at the toilet. They are well known now to frequent flyers who book them up pretty quickly but worth asking about at check-in.

Ever tried to dig a 6' X 3' X 6' hole? That's a lot of dirt! Yah, in the movies they get it done in ten minutes but try it in real life and you'll quickly find where the home builders buried the boulders.

Bodies can be a problem, two even more so as they have a way of popping-up and what, with all the CCTV cameras pointed at every crook and cranny, a bit of privacy to deal with the dearly departed is hard to come by. Just finding a nice little plot under which to bury them that won't suddenly sprout a "New Estates Available Soon" sign must be a challenge. Chopping up, if CSI is to be believed leaves a lot of tell-tail splatter and there's always a tooth or something that falls on the floor, waiting to be discovered. You have to give this lady credit for somehow dealing with the smell as you'd think that the place would have reeked on hot days. Remember the Bozo's in Pattaya last year? They murdered the German guy then found themselves on more video clips than a Instagram Madonna: Buying a burner phone, garbage bags, Chain saw and a BIG ice chest which later starred in a street cam clip in the back of their pick-up as they transported the body parts. You think it's easy?